As kids head back to the classroom after the summer break, learning loss can become an issue, and Huntington Learning Center can help your child get to the head of the class

By Patricia Nugent

With students heading back to the classroom, now is a good time for parents to ask themselves if their kids are well suited for academic success this school year.

Unfortunately, the “summer slide” phenomenon of students’ learning loss is a real issue. According to Scholastic, kids in grades three to five lose about 20 percent of their school-year gains in reading, and 27 percent of their gains in math.

“Students who don’t work on academic subjects during the summer often struggle to retrieve their skills and knowledge when school resumes,” says Kim Walter, who is executive director at Huntington Learning Center in Mentor. “Our mission is to provide students kindergarten through 12th grade with personalized educational programs to produce proven results and set them up for success now and in their future.”

A Trusted Process
Founded in 1977, Huntington has built its own success on a four-step method of evaluation, planning, customization and communication, to boost students’ grades, confidence and motivation. To begin, they conduct a comprehensive academic evaluation to pinpoint a student’s strengths and weaknesses.

“This helps us identify academic ‘pain points,’ and answers where and why a student may be struggling,” she adds. “The plan acts as a guide to help us create the most beneficial weekly tutoring schedule.”

Then armed with the results of the evaluation, the tutors develop a personalized learning plan targeted to address those needs. Every step of the way, students receive individualized attention to help them to learn at their own pace, on their appropriate level, to build skills, confidence and motivation.

“Huntington is a completely different experience than what students get in the classroom, where it’s one teacher addressing 20-plus students with the same curriculum,” says Kim. “We offer 1:1 cross-curricular, multidisciplinary tutoring, as well as subject-specific tutoring and test preparation.

For high schoolers, in addition to the SAT and ACT, tutors help students prepare for the PSAT/NMSQT, Advanced Placement tests, OST, HSPT, ISEE, SSAT, GED and ASVAB.”

She mentions that no matter the age, an integral part of the program is the level of communication. Tutors work as a team with parents and the student’s teachers to collaborate on their progress.

What Local Families are Saying
Lake County students and their parents give high marks to the difference Huntington Learning Center has made in their lives. Here are a few testimonials:

Dr. Richard and Jennifer Berry’s daughter was struggling to develop grade-level-appropriate reading fluency and comprehension skills and was in danger of not passing the third-grade reading guarantee, required by the state of Ohio for a student to be promoted to fourth grade. After they brought her to Huntington, she successfully passed the test with a score of “Accomplished.”

“Absolutely love everything about this place, amazing staff, my daughter loves every second here and her progress is phenomenal,” says Dr. Berry.

Jami Burns is the mother of a first-grade daughter who was struggling to make the transition from virtual to in-person learning after Covid.

“My daughter does much better face-to-face,” she says. “This was causing her to lack confidence in her overall academic performance. Their one-on-one process is really amazing. She has been showing a great amount of improvement. This has also boosted her academic confidence in all subjects.”

Huntington Learning Center is located within the Erie Commons Plaza at 8000 Plaza Boulevard, Suite H, in Mentor. There is a second location at 1510 Golden Gate Plaza in Mayfield Heights. Though tutoring is private pay, Huntington does accept students under the Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship and ACE scholarships, granted by the Ohio Department of Education. Financing options are also available. Call 1-800-CAN-LEARN, 440-205-8226 or visit HuntingtonHelps.com for more information.