Curriculum Corner: Meet Our Learning Support Team

Meet the Serendipity Learning Support Team

At Serendipity School, we believe every child deserves to feel seen, supported, and challenged as a learner. That’s why we have a dedicated Learning Support Team (LST), made up of Laura McNabb Whitman, M.A. (Math Specialist), Sarah Apple, M.S.(Literacy Specialist), and Liz Jaroslow, Ed.M  (Director of Curriculum & Pedagogy). Together, they partner with teachers to make sure every child’s unique strengths and needs are met. Whether it’s a boost in early reading, a challenge in math, or extra help with social-emotional growth, our goal is to ensure all students can thrive.

In math, Laura works closely with teachers to bring math alive through whole-class lessons and small-group activities that are hands-on, challenging, and fun. She helps teachers analyze Bridges Math assessments to create plans for the whole class while giving extra attention to students who may need more support or accelerated goals.

Sarah focuses on helping all students become confident, skilled readers and writers. She supports K–2 teachers in using our UFLI literacy program, and she works in small groups with students who need extra support, primarily in phonics, fluency, prosody, reading comprehension, and spelling. In grades 3–5, Sarah works alongside the homeroom teachers on critical reading and writing skills, such as reading comprehension, notetaking, writing organization, and morphology.

Liz ties it all together by helping teachers design integrated, inquiry-based lessons that spark curiosity, honor student voices, and meet the needs of the whole child. She also helps create individualized learning plans and supports students’ social-emotional growth, because we know that confidence, self-awareness, and relationships are just as important as academics.

Liz, Sarah, and Laura can frequently be found in classrooms, effectively lowering our teacher-to-student ratio to about 7:1 during key literacy, math, and project times as they get to know each student individually. By working side-by-side with teachers and students, they build strong relationships and gain a deep understanding of each child’s strengths, learning style, and areas for growth. The Learning Support Team is also available to meet with families to discuss individual learning goals, answer questions, and join teachers for Family–School conferences. Their shared goal is to ensure that every child at Serendipity feels supported, and challenged in ways that help them thrive both academically and socially.

At Serendipity, we’re proud to have a team that ensures every child has the tools, encouragement, and opportunities to shine.