Hopkins School

Certainly the most common form of support for students is the extra help provided by a classroom teacher. Sometimes, however, extra help may be an insufficient response to a student’s difficulties. Also, a student’s needs may exceed what a teacher can be expected to provide. For these and many other reasons, it may be necessary to enlist the help of the support services provided by the School, such as tutoring, counseling, diagnostic testing, or other assistance.

While there is a protocol for referral to many of the special services Hopkins offers, some services can be accessed directly by the students themselves.

Adviser Program

The Adviser Program involves every student and full-time teacher at Hopkins. Each adviser group consists of seven to eight students, assigned to a teacher who will be their adviser. The adviser will, primarily, promote the academic and social welfare of the students in a warm, supportive atmosphere.

College Counseling Office

The College Counseling Office works primarily with juniors and seniors. Please view the College Counseling section of our site for more information.

The Diversity Committee

Click here for the full Hopkins Diversity Statement

Below are specific groups/individuals on campus who are responsible for diversity related work:

SURE Club (Students United For Racial Equality)

GASP Club (Gay and Straight People)

FAST (Freshman Academic Support Team)

HAST (Hopkins Academic Support Team)

Diversity Committee (made up of teachers and students)

Diversity Director (Veronica Guinazu)

Diversity Committee Members:

Iman Afif - Student

John Anderson - Classics

Sven Carlsson - Mathematics

Catherine Casanova - English

Signe Damdar – Modern Language

Gabriela Gerstenfeld – Modern Language

Julian Gewirtz - Student

Veronica Guinazu, Chair – Diversity Director

Joany Guzman – Modern Language

David Harpin – Classics

Jeremy Levenson - Student

Sandy MacMullen - History

Whitfield Mastin – Modern Language

Teresa Picarazzi – Modern Language

Hank Powell - English

Adrian Slywotzky - Arts

Octavio Sotelo - Science

Adam Sperling – Mathematics

Eileen Strange – Classics

Janay Sylvester - Student

Martha Venter – Modern Language, Admissions

Reading Program

The Reading Program is a voluntary, non-credit, individualized course designed to improve reading and learning skills. It usually requires a minimum of two free periods a week and can start any time during the school year. After an initial diagnostic test to determine the student’s current comprehension, vocabulary, and reading rate, he or she proceeds to a combination of regular independent lab work on self-teaching assignments, alternating with frequent personal counseling and evaluation sessions.

Learning Specialist

The Learning Specialist addresses those students who have been identified and may be receiving accommodations for disabilities. The Learning Specialist also works with students who are experiencing difficulty with traditional classroom instruction and may need more specialized tutoring or one-on-one instruction. Time management, study skills, and organization are also addressed. The student may need help to better communicate with teachers, discuss improvement strategies with parents and therapists, and collaborate with the School Psychologist.

School Psychologist

The School Psychologist provides a wide variety of services to the Hopkins community, including short-term counseling and therapy to students and staff, consulting with parents and teachers about concerns they have for specific children, and conducting psycho-educational examinations.

Math Lab

The Math Lab is operated on a drop-in basis for students who want a firm grasp of their skills before a test or in order to complete homework assignments. The lab is run by the Math Department, and students can receive tutoring during study halls.

Extra Help

Extra Help is available to all students from their teachers. This assistance can take place when a stsudent has been absent for an extended period of time, before major assignments are due, or simply to reinforce classroom lessons. Students are seen as promptly as possible when they are in need of extra help, and either the student or teacher may initiate this meeting.

F.A.S.T. Program

The F.A.S.T. Program provides organized, quality support for students who are overwhelmed by Hopkins’ demands, largely because the students may lack the background experiences and skills necessary to be successful. The program consists of a team of faculty members who collaborate to help students develop strong, basic skills, and to support the child’s academic work in a very positive and personalized manner. The Admissions Committee and the Director of Diversity identify new 9th graders who might benefit from this support program. Recommendations are also solicited from the 8th grade Head Adviser, since some Hopkins eighth graders might benefit as they make the adjustment into the Middle / Senior School from the Junior School.

Accommodations for LD/ADD

Accommodations for LD/ADD generally include extended time on quizzes and tests, the use of word-processing for in-class writing assignments, or enlarged text and diagrams. These modifications are made in compliance with state and federal regulations that require such measures be taken to reduce the impact of such disabilities. Each semester of the school year, the School Psychologist and Learning Specialist notify the Head Adviser and teachers of students who qualify for these special accommodations.

The Peer Tutoring Program

The Peer Tutoring Program is a student-run organization made up of volunteers who tutor other students in grades 7 through 12 in a specific subject. Students are matched up by free periods and by subject need, and the commitment of both the student and peer tutor is essential. Sessions usually take place once a week.