Student Services

Student Services

Escola Americana is proud of its history of respecting the sense of uniqueness and individuality of its students and providing assistance to students at all levels of ability and achievement, primarily through Student Services. It includes a strong program in personal, academic, and college counseling; psycho-educational testing and referrals; and the administration of standardized tests and the interpretation of test scores to students, teachers, and parents. In the Upper School these services are provided by a Student Services Team consisting of the counselor, the psychologist, the learning specialist, the ESL teacher, and the principal. A full-time nurse is on campus during the school day to provide first aid and minor medical care.

Upper School Counselor

“Today’s young people are living in an exciting time, with an increasingly diverse and mobile society, new technologies, and expanding opportunities. To help ensure that they are prepared to become the next generation of parents, workers, leaders, and citizens, every student needs support, guidance, and opportunities during adolescence, a time of rapid growth and change.  Adolescents face unique and diverse challenges, both personally and developmentally, that impact academic achievement.” (American School Counseling Association)

To this end, the counseling program in the Upper School builds on the goals of the lower school and middle school in supporting and facilitating personal growth, self-esteem, and good interpersonal relationships. In addition, the program helps students to grow in their understanding of themselves and their world and to become responsible adults. The counseling program includes the planning and monitoring of students’ academic program and progress, assists students who experience academic or personal difficulties, and stresses decision-making, self-advocacy, and personal responsibility. The program offers peer counseling, through weekly sessions, as well as short-term individual counseling. When there is a need, the counselor refers students to the school psychologist for diagnostic testing and outside referrals. Both parents and students are encouraged to contact the counselor as soon as they experience any personal, social, or academic difficulties. Information discussed with the counselor is confidential unless the student demonstrates a perceived intent to cause harm, either to him/herself or to someone else. The school counselor at EARJ holds a master’s degree in international counseling and, with on-going professional development and membership at American School Counseling Association (ASCA) and American Counseling Association (ACA), stays current with educational reform and challenges facing today’s students.  

Homeroom Program
The goal of our homeroom program is to assist and support students with their individual development and/or to explore their special interests. Homeroom meets three times a week and students choose to attend a STUDY HALL or a CLUB. Study Halls consist of quiet, uninterrupted time and the help of a teacher for students to get academic assistance and/or advisement. Activities may include making up schoolwork, planning or getting ahead in homework or working on a group project. Using a student pass system, students are allowed to leave their Study Hall to get extra-help with another subject-area teacher; use the library, computer lab, or art room; or meet with the principal, the counselor, the college counselor, the student activities director, or the IB coordinator. Clubs consist of special-interest activities such as MUN, Knowledge Bowl, Panther Channel, Ecology Club, Street Basketball, French Club, Spanish Club, SAT Prep, Vestibular Prep, and O Binóculo. Different clubs may be offered each semester depending on student interests and teacher offerings. Club activities are limited to one homeroom a week so that students may get the help they need from teachers who are also club advisors. To assist freshmen in their transition from the Middle School during the first semester, all 9^th graders are placed in freshman-only advisories where the advisor helps them adjust to the new policies, practices, and expectations of the Upper School.

Standardized Testing
Escola Americana is an authorized testing center for the following standardized tests: PSAT, SAT Reasoning Test, SAT Subject Tests, ACT, SSAT, as well as the various psychological tests available from the school psychologist.  The ERB WrAP writing test is administered to 9th graders in August and the results are used to plan their freshman writing program. The PSAT is administered to all 10th and 11th graders each October during the regular school day so that they can estimate their scores on the SAT, which they will use to apply to colleges outside Brazil.  Students should register on-line for the SAT Reasoning Test and SAT Subject Tests at www.collegeboard.com, for the ACT at www.act.org, or for the SSAT at www.ssat.org. Dates and registration procedures for the various Brazilian college-entrance exams, ENEM and Vestibular, are available in the Brazilian Program office and website. It is important to watch for the registration deadlines of all these standardized tests.

College Counselor

Over 95% of EA graduates enroll in college or university upon graduation. In recent years, more than 50% have applied to and have been accepted at universities in the United States. See the Upper School Profile for more information. Others attend university in Brazil, other Latin American countries, Europe, and Asia. The Counseling Office has reference material and information on universities in the US and throughout the world, the application process, financial aid, essay writing, and adjusting to university life.  The Upper School Library also has reference materials available.

Students are advised about their academic programs for the four years of Upper School. The College Counselor has preliminary sessions with 9^th and 10^th graders and begins meeting with individual students on a formal basis during second semester of the junior year to discuss options concerning university attendance. Students and the College Counselor continue to work together closely throughout the senior year to ensure that applications and support documents are complete, deadlines are met, and that students are fully advised during the admission process. Parents are urged to become involved in this process.

Prescriptive Resource Center 

The Prescriptive Resource Center (PRC) follows an inclusive educational model and provides remediation and/or strategies prescriptive to a student’s individual needs.  The goal of this program is to increase and reinforce skills necessary for the student to succeed in the general classroom.  Support is given in different ways to help students follow the curriculum, and specific accommodations are provided.

Students enter the Prescriptive Resource Center Program after the completion of the Upper School referral process.  Results of tests administered by the upper school PRC teacher and the school psychologist must show evidence of a mild learning disability, Attention Deficit Disorder, or other compelling reason that merits support.  New students with test reports from previous schools or specialists may enter the PRC upon arrival at EARJ.  Once identified, students meet with the PRC teacher in small group settings during a designated block in their schedules.  A strong emphasis is placed on study strategies, self-advocacy skills, and appropriate use of accommodations.  The PRC teacher also provides orientation to classroom teachers  in areas such as differentiation, learning styles, and behavior management.

ESL Support

The English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) program helps students who are from different language backgrounds and have low proficiency in English.  The aim of the program is to develop the four language skills—listening, speaking, reading, and writing—so that they can follow the school curriculum and succeed in the regular classroom.

At the Upper School level, this service has a specific academic-language supporting role; that is, the ESL specialist provides academic support to heavily language-based subject matters (i.e. English and Social Studies).  The ESL specialist uses class content to help students develop their English language skills.  The program currently follows a pull-out format; that is, students receive individualized instruction from the ESL specialist during set periods within their schedule. 

Psychologist

EARJ employs a full-time, licensed psychologist. The psychologist is available for diagnostic testing, conferences, in-school counseling sessions, and out-of-school referrals. More importantly, as an integral member of the Student Services Team, the psychologist endeavors to meet and establish a relationship with all students in the Upper School. Students and parents are encouraged to visit the psychologist on an informal basis and to view the psychologist’s office as a place to obtain information on and assistance with any issues or concerns which they might have.