Student Services

Reading Support: WCGS employs a Reading Specialist to assist students in grades 1-3 who need extra assistance in reading acquisition in a small group setting.

Math Support: WCGS employs a Math Specialist to assist students who need additional math support in a small group setting.

Social Work Support: WCGS employs a School Social Worker to assist students K-8 with social-emotional learning needs.  The School Social Worker provides a range of interventions based on the individual needs of students and provides support to students as they navigate challenges that may arise throughout their educational experience.  Services include hosting new student lunches, developing and implementing interventions to increase academic engagement, providing support in crisis, presenting in classrooms on social-emotional learning topics, meeting with students one-on-one or in groups to help foster growth in a safe and supportive environment, and consulting with school staff.  Parents of students who receive social work support benefit from communication with the School Social Worker to promote wrap-around care and to foster student growth.  The School Social Worker is unable to provide intensive therapy and often collaborates with outside counselors/therapists in the community to bridge continued support.  Referrals to outside counseling agencies are available through Student Services.

Accommodation Plans: WCGS values the gifts and abilities of all students and acknowledges the scope of the academic and emotional needs of diverse learners.  WCGS provides Accommodation Plans for students identified with a diagnosed disability and/or health impairment(s) which impacts the learning environment for the student.  Accommodation Plans offer an additional layer of support to ensure the success of a student who would benefit from accommodations, strategic instructional support, and/or modifications due to their disability and/or health impairment(s).  An outside evaluation is required to obtain an Accommodation Plan; referrals are provided through Student Services.

The Kaleidoscope Program is a menu of services for students who need academic support to benefit from their educational experience at Wheaton Christian Grammar School. Many students enrolled in the Kaleidoscope program have diagnosed learning disabilities in one or more academic and/or perceptual areas (i.e., reading, spelling, math, written expression, handwriting, etc.). 

1. NILD Educational Therapy

This is for students (Gr. 3-8) having documented learning disabilities in any academic area(s). Based on a model of intervention developed by the National Institute for Learning Development, NILD uses interactive language and cognitive skills training to impact perceptual processing and academics. Students typically receive two sessions a week for 80 minutes of instruction (160 minutes total).

2. Modified NILD

This is for students (Gr. 3-8) having documented learning disabilities in any academic area(s). This program combines NILD Educational Therapy and Individualized Instructional Support (IIS) focusing on strengthening cognitive skills while also supporting the daily school needs (executive functioning, study skills, remedial support).*Requires therapist recommendation. Students typically receive three sessions a week for 45 minutes of instruction (135 minutes total).

3. TEACH©

This is for students (Gr. K-1) who need stimulation and development of the basic foundational skills of perceptual readiness (visual, auditory, visual-motor, directionality/body image) prior to formal reading instruction. It is the intervention portion of SEARCH & TEACH, an early identification and intervention program used at WCGS. All Kindergarten students are given the SEARCH during the first quarter of Kindergarten. Students typically receive three sessions a week for 30 minutes of instruction (90 minutes total), and no homework is required.

4. Modified TEACH©

This is for students (Gr. 1-2) is a continuation of TEACH tasks with additional activities designed to correlate with classroom expectations in the academic subjects of reading, spelling, written expression, and math as needed. Students typically receive three sessions a week for 30 minutes of instruction (90 minutes total), and no homework is required.

5. Individualized Instructional Support (IIS)

This is for students (Gr. 3-8) needing instruction in a specific academic area of difficulty (i.e., math, written expression, reading comprehension, etc.). It is also designed to help students with organization, homework, long-term projects, and assistance with other classroom work through collaboration with the classroom teacher(s). Students in grades 3-4 typically receive three sessions a week for 30 minutes of instruction (90 minutes total). Grades 5-8 typically receive two sessions a week for 45 minutes of instruction (90 minutes total).

Program financing:  Kaleidoscope families pay a fee for these services above their regular tuition. Because of WCGS's commitment to early identification and intervention, the Kaleidoscope programs are partially subsidized by the school. Every effort is made to keep the cost affordable, and tuition assistance is available for those who qualify.

Kaleidoscope staff: Kaleidoscope teachers are all trained teachers who are now Educational Therapists and have become certified in learning differences. The work they do with students is similar to tutoring but is more specialized in terms of interactive language and explicit, intense cognitive and perceptual stimulation.

For further information on the above programs, contact Mrs. Mandy Jasper, Student Services Director, at 630.668.1385, ext. 272.