Middle School Murray Learning Services

Meeting Students Where They Are

Murray Learning Services supports bright, motivated middle school students with documented learning differences as they navigate the academic, organizational, and developmental demands of a new school environment. Our goal is to help each student build the skills, confidence, and self-awareness needed to become an increasingly independent and successful learner.

Through close partnership with students, teachers, and families, we provide an accessible and supportive educational environment where students can advocate for their needs, recognize their strengths, and fully engage in the Loyola experience. We focus on the student’s abilities and potential—not his disabilities.

Supporting Students, Building Independence

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Program Overview
Middle School Murray is a graded academic support class that strengthens executive functioning and learning skills while reinforcing the grade-level curriculum.

Students develop skills in:
- Planning and organization
- Time management
- Attention and focus
- Motivation and task initiation
- Metacognition and self-monitoring
- Perseverance and problem-solving
- Reading comprehension and writing
- Note-taking and study strategies
Through targeted mini-lessons, students pre-learn vocabulary and historically challenging concepts from their English, Science, and History courses in grades 6–8. Classwork and homework reinforce content-area instruction while building foundational academic skills.

With five students or fewer, the small-group setting allows Murray teachers to provide individualized instruction, feedback, and support.
Who benefits from the Middle School Murray Program?

The Middle School Murray Program supports students with documented learning differences or attention disorders who demonstrate average to above-average intellectual ability and are motivated to develop the skills needed for academic success. The program is particularly suited to students who benefit from additional support with executive functioning skills, including planning, organization, time management, attention, self-monitoring, perseverance, and task completion.

In small groups of five students or fewer, Murray teachers provide explicit instruction and guided practice in the academic and executive-functioning skills needed to succeed in Loyola’s rigorous middle school curriculum. Students receive targeted instruction in vocabulary and historically challenging concepts from English, Science, and History courses in grades 6–8, while strengthening reading, writing, note-taking, and study strategies.

As a graded academic course, Middle School Murray recognizes students’ effort and commitment to growth. Through the program, students build strong study habits, increase independence and self-advocacy, and develop the confidence to meet increasing academic expectations. Students remain fully engaged in Loyola’s academic, extracurricular, and community life while receiving the targeted support they need to thrive.

Admission Requirements

Students applying to the Middle School Murray Program must meet the following criteria:

Demonstrate average to above-average intellectual ability, as measured by a Wechsler intelligence scale or comparable assessment
Have a documented learning disability and/or attention disorder that significantly impacts academic performance
Demonstrate strength in at least one academic area
Provide a comprehensive psychoeducational or neuropsychological evaluation completed within the past three years

Evaluation reports should include assessment of:

Academic achievement
Intellectual and reasoning abilities
Memory functioning
Attention and executive functioning
Social-emotional and behavioral functioning
Educational recommendations and accommodations

A physician’s note, IEP, or 504 Plan alone does not constitute sufficient documentation. Comprehensive evaluation reports must include testing data, interpretations, diagnoses, and recommendations.

MurrayUS

How to Apply

Fill out our Accommodations Request Form indicating you would like to apply for a spot in the Murray Learning Services Program.

Submit your student’s most recent individualized testing consisting of, but not limited to, psychological testing and achievement testing to murraylearning@loyolablakefield.org.

The Director of Murray Learning Services will be in touch to schedule a meeting after submission of both above items.

Documentation Requirements

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What are the Documentation Requirements?
Documentation should:
- Be completed by a qualified, licensed professional
- Clearly state the diagnosis and reference DSM-5 criteria, when appropriate
- Be current, generally completed within the past three years
- Include standardized cognitive and academic testing results
- Describe how the disability impacts academic functioning
- Provide a rationale for recommended accommodations
What Documentation Is Accepted?
The following documentation is generally accepted to establish eligibility for accommodations and/or admission to the Middle School Murray Program:
- Psychoeducational Evaluation
- Neuropsychological Evaluation