providing comprehensive support for every student’s well-being and success
At EARJ, we offer a wide range of services tailored to meet the diverse needs of our students, including Psychological Services, English as Academic Language (EAL) Support, Learning Support, Counseling, Nutrition, Nurse Services, and Child Safeguarding. These services work together to create a holistic approach to education, helping students not only excel academically but also grow into confident, well-rounded individuals.
Explore the sections below to learn more about how we support our students at EARJ.
EARJ's Lower School counseling program supports and facilitates personal growth, self-esteem, and positive and healthy interpersonal relationships. In addition, the program helps students to grow in their understanding of themselves and their world and to become responsible adults. The program also includes the planning and monitoring of students’ academic programs and progress, assists students who experience personal difficulties, and stresses decision-making, self-advocacy, and personal responsibility. This support is done through guidance classes, individual & group counseling, and classroom & recess observation.
EARJ's Middle School counseling program provides comprehensive support to our students. Bi-weekly guidance classes address topics such as anti-bullying and general well-being, helping students navigate the challenges of adolescence. Counselors monitor academic progress, offer individual and group counseling sessions, and provide academic support to help students develop effective study habits and organizational skills. Advisory programs, assemblies, and peer counseling initiatives foster a positive school climate and promote social-emotional development. Additionally, the program assists with transitions, supporting students as they move from lower to upper school and middle to high school, as well as helping newcomers integrate into the EARJ community.
EARJ's High School counseling program supports students in grades 9-12. Counselors work closely with each student to address their unique academic, social-emotional, and family needs. Through early exploration, we help students identify and develop their strengths, whether academic, athletic, or creative. Our program focuses on both social-emotional well-being and academic planning. Through Advisory, students receive ongoing support to develop essential social-emotional skills. Additionally, individual counseling sessions, year-level meetings, and workshops for both students and parents provide guidance on university and career pathways. By offering a wide range of counseling services, we empower students to navigate their high school years and make informed decisions about their future.
Learning Support services follow an inclusive educational model and provide services for students with a valid and up-to-date diagnosis of disability that adversely affects their school performance, as determined through our eligibility process.
Support is provided through varying levels of intensity based on individual students' needs, focusing on closing academic gaps to help students follow the general curriculum, identifying and supporting accommodations and assistive technology to limit the impact of disability on learning, and supporting students to gain independence in their learning and life through self-advocacy.
Which types of Learning Support services are available at EARJ? Early Intervention - Preschool and Kindergarten
The Early Intervention program has a focus on early identification of students that have a delay of developmental milestones and seeks to intervene with a range of support from co-teaching to short-term small group interventions.
Learning Support – Grades 1-5
G1-5 students receive a range of services that may include classroom accommodations, individualized goals, co-teaching support, and direct instruction in a small group setting from the Learning Support teacher.
Learning Support – Grades 6-12
G6-12 students receive a range of services that may include classroom accommodations, individualized goals, co-teaching support, and direct instruction from the Learning Support teacher. Direct instruction takes place in the Learning Lab class as an elective.
Gifted planning services provide individualized support for students primarily utilizing curriculum compounding, extension, enrichment, and mentorship.
Students may qualify for gifted identification through the eligibility process in the area of General/Specific Intellectual Ability.
EAL services help students from diverse language backgrounds when their English language proficiency is not yet sufficient enough for them to easily access their core content in English.
EAL teachers utilize WIDA language development assessments and standards to provide differentiated levels of support based on individual students’ needs. This support includes but is not limited to small-group EAL specific direct instruction and support in their core content classrooms.
Our EAL services foster the acquisition of academic language by integrating the four language domains: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Students will receive a content-rich curriculum and skill-based practices which are filled with high standards preparing them to succeed in school and life.
We are dedicated to ensuring your child receives the appropriate support through a comprehensive and personalized approach. Our data-informed referral process is conducted by a multidisciplinary team that is led by our educational psychologist. Internally we offer a limited number of evaluations each academic year, as well as connect families to external evaluators in Rio. Following any evaluation shared with the school, the educational psychologist leads the multidisciplinary team to complete the Student Support Services eligibility process, working with EARJ faculty, external professionals, as well as families, to understand your child’s unique needs.
At Escola Americana do Rio de Janeiro, we understand that the quality of food is crucial for the overall development of our students, impacting both their physical health and academic performance.
The menu consists of fresh and healthy food, free of additives. Ultra processed food and fried foods are not part of our menu. Every day we provide vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, antibiotic free poultry, whole grains, seeds and low-sugar and sugar free snacks. All students are encouraged to make healthy choices.
Students with special needs
We provide special meals tailored to students with specific dietary restrictions and allergies. Our kitchen staff is trained to prepare allergen-free meals.The health of our students is a top priority, and we are committed to creating an inclusive and safe dining environment for everyone. EARJ nutritionists will be able to help you.
The health of our students is a top priority, and we are committed to creating an inclusive and safe dining environment for everyone.
SNACKS
For Nursery, Pre-K, and Kindergarten students, the school provides a daily snack, which includes a food item and fruits. These snacks are prepared fresh on-site, at school, and all sweet preparations are sugar free.
According to our inclusive policy, the menu for the allergic students is adapted and similar as possible to the regular menu.
1st to 5th-grade students bring their own snacks from home, encouraging healthy choices. For students in 6th to 12th grade, they have the option to purchase snacks at the school canteen, where healthy options are available. All products offered at the EARJ Snack Shack comply with the guidelines set by the Municipal Law on School Canteens (Decree 52842; Law 7987/23).
LUNCH
At lunch, EARJ offers a diverse and balanced menu that focuses on healthy options, without any fried foods, ultra-processed items, artificial colorings, or industrial seasonings. The menu is carefully designed to ensure that students enjoy meals rich in essential nutrients, with variety and flavor.
The daily lunch menu includes:
3 types of salads, with homemade dressing; extra virgin olive oil, balsamic aceto, as well as seeds (flax, chia, pumpkin, sunflower).
Soup
White and whole-grain rice
Beans
Two different proteins per day (antibiotic free chicken, fish fillet, or beef)
Scrambled eggs
Two side dishes
Vegetarian option
Dessert
Fruit pulp juice and water
For students with special dietary needs (allergies or intolerances), meals are prepared separately to accommodate their specific requirements, supervised by nutritionists.
Students have the option to either eat the school-provided lunch daily, bring their own meal from home, or mix both options. Students that bring food from home, can heat their food in a microwave oven inside the cafeteria.
The school lunch is charged only on the days the student chooses to eat the meal provided by the school. Food deliveries to students during school hours are not permitted.
Upper schoolers can use the Snack Shack during lunch time as well.
The Nursing Services at EARJ are committed to ensuring the health and safety of our students across all campuses. We have a dedicated team of nurses available at each campus to provide first aid, manage medical conditions, and offer guidance on health and wellness. The nurses work closely with students, parents, faculty and staff to support individual health needs and foster a healthy school environment. Additionally, they are an integral part of the school's emergency response team, ensuring that all students receive the care they need throughout the school day.
