LIGHTHOUSE POINT ACADEMY

Lighthouse Point Academy (LPA) offers specialized classes for students with mild specific learning disabilities, based on a psycho-educational evaluation.  LPA classes provide an individualized tailored experience that ensures our students’ academic success and readiness for undergraduate education.

 

Our LPA private special education allows students with learning differences to thrive. Our welcoming environment with low student to teacher ratio fosters students’ self confidence and self-esteem in learning.

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4th through 12th grade private school academy, educating students with mild specific learning differences  in South Florida

Lighthouse Point Academy

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Our Philosophy

We understand that every student learns differently with unique strengths and developmental challenges. Our small classes are taught by highly qualified and caring teachers who approach each student individually based on their needs. In this environment, our students become happy, secure, inspired, and confident learners to succeed in college and beyond.

Lighthouse point academy 

Teachers in Lighthouse House Point Academy – North Broward Prep’s school-within-a-school – use fully differentiated methods to learning that embodies a rigorous and student-centric approach to education.

We put the most cutting-edge educational research into action.  At LPA, ESE certified teachers with a pedagogical understanding of conventional learning differences match the demands of the robust NBPS curriculum with each student’s academic needs. Smaller class sizes and uniquely qualified teachers who are special educators as well as subject-area experts make the LPA experience like no other school in the country.

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Specialized and Certified Teachers

 

Our teachers are selected for their expertise in the area of learning disabilites. They understand and respond to the needs of our students on a one-on-one basis, as well as in small groups. The warm and supportive environment they create helps students to develop their confidence, and the close tutelage fosters the development of self-awareness and self-advocacy skills.

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An Integrated Program

 

The Lighthouse Point Academy is a learning community of over 100 students within the broader NBPS community. LPA offers specialized classes for college-bound students with mild specific learning disabilities. In combination with mainstream classes, LPA classes provide prescriptive accommodations to ensure our students’ academic success and readiness to successfully engage in undergraduate education.

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Approach and Results

 

All students are required to have a full psycho-educational evaluation prior to enrolling, as well as reevaluations every three years. This ensures that we are intimately familiar with the student’s specific educational needs. Based on these evaluations, we create individual academic plans that outline the necessary steps to achieve academic success.

 

We maintain an ideal teacher-student ratio within the classroom to meet the needs of every child. Class size never exceeds 12 students, while most classes have 10 students or fewer. Our College Advising Office works closely with students beginning in the 9th Grade. We are very proud of the fact that 100% of our graduates are accepted into college.


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Grades
4th - 12th
ESE Experienced Teachers
100%
Specialized Executive Skills Support
100% 
Average Class Size
9
Lower school
  • Lower school
  • middle school
  • high school

LOWER SCHOOL LPA

Lighthouse Point Academy (LPA) recognizes that all motivated students have the potential for great success, but not all students learn the same way.  Academic success is not one-size-fits-all!  

Lower School LPA students are part of an environment that fosters secure, inspired, happy and nurtured students.

Lighthouse Point Academy | North Broward Preparatory School - Curricula Overview - US schools
• Individual and small group instruction
• Experienced elementary education teachers who are also ESE certified
• A community of teachers who work together to support the students’ academic gains as well as their social-emotional wellbeing
• A progressive team of educators who are up to date with pedagogical research and current technology to design and deliver the best curriculum with the most effective teaching methods
• Opportunities to build developmentally appropriate executive functioning skills every step of the way

MIDDLE School LPA

Lighthouse Point Academy (LPA) recognizes that all motivated students have the potential for great success, but not all students learn the same way.  Academic success is not one-size-fits-all! 

 

Middle School students continue to receive reading and expressive language supports while also emphasizing the development of independent executive skills.  The middle school LPA team showcases unique student support skills as they deliver grade-level content commensurate with conventional NB classrooms.

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• Personalized approach in small student-teacher ratio
• Development of independent executive skills 
• 100% eligible to explore NB's award winning fine arts, STEAM and physical education courses
• Personalized academic supports from subject area experts and special educators
• Full access to extra-curricular and service opportunities


HIGH School LPA

Lighthouse Point Academy (LPA) recognizes that all motivated students have the potential for great success, but not all students learn the same way.  Academic success is not one-size-fits-all! 

High School LPA students can continue to take advantage of the famously robust variety of NB curriculum while still offering an intimate and personalized approach to pursuing academic goals. 
 

Lighthouse Point Academy | North Broward Preparatory School - Curricula Overview - US schools
• Deliberate and personalized guidance and executive skill-building
• Constant engagement opportunities designed to perfect a student's 21st century skills
• Regular coaching, modeling, and scaffolding to enhance innovation, problem-solving, collaboration, critical thinking and diversified communication
• Personalized academic supports from subject area experts and special educators
• Full access to extra-curricular and service opportunities
• One-on-one college advising
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LIGHTHOUSE POINT ACADEMY APPLICATION PROCESS

Lighthouse Point Academy (LPA) has been the leading South Florida school program for students with mild specific learning differences since 1957.

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Lighthouse Point Academy | North Broward Preparatory School - James S quote

"When I discovered Lighthouse Point Academy, I knew I found a place where special education was being done the right way. I am gratified to lead such a tremendous team of educators, and I am proud to help these wonderful students grow to their full potential."

James Standefer
Director of Lighthouse Point Academy
primary
  • Parent reviews
  • Student reviews

Parent reviews

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Jennifer S.
All children are individually cut from a different cloth, even within the same family. Education and learning needs to be individualized and NBPS provided this for my daughter. It ultimately got her back on track, not only academically but emotionally and helped preserve her self esteem, which took a major blow from her experience at the prior institution.

 

The faculty support and individual plan that the LPA program provided for my daughter has been the sole reason for my daughters academic success and we will always be so grateful. 
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Amie G.
We feel so fortunate to have found the Lighthouse Point Academy and further grateful for the positive environment LPA created for our children for the past 6 years. Through this very unique program, their challenges were identified and specific programming was tailored around their needs, in small classroom environments, that leveraged their learning strengths and provided a pathway for success. 
 
We never expected our unanticipated move to Florida in 2018 to be such a blessing to their lives, that would not have been possible without the Lighthouse Point Academy.
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David B.

The LPA Program has been life changing for our son. Entering the school as a freshman from a much smaller environment, we were worried about how he would fit in and keep up both academically and socially.  Nearly two years later, he is an Honor Roll Student, on the Swim Team and has a great group of friends.

The school, teachers and faculty are amazing and really understand each and every child, setting them up for success every step of the way.  North Broward Prep as a whole has exceeded our expectations and our family will be eternally grateful for everything they have done and continue to do for our son.

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Jen S.

I have two children who have benefited from being in LPA classes. They both struggled to keep up with their school work, and once they were placed in LPA they were able to work and learn at their own pace. The amount of support they receive has changed the way they view learning and has helped them gain confidence.

 

Additionally, while we were concerned that being in LPA would alienate our children from the general population, this is not the case at all. We are extremely grateful for this program. 

Student reviews

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Jacob H.
LPA has helped me so much. With LPA offering smaller class sizes the teachers can help me learn the way I learn best. The academy has brought me a lot closer to my teachers and I have created connections with them that will last beyond high school. I truly believe that LPA is an amazing program and I am so happy that I decided to be a part of it. 
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Patricia C.
I owe a lot to the LPA program. LPA has helped me learn and grow as a person, and I really can't thank the program and Mr. Standefer enough. I owe a lot to them and there efforts and love for teaching won't go unnoticed. 
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Jake C.
LPA has been a great addition and help in my academic journey. I have always struggled socially and have always had focusing issues. The program helped me feel comfortable with the environment and also the pace of my academics which I found very crucial to my academic journey.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  • Do LPA students attend classes on a separate campus with a different schedule?

    No. LPA classrooms are fully integrated into our campus.  All LPA students are full-fledged North Broward Eagles and participate in all the enriching experiences that make our school community so special.

  • Does LPA service all types of neurodiversity?

    No. LPA is designed to be a support program exclusively for students with mild learning differences.  The uniquely qualified LPA teachers are learning specialists dedicated to support students with intellectual skills and postsecondary goals as they navigate their college preparatory experience.  Students with intensive emotional needs, intensive ASD behaviors, or intellectual disabilities are not a good fit for LPA.

  • How does a unique learner become eligible for LPA?

    LPA students have undergone a formal psychological-educational evaluation.  These can be executed by a public school district or by a licensed independent psychometrician.  Through this battery of assessments, a conventional learning difference can be identified.  If there is a mild-moderate diagnostic disparity in how a student accesses, processes, or expresses their learning, they might be a good fit for the LPA community.

  • Does Attention Deficit Disorder count as a “conventional learning difference?"

    No. An ADD/ADHD diagnosis alone does not count as a conventional learning difference and is very unlikely to make a student eligible for LPA supports.  Of course, ADD/ADHD is often comorbidly identified along with other – more conventional – LPA conditions, like dyslexia, auditory processing, dysgraphia, expressive language disorder, or dyscalculia.  Many ADD/ADHD students thrive in conventional NBPS classes with conventional accommodations. 

  • Does a psychological-educational evaluation “expire?”

    Within the health and wellness field, a psych-ed eval is considered “current” for three years.  While they never technically “expire,” after three years, the data contained in a psych-ed eval is no longer considered  up-to-date.  Students grow, adapt and compensate, so it is always important to have the most accurate and current data.  LPA applicants are discouraged from submitting an outdated psych-ed eval and LPA families are encouraged to return for re-evals every three years.  Up-to-date evaluations are also required by outside testing organizations like the College Board (PSAT, SAT, NMSQT, AP) and American College Testing (ACT).

  • Is an LPA upper school student ever eligible for conventional North Broward classes?

    Definitely!  When a student feels confident, their teachers observe the appropriate level of independence, the grades indicate some level of mastery, and the parents are open to the idea; moves into more conventional NB classes are encouraged and celebrated.  Through the intimate LPA experience, students grow, mature, and develop compensatory strategies that prove dividends not only in conventional NBP classes, but also in college and beyond.  Conventional NB teachers frequently comment on how reflective and metacognitively mature LPA students are when they enroll in their classes.

  • Will colleges and universities take LPA supports into account when considering my child’s acceptance?

    Because LPA high school students are mastering academic content and rigor that is commensurate with their NB peers, their transcript does not specifically identify LPA classes – colleges are alerted to the class name, the course description, and the grade earned.  LPA feels strongly that disclosure and collegiate support-planning should be part of the conversation between every college and graduate; however, LPA classes are not overtly identified on diplomas or transcripts.

  • Do LPA students and families use the student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) to organize and articulate all supports and services?

    No. An IEP is a binding, multi-year, multi-discipline plan managed by local public schools and mandated by the state.  As a private, independent school NB/LPA is not directly bound by the parameters outlined in a student’s IEP.  Instead, the program and teachers refer directly to the guidance and recommendations outlined by the licensed psychometrician who provided the original compelling diagnosis.  Often, elements of an existing IEP provide helpful insights regarding the applying student’s most recent experiences in school, but they do not drive the supports and learning goals of an LPA student.

  • LPA students thrive in college after graduation?

    Yes.  According to LPA alumni, because they have been attending classes that teach college commensurate skills and place an emphasis on diverse learning styles, they find that they are uniquely prepared for the challenges that lie ahead.  Of course, every college/university is different in terms of the depth and breadth of student supports offered, but LPA graduates are typically very comfortable in deciding what level of scaffolding they need at the next level, and they are not hesitant to make that part of the search, conversation, and decision.  In the past ten years, LPA boasts a 100% admission rate, and the majority of those students find success at the postsecondary level.