Notre Dame Preparatory School understands each student offers a unique combination of strengths, passions, challenges, and style. To reach her best personal potential, she may need assistance at different times during the middle and high school years, and The Batza & Simon Academic Service and Enrichment Center was built to offer such personalized academic support.
The Center’s dedicated learning resource specialists work Monday through Friday on Notre Dame Prep’s campus. This team is available to all students of all academic levels for walk-in questions or scheduled one-on-one assistance to offer academic support. The fact that the Center is staffed and on-site makes it convenient and easy to access. Middle and Upper Level students use the Center during their free periods for test prep, study planning, math and reading support, and extended-time testing.
In addition to being convenient, the Center is bright and inviting. Located where the school’s East Wing and Innovation Wing intersect, the Academic Services and Enrichment Center is a welcoming, natural-light-filled space with a variety of rooms and environments to accommodate the needs of all types of learners. One area offers rocking chairs and low tables, while another space houses study carrels for independent quiet work. Comfortable, modular furniture can be moved to create collaborative group workspaces as needed.
“We want this center to be a place where students feel confident and comfortable seeking out the extra help they may need,” says Carol Yoos, reading specialist and coordinator of the Susie Simon ‘71 Reading Program. Support can range from securing extra test time for a learning difference to gaining new study strategies for Biomedical Engineering class. Reading and math support, as well as organization help, are options as well.
Marge Potter and Celia McGrain, learning resource specialists for the Upper and Middle Level, respectively, share an expertise in developing Formal Education Plans designed specific to the student. They support students with diagnosed learning differences as well as guide students in how to request accommodations for classroom and standardized tests (i.e. ACT, SAT). Assessing students’ reading levels and comprehension, Yoos brings a wealth of skills and tools to assist students in grades 6-12 with reading assignments, essay writing, and overall comprehension. Stacy Wilson, math specialist, is an invaluable resource for students challenged by anything from 6th grade math to AP Calculus II. Since all learning resource specialists are employed by the school and are not outside vendors, they build strong relationships with the girls. Specialists work collaboratively with parents, administration, faculty, and counselors to ensure Notre Dame Prep provides the most complete and holistic learning opportunity for all types of learners.
Notre Dame Preparatory School is committed to success for all its students. Whether she is navigating her first year in the Middle Level or preparing for the ACT, each student at NDP has available to her the resources to reach her personal academic best.
