As a private school, MGA strives for the success of each of our students within the confines of a rigorous academic program. This begins with small classes, out-of-class support by classroom teachers and National Honor Society tutors. For those students who need more assistance in meeting requirements, additional academic support may be necessary. This added support is an additional expense to families. In the end, however, there are students for whom the school is not a good match and where another learning environment may be in their best interest. The testing and evaluation information requested in the Release of Educational Records section on this page is designed to help the school and parents make informed decisions about the appropriateness of MGA for their child.
General Academic Support:
MGA provides limited academic support for students who, in the school’s judgment, need assistance in meeting MGA’s academic standards. This support (to the extent that it does not compromise the essential outcome objectives of a course) may include: extra help sessions with teachers, as well as short-term assistance from peer tutors or College Counseling and Student Services Department in the areas of organization and study skills.
The Study Hall:
MGA is proud to partner with The Study Hall to offer our students an optional, fee-based tutoring program. The Study Hall has worked with nearly 4000 students since its inception in 2003 and has worked closely with many MGA girls on campus since the 2010-2011 school year. The Study Hall is familiar with the MGA curriculum and works directly with specific teachers when appropriate. This partnership is in place to provide the support that your daughter may need and offers a student-centered approach to the academic experience.
MGA’s College Counseling and Student Services Department can connect you with The Study Hall or you may visit their website here.
* Please note that The Study Hall also works with many MGA students at its various offices (Scarborough and Cumberland locations).
Services and Supports Unavailable:
MGA acknowledges that some students require an array of supports and services in order to be successful. As a private school, MGA provides reasonable accommodations to qualified students with disabilities; however, the school does not provide the following supports and services:
- Classroom para-professional support, such as education technicians or classroom aides
- Health services beyond the health care set forth in the MGA Handbook
- Certain behavioral interventions, such as formal individual behavioral management plans, and
- Related services, such as speech, occupational and physical therapies or social skills curriculum
MGA does not provide educational or diagnostic testing. If it appears a child would benefit from these services, parents are encouraged to contact the College Counseling and Student Services Department. The Portland Public School District may also provide information about evaluation services. Any adjustments to a student’s academic program that are recommended by such an evaluation must be consistent with the criteria outlined and approved by the Individual Service Plan Team and the Portland Public School Coordinator for Private School Placement.
Students with Diagnosed Disabilities:
Parents of students who have been diagnosed with a disability that qualifies under the Americans with Disabilities Act (including, but not limited to, learning disabilities, ADHD, emotional disorders and speech and language disorders) may request that MGA provide reasonable accommodations. The decision to permit or deny requested accommodations will be made on a case-by-case basis in keeping with the school’s academic program by MGA and the Portland Public School Coordinator for Private School Placement. Such decisions will also take into consideration:
- The nature and extent of the student’s diagnosed disability
- All diagnostic, academic and psychological testing and evaluations
- Academic recommendations from a licensed provider
- Information generated through the ISP process by the Portland Public Schools
- The student’s educational history, including behavioral history and prior use of accommodations, and
- Whether such accommodations can be provided without undue burden to the school and without fundamentally altering the nature of a program, course, or course of study, or lowering programmatic standards
It is essential that documentation of testing and evaluations be shared with the school and be current (in most cases, conducted within the last three years) for academic accommodations to be approved. If these criteria are met, the College Counseling and Student Services Department will create a support plan (in collaboration with the Portland Public Schools) for the student.
Release of Educational Records:
- As a condition of enrollment consideration, parents must sign a release authorizing the student’s prior school to release all the student’s educational records and to permit MGA officials to discuss the student’s educational history with representatives of the previous school.
- In submitting a student’s educational records, parents must ensure that all diagnostic and educational testing of any kind is provided regardless of whether the testing took place at a prior school or was arranged by parents and conducted by a private evaluator.
- Withholding educational records may be grounds for termination of the student’s enrollment.
For more information, please contact the College Counseling and Student Services Department at (207) 797-3802 ext. 2059. Prospective families should also contact the Admission Office at (207) 797-3802 ext. 2022.
