4.0 Coordination of Services with Other Ministries or Agencies

All children entering kindergarten in York Region are initially enrolled in their home school. When a child is identified as having special needs by their parent(s)/guardian(s) or by Early Intervention Services (EIS) personnel, a transition meeting is held prior to school entry. The meeting may be attended by:

• a school administrator;
• parent(s)/guardian(s);
• child;
• school staff – Kindergarten teacher, Designated Early Childhood Educator, Special Education Resource Teacher (SERT);
• York Region District School Board Student Services staff as required (i.e., Speech-Language Pathologist, Physical or Occupational Therapist, Special Education Consultant, Student  Services Coordinator, BLV/DHH Coordinators, etc.;)
• Community personnel (i.e., EIS, Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) Providers, if the child has been receiving service and parent(s)/guardian(s) have provided consent); and others (i.e. interpreters).

The purpose of the meeting is to exchange information about the child’s strengths and needs to facilitate the transition of the child to school. Information and assessment data about the child’s strengths, developmental milestones, level of skill development and individual needs are shared with school staff. With parent/guardian permission, EIS will share the Transition to School Report to guide the discussion/development of the Student Profile for Transition to School document. By working together, information can be used to proactively plan for experiences and programs that will maximize the child’s strengths.

The YRDSB and EIS have made a commitment to provide training to their respective staff to facilitate this process of transition to school. The Ministry document Special Education in Ontario Kindergarten to Grade 12 Policy and Resource Guide, 2017 is another resource to support the transition to school.

Early Intervention Services Transition to School Timetable

York Region Early Intervention Services (EIS) delivers programs that support families who have children with special needs in their homes or licensed child care settings between birth and school-entry. The Early Intervention Services Transition to School Timetable from the Community and Health Services Department of York Region outlines the transition support activities and approximate time period for these transition activities provided through the Infant and Child Development Services (I.C.D.S.) and the Inclusion Support Services (I.S.S.).

YRDSB offers an Early Intervention Preschool Home Visiting Program for children who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing between the ages of 2-4 years. This program uses a family-centered approach to build skills in the areas of auditory management, listening, language, speech, school readiness, and social/emotional development. Specialist Teachers of Students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing (TSDHH), with additional training in auditory verbal and early intervention methodologies, provide support in the home and/or daycare setting. Program goals include collaboration with community organizations (i.e., Infant Hearing Program, Provincial Demonstration Schools, SickKids and Community Audiologists), and the school board, to facilitate a smooth transition into Kindergarten. This collaboration includes sharing information with families about special education processes in the Board (e.g. ISTM, IPRC, IEP), in addition to coordinating a transition meeting prior to school entry. The transition meeting allows parents/guardians to share information about student strengths and needs with the receiving school and for school teams to discuss educational placement, supports and services within the school system.

The YRDSB Speech-Language Pathology department supports learners from entry into year one of kindergarten onward. Families who have concerns regarding their child’s communication skills are able to refer to the York Region Preschool Speech and Language Program (YRPSLP) on, or before, August 31st prior to entry into year one of kindergarten. Upon school entry, the preschool speech-language pathologist (S-LP), with permission from the parent/guardian, will advise the school of the child’s discharge from preschool services. The YRDSB S-LP ensures a smooth transition from preschool to school-based services through strong partnerships with families, kindergarten classroom educators and the school.

This section pertains to students with special needs who have not accessed Early Intervention Services (EIS) or Connections for Students (CFS). When a Principal becomes aware that a student with special needs will be entering school for the first time, the following procedure shall be followed:

• the Principal asks the parents/guardians for copies of assessment reports and any relevant information;
• The Principal reviews all relevant reports and consults with the CEC Student Services Coordinator to determine which Student Services staff are needed to support the transition;
• The Principal invites the required staff, parents and child to a transition meeting at the school and completes the Student Profile for Transition to School;
• The Principal encourages the parents to invite the community service provider as appropriate (i.e., Kinark, Kerry’s Place, Bloorview, the Children’s Treatment Network) when parents request a Community Class placement for their child and it is the recommendation of the Board through the CEC Student Services Coordinator that this would be an appropriate placement, an IPRC meeting will be held after the child is enrolled at the school; and
• Student Services staff and Special Education Consultants are available to provide additional program support as requested.

Entry to School Program (ETS)

The Entry To School (ETS) program helps children develop school-readiness skills and provides transition supports as they enter Kindergarten or Grade 1 for the first time. The program includes two main parts. The first part is a 6-month, half-day group-based, skill-building program, focused on helping children develop school-readiness skills. After completing the group-based part of the program, children start the second part of the program, which provides them with individual transition supports as they enter school. YRDSB staff collaborate with the Entry to School team and family to support the first 6 months of a child’s transition to school. To begin the transition process, the Entry to School team connects with the school administrator and educators. Once a transition meeting is held, families and educators can access consultation services from the Entry to School team as needed.

Connections for Students

The Connections for Students model is centred on interdisciplinary, student-specific, school-based transition teams that are established approximately six months before a child transitions from an Ontario Autism Program (OAP) Service Provider to a YRDSB school setting. Transition teams will develop plans tailored to the specific support needs of individual students and provide support for up to six months after a child leaves an OAP funded program.

The mandate of each team is to achieve seamless transitions to school by supporting students according to their individual needs. To facilitate this goal, there is a transfer of information about the student’s strengths and needs from the OAP provider to the school staff, enabling both the team members and the transition plans to be tailored to the specific support needs of individual students.

The Connections for Students Transition Process

Step 1 - A clinical decision is made by the OAP Service Provider to discharge the child/youth/young adult from the ABA program. They may then refer the student to the Connections For Students program through Kinark Child and Family Services.

Step 2 - If the student qualifies for the Connections for Students program as determined by Kinark, a Kinark behaviour consultant will contact the appropriate Student Services Coordinator to initiate the transition process.

Step 3 - After consultation with parent(s)/guardian(s) and YRDSB staff, and if required, the Student Services Coordinator, an appropriate placement will be determined. If required, an IPRC will be convened once the student is enrolled in the school. In some cases, the student may already have a placement in a YRDSB school and are using the support of Connections for Students while they increase their school hours to full time.

Step 4 - The school Principal or designate of the school in which the student will be transitioning establishes and leads an inter-professional transition team. The team includes a school administrator, parent(s)/guardian(s), teacher(s), Kinark School Support Program (SSP) Autism Spectrum Disorder Consultant, and other school and Student Services staff as appropriate.

Step 5 - Approximately six months prior to the planned date of admission to school or increase in school hours, the transition team develops and implements a transition plan that is tailored to the specific support needs of the individual student.  The transition team addresses any specific needs to ensure school and student readiness for entry to school; and provides assistance to teachers as required to support the student’s transition into the classroom setting.

Step 6 - Once the student enters school full-time, the transition team meets monthly (or more frequently as needed) to address any issues related to the transition and program development and provides support for  up to six months.

Step 7 - After the student has been in school full-time for six months, the Principal or designate, parent(s)/guardian(s) and teacher will continue to work together to monitor the student’s progress at key transition points in order to provide appropriate support.

YRDSB does not receive funding from the Ministry of Education to support programs for students in custody or correctional facilities. Facilities (outside of York Region) who may be providing support for a student, or looking to transition students from a correctional facility are responsible to connect with the student’s school for information to support the student’s educational needs or start in school. School administrators with the support of their school-based staff are available to support the transition of any student and their educational and well-being needs. YRDSB school administrators are responsible to contact the Principal of Caring and Safe Schools for students who may have discipline processes which are still ongoing.

Positive relationships have been established between the Board and partnering Societies through our participation on York/Durham Ontario Education Championship Teams for Children who are in Extended Society Care (OECTCEC) and through the Joint Protocol for Student Achievement Committee. As per the JPSA protocol, schools and protective services can contact the Board JPSA Leads (Student Success Lead and Chief Social Worker) to enter into discussions regarding whether it is in the best interests of a student, who is moving to a new home, to temporarily remain in their current school. Once a need is identified, Board Leads work with our Transportation Department to determine the best options for transportation. Most of the time, child protection agencies are able to arrange transportation through their own channels (i.e. volunteer drivers) and then apply to YRDSB for reimbursement.

In order to determine the number of eligible students for this application, the Student Success Lead contacts all the Child Protection Agencies within York Region and in the surrounding area. Communications are maintained so that all partners are able to collaborate on processes for arranging for transportation and stability supports and for determining need.

Our Child Protection Agency Partners:

• York Children’s Aid Society (CAS)
• Toronto CAS
• Toronto Catholic CAS
• Jewish Family and Child Service
• Dnaagdawenmag Binnoojiiyag Child & Family Services
• Durham CAS
• Simcoe Muskoka Family Connexions

As a result of our application to the Ministry of Education, YRDSB has now received funding to support transportation for students in care to remain at their current school when transitioning to a new residence outside the catchment area. The funding also covers stability supports which may include:

• Tutoring services for students, where required for maintaining or improving academic outcomes;
• Technology hardware and software for continuity of online learning, if determined to require more than what is provided by the school and/or other funding is not available; and
• Cultural supports with specific focus for First Nations, Metis, and Inuit (FNMI) and racialized youth.

When a student transitions to another school board within Ontario:

• The OSR and SEA equipment will be sent to the new school upon request by the new/receiving school.

When a student transitions to a school outside of Ontario:

• The OSR and SEA equipment are not sent out of province;
• Parents are encouraged to provide copies of assessments, the IEP and report cards to the new school; and
• A letter from the current school staff, reviewed by the administrator, may be written to outline key student learning strengths, needs and program strategies.