Celebrating and Supporting Neurodiversity 

The AGC is staffed by learning specialists and is located on the third floor of the Hupper Learning Commons. AGC coaches support students with diagnosed learning disabilities and executive skills deficits. The AGC also provides a distraction-free testing setting and a space for students who qualify for extended time to work or complete assessments. At times, students may be identified by and referred for AGC support by members of the school community. The AGC's team of highly qualified faculty and trained professionals work closely with each AGC enrolled student, their teachers, advisor, and all student support teams in support of academic success.

Academic Guidance is scheduled as a class period and meets regularly within the school day: two, three or four times each week are options for every student at Hebron. 

During Academic Guidance sessions, students meet one-on-one with an Academic Guidance Center coach. The sessions are designed to provide strategies for particular learning challenges unique to that student. Homework completion is not the sole goal of AGC, however, the assignments and current content may be the context for improving skills and developing strategies. 

Students in the Academic Guidance are able to participate in Structured Study Hall, where academic guidance and support is available to students as needed. 

The AGC works closely with each student's teachers, advisor, and dorm parents. The structured communication with faculty allows AGC to identify areas of concern and growth for the participant and to coach classroom faculty on strategies for assisting the student in their respective disciplines.

The Academic Guidance Department is available for untimed tests and/or as a distraction-free testing environment. 

Our strategy is not one size fits all. 

Upon enrollment in the AGC a learning profile is written for each student and shared with the student’s classroom teachers, advisor, and any other indicated school-based supports. This learning profile includes a description of the student’s strengths, learning needs, contextualizes any diagnoses, and describes classroom accommodations and/or modifications that will support the student’s learning and achievement at Hebron Academy. Learning profiles are based on information provided to the school by families upon enrollment and may be further informed by teacher observations and assessment of student progress as they navigate their time at Hebron. 

Students, parents, teachers, advisors, and the AGC staff all work together to help each student achieve academic success. Each student is assigned a team leader that coordinates communication, develops the learning plan, and ensures that the student's learning profile is updated and utilized by teachers. 

Each student's learning plan in AGC is individualized and incorporates a wide variety of interventions, such as study skills, written expression instruction, scaffolding, metacognitive skills, self-advocacy, and reading comprehension support. Students enrolled in the Academic Guidance Center are assigned a class period to work directly with the staff in AGC on improving executive function skills. Typically, Academic Guidance classes are taught one-on-one or one-on-two. 

The AGC staff oversees and reports progress through recorded notes, communication with teachers and parents, and term and midterm evaluations. The student curriculum may change based on feedback from the student, teachers, or their term/midterm grades.

Professional development meetings, online resources, and professional conferences are utilized by faculty to ensure that students enrolled in AGC are receiving learning supports based on current best practices.

Level 1: Targeted Skills Development

Highest level of support for students who have consistent struggles with executive skills (organization, planning, working memory, etc.) and for students with a history of significant intervention for specific learning disabilities and/or for other diagnoses with related challenges related to learning and accessing curriculum.

• Private, 1:1 support

• Intensive: meets 4 times a week 

• Individualized learning plan

• Academic Support is fully integrated into the student's class schedule

• Open-door support during flex time and free periods

• Continual dialogue between tutors, faculty and house parents, as well as use of our learning management system, supports students wherever learning takes place

Level 2: Transition Program

• Small group support (2-3 students)

• Three meetings per week with a Learning Coach during the regular academic schedule with a fourth built-in study block in the AGC

• Continual dialogue between tutors, faculty and house parents, as well as use of our learning management system, supports students wherever learning takes place

• Sessions typically address breaking down major assignments and strategic planning for task initiation and work completion

Level 3: Guided Study (Evening Support)

• This level helps students develop their executive functioning and time management skills to strengthen study habits and solicit extra help from faculty

• This level also offers students who need subject-specific support and the opportunity to review and create a plan to complete work, as well as talk about current grades

• Study support sessions meet four times per week during the evening study hall and are for students who show a degree of self-sufficiency (for example, students with some adaptive and independent learning strategies but who struggle with consistency) 

• Often recommended for students who are struggling academically at any point during the academic year