Landmark Stories

“In 1993, Bob Broudo, Deb Blanchard, and Rob Kahn approached me with the idea of creating a developmentally appropriate early intervention program for our youngest students,” she recalled.

Kathie knew that this was an innovative concept new to Landmark, and she was ready for the challenge. “Prior to starting the Elementary Program, we had always accepted younger students but had placed them in a middle school education model that was not developmentally right for them,” Kathie said.

An Idea Becomes a Reality

Kathie, along with four other teachers, dedicated themselves to researching appropriate and effective curricula for students aged 8–11. They ordered supplies and materials, and in 1994, the first Elementary program began at Landmark. “We had to ask ourselves, ‘How tall should the desks be? How low should the pencil sharpeners be? What pace, programming, and lessons would best serve our younger students with dyslexia? We had to invent and innovate because we never had a program like this at our school.’” Kathie shared.

And So, It Began

Nine students, four teachers, and two small classrooms. Crafting a program based on the principles that school founder, Dr. Charles Drake, had set forth when he started Landmark was not an easy task. Kathie and others were focused on meeting students’ needs and outcomes. They experimented, learned quickly, and modified along the way—and the program started to develop a positive reputation in the community. “In a few short years, we were serving 51 students. We hired more teachers and our classrooms expanded across the campus.”

And Change It Did

Now, nearly 30 years later, under Kathie’s supervision and guidance, the program continues to thrive and evolve. She recounted, “What used to be ‘Friday afternoon social talking time’ has morphed into a full social-thinking curriculum. We’ve introduced technology at a much earlier age and are constantly assessing how we teach to give our students the best education possible.”

A self-proclaimed “Disnerd” (Disney super fan), Babcock takes this quote from Walt Disney to heart. “Around here, we don’t look backward for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things because we’re curious…and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”

The Next Chapter

This year, Kathie Babcock has chosen to redirect her focus to full-time academic advising—something that she absolutely loves. She credits this move to one of her favorite Disney characters, Jiminy Cricket, who famously said, “Let your conscience be your guide!” Kathie has confidence in her colleagues and the infrastructure she’s helped to build and knows the program will continue to improve. “I’m grateful to all the parents, students, and colleagues who have helped me arrive at this place in my career.”

We salute you “captain,” and wish you a smooth transition as you tack your sails and redirect your course this fall. Thank you for all of the effort, love, and patience that you have put forth to make Landmark’s Elementary Program a successful place to learn, explore, and teach. Your contributions are so appreciated! 

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