Individualized Learning – Gutenberg

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Individualized Learning

A young Mountain Academy student with braided pigtails pointing to a globe sitting on a table in a classroom.

Enrichment and Learning Support at Mountain Academy

An exceptional education engages all aspects of the individual child.

 

Each learner’s individual needs are met through providing a solid academic foundation as well as opportunities for artistic and musical expression, healthy social and emotional development, and physical activity and coordination. Every day, students at Mountain Academy have opportunities to build and create, care for the school whether on the farm or in the classroom, interact with peers and adults, and explore the world outside the classroom.

Enrichment

 

Tier 1 Enrichment

Tier 1 Enrichment is available to all students in their home classrooms. Through differentiation of assignments based on the individualized strengths and interests of students, teachers create opportunities for students to interact with content on a deeper level. Students also have the opportunity to participate in various after school enrichment clubs.

Tier 2 Enrichment

Tier 2 Enrichment will be offered to students through push-in or possible pull-out models for those students who have demonstrated skills and understanding beyond their grade level on Aimsweb testing or other classroom assessments, have been recommended by their teacher, and have been interviewed by the Director of Studies.

Tier 3 Enrichment

Tier 3 Enrichment will be considered for students who have undergone cognitive testing outside the school that demonstrates ability beyond their grade level, have met the tier two prerequisites, and have excellent executive functioning skills. Tier 3 could be an independent study, acceleration of a content-area, or pull-out lessons. Placement into Tier 3 enrichment will be based on the Learning Support Team’s recommendations in collaboration with the Director of Studies.

Learning Support

 

Tier 1 Learning Support

Differentiated instruction is a core part of all K-12 classroom instruction. Teachers implement myriad strategies to meet the needs of all students. A few examples of Tier 1 strategies are: allowing for choice in sharing knowledge and understanding of content; preferential seating; visual aides; or extended time, to name a few.

Tier 2 Learning Support

Students who are diagnosed with a learning disability or who test below their grade level on Aimsweb testing or other classroom assessments may qualify for Tier 2 interventions. An Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) will be created for a student in order to support the student with their goals and accommodations. Students are typically supported in small groups two to three times a week for 30 minutes, in addition to their normal core classroom instruction. The Learning Support Team, the student’s teacher(s), and the family work together to determine the best plan of support for the student.

Tier 3 Learning Support

Students may receive Tier 3 interventions after undergoing cognitive testing outside the school that demonstrates their need for intensive 1:1 pull-out intervention along with data from classroom assessments and Tier 2 interventions, which show little to no growth is being made on the targeted goals. The Learning Support Team, the student’s teacher(s), and the family work together to determine the best plan of support for the student.

Mountain Academy students sitting on the floor reading along with a teacher sitting a chair in a classroom.

Learning Support Team

At the heart of the Learning Support Team (LST) is a dedicated system for ensuring each student’s abilities, challenges, interests, and learning styles are addressed academically, socially, and emotionally. In order to achieve this, the Learning Support Team is a whole-school initiative, composed of Intervention Specialists, Coordinators, and the School Counselor.

The LST aims to provide support, accommodations, and interventions to all students while supporting faculty in offering differentiation through a rich and challenging curriculum based on the need(s) of each student.

A young Mountain Academy student wearing a beanie turning to smile at the camera while pointing to a plant.

Social & Emotional Support

Mountain Academy places a strong emphasis on social and emotional learning by implementing a curriculum that better supports our students’ needs not only as learners but as humans. The curriculum is proven to boost student performance and has statistically shown significant improvement in three key measures: Purpose, Engagement, and Social Awareness.

The goal of social and emotional learning is to build skills around the six core competencies of the curriculum: Collaboration, Agency, Purpose, Self-Awareness, Adaptability, and Empathy.