comprehensive Student support:a district vision and framework

Our “Regular students”

What we hope for

what we get

Text

Feedback and follow-up from November:

What did we say?

What we know works for students

Sense of belonging and community

Collaboration

Personalized and strengths based

Learning opportunities for diversity

Teamwork

What resonates for usSchool Culture/Communities

Team Building

Collaboration

Emphasis on engagement and strengths

What’s Missing

Technology

Consistency

Clarity/Common Understanding

Professional Development

Framework/Vision

burning questions

Ministry and District plan?

How do we meet the challenges?

How do we get consistency with the big ideas?

we Begin with our beliefs:inclusion

Universal: education is provided equitably to all students and this is done in an inclusive, common

learning environment shared among age-appropriate, neighbourhood peers;

Individualized: the success of each student depends on the degree to which education is

based on the student’s best interests and responds to his or her strengths and needs; and

Flexible and responsive to change.

Our Beliefs:Principles of Inclusion

acknowledge the uniqueness and enhance the dignity and self-respect of all students.

inclusive environment is flexible, providing for age-appropriate placement in neighbourhood schools.

educators seek to understand and support the diverse learning needs of all students.

inclusion transcends the idea of physical location and supports student learning in a variety of settings.

flexible learning environments wherein curriculum adaptations and modifications are assumed, thus ensuring curriculum relevance and

accessibility for all students.

promote collaborative consultation with parents and all educational partners.

honour and celebrate the diversity that exists in the school community.

Our Beliefs: meeting student needs

Responsive to student need,

Flexibility in how we deliver service (groupings and scheduling),

Working together collaboratively and interdependently,

Efficient in our structures (making the most effective use of our resources).

Fair and equitable in how we distribute workloads,

Majority of time spent supporting kids in class,

diversity, the new normal

Planning for diversity is a collective responsibility and requires a collaborative approach.

In other words . . . “Teaching is a Team Sport”

diversity, the new normalAcknowledge it,

Accept it,

Understand it,

Plan for it,

Teach to it,

Celebrate it,

Introduction

team members work “generically” with each other by combining resource time and re-

distributing it based on class needs.the expertise of the team is critical in delivering

service to students.classroom teachers have fewer support staff

contacts to make.the majority of support is provided in class, but is

not limited to this.support to students outside the class, e.g. IEP

meetings, assessments, and individual work, is still support to the classroom teacher.

What are we trying to accomplish?

We are trying to create a system that values and honours inclusion. An inclusive system includes:

equitable access to learning and support,collaboration,

balancing prevention, remediation, and effective classroom instruction,

providing the most enabling environment through a range of settings.

The Ministry vision• Move to “Learning Services” and away from “Student Services,”

• Shift from “Designating” to “Supporting” student learning needs,

• emphasis on early interventions (RTI)

• UDL as a key foundation for planning

• teacher efforts focused on providing support to students, not on paperwork,

• Resource and Support Teachers focus on providing support to teachers as they work with students,

• a simplified IEP template will be developed,

• District and school-wide resource allocation models (possible new funding model).

The district vision

• To support students in working effectively in the classroom environment.

• Intervention is focused on classroom support. Classroom-based intervention does NOT mean that all support has to be in the classroom, all the time. Instead, the RESULTS of our support have to show up in the classroom.

The district vision

what does this mean?

In order to help us better meet the needs of students in an inclusive setting, we need to re-align our resources and organize to do our work

differently.

what can it look like?

Continue to evolve the processes through which we allocate our resources.

“Case Manager” have the responsibility to support the classroom teacher with all of the

needs within the class. The notion of “one stop shopping” for the classroom teacher.

A process for regularly revisiting the dynamics and needs of the class with the Case Manager in order to adjust support as necessary, eg flexible

schedules for a period of time.

What can it look like?

Service delivery is not one model over another, it is flexible to provide for the needs of the learner,

eg in-class, small group, or pull out support,

Early intervention and proactive approaches are the first priority.

where to from here?• Roles and Responsibilities:

• We need to reflect on how we deliver services and how we organize ourselves in differential roles to support students.

• Clear Expectations, Structure, and Systems:

• We need to consider how we meet Ministry guidelines and deliver exemplary programs and service.

where to from here?• Strategic Use of School and District Resources:

• We need to consider how we allocated resources in a way that is efficient, meaningful and that supports effective and wise practice.

• Build Capacity for All:

• We need to develop the skills, knowledge and attitudes that will provide the most supportive environments for all students.

• Connections, Collaborations, and Teamwork:

• We need to consider how we work together and with parents and the community to most effectively support students

Our Challenge

This is the work we must all do together, to build what it means for us, our school communities,

and our District.

CLOSING

There are no easy answers, this is hard work and takes an incredible amount of investment on the part of everyone to support the diverse needs of

students.