Alma del Mar Charter Schools

Charter Public Schools for New Bedford, MA

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Alma del Mar support staff working with scholars

Alma’s High Demand, High Support Model

A critical part of Alma del Mar’s crew code is “High Demand, High Support.” This pillar of the crew code is how we approach scholar support at Alma. Alma del Mar makes sacred promises to families and scholars. When our staff agrees to educate children, we are entering an unconditional agreement. We agree to provide the support necessary to ensure that all of our scholars grow up to be service-minded leaders. We embrace the understanding that not all scholars enter our school with the same tools to meet this goal. 

The scholar support team at Alma delivers inclusive, specialized, and all-encompassing services to rigorously meet the needs of every scholar. It is our privilege to ensure that we develop our scholars own unique abilities. 

Special Education and Section 504

Sarah D. Ottiwell Campus:Scholars with an IEP – 21%
Scholars with a 504 Plan – 4%

Scholar Support Staff

  • Literacy Specialists
  • Math Specialists
  • ESL Specialists
  • School Psychologist 
  • Speech Therapists
  • Occupational Therapist
  • Physical Therapist 
  • Paraprofessionals
  • School Nurse

Learn more about our Special Education program and how you may request an evaluation for your child in our Scholar & Family Handbook (beginning on Page 32):
Scholar & Family Handbook
Manual Escolar y Familiar

Download the Special Education Policies & Procedures Manual

English Language Learners

Alma works with families to ensure that all scholars, regardless of their home language, develop English proficiency, content knowledge, and academic language skills to prepare them for success in mainstream classes.

A majority of our English Language Learners who enter Alma in Kindergarten are able to move out of ELL status within two years as a result of strong Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) instruction. All Alma teachers receive their SEI endorsement, and all Alma classrooms support English Language Learners to be academically successful across content areas.

Our combined population of ELLs and former ELLs at our flagship school, the Sarah D. Ottiwell Campus, is nearly 50%.

Alma ensures that all parents receive written and oral communication from the school in their home language if they are not comfortable with communicating in English. This includes any necessary translation of vital documents or interpretation services.

Download our English Language Learner (ELL) Policies & Procedures