Every Learner, Known and Challenged

How a $200,000 gift by a new St. George’s family is strengthening the Centre for Learning Enrichment at the High School

At St. George’s, high expectations and a supportive environment allow every student to learn more, grow more, and achieve more than they thought possible. The Centre for Learning Enrichment (CLE) is at the heart of that partnership. Its specialists help students who need support find their footing, push those who are ready to go further, and partner with teachers to improve learning outcomes for all students.

This fall, a $200,000 gift from a new family in our community added a Learning Enrichment Specialist to the High School team. The result is more expertise supporting both students and teachers.

A Founding Principle, Still at Work

In 1930, St. George’s founders committed to adapting education to the differences of the individual child. Nearly a century later, the CLE carries that principle forward. Its specialists draw on the same research that guides all teaching at St. George’s, including Carol Ann Tomlinson’s work on differentiation and Carol Dweck’s on growth mindset.

The CLE starts its work by getting to know each student. Specialists don’t apply a one-size-fits-all, ready-made program. Instead, every case and inquiry starts with understanding the young person in question: who they are, what their strengths are, and what they need next in order to grow.

“Students are always growing and developing. A strategy that serves a student in one moment or situation might not serve them in the next. It’s an iterative process, so we continuously adapt to meet the evolving needs of each learner while navigating the complex reality of the whole class.”

— Melissa Dair, Coordinator of Learning Enrichment, High School

That responsiveness has carried the CLE through real shifts. When anxiety began rising among adolescents more than a decade ago, the team developed an internal approach to help teachers better understand and support these growing needs in their classrooms. Since the pandemic, as schools everywhere have seen rising challenges with attention and focus, the CLE has adapted again, learning all they can about neurodiversity, mental health, and social-emotional learning, and then sharing this expertise with students, families, and teachers. While our core understanding and mission remain unchanged, our approach continues to adapt by incorporating new research and expanding our practice to meet the dynamic requirements of our community.

Support and Challenge, in Equal Measure

The CLE serves every learner. Some students come because a course has become difficult. Some want stronger study habits. Others are ready to go deeper, whether that means proposing a special project they wish to pursue, or reshaping a course load to make room for an Advanced Placement class.

Support for students with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) remains an important part of the work. It is fully integrated with enrichment, not apart from it. According to Melissa Dair, “All of the students in the school are our students. We collaborate closely with teachers as thought partners, supporting them to reach all learners in their classrooms.”

Enrichment Built Into Teaching

At St. George’s, learning enrichment is part of how teachers teach. Learning Enrichment Specialists work as thought partners to teachers: they plan together, share strategies, and identify early which students would benefit from extra support or a new challenge.

High School specialists host grade-level meetings at key points throughout the year, tailored to distinct needs. In the fall, they focus on new student transitions, learning profiles, and social-emotional context; later on, they, along with teachers, call responsive sessions whenever broader classroom patterns emerge. Kate Hudson (Grades 7–8) and Amelia Haskell (Grades 9–11) lead hour-long grade-level sessions with their respective teaching teams. These meetings offer critical student insights to inform curriculum, expectations, and interventions, while providing space to talk through class dynamics, share targeted strategies, and learn directly from teachers how the CLE can better support their classrooms. Meanwhile, Danielle Brown coordinates with the team across all High School grades, providing targeted one-on-one coaching in executive functioning and study methods for teacher-referred students.

Inside the Classroom

All of the learning specialists make time to visit classrooms, getting the on-the-ground information they need to be effective in their roles. This practical research is key to their understanding of how to support the learning environment.

Sascha Smith, a math teacher and CLE Learning Coach, connects students’ learning across the math and science departments. Sascha gives feedback in the moment and sits in on evaluations to ease the anxiety that comes with test-taking. She also works with students one-on-one to complement their learning in class and ensure a deeper understanding of the material.

“It is such a pleasure to work more closely with a department that I already love. I am especially enjoying seeing students outside of the classroom and getting a new perspective on their learning!”

— Sascha Smith, Math Teacher and Learning Coach

Where It Begins: The Elementary School

The same philosophy shapes a St. George’s education from Kindergarten. With class sizes of 12 to 16 students, Elementary School teachers come to know each child deeply. Maude Bradley, Learning Enrichment Coordinator, Elementary School, oversees IEPs and collaborates closely with the CLE team, homeroom teachers, families, and Laura Officer, Director of Teaching and Learning, Elementary School to tailor instruction for every learner.

The learning support team works directly within classrooms during core literacy and numeracy blocks, enabling specialists and homeroom teachers to identify what each student needs in order to grow as learners. The goal is to ensure that every student is highly engaged in their learning, no matter the starting point.

In English and Mathematics, specialists Laura Harrington and Becky Schaffer lead instruction anchored in the Science of Reading and Orton-Gillingham (O.G.) methodologies. Teachers and the Centre for Learning Enrichment (CLE) share an evidence-based approach to monitoring student progress in English, while specialized push-in support reinforces core math concepts directly within classroom instruction.

The French Second Language Support program offers targeted instruction designed to further develop language skills. In these smaller learning environments, specialists focus on reinforcing core language concepts through targeted instruction, providing individualized support tailored to specific growth areas. This support is delivered by Natasha Poirier through cycle 1 push-in support, and by Eliane Smith and Hélène Jézéquel through push-in and small-group instruction in cycles 2 and 3.

“When support meets a child where they are, it is a wonderful thing to see them feel truly seen and step confidently into their learning journey.”

— Maude Bradley, Learning Enrichment Coordinator, Elementary School

What the Gift Makes Possible

High School students move between many teachers and subjects each day. Our Learning Enrichment Specialists are the ones who connect those pieces and see the whole student. With another specialist on the team, the CLE has more room for proactive classroom work, alongside the individual support it has always provided, and more time to work with teachers.

“Targeted one-on-one coaching will always be a vital pillar of our work for students who need it. However, the deepest, most sustainable impact happens when we provide push-in support, bringing that expertise directly into the classroom so learning happens in live time.”

— Melissa Dair, Learning Enrichment Coordinator, High School

Looking Ahead

How the CLE reaches students will keep evolving, because students keep changing. The team has identified clear next priorities: dedicated space for small groups and workshops, and additional specialists to bring classroom-based work to more grades and subjects.

To the donor who made this gift: thank you. Your generosity is reaching every student, both those who need a steadier footing and those ready for a new challenge.

Support Learning Enrichment at St. George’s

To learn how you can support learning enrichment at St. George’s, connect with our Advancement Team.