Academic Support Services
Academic Support Services brings under one umbrella the many ways Wesleyan works to ensure we are effectively and consistently supporting students in grades K-12. The program goal is to assist students with learning differences in becoming independent learners while successfully meeting the demands of Wesleyan’s academic standard of excellence. These bright, well-rounded students have met the intellectual and academic criteria to be admitted to Wesleyan yet may have a particular challenge that can impact the way they learn. Students with mild to moderate learning differences, such as dyslexia or ADHD, are empowered with self-awareness, self-advocacy, and study strategies, helping them to overcome challenges, develop their God-given strengths and thrive at Wesleyan.
Academic Resource Center
Beginning in fall 2020, Wesleyan’s Academic Resource Center (ARC) will provide a tiered program of service to Wesleyan middle school students with current psycho-educational testing and an active Learning Profile. The program is optional, based on recommendation by the administration, and will offer services to select students in grades 5-8 for a supplemental tuition fee. With academic independence as the goal, the Academic Resource Center at Wesleyan School serves students with an average to above-average intellectual ability and mild to moderate language processing and/or attention challenges. The Academic Resource Center is not equipped to serve students with significant social, emotional, or behavioral challenges. Services offered will be as follows:
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Individual Skill Support
- Meets one or two times per class rotation, depending on need.
- Students enroll for a minimum of ten sessions; $85 per session.
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Small Group Support
- Maximum of eight students per grade.
- Meets during the school day in class rotation.
- Students enroll for the entire academic year.
- Approximately 75 sessions per semester; $3,500 per semester.
In addition to the primary goal of supporting students with current psycho-educational testing and an active Learning Profile, all students and faculty will benefit from this extra support. Support received will be as follows:
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Study and executive function skill workshops
- Taught to all middle school students.
- Offered periodically during flex, program, and study hall times.
- No additional charge.
- Ongoing support and professional development for all divisions in the areas of understanding and instructing students with diverse learning needs
Division-Specific Support
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Lower School
Lower school faculty provide an environment in which young children love to learn, regardless of their learning style. It is not uncommon in the early years of lower school for learning differences to present themselves and Wesleyan’s counseling and academic support team are equipped to help parents navigate this should it arise.
As early identification and remediation are key to future academic success, students with diagnosed learning differences benefit from resources that are provided on campus by both internal resources and external practitioners approved by the school.Internal Resources External Resources Math Resource Teacher Orton-Gillingham Specialists Reading Resource Teacher Speech and Language Specialists
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Middle School
As students move into middle school, Wesleyan’s academic support services team can assist diverse learners in developing the skills needed to be successful and independent. With current psycho-educational testing and administration’s recommendation, students may be eligible for Academic Resource Center small group or individual skills support focusing on executive functioning areas such as organization, time management, and study skills. These services are provided during the day and require a supplemental tuition.
Wesleyan's academic program is designed to support all learners, regardless of learning profile. All students in middle school benefit from the following features of Wesleyan's program:
Grade Chairs
Each grade level, fifth through twelfth, has a boys and girls grade chair to support students and parents throughout each school year. Grade chairs provide the necessary touch point to assist students in achieving success in all areas of school life.
Daily Tutorial Period
Every afternoon, the last scheduled period of the day is reserved for study hall and tutorial. Students may elect to use this time in study hall to get started on homework or they may sign up to attend tutorial with a specific teacher to receive additional support on concepts being covered in class.
Office Hours
All faculty offer designated office hours outside of the normal school day to provide additional review and support on class-specific subject matter as needed.
Math and Writing Labs
Additionally, all middle school students have access to free subject-specific support in the math and writing labs staffed after school by faculty in the math and English departments, respectively. -
High School
As students transition into high school, Wesleyan’s focus shifts to ensuring that students are ready for the independence waiting for them when they graduate. All high school students participate in executive functioning assessments and grade chairs maintain a portfolio of student-specific resources and support as needed for use in parent-student-grade chair conferences throughout the year.
Grade Chairs
Each grade level, fifth through twelfth, has a boys and girls grade chair to support students and parents throughout each school year. Grade chairs provide the necessary touch point to assist students in achieving success in all areas of school life.
Office Hours
All faculty offer designated office hours outside of the normal school day to provide additional review and support on class-specific subject matter as needed.
Math and Writing Labs
Additionally, all middle school students have access to free subject-specific support in the math and writing labs staffed after school by faculty in the math and English departments, respectively.
Faculty Professional Development
In addition to directly supporting students, the academic support services team works to equip all faculty members with the latest research and strategies to support all learners in their classrooms, including those with learning differences.
