The overarching vision of Better Together at Gesu Catholic School is to foster a community of belonging where students have multiple unique access points to a holistic Catholic education.
What does it mean to be a Better Together school?
As a Better Together school, Gesu is comprised of general education teachers, intervention specialists, remedial teachers, paraprofessionals and administration. All education professionals collaborate in order to provide the least restrictive environment for students throughout their time at Gesu.
Members of the Intervention Assistance Team (IAT) include the Better Together Director, administration, school psychologist, guidance counselor, speech pathologist, intervention specialists, remedial teachers and paraprofessionals. Specialists are hired through a third-party provider, and are vetted by the school to ensure compliance with Gesu policies, procedures, and mission statement. Gesu provides services to students during the school day and supports accommodations in the classroom as avenues to access the curriculum.
What does Better Together look like at Gesu?
Gesu uses a three-tier intervention system to best support all students through their learning processes as they progress through grade levels. In kindergarten through grade 3, teachers implement Tier 1 interventions at a classroom level. In grades 4 through 8, classroom teachers continue to incorporate Tier 1 interventions, even during content switches. Remedial supports are available for students in Tiers 2 and 3.
Tier 1
Classroom lessons, accommodations and interventions are designed by the classroom teacher to benefit specific students, but other students may benefit as well.
Tier 2
Targeted small-group instruction is provided with specific goals in mind. Weekly data is collected to reflect student progress and adjust instruction.
Tier 3
Intervention is intensified and could include one-on-one instruction with a targeted goal to collect weekly data. This tier may lead to a district referral.