Who can register for the Browning Center? Students with IEP’s (Individualized Education Plan) & 504 Plans are eligible to register for the Browning Center. If a student does not have an IEP/504 but has a psychoeducational, neuropsychological and/or a medical evaluation, the director of the Browning Center can review the documentation to determine eligibility for the center.
*Please refer to the Disability Documentation
Can my son receive accommodations according to his documentation but not be enrolled in Browning Center? Yes, accommodations will be honored according to the student’s service plan/504 regardless of their BC registration status.Students with service plans/504’s are not required to register for the BC.
Can a student register for the Browning Center by semester? Year? Students can register for the center by semester. If after the first semester a student wants to unenroll, they are able to do so with communication to the Browning Center Staff. The registration form is sent to families in July prior to the school-year.
When can students access the Browning Center? The center is open from 7:30am-3:30pm every day. Registered students can access the center before/after school, during free periods, scheduled Browning periods, cancelled classes and lunch.
*Freshmen are scheduled in the center during all of their free periods for the duration of freshman year. After freshman year, families can choose to adjust the number of periods students are scheduled in the center.
What do students work on when they are in the center? Students spend the first 10-15 minutes checking Powerschool & Canvas. After viewing their list of assignments, students are encouraged to prioritize their work completion by tackling their most difficult assignments first. When support is needed, students should ask staff members for assistance. This can come in the form of content review for clarification and deeper comprehension or assistance with assignments/projects/homework.
How many specialists are in the center? There are 3 full time support specialists in the center. Periodically throughout the day, there are additional teachers from various departments who also provide support in the center.
How much does it cost to register my child to the Center? The fee for those requiring structured assistance and further support will be outlined in the Browning Center brochure shared by the director before each school year. If a family needs financial aid in order to enroll their son in the Browning Center, they inform the Director of Financial Aid, Fred Galano (GalanoF@spprep.org). For the 2025-2026 school year, the cost for BC enrollment is $2300 for freshmen and $1800 for upperclassmen. (This is subject to change.) Families are billed once per semester.
How will teachers know that a student has an IEP/504 plan? The Browning Center Staff takes each student’s documentation and creates a service plan designed specifically for St. Peter’s Prep and the Browning Center. This plan is confidentially communicated to teachers via Powerschool.
Who evaluates/re-evaluates students at SPP? The Jersey City Board of Education/Special and Non-Public Division provides a Child Study Team to evaluate/re-evaluated students classified in the SLD (Specific Learning Disabled) category. For students with all other classification categories, families handle evaluations/re-evaluations through their healthcare provider.
How do students receive assessment accommodations?
| Test Accommodations | In Action |
| 50% Extra Time | Students take standard time in class and may access the BC Test Room for their 50% allotted extra time if needed. |
| 100% Extra Time | Students take standard time in class and may access the BC Test Room for their 100% allotted extra time if needed. |
| Breaks as needed | Students may request a break(s) during testing on a need basis. This applies to all testing locations. |
| Scribe | If a student would like to access this accommodation, he would need to contact his teacher and the BC at least 24 hours prior to the assessment. Within this communication, the student will need to coordinate the timing of the assessment with his teacher and BC. “Speech to text” can also be used if applicable. |
| Chromebook | If a student would like to access this accommodation, he would need to contact his teacher and the BC at least 24 hours prior to the assessment. If the assessment is on paper for the standard administration, this accommodation will be accessed in the BC Test Room. N.B. Students who utilize this accommodation will be monitored electronically via Go Guardian and are expected to adhere to St. Peter’s Academic Integrity policy. Any improper or nefarious use of the chromebook during an assessment may result in the forfeit of this accommodation and its removal from the student’s learning plan. |
| Reader | If a student would like to access this accommodation, he would need to contact his teacher and the BC at least 24 hours prior to the assessment. Within this communication, the student will need to coordinate the timing of the assessment with his teacher and BC. The “Speechify” reading application can also be used if applicable. |
| Tests in Browning | Students with this accommodation will take their entire assessments in the Browning Center Testing Room |
| Calculator | Students will be permitted the use of calculators when appropriate. |
| Answer in test Booklet | Students will be allowed to answer within a test booklet. This accommodation can be administered in all testing environments including the classroom. |
*Teachers reserve the right to administer any of the above accommodations.
How do I contact The Browning Center Staff?
- Christine Davis (BC Department Chair): davisc@spprep.org
- Renato Rodrigues: ’10 (Academic Support Specialist)- rodriguesr@spprep.org
- Dominick Della Fave, ’91 (Learning Specialist)- dellafaved@spprep.org