As inclusive schools, all Catholic schools cater to students who have a diverse range of abilities, learning styles, personal characteristics, and experiences. Notre Dame celebrates these diverse learners and strives to offer multiple forms of support for each one of our students. Our Student Success Specialists, under the leadership of our SEL and STEP Coordinator, ensure all of our students have access to a successful learning environment.
We believe a successful learning environment necessitates knowing our students as individuals and provides varied access points for success in the curriculum. This includes differentiated and small group guided instruction, one on one attention, social emotional learning lessons, rehabilitative discipline, mediated conflict resolution, blended learning opportunities, accelerated and remedial online learning programs, and STEP (Support Team Education Plan) program integration.
The STEP program is a multi-tier model to help provide early identification of students with learning and mild behavioral needs. Struggling learners are provided various interventions appropriate to their needs, at increasing levels of intensity to improve learning, and the STEP program is an integral element in this process. It allows students who may require targeted minor adjustments to receive facilitated access to grade-level curriculum, to engage in transformative learning, and to participate fully in the school community.