INstructional Support Program

ISP is a comprehensive program that meets students at their academic level, taking into consideration their individual learning style. The program teaches BHS students strategies they can apply in all of their classes to achieve academic success. Students learn to take notes in an organized manner and have the opportunity to listen to textbooks and the fiction or non-fiction books they are reading in their classes on our Kurzweil program or audio books. After learning the ISP system of binder organization, students assemble their binders with the ISP teachers. Binders are then frequently monitored and cleaned by the student to ensure up to date organization. Binders are graded on a weekly basis by the ISP staff.

One of the main objectives is to work with students to break down assignments and long-term projects into manageable pieces. This, along with time management, structuring an appropriate study environment and individualized strategies for each student are a part of the time spent in ISP. Students can also arrange to take academic tests in the ISP center, to allow for extended time and an optimum testing environment. I will work with students and their parents during the sophomore and junior year, to apply for accommodations with College Board and ACT.

Parents should expect to receive a progress update from the ISP staff every two weeks throughout the school year. Students will monitor their own grades by checking in with each teacher and having him/her give the student a grade in progress and a comment on the student’s achievement. Once the grade checks are complete, the student will meet with an ISP staff member to review and set goals for the next grade check. Once the ISP staff has received grade checks, they will be emailed home to parents.

We strive to teach our students to become advocates for their own learning. It is our hope that in learning these strategies and by utilizing the support of the ISP staff, students participating in the program will increase their own strategies, responsibility and motivation towards school. While the ISP staff will monitor the above mentioned strategies, students are expected to organize their binder on a weekly basis, communicate with their teachers regarding their grades, and write down their daily homework and long term projects in their planner.

The ISP staff will work with parents, teachers, and the student to collaborate and create an ISP plan for each student. This plan will be monitored and updated throughout the course of the year. It is our goal to help students in the ISP program reach their fullest potential while at Besant Hill.

For more details, click here to view our ISP brochure.

For more information contact Kelly Henschel, Director of Instructional Support, at kellyhenschel@besanthill.org or (805) 646-4343, ext. 139