Instructional Support Programs

List of 9 items.

• Accommodation Plans

  Individual students may qualify for accommodations at Brimmer. In consultation with families and appropriate documentation, a learning plan may be developed by the Director of Academic Services in each division to meet specific student needs at school. 

  The Accommodation Plan outlines the student’s strengths, areas of need, instructional methods, and accommodations that Brimmer can offer based on the student’s learning profile. Accommodations can include, but are not limited to, time and a half on tests, regular check-ins with teachers, and support with breaking down long-term projects and developing other planning and organizational strategies.
  
  While accommodations are carefully thought out to ensure that students build confidence and skills toward independence, we do not offer academic modifications.

• Tutoring Program

  The Brimmer and May Tutoring Program is a fee based program designed to meet the academic needs of students seeking support. Individualized practice of academic skills in an array of subject areas extends beyond the supports already built into the classroom.

  For more information about our Tutoring Program for Lower School students, please contact Lower School Director of Academic Services Kimberly Tolpa. For more information about our Tutoring Program for Middle and Upper School students, please contact MS/US Director of Academic Services Karen Bernanke.
  
  

  Financial aid is available if a student receives tuition assistance, up to 50% of the total aid package received by the student. If you have questions regarding financial assistance for tutoring, please contact Brian Beale prior to beginning the registration process.

  
  
  

• Student Support Teams

  Each division has a Student Support Team (SST) that meets weekly to assess the academic, social, and emotional progress and well-being of students. SST is designed to support students both by anticipating and preventing issues before they occur and by providing interventions and/or resources when issues do arise.

  Each team consists of the Division Head, the Director of Academic Services, the School nurse, the School psychologist or counselor, the Director of Teaching and Learning (for LS) and the Dean of Students (for MS and US). This collaborative team is organized to address concerns affecting a student’s school performance. Such concerns may be academic or related to physical or emotional health.

   

  Brimmer appreciates that all students learn differently and supports students in reaching their academic, social, and emotional potential.

• Lower School Support

  The Lower School Director of Academic Services works in collaboration with the Student Support Team and the Math and Literacy Specialists to assess student needs and support classroom teachers with instruction.
  
  

  All students are assessed at the beginning, middle, ​and end of the school year using a formal benchmarking system. The students are also reassessed regularly during the school year in various ways to monitor their progress and ensure they are making steady gains. A flexible and dynamic small-group system is used to meet children where they are in their learning and help them build their skills in order to ensure students’ needs are being met. Individual tutoring is also available at an added cost and takes place after school hours.

   

  When classroom observations and assessments indicate a need for a more extensive evaluation, the Lower School Director of Academic Services and/or the Head of Lower School will be in touch with the student's family. The information provided by such evaluations is often instrumental in creating a plan for the child with supports that best match the student's strengths and challenges, allowing for maximum success.

• English Language Support (Grades 6-12)

  For Brimmer’s international students and those whose first language is not English, we offer an English Language Support (ELS) program that provides individualized assistance.

  The ELS program provides students in Grades 6-12 with a strong foundation for success in a mainstream classroom setting: writing, reading, speaking, and listening. The ELS teacher works closely with humanities teachers in particular to provide students with the support to best understand, organize, and follow through on assignments in the subject areas that are most difficult for nonnative speakers of English—history and English classes. As students become acclimated to approaching and successfully completing projects, the ELS classroom becomes a place for enrichment—where students read short stories and novels, usually with a cultural focus, and where regular writing practice, vocabulary skill-building, and grammar are stressed alongside active participation in discussions and the development of presentation skills. 

  
  

  In the Upper School international students may be enrolled in Foundations of English for Non-native Speakers or Academic English for Non-native Speakers. These courses are focused on preparing students for the rigors of high school and college writing and help prepare international students for success.

• The Learning Center (Grades 6-12)

  The Learning Center is a designated space in the Library Learning Commons made available to Middle and Upper School students to receive additional academic support during their school day. This quiet location, staffed by Brimmer faculty, can be accessed daily on a drop in basis or assigned during free periods as needed.

  In addition to academic support, the Center can help students with organization and other study skills. The Center is open during most study halls and reading periods.

• Peer Tutoring (Grades 6-12)

  Peer tutoring is a student-led initiative available to Middle and Upper School students. Peer tutors are carefully selected through an application process that includes teacher recommendations.

  Interested students may reach out to a peer tutor with a similar free period to set up a meeting time. Peer tutors offer support in the content areas of math, writing, science, and world languages.

• The Math Lab (Grades 6-12)

  The Math Lab is an integral part of the Learning Center. It is located in the Library Learning Commons and is a place where students can catch up on homework, practice for upcoming assessments, or review lessons with the Math Specialist. The Math Lab is open every day, and the lab supports students in both the MS and US. The Math Lab Instructor coordinates learning goals with all of the math teachers so that every student receives the support that they need.

  Working with students individually and in small groups, the Math Lab’s instructors help students to stay on track in class, to develop stronger mathematical foundations, and to feel prepared for challenging work that may lie ahead.

• The Upper School Writing Center (Grades 9-12)

  The Writing Center is a resource that provides both writing support and extension for students. It is located in the hallway across from the library, and it is staffed by upper school humanities teachers. The center is available for students to drop in during free periods or study halls, but students can also set up appointments in advance. Students can receive support on written work for all classes, and they can come during any stage of the writing process: be it brainstorming, outlining, drafting, or revising. For students in need of regular support, it is possible to have the Writing Center as a block on their weekly schedule.

   

  In addition to this support, the Writing Center Director also guides MS and US students through the process of producing and submitting their work to scholastic writing contests. These contests have included the Bennington College Young Writers Awards, The Letters about Literature Competition sponsored by The Massachusetts Center for the Book, The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, and the Will McDonough Writing Contest sponsored by the Boston Sports Museum.