Student Support at Cambridge Friends School

The Student Support Team: an integral part of how Cambridge Friends students become inquisitive learners, confidently tackle academic challenges, and feel confident and successful at school. 

 

I sat down to talk with Gabriella, the Director of Health and Wellness here at Cambridge Friends School, and Cami, the school Counselor, about student support at Cambridge Friends. They are both part of the Student Support Team (SST) that – as the name implies – helps support students at Cambridge Friends. We’ll learn a little about who is on the team, how it works, and how it helps students and families. 

 

Who is on the Student Support Team?

The Student Support team includes three main people: Gabriella, the Director of Health and Wellness here at Cambridge Friends School, and Cami, the School Counselor, plus Katie, the Head of School. These three folks really know the students at CFS – they see the students around school each day and interact with them. And each brings their expertise in a particular area – behavioral, emotional, and academic –  to the student support effort. 

 

But in a broader sense, the team is much bigger since the team collaborates with all the teachers in the school. The team meets each week and has a chance to hear from teachers about what’s happening in the classroom, how students are doing, who might need some extra support. They also discuss any on-going support so they can coordinate across classes, share how the student is doing and what’s been effective. It is a coordinated approach that spans the student’s whole experience. 

 

Why  does Cambridge Friends School have a Student Support Team and how do students and families benefit?

The Student Support Team makes it possible to create a comprehensive plan for supporting a student and coordinate that support across classes and teachers, and even connect with what’s happening at home. The team approach makes communication with families easier – they can share what’s working at school, hear what’s working at home, and include that information in the student’s support plan. 

 

In their approach, the team really focuses on the positive and looks to support a student in a number of ways. They use a number of evidence-based tools – including Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support (PBIS) and Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) – that provide structure, ensure clear communication, and help coordinate efforts across the school day and with families. 

 

At Cambridge Friends, the Quaker values inform how we support students – we “see the light” in every one, and look for ways to make each student’s light shine. The goal of SST is to provide students the support they need – whether it’s social-emotional, academic, or behavioral – so they can be successful learners and members of their classroom community. 

 

What’s an example of SST in action?

One of the great things about being a small school is that student support can take a lot of different forms and be integrated into the school day. Some elements are implemented at a whole class level, like a Movement break, or wiggly chairs that help students stay focused during a lesson. Some elements are done in small groups, like a social circle that might be focused on a topic, like a discussion about how to be a good friend. And others are more direct, one-on-one like talking with the school counselor or working with a learning specialist. And with the coordinated and structured approach, a student will experience consistent supports or interventions throughout the day across classes.

 

The types of support include social emotional, academic, behavioral, or a combination, and aim to support the whole child. Support can range from just a few weeks, or months, or longer. And throughout, the team shares updates with family – both challenges and successes – that happened at school so the family remains in the loop and can connect with the student when at home. 

 

How do the Quaker values inform the SST work?

Our approach focuses on the positive, and the values of Community and Stewardship come in a lot. Integrity is another value that resonates with a lot of kids. Sitting together for long periods of silence in Meeting for Worship can be a new skill especially for our youngest students. Sitting in silence, sitting with your thoughts, allowing deep thought and connection to happen – these are skills that may need to be learned, and we can support students by creating prompts or other tools so kids can learn the skill and feel successful even with small steps forward. And these skills can benefit their academic and social success as well. 

 

How is student support different at CFS? 

Our student support has an integrative approach – we want to make it possible for each student to participate and feel successful in the classroom. We focus more on intrinsic motivation rather than extrinsic, rewards-based motivators. We look for ways to put in supports and accommodations in the classroom to support the students rather than pulling them out for support. As a small school, we can more easily track what is and isn’t working. And the SST members are out in the school, seeing the students in the hall and at events and saying hi – students really feel seen and supported everywhere in the school. 

 

Another aspect that is special to CFS is the web of communication – teachers are able to request support from the team when something is coming up, and one of the SST members can come lend a hand or extra support. SST works very collaboratively with teachers. 

 

You can see that the Student Support Team at Cambridge Friends School is an integral part of how our students become inquisitive learners, confidently tackle academic challenges, and feel confident and successful at school. 

 

Want to learn more about Cambridge Friends? Contact our Admissions Office!