Academic Support
Academic Support is a “for-credit” elective course in which support is provided to students to help them improve their core skills in writing, reading comprehension, math, science, organization, time management, and independent study, so they may be more successful in all academic areas. Of course, none of this is possible without the development of good study skills and learning habits. Each student works on improving individually identified skills through direct instruction and practice. The students’ skill levels are determined through standardized testing and other assessment tools from which each individual builds an Academic Support Plan. Each student, with her or his teacher, creates an Academic Support Plan in their Personalized Learning Plan that outlines the skills to be improved, approaches to be used, and achievement goals to be met. Completed work is kept in the classroom in a Skills Portfolio or online in order to document student progress.
All students have access to, and are expected to work on, a newly piloted program, now in its fifth year, called Core Skills Mastery or CSM. This online program is an important part of the curriculum, and it is used bi-weekly to develop skills in specific aspects of reading, writing, mathematics, and independent problem-solving strategies. Students are given initial access to the program when they are judged ready to take it on. Students are also provided with materials and techniques for monitoring and reflecting on their daily and weekly progress in Academic Support and their other courses. While homework completion is not the primary purpose of this course, some Academic Support often daily time may be used by students to apply their improved skills to complete class work and/or homework assigned by teachers of their other courses.
Academic Support is unique in that students have the opportunity to work in small groups and receive individual attention to their needs and an opportunity to explore their strengths. After school hours and ACE period are additional opportunities to pursue their academic goals.
All students have access to, and are expected to work on, a newly piloted program, now in its fifth year, called Core Skills Mastery or CSM. This online program is an important part of the curriculum, and it is used bi-weekly to develop skills in specific aspects of reading, writing, mathematics, and independent problem-solving strategies. Students are given initial access to the program when they are judged ready to take it on. Students are also provided with materials and techniques for monitoring and reflecting on their daily and weekly progress in Academic Support and their other courses. While homework completion is not the primary purpose of this course, some Academic Support often daily time may be used by students to apply their improved skills to complete class work and/or homework assigned by teachers of their other courses.
Academic Support is unique in that students have the opportunity to work in small groups and receive individual attention to their needs and an opportunity to explore their strengths. After school hours and ACE period are additional opportunities to pursue their academic goals.
