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Learning Services
The learning specialists at The San Francisco School work with students, parents and teachers to help identify and meet the learning needs of a spectrum of students in all grades.
Currently, there is a kindergarten through second grade reading specialist, a first through fifth grade learning specialist, and a sixth through eighth grade learning specialist. The services include direct work with students -- individually (up to six sessions), in small groups and in the classrooms -- student screenings, teacher training and support, and parent education.
As learning services are limited, it is expected that in order to be successful, some students will require services beyond what the school is designed to offer. Therefore, the learning specialists also work with parents to help clarify the nature of outside testing, tutoring, or educational therapy necessary for the individual child.
The learning specialists work with students, parents, and teachers to provide the following services:
Direct student support
- Small group reading and handwriting instruction in K-2
- Weekly small group pull-out and/or in-class support for grades K-8th grades (as needed)
- Study skills instruction and support for middle school students
- Student education designed to promote an understanding of learning differences and self-advocacy, such as:
- Weekly instruction in 4th grade, using the All Kinds of Minds curriculum, based on Mel Levine’s work
- 6th Grade learning differences simulation
Student screenings
- Reading readiness screening in kindergarten
- Reading fluency and comprehension screening in 3rd grade
- Academic screening to determine baseline proficiencies in reading, math, and listening comprehension in 6th grade
- Individualized screenings for selected K-8th grade students to determine learning profiles (with parental consent)
Teacher support
- Weekly meetings with all classroom teachers to address individual student needs
- Assistance to teachers to provide appropriate classroom modifications and accommodations
- Faculty training designed to enrich and support an understanding of learning differences
Parent support
- Collaborative Student Success Team meetings (SST) to support individual student’s academic and social/emotional needs.
- Referrals for in-depth testing, varying support services, and/or remediation outside of school
- Parent education events
- A lending library of books, articles, curriculum and videos
- Monthly Learning Services Committee to provide support and educational events for parents
- After school fee-based tutoring program
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