Academics
Student Support Services

Middle School Student Support

Middle School Learning Center

The Middle School learning facilitator supports students in attaining success while maintaining the academic rigor of St. Andrew's. By working with the student's unique learning profile and emphasizing a strength-based approach, students learn to advocate for themselves and take ownership of their learning. The facilitator communicates and collaborates with parents, colleagues, and outside professionals to provide expertise in interpreting psychoeducational evaluations for the purpose of pinpointing areas of need and designing strategies based on each child's individual strengths.

List of 5 items.

  • Learning Center Services

    The Middle School Learning Facilitator helps students to become successful long-term independent learners by providing the following services:
    • Coordination of academic coaching, tutorial, and therapy sessions (occupational, dyslexic, and speech) during the school day.
    • Coordination of Middle School students for support from Math and Writing Labs, (available in 2021)
    • Study Skills and Executive Functioning Skills guidance during study halls
    • Assistance with 5th grade transitioning into Middle School and new students transitioning to St. Andrew’s.
    • Coordination of school based accommodations for those with documented medical or learning differences.
    • Coordination of make-up work when students are out with long-term illness and school-related excused absences.
    • Assistance with continuation of accommodations and services in from Lower School to Middle School and Middle School to Upper School 
    • Coordination of peer tutors/mentors from Upper School
  • Accommodations in the Middle School

    Students who have a diagnosis of an approved learning difference are eligible for classroom accommodations, such as extended test time and preferential seating. The Learning Center partners with families and teachers to create an individualized Accommodation Plan for every student with a diagnosis on file. The learning facilitator, along with the classroom teachers and administrators, work together to determine appropriate and sustainable accommodations.
  • Writing and Math Labs

    The St. Andrew’s North Campus Writing and Math labs are student led, collaborative efforts to offer a system of peer tutorial. Upper School students are chosen to serve as Writing and Math fellows and offer tutorial services for 1-2 hours per week during their study halls. Additionally, the Writing Center has an online submission service for papers and essays in which students receive feedback. For more information, email writinglab@gosaints.org or mathlab@gosaints.org Tutorial services in the Math and Writing labs are currently for upper school students only.  
  • Services Provided by Outside Professionals in the Middle School

    • Academic Coaching – Students are provided with intense instruction on developing strategies which are suitable to their academic goals as a part of services offered to students. If intense academic coaching is required, the learning facilitator works closely with the family to choose an academic coach who works closely with St. Andrew’s to set appropriate academic goals and provide a layer of accountability to the student's progress during regular school hours. 
    • Tutors – St. Andrew's maintains a list of tutors with expertise in a variety of subjects. These names are available upon request, and the Learning Facilitators can help you connect with one who might be a good fit for your child. We strongly encourage you to meet with our faculty or the Learning Facilitator first, as many challenges can be overcome without tutor support.
    • Dyslexia Therapy – The Learning Facilitator will help secure an endorsed certified therapist to meet in the Learning Lab for  scheduled weekly appointments.
    • Occupational Therapy – Approved therapists may meet with students during study halls in our North Campus Learning Lab. 
    • Speech Therapy -– Approved therapists may meet with students during study halls in our North Campus Learning Lab.
    Read More
  • Learning Center Resources

    LD Online
    Learn more about learning differences 

    Additude
    Learn more about ADD and its symptoms

    International Dyslexia Association
    Learn more about Dyslexia

    Apps found useful for Dyslexics

Counseling

The Middle School counselor is committed to supporting student wellness through the developmental, social, and emotional challenges of middle school. Students are welcome to request to see the counselor at any time, and teachers and administrators can also refer a student if they think that they need support. The Middle School counselor is also available as a resource for parents.

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  • Counseling Services

    • Works with students to advance academic, career, and social-emotional goals
    • Collaborates with faculty regarding student needs as part of the Student Support Team 
    • Is available for parent, student, and teacher meetings 
    • Short-term individual counseling
    • Social-Emotional support during the school day
    • Community Referrals 
    • Collaborate with faculty  to create lessons for  the Middle School social-emotional learning and advisory programs
  • Counseling Resources

    Positive Discipline
    A program developed to teach young people to become responsible, respectful, and resourceful members of their communities.

    Common Sense Media
    Trusted ratings created with families in mind.

Pastoral Care

Our chaplains nurture personal and community growth, foster healing and wellness, sustain those in difficult circumstances, guide students and families through decisions, and help members of our community reconcile themselves to God and others.

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  • Pastoral Care Services

    • Preaching and teaching regarding care of self, others, and environment
    • Short-term pastoral counseling regarding day-to-day or existential concerns, including hospital visits as needed
    • Community support during times of crisis, including coordination of response
    • Care for families experiencing change, both through illness, death and other forms of loss and through births, marriages, and other seasons of family growth
    • Assistance in planning and/or leading pastoral services for current members of our community and alumni, most often baptisms and funerals
    • Cross-divisional support of families

Nursing

With clinics on both campuses, our school nurses maintain cumulative health records on all students and serve as a resource for faculty and staff on medical needs. Nurses see students based on teacher referrals, administer daily medications, monitor acute and chronic conditions within the school setting, help devise plans with medical conditions that may impact the school day, relay guidance as needed on student medical conditions, provide health instruction in classrooms, and coordinate medical needs when students go off campus. Our nurses also work with our greater Student Support Services teams to help recognize students who may need support.

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Health and Fitness

St. Andrew's works to continually support the physical well-being of each student by introducing skills, strategies, and information to encourage long-term healthy life-style choices. Using multi-faceted and holistic approaches, students participate in an age-appropriate fitness curriculum that addresses growth and development and focuses on taking care of their bodies and minds. The program is organized by division and is designed to improve aerobic and anaerobic fitness, musculoskeletal fitness, and flexibility. Middle school fitness emphasizes national standards for fitness and sport participation.

List of 2 items.

List of 5 members.

  • Photo of Ashley Runnels

    Ashley Runnels 

    Director of Learning Services
    (601) 853-6020
  • Photo of Kari East

    Kari East 

    Middle School Learning Facilitator
    (601) 853-6052
  • Photo of Shedrick Rodgers

    Shedrick Rodgers 

    Middle School Counselor
    (601) 853-6050
  • Photo of Annie Elliott

    Annie Elliott 

    Chaplain, Upper School Teacher
    (601) 853-6016
  • Photo of Jessica Goldsbury

    Jessica Goldsbury 

    School Nurse and Human Growth and Development Curriculum Coordinator
    (601) 853-6059
Foundations — Grade 12 • Jackson, Mississippi
South Campus | Infants to Grade 4
4120 Old Canton Road, Jackson, Mississippi 39216
601.987.9300
North Campus | Grades 5 to 12
370 Old Agency Road, Ridgeland, Mississippi 39157
601.853.6000