Building Skills through a Team Approach

Philosophy
The lower school learning support team strives to enable each student to access the curriculum to the best of his/her ability. Our program aims to maximise each child’s potential through teaching the skills and strategies required of life-long learners and contributing members of society.

Service Provision
In first and second grades, a pullout program is used to target reading, spelling, and writing for students struggling in these areas. In-class support is offered for students in third and fourth grade. In addition, resource teachers meet regularly with class teachers to discuss students and to plan for differentiation. Additional literacy support is offered through the use of the computerized program LEXIA.

Referral Process
The lower school department focuses on a team approach to problem solving. Our Student Support Team (SST) works together to support children with academic, social, emotional, and transitional needs. A structured process has been developed to help teachers and parents find strategies to assist students. This SST process begins with a concern about a student either from the classroom teacher or a parent. Once the parent and the teacher have discussed options, a referral is submitted to the lower school counsellor. The counselor subsequently schedules a meeting with the parents, the child’s classroom teacher, a resource team member, and any other professional who works with the child.

At the SST meeting, we discuss and agree upon a plan of action to benefit the student. This plan may include any of the following:

• additional classroom options for accommodations and modifications
• individual tutoring
• in-class or pullout resource lessons
• outside referrals, such as for medical examinations, an educational psychological assessment, occupational assessment/therapy, speech-language assessment/therapy, and/or counselling.

If the learning support program cannot meet a student’s needs, we may provide information on finding alternative school settings as deemed necessary.  Once a decision has been made, the team monitors the student’s progress. A follow-up SST meeting may be scheduled to review and modify goals as necessary.