What does Student Support look like at PJA?

If you’ve ever wondered whether your child might benefit from additional support or what exactly “student support” means at PJA, you’re in the right place. If you have friends or family in public schools, you’ve likely heard terms like “IEPs” and “504s”. But as an independent school, the way we provide support at PJA is a little different. To help you understand what that looks like, we’ll break down the key differences. Let’s start by exploring what support looks like at PJA.

The mission of PJA's Support Services Team is to support inclusive classrooms that meet the needs of all PJA students by weaving together multiple resources at the individual, classroom, school, and community level. Support services teachers work in collaboration with classroom teachers to differentiate instruction and create inclusive and engaging classroom environments. We value a team approach in making important decisions about children, and work together to develop an understanding of each student as a learner. The team determines when a student would benefit from some more targeted work in a particular academic area and develops a plan with specific goals to support the student in that area. Support may be provided in the following ways:

• Consultation between support services and classroom teachers to determine strategies and accommodations in the classroom that can be implemented by the classroom team
• Co-teaching and providing differentiated support in the classroom
• Small group and individualized direct social or academic support in the classroom provided by a member of the support services team
• Small group or individual pull out services to provide direct support to mitigate educational gaps

Classroom teachers and the support team work together to decide how to best meet the needs of a student, therefore not all students who receive support have a diagnosed learning difference. 

An IEP, or Individualized Education Plan, is a customized plan created by a team of teachers, special education staff, parents, and administrators in the public school setting. It is designed for students who have one or more of the 13 disabilities recognized by federal law (IDEA). The primary focus of an IEP is on what the student is learning, and it outlines a plan for specialized instruction. It usually includes accommodations and modifications.

On the other hand, a 504 plan is for students with disabilities such as ADHD, language processing disorders, dyslexia, or dyscalculia but who may not qualify for an IEP. The focus here is on how the student learns. Like an IEP, a 504 plan may also include accommodations and modifications to support the student’s learning needs in the classroom.

*accommodations are adjustments to the learning environment
**modifications are changes to what the student is expected to learn or achieve 

If you are a parent who has curiosities or wonderings about your child, please reach out to your child’s teachers or me. We are always happy to chat about your kids.