Marist Academic Center

Marist Academic Center

The Marist Academic Center (MAC), located on the third floor of the Wooldridge Center, is a space dedicated to providing academic resources for all students at Marist. The MAC features a classroom, and two small group study rooms as well as comfortable individual study carrels and a small soft-seating study area. Staffed by learning specialists and content-area teachers, the MAC provides a space for students to drop in throughout the day or after school to work or get assistance when they need a helping hand. The resources provided in the MAC help students develop strong study skills, allowing them to be efficient, successful learners.

The Marist Academic Center can assist students in the following areas:
  • study skills and strategies
  • organization
  • note-taking
  • time management
  • math and writing
Periodically each term, the MAC will offer workshops to provide students with additional assistance and ideas in areas such as organization, note-taking, and exam preparation.

List of 5 items.

  • Marist Academic Center Resources

    Students and parents can access study skills and strategies support through the Marist Academic Center website: https://sites.google.com/marist.com/big-mac/home
    • Study Smarter Strategies:
    • Organization Skills
    • Test-Taking Skills
    • Time Management
    • Problem-Solving Strategies
    • Note-Taking
    • Stress Management
    • Communication
    • Active Student Participation
    Evening Teacher Tutorials and Peer Tutoring are available for students. Go to the MAC website. Click on MAC Tutorial/Support for You.
     
    Study Skills and Strategies recommendations for students are posted on Mondays to the student Google classrooms.
     
    Helpful articles are shared in the Weekly Way parent newsletter focused on best practices and evidenced-based strategies to help students with the rigor in the classroom.
  • Marist Academic Center Statement of Services

    Please view the MAC Statement of Services.
  • Marist Academic Center Hours

    The MAC remains open from 7:30 a.m. 4:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday. Students may drop in or make appointments at any of the times listed below. 

    Periods 1-7
    (Monday – Friday)
     
    MAC Before School
    7:30 – 8 a.m.
    (Monday – Thursday)

    MAC After School
    3:05 – 3:35 p.m.
    (Monday – Thursday)

    MAC English Tutorial with Dr. Hipp
    3:35 – 4:05 p.m.
    (Tuesday and Thursday)
  • Frequently Asked Questions

    Who can come to the Marist Academic Center (MAC)? 
    The Marist Academic Center is open to all Marist students. Any student who would like assistance in time management, organization, test-taking, or study skills is welcome. The space is also open to students seeking a group study room or a quiet place to study.

    May students drop in or do they have to make an appointment?
    Students may drop in to the Marist Academic Center at any time during the day or during after-school hours. If students have a specific concern or would like to see a certain teacher, they may make an appointment to ensure availability.

    When can students visit the Marist Academic Center? 
    Students are welcome to visit the MAC at any time during the school day or during after-school hours. Students should come to the MAC when they have free time in their schedules. Students should not miss any academic classes when they visit the MAC.

    Can the Marist Academic Center help with executive functioning skills? 
    The Learning Specialists who staff the MAC are well-versed in helping students develop executive function skills. At the MAC, students can expect to learn strategies that will help them with time management, note-taking, organization, and test-taking skills.

    Does the Marist Academic Center provide tutoring? 
    The MAC does not provide individual tutoring for content. We can work with your child's academic counselor to provide contact information for outside tutoring if that is a service you wish to provide for your child outside of the school day.

    Does the Marist Academic Center have remedial services for re-teaching of material? 
    The MAC provides strategy development for learning and studying to help students hone their skills to become more successful in each of their classes. The MAC is not designed or staffed to provide remedial instruction to students who are struggling with content-specific information. We are happy to provide tutoring information if you should need more intensive support for your child.

    Can students meet with outside tutors at the Marist Academic Center? 
    We ask that students schedule tutoring sessions at a location outside of the MAC. The MAC is meant to serve a large number of students; as such, we need to keep the MAC spaces open to as many students as possible.
  • Courses

    Strategies and Skills for Success 1 (SK141: Grades 7-9)
    Strategies and Skills for Success is a one-term course offered to students who desire to improve upon their organizational and study habits while learning strategies to help enable their learning. The intention of the course is to help students develop skills in self-reflection, self-evaluation, and self-monitoring in order to become independent learners. Students will learn strategies for test taking, time management and prioritization, study methods, reading strategies, long-term project planning, memory strategies, and more. This course focuses on strategies that help students to adapt to the increasing academic demands while using the IDEAL problem-solving model to navigate the obstacles getting in the way of their academic success.

    This course is a pass/fail course which is not computed into the Marist GPA.

    Strategies and Skills for Success 2 (SK241: Grades 8-12)
    This course is offered to students after taking Strategies and Skills for Success 1 (SK142 or SK143). Skills and Strategies for Success 2 offers students further support in applying strategies and accessing resources learned in Skills and Strategies for Success 1. Students use class time to independently manage their academics with the support of a learning specialist and, in some classes, a content-area support teacher. Students are encouraged to ask questions, seek support, and self-monitor for grades/work completion. The focus for Skills and Strategies for Success 2 is for students to be able to apply the IDEAL problem-solving model to problem-solve issues that may be impacting their academic success, self-reflect regarding strengths and challenges, and take ownership of their learning.

    Students may take this course for more than one term. Grades 8 and 9 must have completed Strategies and Skills for Success 1 (SK142 or SK143).     

Learning Specialists

List of 2 members.

  • Photo of Elizabeth Seraydarian

    Ms. Elizabeth Seraydarian 

    Director, Marist Academic Center
  • Photo of Katherine Carroll

    Mrs. Katherine Bain Carroll 10

    Learning Specialist

Book Resources

Driven to Distraction: Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder from Childhood through Adulthood by Edward Hallowell and John Ratey
 
CHADD Information and Resource Guide to ADHD by CHADD
 
CHADD Educator’s Manual on Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) by CHADD
 
ADHD: Achieving Success in School and in Life by Barbara Guyer
 
Taking Charge of ADHD: The Complete Authoritative Guide for Parents by Russell Barkley

Marist School

3790 Ashford Dunwoody Road, NE
Atlanta, GA 30319-1899
(770) 457-7201
An Independent Catholic School of the Marist Fathers and Brothers