Academic Center | Learning Support
Academic Center
Warmly welcoming all students in Grades 7–12, the Academic Center is a place where they can ask questions, hone their skills, and set themselves up for success. Staff members provide support in writing, math, and science through both drop-ins and appointments (students in Grades 7 and 8 are by appointment only).
A peer tutoring program, run by the Director of the Academic Center, allows students in Grades 10–12 to engage in the discipline of service. Peer tutors meet with fellow students in Grades 7–12 across a range of subjects—not limited to writing, math, and science.
Nestled on the 4th Floor, the Center’s bay windows overlook the Peace Terrace, offering students a moment of stillness and a view that opens into possibility. Even in the heart of a city that never sleeps, the Academic Center provides a space where students can pause, reflect, and find the support they need to thrive.
About Mariana Wright Chapman
Mariana Wright Chapman (1843-1907) was a Quaker, born here in New York City, who attended Friends Institute, which was ultimately renamed Friends Seminary. She became president of the New York State Suffrage Association and was a founding member of the Friends Equal Rights Association. Although women's rights were the focus of Mariana's activism, her concern for prison reform, peace, and education all helped to bring about a world that ought to be. Her descendants have continued to be active at Friends as students and members of the Board of Trustees.
Academic Center Hours
| Monday | 8:15 AM-3:30 PM |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | 8:15 AM-4:30 PM |
| Wednesday | 8:15 AM-4:30 PM |
| Thursday | 8:15 AM-4:30 PM |
| Friday | 8:15 AM-3:30 PM |
Denman Tuzo
Academic Center Director
Writing Specialist
Clayton Raithel
Academic Center Assistant Director
Math Specialist
Alex Lavy
Science Specialist
Learning Support
The Learning Support Department at Friends Seminary fosters a love of learning for every student. Grounded in current, research-based practices, our approach is multisensory, interactive, and responsive to students’ evolving needs. We honor each student’s identity, learning profile, and voice, nurturing self-awareness, self-advocacy, and independence.
Collaboration is central to our work. Learning specialists partner closely with families, teachers, psychologists, administrators, and outside providers to create a cohesive support system for students. Through ongoing assessment, reflection, and team-based decision-making, we ensure that every student grows with confidence and joy—and becomes a curious, lifelong learner.
At each level the Guidance Team—including members of the division’s leadership, the division’s psychologist, and learning specialists—meets weekly to review student needs with input from teacher observations and student work.