INTRODUCTION The St. David’s School Academic Support Program prepares all young men and women for college and life through differentiated instruction at a variety of levels of support. Students are provided the skill development they need to succeed in the vital areas of faith, virtue and knowledge. Each child is taught to recognize their God-given gifts and how to utilize them both inside and outside the classroom. Academic Learning Specialists provide targeted instruction to support the academic, social and emotional needs of students. They are trained in meeting the needs of diverse learners and have experience working with students to achieve their greatest potential. Research-based strategies are utilized to foster the development of students’ skills in the areas of reading, writing and executive functioning. The program offers three tiers of assistance in the form of in-class accommodations, small group instruction and one-on-one academic support. The services provided by the Academic Support Program are designed to meet the needs of support for all students. While there is an additional fee for the one-on-one academic support, in-class accommodations and small group instruction are provided at no extra charge. Please contact Andrea Adams, Academic Support Program Coordinator at aadams@sdsw.org or 919-782-3331 x379 for further information.
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TI E RS O F S UPPORT
T I E R 1 : I N - C L A S S AC C O M M O DAT I O N S St. David’s offers limited accommodations based on the documented needs of the student. These are decided upon each year after a careful review of the student’s psychoeducational testing on file in the Academic Support office, as well as the student’s use of the accommodations in the classroom during the year. Individual work with an academic learning specialist is not provided. In-class accommodations are facilitated at no additional charge.
M EET O U R TE AM
Jennifer Benik, B.S.
Andrea Adams, M.Ed.
Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stout. She has a certification in Early Childhood Education-Primary Education. Jennifer has experience teaching with a variety of students across several grade levels for more than 25 years. Her passion for helping children succeed in school is what she enjoys about working in the Academic Support Program.
Academic Support Program Coordinator and Academic Learning Specialist Andrea holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Child Development and a Master of Education Degree from Meredith College with a certification in Reading for grades K-12. Andrea has worked with a variety of grade levels for more than 20 years and is passionate about helping all students not only develop the skills and tools to become successful learners but also develop a love of learning.
Laura Clement, M.S. Academic Learning Specialist Laura earned her undergraduate degree at Adelphi University and holds a Master of Science in Special Education from CUNY Hunter College. Laura has 10 years of experience working with students and their various learning challenges and creating differentiated lessons tailored to their unique learning. She is also fluent in American Sign Language (ASL). Laura is passionate about helping students who learn differently to succeed in and beyond the classroom and develop their unique talents.
Wendy Schwarz, B.A. T I E R 2 : S M A L L G RO U P S U P P O R T St. David’s offers multi-week sessions of small group academic support for students in the Lower and Middle Schools. Students work on grade-level specific learning strategies and practice using those strategies within their core subject areas. Specialists focus on supporting the development of reading, math, and executive functioning skills. No psychoeducational testing is required. Lower school students work with a specialist in a 1:4 teacher to student ratio, while middle school students work with a specialist in a 1:8 teacher to student ratio. Small group support is offered at no additional charge.
T I E R 3 : AC A D E M I C S U P P O R T P RO G R A M St. David’s offers an individualized academic support program for students with a documented learning disability, ADHD and/or identified area of weakness. Highly trained learning specialists work with students twice a week to provide curriculum-based services consisting of academic skill-building and strategy intervention. Parents receive regular communication with their child’s learning specialist as the team works together to foster progression towards the academic goals of the student. Students work with a specialist in a 1:1 teacher to student ratio. Documentation of a complete psychoeducational evaluation is required. The cost of the Academic Support Program is $5,200 per year.
Academic Learning Specialist
Wendy holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from California State University and a Multiple Subjects Teaching Credential from the University of California-Irvine. She holds a NC teaching license in the areas of Elementary Education and Academically or Intellectually Gifted. She has over 25 years of experience as a learning specialist, classroom teacher, and private tutor. Wendy loves helping students reach their full potential through mastering effective learning strategies so they can thrive and be successful both inside and outside the classroom.
Academic Learning Specialist
Elizabeth Smith, M.Ed. Academic Learning Specialist
Elizabeth holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and a Master of Education from the University of Virginia. She has certifications in the Wilson Reading System and Making Math Real. Elizabeth has experience working specifically with students who have dyslexia. She is passionate about helping children understand how they best learn and giving them the tools they need to succeed in the future.
Lesley White, B.S. Academic Learning Specialist
Lesley earned her Bachelor of Science in Curriculum & Instruction from Texas A&M University and a certificate in Student Mentor & Tutoring from NC State University. She has 20 years of experience working with students as a tutor and Middle and Upper School math and science teacher. Lesley seeks to cultivate curiosity and excitement for learning by introducing the necessary tools students need to be self-directed and forward thinking learners.
Donna Barger, M.S. Academic Learning Specialist
Donna earned her undergraduate degrees at the University of Oklahoma in Communication and Secondary Education. She also holds a Masters in Administration and Curriculum/Instruction. She is a Nationally Board Certified Teacher and has over 25 years combined experience in teaching and administration. Donna believes that all children are unique and must have a stimulating educational environment where they can grow mentally, emotionally, and socially. It is her desire to create a safe atmosphere where students can share their ideas and take risks.
