Student Support Services

We offer a variety of support services for students who meet the school’s selective academic admissions requirements. Services focus on individualized approaches to learning and social-emotional development. Our aim is to support, guide and teach students with services geared to help students with different learning needs.

An underlying tenet of our programs is the focus on a growth mindset aimed at fostering resilience. By gaining self-knowledge and building self-advocacy skills, students are able to become productive, confident individuals and more resourceful lifelong learners. The SSST programs are designed to support students for success in the mainstream classroom. Academic support lessons aim to teach a variety of skills and strategies as a foundation to accessing our challenging curriculum. Specialists collaborate and consult regularly with classroom teachers for the benefit of all students.

The Student Support Services provided are as follows:

Short-term, targeted Literacy support – K2 and Grade 4
Short-term, targeted math support - Grades 2-4
Speech therapy – K1 - Grade 3
Language therapy – Lower and Middle Schools (K1 to Grade 8)
Specific Learning Differences (SLD) – (Grade 2 to 12)
Counseling and external referrals – Lower, Middle and High Schools
Academic screening and external referrals – Lower and Middle
External referrals for diagnostic evaluations - Lower, Middle, and High Schools
English as an Additional Language - Lower, Middle and High Schools

The Parent Educational Resource Committee (PERC) is a K-12 parent-run organization that supports parents of non-traditional learners, including children with diagnosed and undiagnosed learning differences, and parents who are simply concerned about their child’s ability to flourish in an academic environment. PERC meetings are open to all parents.

The flowchart below illustrates the structured process for identifying and addressing student needs, starting with a parental concern and escalating through teacher support to a formal Student Support Team (SST) action plan. It ensures a collaborative cycle of intervention, evaluation, and regular feedback between the school and the family.

FAQs

What do I do if I have a specific academic concern about my child?

In the Lower School, you should first contact your child’s class teacher. They may contact the grade-level primary consultant who may, in turn, recommend a referral to the lower school Student Support Team.

In the Middle School, you should contact the subject teacher and the advisory teacher. They may, in turn, contact the relevant grade-level learning specialist, who may make a referral to the middle school Student Support Team.

In the High School, you should contact the subject area teacher and advisor. They may, in turn, contact the grade-level dean or college counselor, who may present the issues to the high school Student Support Team.

What do I do if I have a specific emotional concern about my child?

What types of recommendations might the SST make?

A variety of classroom-based interventions may be recommended. The opportunity to meet with in-school counselors may be suggested. In addition, referrals for out-of-school private counseling, psychological and/or medical evaluations may be recommended. All decisions regarding psycho-educational and language assessment and entry into any of the school’s various support services are made via the divisional SST; however, it is important to note that not every referral made to the SST warrants or results in a full evaluation or referral.

How is the information discussed in SST handled?

How are parents advised of SST meeting decisions?

How does the SST determine whether my child should receive services?

SST members review the results of the evaluations and determine appropriate interventions, which may include entry into one of the school’s support services. These recommendations will be shared and discussed with parents.

The admissions committee, in consultation with divisional principals and relevant SST specialists, may make a recommendation for program entry prior to admission.

What fees are charged for services?

Various fee structures are in place, depending upon the division, program or level of intensity of support students receive. Parents/guardians will be notified accordingly, and billed in the spring for the forthcoming academic year. Should a student qualify for a program mid-year, fees will be prorated to coincide with the student's start date in the program. Financial aid may be available for service fees. ASL does not provide financial aid for counselling or therapy services.

How might my child qualify for SAT, ACT or ERB testing accommodations?

Students in the SLD program, as well as those who meet documentation requirements, may be eligible for the same special testing accommodations on tests such as Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) the Educational Records Bureau (ERB) exams, Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) and Advanced Placement (AP) exams, as well as the American College Test (ACT). However, there is no guarantee that either testing service will grant a student the same accommodations they use at ASL. Typically, only accommodations granted by ASL and utilized for school-based assessments on a regular basis are considered when applying for accommodations on standardized tests. The two testing services have distinct criteria, procedures and documentation requirements when requesting accommodations. In addition, the accommodations vary between the two services; therefore, a student cannot assume that accommodations granted by one testing service will also be granted by the other. For more specific procedural queries, please contact the school’s services for students with disabilities (SSD) coordinator. Documentation requirements for the two testing services can be found at the following websites:

At ASL, written parental consent is obtained before testing accommodations are formally offered to eligible students in the Middle and High schools. In the Lower School, prior to the ERB administration in the spring, parents/guardians of students in the SLD program will be informed by their child’s learning specialist or classroom teacher that the child will receive accommodations (time and computer use) as documented in the current psycho-educational evaluation.

Students applying to university need to contact their university of choice as soon as possible to determine what documentation is required. Additional testing may be required prior to enrollment.

How does the next division learn about my child’s needs?

What parental resources are available at ASL?

The Parent Educational Resource Committee (PERC) is a unique, informal group sponsored and supported by ASL’s Parent Community Association (PCA). Parents/guardians gather to discuss both educational and parenting issues. PERC provides a forum for open discussion and the exchange of ideas. PERC offers lectures and parent/guardian-to-parent/guardian support group meetings. PERC works closely and collaboratively with ASL faculty and the K-12 SSST. For further information about PERC, please contact the relevant lower, middle or high school representatives, the PCA or the K-12 student support services department head. PERC also has a helpful webpage.