(The Lab School Of Washington Part 1) 10/15/19…read moreBefore The Gow School, there was The Lab School Of Washington. This is a school for students that have learning disabilities. A school that uses many techniques to help kids and adults learn challenging tools and skills they will need in the big bad world. I came to this school at the age of five or maybe six. My reading and math skills were under developed as; well, as being unable to focus on my studies.(gotta love that hyper attention deficit disorder on top of dyslexia) I thought I was focused, but in the words of Mr. Hans (aka Jackie Chan) "Your focus needs more focus. " And so it begins... I was brought to the school and given the tour by an administrator who's name I can't remember. I remember seeing kids younger than me and thinking of a number of things. I wondered if I was going to like this school? If I was worried about making friends, those worries were laid to rest not long after I joined the school. I don't really remember my first week of school as the new kid, but I do remember classes like Caveman Club, Knights&Ladies Club, Gods Club and Renaissance Club. These were actually history classes, but the teachers dressed up in their classes for at least week...(Some teachers like Lord Don *aka Don White* really dressed the part.) There were classes as I moved up in grades like wood working with a teacher name Dieter. There are some people that did not like him, but he was one of the coolest teachers out there. Pitty I didn't see this back then. Other classes like PE (aka physical education) with a woman named Heather, who later on introduced us to a man name Angelo, who later introduced us to a man name Judd. Judd stayed with Angelo for decades and eventually became the head of PE. In between Angelo and Judd, there was another woman who's name escapes me. She took PE to a higher level than Angelo and Judd did. Moving up through the grades, I remember how my reading and mathematics improved. My reading improved more with the help of Talking Books at the Media Center and Drama Class. The Media Center helped students learn how to sound out words as well as entertain students. We also practiced writing out what we heard on the talking books. Another learning technique for writing. I wish I remembered that teachers name because she really helped so many students. With the help of the Media Center, Drama classes with Sean Miskell helped us remember words, sentences to memorizing lines for theatrical performances. One of my favorite games of his was hide the chip. Another was word games. We had to remember words and phrases as the word or sentence passed from one student to another. I am sure you can imagine how the real sentence changed dramatically as the last student said the sentence out loud. All these little things did not seem like much, but all together it helped students get a better grip on one's schooling. Yes, Sally Smith knew what she was doing even if I did not get along with her from time to time. She was known as the Perfume Lady back when I was a kid. She wore a lot of it and her downstairs office smelled like it too. Her office use to be in an office outside the main school. Her office later was changed to the castle/library later on. Sally Smith knew how to get intouch with many celebrities like Dexter Keith Manley, Henry Franklin Winkler aka The Fonz, Cher, Tom Cruise and the actor who die and became a monster in the movie Leviathan. These are just a few people that the student body got to meet and learn how the celebrities turn their learning disabilities into their strengths. I don't know if this still goes on today, but it did back then. I will write more later on... To be continued.....

We love this school. My son loves going to school again and has gained more self confidence and…read moreless anxiety about school. Thank you Lab School and their dedicated teachers and staff.