Academic Support at The Learning Center
The Learning Center began as a partnership of Francis Parker, formerly St. Francis School, and the Langsford Learning Acceleration Centers. It opened in 2012 on the Goshen Campus and expanded to the Downtown Campus in 2014. Beginning in 2021, The Learning Center became fully staffed and operated internally by Francis Parker employees.
Holly Hillard serves as The Director of The Learning Center. Her role is to assess the needs of students with learning differences and ensure that their accommodations are provided in the classroom. Additionally, she collaborates with faculty, staff, students, and families to address the learning needs of any student who requires academic support within and beyond the classroom.
The Learning Center Staff:
- Holly Hillard, Director
- Chastity Hawkins, Reading Specialist, Lower School
- Ann Mundt, Academic Support Specialist, Middle School
- Elizabeth Knutowski, Academic Support Specialist, Middle School
- Jason Cooper, Academic Support Specialist, High School
Accommodation Plan Services
Any student who has a diagnosed learning difference has a customized accommodation plan created for their specific learning needs. Plans include classroom accommodations, guidelines for standardized testing, and student progress goals.
High School
Content tutoring is available for any student who needs additional support in their classes. Students meet during their free period once per week with their tutor. These sessions focus on understanding the content, not necessarily assignment completion. Group sessions are available and will be capped at four students per group.
Academic support groups designed to help students succeed at the long-term writing assignments in their particular grade level. Sessions will meet once per week and include coaching and guidance on brainstorming, idea development, outlining, revising, editing, and more. All work is tailored to support classroom instruction and assignments. Groups are capped at four students.
These sessions meet once per week to help students with planning, time management, organization, task-initiation, goal-setting, and problem-solving for all school assignments. Sessions take place during the student’s free period. Support is tailored to the student’s individual needs and courses.
This is a yearly program for one-on-one executive function coaching. Students will work with their coach on skills including goal setting, time management, planning, and prioritization. Students will develop a personalized organizational system that works for their needs, build metacognition skills, and improve working memory.
ACT/SAT preparation is available for any student who desires specific strategies to improve their standardized test scores.Students meet during their free period once per week or after school with their tutor. Group sessions are available and will be capped at four students per group.
After school tutoring and support from 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. for grades 9th-12th. Services are available on an as-needed basis.
Middle School
This is a yearly program for one-on-one executive function coaching. Students will work with their coach on skills including goal setting, time management, planning, and prioritization. Students will develop a personalized organizational system that works for their needs, build metacognition skills, and improve working memory.
Data-informed small groups that meet concurrently with math class twice per week to provide math intervention and support to students who need it. Groups are capped at four students to ensure that instruction is personalized to each student’s individual learning needs. Math support is aligned to regular classroom instruction to ensure transference of skills.
These sessions meet once per week to help students with planning, time management, organization, task-initiation, goal-setting, and problem-solving for all school assignments. Families have the option to register for one-one-one sessions or for group sessions of no more than four students in the same grade level.
Individual sessions for students who need intensive content area support in reading or math. Students are referred to one-on-one support based on teacher recommendation, assessment data, and progress monitoring during small group support. Personalized intervention is provided that caters to the student’s individual learning needs.
The Learning Center Director coordinates with Associates in Pediatric Therapy to provide speech and occupational therapy screenings and sessions for students who need support.
After school tutoring and support from 3:30-5:30 p.m. for grades 4th-8th. Services are available on an as-needed basis.
End of the day check-in with TLC support specialist to ensure students are up to date on long term assignments and upcoming projects or assessments.
Lower School
Data-informed small groups that meet concurrently with LASS class twice per week to provide reading intervention and support to students who need it. Groups are capped at four students to ensure that instruction is personalized to each student’s individual learning needs. Reading support is aligned to regular classroom instruction to ensure transference of skills.
Data-informed small groups that meet concurrently with math class twice per week to provide math intervention and support to students who need it. Groups are capped at four students to ensure that instruction is personalized to each student’s individual learning needs. Math support is aligned to regular classroom instruction to ensure transference of skills.
These sessions meet once per week to help students with planning, time management, organization, task-initiation, goal-setting, and problem-solving for all school assignments. Families have the option to register for one-one-one sessions or for group sessions of no more than four students in the same grade level.
Individual sessions for students who need intensive content area support in reading or math. Students are referred to one-on-one support based on teacher recommendation, assessment data, and progress monitoring during small group support. Personalized intervention is provided that caters to the student’s individual learning needs.
The Learning Center Director coordinates with Associates in Pediatric Therapy to provide speech and occupational therapy screenings and sessions for students who need support.
Preschool
The Learning Center Director coordinates with Associates in Pediatric Therapy to provide speech and occupational therapy screenings and sessions for students who need support.