Mainstreaming/Transitioning
AFTER BRIARWOOD
Many families enter Briarwood with the expectation of returning to their neighborhood school or another school of choice after remediation. The goal of the Transition Team is to ensure that after leaving Briarwood, whether graduating or having had sufficient remediation, our students continue to grow and be successful, both academically and socially.
Since it is impossible to predict the length of time a child will need for remediation, each student at Briarwood is regularly evaluated to determine if he/she may be ready to transition to a more traditional school setting. The Transition Team is comprised of several people who have specific knowledge about the student including: Teachers, Speech Therapist, Director of Instruction, Counselors and School Heads.
A number of factors are considered when making this important determination. Academic progress, homework independence, social-emotional development, and the ability to self-advocate all play an important part and are reviewed during the process. If the decision is made that a student is ready to transition, the team makes recommendations to the family about different school settings, both public and private, that would be the most suitable for that student. This usually happens during the student’s lower or middle school years.
COLLEGE PREPARATION
In this video, Briarwood graduates talk with Counselor Toni LaZurs via Zoom about college life, what resources they use, and strategies for success. Ms. LaZurs has developed programs to prepare Upper School students to navigate the college application process, including ACT prep, college tours, and meeting with college recruiters on campus.
STUDENTS MAY ELECT TO STAY
Many students, at all grade levels, elect to remain at Briarwood after successful remediation, even if given the opportunity to move to another more traditional school setting. Classes are offered that are on or above grade level so that these students continue to build upon and solidify the organizational, advocacy and academic skills taught at Briarwood in small, structured classrooms. These students wish to continue to enjoy the individual attention from teachers and the friendships formed during their time at Briarwood.
Students in high school or graduating seniors are treated a little differently because of their maturity. Most students, once they begin high school, wish to stay with their class and graduate. Most seniors have a college or an area of interest in mind for their post-high school experiences. The Transition Team is there to guide these students and their families in making the best choices. Briarwood holds a college fair each year and makes college trips with our Junior class.