About Pace Brantley

PACE BRANTLEY'S MISSION

Pace Brantley School will provide innovative research-based instruction, in order to maximize learning opportunities while building self-confidence; and to prepare students for long term life/ career readiness.

PACE BRANTLEY'S VISION

Pace Brantley School celebrates uniqueness, values the worth and dignity of every individual as we prepare them for success.

PHILOSOPHY

Pace Brantley School believes that learning disabilities should carry no stigma:
  • That if children are treated with dignity and respect they will feel positive about themselves;
  • That once they feel positive about themselves they will find that they can be more successful;
  • That with individual help and freedom from pressure, children can learn;
  • That some children with learning disabilities can return to the traditional classroom;
  • That some children whose problems are more complex may need special help indefinitely, but all can learn.

THE PACE PLEDGE

We at Pace pledge to treat everyone with fairness, kindness, and respect.

Every morning our students say this pledge as part of the morning announcements. This pledge drives every action of our school.

STAFF STANDARDS OF ETHICAL CONDUCT

(Adapted from the Code of Ethics of the Education Profession in Florida and Principles of Professional Conduct for the Education Profession in Florida)

Our school values the worth and dignity of every person, the pursuit of truth, devotion to excellence, acquisition of knowledge, and the nurture of democratic citizenship. Essential to the achievement of these standards are the freedom to learn and to teach and the guarantee of equal opportunity for all.

Our primary concern is the student and the development of the student’s potential. Employees will therefore strive for professional growth and will seek to exercise the best professional judgment and integrity.

OUR HISTORY

Mrs. Mary E. Dunn was an educational diagnostician for Seminole County Schools for many years. In those years she encountered many children that were bright students, but had great difficulty with the printed page. This concerned Mrs. Dunn as she knew there was not a place that focused their instruction on meeting the needs of these learners. As a result, Ms. Dunn founded Pace Brantley School in 1972.

Mary_Dunn_PortraitPace Brantley School opened their doors to focus on students that needed individual attention, specialized teaching strategies and rebuilding of self-esteem. The school started with only ten students and two teachers.

Ms. Dunn retired as Executive Director in 1985 at the age of 75, but continued to work as the school librarian for many more years. The school continues to carry on her legacy by continuing to address the varied learning styles of our students.

OUR CAMPUS

Pace Brantley School is situated on nine beautiful, wooded acres in Longwood, Florida. Originally an orange farm with many large oak trees, the campus was purchased for it’s tranquil atmosphere. Over the past 35 years, Pace Brantley has grown from one small building to seven buildings, basketball courts, Leadership Park, Koi Pond, baseball and soccer fields. Our most recent addition is a twelve classroom building housing the middle school and high school. Our multi-purpose Assembly Hall provides seating for 125 people and many of the school’s functions are conducted there. Our library currently houses more than 10,000 books and periodicals. Set among beautiful oak trees, the tranquil atmosphere aides with reading and concentration.

Pace Brantley School is a non-denominational school that admits students of any race, color and national or ethnic origin. Pace Brantley School is a non-profit, 501(c)3 school.

Program Offerings and Instructional Practices

Orton Gillingham– For students who require intensive reading remediation we offer a highly structured, systematic approach that breaks reading and spelling down into smaller skills involving letters and sounds. These skills build upon one another over time. Orton Gillingham is a “multisensory” approach to teaching reading, which is considered highly effective for teaching students with dyslexia and other learning differences.  Instructors use sight, hearing, touch and movement to help students connect language with letters and words. All students in grades 1st-9th entering Pace Brantley School are assessed to determine if this level of intervention is warranted. Based on our assessment process, students are placed in this specialized program, if they meet the criteria. 

Mediated Learning/ Feuerstein’s Instrumental Enrichment (FIE) – A school-wide method of thought and practice used by teachers which aims to enhance the cognitive/executive functioning skills of students, especially those with learning differences. Mediated learning allows a platform to enhance student planning, thinking and problem-solving behaviors to ensure a more engaged and active learning process. FIE is a specific program used to directly teach these skills; however, our teachers actively utilize the mediated learning process in their instructional practice.  

FLEX- FLEX stands for Focused Learning Experience.  FLEX time was developed to help our students explore and learn outside of the state mandated curriculum.  Students are given the opportunity to choose among many different topics to explore. Students participate in approximately ten 3-week rotations throughout the year.  FLEX does not require grades or homework. Our goal is to foster our students’ love for learning and give them the opportunity to study and explore varying topics outside of the more structured curriculum.  

Skills Class- Skills class provides a targeted, direct instruction time to address areas of weakness or enrichment for our students. We utilize data from MAP assessments, specifically the RIT scores, as the way to identify areas of student strengths and needs for placement in Skills class throughout the year. Our daily school schedule allows for Skills class four days per week for students to receive extra support and specialized instruction for a six-week period on identified areas/skills. 

Thinking Maps®- Thinking Maps are visual patterns linked directly to eight specific thought processes.  These patterns help students to reach higher levels of critical and creative thinking. We utilize Thinking Maps school-wide to provide a common visual language in all classrooms on campus, which allows our students to easily transfer and continuously develop thinking processes across curricular areas and grade levels.  

Write from the Beginning and Beyond (WFBB)- WFBB is our newly adopted school-wide writing program.  The focus of this program is to provide early and continuous training in the criteria necessary for successful writing.  WFBB provides the skills necessary for age appropriate writing instruction and achievement school-wide and creates a common language for teachers and students as they progress in their writing skills through teaching a solid foundation for writing proficiency.  

Empower Pace- (Available to our lower school students) The Empower Pace program is based on tried and true, evidence-based programs such as Zones of Regulation, Social Thinking, Conscious Discipline, and Growth Mindset as well as executive functioning skill development.  As a team, we have been studying and using these programs for many years and we compiled our knowledge and experience to create Empowering Pace.

Student Progress Measurment

Measures of Academic Progress (MAP)MAP® Growth™ assessments reveal precisely which academic skills and concepts a student has acquired.  By dynamically adjusting to each student’s performance, MAP Growth assessments create an experience that accurately measures performance—whether a student performs on, above, or below grade level. 

ACT Aspire- An assessment directly connected to the most-used college entrance exam, the ACT.  The ACT Aspire is a longitudinal assessment system we use for students in grades 3-9, fully connected to student performance with readiness benchmarks.  The ACT Aspire accurately predicts students’ scores on the ACT and provides insights into a student’s performance in English, reading and mathematics in the context of college and career readiness. 

Student Education Plan (SEP) -The testing listed above, along with functional performance assessments and information provided during the admission process, drive the development of an individualized Student Education Plan (SEP).  SEPs are written in the fall, then reviewed and updated throughout the year to include accommodations and academic goals specific to each student.  

Technology

Core iPad Applications Required for Curriculum- include Pages, Keynote, G Suite for Education (Google Docs, Slides, and Drive), IXL, Notability, Educreations, Flashcards by NKO and other various applications required by your child’s teachers to enhance their interaction with the curriculum. Pace Brantley School covers the cost of apps that require payment that are needed for educational purposes.  

G Suite for Education- Pace Brantley School is a G Suite for Education school which provides students with the power of a Google Account and tools to create, collaborate, communicate, and think critically about the curriculum in their courses.

IXL Math subscription- IXL’s math skills are aligned to the Math Florida Standards (MAFS), providing comprehensive coverage of math concepts and applications. With IXL’s state standards alignments, students and teachers can easily find unlimited practice problems specifically tailored to each required standard. Even better, IXL automatically tracks student progress and displays proficiency score reports, which allow teachers to quickly evaluate student aptitude and identify trouble spots. 

Lexia Core5® Reading subscription (Elementary only)- Designed as an essential component of every reading curriculum, Lexia provides explicit, systematic, personalized learning on foundational reading skills, and delivers norm-referenced performance data without interrupting the flow of instruction to administer a test. 

Newsela- is an instructional content platform providing students up-to-date, high interest articles at a variety of reading levels.  Newsela is used school wide and across all content areas, which allows it to supercharge reading engagement and learning in every subject.

Interactive Smart Boards and/or Apple TVs- interactive displays that bring devices, education software and lesson content together, or a visual display that simply lets you share the screen in the classroom environment to enhance learning. 

Sound Field Amplification Systems- Designed specifically for speech sounds, these systems greatly enhance speech understanding. Sound fields ensure an even distribution of sound from the teacher, which means students sitting in the back of the classroom hear the teacher equally as well as the students sitting in front. Using sound field systems improves attentiveness, participation, comprehension and concentration. 

iPad Insurance– covers damages to the device that are not manufacturer related.  Pace Brantley School files and manages the claim and provides a loaner iPad, if available, to the student while repairs are underway.

Student Support Services

Guidance Department/Licensed Mental Health Counselor- We have two guidance counselors on staff: a lower school counselor (elementary and middle school) and a high school guidance counselor.  Both counselors have earned Master of Art degrees focusing on Mental Health Counseling. Our high school guidance counselor is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of Florida.  The guidance department works with our students, both individually and in groups, to help them navigate the school environment. They also support our faculty and often collaborate with teachers to ensure our students receive the accommodations that most help them reach their full potential.  

Full Time Registered Nurse- We are fortunate to have a full-time nurse present on campus to dispense medication, provide basic first aid and comfort our students for minor incidents throughout the school day.  Our school nurse oversees the implementation of Seminole County guidelines to ensure a safe, healthy school environment. We coordinate with outside agencies such as the Seminole County Public Health Department to provide free health screenings (i.e. scoliosis, hearing, vision etc.) for students on campus.  Our school nurse plays a vital role in providing our students, parents, and staff information connected to public health issues and specifics related to a student’s individual medical needs/conditions. 

Speech-Language and Occupational Therapy consultation for all students– At Pace Brantley School we have certified and state licensed therapists on staff to access information regarding articulation, language development, fluency, pragmatics, sensory processing and fine motor skills. Our therapists are readily available and integrated into the classroom environment to support all students. Individual services are available on campus for an additional fee.

Handwriting and Keyboarding Without Tears- is a curriculum currently being integrated into all elementary classrooms focusing on developmentally appropriate letter formation, spatial awareness, and omission of reversals for improved written output.

Parent and Other Support Services

Coffee Chats– Coffee Chats are hosted for parents monthly September – May each school year.  They offer access to community professionals from a variety of disciplines for interactive parent education to include topics such as Anxiety, Social Cognition, Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy, Legal, etc. 

Transition Information Meetings– 5th and 8th grade transition support meetings ensure our families are prepared and have all the information needed when students are transitioning to middle and high school. These meetings are held with our guidance team to ensure the best placement for students as they continue to more throughout our program. 

Reading and Understanding Student Education Plans (SEPs) and Testing Data Information Night helps our families truly understand what their student’s education plan means and how the data on this plan drives classroom instruction.

FACTS Management Software– provides parents an opportunity to get more involved in their child’s academic progress and future success via the Internet. FACTS is a private, secure parent portal which allows parents to view academic information specific to their children, while protecting their children’s information from others. You can view your child’s grades, attendance, homework, report cards and communicate with teachers and other school staff. 

Pacemaker Organization- Pacemakers is the Parent Association of Pace Brantley School. They support the mission and vision of Pace Brantley School by providing support to the administration, staff and teachers. Pacemakers help implement programs and events devoted to enhancing the educational, emotional and social needs of our school community. The Pacemakers directly support the enrichment of student life on campus while supporting parents as being ambassadors for Pace in the community.

Extracurricular Activities- Fishing and Camping Club, Running Club, Drama, Basketball, Capture the Flag, Photography Club, National Honor Society, Kickball *Subject to change based on student interest and staff availability. 

Summer Offerings- Summer School is offered during the morning for 3 weeks in June to support reading, writing and math.  One of the main areas addressed during Summer School is our “summer assignments”, which are required by Reading and Math teachers when classes resume in August.  During June, we also offer Summer Camp for 3 weeks in the afternoon. Summer Camp is comprised of fun activities such as: arts and crafts, sports, scavenger hunts, water days, animal encounters and much more.  Summer Camp is offered full-time for 3 weeks in July. 

Summer Therapies- Individualized and Group Speech-Language and Occupational Therapies continue to be offered throughout the summer on campus.  Groups for Occupational Therapy are based on interest level and can be focused on handwriting, keyboarding, or social-emotional development.  

Summer Writing Classes– Classes are offered to all Pace Brantley students and an active evaluation or plan of care is NOT necessary to participate.  We utilize components from programs called Story Grammar Marker and Visualizing and Verbalizing to equip students with tools to complete their summer reading assignment.  Classes meet once weekly for a 2 to 3-hour block and focus on providing students with a structure to aid in reading comprehension and serve as a guide when writing their summer reading report. These classes are led by certified Speech-Language Pathologists and/or Assistants.