At Miriam School, learning is intentional, collaborative and personalized, designed to meet the unique social, emotional, physical, and academic needs of each student. Our team of dedicated educators choose to teach at Miriam School because they love working with students who learn differently.
Miriam uses a variety of methods and instructional tools to meet the individual learning styles of our students. Based on the needs and ages of our students, a student’s curriculum might include instruction using one or more of the following programs:
Lower/Middle School
Our lower and middle school use a multi-grade classroom model. This approach allows students to be grouped with children who are chronologically, academically and socially compatible, rather than using grade as the only criteria. Learning groups are more focused in this approach, and social relationships are more easily facilitated.
For example, if a student has been diagnosed with a specific learning disability in basic reading, she may be reading two grade levels below her age-appropriate grade. However, this same student may have math and social skills that are above expectation. All of these factors are taken into consideration as home classroom groupings are made. This allows each child to be included within a group of students whose needs are compatible and complementary, thereby maximizing skill development and increasing self-confidence.
The S.P.I.R.E. Reading Program integrates phonological awareness, phonics, handwriting, fluency, vocabulary, spelling and comprehension in an instructional design based on how struggling readers learn. Each S.P.I.R.E. lesson employs ten steps that enhance student learning and memory by engaging multisensory pathways to the brain in rapid succession.
Step Up To Writing is an explicit, hands-on writing program that leads to increased writing proficiency across the curriculum. Students receive direct instruction and practice in the areas of idea development, organization, sentence fluency, word choice, voice, conventions and presentation.
Saxon Math is our lower school incremental math program designed to allow students time to practice, process and master math skills. It provides a balanced approach with manipulative opportunities and guided instruction that move students from the concrete to the pictorial to the abstract.
Big Ideas Math: Modeling Real Life is our engaging and innovative middle school program that uses hands-on activities and scaffolded instruction, guiding students through concepts from surface-level to deep-level learning . With a strong emphasis on problem solving in the classroom, students can transfer their mathematical knowledge to new concepts and apply their understanding to real-life situations.
High School
Key components of our High School’s academic program include:
- A commitment to serving students within a low student-teacher ratio, with smaller group breakouts for academic supports.
- A staffing model that includes content area teachers, special education teachers and a guidance counselor to provide individual support to Miriam High School students and families regarding high school and post-secondary goals.
- An emphasis on integrated social skills development throughout the school day.
- An academic curriculum comprised of the core disciplines of English/language arts, math, science and social studies, plus health/physical education and fine arts.
- Individual supports tailored to each student’s needs, including a daily learning strategy time, as well as speech and language therapy and occupational therapy.
- Technology integration, including a 1:1 laptop program, to enhance learning opportunities.
- Project-based and interactive learning strategies utilized within each classroom.
- Exploration into the community, including field trips, to augment and enrich classroom learning.
- A balance of in-class learning and physical activity/sensory breaks built into each day.
- ISACS accreditation
- A+ school accreditation
- Chapter of the National Honor Society
- Encouraged participation in extracurricular activities to promote social interaction and leadership skills. chess, robotics, bowling, baseball, basketball, yearbook and school newspaper are some possibilities.
