Dartmoor School opened its fifth and newest campus at 7735 178th Pl. NE in Redmond earlier this month.

With other locations in Bellevue, Issaquah, Woodinville and Seattle, Dartmoor calls itself “a different kind of school.” It offers customized, one-on-one instruction for children and teens who don’t function well in a traditional classroom setting or those who need a flexible schedule.

Some have learning disabilities or diagnoses such as attention deficit disorder, autism or bipolar disorder. Others are rigorously training or working as professional athletes or performing artists.

Dartmoor founder and owner Dr. Dori Bower is a reading specialist who has seen bright students falter because of subtle — or significant — neurological differences. Citing a book called “The Myth of Laziness” by Dr. Mel Levine, she explained, “If you look carefully at the whole student, not just a test score … and see a neurological assessment … you see everything is tied to memory. We give the right instruction level, modifications and accommodations.”

Dartmoor’s Institute for Specialized Instruction, which is approved by the State of Washington’s Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, helps to fulfill graduation requirements for qualified special education students.

Dual enrollment allows these students to attend Dartmoor for some or all academic courses, while also participating in some classes or activities at their regular school.

“We’ll monitor their attendance and grades and go to their IEP (Individual Education Plan) meetings,” said Bower. “We have kids from almost every district in the area.”

In addition to special education students, “We have a professional sailor, a skiier, ballet dancers. We can work with them on their schedule,” she added.

For any student who does not fit into a conventional mold, Bower described Dartmoor as “a safe environment where kids can not be bullied or belittled. And they are put at their true grade level.”

It’s not uncommon for her to see a student who is doing math at 12th grade level but reading at ninth grade level or below.

And when such students are forced to adhere to a rigid curriculum, it is counterproductive, said Bower. “The biggest bulkhead is when a teacher assigns a topic they hate. We let them do their project on their area of interest. You don’t have to change the whole assignment.”

For more information, call (425) 885-1123, e-mail redmond@dartmoor.org or visit www.dartmoorschool.com.