Posted: Thursday, 18 September 2008 10:41AM
A Father's Vision Helps All Kids Thrive
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OAKLAND (CBS 5) ― Seventeen-year-old Dylan Hunter used to get in trouble in school. His mother told an administrator he didn't know how to deal with her son's learning disabilities.
"His reaction was dyslexia was something Moms make up to get attention for their kids," Dylan says. "The rest of that year, I made his life a living hell because he made my Mom cry."
Now, Dylan's thriving at a different school: Bayhill High in Oakland. It's the only high school in the East Bay dedicated to students with learning disabilities.
"He's not 'stupid' anymore," explains Dylan's mother Dominique Hunter. "He doesn't feel like an idiot. He can see results when he has the pace and space that the school gives him."
Many students and parents are thankful for co-founder Ken Dreyfuss. He led a team of parents and educators to launch Bayhill High in September 2007. It replaces Oakland's Raskob High School, which closed abruptly three months earlier. Ken had a personal stake in Bayhill: his eighth-grade daughter had learning disabilities.
"She had learning issues," Ken explains. "She had difficulty processing information. After three years, she was able to accommodate for those difficulties."
At times, Ken had to set aside the demands of his solo law practice to fundraise and finally, to open Bayhill near Lake Merritt. More than seventy students tackle disabilities ranging from dyslexia to attention deficit disorder. Small classes and curriculum are tailor-made to address their needs.
Ken adds, "They know the kids, they present the material in different ways so it's highly individualized."
Joan Suflita's 18-year-old son Mike Dixon has writing dyslexia. So, instead of struggling through a written report on the French Revolution, he was allowed to produce a video. He played Napoleon.
"It's better for me, and my learning style," says Mike.
Even though his own daughter ended up at another school that's better suited for her, Ken still serves on Bayhill's Board of Trustees.
"These kids can shoot for their potential," Ken says. "(They) have the opportunity to be successful, opportunity to go to college."
Parents say Bayhill represents a big step in their children's path in life.
"I have to say to Ken I'm going to kiss your feet and celebrate you the rest of my life because he's done something incredible for the community," says Dominque.
For leading the charge to create Bayhill High for kids with learning disabilities, this week's Jefferson Award in the Bay Area goes to Ken Dreyfuss.
By Sharon Chin
Related Link:
* Bayhill High School
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