One to oneStudent Success Coaching
Goal setting, motivation and confidence building, organization and time management, school stress, and building positive habits that make each week feel more manageable.
- Grades 6 to 12
- 1 on 1
- Goals & habits
Harbour Grace, NL and online
Helping students feel confident at school.
Coaching and tutoring for middle and high school students, plus practical tools for parents and educators.
Melissa Taaffe
Educator, Student Success Coach
Hi, I'm Melissa
Every student deserves to feel seen and supported.
I am an educator with more than 20 years of experience supporting middle and high school students. About ten years ago I stepped away from the French classroom into a different teaching role, and it changed how I saw school: many students were not struggling because they could not do the work, but because something had made school feel out of reach.
My master's research focused on student engagement and re-engagement: the role of relationships, student voice and practical supports in helping young people find their way back. That work grew into The Student Success Lens.
Today I work with students, families and educators to build calm routines, close learning gaps and create realistic plans that help students feel capable again, one small step at a time.
20+ Years in Education
Supporting middle and high school students
Master's Research
Student engagement and re-engagement
Relationships First
Student voice, belonging and trust
Harbour Grace, NL
In person locally, virtual anywhere
How I Can Help
Practical support that helps students move forward.
Personalized support for middle and high school students, shaped around each student's needs, strengths and goals, with families kept in the loop.
One to one
Individual or small groupTutoring & Academic Support
Homework help, test preparation, concept review, literacy and numeracy, mathematics, and support across a range of grades and subjects, with clear explanations at the student's pace.
- Many subjects
- 1 on 1 or group
- Test prep
Targeted supportSchool Re-engagement & Attendance Support
Identifying the barriers behind missed school, creating gradual re-entry plans, catching up on missed work, strengthening school connections and clear next steps for families.
- Attendance
- Re-entry plans
- Family steps
Practical toolsStudy Skills & Executive Function
Planning, prioritizing, starting tasks and staying on track. Students learn routines and systems for assignments, deadlines and studying that they can keep using on their own.
- Planning
- Routines
- Independence
TutoringFrench & French Immersion
Support for French and French Immersion students, from reading and vocabulary to written work, from an educator with years of French classroom experience.
- Core French
- Immersion
- Reading & writing
Not sure where to start?
Share what is happening for your student right now. Melissa will suggest the kind of support that makes the most sense as a first step.
Start a conversationConnection before intervention. Progress over perfection.
Every plan starts with listening to the student, then builds small, realistic steps that help them feel capable at school again.
Resource Packages
Practical tools for students, parents and educators.
Easy to use guides, checklists, templates and strategies to support school success and re-engagement. The first packages are being prepared now.
Coming soon
Topics in development
Homework and study skills, school avoidance and re-engagement support, executive function strategies, and French Immersion support. Ask to be notified when the first packages are released.
For parents
Tools for home routines
Morning and homework routines, conversation starters and simple checklists that help families support school without daily battles.
For educators
Re-engagement supports
Practical templates for check-ins, re-entry planning and building connection with students who have drifted away from school.
Session Formats
Flexible support, in person or virtual.
Contact Melissa for current availability and rates. She will help you choose the format that fits your student, your schedule and your goals.
Small Group Tutoring
2 to 3 students
- Shared sessions for friends or siblings
- Homework help and concept review
- Test preparation and study skills
- Encouraging, low pressure setting
In person in Harbour Grace or virtual
Ask about this formatOne to One Support
Coaching & Tutoring
- Sessions built around one student's goals
- Academic support across grades and subjects
- Organization, routines and confidence
- Regular check-ins with parents
Flexible scheduling, in person or virtual
Ask about this formatBack on Track Package
3 sessions
- A focused start for re-engagement
- Identify barriers and priorities
- Build a manageable catch-up plan
- Clear next steps for the family
Designed for students returning to routine
Ask about this format
Small steps. Real momentum.
What the Research Shows
Why students disengage, and what helps them return.
Key themes from Melissa's master's research on student engagement and re-engagement, shared as practical takeaways for families and educators.
What it means
Chronic absence and disengagement rarely come from one cause. They are often a response to stress, gaps in learning, lost connections or a sense that school no longer fits.
In practice
- Look beyond the behaviourAsk what is making school feel hard right now
- Notice patterns earlyLate arrivals and missed work often come first
- Avoid blameShame pushes students further away
What it means
Students attend when they feel they belong. Feeling known by peers and adults, and having a place in the school day, is a powerful protective factor.
In practice
- Find a point of connectionA class, club, adult or routine they value
- Celebrate small returnsEvery partial day counts
A Kintsugi-inspired framework
The Kintsugi Re-Entry Framework: repair with care.
The Cracks
- Notice the barriers
- What changed, and when
- Listen first
- The student's view of school
The Pieces & The Gold
- Name the strengths
- Interests, skills and supports
- Find the connections
- People and places that help
The Path Back & Repair Plan
- Plan gradual steps
- A realistic re-entry timeline
- Review and adjust
- Progress over perfection
The Re-engagement Plan
A simple, supportive process to help students succeed.
The same four steps guide students, parents and teachers. Each step is small, clear and built around connection.
Step 1
Let's Talk
A short conversation to understand the student, their needs and goals, and what has been making school feel difficult.
Step 2
Create a Plan
A practical, manageable plan built with the student, focused on the next few steps rather than everything at once.
Step 3
Build Momentum
Ongoing support, strategies and encouragement to keep moving forward, with small wins noticed and celebrated.
Step 4
Stay Connected
Regular check-ins with the student and family, and clear communication with school when helpful, so the plan keeps working.
Kind Words from Families
Feeling safe, and coming out of their shell.
Families share what changes when a student feels supported, understood and excited to keep showing up.
Book a Session"I just wanted to say thank you. You are a crucial part of my child's success. He feels safe with you and loves coming to see you. Thank you for all you do for him. It means a lot."
"We are so happy we found you! My daughter loves to come to your house. She asks every week when she is going, and she has come out of her shell so much."
"I just wanted to say thank you. You are a crucial part of my child's success. He feels safe with you and loves coming to see you. Thank you for all you do for him. It means a lot."
"We are so happy we found you! My daughter loves to come to your house. She asks every week when she is going, and she has come out of her shell so much."
Frequently Asked Questions
What families often ask before we begin.
How sessions work, who they are for and what to expect before your first meeting.
I work with tweens and teens in middle and high school, along with their parents. I also share practical resources and strategies with educators who support students.
Yes. School re-engagement and attendance support is a core part of what I do: identifying barriers, creating gradual re-entry plans, catching up on missed work and building connections with school, with clear next steps for families.
I support a range of grades and subjects, including homework help, test preparation, concept review, study skills, literacy and numeracy, mathematics, and French and French Immersion.
Both. In person sessions take place in Harbour Grace, Newfoundland, and virtual sessions are available for families in other areas.
Tutoring focuses on schoolwork and subject content. Coaching focuses on the skills around learning: goal setting, organization, time management, motivation, confidence and positive habits. Many students benefit from a mix of both.
Send a message or call. We begin with a short conversation to understand your student's needs and goals, then build a practical, manageable plan together.
No. The Student Success Lens is an educational support service. It does not provide counselling, psychotherapy, psychological assessment, diagnosis, or crisis intervention. If your child needs that kind of care, please reach out to a qualified professional or, in an emergency, call 911 or 988.
Have a different question?
Send Melissa a note. Every message is read personally and answered within one working day.
Your Next Step
Every fresh start begins with one conversation.
Whether your student is falling behind, feeling overwhelmed or finding it hard to get to school, reach out and Melissa will help you find a manageable next step.
Contact
Let's talk about your student.
Direct contact
Call, text, email or send a message on Facebook or Instagram. You will hear back personally, usually within one working day.
Phone
709 743 8999Location
In person in Harbour Grace, Newfoundland, and virtual sessions
Availability
Weekday evenings and weekends