Student Support Team
At The Little School, we believe that supporting students means embracing their unique strengths and identity and working closely with the child’s teachers and family to understand the optimal conditions for them to learn, feel success, and build a strong sense of belonging within their school community. Our long history of supporting the balance between social, emotional, and academic skill development means that we always consider the whole child. When children encounter struggles, we reflect on the child's unique strengths, gifts, and potential alongside the context of their family and culture, as we work to build supports that are effective in the classroom setting. Ensuring that every child can learn and thrive begins with the family. You are the child’s first teachers, and the partnership between our Student Support Team, our teachers and our families is so important!
Left to right: Mike Murphy, Katie Warden, Jules Hetland, Charlote MacCay, Louise Conway, Tobi Nussbaum, Alice Hauschka
It is normal for challenges, obstacles, and special needs to arise throughout a child’s educational journey. The breadth and expertise on our team allows us to bring a compassionate, well-informed lens of inquiry as we work with the family and teachers to build a shared understanding about each child’s unique needs, which may also include the outside expertise from providers like psychologists, doctors, therapists, and tutors. These needs may include specific learning abilities or disabilities, physical or health concerns, and social, emotional, or behavioral challenges.
In collaboration with the teachers and family, we develop school-based support plans to clarify specific strategies and accommodations that are likely to be effective in the context of the classroom, which often change and evolve alongside the student. When there are diagnoses or needs that require more intensive support or intervention than our regular program can provide, our team assists with referrals for outside psychologists, therapists, and tutors who can provide individualized assessment, intervention and support.
Current families can check out our monthly SST newsletters in the Family Portal to see practical resources, tools, ideas, and inspiration that can prompt new learning, and help you feel connected and supported as parents and partners in your child's education.