Academic Support Services

Academic Support Program Mission

At Westminster, our mission is to glorify God by providing an excellent education that will equip students to live extraordinary lives for Jesus Christ.  We believe each student is made in the image of God.

Therefore:

  • We seek to know, love, and serve all students as individuals, recognizing and developing their unique gifts and abilities, so they may accomplish God’s purpose in their lives.
  • We acknowledge, appreciate, and adjust to the various ways children learn.
  • We strive toward excellence in all things, to the glory of God.

Our goals are to provide opportunities for students to broaden and deepen their education and develop their faith.  We do this by providing academic support to help each student meet or exceed Westminster’s standards and develop their God-given potential.

Academic Support Staff

Fay Deal, Director
Mrs. Deal has Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Education.  Mrs. Deal is in place to coordinate the program from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade.  Each division–Lower, Middle and Upper–has coordinators in place to collaborate with teachers, students, and parents to assist in providing appropriate support to students.

Mrs. Susan Kious, Lower School
Mrs. Kious is a certified reading specialist and can evaluate students experiencing difficulty in reading, writing and math.  The tests administered most frequently are Reading Evaluations for grades Kindergarten through nine. These tests help measure students’ oral and silent reading levels, their level of listening ability, and their knowledge of phonics and comprehension.

Mrs. Tracy Lutz, Middle School
Mrs. Lutz has a degree in history with a Master’s in Education.  She has worked with academic programs in two other schools before returning to Westminster.

Mrs. Mary Weidman, Upper School
Mrs. Weidman has a degree in History and a Master’s in Education.  She supervises the peer tutoring program and is the SSD Coordinator. As SSD Coordinator, she assists in standardized testing for those students having accommodations.  Students and parents with questions about standardized testing accommodations should contact Mrs. Weidman.

Avenues of Academic Assistance

Lower School Academic Support – Mrs. Kious works with students in pre-kindergarten through second grade individually or in small groups to assist in reading instruction.  There is no additional charge for this service. In grades 3-5,academic coaches are provided for students in content areas.  The charge for this service is $50 per session.  Academic coaches must have a Bachelor’s degree,preferably in the field of Education, and experience working with students in the age group with whom they are working.

Middle School Academic Support – Mrs. Lutz works with students in the area of organization and study skills.  There is no fee for these services.  She also oversees academic coaches who work with students one-on-one in specific content areas. There is a fee for receiving academic coaching of $50 per session.

Upper School Academic Support – Mrs. Weidman works with students in the area of organization and study skills.  There is no fee for these services.  She also oversees academic coaches who work with students one-on-one in specific content areas. There is a fee of $50 per session for receiving coaching.  For students with diagnosed learning differences who have standardized testing accommodations, Mrs. Weidman schedules and administers these.

ESL Instruction – Westminster has a number of international students and we provide English as a Second Language instruction for them.  The program is individualized to meet the needs of each student to ensure success in their experiences at Westminster. There is a fee of $50 per session for this.

Back Work – Both Middle and Upper Schools provide a time for students to meet with teachers.  If a student has missed an assignment or is having difficulty understanding a topic or subject covered in class, they may arrange to meet with the teacher after school Monday through Thursday from 3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Students or parents must make advance arrangements to meet a teacher in Back Work.  Teachers may also require that a student attend Back Work.

Peer Tutoring – Westminster students in 11th and 12th grades may volunteer to be peer tutors.  Teachers from any Middle or Upper School grade may request a tutor for a student.  Mrs. Weidman coordinates this program along with the Academic Prefect.  Students are matched with tutors who have been recommended by faculty members to work within specific disciplines.  In addition to assistance with academic and skill mastery, tutors are expected to promote a mentoring and encouraging relationship.