Supporting Every Learner
Every learner belongs. Every learner deserves to grow.
At The Village School, we believe students should have access to challenging learning, meaningful support, and opportunities to develop their strengths.
Our proposed Exceptional Education and Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) Department would coordinate academic, language, and other learning supports in partnership with classroom teachers and families. Our vision includes support for students with disabilities, multilingual learners, students needing intervention, and students ready for enrichment or additional challenge.
Status note
As a proposed school targeting a 2028–2029 opening, we are developing the staffing, schedules, and procedures needed to put this vision into practice.
01
One Coordinated Approach
Children’s needs do not always fit into a single category. A student may need enrichment in mathematics, additional reading instruction, and support developing English at the same time.
We envision our Exceptional Education and MTSS Department working with teachers and families to understand each student’s strengths and needs, coordinate appropriate support, and monitor growth.
Support would be connected to classroom learning and designed to help students participate meaningfully in the school community.
02
What Is MTSS?
MTSS stands for Multi-Tiered System of Supports. Our proposed approach would organize instruction and support at different levels of intensity, with decisions informed by student learning and progress.
Tier 1
Strong Instruction for Every Student
All students would receive purposeful classroom instruction, clear learning goals, checks for understanding, and adjustments that respond to their needs. This includes opportunities for additional practice and greater challenge.
Tier 2
Targeted Additional Support
Students needing more support could receive focused instruction in a smaller group, addressing specific skills alongside their classroom instruction.
Tier 3
More Intensive, Individualized Support
Students with persistent needs could receive more intensive instruction, closer progress monitoring, and adjustments based on their response.
Students’ support would be reviewed and adjusted over time. These levels describe intensity of support, not fixed labels for children.
03
Exceptional Education
Our proposed Exceptional Education services would support students with disabilities in accessing instruction, participating in school life, and working toward meaningful learning goals.
Students with learning disabilities may need explicit instruction, additional practice, different ways to access information, or alternative ways to demonstrate understanding. Our goal is to provide appropriate support while recognizing each student’s abilities and potential.
Planning would include:
MTSS interventions would not replace disability evaluations or services, and participation in interventions would not be used to delay or deny an evaluation when a disability is suspected.
04
Multilingual Learners and ESOL
We value the languages, cultures, and experiences students bring to our school.
Our proposed English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) services would support eligible English learners—also called English language learners (ELLs)—as they develop English proficiency and access academic content.
Learning English would not be treated as a learning disability. When concerns arise, educators would consider language development, instructional opportunities, and other relevant information.
Our planning includes:
Daily Spanish instruction is a separate part of our proposed school model. It would not replace ESOL services or individualized language supports.
05
Gifted Education & Advanced Learning
Recognizing potential. Developing talent. Deepening learning.
The Village School plans to develop a gifted education program that recognizes students’ strengths and provides appropriate academic challenge. Gifted and advanced learners need opportunities to explore complex ideas, think creatively, investigate their interests, and grow beyond what they have already mastered.
Our proposed Exceptional Education and MTSS Department would collaborate with classroom teachers and families to coordinate gifted education, enrichment, and advanced learning opportunities.
Identifying and Nurturing Potential
We intend to develop referral, evaluation, and eligibility procedures consistent with applicable Georgia gifted education requirements.
Our approach would seek to recognize potential across student backgrounds, including multilingual learners, students with disabilities, and students whose strengths may not be fully reflected in everyday classroom performance.
We would consider appropriate evidence of students’ abilities and learning needs rather than relying only on grades or teacher impressions.
Challenge with Purpose
Our goal is meaningful intellectual growth, rather than simply assigning additional work.
Planned opportunities may include:
Gifted Learners Can Also Need Support
Some students demonstrate advanced abilities while also having a disability or another learning need. These students are sometimes described as twice-exceptional learners.
We want to recognize their strengths while providing appropriate accommodations, intervention, and other individualized support. A need for assistance in one area should not overshadow a student’s potential in another.
Enrichment Beyond Formal Identification
We plan to make classroom enrichment available based on students’ demonstrated readiness and interests, including students who have not been formally identified as gifted.
Formal gifted eligibility and access to everyday enrichment would be treated as distinct considerations.
Partnering with Families
Families would have opportunities to share information about their child’s strengths, interests, and learning needs. Referral procedures, eligibility information, and program details will be published as they are developed.
Planning status
Our gifted education program is proposed. Staffing, service models, evaluation procedures, and schedules are being developed. Formal gifted identification and services would follow applicable requirements.
06
Academic Intervention
Students who need additional instruction should receive focused support connected to the skills they are developing.
Our proposed intervention approach includes:
- 1Identifying specific areas of need.
- 2Setting clear, measurable learning goals.
- 3Providing targeted instruction.
- 4Monitoring progress regularly.
- 5Adjusting instruction when progress is limited.
- 6Communicating with families about next steps.
Areas of support could include foundational reading, reading comprehension, writing, number sense, mathematical reasoning, and other identified academic needs.
Intervention would supplement strong classroom instruction and help students participate more successfully in grade-level learning.
07
In-School Tutoring
We plan to include opportunities for targeted tutoring during the school day so students can receive additional help without relying solely on families’ ability to arrange support outside school.
Tutoring would be designed around identified skills and coordinated with classroom instruction. Depending on student needs and available staffing, it could include individual or small-group support.
Specific schedules, staffing, frequency, and eligibility procedures are being developed.
08
Access to Our Full Learning Model
Students receiving support should remain valued participants in the life of The Village School.
Teachers would plan appropriate scaffolds and accommodations so learning opportunities are accessible and meaningful. Individual schedules and services would reflect students’ needs and applicable plans.
Our planning would consider how students access:
09
How Support Would Begin
- 1
Understand the Student
Gather information about strengths, classroom learning, family perspectives, and areas of concern.
- 2
Plan Appropriate Support
Identify goals and determine suitable instruction, enrichment, intervention, or referral steps.
- 3
Provide Support
Coordinate classroom strategies and additional services or instruction.
- 4
Monitor Growth
Review evidence of progress and listen to student, teacher, and family feedback.
- 5
Adjust Together
Continue, intensify, change, or reduce support as appropriate.
Disability evaluations and required services follow their own applicable procedures and are not contingent on completing this sequence.
10
Families as Partners
Families know their children in ways that school data alone cannot capture.
We intend to build a collaborative process in which families can share concerns, ask questions, contribute to planning, and receive understandable information about their child’s progress.
As opening approaches, we will publish contact information, referral procedures, and details about requesting support or an evaluation.
11
Questions Families May Have
Rooted in Community. Ready for the World.
A Place to Belong. Support to Grow.
Connect with The Village School as we develop a learning community that recognizes students’ strengths and responds to their needs.