Supported, Nurtured and Known

Academic Development

To prepare our students to be successful in college and beyond, our teachers, advisors, counselors and administrators all work collaboratively to develop strategies to encourage academic success. The Sandra F. Birdsong Center for Academic Excellence provides supplemental learning support to maximize each student’s capacity to learn. The Center also provides professional development opportunities to faculty and staff to further their understanding of learning differences and differentiated instruction, which includes utilizing student’s strengths, learning styles and interests to provide the appropriate level of challenge for each student.

Sandra f. birdsong center for academic excellence

Social-Emotional Wellness

Identifying students’ social-emotional needs is essential in removing barriers to learning and helping students develop skills and behaviors critical for lifelong success. Our school counselors specialize in dealing with different types of student social and development issues specific to each age group. They visit classrooms and coordinate lessons with teachers as needed, working with students in a one-on-one setting or in small groups. Topics vary by age and grade level but include goal-setting, problem solving and decision-making, education in understanding self and coping strategies, conflict resolution and peer mediation, academic planning and support and school-to-parent communications and conferencing. They also provide crisis intervention and management and referrals when necessary.

Through the advisory program, middle and upper school students also participate in lessons that address a wide range of social and emotional themes, including gratitude, compassion, emotional wellness, communication and community building.

To create a healthier and a more equitable, innovative and compassionate community, our counselors and nursing staff have partnered with the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence’s RULER Institute to use a systematic approach to social and emotional learning called RULER, which is an acronym for the five skills of emotional intelligence (recognizing, understanding, labeling, expressing and regulating).

In addition to the RULER Program, Middle and Upper School students also learn to navigate the complex intersection of well-being, social media and technology through our partnership with The Social Institute (TSI). The comprehensive program, #WinAtSocial, promotes character, empathy, teamwork, critical thinking and other important life skills and provides supplementary resources for parents. The lessons empower students to navigate social media and technology positively to fuel their health, happiness and future success and provide our families with expert advice on tech and social media trends impacting students today.

Physical Wellness

Opportunities for developing physical fitness abound, from athletic teams fielded in more than a dozen sports to an after-school running club. A weight room is also open to students. NSA partners with a specialist from Pivot Physical Therapy, who serves as the strength and conditioning coach and provides clinics, training and advice to coaches and athletes regarding conditioning, strength training and injury prevention. The specialist also partners with our certified athletic trainers to implement a comprehensive plan for injury prevention and recovery, including concussion management.

Two full-time nurses support our community’s physical wellness. At the Main Campus, NSA partners with Flik Independent School Dining to provide wholesome, nutritious meals in conjunction with nutrition education, equipping our students, faculty and staff with tools needed to live a happy, healthy life.