Academic Support
At Thacher, we believe the best learning happens when students are known, supported, stretched, and challenged. At some times and for some students, extra academic support is needed and, where possible, Thacher seeks to meet that need.
Academic Support
Thacher’s Director of Academic Support is available to meet with any student who would like additional guidance and support in areas such as organization or study skills. For students who might need consistent support, typically one-on-one meetings are available roughly once every other week. The Director of Academic Support also works directly with students who have academic accommodations and is the point person for students and families who wish to apply for testing accommodations with the ACT or College Board.
Frequently Asked Questions
As we consider applying to Thacher, what should we keep in mind if our student has learning needs? What support is available?
Families are encouraged to openly share relevant information about their student’s learning profile and any support they are receiving at their current school during the admissions process. This helps Thacher to ensure that the accommodations that Thacher can provide are aligned with the student’s learning profile and needs for success. In addition, prospective families are encouraged to review the questions below so that they can fully understand the services offered and the process required for students to receive academic support at Thacher.
What is the process for requesting accommodations at Thacher?
Families must share the appropriate documentation as outlined below with Thacher’s Director of Academic Support, Stephanie Thomas (sthomas@thacher.org). Accommodation requests are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year and the school strives to respond in a timely manner. During the school year (outside of school breaks), please allow three weeks for the office to review documentation, draft an accommodations plan and follow up with students and families. During the summer, please note that the office is closed for Thacher’s summer vacation and responses will be delayed. New families or families who pursue testing over the summer are asked to send their reports during the month of August. Students whose families send accommodation requests in August can expect to have their learning plans in place by early September.
What kind of documentation is needed to support an accommodation request?
All students need appropriate documentation in order for any academic accommodations to be formally made. Specifically, documentation must include the following:
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The diagnosis is clearly stated. The diagnosis should be made by someone with appropriate professional credentials, and should be specific.
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The information is current (within the past 3 years). Because disabilities and needs for accommodation can change, documentation should be up to date. Cognitive testing may be older than five years, but testing performed before third grade may not provide a valid indication of the student’s current ability. Medical or psychiatric testing should have a current update, completed within the last year.
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The student’s educational, developmental, and medical history is presented. Provide relevant educational, developmental, and medical history in support of the diagnosis. The student’s history of receiving School accommodations helps Thacher understand the nature and severity of the student’s need for accommodation(s). Additional documentation, such as a grade school or middle school individualized education program (“IEP”), is also helpful.
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The diagnosis is supported. A medical note is not always sufficient to support the need for accommodations. Documentation should demonstrate that a comprehensive assessment was conducted, with a summary of assessment procedures, evaluation instruments, and test scores/results used to make the diagnosis. This can usually be done through a psychoeducational evaluation. For example, in the case of students with ADHD or other learning disabilities, a doctor’s note is not sufficient evidence for academic accommodations; a full neuropsychological report is required.
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The functional limitation is described. Explain how the disability impacts the student’s academic functioning and ability to participate in school. For example: How frequent are the student’s symptoms? How do they impact the student in and out of school?
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The recommended accommodations are justified. Documentation should describe the student’s symptoms in detail and support the need for the specific accommodations requested. For example, a request for extended time should document difficulty taking timed tests and include standardized scores on timed and untimed or extended time measures.
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The evaluators’ professional credentials are established (i.e. licensed where s/he/they practice).
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The documentation must be provided by a licensed professional who has no personal relationship with an individual being evaluated.
What types of accommodations are available to Thacher students who qualify?
Thacher supports the following academic accommodations:
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Up to 50% extended time. Note that the design of our schedule and the limitations of our office do not allow us to offer 100% extended time or greater.
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Computer use for essays and in-class note taking with spell check enabled. Note that spell and grammar-check tools are prohibited for all students in world languages classes.
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4-function calculator when math calculations are required but not an essential learning objective.
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Use of assistive technology (such as audiobooks, Speechify).
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When possible, access to a quiet, proctored environment with a limited number of students testing together.
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Language waivers. Note that language waivers are only available for students with language-based learning disabilities whose treating doctor identifies one as part of a student's accommodations recommendations.
What if an evaluation lists other accommodations that are not approved?
Sometimes evaluations list accommodations which are not compatible with Thacher’s program. Specifically, Thacher does not make accommodations or provide support for services which fundamentally alter course requirements, basic pedagogy, or are beyond that which a private school can reasonably provide. Specifically, Thacher does not:
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Change the curriculum, adjust assignment deadlines, modify the amount of work a student is responsible for, modify assessment content or modify grading practices;
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Retroactively adjust grades for students who do not make use of their accommodations or follow the appropriate steps for accessing them;
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Fundamentally alter consistently applied academic policies which are based on established academic standards;
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Guarantee success or bear responsibility for ensuring that students succeed in their courses;
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Guarantee individual rooms and private proctors for students in all testing situations. The demand for this service is at times beyond the school’s capacity. In these instances (such as final exams), the school will create a quiet, proctored environment for special testers with a limited number of students testing together.
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Pay for or provide items or services of a personal nature such as personal care assistance; personal purchases; personal medical, adaptive or computer equipment; private transportation; or educational supplies used by all students (pens, paper, computer supplies, etc.). These are the responsibility of the student and family.
What kind of individual support can Thacher students receive through the office of academic support?
Thacher’s Director of Academic Support is available to meet with any student who would like additional guidance and support in areas such as organization or study skills. Individual meetings with the Director of Academic Support can typically be scheduled on a biweekly basis or more sporadically as needed depending on the student’s needs and the availability of the Director of Academic Support. In addition, the Office of Academic Support coordinates a supervised study hall Sunday-Thursday evenings which provides a structured environment for students. Students can work with the Director of Academic Support to opt-in to the study hall; the school will also sometimes assign students who might benefit from more structure and oversight to this environment.
Does Thacher evaluate students for or diagnose students with disabilities?
Thacher does not provide psychoeducational testing and evaluation. The school can provide referrals to external providers of these services and evaluators and families can also typically work with their home school district to pursue educational testing via that route.
How do students access their accommodations?
Students are expected to request accommodations outlined in their learning plan as they wish to make use of them. Specifically, if a student wishes to make use of extra time, a laptop for an in-class assessment, a small testing environment or any other testing accommodations they must reach out to their teacher 24 hours before the scheduled assessment to arrange accommodations.
Does Thacher offer support in applying for accommodations on the ACT and SAT?
Thacher’s Director of Academic Support oversees and supports students through this process and reaches out to students who have learning plans on file with Thacher to coordinate any applications. Families should review the process and requirements for standardized tests via the following links:
For both the College Board and the ACT, documentation from external evaluators is required and may include medical records, psychological evaluations, reports, and assessments. Documentation must substantiate the need for academic accommodations. As part of this process, the School reserves the right to request updated or additional documentation and to speak with the external providers in order to better understand a student’s needs. In reviewing a student’s accommodations application, the ACT and SAT typically like to see a documented and established history of the diagnosis, a learning plan in place, and accommodations being actively used in support of a student’s academic needs. For students who undergo educational testing in the months leading up to their planned SAT/ACT dates, it is often the case that their applications are denied. In addition, students and families should be aware that the ACT and SAT may not grant students all of the accommodations that they have in place at Thacher and, in fact, may not grant any accommodations at all despite a diagnosis from a medical professional and a Thacher accommodations plan.
A college preparatory boarding school for grades 9-12
Notice of nondiscriminatory policy as to students: The Thacher School admits students of any race, color, national, and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national, and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other School-administered programs.