NEW FOR 2019-2020 SCHOOL YEAR

What’s New@SMES?

he 2018-19 school year brought two new educational programs to campus to enhance the SMES learning experience and better serve the needs of bright students with language-based learning differences and those who may want enriched programming.

Kairos Learning Center The Kairos Learning Center and the Hybrid Learning Consortium were piloted in the spring semester and will be fully-integrated for the 2019-20 school year. Kairos offers a unique learning environment for students in Elementary and Middle School who have languagebased learning differences such as dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia that affect their ability to learn in larger classes utilizing traditional teaching methods. This “school-within-a-school” approach will allow identified students to receive additional support balanced with immersion in the educational experience, extracurricular opportunities and overall culture offered at St. Martin’s Episcopal School. The program provides speciallytailored programs allowing bright students to become stronger and more confident learners. For Middle School students who may want a bit more, the Hybrid Learning Consortium (HLC) brings together independent schools, teachers and students from around the world to provide innovative online and blended learning opportunities. HLC creates a globalized learning community through online courses taught by faculty at our partner schools. Courses such as Geometry, Algebra II, Latin and Mandarin Chinese are just some of the course offerings, and students can also pursue mini-courses such as coding, game theory and chemistry in cooking.

These mission-appropriate programs came about as a result of internal program assessment and parent feedback for ways to enhance the overall learning

experience at St. Martin’s.

SMES Goes Global St. Martin’s concluded its second school year of offering global travel opportunities to Middle School students. Last fall, SMES again welcomed a group of 8th-grade students from Colegio Episcopal de Panamá for three weeks of cultural immersion including a home-stay with SMES families, trips to notable cultural sites in and around Atlanta and time at school to experience all that St. Martin’s has to offer. This month, nine SMES students and five chaperons are visiting Panamá for an immersive experience of their own. They are enjoying a home-stay with Colegio Episcopal de Panamá families and will have the opportunity to attend school, visit cultural sites, volunteer at an orphanage and more.

In addition to the exchange to Central America, St. Martin’s was also chosen by the Office of the Ministry of Japan to take part in a 10-day cultural exchange program in Tokyo, Japan. Last March, six 8th–grade students and five chaperons enjoyed a unique international cultural experience through the Kakehashi Project.

This youth exchange program between Japan and the United States is funded by the Japanese government to promote a global understanding of Japan’s economy, society, history, diverse culture, politics and foreign policy.

The trip included visits to several historical and educational sites, museums and opportunities to experience traditional and cultural activities. The group also enjoyed a two-day “home-stay” with Japanese host families for an immersive cultural experience.

In addition to traveling the globe, St. Martin’s students are introduced to world languages in the classroom beginning in Early Childhood, and they build on that knowledge throughout their journey at SMES. Early Childhood students begin learning the fundamentals of both Spanish and French through age-appropriate, multisensory methods. The study continues through the Elementary years, and in Middle School, students choose their language of choice for a deeper dive in preparation for high school.