The Student Success Team (SST) is made up of GAIS teachers working with Claire Goss M.Ed., an educational psychologist who previously worked with the San Mateo School District. The role of the Student Success Team is to give support to our teachers in their efforts to meet the educational and learning needs of all of their students. This team will help with student evaluations, program modifications and referrals to the appropriate organizations should this become necessary.

The Student Success Team:

• Enables the school to meet a broader range of student needs
• Offers structural peer support and assistance for teachers
• Generates a greater variety of solutions/options for students experiencing difficulty via a group problem-solving process
• Assists teachers in generating instructional, behavioral, and motivational strategies to promote student performance/success
• Assists in programming for specific needs of individual students - for example, students who exhibit:
  • Assist in accessing resources/information for teacher
  • Help with identifying instructional materials
  • Suggest ideas for classroom adaptations/routines
  • Refer to district and community services
  • Poor study habits/disorganization
  • Basic skill deficits
  • Poor independent work initiative
  • Poor attendance
  • Poor peer relationships
  • failure to complete assignments
  • Poor retention
  • Lack of motivation
  • Failure/inability to follow directions
  • Disruptive classroom behavior
  • Slow work rates

The process followed by the SST is typical of similar teams in other schools. Students are referred by the classroom teacher, but any member of the school staff may request support from the SST for a student whose learning, behavior or emotional needs are not being met under existing circumstances. The SST will review the referral, gather all information, observe the student and then meet with the teachers and parents of the student to develop a plan of action. Prior to the first formal SST meeting, teachers have met to review classroom modifications that enhance learning for the student. A modification may be as simple as a change in seating location, daily assignment sheet, or an increase in the use of visual teaching aids. Sometimes a simple change can make a big difference for a student. Some typical steps that the SST might promote are:

Contact the school office for more information on this program.

Attachments:

File
GAIS Student Success Parent Brochure