Eagle Hill School

About
LIFE-CHANGING

“Since 1997, I have witnessed the life-changing journeys of our students and experienced the greatness of Eagle Hill through the lenses of EHS parents. EHS breathes new life into every aspect of a student’s world.”

—Ms. Erin Wynne, Head of School
Admission
PERSONAL

“In our admission office, we get to know you personally throughout our process. We will work as a team to help you learn about Eagle Hill and to determine, together, if we are that perfect match! We encourage you to call us so that we can begin our conversation and answer all of your questions.”

—Mr. Dana Harbert, Director of Admission
Academics
GIFT

“Teaching and learning at their best create a kind of gift economy that relies on the development of genuine relationships. To give a meaningful gift, it is essential to know someone well. To accept a gift also requires the trust and graciousness that are only really possible within the confines of a true interpersonal relationship.”

—Dr. Michael Riendeau, Assistant Head of School for Academic Affairs
Athletics
COMMITMENT

“At EHS our student-athletes are more committed than ever, and we are seeing how athletics and physical activity have become even more important in our daily routines. Nothing can stop the resilience and positive attitudes we see in our kids, and I’m so proud of both our athletes and our coaches!”

—Mrs. Cindy Coughlin, Athletic Director
Arts
PRIDE

“I always smile when I see students and faculty taking pride in what they do, especially when I see them on our stage, singing, dancing, and acting; or in our studios, creating and making art. EHS is all about getting involved and finding passions."

—Mr. Will Gelinas, Performing Arts Teacher
Student Life
ROOTED

“The root system of a tree keeps it grounded, stabilizes it, and provides the nutrients needed to grow. The harder the winds blow, the stronger the roots get. For me, EHS is that root system—giving students and faculty a solid foundation and the nutrients for growth. We have also learned that the tougher the times, the stronger we get! We build a support system for life here, and for those of us who met our spouses here, that can be quite literal!”

—Mrs. Kristyl Kelly, Assistant Head of School for Student Life
Summer
CONNECTIONS

“The summer school program at Eagle Hill is where students meet teachers who understand their need to explore and have fun. The connections you make here last a lifetime. It's a summer experience like no other!”

—Ms. Stephanie Whitaker. Pragmatics Department Chair and Academic Advisor

In This Section

Mrs. Deborah Shanks

Reading Teacher

Deborah Shanks joined Eagle Hill in 2006. Before coming to EHS, she worked in public schools as a special educator. Mrs. Shanks received her bachelor’s in education from Fitchburg State University and is certified by the state of Massachusetts as a special educator and elementary teacher; she received her master’s from Simmons College as a reading specialist and is certified to teach grades K–12.

Getting to know her EHS students as individuals, Mrs. Shanks and her students are a team who work together to identify personal strengths to help overcome areas of difficulty. The small class size and boarding school milieu assists with her goal of learning her students’ personalities; she strives to establish a warm, caring, safe classroom environment where students are willing to step outside their comfort zones during the learning process, pushing themselves to reach new heights in their academic and personal lives.

Continually striving to add to her toolbox of reading strategies, Mrs. Shanks offers a variety of options to her students. Some tools offered are derived from her experience with Orton-Gillingham, Wilson Reading, Project Read (Report/Story Form, Written Expression), Lindamood-Bell (Verbalizing and Visualizing, LIPS, Seeing Stars), Notice and Notes, Seesaw, Learning Ally, Bookshare, and Snap and Read Universal. Most recently Mrs. Shanks has found student excitement and success by introducing Structured Word Inquiry (SWI) to her classes.

Mrs. Shanks has been married to her best friend since the early 1980s. She and her spouse enjoy spending time with their growing family at their beach house in Maine, where they can be found enjoying long walks, bike rides, and other outdoor activities together.

Mrs. Deborah Shanks