The phrase “it takes a village” to raise a child is one we toss around easily, and it's truth is evident in a strong parent-school partnership. The most successful children have a strong team supporting them throughout their educational career. All parents and students need support at one time or another, some for a short time, others for a longer time. It’s important to ask for help. Many schools offer resources, such as tutors, a Learning Center, or other faculty and staff dedicated to individualized student enrichment.

Have you ever had any of these thoughts:

• Who can I turn to when I have questions about my child’s learning besides my child’s classroom teacher?
• My child is having difficulty and I don’t know how to help.
• I’m seeing a lot of similarities between my child and myself.
• I don’t want my child to struggle the way I did growing up.

Shorecrest Preparatory School in St. Petersburg, Florida, is committed to a strong team approach and family-school partnership. The Learning Center (TLC) is a helpful resource for teachers, parents, and students. When questions arise about possible learning challenges, our Learning Center Director, Tracie Belt and Coordinator, Miriam Pardoll can provide answers and help develop proactive plans. Our learning specialists are dedicated members of our community who provide individualized support and services.

We use research-based programs and strategies such as Orton-Gillingham-based methods. The Wilson Reading System and Barton System are two examples. Whether students have dyslexia or not, many students benefit from this structured approach to learn to read and spell.

Speech therapy helps our students with articulation as well as receptive and expressive language. Our occupational therapists provide students with specific therapy to reach their goals and be successful students in the classroom environment.

Early assistance is critical to student success. Students who receive targeted services are often able to make larger gains whether in therapy or tutoring. They are able to then make progress in the classroom as demands increase. In addition, their confidence and self-esteem increase.

The goal of all student enrichment is to create a love of learning for each child. When a child is struggling, we often focus on the difficulties. With learning challenges in one area, there are often heightened gifts in other areas.

With a full picture of a child’s learning profile, we can develop plans and strategies that use the gifts to strengthen areas in need of growth. There are many ways to find out about students’ learning profiles. It’s a highly individualized process since each child is unique.

That’s why it’s important to reach out and access your school’s resources. When parents and students understand learning profiles, that entire team is empowered to give students what they need to reach their potential. At Shorecrest’s Learning Center, we are here for you and look forward to being part of your child’s educational journey.

We invite you to come and speak with the professionals at our Learning Center to see how Shorecrest can enhance your child's learning potential.