Student Supports

Our Advisory programs in Milford are designed around the research based belief that one of the strongest indicators for student success is the development of positive relationships between adults and students in school. As such, our Advisory programs in Milford are designed to foster these positive relationships based on the needs of the school community and the student as an individual. The topics covered in advisory are designed to address the concerns of our students, such as: positive decision making, creating healthy relationships, transitioning between school and careers and the creation of Student Success Plans through Naviance. For more information on the specific advisory programs or topics used in your school, please contact your School Counseling department.

Common time allows for students to seek out extra help on assignments, work collaboratively with their peers, meet with teachers as well as opportunities to make up missed assessments due to absences.

Our high school library media program is designed to help students access and use information, to support student’s college and career readiness skills, and to motivate students in their journey to become lifelong learners.

Specifically, our library media specialists:

• Cultivate a safe, engaging, and inclusive environment in their media center,

• Facilitate student access to information located in their comprehensive print, e-books, online database, audiobook, and DVD collections,

• Curate a literary collection that fosters diversity, illuminates award winning novels, supports the MPS curriculum and standards, and is offered in print and digital formats,

• Provide links to academic websites, tutorials, and resource guides in all of the academic subject areas,

• Implement and support use of computer programs, social media and other technologies,

• Encourage lifetime reading through book talks, social media, book clubs, and additional readers’ advisory events,

• Provide professional development opportunities for staff members on digital tools for employment in instructional lessons,

• Support teachers through collaboration and co-teaching methods in the areas of research and literature-based lesson planning and curriculum development, and

• Collaborate with community members to create events such as book fairs, library card drives, fundraisers, and grants to further literacy in the high school and surrounding community.

Academic Support Centers

Students who need additional support as they build their mathematical, reading, and writing skills are able to schedule time with Math and English teachers in the designated spaces at Jonathan Law and Joseph A. Foran High Schools. Students can seek out the additional support during their study hall period or may be scheduled for targeted support if needed.

Emotional Support Centers (Foran’s Zen Den & Law’s Zen Zone)

Students who need a temporary safe space for emotional support and/or regulation can access these centers to process through a problem or employ a self-regulation strategy independently and/or with a trusted adult.

Our high school special education classes are designed to meet the individual needs of students requiring special education services. Students are given support and enrolled in classes according to the recommendations made by the Planning and Placement Team (PPT). When appropriate, these recommendations are reviewed and modified based on student need and performance. Students are educated in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) which may range from general education classes to classes involving specially designed instruction.

The academic portion of a student’s program includes the four major content areas--English, Mathematics, Science and History--as well as other classes required for graduation. Depending on student need, there may be greater emphasis on acquiring daily living and pre-vocational skills across content areas through a combination of classroom instruction and pre-vocational experience.

The following are examples of our Special Education programs:

The Learning Centers offer students specially designed instruction to support specific student needs in the areas of literacy and numeracy, as well identified classroom needs. Students are assigned to Learning Centers between one and five days per week depending on their needs. Learning Center grades are pass/fail.

Transitional Programs are provided to help students make the transition from high school to post-secondary training and employment and occur after students complete their high school credit requirements. Current Programs include: Post Graduate Transition Academy and Fifth Year Vocational Experience.

Co-Teaching is a service delivery model in which substantially specialized instruction is shared between a general and special education teacher in a single classroom with mutual ownership, joint accountability and pooled resources, strengthening content learning and psycho-social opportunities for all students.

Additional information on any Special Education program can be found through the School Counseling Department.