A Strong Academic Tradition
Student Course Selection
Wasatch Academy offers a traditional college preparatory academic program with opportunities to suit a variety of interests and abilities. These include such varied options as Advanced Placement classes for potential college credit, English as a Second Language classes for international students, Learning Support to fill in educational gaps, and honors classes in many departments.
Each student at Wasatch Academy is expected to work to achieve his or her best. The emphasis in all courses is focused on college preparation. Students are challenged extensively each day with a lengthy and demanding block schedule emphasizing academics through the early afternoon, and arts and physical activities in the late afternoon. Evenings are dedicated to preparation for the following day’s classes, either in dorm study or under teachers’ supervision in classrooms.
Academic Dean, Mr. Bill Bedford, states “the Wasatch Academy faculty members are dedicated educators with quality undergraduate and graduate training and years of teaching experience. They share with their students their passion for classroom activities and their academic field as well as a wide variety of extracurricular interests and pursuits. They spend countless hours outside the classroom in a variety of recreational settings with the Wasatch student body.”
Wasatch Academy offers exceptional opportunities to work in small group settings with teachers. Class sizes never exceed sixteen students and average about twelve students. Students benefit from the counsel of teachers in a variety of mandatory and optional study labs both before school and in evenings.
Wasatch faculty strive to develop the learning skills necessary for students to become successful in a college or university setting. Our recent commitment to the Schools Attuned Program has resulted in the certification of all faculty by The All Kinds of Minds Institute (www.allkindsofminds.org). This endeavor qualifies all faculty to accurately diagnose and assess individual student learning strengths and weaknesses and communicate them to students in need as well as parents and other teachers. We serve the learning needs and educational goals of the individual student at Wasatch Academy.
The Department of Teaching and Learning
Wasatch Academy strives to develop the learning skills necessary for students to become successful in a university setting. The school’s philosophy is that students learn best through planned reading, writing and experiential situations across the curriculum. However, if it is determined that a student needs additional support to fill in educational gaps for college preparation, the student will be referred to one of the learning support programs. The interventions below describe the ways in which Wasatch seeks to provide for those students in need of additional academic support.
Mission Statement
The Department for Teaching and Learning’s mission is to unite teachers and students by developing shared philosophies, vocabulary, and tools.
Department Overview
Wasatch Academy is committed to developing best teaching practices while supporting students with a variety of learning profiles. The Department of Teaching and Learning offers support to teachers and students based on the All Kinds Of Minds Institute’s research and publications. The “Schools Attuned Program”, a research-based professional development program for educators, helps students, teachers and parents understand students’ learning profiles and gives instructors “the knowledge, tools, and skills needed to help frustrated students break through barriers to success – and reclaim the joy in learning”. Wasatch Academy promotes the infusion of All Kinds of Mind’s philosophies in our classrooms, dorms, and extra-curricular activities via “Schools Attuned”. Teaching and Learning specifically oversees the following:
- Professional development of teaching and dorm faculty in the Schools Attuned Program
- Ongoing support for faculty in integrating Schools Attuned philosophies and tools into curriculum development, lesson delivery, assessment methods, and differentiated instructional strategies
- Schools Attuned-based neurodevelopmental learning profiles for every student at Wasatch Academy
- Learning Strategies curriculum; a course specifically designed to help students achieve success at Wasatch Academy and in college.
- Development and coordination of protocols for the delivery of educational support services for all students at Wasatch Academy
Learning Support at Wasatch Academy- A Unique Approach
Teacher Training:
The All Kinds of Minds Institute’s Schools Attuned program is an ongoing professional development curriculum designed to promote educators’ abilities to understand and work with students with a variety of learning needs. Wasatch Academy has committed to providing Schools Attuned training and support for its entire faculty. Teachers also receive full-time expert support in integrating knowledge of learning profiles within their classrooms. Towards that end, the Head of the Department for Teaching and Learning is a Schools Attuned Professional Development Provider (certified teacher trainer) and a member of the elite National Schools Attuned Facilitator Advisory Board.
When teachers collaborate with students using shared knowledge of learning theory they are able to collaborate productively in developing the most appropriate accommodations and interventions possible. Therefore at Wasatch Academy, we support learners from above (through teacher-training) and below (through support and services to struggling students). This creates a trickle-down and seep-up effect in our professional culture.
Our commitment is to developing excellence in our teachers through training in best teaching practices. For example, an English teacher with a PhD. may know his/her subject very well, yet possesses little knowledge of neurodevelopment and differentiated instructional practices. Wasatch Academy’s Schools Attuned training bridges that gap by preparing teachers to support students with learning differences.
Student Services:
Students at Wasatch Academy have an opportunity to receive more support than is offered through teacher training alone. For students who could benefit from increased attention, preparation, and support, Wasatch Academy offers an array of interventions and services. A brief overview is offered below:
Level 2 Academic Support:
The Learning Strategies Student Course
Learning Strategies (LS) is a course that is offered to students at Wasatch Academy. It is geared toward students who can benefit from developing knowledge of themselves as learners while receiving increased levels of oversight, support and encouragement. The LS class is an intimate and dynamic atmosphere. Class size is limited to six students. Highly trained learning experts, committed to supporting all kinds of minds, offer generalized curriculum on cognitive science as well as individualized instruction in study skills. This approach fosters personal development while encouraging real-time application of what is being learned. Services offered to students enrolled in Learning Strategies include but are not limited to:
- Learning about learning- How neurodevelopment impacts learning
- Learning how to learn- strategically employing study skills and strategies to meet the unique profile of every individual learner
- Partnership with a learning expert
- Support and oversight in assignment tracking in multiple classes
- Support in assignment analysis, strategy development, and completion
- Targeted interventions to improve student achievement
- Frequent contact with and collaboration between the learning specialist and content-area teachers
- Assistance in developing and implementing accommodations (learning strategies that bypass a student’s neurodevelopmental weakness)
- Assistance in developing and implementing interventions (learning strategies that improve upon a student’s neurodevelopmental weakness)
- Constant support and encouragement for the student
- Grades checked three times weekly
- In-depth reflection on grades performed at least once weekly
- Completion of a learning journal
Students who enroll in the Learning Strategies course have a year-long opportunity to learn about learning- how the mind’s systems interplay with learning tasks. LS Students also receive many other services and support. For those students who require additional support such as subject-specific remediation, Wasatch Academy employs tutors who assist on the assignment-by-assignment level.
The Learning Strategies course offers in-depth support. For example, a student learning about his/her weakness in temporal sequential ordering (one of eight key components of the mind as outlined by the All Kinds of Minds Institute) may collaborate with his Learning Strategies teacher to develop customized study strategies in a given subject area of difficulty. After attempting the strategy, the student and LS teacher will reflect on the results of the intervention attempt and consider if and what further action might be needed.
Level 3 Academic Support:
Tutoring Interventions
On occasion, a student at Wasatch Academy can benefit from subject-specific remediation. In such cases, Wasatch Academy maintains a group of tutors who coordinate with subject specialist teachers in provide one-on-one support. Tutors may focus on developing academic skills, assisting with assignment oversight and support, and providing a high level of structure for students. Tutors collaborate with subject specialist teachers as well as Learning Strategies teachers in implementing a completely individualized action plan. Tutoring interventions may occur at the request of a teacher, student, or parent, and continue as long as needed. Wasatch Academy believes that all students can succeed and supports them in realizing their potential.
| 
