Learning Centers

Academic Support For Student Success

Summit Christian Academy’s two learning centers, one at the elementary level and one at the secondary level, are a resource for students of all grade levels who may need extra support to ensure academic success. The Centers work with students who need additional instruction,  accommodations, or therapy for learning differences.

Elementary SOAR Center

The SOAR Center is where elementary students Sharpen, Overcome, Achieve, and Rise in their learning pursuits. Services offered assist students with reading, math, and dyslexia in a small group setting during school hours. 

Who Is The SOAR Center For?

  • Students who have been diagnosed with a learning difference or disability and have an IEP.  
  • Students who perform in the bottom 35% of NWEA assessment data in math and/or reading and would benefit from small group instruction to bridge the learning gap.
  • Students that teachers identify that need extra academic support to be successful in the classroom.
  • Students with a Dyslexia diagnosis
SOAR Center Pricing & Sign Up Form

Reading, Math & Dyslexia Intervention Specifics

Small Group Instruction

Sessions teach foundational skills and provide remediation to foster academic growth. Students will be provided hands-on manipulatives to learn abstract mathematical concepts. Multi-sensory techniques will be utilized when appropriate to help students engage all areas of the brain to master content.

Lesson Planning To Target Specific Skills

Lesson plans, resources, and activities are developed to support reading and math intervention efforts. Multis-ensory techniques will be used to teach decoding skills, and concrete objects will be used to teach abstract mathematical concepts.

Data Analysis And Reporting

NWEA assessment data, Oral Reading Fluency Assessments, and other student performance data are analyzed to identify areas for improvement. Students who fall below 35% will be identified to receive instruction. Skills will be identified to target through NWEA assessment data, ORF and teacher recommendations.

Progress Monitoring

Student progress is regularly monitored to assess the effectiveness of interventions and adjust instruction as needed.

Collaboration

SCA classroom teachers and LISD special education teachers collaborate through monthly service plans to ensure that students continue to grow academically and progress toward meeting their IEP goals.

Parent Communication

Parents and caregivers are communicated with through conferences, phone calls, and emails to provide updates on students’ progress, discuss intervention plans, and offer suggestions for supporting learning at home.

Specialized Dyslexia Intervention

We understand the unique challenges that students with dyslexia may face, which is why our staff includes a dyslexia specialist. Through an Orton Gillingham approach and evidence-based strategies, we help students with dyslexia develop the necessary skills to become confident and proficient readers.

Natalie Lark, SOAR Center Director

Natalie Lark serves as the Director of the SOAR Center and provides student services. She has an impressive resume that includes a degree in multidisciplinary studies with a specialization in mathematics from Texas Tech University. In addition, Natalie has through continued education specialized training through the Rawson Saunders Institute’s Certified Academic Language Practitioner program. She holds a State of Texas Contained Classroom, Mathematics and ESL Supplemental teacher certifications, and her experience includes teaching in public and private school settings. 

Secondary Student Success Center

The Student Success Learning Center supports students in grades 6 – 12. Through the Center students can receive support with classwork, get additional instruction, practice and test in alternative ways, work on organizational and executive functioning skills. 

Who Is The Student Success Center For?

  • Students who have been diagnosed with a learning difference or disability and have an IEP.  
  • Students that teachers identify that need extra academic support to be successful in the classroom.
  • Students whose families desire extra support for their student
Student Success Center Pricing & Sign Up Form

What Does The Student Success Center Provide?

  • Intervention targeted to academic need
  • An alternative environment for studying and completing work
  • Test taking accommodations, such as more time, breaks, and help with directions.
  • Small group instruction
  • Opportunities to response orally or with typed answers for written work.
  • Ability to receive class notes and study guides provided by a classroom teacher.
  • Use of manipulatives/a calculator for math
  • Executive functioning skills support

Erin Mwalwanda, Student Success Center Specialist

Erin Mwalwanda is the specialist serving secondary students in the Student Success Center. She has a Master of Arts in Teaching from George Washington University and a Bachelor of Science from Longwood University. “I love helping students understand that they are unique and discover how they have been created to question and learn,” says Ms. Mwalwanda.