Kairos: Dyslexia Support Program

The Kairos Learning Center

St. Martin’s Episcopal School offers a unique learning environment for students diagnosed with dyslexia. “Kairos,” in ancient Greek, refers to the right, critical or opportune moment in time and St. Martin’s unique “school within a school” approach works to offer remediation skills that empower students to build confidence, enhance skills and achieve lasting academic success.

The Kairos Learning Center (KLC) is designed for students with dyslexia identified through a comprehensive psychoeducational evaluation. Students have average to above-average cognitive ability and are willing to embrace new learning strategies while developing the skills and confidence to become independent learners.

For questions about admissions, contact Gopi Shammas, Director of Enrollment.

Kairos for 1st - 4th Grade
Middle School Kairos Support

Kairos for 1st - 4th Grade

The foundation of Kairos begins in the Lower School, where students with diagnosed dyslexia receive individualized, evidence-based instruction designed to help them become confident, successful learners. Using the Orton-Gillingham approach and other structured literacy practices, our highly trained teachers provide explicit, multisensory instruction in phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, spelling, writing, grammar, morphology, and reading comprehension.

Through small student-teacher ratios and a personalized approach, students build the foundational literacy skills they need while remaining fully engaged in St. Martin's comprehensive academic program, co-curricular opportunities, and vibrant school community. This balance of specialized support and a rich educational experience empowers students to build on their strengths and reach their full potential.

A current psychoeducational evaluation with a diagnosis of dyslexia is required for admission to the Kairos Learning Center.

Daily schedule includes:

90 minutes of Orton-Gillingham remediation in small-group English Language Arts class (5:1 student-teacher ratio)
50 minutes of multi-sensory math instruction in small groups (5:1 student-teacher ratio) using the schoolwide math curriculum
30 minutes of speech-language services to improve verbal and non-verbal communication skills through push-in sessions
Lunch, Recess and Co-Curriculars with grade level peers daily

Sample Lower School Schedule

Language Arts (small group) 90 minutes

Multisensory Math (small group) 50 minutes

Lunch (with grade level peers) 30 minutes

Recess (with grade level peers) 30 minutes

Co-Curricular classes (with grade level peers) 40 minutes/2 per day

Depending on the daily schedule, classes could including: PE, Art, Music, Science, Religion,

Library, Guidance

Middle School Kairos Support

The Middle School program builds upon the strong foundation established in the Lower School, supporting students as they grow into confident, independent learners

In 5th and 6th grade, students who have previously received remediation for dyslexia in the Lower School Kairos program (or outside programs) will continue to build on the skills needed to meet the increasing academic demands of middle school. As students demonstrate growth, the program transitions in Grades 7 and 8 to a scaffolded support model that emphasizes the application of learned strategies, executive functioning, organization, self-advocacy, and academic independence.

Throughout the middle school years, students remain fully engaged in St. Martin's rigorous academic program and vibrant school community while receiving the individualized support needed to thrive.

A current psychoeducational evaluation with a diagnosis of dyslexia is required for admission to the Kairos Learning Center.

5th & 6th grade program includes:

A daily English Language Arts class in a small group setting (6:1 student-teacher ratio) to enhance foundational language skills such as comprehension, vocabulary and writing across various genres.
In lieu of a world language course, students also attend a Literacy Lab add-on course in a small group setting (6:1 student-teacher ratio) for targeted support in comprehension, writing fluency and grammar. Students learn to annotate texts, analyze literary elements and craft complex written responses.
Students attend other core and co-curricular classes with their grade-level cohorts for a full St. Martin’s experience.

7th & 8th grade Study Skills transition program includes:

7th Grade: Students rejoin their grade-level peers for English classes while completing their final year of Literacy Lab (in lieu of world language), which reinforces key concepts like paragraph development, essay writing, sentence structure, and grammar.
8th Grade: Students attend all classes with their grade-level peers except a small-group Study Skills course, which is their course in lieu of a World Language class. Study Skills focuses on executive function skills such as organization, time management, planning, prioritization, test-taking strategies, and self-advocacy.