STUDENT SERVICES: Philosophy
Reflecting on the mission and vision of SIS, it is our goal to provide an environment in which supportive, stimulating, and cooperative learning can take place. Respecting each child’s unique personality, experiences, interests, strengths and areas of development, the Student Services Team (SST) seeks to maximize the skills of our students in order for them to realize their individual potential. The SST is also committed to safeguarding the privacy of our students and their families through prudent record-keeping and communication practices.
Supports offered by SIS
SIS is able to support students by:
Providing a support team to work with students with mild learning difficulties
Providing classroom accommodations and interventions
Utilizing instructional strategies and materials that support different learning styles
Creating various support plans including Individual Education Plans (IEPs)
Assisting parents with arrangements for testing or other support outside of school
Conducting assessments of progress as well as achievement
Providing recommendations for assessments from external providers
Providing English Language Learning (ELL) Support
SIS is unable to:
Provide a self-contained learning program
Provide students with an alternative curriculum
Guarantee enrollment through continuous grade levels
Provide support services such as speech or physical therapy
Accept students with limited intellectual capacity
Provide formal educational or neuropsychological evaluations
School personnel will monitor children’s progress and provide appropriate opportunities to stimulate, challenge, and reinforce learning. In doing so, the SST and SIS staff will identify children of exceptional ability and children who display significant difficulties in learning.
The SST comprises school administrators, counselor(s), learning specialist(s), and ELL specialist(s).
English Language Learning at SIS
Supporting English Language Learners (ELL) is a priority for teachers and the SST. At SIS, teachers practice the sheltered immersion model in supporting ELL students to acquire the English language. This means that all instruction is in English and everyone is expected to meet the same rigorous, grade level academic standards. The sheltered immersion model focuses on supporting English language learners to acquire the English language and academic content at the same time.
At SIS, the teachers co-plan and co-teach with the ELL specialist(s). By doing so, they develop various research-based, scaffolded strategies to support the learner in all four domains of language: reading, writing, speaking and listening. We use these strategies with the students, assess the results, and plan our lessons accordingly. Because of this collaboration and ELL methodology, we can support individual student’s needs and provide differentiated, meaningful instruction.
Counseling Services at SIS
Understanding that students can enhance their learning and academic achievement when they are given both the support and skills to overcome challenges they face during childhood and adolescence, SIS has a guidance counselor on its staff. As a part of the SST, the counselor provides a planned program that is responsive to the academic, social, personal, and developmental needs of students and the school community.
The guidance counselor also assists high school students with preparation necessary for entrance into institutions of higher learning and a future career path. This includes, but is not limited to, advising students about the university entrance process, assisting with the completion of documents, and conducting meetings and university visits. The counselor recognizes the individual needs of each student and develops personalized plans to help them select and gain acceptance to the schools that best align with their goals and abilities.