Contact

Special Education

The Special Education Department offers academic support plus a variety of learning experiences for students who have been identified as exceptional or who require accommodations for successful learning. Please visit Special Education Services for a description of our role, programs and services, and information on referrals and identification.

The teacher(s) in this Department provide resource help, liaison with subject teachers, and counselling services to ensure that these students have the opportunity to reach their potential.  Recommended interventions, accommodations and/or modifications for every identified student will be communicated to all interested parties through the Individual Education Plan (IEP).

Referrals and Identification

Students who may have special needs are referred to the Special Education Department.  These referrals may be made by feeder school principals, parents, teachers, or the student themselves.  Formal and informal assessments are carried out to determine student need for special programs.  Parental input and approval are both encouraged and essential at all points in the Identification, Placement and Review Committee (IPRC) process to ensure that the best interests of the student are being met.

Learning Resource Centre and Special Education Support Program

The goal of the learning resource centre is to provide opportunities for students with an IEP to demonstrate achievement.  Accommodations and modifications may be involved for students earning credits but the provincial standard must be maintained.  In order to assist students to attain these standards, students are encouraged to use a variety of strategies, some of these are:

  • ·  Additional time for tests and assignments
  • ·  Use of a laptop in class
  • ·  A quiet location for tests, assignments and exams
  • ·  Lunch hour or after school support
  • ·  Access to programs or apps such as Kurzweil, Dragon, WordQ
  • ·  Referral to alternate agencies for support or documentation
  • ·  Use of computer for literacy support

The role of the Special Education Resource Teacher is to provide academic support, investigate ways for a student to demonstrate their strengths, look at alternate assignments where appropriate, advocate for a student and liaise with post secondary institutions.

The Special Education Resource Teacher is a member of the Student Success team which also includes Principal, Vice-Principal, Student Success Teacher, Guidance Counsellor, and School Support Counsellor.

Alternative Program

Any placements into an alternative program is done through an Identification Placement and Review (IPRC) meeting. An Individual Education Plan (IEP) is designed for each student according to their individual learning needs and strengths. An alternate report card is used to summarize student achievement within the alternate program. The alternative program is instructed by staff with Special Education qualifications.

Life Skills Program

  • Supports physical and health needs
  • Develops communication, living skills, life skills, and social and leisure skills within a highly      supportive and structured environment
  • Individualized programs may include: physiotherapy, augmentative communication and comprehensive physical care supports
  • Collaborates with community agencies in transition planning for students and may include work      experience opportunities
  • Students typically have connections with Community Care Access (CCAC) and Ontario Disabilities Support Program (ODSP)
  • Student progress, in relation to IEP expectations, is formally reported on the alternative report card
  • Programs consider that students will integrate into classrooms on an auditing basis and/or school activities to the greatest extent possible
  • The life skills program is available to students until June of the calendar year they turn twenty-one
  • Program objectives are increased independence, transitional support to community services and a Certificate of Accomplishment

Placement Options

Special needs students are educated with their peers in the regular classroom to the fullest extent possible. Special Education classroom placement remains an option where extended individual assistance is required and where the parents are in agreement with the placement.

See the course calendar for full course descriptions.