CARROLL LEARNING SERVICES PROGRAM

SISTER MICHELLE CARROLL LEARNING SERVICES PROGRAM

Recognizing the inherent gifts and talents of each Mercy Girl, the Sister Michelle Carroll Learning Services Program offers students with documented learning differences or diagnosed mild to moderate languagebased learning disabilities a highly personalized program in a challenging and inclusive academic setting that will prepare them to become successful and confident learners in high school, college, and beyond.

This four-year program, honoring Mercy’s founding principal Sister Michelle Carroll, supports students as they access Mercy’s rigorous college prep academic program. Our highly experienced learning specialists create an individual support plan for each student that formalizes the student’s accommodations and is based on her full educational-psychological evaluation. Each student is placed in appropriate Mercy classes with support meetings based on the level of service needed. Our learning specialists help students develop organization, note-taking skills, time management, self-advocacy, and study strategies to become more confident and successful in the classroom. Reading instruction and remediation is provided when appropriate.

Our learning specialists work closely with Mercy’s outstanding faculty. The program staff is available to assist teachers with implementing accommodation plans, monitoring extended-time testing, and helping with classroom instructional concerns.

m Indicate an interest in the Carroll Learning Services Program on your application. m Submit any educational plan from your current school. m Submit a current psychological-educational evaluation including, but not limited to,

WISC and Woodcock Johnson test scores that should: • State the specific disability as diagnosed, using DSM V classification. • Be no older than three years. • Describe the comprehensive testing and techniques used to arrive at the diagnosis. • Provide the professional credentials of the evaluator(s). • Describe the specific accommodations needed, including the amount of extended time required. m Meet with the director of the Carroll Learning Services Program by phone or in person.

The Carroll Learning Services Program offers two distinct levels of support for girls. Our learning specialists assess each student’s progress regularly and evaluate their needs on an annual basis.

Level One: Serving Students with Language-based Learning Disabilities In this program offering intensive support, girls diagnosed with language-based learning disabilities such as dyslexia meet with their assigned learning specialist three times a week. Students receive both 2:1 and individualized instruction in study skills that include organization, time management, self-advocacy, and study strategies using course content and texts as well as direct instruction in reading using proven methods.

Level Two: Serving Students with Learning Differences In this program offering moderate support, girls diagnosed with learning differences meet with their assigned learning specialist to help them develop organization, time management, self-advocacy, and study strategies to become confident learners. Emphasis is placed on skill-based instruction using course content and texts to teach skills. Girls meet with their learning specialist in small groups (2:1) twice a week for their first year. In years two through four, girls meet with their learning specialist once a week.

FEES Program participation fees are announced annually in February in conjunction with the following year’s tuition.