Mom Sought Better Campus For Twice-Exceptional Son

Experienced educators partner with parent to launch Sage School of Dallas

Kristen Dauphinais struggled to find a school that was right for her youngest son, Matt. Though academically gifted, he had Asperger’s syndrome, faced bullying, and had been labeled a “bad kid.” 

Public schools could challenge Matt academically, but did not have the resources to support his social and emotional needs. Schools designed for students with learning differences provided better support, but did not give her outside the box thinker the challenges he needed to thrive.

Someone, she thought, should start a school for students like Matt. 

“Whenever you say, ‘somebody should, somebody should, somebody should,’” Dauphinais said, “you ultimately have to look in the mirror and go, ‘I guess that somebody is us.’”

The University Park mom teamed up with two experts on educating neurodiverse students: Jessica Rall, the former director of admissions at a school for students with learning differences, and Mandi Skerbetz, who has more than 20 years of experience in education, including as a special education and gifted teacher, teacher trainer, and researcher.

Together, they’ve founded The Sage School of Dallas. The school will cater to the needs of twice-exceptional students, who, like Matt, are gifted intellectually, but face social, emotional, executive functioning, or sensory processing challenges.

Though at least 6% of school-age children are twice-exceptional, The Sage School will be the first for such learners in the Dallas area, and one of the few in existence around the country.

The school is slated to open in August for seventh-to-10th graders. Within three years, it plans to offer instruction to seventh-to-12th graders.

“It was a crazy idea at first, but then we had validation from the community. Every time I would share it with someone, they’d be like, ‘yes, please do this,’” Rall said.

The Sage School began fielding admissions inquiries before the team signed a lease for its home at 14135 Midway Road, Suite G100 in Addison. 

It will provide students with both a structured environment and an opportunity to explore their interests through interdisciplinary, project-based lessons. For example, one project might combine geography, writing, history, and art by asking students to create their own country.

Other lessons will draw on community expertise, including through a weekly experiential learning day. A student curious about the cause of potholes in Dallas might talk to a city planner, or a student with a passion for calligraphy might learn from a local master.

“Let’s see if we can build in some choice areas and build in some of your really deep dive areas,” Skerbetz said. “That’s really hard to convince schools to do and teachers to do because they don’t have time, they don’t have the resources.”

The Sage School will also continue to support graduates after they leave campus.

Dropout rates are higher for twice-exceptional students, and most are unemployed or underemployed, Rall said. The Sage School will help graduates navigate the transition to college and job-hunting, and help employers better understand how to interview and manage them.

“We think that we’ll be able to create something that’s really special,” Dauphinais said, “and that can really support these kids, and change lives.”