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St. Joseph the Worker Program

 

Named after St. Joseph the Worker, patron saint of families, fathers, and laborers, The St. Joseph the Worker Program offers academic support services for college-bound students with diagnosed learning differences. The St. Joseph the Worker Program services include appropriate classroom accommodations according to the student's individual student support plan. 
 

The Academic Resource Center (ARC) class is a required course at NDP for all first-year students who have a psycho-education evaluation or have been diagnosed with specific learning disabilities. After evaluating a student's progress over his or her first semester attending NDP, each student will be reassessed to see if the class will be needed for the following semester. Students within the St. Joseph the Worker Program will qualify for an NDP diploma.  For more information, please see our Program of Studies page 20.

Academic Resource Center (ARC) Class Description: 
In the Academic Resource Center class, students learn study skills, time management, organization, self-advocacy, goal setting and receive academic support through mini-lessons and one on one advising. In addition, students will be exposed to various compensatory strategies and learn to utilize these skills in classroom situations and test-taking environments. Executive functioning skills will be addressed in alignment with the curriculum in order to reap maximum benefit and applicability. Students will be monitored frequently for academic progress, organization of materials, and time management. At the end of the 10th grade year, students will be reassessed by the administration with the help of the Director of Exceptional Learning and the St. Giles Coordinator to determine if they are ready to be assimilated into the standard college-prep curriculum for junior year. 

  • Psycho-educational Evaluation within the last 3 years 
  • Diagnosis with an identified impact on learning 
  • NOTE: 504 Plans are not accepted at NDP for qualification  

If a student has a current Psycho-Educational Evaluation and Diagnosis: 

  • Please send the documentation including the psychological-educational assessment to NDP Admissions for incoming students or to the Director of Exceptional Education for current students. 
  • The documentation will be reviewed by the Academic Resource Center team. 
  • Parents will be contacted, and accommodation will be put in place if appropriate. 
  • Any student with accommodations can join the Academic Resource Center class if there is space available and it fits within a student’s current schedule. First-year students with evaluations and approved accommodations at NDP, regardless of grade level, are required to receive additional support within the St. Joseph the Worker Program through the Academic Resource Center class. (Transfer students will receive elective credit for this class). 

If a student may have a learning disability that has yet to be diagnosed:  

  • Contact the student’s counselor to review overall academic performance and discuss academic interventions available or currently being used.
  • If current academic interventions are insufficient, please contact the Director of Exceptional Education for options about seeking an independent psycho-educational evaluation.  
  • The assessment must include both cognitive and achievement assessments and have a resulting diagnosed disability and outlines an impact on learning. 
  • Please send the documentation from the evaluation to the Director of Exceptional Education. 
  • The documentation will be reviewed by the Academic Resource Center team. 
  • Parents will be contacted, and accommodations will be put in place if appropriate. 
  • A student with learning disabilities can join the Resource Center class if there is space available, and it fits within a student’s current schedule. First-year students with evaluations and approved accommodations at NDP, regardless of grade level, are required to receive additional support within the St. Joseph the Worker Program through the Academic Resource Center class. (Students will receive elective credit for this class). 

St. Joseph the Worker Admission Requirements 

In order to apply to SJW Resource Program, students: 

  • Are required to have a completed psycho-educational evaluation within the past three years 
  • Have been officially diagnosed with a specific learning challenge 
  • Are interested in the learning process, are motivated, and have an outstanding work ethic 
  • Have an ability to work in group situations with minimal distraction to themselves and others 
  • Can independently perform all activities of daily living, such as toileting, dressing, washing, etc. 

St. Joseph the Worker Program Inquiry 
For more information on The St. Joseph the Worker Program, please contact Director of the ARC Exceptional Education Program, Sheri Kreshock at 480-634-8353 or email skreshock@ndpsaints.org