Learning Support - Montgomery Scholars Program
Montgomery Scholars Program: where HGP meets the needs of neurodiverse learners.
Launched in the fall of 2016, the Montgomery Scholars Program provides extra academic support and intervention to HGP students accepted into the program. MSP provides individualized support by a Learning Support Specialist to enable each student to grow as an independent learner.
The Montgomery Scholars program is named after Kevin Montgomery whose life was tragically cut short at the age of 17 from complications of a diabetic attack in 1998. Montgomery, who carried a 3.98 GPA and was set to attend Duquesne University that fall, was one of those students who dove into everything that Holy Ghost Prep had to offer. He also found time to tutor his classmates and ended up being the driving force behind the creation of the Holy Ghost Prep National Honor Society tutoring program.
MSP is invested in teaching
- Flexibility
- Goal-directed persistence
- Metacognition
- Organization
- Planning/Prioritization
- Response Inhibition
- Sustained Attention
- Task Initiation
- Time Management
- Working Memory
- Self Advocacy
- Study Skills
Who can benefit from MSP?
Students with academic challenges due to mild learning differences or attention difficulties.
How much does the program cost?
The cost of the program is $5,000 per year.
What does MSP offer?
- Freshmen attend an Academic Strategies class in addition to their regular 9th grade courses and receive 1 credit toward their GPA.
- Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors in the program meet in small groups called Learning Extensions that are comprised of 1-3 students for grade/course specific help in relation to executive function skills.
- Students meet with the Learning Support Specialist 1-7+ times per 8 day cycle, depending on the student’s needs.
- The Learning Support Specialist acts as an intermediary between the student, parents, and faculty, advocating for the student’s success.
MSP coordinates with:
- Catapult teachers for tutoring in Math and English
- NHS tutors for any subject offered at Holy Ghost Prep
- Outside providers (tutors, evaluators, educational advocates)
Quotes from Parents and Students in MSP
“The Montgomery program has been the best opportunity that was given to Nick. To be honest we came across the Montgomery program by accident. Jenn was talking to someone in the admissions office and they mentioned it to her and it seemed like a good idea. Nick doesn’t usually fit with most programs like this because he does well on tests but his organization is his main problem. This program was perfect for him because it really focused on his main issues and the communication between school and the teachers was great. Even though all of the teachers are great, this program is the best for Nick as it focused on executive functioning and gave him the all-around help he needed. No other school saw that he had the ability to solve a math problem but had difficulties emailing a teacher or asking for help. Ghost saw the potential Nick has and has provided support for him. For that we are eternally grateful. We are so thankful of everything that Mrs. Kohler does for the program and for Nick. She has kept us up to date with everything. Nick would have fallen through the cracks at any other school…but not here because of Ghost and the Montgomery program. We are so glad that we found out about this program. Hopefully many other families will too.” - MSP Parent
“The amount of personalized attention our son received from the Montgomery Scholars Program has really helped him adjust to the culture, while building the skills he needs to be successful.” - MSP Parent
“As a parent who watched her child have his challenges throughout grade school, I truly am amazed how much my son has grown since entering the Montgomery Scholars Program. The program allows your child to focus on his strengths without feeling singled out, which allowed my son’s confidence to grow. The program is fantastically designed to build up your child in every area academically and socially.” - MSP Parent
“Working with Mrs. Kohler has been very helpful in improving my grade in Geometry. The one-on-one teaching has really helped me better understand the subject and I feel I’m much more comfortable in class and on my exams.” - MSP Student
“MSP has been incredibly beneficial to our son. Thanks to the tremendous support of Mrs. Kohler and the entire team, his grades have improved dramatically since he entered the program. We can see his confidence has grown and the hard work he has put in is being reflected in his performance.” - MSP Parent
“At times, the development of a child cannot be left solely in the hands of just the parents. It is comforting to know that the learning support program, better known as the Montgomery Scholars Program at Holy Ghost, gives our son additional support when needed. Many thanks to Theresa Kohler and the team!” - MSP Parent
“The Montgomery Scholars Program was extremely helpful. All the boys come from a different level of 8th grade materials and this program helped my son quickly get on the same level as well as develop excellent study habits that continued throughout the year.” - MSP Parent