History

In the mid-1980s, Bill Carpenter and his wife wanted a better education for their son. The family created a local school that celebrated student strengths, addressed academic weaknesses directly, and integrated critical life skills into the curriculum—a place where students with learning disabilities could feel they belonged.

Learning Skills Academy accepted its first six students in the fall of 1985. Jason Holder and Adventurelore were part of the LSA program from its inception. In 1996, we built our permanent home at 1247 Washington Road, across the driveway from the original rooms.

In the years following, LSA grew in a number of ways. In addition to those with language-based learning disabilities, LSA was approved to provide instruction for students with other health impairments and speech and language impairments. Our methodology also works well for some students with non-verbal learning disabilities.

Our approach to instruction has also evolved. For example, we went from discrete tutorials in phonology, to embracing a lab approach to teaching all aspects of reading. The Literacy Lab was born in 2004 and the Math Lab followed in 2009.

In 2008, the school became formally approved by the Massachusetts Department of Education, allowing Massachusetts school districts greater ease in placing students in a New Hampshire school. We are a member of the Massachusetts Association of Approved 766 Private Schools as well as the New Hampshire Private Special Education Association. LSA completed its most recent re-accreditation with the New Hampshire Department of Education in 2021, earning a full five-year approval status. Maine students are regularly enrolled as well.

Over time, we have expanded our facilities, renovating a suite of offices in the
building across the parking lot (the home of our original rooms) to establish a dedicated
Upper School.

To accommodate our growth, LSA has increased the staff to 47. After developing relationships with Franklin Pierce, Granite State College, and University of New Hampshire, LSA has trained and mentored both educational and speech language interns; some of those newly trained professionals have even joined our staff. The most important aspect of our growth is our educational program. In addition to our in-class learning, our students engage in active field studies as well as overnight experiences for 7th-12th graders; Cape Cod, the White Mountains, and New York City are just a few examples.

The extended school year program expanded from individual tutorials in basic skills to an integrated Summer Academy featuring not only academics, but also Adventures in Learning –skill development with a flair.

The most recent development is the renaming of our school. We are now Williams Bridge Academy which honors the founders and their son, the first student. We will continue to bridge the gaps and ignite every potential! Williams Bridge Academy currently serves 60 students in grades 3-12 and has NHDOE approval to grant diplomas.