CAMS Helps Students Thrive

Dean of Academics Martha Griswold and Director of Academic Support Dr. Laura Daniel visited two other schools for inspiration for the current program. “We were pleased with what we saw in the schools,” Griswold said, “but we also realized that we’re in a situation where we got to know the kids much more quickly. Thanks to Chatham Hall’s smaller size, its staff can sometimes identify issues that would have gone unnoticed at other schools.”  

When CAMS started, it was a service with an associated fee but now it’s free and open to all. Students who attend CAMS classes might have a learning difference such as dyslexia, or a diagnosis that impacts their studies such as anxiety, ADHD, or depression. The non-credit program meets as a class during the school day to provide emotional, academic, and study skills support. Daniel serves as the CAMS teacher, and students also meet with their classroom teachers for additional tutoring support during that time.

 “They just need some structure, they need some oversight, they need some emotional support and predictability,” Daniel said.  

With Chatham Hall students arriving from academic backgrounds all over the globe, academic preparation might also be a reason a student attends CAMS. “With students having been virtual for so long, there’s a variety of reasons, maybe a middle school experience or even an elementary school experience that either left some academic gaps or some study skill gaps,” Daniel added. “They come to Chatham Hall and they wouldn’t be as prepared as they would need to be to meet our curriculum.”

CAMS is structured in a flexible format to allow for synergy and peer learning. “If they see one another following these good study skills, it’s going to be a million times more effective than me saying to do it,” Daniel said. “They say, ‘hey, you know, I was there. I was kind of in your position six months ago or last year, let me show you how I studied for this class.’”

Daniel also works with the School’s counseling office to make sure that students stay on track with any mental health counseling appointments. She also communicates with classroom teachers to identify what’s working and where students are still struggling, and with students’ Advisors to keep everyone on the same page in terms of supporting the students.

Students can join CAMS mid-year if needed, but Daniel said the School works hard to identify potential CAMS students at the start of the year. “In the admissions process for new students, we’ve worked really hard to recommend and even require some students to participate in the program their first year,” she said. “That’s based on previous psychological testing, educational testing, and/or teacher recommendation.” Some parents also refer their student to CAMS because they know they might need that extra guidance.

Once these students succeed at Chatham Hall, they’re better equipped to choose a college at which they can flourish and advocate for help if they need it. “They get that moment of success and feel that they can therefore transfer that to other areas,” Griswold said. “It also goes to their agency of being able to take control of their learning.”

Originally published in the Fall 2021 Chat.