The Student Support Team is a group of program directors that meet to discuss and make action plans for students who are struggling or are at known risk for difficulty in some way. This team is a collaborative body whose mission is to attend to the needs of the whole child during times of difficulty and coordinate communication regarding interventions in multiple areas of student life.
Intervention Model
Students struggle in three key areas, each of which threaten a student's ability to thrive here at Darlington:
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Cognitive ability and knowledge/ skill readiness
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Emotional wellness
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Behavioral compliance
As difficulty in one area may have an impact on the performance in another of the above areas. In such cases, multiple interventions may be simultaneously employed. This team's goal is to know about and communicate-down (as needed) critical information in a timely manner.
Matters discussed within this group are of a sensitive and personal nature and not shared outside of necessary and directly involved personnel. However, it is important to note that some information about interventions will be shared, as needed, with learning specialists, teachers, heads of house, and coaches so that they may support or execute the intervention as directed by this committee.
Team Members
The Student Support Team is comprised of administrators in a position to coordinate interventions in each of the above key areas.
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The Director of Upper School chairs the committee, coordinates interventions, and communicates intervention details with the Head of School as needed.
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The Director of the Glenn Teaching and Learning Center tracks all interventions, progress, etc. and oversees interventions concerning learning differences, remediation, academic testing, and support of teachers working with struggling students. The Director of the Glenn Teaching and Learning Center, in collaboration with the Students of Concern Committee, may initiate academic or psycho-educational testing. This may require outside specialists.
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The Dean of Student Life and Dean of Residential Life oversee interventions having to do with our standards of conduct, honor, and attendance.
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The Personal Counselors coordinate interventions having to do with emotional wellness such as homesickness, depression, relationship problems, conflict resolution, etc. The counselors may, in collaboration with the Student Support Team, refer a student for psychological evaluation or outside services.
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The Dean of Students for Global Education works with international students and their families to ensure students are living the mission of Darlington.
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The Athletic Director assists in determining students athletic eligibility and leads interventions involving athletic probation or removal from participation. The Athletic Director is also a key ally in identifying students of concern who are involved in athletics and may benefit from extra support or guidance from one of our coaches.
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The Assistant Head of School for Enrollment Management and the admissions team play a key role in preparing transition plans for incoming students, reviewing students' eligibility for return, etc.
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Director of the Health Center
