Students with Special Learning Needs

We seek to understand the learning needs and styles of all our students. Many children through the course of their school years will have times when learning becomes difficult.

Providing Support

The classroom teacher and the support staff work with parents to support learning in all areas, enabling the student to achieve success while discovering strategies and structures that accommodate their learning needs. Some students require special adaptations and accommodations. For these children, the team can be expanded to include other divisional support staff with specific expertise, who will become part of the team that supports the learning needs of the child. Children who require accommodations and adaptations beyond the regular needs within a class will have an individualized Student Educational Plan, developed by their classroom teacher & support staff.

In-Class Support

This is our preferred method of meeting the needs of the student that requires accommodations. The teacher will work with support services personnel to develop activities that will meet the needs of the learner in the classroom. In this way the student maintains the social benefits of being with their classmates, are provided models of performance from others and have a chance to refine strategies.

Individualized and Group Programming

While we recognize the students’ social need to be in the classroom, we also recognize that some students need to work at different educational outcomes at different times in order to work to individual potential. In these cases, the student will have a specific plan developed which may pull them out of the classroom for designated periods of time, to work individually or with others who demonstrate similar needs. These accommodations could include working with a teaching assistant on programs designed by the support staff.

School and Divisional Student Support

There are a number of services available to students if support / additional help is required.

• Teacher support before and after school as arranged

• Daily Homework Club with assistance

• Resource Teacher Team- programming and collaborative planning with students, teachers and parents

• Counsellor- individual, groups, classroom and family supports

• Reading Recovery- Grade 1 early intervention program

• School Psychologist- psychological assessment and supports related to social/cognitive concerns

• Psychiatrist and Behavioural Specialist -accessed through school psychologist

• Speech and Language- individual assessments and intervention with parent, teacher collaboration regarding communication issues

• Occupational and Physio therapist referrals