Academics

Student Support

The Learning Place and Academic Coaching Center for Excellence

What Are The Learning Place and Academic Coaching Center for Excellence?

The Learning Place (LP) and Academic Coaching Center for Excellence (ACCE) are Bayside Academy's supplemental educational centers. The LP and ACCE assist students with learning differences to reach their full potential by developing independence and fostering self-reliance in order to equip them with the strategies necessary to be successful at Bayside Academy, college, and beyond.

We support students as they overcome learning challenges in a positive, encouraging environment. The LP and ACCE faculty work collaboratively with students, teachers, and parents. We believe that communication among these three constituents is a key factor in the success of each student.

The goal of the LP and ACCE is to equip all students qualifying for services with the strategies necessary to be academically successful within Bayside Academy’s rigorous college preparatory curriculum.

Jennifer Fisher, Previous Director of Student Support Services

Bayside is a special place! The student and the mission remain at the heart of each decision and the school values the character of each individual as much as their academic success! As a career educator, I am MOST proud of the work my team has accomplished in the Learning Resource program at Bayside. These tremendous educators work with students every day to make the 'Bayside experience' accessible to a wider range of student. We love watching our students find academic success, develop resiliency, and understand and advocate for their individual needs. What could be more rewarding?

Services Provided

Bayside offers a variety of support options to meet the individual needs of each child. This support is available for an additional fee and is designed to enable your child to maximize his/her classroom instruction and to develop the necessary skills that will foster academic success.

Occupational therapy — Bayside contracts with a local occupational therapist to provide support services to students during the academic day.
Speech language pathology — Bayside contracts with a local speech language pathologist to provide support services to students during the academic day.
English language support — Bayside employs a licensed English Language Learner (ELL) facilitator to provide individual, small group, and/or push-in classroom support. International students new to Bayside requiring language support will work with our ELL facilitator to build speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills.
Individualized or small group session: PK3–6th grade — A learning specialist works with a single student or a pair of students with similar academic needs.
Study Skills / Executive Functioning Course: 5th–10th grade — This course is offered through the LP and ACCE and is taught by a learning specialist. The course focuses on the development of executive functioning skills. In addition, support is provided in key content areas.
Upper School Academic Coaching — Upper School students that no longer require daily academic support may elect to meet twice each week with a learning specialist to review and plan for upcoming assignments, assess academic progress, and receive academic support on challenging tasks.
American Sign Language — Upper School students with a language-based learning difference may qualify to take two years of American Sign Language in order to meet their foreign language graduation requirement. There is no additional fee for this class.
Grades K–12 Special Testing — Students that require specific testing accommodations may elect to have their tests administered in the testing center. Students that qualify for special testing AND receive other LP/ACCE services do NOT pay an additional fee for testing.

Testing Requirements

In order to be eligible for special academic services or testing accommodations in 3rd–12th grades at Bayside Academy, students must have current psycho-educational diagnostic testing on file with the school. In order to ensure that effective services can be provided, this testing must be updated every three years by a licensed psychologist.

Students enrolled in grades PK–2 that receive support in the Learning Place are not required to have testing on file to obtain services; however, instructional screening may be necessary to provide appropriate intervention.

Meet the Student Support Team

List of 1 members.

Kelley Johnson

Director of Student Support Services

(251) 338-6340

List of 8 members.

Jane Ann Cicco 16

Learning Specialist

(251) 338-6384

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Ms. Cicco is a 2016 Bayside alumni and a graduate from Mississippi College with a BS in elementary education with endorsements in secondary education social studies and English. She has three years of teaching experience in first grade, and she has worked as the varsity assistant coach in track and field at Bayside for two years. She has served as a lead teacher on the first grade teaching team and as a co-leader of a professional learning community group about reading curriculum. She is experienced in implementing intervention instruction within the classroom and small group settings. She has been trained and certified in multi-sensory education through Orton Gillingham.
Merry Davis

Learning Specialist

(251) 338-6480

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University of Tennessee, Knoxville: BA in History with a Minor in Psychology, summa cum laude
University of Tennessee, Knoxville: MS in Teacher Education with a concentration in Elementary
George Washington University: Graduate Certificate in Teaching English Language Learners

Mrs. Davis has 12 years of educational experience. She is experienced with English language instruction, reading and math small group instruction, intervention strategies, and utilizing benchmark data to guide instruction. Previously, she served on the School Improvement Team and Superintendent’s Advisory Committee. Mrs. Davis is trained in Thinking Maps, Multi-Sensory Study Skills and Grammar, Visualizing and Verbalizing, and the Barton Reading and Spelling Intervention System. She is also a trained instructional coach through the Instructional Coaching Institute.
Lee Engwall

Learning Specialist

(251) 338-6480

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Ms. Engwall has a BA in History from Rhodes College, a MSLIS specializing in children's library services from Simmons College, and a MAT in Special Education from Georgia Southern University. She is trained in the Linda Mood Bell Visualizing and Verbalizing program and taught using the Wilson Language program. In addition, Ms. Engwall has training in the Orton Gillingham Methodology from the Schenck School in Atlanta and has worked as a private tutor for students with dyslexia, ADHD, and executive dysfunction difficulties for over 10 years. She's worked in the fields of education and library science for over twenty years.
Sonda Justice

Learning Specialist

(251) 338-6480

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University of Alabama at Birmingham: BS in Elementary Education
University of Alabama at Birmingham: MA in Elementary Education

Mrs. Justice has almost 30 years of classroom experience. She has served as a lead teacher and teacher mentor for new faculty. She is experienced in utilizing intervention strategies within the classroom setting and, as a curriculum leader, using data to drive instruction. She has training in the Alabama Reading Initiative, the Alabama Math Science Technology Initiative, Multisensory Math, and the Barton Reading and Spelling Intervention System.
Jennifer McDowell

Learning Specialist

(251) 338-6394

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University of South Alabama: BS in Early Childhood and Elementary Education
Spring Hill College: MS in Elementary Education

Mrs. McDowell has 25 years of educational experience. She is skilled in creating differentiated lessons based on the needs of each student, and she has hosted Family Math Nights to engage parents in their child’s education and coached faculty in current mathematics practices. She has training in Multisensory Math and Orton Gillingham from the Institute for Multisensory Education. She is also trained in the Barton Reading and Spelling Intervention System, SMARTS Executive Functioning curriculum, Maysville/Mobile Math Initiative, Guided Reading Instruction, implementation of running records, Balanced Literacy, and Talents Unlimited. Mrs. McDowell has over 30 hours of instructional coaching for educators from the Intensive Instructional Coaching Institute.
Andrea Ottolino

Learning Specialist

(251) 338-6490

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Mrs. Ottolino earned her BA from Mississippi College for Women and her MAT from Spring Hill College, and she has over 22 years in education. She has served Grades K4-12 as a classroom teacher, reading specialist, speech teacher and coach, and theatre director. She has written curriculum maps for MCPSS and served on advisory committees for textbook adoptions and school accreditations for both public and private schools. She brings years of experience working with varied learning styles and intervention strategies within classrooms, small groups, and with individual students. Her training includes Talents Unlimited, Balanced Literacy, Running Records, Guided Reading, AIMS Math and Science, and Math Their Way. She was named New Speech and Debate Coach of the Year for the Alabama District in 2023.
Chrissy Thompson

Testing Coordinator

(251) 338-6368

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Auburn University: BS in Zoology
Lesley University: MA in Science in Education

Mrs. Thompson has worked at Bayside Academy for 16 years. She has taught science courses (life science, physical science, conceptual physics, and biology) across all grade levels. She coordinates and administers the AP, SAT, and ACT assessments on campus ensuring students with learning differences receive necessary accommodations. She has also attended workshops on dyslexia, ADHD, improving working memory, strengthening executive functioning skills, and supporting students with learning differences.
Rochelle Tripp

Learning Specialist

(251) 338-6490

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Florida State University: BS in Marketing Communications
Florida Atlantic University: Graduate Certification in Elementary Education and Specific Learning Disabilities
Nova Southeastern University: ESOL Endorsement

Mrs. Tripp has 25 years of educational experience and has earned her ESOL (English to Speakers of other Languages) endorsement. She has taught in both regular and special education environments, and she is experienced utilizing a variety of reading instruction resources and tools to meet the needs of a diverse student population. Mrs. Tripp is trained in the Neuhaus Scientific Spelling program and serves as a teacher trainer for the program. She is also trained in the Barton Reading and Spelling Intervention System, the SMARTS Executive Functioning curriculum, and the Wilson Reading System. She is currently working on her certification in Learning Differences and Neurodiversity.