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.

Academic Support’s goal is to produce successful students who are independent learners and students who are prepared to meet challenges and to overcome them; and to produce learners who understand their strengths and weaknesses and have developed strategies to aid in using their strengths to overcome weaker areas. The AS Program at Westminster is a network of parents, teachers, and students working together to nurture and encourage the academic potential in every student. As our mission, we seek to glorify God by providing an excellent education that equips students to live extraordinary lives for Jesus Christ.

We believe that each student is unique and we work to create a plan tailored to fit each student individually. The services provided will be driven by the individual needs of the student. Each AS Coordinator will view each child as an individual with specific strengths and weaknesses. Academic Coaches are chosen to match the student, and the relationship between Coach and student is special and important.

Academic Support Staff

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.

Academic Support Course Description

The courses offered through the Academic Support (AS) Department are listed and described below. Fees are charged for these courses.

Core Course
The student is taught a core curriculum course (language arts, math, science, social studies) in a one-on-one setting which is individualized and multi-sensory.  Core course material follows the departmental curriculum guide and is tailored to meet the individual needs of the student.  The core course helps the student prepare to enter the regular classroom setting at the appropriate time.  Core courses meet daily.

Single Course (Lower School)
The academic coach works with a student outside the regular classroom for 2 or 3times each week in either a one-on-one or a small group (1-3) setting.  The coach will supplement regular classroom instruction with additional practice and review in specific subject and skills areas. The coach works closely with the classroom teacher.

Homework Help (Lower School)
The student receives individualized help from an academic coach in different academic areas.  This help is provided primarily after school and may occur 1-4 times per week based on each student’s needs.

Early Childhood Academic Support
Students in T-K, Kindergarten, and first grade may receive support for up to 90 minutes per week.  These services provide assistance with phonological awareness, spelling, handwriting, and/or math.

Academic Coaching (Middle & Upper School)
The coach will meet with the student to develop skills in the following areas:  time management, organization, studying/reviewing for tests, note taking, and goal setting. The primary goal is to increase the student’s level of academic independence and to help the student leverage his/her academic strengths and to build up his/her areas of weakness.  The AS Coordinator will recommend the number of weekly meetings based upon the student’s need.