Eighth through eleventh-grade students and their parents have recently begun academic coaching sessions, meeting one-on-one with Adrienne Gilbert, the college counselor; Jason Van Bemmel, Upper School principal; or Michael Fernandes, academic dean, to review the each student’s curriculum plan in preparation for future college admission.
Gilbert is meeting with tenth and eleventh-grade students; Fernandes is meeting with ninth-grade students; and Van Bemmel is meeting with eighth-grade students.
“I love meeting with the eighth graders because it gives me an opportunity to connect with them and their parents and personally introduce them to the academic program of the Upper School,” said Van Bemmel. “It also helps me to learn a little bit about their personalities and always makes me look forward to getting to know them better in the next school year.”
The coaching meetings help administrators get a better understanding of each student’s strengths academically and encourage students to challenge themselves at an appropriate level. Through the one-on-one meetings, administrators are able to glean what motivates a student, what interests them, and how to help each student meet their end goals.
“Some students may not know what those end goals are just yet, but academic coaching can help to guide students in pursuing an appropriately rigorous curriculum that will advance and sharpen their skills,” said Gilbert.