“Everyone at Janus helped me realize my own potential and gave me the hope for the future I wished to create. The support level of the staff and students – I say students, too, because it really was everyone there – built the environment that helped teach me new ways to approach things, interact with others, and understand myself,” shared Parker Chadwick, 2015 Janus graduate.
Students with learning differences come to Janus from many different backgrounds and with a range of unique learning profiles, but our mission remains consistent: to empower students who learn differently to become lifelong learners and problem solvers by giving them the skills, strategies, and confidence to achieve academic and personal success.
Parker shares his personal story about the ways that Janus made a life-changing impact for him – he received personalized academic support, gained self-confidence, became passionate about learning, and built many great relationships in a supportive environment. Today, he notes that his greatest achievements include:
- finding his voice and overcoming personal and education obstacles
- graduating from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a double major in Anthropology and Religious Studies
- launching his career as an Archaeological Field Technician
- meeting his fiancé
- and having a plan to complete a Master’s program to become a Geological Archaeologist.
Having learning difficulties with grammar and spelling while being identified as Gifted and also diagnosed with Autism and ADHD, Parker came to Janus for his 11th and 12th grade year facing many challenges. He remembers feeling as if “teachers [in public school] often didn’t know what to do, how to help nor teach” him, and he often felt “pushed to the side.” “There are frustrations that I felt, and that happens with having a learning difference, but everyone at Janus helped me to be less angry with myself and others,” Parker said. “They taught me life skills and provided a well-balanced education that I was not getting from my previous school.”
Parker also shared insight to his career path and what his plans are for the future. “I was first exposed to Archaeology through my father, and I wanted to better understand how others lived in the past. I enjoy learning about anything and everything. I love history and learning about the past and how it affects the future. I wanted to understand other cultures – the tangible and physical features more than just the metaphysical concepts. For my Master’s, I plan to specialize in Geophysics for Archaeology, which means looking at structures and landscapes without digging.”
At Janus, we believe we have the greatest opportunity to help students feel understood, heard, and valued. We encourage them to be their own best advocates and confident in who they are, and to keep striving to reach their full potential.
“There are a lot of great memories at Janus that I remember. It makes me reflect on who I knew I was and wanted to be, and Janus helped me get there,” Parker shared. “While they helped me learn and did all the things to check all the boxes that are required [in the school system], they assisted me beyond that and helped me to be a better person and make better choices.”
We are grateful to have been a part of Parker’s journey and wish him all the best on his endeavors! Thank you, Parker and the Chadwick family, for your trust in and support for The Janus School!
Parker’s advice to current Janus students:
“Be patient with yourself. We learn differently than most, and so we are likely going to be called “nontraditional,” but there is no shame in that. You can get it done … you can do it. Just remember to be patient with yourself and allow yourself some grace.”
Want to learn more about The Janus School? Reach out to our team.
Students with learning differences experience incredible transformations at The Janus School. If you’re looking at private schools for learning disabilities, contact us to learn more about Janus’ mission to empower students in grades K-12 with learning differences (a language- or math-based learning disability, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), executive function difficulties (EFD), nonverbal learning disorder, or auditory processing disorder) to become lifelong learners and problem solvers by giving them the skills, strategies, and confidence to achieve academic and personal success. Our campus sits on 40 acres in Mount Joy, PA, and our students come from 33 different districts across seven different counties: Cumberland County, Dauphin County, Lebanon County, Berks County, Lancaster County, Adams County, and York County. See how students’ lives are changed every day and read Janus’ student testimonials and success stories.