WELCOME TO THE ACADEMIC RESOURCE CENTER

The mission of the Academic Resource Center (ARC) is to provide the support needed to allow all students to become successful learners in the Serra Community. This support includes helping students become self-advocates and discovering the accommodations that will aid them in their endeavors here at Serra, while developing a “set of tools” to take with them when they go on to college.  

Mrs. Gayle Rosenberg, a Board Certified Educational Therapist, is Serra’s full-time Director of the Academic Resource Center. Ms. Gina Furrer and Mr. André Monnéy, both credentialed teachers and full-time ARC associates, also work closely with students in the Resource Center. In addition to working with students during the school day, Mrs. Rosenberg and her staff aid the faculty in teaching and making accommodations for students who have learning differences.

Current parents with questions about applying? email Gayle Rosenberg

Prospective parents with questions about applying? email Admissions


 

Resource Center Accommodations

ARC members participate in at least one team meeting each year, which is attended by the student and at least one family member. Mrs. Rosenberg reviews the student’s individual learning plan and addresses how the student is incorporating accommodations and study strategies into his studies. By the eleventh grade, the student is able to lead the meeting because he has learned how to advocate for himself.

Extended Time Tests

Students who have been identified as having learning differences are entitled to extended time on tests. The faculty is provided with an up-to-date list of all students who qualify for this accommodation; however, it is up to the student to ask the teacher for the extended time. Mrs. Rosenberg works with students and teachers to aid in this process. Other suitable accommodations may include oral testing or dictating test answers to a proctor, who records them.

Academic Counseling

Individual counseling is available to any student on a drop-in basis or by appointment. During these sessions, the staff works with the student on study skills, reading strategies, self-advocacy and techniques for extended time test-taking.

Livescribe Pens

Livescribe Pens are available for students to borrow and use for recording lectures in class while taking notes. Students are able to then review their notes while listening to corresponding parts of the lecture and enhance their notes as needed. The Livescribe Desktop allows students to save written notes and corresponding audio as a single PDF file.

Audio Texts - Learning Ally

ARC students have an individual account with Learning Ally, an online audiobook database with the world's largest collection of human-narrated audio textbooks and novels. Students can search the database for any book they choose, or the ARC can "push" books to their accounts. Books are available in either classic audio format (audio only organized by chapter) or VOICEtext format (audio and text together). The program has free downloadable apps for Android and iOS, so that students can access the material on their mobile phones.

ARC Study Hall

ARC members are enrolled in an ARC study hall, which takes the place of their independent study period. During this period, academic support is available, as well as time for help with writing assignments, long-term projects and studying for exams. It also is the time students can access accommodations such as extended time on exams.

DVD Lending Library

A DVD Lending Library is available in the ARC that consists of classic films and documentaries that correspond to specific course content. Included are many classic titles that the students read in their English classes and a wide range of history topics. This accommodation allows the students to familiarize themselves with content prior to reading the material, enabling them to have structure and visual cues in place when they begin to read. In no way should the video take the place of reading the books; rather, it should be used as an aid.

Parallel Text

Shakespearean classics with parallel text are available in the ARC for students to assist in understanding some required English readings. With the aid of parallel text, students can read Shakespeare's original plays with a line-by-line paraphrase in contemporary language.

Working with Faculty

The Academic Resource Center assists the Serra faculty by providing them with individual student profiles. These profiles are typically written when a student enters Serra as a ninth grader or transfer student, and are meant to provide teachers with concise, practical information that will help them work more productively with these students. The student profiles are maintained on a secure server.

National Testing Accommodations

Mrs. Rosenberg guides families through the process to obtain accommodations for both the Collegeboard (PSAT, SAT, AP) exams and the ACT exam. The ARC Team proctors the SAT and the ACT at Serra for students who need special accommodations such as readers.

Transition to College

In order to make the transition from high school to college, students in the Academic Resource Program are encouraged to assemble a portfolio of information that outlines the accommodations that have been made during their high school years. The staff can assist students in providing information such as Individual Education Plans (IEPs) that have been developed by other agencies, as well as testing that has been conducted while the student was enrolled at Serra. The ARC director and the Serra counselors also meet with students to provide information and guidelines about college admissions relative to students with learning differences.

The ARC Team

Gayle Rosenberg

Gayle Rosenberg

Titles: Director of Academic Resource Center
Degrees: B.A., Psychology
M.A., Special Education
Certificate of Educational Therapy, Life Teaching Credential, LD Teaching Credential
Departments: Academic Resource Center
Email:
Phone Numbers:
School: 650-345-8207 ext. 6175
André Monnéy '03

André Monnéy '03

Class of 2003
Titles: ARC Associate
Degrees: B.S., Business Administration
California Single Subject Teaching Credential, Math
M.A., Educational Leadership and Policy
Departments: Athletics, Academic Resource Center
Email:
Phone Numbers:
School: 650-345-8207 ext. 6174
Gina Furrer

Gina Furrer

Titles: ARC Associate
Degrees: BA, English
Single Subject Teaching Credential, English
MA, Curriculum and Instruction
Departments: Academic Resource Center
Email:
Phone Numbers:
School: 650-345-8207