Academics

Student Support

STUDENT SUPPORT AT APDS

Our department is committed to enhancing the social, emotional, and cognitive needs of students in order to enhance their academic success at APDS. We provide essential services that assist in the cultivation of an optimal learning environment. These services include counseling and learning support. Our team consists of dedicated counselors and learning support providers that attend to the needs of students in the lower, middle, and upper school divisions. Together, we are committed to partnering with families, teachers, leadership, and community members in order to provide a foundation on which students confidently thrive during their educational journey at Prep and beyond. 

List of 4 items.

  • Counseling Services

    The counseling services we provide adhere to a wellness philosophy. This multifaceted and strength-based philosophy emphasizes the notion that individuals have the capacity for growth in order to achieve their fullest potential. APDS counselors attend to developmental needs by viewing the student within their unique holistic context. The services we provide carefully consider age appropriate interventions and techniques. Additionally, counselors seek to work collaboratively with parents by offering ongoing consultation, psychoeducation, and related resources. All of the counseling services we provide align with the mission of the department and seek to enhance the overall academic success of students.

    •  Student check-ins 
    •  Brief individual counseling
    •  Group meetings directed towards student needs
    •  Classroom lessons
    •  Consultation services with parents and caretakers
    •  Crisis intervention and referral as needed
    •  Information for families in group settings (mindful matters) or by appointment
  • Learning Support

    Learning support at Augusta Preparatory Day School consists of a collective relationship between teachers, families, administrators, and learning support providers. This team approach facilitates a thorough identification of student needs in order to address strengths and areas for growth. We provide individualized and small group support while continuously monitoring student progress through varying research-based techniques and strategies. Learning support providers are committed to creating customized, prescriptive learning profiles to maximize the potential of each student. Our collective approach provides a responsive atmosphere and emphasizes the shared goal of nurturing self-esteem and improving the academic success of each student. 

    • One-on-one and/or small group customized instruction for students with learning support needs such as:
      • Decoding skills, reading fluency, comprehension, written expression and grammar
      • Review and preview of classroom concepts and skills
    • Academic Services class
    • Development of executive functioning skills 
    • Fifth grade step-up program “Prep 101”
    • Orton-Gillingham services including, but not limited to, the Barton Reading and Spelling Program
    • Lindamood Bell Visualizing and Verbalizing
    • Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing Screening 
    • Reading growth and development assessments
    • Implementation of learning profiles based on formal accommodations
    • Annual kindergarten speech screening
  • Tutoring Services

    Faculty tutors customize instruction to meet the specific learning needs of each student. Our tutors are committed to helping students boost grades, build valuable skills, and strengthen confidence in many subject areas. These services can be utilized for both academic remediation and deeper understanding of content. Services connect students who want or need to focus on a specific academic topic with individual subject matter experts. 

    • Fee-based services
    • Before and after typical school hours
    • Services provided by highly skilled faculty
    • Teachers available for tutoring cross-divisionally  

    Available Tutors:
    *Please contact Dr. Kara Deaner (kara.deaner@augustaprep.org) to receive more information regarding these services. 
  • Additional Services

    Augusta Preparatory Day School provides the opportunity for your child to partake in individualized services that often take place outside of school. These services are meant to provide a level of convenience for you and your family, allowing your child to stay at school during school hours while receiving specified care. The individuals providing these services are highly skilled and credentialed professionals. Each service provider must undergo a pre-screening and background check in order to engage with students on campus.  The following extended services are provided at Prep:

    • On-site Speech Pathology
    • On-site Educational Psychological Assessment

    Pre-approved Providers:
    *Please contact Dr. Kara Deaner (kara.deaner@augustaprep.org) to receive more information regarding these services.

Student Support

List of 4 members.

  • Photo of Kara Deaner

    Kara Deaner 

    Director of Student Support, Lower School and Middle School Counselor grades PK-6
    706-434-2505
  • Photo of Alexandra Ferrara

    Alexandra Ferrara 

    MS/US Counselor
  • Photo of Samuel Gruber

    Samuel Gruber 

    Academic Services Coordinator and Upper School Economics Teacher
  • Photo of Christi Yeager

    Christi Yeager 

    Lower School Learning Support
Augusta Preparatory Day School is an independent, college preparatory school serving children ages 2 through Grade 12 from the greater Augusta-Aiken area. Augusta Prep seeks to enroll a group of diverse students. We follow an open admission policy, whereby qualified candidates are admitted without regard to religion, race, nationality, economic background, or ethnic origin.