Student Services

Shamrock School's Resource Program

The resource teachers give educational support to students, parents and classroom teachers. This support attends to the wide range of ability in each classroom and takes the form of either direct or indirect service. Direct service to the students is provided either in the classroom or in the resource room. Indirect service is provided through consultation, collaboration and coordination with the classroom teacher and the principal.

Reading Recovery

Reading Recovery™ is an early intervention program for six year old students in Grade One. It provides the extra support that some students need in learning to read and write during that critical acquisition stage. At the beginning of the school year children are selected for Reading Recovery™ using classroom teachers’ judgment and results from observation surveys. To help link the acquisition between home and school, your child will be guided in selecting books to bring home.

Early Intervention in Reading Program

The Early Intervention in Reading program is designed for Grade 1 and Grade 2 students. It provides the extra support that some students need in learning to read and write. The literacy teacher, along with the Grade 1 and 2 teachers, gives the observational survey to all Grade 1 students and to all Grade 2 students who are new to the school. Students who are identified as having some difficulty in reading or writing are then placed in small groups. Children selected for this program receive a daily half hour of additional reading and writing instruction under the direction of the literacy teacher.

Later Literacy

Later Literacy is a one on one pull-out program offered to students from Grades 5 to 8 whose reading comprehension is two or more years below grade level. A Later Literacy session can include up to fifty, forty-minute lessons and can last from 10 to 13 weeks. Assessment is conducted to determine individual learning needs. The lessons are broken down into four - ten minute components: working with narrative text, word study, working with expository (informational) text, and paragraph writing (sentence development, mechanics). Students must commit to regular attendance, a positive attitude, and reading for 25 minutes between lessons. Average growth in reading is two grade levels. Students are referred and chosen based on highest need and availability of Later Literacy teachers.

Counseling Services

The services of a guidance counselor are available to all students at Shamrock School. The counseling program is designed to assist students with a wide variety of personal and educational concerns. Through personal or group counseling, students are assisted with finding the possible solutions to their concerns as well as learning to make good decisions. Counselors work closely with parents, guardians and teachers. In addition, they may coordinate referrals to school and community agencies.