Academic Support

The Academic Achievement Center

For more than 30 years, the Academic Achievement Center’s (AAC) professional education specialists have helped students achieve academic success and personal growth. Heathwood Hall believes that all children bring different talents alongside different challenges and have the potential for academic excellence in a supportive and empowering learning environment.

Through a network of multidisciplinary services focused on empowering students as life-long learners, the AAC promotes positive self-esteem, self-awareness and management, independence, and self-advocacy.

Please explore all that the AAC offers to students and families below. If you have any questions about programs and services, please contact Sally Baker, Director of The Academic Achievement Center at sbaker@heathwood.org or by calling 803. 231. 7762.

Services

Tutoring

The education specialists/tutors provide one-on-one academic support to students during the school day, reinforcing and supplementing the curriculum taught in their classes. By equipping students with essential resources, strategies, and personalized guidance, the AAC empowers them to thrive in a rigorous academic environment. Individual tutoring sessions, each lasting one class period, are available between 7:30 AM and 4:00 PM. Middle School students can schedule sessions during study hall, specials periods, or before and after school, while Upper School students may schedule sessions during study hall or before and after school. Please read our Tutor Expectations.

Tutoring Request Form

Academic Support

For students with diagnosed learning differences or those who have undergone a psychoeducational evaluation resulting in a diagnosis, the Academic Achievement Center (AAC) offers comprehensive academic support for middle and upper school students (grades 5-12) through the development of a personalized Learning Profile. The AAC Director collaborates closely with teachers, students, and parents to identify and implement appropriate classroom accommodations. These accommodations are guided by recommendations from the psychoeducational report and refined through ongoing collaboration with the student, parents, and teachers to ensure their effectiveness and proper implementation.

Occupational Therapy

Occupational Therapy is available from our contracted provider, Prisma Health-Midlands, for children who demonstrate delays with gross motor skills, fine motor skills, visual-motor skills, decreased coordination skills, poor handwriting, and sensory processing difficulties. A board-certified occupational therapist evaluates students. Families and teachers are then provided with recommendations and goals. Individual treatment sessions occur during the regular school day, focusing on improving the child’s development.

Academic Coaching

Many students face challenges with organization, study skills, and time management. Our academic coaches/tutors provide personalized support to help students set goals, establish priorities, and stay motivated to achieve their academic objectives. Coaches also work with students to identify their learning styles, improve study habits, and develop effective organizational strategies.

During sessions, students engage in activities such as monitoring weekly grades, reviewing past tests and quizzes to identify patterns of difficulty, and planning ahead using calendars and schedules to manage assignments, homework, and test preparation. Additionally, academic coaches help students strengthen key skills, including reading comprehension, written communication, and note-taking.

Individual coaching/tutoring sessions, each lasting one class period, are available between 7:30 AM and 4:00 PM. Middle School students can schedule sessions during study hall, specials periods, or before and after school, while Upper School students may schedule sessions during study hall or before and after school.

Additional Resources

Click here for more resources related to our work at the AAC and the challenges students often face.