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Academic Resources
At ASMS, meeting the educational needs of every student is an institutional responsibility. Knowing our students as individuals is therefore our first priority. In creating an environment best suited to accommodate the demands of 21st-century learners, we believe that students need to be connected both personally and technologically. In addition to our ongoing work in the classroom, our student support services and technological focus facilitate these positive connections.
After School Study Period
A voluntary supervised study period is scheduled every Monday through Thursday from 2:45 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The purpose of the study period is to provide a quiet environment for students to complete their homework assignments. Teachers are available during the study period to answer questions, clarify expectations or provide additional instructional assistance.
Library/Media Center
Our library/media center houses a multitude of resources that support student learning. Online databases, e-books, texts, journals and magazines are used extensively by all our students for both independent reading and for research. Through a collaborative approach that integrates the teaching of information skills with the intellectual exploration occurring in each classroom, students are taught how to access, analyze and evaluate materials appropriate to their needs. Whether students are engaging in reading for pleasure or researching information for national science competitions, our goal is to teach every student to be a knowledgeable information consumer.
Technology as a Tool for Learning
Rapid technological advances are allowing for some of the most significant and exciting changes in the way work gets done in the classroom. In 2014, we excitedly partnered with Samsung Electronics to become the first independent school in the United States to fully implement the total Samsung School Digital Learning Solution. While ASMS has always adopted technologies that allow us to fully engage our students in the interactive and collaborative process of learning, the deployment of our new digital initiative with dedicated Tablets for students and teachers and interactive digital displays in all classrooms provides us with the functionality to take teaching and learning to a whole new level.
Student Support Services
The development of a positive learning environment that fosters both academic and social-emotional growth is a priority at ASMS. Coordinated by the director of student services, we employ a team approach to helping all of our students navigate the dynamic middle school years. The director of student services also reinforces the development of life skills essential for all students including, communication and social skills, problem-solving, self-regulation, self-determination and optimism. Furthermore, students are encouraged to deepen their understanding and tolerance of individual differences and strengthen teamwork and leadership skills.
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The director of student services is a nationally certified school psychologist and is qualified to provide the following services: psycho-educational assessment and intervention, group and individual counseling, and consultation and collaboration with community support services.