Learning Support


The Lower School strongly values the importance of the development of the whole child. Teachers work to meet children where they are developmentally and academically while acknowledging different learning styles. The Child Support Team (CST) collaborates with students, teachers, and parents to put in place appropriate accommodations and supports. The CST consists of the Lower School principal, the counselor, the healthcare coordinator, the consulting psychologist, and the learning resource coordinator. The math coordinator also offers support. The two instructional faculty members who support student instruction directly, consulting with teachers as needed, are the learning resource coordinator and the math coordinator. They may work in the regular classroom setting, the resource room, or the math lab with small groups of children to help these students develop strategies and approaches to learning that meet their educational needs.

Middle School is a transitional time for all students, and it includes a wide array of developmental stages. While the homeroom teacher (in 5th and 6th grades) or advisor (in 7th and 8th grades) serves as the point person for communication about a student’s overall academic performance, an academic support coordinator on staff also works with parents, students, and teachers to provide strategies and some accommodations for students who have formal evaluations on file. In addition, the academic support coordinator works with students on a variety of situational concerns that may be transitional, medical, or emotional and that require additional support in terms of organization, time management, and/or approaches to learning.

Teachers are every student’s primary resource. Students who need support are encouraged to set up meetings with their teachers outside of class. Beyond the teacher, the Upper School has a Math Help program, which is staffed by a math teacher or an upper-level math student. Students may attend Math Help voluntarily, or they may be assigned to do so. The Upper School also has peer-tutoring programs for languages, biology, and chemistry. Students who need extra support with critical reading and writing skills are recommended to work with the in-house writing tutor. The learning support coordinator arranges the various student support programs and is available to work with students on study skills, planning, and organizing and on the accommodation process for standardized testing.

Sidwell Friends School prohibits discrimination and harassment against any member of the School community on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, sex, personal appearance, genetic information, economic background, political affiliation, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Read more about non-discrimination policies and contact information here.