Catholic schools have long been known for their faith-based approach to education, spiritual support, strong sense of community and academic rigor. But for parents of students with learning differences, Catholic education has not always been an option. The academic rigor was too much, and the resources were not there to support them. That is until Hill-Murray opened The Nicholas Center in 2012 with help from a $5.5 million gift. Since that time, the Nicholas Center has made Catholic education a reality for many students and their families who may not have otherwise had that opportunity – families like the Johnsons.

Sara Johnson knows what it is like to have children with different academic needs. Learning and social interactions have always come easy for her daughter, Ava, who prides herself on being independent. Her son, Jackson, on the other hand, struggled early with reading, writing and sound identification. By the end of second grade, he was identified as a dyslexic learner with moderate dysgraphia. Sara says the impact stretched far beyond the classroom.

“Here was a kid who once was a confident, happy-go-lucky kid, and had quite rapidly become disenfranchised with school because he noticed that his peers were able to read much sooner and easier than he was and his confidence took a severe nose-dive,” she said. “It was heart-wrenching to watch as it permeated his entire life.” It is an experience echoed by many parents of children with learning differences.

As a teacher herself, Sara understood the importance of providing new pathways to learning for her son. She enrolled him in specialized tutoring sessions and got certified herself as an Orton-Gillingham tutor. She said it was physically and emotionally exhausting for both to add two hours onto his school day between drive time and each hour-long session.

“As he approached middle school, I knew what he needed from an educational standpoint, and as we looked into different schooling options, it became clear that because of The Nicholas Center at Hill-Murray, this was the right place for him,” she said. “He was able to get exactly what he needed within the confines of his school day. It was a great fit for him, and almost immediately his attitude toward school improved.”

The Nicholas Center, which currently serves close to 180 students with varied needs, offers everything from one-on-one tutoring with staff and peers to elective courses that meet students where they are in order to help them achieve academic success. The center supports students with strategic study, reading labs and counseling services. What’s more, Hill-Murray is currently the only Catholic school in Minnesota with a full-time Clinical Psychologist on staff who can provide medical diagnoses for children with learning differences.

Sara sees the difference The Nicholas Center is making, not only as a parent but also as a staff member. She currently works as a Wilson/Orton-Gillingham tutor and a Reading Enrichment Instructor at The Nicholas Center.

“On a daily basis, I get to guide students down a path to better literacy skills, and more importantly, watch as their confidence in themselves and their abilities grow, sometimes exponentially,” she said. “I get to teach them self-advocacy skills and watch them use them, first-hand, as they take the reins of their own educational journey.”

With the help of the Nicholas Center, Hill-Murray can live out its mission of empowering ALL students to reach their fullest potential by inspiring them to utilize their God-given strengths to become leaders who will make a positive difference in the world.