Hillside School’s Individualized Teaching Approach Drives Student Success

Hillside School Learning Center in La Cañada Flintridge continues to refine its commitment to individualized support through small class sizes and one-on-one instruction, enhancing both academic and emotional growth.

Cyndi Hatcher notes Hillside maintains an average class size of five students, utilizing specialized teaching approaches, including positive reinforcement, for decades. The school’s mission centers on supporting students—especially those with learning disabilities and neurodivergent profiles—to develop self-confidence and crucial life skills for success after high school.

“We’ve been working with kids and helping them with their social, emotional, mental health as well as their academics since 1971,” Hatcher said. “I myself have been here. This is my twenty-fifth year at Hillside, and definitely really focusing on emotional wellbeing well before I feel it became mainstream or more focused on, especially when COVID hit. I heard a lot of schools realizing that the mental health component was super important, but that’s something that Hillside we’ve been working on for a long time.”

Hillside employs tailored academic planning and organizes trips for students to visit colleges. “We really do take an individual approach into finding what are the interests and motivations for each student, and when we can, we take those students on different trips to see different college campuses. I think we’ve already visited three colleges this year, and the school year just started in mid August and we’ll be touring a fourth actually this Friday,” Hatcher explained.

Compliance and student progress are supported through Individualized Education Programs and counseling. Student enrollment remains fluid, allowing part-time attendance for tutoring or educational therapy as needed. Seventy percent of teachers hold master’s degrees, and 55 percent of students advance to four-year colleges.

Hatcher urges families to find the best school fit in person: “I would say finding a right fit for a child’s school is very important and there are options out there, but I urge families to really see for themselves in person what those options are, especially if you’re feeling like the child is not getting their needs met, just to see what the options are.”

Hillside School and Learning Center. 4331 Oak Grove Drive, La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011. (818) 790-3044 and Email: hatcher@hillsidelc.org. Website: www.hillsideforsuccess.org