Learning Specialist Introduction
Dear Families,
As the Learning Specialist, my primary task is to collaborate with parents and teachers to ensure that each student, Nest through 5th grade, is supported and challenged across academic, physical, social, and emotional developmental areas. This happens in a few different ways:
- I regularly meet with teachers and parents to consider a student’s holistic well-being at school. Together, we collaborate to find helpful school and home interventions in order to support the student’s individual needs.
- I facilitate focused small group activities in the classroom to provide time for students to learn, practice, and master a skill or concept. Examples of small group work include:
- Handwriting practice for students developing graphomotor skills
- A conversation group for students developing friendships and problem solving strategies
- Personalized, structured reading instruction for students developing decoding, fluency, and comprehension skills
- I coordinate supportive services through Catapult Learning, which includes supplemental instruction in math, reading, writing as well as speech therapy, occupational therapy, and counseling. I serve as a liaison for other evaluations and services that occur outside of school.
I will be a common face in classrooms this year, and I hope to get to know each family and student. Your child will likely mention seeing me and working with me in his/her classroom, as I often help facilitate activities with students with a variety of abilities, teaching students to support one another in their respective areas of strength and weakness.
If you have any questions about your child’s needs, progress, or current supportive services, please do not hesitate to contact me at dbaker@mustardseedschool.org. I very much look forwarding to working with you this year!
Peace,
Dana Baker
