AT YOUR SERVICE

“Charity begins at home,” is an old proverb that became the springboard for a new service-oriented program, "At Your Service." Beginning in January 2022, Middle and Upper School Students were given the opportunity to give back to their school by helping some of our Lower School Teachers. Students were assigned to one of the following classes: PE, Art, Music, Excel, Technology, Spanish, or Library, and they became the teachers’ extra helpers. Sometimes, the students were asked to set out PE equipment, help the K3’s through their obstacle courses, fill cups for painting in art class, help with presentations in Technology, or even to read a story in the library. Whatever the teacher needed help doing that particular day, the students were literally “At Your Service” for that teacher.

Personally, it has been a privilege to watch the Middle and Upper School Students interact with the younger students. While giving back to their school, they are also demonstrating good character and leadership skills. Many students have found themselves reliving precious moments that they had when they were in Lower School:

• “I used to love playing this game at PE.” • “I remember when I read this entire series of books.”

• “I remember doing my own self portrait in art class.”

Speaking of the self-portrait projects, Ms. Holberg shared with her class the self-portrait that one of the juniors had made when he was in Lower School. To be able to see the younger students’ reactions and to hear, “I can’t believe Ms. Holberg kept it after all of these years,” was an unforgettable moment.

Students are also learning things about themselves through the At Your Service Program. Students who tend to be shy are learning that they do have leadership qualities. Some students are learning that they like to be around young children and may even want to be teachers. The older students are also learning to be good role models for the younger students because the younger ones are watching every move they make. One middle school student commented, “I learned that helping someone even in the smallest ways makes me happy.”

The Lower School students love having new faces in their classes, and they are not afraid to ask for help from the older students. When asked about the program, one K4 student said, “I’m a big fan!” Some other comments from lower school students have been, “It’s fun making new friends with the older students,” and “I like when they help us.” I’ve even witnessed some of them recognizing the older students around campus and making comments like, “You were in my PE class the other day.” Being able to make connections like these is just one of the reasons why UMS-Wright is not only one school, but we are also one family. In the book, From the Chairs, the following quote is written, “By doing for others, we hope that each student learns that it is only by giving back to others that they will reach their highest potential.” The At Your Service Program is just one of the many ways UMS-Wright is continuing to fulfill the mission of our school, “…to educate students to their highest potential in mind, body, and spirit and to produce in each student character of the highest possible order.”

Dana Stewart | Middle School Counselor & Service Coordinator

UMS-Wright Preparatory School’s Academic Support Program is designed to offer supplemental instruction and focus for students with various learning differences. Ageappropriate accommodations are individually designed using a team-based approach including expertise from a variety of professionals. The UMS-Wright Academic Support team includes: content area specialists, special education teachers, contracted speech/occupational therapists, school counselors, administrators, and a contracted school psychometrist. academic potential. We work with families to address and meet the individual student’s dynamic learning/emotional needs. This united, team approach is intended to be proactive in aiding students’ abilities to meet and overcome academic challenges without allowing them to adversely affect their educational performance.

Without modification, our program offers supplemental assistance for students through two distinct models of instruction: Guided Study and Second Delivery. In the Guided Study program, the focus is centered around developing self-discipline and necessary skills to overcome academic challenges such as organizational skills and time management. The Second Delivery of Instruction provides a second dose of content area classroom or Orton Gillingham’s remedial instruction to students in a smaller classroom setting. The smaller class size allows these content area specialists to reinforce fundamentals and provide more group-based support.

Our program has continued to grow over the past decade to include 10 staff members and multiple contracted employees. Our teachers are passionate about providing a positive learning experience for all of our students; therefore, we are always seeking to learn about current research and best practices to use in the classroom. We serve 130 students through speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, content area instruction, and executive functioning skills.

In the coming years, as we expand and strengthen the UMS-Wright Academic Support Program, we will increase our efforts to keep families together. We are a community of teachers, leaders and parents who want only the best for each student. We will continue to build our program around student centered and research-based strategies that will help each child reach his or her fullest potential.