Student Support Program

Student Support at Spring River

At Spring River, we nurture the whole child—head, heart, and hands. Our Student Support program is designed to honor each student’s individuality while ensuring they feel safe, seen, and supported in every aspect of their learning journey.

Our Approach

We recognize that every child’s path is unique. Our support program integrates social-emotional learning, academic guidance, and developmental awareness to help students thrive in both school and life.

Through collaboration among teachers, support staff, and families, we work proactively to:

Foster emotional resilience and self-regulation
Support healthy peer relationships and a sense of belonging
Identify and respond to academic or developmental needs with compassion and expertise
Provide individualized and group support as needed, with an emphasis on prevention and well-being

Our goal is not only to help children overcome challenges but also to empower them with the tools and confidence to flourish.

Integrative Student Support

Spring River has adopted the Integrative Student Support model, drawing on the work of author and educator Kim John Payne and the ISS framework. As articulated by ISS, “Our task as modern educators is to understand obstacles, soothe anxieties and be spiritual midwives to a child’s true intent.” Integrative Student Support offers a method to stand within our values, warmly and firmly helping a student center themselves, assisting them with behavioural, social and emotional issues.

Key features of the program at Spring River include:

A Student Support Team composed of faculty, administration, and support members, led by a dedicated Student Support Coordinator.
Regular Support Circles, convened whenever a student would benefit from closer collaboration among home, school, and educators. Parents or teachers may request a Support Circle for any child needing academic, social, or emotional support.
A commitment to whole-school faculty development, as ISS recommends. The model offers training, video/audio resources, and written tools for teachers and support staff to help embed a supportive culture across the school rather than treating supports as separate.
A process grounded in the belief that challenging student behaviour is rarely about disobedience, but often about being disoriented, anxious or disconnected, thus the emphasis on building trust, relationships, reflection and safe holding.
A bridging of school and home: ISS emphasises a parent-support component (book readings, home-based tools, and partnership between school and family) to ensure the student’s environment is consistent and coordinated.

By embracing the ISS model, Spring River is committed to creating an environment where support is not an afterthought but integrated throughout the school culture so students can center themselves, learn from challenges, and develop into resilient, connected individuals.

“Our task as modern educators is to understand obstacles, soothe anxieties and be spiritual midwives to a child's true intent. As an educator we also want our work to be sustainable, effective and enjoyable. Integrative Student Support offers a method to stand within our values, warmly and firmly helping a student center themselves, assisting them with behavioral, social and emotional issues.” ~ Kim John Payne

Recommended Resources for Parents

Supporting students also means supporting families. The following books reflect our philosophy of mindful, connected parenting and education:

Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne & Lisa M. Ross — A guide to creating calm, balanced family life by reducing overwhelm and allowing children the space to grow and thrive.
Hold On to Your Kids by Gordon Neufeld & Gabor Maté — A powerful exploration of the parent-child connection and how maintaining strong attachment helps children navigate peer pressure and the modern world.
Emotionally Resilient Tweens and Teens by Kim John Payne & Louis Fernando Llosa — Guidance and real-life stories to help parents support children facing bullying, teasing, or social exclusion - building lasting resilience, confidence, and compassion.

A Community of Care

At Spring River, we view support as a shared responsibility—rooted in relationships, empathy, and understanding. By working together—students, teachers, staff, and families—we ensure that every child is guided not only toward academic success but also toward becoming a confident, compassionate human being.

Any parent or teacher may request a Support Circle for any student who needs close holding due to academic, emotional, or social support at school or at home.

For more information, please email our Student Support Coordinator, Tiffany Rhodin, at studentsupport@springriverschool.org.