Though she began her journey with dreams of becoming a teacher, a pivotal internship with a school psychologist altered her career path. After earning her master’s in school psychology and spending six years in the public education system, Amber joined Emma Willard School. Initially hired as a learning specialist, she was promoted to director of learning support the following year. 

In conjunction with Learning Specialist Anne LaSalle, the Learning Support Department follows the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) umbrella. All students in need of academic support start at the universal support tier, which includes peer and adult tutoring sessions and evening support. If students require more assistance, they will be moved to the targeted support tier, which allows for academic support classes, structured study hall, and 1:1 consultations with the Learning Support Team. The highest tier—individualized support—encompasses learning plans and academic accommodations. 

This tiered system allows students to move through the levels to help identify whether they need official accommodations or skill-bolstering. It is a successful balancing act between giving students the level of support they need while staying true to the academic rigor that Emma Willard promises. “We’re always trying to work with where the student is and be really intentional about the level of support we’re providing,” Amber shares. “We’re never jumping ahead to a level of support that’s too much.”

A shift in the field that has been all too prevalent is the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. While not all negative—mental health and neurodivergency stigmas are being removed, and more conversations are happening around human struggles—our students still lost essential classroom time that built executive functioning skills, time management, and resilience. “If a student is struggling and not finishing a test in time, is it because they have a disability that impacts their ability to learn? Or did they just miss a portion of that skill base [due to the pandemic] where they need more study skills and time management skills?” Amber asks. 

“If we were to automatically grant them accommodations, then they’re not actually learning those skills that they’re missing,” Amber continues. That is where the MTSS umbrella becomes extremely valuable, and where the Learning Support Team becomes an essential part of the educational experience offered at Emma Willard.

The Learning Center opened this year in what used to be the Strong Dance Studio on the third floor of Slocum after those classes relocated to the Alice Dodge Wallace ’38 Center for the Performing Arts. In a two-person department, it can become difficult to extend their reach beyond one or two students at a time. With more square footage, they built a daily schedule with different utilizations of the space—including silent study, exam proctoring, research collaboration, learning labs, test anxiety groups, and drop-in support. Whether due to pandemic-related gaps in their education, learning disabilities, or students who just need a bit more structured support, this center is a welcoming space for all to learn and grow. 

When Amber transitioned into her role as director, she was able to think about higher-level issues and how those trickle down to students, including implementing MTSS and the Learning Center. She values her partnership with Anne, whose hands-on leadership with students, faculty, and parents provides her with the necessary bandwidth for strategic innovation within the department. 

Amber recalls the limitations of working within the public school setting, but at Emma Willard, she has more freedom. “We have such creativity and flexibility with the way that we’re able to provide support to students. It’s never really an option of no; it’s just how do we get there, what can we do, and who can we work with?” Amber explains, “All the teachers are so great about thinking outside of the box and giving the students what they need, while also still thinking about being rigorous along the way. It’s always that balance of providing support, but pushing them at the same time.”

Ultimately, Amber’s work is about more than just managing learning support; it is about cultivating a culture of resilience in an ever-evolving educational landscape. By ensuring that every student has the tools to meet the academic rigor with confidence, she sets them up for success that carries far beyond their time at Emma Willard School.

This article was originally written for the Spring/Summer 2026 edition of Signature magazine.

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