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PROGRAMS / early childhood
Student Support
At Grace, our student support philosophy is proactive and embedded in how we teach every child, every day. We are a general education school environment, and our commitment is to ensure that all of our students have full access to our program by meeting them where they are, whether they are ready for an advanced challenge or would benefit from more targeted instruction.
Our instructional practices are grounded in scientific evidence about how children learn, and strong, differentiated teaching is the norm. We believe students learn best in the zone of proximal development; that is, in environments where they are challenged intellectually but able to achieve with appropriate support. In Early Childhood, a dedicated student support team—comprising a literacy specialist, a learning specialist, and a counselor—works closely with the division head, homeroom teachers, associates, and specialists to monitor the progress of every student through the guidance committee. All three are available to consult with families at any time.
Learning Lab, available to first grade students after school on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, provides a small group setting where students can work on assignments and build skills with the support of GCS teachers.
Support is woven naturally into the rhythm of the school day and is provided primarily in the classroom or in small group settings. When a student would benefit from more targeted assistance, short-term individualized support is available at the recommendation of the guidance committee. In all cases, transparent communication with families is central to our approach. We believe that when school and home work in close partnership, every child is better positioned to do the hard, rewarding work of learning.
Support is woven naturally into the rhythm of the school day and is provided primarily in the classroom or in small group settings.
