Lower School Learning Support

Message from the Lower School Learning Support Specialist:

Our Learning Support program is designed to support children requiring further direct instruction as well as students who need additional enrichment.  The Learning Support Specialist works with individual children and in small groups to target and meet the educational needs of the children through specialized curriculum, motivational activities, and one-on-one involvement.  Whether children need help mastering basic facts or developing organizational skills, or need to be given creative challenges, our Learning Support Specialist works to unlock the potential in each student in the program.  Our goal is to support children and nurture learning at each child's level.

Mrs. Shannon Ballinger


FAQs about Lower School Learning Support

Q

How do students get involved in Learning Support in the Lower School?

A

Students can be referred to Learning Support by their parent, classroom teacher, an administrator, or an outside clinician. Once a request for Learning Support has been made a student will generally be observed in class by a Learning Specialist who will recommend the best next steps for the student. Next steps may include: a recommendation for outside psycho-educational testing, application of a technique by the classroom teacher, enrichment activities at home, or time in the Learning Support Center.

Q

What resources are available in the Lower School Learning Support Center?

A

In the Learning Support classroom there is a Math Center, where students can practice multiplication facts, work on problem solving, or play fraction games. At the Reading/Writing Center, students have the opportunity to boost their reading skills; review grammar, such as sentence diagramming; learn to write descriptively; and develop creative and flexible thinking skills.

Three student computers are available in the Computer/Research Center, where they can work on research projects, the Autoskill program (an interactive tutorial program), and keyboarding. Students will have access to games, curriculum and activities that augment their strengths and improve and build up their weaknesses.

Q

How often can a Lower School student go to Learning Support?

A

Unlike in the Middle and Upper Schools, the Lower School does not have a structured program that dictates the number of days a student receives learning support. As a part of each student’s Learning Support Plan a determination will be made about how often a student needs to meet with the learning specialist. Whenever possible student’s time out of class is rotated so that students do not consistently miss the same aspect of their classes. Every effort is also made to allow students to go to Learning Support at times other than when their “special” classes such as gym, art, music, computer, foreign language, and library are meeting.