For five years, Kelly tried everything to make the public school system work for her son.

But Michael, then a fifth-grader, was reading at approximately a first-grade level. He was struggling academically and exhibiting behaviors that were difficult to manage in a traditional classroom setting.

Eventually, the school agreed he needed something different.

That is when Kelly discovered St. Charles School. Based in Rochester, the Catholic Charities NH program provides specialized education and support for children facing behavioral and emotional challenges.

During their tour, Michael formed an immediate connection with Principal Tom Hayward. By the end of the visit, he didn’t even want to see the second school they had planned to tour.

“For the first time, my son had people who were truly on his side – people who genuinely wanted to help him succeed,” Kelly shared. “Seeing how they met my son where he was, without judgment and with no other goal than helping him grow, made my heart swell.”

In just three years, Michael went from reading at approximately a first-grade level to performing at grade level as an eighth grader. He developed healthy coping skills, built meaningful friendships, gained confidence, and even took on leadership roles within the school.

St. Charles supported not only Michael, but his entire family during one of the most difficult periods of their lives.

“The staff at St. Charles saw us at our worst – struggling emotionally, financially, and personally – and never once judged us,” Kelly said. “Instead, they quietly stepped in to help.”

This spring, Michael graduated from St. Charles and is preparing to enter high school. He dreams of a career in welding.

“They didn’t just educate my son,” Kelly shared. “They changed the course of his life.”