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KILDONAN SCHOOL

AMENIA, NY · EIN 231713405 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE B28Z · Education · Small ($100K-$1M) · kildonan.org
revenue
$987K
expenses
$1.2M
net assets
$5.3M
employees
48
program ratio
73%
mission · from form 990

EMPOWERING STUDENTS WITH DYSLEXIA

profile · synthesized from sources

Kildonan is an organization dedicated to supporting individuals with dyslexia and language-based learning differences. It operates Camp Dunnabeck, a summer program offering one-to-one Orton-Gillingham instruction and recreational activities for children aged 8 to 16. The organization also runs the Kildonan Teacher Training Institute, which trains educators in the Orton-Gillingham approach.

named programs · 2 · from sources

What they call their work

Camp Dunnabeck
Residential and day summer camp providing one-to-one Orton-Gillingham language remediation, study hall, and recreational activities for children aged 8 to 16 with dyslexia and language-based learning differences
Kildonan Teacher Training Institute (KTTI)
Provides Orton-Gillingham training, practicum supervision, and educator certification for teachers working with students with dyslexia
activities · 4 groups

What they do

  • Structured Literacy Instruction and Dyslexia Support 3 activities
    • Provides Orton-Gillingham teacher training and professional development through the Kildonan Teacher Training Institute (KTTI)
      Offers comprehensive Orton-Gillingham training programs, including Certified Level II coursework in phonology, morphology, structured writing, and ethics, along with practicum supervision for multiple certification levels. Requires trainees to complete at least 70 hours of training, observations, and workshops.
    • Provides specialized education and language remediation for students with dyslexia and language-based learning differences
      Offers individualized, daily Orton-Gillingham instruction and study support to students with dyslexia through one-to-one tutoring sessions, both during the academic year and summer programs. The school historically served enrolled students on its campus and administered pre- and post-program assessments to measure progress in language skills.
    • Publishes educational resources to support Orton-Gillingham instruction
      Authored and published a series of books with Scholastic designed to support Orton-Gillingham teaching methods and literacy development for students with dyslexia.
  • Alumni Community Building 1 activity
    • Maintains alumni engagement for former students of Kildonan School
      Hosts a dedicated webpage for alumni who attended the school between 1969 and 2019, supporting ongoing community connections after the school's closure in 2019.
  • Admissions Outreach and Enrollment Support 1 activity
    • Manages admissions, dormitory supervision, and family engagement for school and camp programs
      Handled registration and admissions processes for Kildonan School and Camp Dunnabeck, including dormitory supervision for boarding students and organizing Family Day events where families viewed camper projects and participated in camp activities.
  • Specialized Summer Camps for Disabilities 1 activity
    • Operates a summer program (Camp Dunnabeck) for children with dyslexia combining language instruction and recreational enrichment
      Ran an in-person six-week summer camp for children ages 8–16 with dyslexia, integrating daily Orton-Gillingham language training with outdoor adventure trips (e.g., hiking, canoeing, rock climbing), cultural outings (e.g., theater, museums), and recreational activities (e.g., amusement parks, bowling). After 2020, transitioned to online delivery to prevent summer learning loss.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$987K
Contributions & grants$228K23%
Program service revenue$503K51%
Investment income$257K26%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$1.19M
Program expenses73%
Admin / overhead27%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$570K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$5.36M
Cash$279K
Investments$0
Liabilities$11K
Net assets$5.35M
Liquid reserves2.8 mo
3 years on record · 2021–2024 · YoY revenue -75.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

board members · 8
  • BRUCE C KARSK — TREASURER
  • ELLEN DYKEMAN — SECRETARY
  • GAIL BURGER — EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
  • JOSH DOYLE — TRUSTEE
  • NANCY CUSHMAN WHITE — TRUSTEE
  • SEBASTIAN ALVAREZ — TRUSTEE
  • STEPHEN FORERIS — TRUSTEE
  • TIM NANK — TRUSTEE
relationships · 11

Who they work with

  • Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators Government — Accrediting body for The Kildonan School, Camp Dunnabeck, and the Kildonan Teacher Training Institute.
  • Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators Network — Member of the Academy at the Associate level required for participation in training courses.
  • American Association of Snowboard Instructors (AASI) Government — Provides national certification for snowboarding instruction used by Kildonan staff.
  • Camp Spring Creek Partner — Kildonan recommends Camp Spring Creek, an OGA-accredited program, to families seeking summer camp options for children with dyslexia.
  • Durango Mountain Camp Partner — Kildonan recommends Durango Mountain Camp, an OGA-accredited program, to families seeking summer camp options for children with dyslexia.
  • Kildonan Teacher Training Institute Partner — Provides teacher training related to dyslexia and language-based learning differences.
  • Mystic Aquarium Partner — Site for recreational and educational trips for campers
  • Orton-Gillingham Academy Network — Kildonan's Orton-Gillingham practitioners are trained by Fellows of the Orton-Gillingham Academy, and the camp partners with OGA-accredited programs.
  • Scholastic Partner — Collaborated on the publication of instructional materials for Orton-Gillingham instruction.
  • The Southport CoLAB Partner — Partners to provide educator training and consultation in literacy instruction.
  • The Southport School Summer Academic Program Partner — Kildonan recommends The Southport School Summer Academic Program, an OGA-accredited program, to families seeking summer camp options for children with dyslexia.
strategies · 3

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Integrated Academic and Experiential Programming
    methodology: integrated academic-recreational model
    By combining structured academic remediation with recreational and experiential activities, we support both academic progress and personal development because integrated models increase engagement and contextualize learning.
  • Orton-Gillingham Structured Literacy Instruction
    methodology: Orton-Gillingham approach
    By using the Orton-Gillingham multi-sensory, structured literacy approach, we develop language skills in students with dyslexia because this method systematically addresses their specific learning needs through diagnostic and prescriptive teaching.
  • Strengths-Based Educational Model
    methodology: strengths-based approach
    By focusing on the inherent strengths of individuals with dyslexia or language-based learning differences, we foster greater development and engagement because this approach builds self-efficacy and avoids reinforcing patterns of failure.