Great Minds

The creative thinkers at Park Century School are thriving in academics and beyond.

Every parent wants their child to succeed. We make choices, sacrifices and investments to ensure their bright future. At the top of the list is their educational pathway.

Above Middle school math teacher David Chavez and students

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Every child deserves an education that benefits them intellectually, physically, socially, ethically and emotionally. This can be tricky for parents of children with learning differences, as traditional schooling is not designed to help neurodivergent kids learn.

Mom Sheila Cohn knew this all too well. It was 1968, and Sheila felt frustrated. Her son was struggling with schoolwork, and it was eroding his self-esteem and creating stress for the family. Sheila knew that her son was no less intelligent than his peers; he just had a unique learning DNA that didn’t respond to one-size-fits-all teaching.

At the time there were very few schools that supported learning differences, and her son’s public school had no options for students who didn’t fit the typical learner’s profile. So Sheila took action and pulled her son out of his mainstream school. She worked with a tutor to design a program that could best meet his needs.

Using what she learned, Sheila went a step further and opened a specialized “school” in the living room of her Century City apartment. Thus Park Century School was born, giving parents an educational choice where every student’s learning profile is recognized and supported.

Today Park Century School empowers bright children with learning differences to reach their academic and personal potential. The school provides a tailored approach to reading, writing and math, along with a variety of enrichment opportunities such as character education, student council, service learning, after-school sports teams and a student buddy program. Students develop into resilient self-advocates, setting them up for lifelong achievement.

Above Dr. Julie Porter, head of school

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“At Park Century, we do not simply focus on our students’ challenges; we also celebrate their strengths and individuality, providing a safe and nurturing space for growth,” says head of school Dr. Julie Porter.

Park Century serves students in grades K–8 with diagnosed learning differences such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia and ADHD. The small class sizes with student-teacher ratios of approximately 6-to-1 allow students to learn at their own pace and maximize their potential.

The school prioritizes emotional health, offering on-site individual school-based counseling as needed. Students are encouraged to use coping strategies—including mindfulness, art and sensory play—to help them self-regulate during moments of frustration, difficulty or conflict. The Reset Room—filled with fidgets, mindfulness activities and relaxing music—is used by students during timed “brain breaks” or moments of frustration. Mindfulness activities such as guided meditation and movement games are frequently offered in the classroom as well.

For parents, finding ways to support your child’s learning disabilities can be daunting. You’ll discover a supportive community at Park Century, where parent involvement is highly valued. Many participate in the Parents Association, and the Parent Education program supports families in understanding their child’s growth and how it relates to the family as a whole.

This school exists because of one determined mother who saw her son’s potential. With more than 100 students attending each year, it remains true to its original purpose: to educate neurodivergent students and give them the tools and confidence to effectively advocate for their own education.