Learning Services

Bertschi supports students at multiple levels and facilitates collaboration between families, specialists, and classroom teachers.

One of our core beliefs is that everyone benefits from learning within a diverse community. We understand that each student has a unique constellation of strengths and challenges. Through individualized instruction, our goal is to create opportunities for all students to work to their full potential within the context of their classroom community. Specialists collaborate with teachers and provide lessons in math, word study, linguistics, philosophy, and other areas of emerging need or interest.

Meeting each student at their just right level is the responsibility of every educator at Bertschi. Our learning services team is made up of four learning specialists and a coordinator of advanced curriculum. This team works closely with teachers to help define each child’s just right level. They collaborate to provide lessons in math, word study, social skills, linguistics, philosophy, and other areas of emerging need or interest.

The coordinator of advanced curriculum
works with each grade level to team teach units throughout the year and serves as a resource for teachers to support differentiation for their academically advanced students.

Learning specialists
and the director of learning services complete twice yearly reading screens. In grades K-2, learning specialists also work with small reading groups in coordination with classroom teachers. Groups are identified based on specific needs and are continually flexible as young readers’ skills develop.

For an extra fee, learning specialists work with students individually as needed to support areas of challenge. While many schools provide a list of tutors when extra support is needed, Bertschi’s faculty includes in-house skilled specialists to support children academically. Learning specialists work closely with classroom teachers to help students apply learning from their individual sessions to their work in the classroom community. They often collaborate on a daily basis to share strategies and to support academic growth.

In addition, Bertschi contracts with a speech-language pathologist and occupational therapist, both available to work with students on campus during the school day.