At James River, we are constantly trying to determine what is best for the children. This requires understanding that each child develops at a unique pace and with their own learning style. While all children will ultimately reach their goals, they may not reach those goals at exactly the same time or by following the same learning path.
Small class sizes, led by expert and caring faculty members, are critical components in successfully meeting each student’s academic needs. The thorough knowledge of each child that our teachers have allows them to support students facing academic challenges. While differentiation happens in every classroom, in big and small ways, our Resource Program more formally helps those students who need extra assistance, beyond the classroom, to meet their learning goals.
In grades K and 1, students work to master the skills necessary to become good readers and good manipulators of numbers. Students needing remediation and extra time spent on these areas work one-on-one or in small groups with the K-1 support teacher. This early intervention is key to a child’s future academic success. Students needing extra help in grades 2 and 3 receive specialized instruction from our resource teachers. These services may be provided for the entire year on a regular basis or just as the need arises.
The Resource Program also provides additional instruction and assistance, outside of the regular classroom, to students in grades 4-8. This includes help in specific classes but also with organization and homework help. The program is designed to meet the needs of students with diagnosed learning differences. The resource teachers work closely with the classroom teachers, creating a network devoted to each student’s success.
Our goal is to provide the tools necessary so every student reaches their full potential in the classroom. We’ve found early support makes a tremendous difference in how a child approaches learning. We want children to love learning and be curious and confident students at James River and beyond.