Lawrence At-A-Glance

Mission

Teach students using diverse learning strategies, ignite their potential, and inspire academic, personal and social success.

School

Lawrence School is a state-chartered, independent, coeducational day school for K-12 students with language-based learning differences, such as dyslexia, and attention deficits.

Lawrence School has two campus locations – Lower School in Broadview Heights and Upper School in Sagamore Hills – which serve students from more than 80 communities in 11 counties and 66 different school districts throughout Northeast Ohio.

Lawrence School is governed by a Board of Trustees. The school is supported by tuition, as well as the generous support of foundations, corporations and individual donors.

Lawrence is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS) and is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), the Ohio Association of Independent Schools (OAIS), and the Cleveland Council of Independent Schools (CCIS).

History

In 1969, a group of dedicated parents sought to establish an appropriate school where their children could achieve academic success. Dr. Kenneth Oldman, a reading and learning disability professor at Case Western Reserve University, coordinated a summer school for the group that became the predecessor of today's Lawrence School. Learn More

Academic Program

Lawrence Lower School serves students in grades K-6. Our goal is to help each student achieve mastery in academic areas; problem-solving and critical thinking proficiency; creativity and healthy self-expression; self-esteem, contentment and pride in oneself; friendship/social skills and respect for others; leadership and teamwork ability; and an appreciation for learning that will last a lifetime.

The Upper School program, grades 7-12, is for students who have a desire to actively – and successfully – pursue academic goals through personalized and differentiated instruction delivered by a caring, capable and highly trained staff. Students are able to tackle rigorous course offerings and curricula because we build in specific, individualized teaching strategies and offer frequent opportunities for "check-ins" and review. Upper School classes have an 11:1 student/teacher ratio.

Students have access to state-of-the-art technology, including a one-to-one laptop program. Extracurricular and athletic programming ensures that each student has the opportunity to participate in a complete educational and social experience.


Faculty

Lawrence School teachers are a faculty of learners — working hard to understand the educational needs of each student in their class, as well as continually studying and assessing the inclusive science of learning.

As part of a professional learning community of practice, they work together to hone their understanding of principles of good practice for students with language, attention and executive skills challenges.

Reputation

Lawrence School is one of only three independent schools in the state of Ohio to exclusively serve students with language-based learning differences, and one of only a handful in the country to offer a stand-alone Upper School serving this population.

Organizational Affiliates

Lawrence School is accredited by the Independent School Association of the Central States (ISACS) and chartered by the State of Ohio Department of Education. Memberships and affiliations include the following:

  • National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)
  • Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS)
  • Ohio Association of Independent Schools (OAIS)
  • Cleveland Council of Independent Schools (CCIS)
  • National Association of College Admissions Counseling (NACAC)
  • Ohio Association of College Admissions Counseling (OACAC)
  • International Dyslexia Association (IDA)
  • Learning Disabilities Association (LDA)

Admissions Information

Lawrence School accepts applications for admission and regularly admits qualified students throughout the school year. The first step of the admissions process is an application and, if applicable, a parent visit.

After the parent visit, if the student appears to be an appropriate candidate, he or she will visit the school for a full school day. This allows the student to experience our school environment – and allows our admissions team and faculty to observe the child's learning style. Academic testing is also a requirement during the admissions process.

For more information about academic testing or the application process, please contact the Admissions Office at 440.526.0717 or email admissions@lawrenceschool.org.

Our office hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.