As part of our mission to help every student reach their full potential, Sacred Heart School opened the Learning Center in 2018. The Learning Center provides support for the whole child, which reflects our commitment to inclusive education and meeting the diverse needs of our learners. Staffed by educators who hold master's degrees in special education, the Learning Center plays a vital role in coordinating services for students with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and 504 Plans. In addition to these responsibilities, the Learning Center team oversees the implementation of Sacred Heart School's Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS).

MTSS is a proactive, data-driven framework, designed to identify and address student needs in multiple areas, including academics, behavior, communication, and emotional regulation. The goal of MTSS is to provide timely, targeted interventions that help students build essential skills and prevent learning gaps from widening over time. One of the primary tools used to identify students who may benefit from MTSS support is the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) assessment. MAP testing is administered three times each year to students in kindergarten through grade four and provides valuable information about student achievement and growth.

MTSS support is delivered through small-group instruction at the Learning Center during the school day. Lessons focus on strengthening foundational skills, reinforcing classroom content, and building strategies that support overall academic success. For reading instruction, the Learning Center follows an Orton-Gillingham scope and sequence, using explicit, systematic, and multisensory methods to support the development of reading and spelling skills.

MTSS groups typically run for approximately eight weeks, although the duration may vary depending on the time of year and student needs. At the end of each cycle, student progress is carefully reviewed using MAP data and other progress-monitoring tools. Based on this review, students may continue receiving support, transition to a different group, or exit MTSS services if they have demonstrated sufficient growth. By the end of last school year, 30 percent of students in reading MTSS groups and 20 percent of students in math MTSS groups successfully exited the program.

Through the work of the Learning Center and the MTSS framework, our school remains committed to providing timely, individualized support that helps students gain confidence, strengthen essential skills, and thrive in the classroom. By combining data-informed decision-making with close collaboration among teachers, specialists, and families, we ensure that every student receives the support they need -- when they need it -- to grow academically, socially, and emotionally.



JENNA WALSH IS SPECIAL ED CO-DIRECTOR AND NANCY O'CONNOR IS ADMISSIONS DIRECTOR (ADMISSIONS@SACREDHEARTSCHOOLWEYMOUTH.ORG OR 781-335-6010) AT SACRED HEART SCHOOL IN WEYMOUTH, A TODDLER THROUGH GRADE FOUR SCHOOL SERVING A DIVERSE POPULATION OF 280 STUDENTS FROM OVER 20 COMMUNITIES.