Student Affairs

The Office of Student Affairs provides Counseling services, Psychological support, College Guidance, Optimal Learning Services, Community service guidance for students and Learning support programs. The Student Affairs umbrella includes the following:

Advisory 9th-12th: Student profiles are created via a digital portfolio to include student academic and co-curricular highlights. Students are engaged in self awareness activities to help them define their personal and academic strengths and weaknesses in order to make optimal choices regarding academic and co-curricular programs. Advisory processes assist students in making best fit decisions regarding higher education institutions and study options.
College Guidance: Counselors work with students and invite parents to participate in the College advising process. This includes career guidance, educational testing, best fit college search, essay writing and all aspects involved in helping students achieve their higher education goals.
Counseling: Academic and Career guidance is provided by Counselors who work with students individually and in groups. Counselors follow up on progress reports, quarter and semester reports, and students who are ineligible for co-curricular activities due to academic or social probation.
Counseling Psychologist: Available through the Wellness Center, a Counseling Psychologist is prepared to assist students with social-emotional concerns (more extensive counseling) as they arise and to help students develop optimal coping strategies.
Health Office: Health services are available to students throughout the school day.
Optimal Learning Support Services: Specialists provide the necessary support to students with learning differences to ensure educational success.
Wellness Center: The Wellness Center is coordinated by the Counseling Psychologist K-12, who is available to assist students with social and emotional challenges or life changes. The Counseling Psychologist also assists students during transitional times and to ensure a balanced and healthy lifestyle.
Testing Center: The testing center provides, for a fee, psycho-educational testing services to ACS Athens students on-site. Testing will determine eligibility for OLP accommodations and other special learning services.

Child Study Team

The Child Study Team (CST) is made up of the Academy Principal, Counselors, the Optimal Learning Specialists, and possibly the Nurse and/or the English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher. Other staff members and parents meet with the CST when it is appropriate.

The CST’s purpose is to assist students who have academic, social, physical, or emotional concerns that interfere with their education. Teachers and parents may refer a student to the CST whose members will consider all aspects affecting student progress and will create and implement a plan of action to help students improve.

Parent Teacher Conferences

Parent Teacher Conferences are held twice a year when the first and third quarter report cards are issued (see school calendar). At this time parents pick up report cards and can meet with all of their children’s teachers for short meetings.

Parents may request individual teacher conferences at any time throughout the school year by phoning the Academy Main Office 210 6070-222 to set up appointments.