for full participation.

Special Edition

September 2010

Shared Beliefs Student Services

Student Services Portal

Individual Education Plan Memo

Upcoming PD

Assistive Technology

From the Field

Community Connections

Work Experience Flow Chart

A Newsletter to Support Staff who work with Students With Exceptional Learning Needs

This school year is filled with exciting opportunities as the Student Services

department (formally Regional Special Education) is structured to serve in a

continuum from Kindergarten to Grade 12.

York Region District School Board has a strong tradition of including students with

special needs as an integral part of our culture. This tradition is based on a belief that

every student can learn and succeed with appropriate accommodations and

modifications that address individual strengths and needs. Inclusiveness relies on

strong learning communities that promote a respect for differences and communities

that recognize, value and validate all children’s right to belong at school. We believe

that all partners must work together to create environments where teachers,

students, support staff, parents and other partners focus on common goals, provide

effective instructional methods and facilitate student learning. The practice of

inclusive environments is more than full integration in regular classrooms. It goes

beyond the continuum of service placements available to address individual student

needs to include meaningful participation and interaction with others.

The diversity of special needs in our schools poses opportunities for all. It is the

purposeful, intentional and committed action to ensure that everyone is made to feel

that they belong. All students in our schools, regardless of background or ability,

need the opportunity to develop the skills, attitudes and knowledge required to

achieve their full potential. Our classrooms and staff support them in growing into

capable, caring, responsible and active citizens and family members.

Welcome Back!

Next SEAC Meeting:

Thursday, October 7, 2010

7 pm

CEC Aurora,

60 Wellington Ave. W.

The Board Room

Topic: Budget

Student Services Online Student Services is pleased to announce the launch of their new online supports. The site has

information to help you support students with special needs. Check back often as pages will be

continuously updated.

bww.yrdsb.ca/services/student/Pages/default.aspx

In This Issue

Individual Education Plan Memo

Teachers

For additional information or clarification please contact the

Special Education Consultant for your CEC.

CEC Central – Renate Campbell and Trish North

CEC East – Martha Deme and Teri Rubinoff

CEC North – Shelley Hewitt and Karen Parris

CEC West – Liz Ablett and Laura Marotta

Regional – Lois Alderson-Wigelius, Tammy Dillon, and

Sarah Potter

Student Services Learning & Training

Online modules have been designed to assist staff in

developing Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and in

Knowing your Learner. To access these modules visit

Connect2learn to view the catalogue of courses. You will

find the modules under “S” for Student Services—

Individual Education Plan or Student Services—Knowing

your Learner.

To ensure the development of IEPs in accordance with Ministry of Education Standards, all IEPs will

be developed using the web-based support tool, the Identification & Program Planner .

Special Education Teachers and Administrators can access the I&P Planner at

https://iep.yrdsb.ca or click Online Tools at bww.yrdsb.ca

For technological support, refer to I & P Quick Tips.

Medical Care Plan

To support the revisions to Policy 662 (Provision of Health Support Services in School Settings), two different forms have been added to replace the

Medical Care Plan:

Emergency Health Care Plan

and

Essential Routine Health Services Plan

Safety Plan

The 2010-2011 school year will be a transition year for staff to use the new format of the Safety Plan. The new format is to be used in conjunction with the non-violent crisis prevention (CPI) framework. Over the course of the year, staff are encouraged to contact members of Student Services for support in the development of Safety Plans.

The Safety Plans and Health Plans can be found on the I & P Planner at ;

https://iep.yrdsb.ca

IEPs must:

be based on current assessment data:

set out Annual Program Goals and Learning Expectations that are observable and

measurable;

provide specific teaching strategies that are

aligned with each Learning Expectation; and

include a transition plan for students who are

14 years of age or older.

Teachers and Administrators

IEP Completion Date

Teachers are required to consult with parents as part of the development process and have IEPs ready within 30 school days of placement or the beginning of the school year.

This year, the completion date for those students who start their placements on September 7, 2010 is

October 19, 2010.

NEW this year

Administrators

For additional information or clarification please contact the Student Services Coordinators

CEC Central – Jackie Young and Cathy Hughes

CEC East – Kim Tanaka and Sandi Cole

CEC North – Rhonda Noble and Kathy Cuffe

CEC West – Walter Chewchuk and John Tsourounis

Date Training Location Time

September

13

New SERT Training CEC Central

Register

8:30-3:30 pm

September

20

New SERT Training CLL Room 101

Register

8:30-3:30pm

September

22

New SERT Training CLL Room

Register

8:30-3:30pm

Upcoming Learning & Training

New SERT Training—For Elementary and Secondary Teachers new to the SERT role

This is a repeat of a session offered in June

New TRT for Elementary and Secondary Schools in CEC West

We are pleased to announce that Tara Wagg is our new Technology Resource Teacher serving schools

in CEC West.

Setting Up Moved Equipment

For students who moved from another YRDSB school, technicians will come to reconfigure SEA

equipment as necessary. In general, SEA equipment can be used before being reconfigured by the

technician, but printing and/or wireless network functionality may not be optimized for the new

location. You can transfer a file via USB to another computer for printing, but Kurzweil files (.kes files)

can only be printed from a computer that has Kurzweil installed.

If you have students who have moved to a different location within the school and their equipment

needs to be configured to a different cart, contact the IT Services Helpdesk (ext. H-E-L-P) to request

reconfiguration.

Technicians will put priority on secondary school setups and reconfigurations. It may take several

weeks to complete the process across the entire system, so we appreciate your patience.

If you have any new students with SEA equipment that have transferred from a different board, please

contact your school’s TRT with the following information that needs to be entered into the SEA database:

student’s full name, date of birth, OEN, and a generic list of equipment (e.g., “laptop, scanner, laser

printer”).

Your Technology Resource Teachers

TRTs help with the implementation and integration of assistive technology to improve student

achievement in schools, K-12. We serve students, classroom and special education teachers, support

staff, and administrators, individually, in groups, and online. Other duties include tracking and

facilitating the movement of SEA equipment from school to school and from board to board.

Contact your school’s TRT via Board e-mail if you have any questions related to SEA or Assistive

Technology, or to request a visit to your school:

North: Carla Weller Central: Peter Dienstmann

East: Jonathan Lee West: Tara Wagg

Assistive Technology

From the Field

Congratulations to the students in the Intensive Classes at Thornlea Secondary School for an outstanding performance of Romeo and Juliet. The students came

together as an ensemble, looked out for each other, took risks and showed courage. Certain scenes received applause and/or supportive laughter. As the lights came up for the curtain call, the audience embraced them with a standing ovation. These 20 students most definitely reached for the stars and learned how to fly!

Thornlea Secondary School Presents Romeo and Juliet

Fourth Annual “Stomping Out Stigma” Summit

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

8:30 am –3:00 pm

York Catholic District School Board

325 Bloomington Rd, Aurora ON

How to Register:

Contact Bob Heeney, Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences.

tel. # 905-668-5881 ext. 6014 or heeneyb@ontarioshores.ca.

Please note that space is limited to 150 participants. Book early to avoid disappointment.

York Region T.A.M.I. Coalition Membership:

Canadian Mental Health Association; York Region District School Board; Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences; York

Catholic District School Board; Centre for Addiction & Mental Health; Canadian Psychiatric Research Foundation; Jericho Youth

Services; COMPASS (Community Partners with Schools); Kinark Child &Family Services; York Region Public Health Department;

Addiction Services for York Region; and Social Media Tools for Work and Learning York Region.

T.A.M.I. Coalition expresses sincere thanks to Kinark Child & Family Services for its sponsorship & the Town of Aurora.

Why you should attend:

Learn to organize actions with other youth in your school to eliminate stigma & discrimination of students dealing with

mental health issues.

Gain experience in taking action on important health issues affecting you and your school

Raise awareness of mental health and the impact of stigma

Who should attend:

Up to 4 people form your school (3 youth & 1 staff member)

Youth who have been indirectly or directly by mental health issues

Youth who want to encourage others to get help when they need it

What to expect:

A full day conference on mental health and stigma

Opportunity to hear, meet and talk with several people who have experienced mental health issues and stigma first hand

Receive the new and improved “Action Guide” and “Toolbox” full of ideas and resources

A forum to meet other youth and share ideas and enthusiasm

Community Connection

Work Experience Program Flow Chart

The flow chart below applies to secondary students in Community Classes as their special education teachers

consider their students’ eligibility for placement in the non-credit Work Experience Program.