Coordinator of Student Services

The Coordinator of Student Services determines need and plans for extra funding for special needs students (pre-K—12) and school programs or initiatives. The Coordinator is responsible for supervising and supporting divisional student support staff and clinicians.  The Coordinator also approves referrals to and organizes the services of contracted and outside agency service providers. 

Beautiful Plains School Division provides a variety of services for students who require special consideration over and above regular classroom programming.

Services Available:

(provided by personnel with specialized training and experience who consult and collaborate in planning with school teams)

· Speech and Language Pathology

· Resource

· Student Support Teaching

· Guidance and Counseling

· Life-Skills Training

· Early Literacy

· Early Years Facilitating

· Educational Assistance

· School Psychology

· Occupational and Physical Therapy

· Medical  and Emergency Response Plans

· Vision and Hearing Screening

Speech  Language Pathology:

Students referred to the Divisional Speech Language Pathologist may receive direct and/or consultative programming. After assessing the student’s needs, appropriate activities are provided to enhance language and communication skills.  The SLP works as a member of the school team which may include school staff, parents and outside service providers for programming needs.

Resource:

Where a resource teacher is available, they may provide support to regular classroom programs in order to meet the needs of a student.     Service may be direct (pull-out) or indirect (in the regular classroom) through a consultative and collaborative process with parents and staff.  Student needs are identified and resource intervention is provided through a referral and formal assessment process.  Resource Teachers coordinate special services within the school.  

Student Support:

Where available, Student Support Teachers provide special academic programming in an alternative setting  for students with identified learning disabilities, lower ability and  patterns of underachieving through program adaptation, modification and individualized planning.  Programming may be extensive in scope and duration or in preparation for re-entry to a regular program.   Behavioural, social and emotional skills are considered when planning for students’ personal growth. 

Life-skills Programming:

May be provided by a Life-skills or Student Support teacher where available.  Students work toward developing skills necessary to function as independently as possible in the community.  Individualized programming focuses on communication, self-help, independent living, functional academics, vocational, leisure/recreation, personal/social skills and community awareness.

School Guidance and Counseling:

School Counselors provide academic, career, personal and social counseling services to all students on an individual, small group or classroom bases as required.  Counselors work as a liaison with parents, teachers and outside agencies in a consultative and collaborative manner. There is a referral process for counseling requests. 

Early Literacy:

Division wide assessments determine who requires extra support in the area of reading at the grade one level.  Students receive intensive guided reading for a number of weeks and are then cycled out of the program. 

Early Years Facilitator:

The divisional Early Years Facilitator acts as a liaison between pre-school programs and the schools.  Pre-school kits containing literature and manipulatives are assembled and distributed by the public health nurse during  3-year assessments.  The facilitator will also advertise early years performances open to pre-school children.

Educational Assistants (EAs):

EAs work directly with students under the supervision of classroom and resource teachers.  EAs carry out a wide range of duties within the school and support students as assigned. 

School Psychology:

Through a divisional referral process, students may be assessed by the school psychologist in order to determine learning needs.  Teachers receive recommendations in order to plan and program for struggling learners.

Occupational and Physiotherapy:

When required, students may be assessed and receive therapy through Assiniboine North Children’s Therapy Services.  If small or large motor issues arise, the school or parents may make a referral through the Coordinator of Student Services. 

 Vision and Hearing Screening:

All Kindergarten and grade 1 students are screened for hearing difficulties by the Speech Language Pathologist and referrals made by the Coordinator to Westman Hearing Centre in Brandon.  Vision screening takes place every February with Kindergarten, grade 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11 (optional) students.  Referral letters for further assessment are sent to the parents of students who fail the screening.

 Medical and Emergency Response Plans:

BPSD and Assiniboine Regional Health Authority work together with the Unified Referral Intake System (U.R.I.S) to identify students with medical needs such as anaphylaxis, diabetes, asthma, etc.. A qualified nurse prepares and updates medical response plans each year for the schools and bus drivers.