Bodine School

🌟 Key Highlights: Bodine School

Bodine School is a private, independent, specialized school in Germantown, Tennessee, exclusively dedicated to serving students with dyslexia and other reading differences. It is committed to providing an intensive, research-based curriculum that fosters academic competence, self-confidence, and a love of learning in students who learn differently.

🏫 Overview

• Type: Private / Independent Specialized School for Students with Dyslexia

• Location: Germantown, Tennessee (Memphis Area, Shelby County)

• Grades Served: 1st Grade – 6th Grade (Elementary School Focus)

• Enrollment: Approximately 80–90 students

• Core Mission: To transform the lives of students with dyslexia and other reading differences through a highly specialized, research-based, and intensive curriculum delivered by expert educators.

• Affiliation: Independent private school; operates the Bodine School Tutoring Center for outside students.

• Accreditation: Fully accredited by the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS) and the Tennessee Department of Education as a Category 2 Non-Public School.

• Focus: Elementary education with a short-term, intensive goal: to equip students with the necessary reading and learning skills to successfully re-enter mainstream education within three to four years.

✅ What Makes the School Unique?

Bodine School is defined by its precise specialization, intensive instruction, and transitional mission:

• Exclusive Dyslexia Focus: The entire program is dedicated solely to students with dyslexia and related reading differences. The small student body ensures an environment free from the stigma often associated with learning differences.

• Orton-Gillingham Methodology: Instruction is primarily delivered using a multisensory, direct, structured, and sequential method, with teachers being highly trained in the Orton-Gillingham approach or other scientifically-validated reading programs.

• Intensive, Short-Term Goal: The school is designed as a transitional program. The goal is not long-term enrollment but to provide an intensive intervention (typically 3–4 years) so students can return to traditional schools successfully, equipped with strong compensatory strategies and a solid foundation.

• Integrated Curriculum: Core academic subjects (Math, Science, Social Studies) are taught by specialists, with the goal of keeping students on-level with their peers while the majority of the day is dedicated to remediation in reading and language arts.

• High-Level Teacher Training: All faculty members receive specialized training specific to dyslexia, making them experts in the appropriate instructional methodologies and understanding the unique needs of this student population.

• Focus on Self-Confidence: A major component of the mission is building the self-esteem and confidence of students who have previously struggled academically, fostering a positive self-image and a willingness to embrace challenges.

• Small Class Sizes: Maintains an extremely low student-to-teacher ratio (around 4:1) for intensive reading instruction and small group work, maximizing personalized support.

📞 Contact Information