Learning Library

Practical recommendations and resources discussed during member roundtables—what’s working in schools, straight from your peers.

These resources have been curated from conversations among ALDS Founding and Member Schools. While ALDS has not formally vetted each item, member schools have reviewed and implemented them independently. This collection reflects tools, strategies, and materials that schools have found valuable and wanted to share with the broader community.

Enrollment / Admissions

• Speaker Series Recordings related to Enrollment and Marketing for Enrollment 

• • Managing Enrollment at LD Schools of Any Size: Jamie Williamson – Windward School – Video Link
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  • AI for LD School Enrollment Marketing Success: Trevor Waddington – The Truth Tree – Video Link
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  • Communicating the Value Proposition to Families before They Know They Need It: Sponsor Spotlight – Finalsite – Video Link

Math Instruction and Resources

• Speaker Series Recordings

  • Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics, Grades K-12: 14 Teaching Practices for Enhancing Learning: Megan Hilbert — CESA 6 – Video Link

  • A Deep Dive into Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics K-12: Extended Speaker Series – Megan Hilbert — CESA 6 – Video Link, Slides, Feedback Form

• Researchers and Practitioners 
  •  Brad Witzel at Western Carolina University 

• • Sarah Powell at UT Austin 

• • Paul Riccomini at Penn State University 

• • Marilyn Zecher at Multisensory Math

• AI Tools our LD Schools are using in the Math Classroom
  • Flint K12 
  • Snorkel AI
  • Microsoft Progress - Helps students work through problems with guidance 
  • Sizzle - An AI tool with step by step guide to help students when working on their own or teachers who need a reminder of how to do advanced math.  Gives you one step at a time, chunking and scaffolding it one at a time. 
  • Diffit for math - A new tool from diffit that allows teachers to create word problems using imported math standards at a selected reading level.
  • Google Notebook LM - 

Postsecondary / College Planning

• National Association for College Admission Counseling Disabilities and Neurodiversity Special Interest Group (SIG)
  • Mission, Vision, Values and Strands
  • College and Postsecondary Programs

• Pathlitics
  • A platform designed by an ALDS founding school parent that helps navigate students through the investigation process.  Here is a webinar hosted as part of the 2025 ALDS Speaker Series.

• Technology Tools for College Guidance
  • Before selecting a product, make a list of what you are hoping the program does for you.  Here are some programs our schools are using.
    • Pathlitcs - for college research
    • Scoir - Network connecting students, supporters, middle schools, high schools, and colleges to expand college and career access and improve student outcomes. 
    • Naviance - Robust program designed for public schools, but has some applcation for our school
    • Chat GPT (or other AI bot) with Guidance - for resume formatting, school research, 

Ed Tech Tools

• Tools for Executive Function
  • Goblin Tools: Can make customization To Do lists including type of support needed and will break down the task into additional steps using it's built in AI.

AI Integration in LD Schools

• Ed Tech Teacher offers great professional development on Ed Tech in AI.
• Commonsense.org offers AI lessons directly related the literacy - Grades 6 - 12
• Writing for AI Speaker Series: Recording and Slide Deck

Transitions from Lower to Middle to High School in an LD School

• Using time at the Lower School to focus on skill-based instruction and transitioning to strategy-based instruction by High School.

SEL Programming

• Recommended by Spring Valley School: Upstream Education. 

  Upstream trains and equips educators with a ready-to-use curriculum of bite-sized SEL and Tier 1 Mental Health tools, designed for seamless integration in under 10 minutes. Each tool includes a lesson plan, a Google Slide deck, and Spanish translations, ensuring accessibility for all students. Upstream partners with schools to understand their unique community needs, crafting a customized scope and sequence to align with each school's goals. They are reasonably priced and a non-profit organization. SVS faculty have shared how easy it is to use with little planning. Here are some additional resources: 

  • Access their Free Sample Pack of Tools
  • Schedule a time with Upstream's Founder and Executive Director, Tessa
  • Watch this 3-minute program video or Tessa's TEDx Talk
  • Encourage your teachers to apply to their PAID SEL fellowship

Recommended by Jones Gordon School: The RULER Approach

RULER is an evidence-based approach to social and emotional learning (SEL) developed at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. RULER supports entire school communities in:

• Understanding the value of emotions
• Building the skills of emotional intelligence
• Creating and maintaining positive school climates

• Access the recording from JGS's February 2025 ALDS Speaker Series on RULER

Running Notes from the Affinity Group Sessions

Middle School Affinity Group Notes

• Access the ongoing notes and shared ideas from the Middle School Affinity Group.

Academic Leaders Affinity Group Notes

• Access the ongoing notes and shared ideas from the Academic Leaders Affinity Group