St. Michael School support staff include a school counselor, academic assistant, nurse, reading specialist, school psychologist, and a speech and language pathologist.  Their services are available based on the individualized needs of students.

Counselor
The counselor provides a comprehensive counseling and guidance program for the students. She works with individual and small groups of students as needed, is a member of the Intervention Team, provides referrals to outside agencies and specialists as needed, and is a member of the Crisis Team.  The counselor consults and collaborates with parents, teachers and staff members as well as working directly with students.  The overall goal of the counseling program is to assist the children through the development of personal, social, and educational plans so that they can be successful students, and self motivated, life-long learners.

Intervention Specialist/Academic Assistance
The intervention Specialist provides support services to children who have a Service Plan ( IEP).  This involves individual testing, writing the IEP, implementing the goals of the IEP, direct teaching, and monitoring the modifications and accommodations of the IEP in the regular classroom.  In addition, students can receive academic assistance in any subject in which tutoring is provided for grades 4-8. Most tutoring is in the area of mathematics and written expression.

Nurse
The school nurse provides health and safety and intervenes with actual and potential health problems.  The nurse will perform annual vision and hearing screenings on children in grades K, 1, 3, 5, and 7, as well as all new students. Screenings can also be done upon parental or teacher request. Postural screenings are done on students in Grades 6 and 8. The nurse’s office is open during school hours; parents may contact the school nurse directly between 9:15 AM and 2 PM with any questions about their child’s health or to report any changes in a student’s health history.  Click for information of heath related issues.

Reading Specialist
The Reading Specialist provides assessment and instruction in a small-group setting to children in grades 1-4 who have been identified by the classroom teacher as needing additional support in reading. The Reading Specialist also assesses all new students to St. Michael’s School in grades 2-8.

School Psychologist
The School Psychologist job varies depending on the needs of the students and teachers.  The psychologist is also a member of the Intervention Assistance Team and her purpose is to problem-solve and collaborate with parents and teachers in order to meet the individual needs of students.  The psychologist also provides ongoing classroom observations to help teachers provide interventions that will enable students to maximize their learning.  If an assessment is needed, the psychologist works individually with students to help identify their strengths and weaknesses and provide appropriate services.

Speech/Language Pathologist
The Speech/Language Pathologist provides services for students in all grade levels in the areas of articulation, fluency, and expressive and receptive language.  Students must qualify through an individual speech language assessment and implementation of a service plan.  Students are seen in an individual or small-group setting to address their identified speech language needs.  The speech pathologist also screens all kindergarten students at the beginning of each school year.  For those students who do not qualify for direct speech services, the speech pathologist can provide parents with strategies for sound production and home articulation packets.