Student Services
At FPDS we are committed to the success of each child.
Through our Student Services Department, we offer distinct levels of educational support to pursue excellence in academics including Kindergarten Enhancement and Remediation, 1st grade supplemental instruction, Classroom Accommodations, Dyslexia Therapy, a Dyslexia Immersion Program, Academic Coaching, Maintenance and Tutoring.
The overall goal of the Student Services Department is to partner with each family to provide the necessary academic support to ensure student success.
The Student Services Department is composed of master-level teachers and academic language therapists who are trained to target and remediate specific learning differences.
Understanding that learning differences vary from student to student, the Student Services Department works with the student, parents, and classroom teacher/teachers to develop an individualized Student Service Plan (SSP) that outlines specific accommodations for each qualifying student .
Enhancement and Remediation
Research has shown that early intervention is key and makes a significant difference in the long-term reading abilities of children. At FPDS, we offer early intervention to our kindergarten students through a program called Enhancement and Remediation (EAR). In kindergarten, students meet with a certified teacher in a small group setting twice a week targeting foundational reading skills such as: phonological awareness, the alphabetic principle, phonics, decoding, and spelling.
Learning Lab
In first grade, students work with a certified teacher in a small group setting twice a week and are provided supplemental instruction and additional exposure of concepts and skills being taught through our reading curriculum.
Private Dyslexia Therapy
We offer 1-on-1 private therapy sessions for children who are not in the Immersion Program. Dyslexic students have the opportunity to receive their therapy during the school day with one of our licensed dyslexia therapists.
Children will work with their therapist three days a week.
Maintenance
At the conclusion of a student’s therapy, we offer continued support in spelling, reading and writing. This is provided by a dyslexia therapist and certified teacher who works closely with the student’s teacher/teachers to review skills and see to their continued success.
Dyslexia Immersion Program
-
Students receive dyslexia therapy every day by instructional teaching methods in a Therapy Block. All other content areas are also taught in this class.
In second grade, the primary focus of our Therapy Block is for the students to master the sound/symbol relationship of our language in order to develop reading and writing skills. Grammar, spelling, and writing units covering a multitude of genres and handwriting are also incorporated into this time.
-
Students continue the Immersion Program into third grade, where they are taught the advanced skills and concepts of dyslexia therapy. In addition to therapy, students are introduced to morphology where they begin to learn how to analyze the structure of words such as: stems, root words, prefixes, and suffixes. This year of the Dyslexia Immersion Program focuses on refining the students reading skills through targeted fluency practice and expanding on their knowledge of spellings rules through expanded written expression.
Students are also provided access and exposure to assistive technology such as keyboarding in an effort to equip them with additional tools to meet the academic demands.
-
In fourth grade, the final year of the Dyslexia Immersion Program, students continue to expand on the foundation laid through the previous two years of dyslexia therapy. Students also continue their study of words through morphology. A primary focus of this culminating year is for the students to take ownership of their learning. This is done by providing opportunities for the students to discover and implement the strategies that work best for them.
These fourth grade students will meet from 7:30 until 10:00. They will then join their homeroom teacher’s daily schedule to include math, science, history and Bible, as well as Chapel, recess, lunch, Bible, Specials and PE. They will also attend Science Lab, field trips, plays and parties with this homeroom class.
Beginning in second grade, this unique program offers our students the opportunity to receive the academic portion of their day in a setting that incorporates multi-sensory techniques led by a licensed Dyslexia Therapist who is also a certified teacher, trained to meet the students’ unique learning styles. Students receive dyslexia therapy every day and are provided increased one-on-one academic support across the curriculum while enhancing their God-given gifts and preparing them to transition to the next phase of their educational journey.
The Immersion Program classes can accommodate up to ten students.
Immersion Classes are partnered with a homeroom. This means, all students from the Immersion class are a part of another teacher’s daily schedule for devotion, Chapel, recess, lunch, Bible, Specials and PE. They will also attend Science Lab, field trips, plays and parties with their homeroom class.
Academic Coaching
-
4th Grade
Students will meet with a licensed dyslexia therapist who is also a certified teacher.
The Academic Coaching classes can accommodate up to ten students.
-
5th Grade
Each week, a study plan is created for daily assignments, tests and projects. These students will work on developing self advocacy skills to clearly communicate their needs to their teachers. Time management, study skills, note-taking procedures, organization and character building are also integral parts of academic coaching. These students meet Monday-Thursday.
-
6th Grade
Building upon the components of the Fifth Grade Academic Coaching, students work to become self advocates in communicating and inquiring about necessary support while preparing for the transition to the next phase of their educational journey. These students meet Monday-Wednesday.
