{{Short description|Special school in South Wales, New York, United States}} {{Multiple issues| {{More citations needed|date=June 2019}} {{Notability|Organizations|date=October 2020}} {{Primary sources|date=October 2020}} {{Self-published|date=October 2020}} }} {{Use American English|date=September 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2012}} {{Infobox school | name = The Gow School | image = The Gow School Campus.jpg | motto = | established = 1926 | founder = Peter Gow, Jr. | head_label = Head of School | head = John Munro | type = Independent | state = 2491 Emery Road<br>South Wales, New York 14139 | country = USA | coordinates = {{Coord|42.708809|-78.582627|display=inline,title}} | campus = Rural, {{convert|100|acre|km2|1|adj=on}} | enrollment = 130<ref name=NCES>{{cite web |title=The Gow School |url=https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pss/privateschoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&ID=00941795 |website=Private School Universe Survey |publisher=National Center for Education Statistics |accessdate=6 October 2020 |archive-date=January 23, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210123001954/https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pss/privateschoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&ID=00941795 |url-status=dead }}</ref> | enrollment_as_of = 2022–23<ref name=NCES/> | faculty = 32.3 {{FTE}}<ref name=NCES/> | ratio = 4:1<ref name=NCES/> | grades = 5–PG<ref name=NCES/> | colors = Crimson and navy blue | mascot = Raven | accreditation = New York State Association of Independent Schools<ref>{{cite web |title=Gow School |url=https://www.nysais.org/page.cfm?p=148 |website=School Directory |publisher=New York State Association of Independent Schools |access-date=4 September 2021 |quote=Unless designated as "Associate, Association, or Provisional", all schools are Full members of NYSAIS. Only Full Member schools are accredited by NYSAIS. |archive-date=September 4, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210904003742/https://www.nysais.org/page.cfm?p=148 |url-status=dead }}</ref> | ceeb = 335290 | us_nces_school_id = 00941795 | revenue = $12,450,580 <ref>{{cite web |title=IRS form 990 |url=https://pp-990.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/05_2021_prefixes_13-20/161034793_202006_990_2021052518186513.pdf?response-content-disposition=attachment&X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=AKIA266MJEJYTM5WAG5Y%2F20210904%2Fus-east-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20210904T021648Z&X-Amz-Expires=1800&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Signature=3bd8271332c74f3cb69e9b824efae3e6dfcbfbb555eb73e2a4af904320b32a10 |website=ProPublica |access-date=4 September 2021 |archive-date=September 4, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210904022315/https://pp-990.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/05_2021_prefixes_13-20/161034793_202006_990_2021052518186513.pdf?response-content-disposition=attachment&X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=AKIA266MJEJYTM5WAG5Y/20210904/us-east-1/s3/aws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20210904T021648Z&X-Amz-Expires=1800&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Signature=3bd8271332c74f3cb69e9b824efae3e6dfcbfbb555eb73e2a4af904320b32a10 |url-status=dead }}</ref> | fees = $2,500 (bookstore deposit) <ref name="Financial Aid & Tuition">{{cite web |title=Financial Aid & Tuition |url=https://www.gow.org/admissions/financial-aid-tuition |website=The Gow School |access-date=4 September 2021}}</ref> | tuition = $77,500 (boarding), $57,500 (day) <ref name="Financial Aid & Tuition"/> | website = [http://www.gow.org/ www.gow.org] }}
'''The Gow School''' is a college-prep boarding and day school located in South Wales, New York, United States, a hamlet close to Buffalo. It is for students, grades 6–12, with dyslexia and similar language-based learning disabilities, such as include developmental coordination disorder, auditory processing disorder, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, and disorder of written expression. Students may also have attention (ADD or ADHD) or executive function difficulties. The school was founded in 1926 by educator Peter Gow, along with insight from his colleague, neurologist Dr. Samuel T. Orton.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Peterson's summer opportunities for kids and teenagers. |publisher=Peterson's |year=1991 |isbn=9780878669721 |edition=8th |location=Princeton, New Jersey |pages=504}}</ref>
==History==
The Gow School has its roots in the early teaching experience of founder Peter Gow Jr., who as an instructor at Choate Rosemary Hall, Nichols School, and The Park School of Buffalo had become interested in the plight of students who, though clearly intellectually able, struggled with certain aspects of learning in the language domain, especially spelling and reading. After contacting Dr. Samuel T. Orton, a noted New York physician who had done pioneering work in the area of dyslexia, Gow began development of the Reconstructive Language methodology that has been the backbone of the Gow School program since its founding.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dyslexia-reading-well.com/gow-school.html |title=The Gow School |website=dyslexia-reading-well.com |access-date=2025-11-28}}</ref>
Gow’s college preparatory curriculum is presented using a multi-sensory format in a technology rich environment. The 4:1 student to faculty ratio allows focus on the remediation of language based learning differences (reading, written expression, spelling, dysgraphia, auditory processing disorder and dyscalculia) through a phonics based program known as Reconstructive Language, a near relative of the Orton-Gillingham method. In addition to academics, Gow offers a strong athletic program, diverse fine arts curriculum, and a picturesque 100-acre (0.4 km2) campus.
In 2020, former students came forward with credible allegations of sexual misconduct in the late 80's and early 90's.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/buffalo/news/2020/12/16/alumnus-of-the-gow-school-sues-for-negligence | title=Survivor of Alleged Sexual Abuse Accuses Gow School of Negligence }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.wivb.com/news/local-news/gow-school-responds-to-sexual-abuse-allegations-by-former-students/amp/ | title=Gow School responds to sexual abuse allegations by former students | date=December 15, 2020 }}</ref> In March 2025, former Gow School administrator Matthew Fisher pled guilty to charges of possessing and producing child pornography on the Gow School campus in Gow dormitories<ref>https://www.wivb.com/news/crime/former-administrator-at-erie-county-school-admits-to-production-of-child-pornography/amp/</ref><ref>https://buffalonews.com/news/local/crime-courts/article_7d4c5780-f919-11ef-9908-2fe459746fa0.html</ref>
== Campus == Orton Hall, built in 1987, houses the student study and the Constantine Computer Center.<ref name=":0">{{cite book |title=Peterson's Private secondary schools 2005 |publisher=Peterson's |year=2004 |isbn=9780768913644 |edition=25th |page=1340 |access-date=}}</ref>
Issac Arnold Library was built in 1978 and contains the school library and a number of administrative offices.<ref name=":0" />
==Notable alumni==
*Brooks McCabe 1966, Democratic West Virginia State Senator<ref>{{Cite news |date=13 January 1971 |title=McCabe-Baxter Rite Held in Burlington |work=The Charleston Daily Mail |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/36775960/ |access-date=18 December 2023 |oclc=1002028893 |quote="Mr. McCabe, whose father is president of the Brooks McCabe Insurance is a graduate of the Gow School, South Wades, N."}}</ref> *Quinn Bradlee 2002, learning disabilities advocate *Brian Talma ’84, Olympic windsurfer, member of Professional Windsurfing Association (PWA) World Tour, Barbados Service Star recipient<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kinas |first1=Roxan |title=Brian Talma: King of the Waves |url=https://www.caribbean-beat.com/issue-15/brian-talma-king-waves#axzz8M6quFevn |publisher=Caribbean Beat |access-date=17 December 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Kinas |first1=Roxan |title=Brian Talma Finding His Wave of Success |url=https://www.americanwindsurfer.com/articles/brian-talma-finding-his-wave-of-success/ |publisher=American Windsurfer |access-date=17 December 2023}}</ref> *Daniel B. Wesson II '35, American inventor and firearms maker, who in 1968 founded the company now known as Dan Wesson Firearms.
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.gow.org The Gow School]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Gow School The}} Category:Boarding schools in New York (state) Category:Educational institutions established in 1926 Category:Learning disabilities Category:Private high schools in New York (state) Category:Private middle schools in New York (state) Category:Special schools in New York (state) Category:1926 establishments in New York (state)