- Supporting Students who are Medically Vulnerable
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Protocols related to its use, guided by YRPH
- Protocols for Itinerant Student Services Staff and External Partners
- Supporting students with significant special education needs who opt for full time online learning
- IEPs that reflect the learning model
- SEA Equipment - High Incidence
- SEA Equipment - Low incidence
- Care and Treatment Programs
- PEAK and Transit Training and Orientation & Mobility
- Work Experience Transition Coordinators and Work Placements, PEAK
Supporting Students who are Medically Vulnerable
Student health care plans will be created and/or revised in collaboration with families, their health care providers and schools. Families are encouraged to speak with their health care providers about their child’s specific needs and provide the most recent information to the school team. We will continue to work closely with our Home and Community Care Support Services (HCCSS), formerly Local Health Integration Network (LHIN), partners to plan for the provision of nursing to support the return to school for students who require nursing support.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Protocols related to its use, guided by YRPH
We recognize that all our students are unique and will have different needs when learning within schools and classrooms. Our staff are committed to following York Region Public Health (YRPH) guidelines to provide the safest environment and care for our students and staff. All staff will have the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) required in order to meet all the needs of students throughout the day at school.
Protocols for Itinerant Student Services Staff and External Partners
Itinerant services include: External Partners, Speech and Language Pathology (SLP), Psychology, Social Work, Physiotherapy/ Occupational Therapy (PTOT), Applied Behaviour Analysis Facilitators, Autism Consultants, SERT/ISW Team and teaching supports for students with vision impairments or profound hearing loss. We will continue to follow our safe and comprehensive protocol for delivery of these services that include a blend of interpersonal, on-site support and virtual consultation or provision of services. All disciplines continue to keep students' needs and safety at the centre of the work that we deliver. Student Services staff will continue to receive referrals for specific services and continue to support transition needs during the return to school. Case management will be carefully reviewed on an ongoing basis.
Supporting students with significant special education needs who opt for full-time online learning
Students with significant health, medical or special education needs who choose to continue online learning from home will be supported by a Special Education Resource Teacher. Learning will be provided through an online platform such as Google Classroom with synchronous and asynchronous learning and check-ins from a teacher/SERT/support staff (e.g., EA). Support of the Student Services team will be engaged to ensure programming is accessible and reflects students’ Individual Education Plans.
IEPs that reflect the learning model
Individual Education Plans are written plans describing the special education program and services required by a particular student, based on a thorough assessment of the student's strengths and needs that affect the student's ability to learn and demonstrate learning. Teachers will be supported to write Individual Education Plans that reflect the individual learning circumstances of each student this fall. Families will have an opportunity for input so that identified students have clear goals outlined for their learning.
SEA Equipment - High Incidence
Individual learning and training opportunities for students and families to use their Special Equipment Amount (SEA) provisioned laptop is an important part of creating accessible learning opportunities. The board will continue to safely provide SEA training.
SEA Equipment - Low incidence
We appreciate that during the period of school closure/remote learning, many students and families may have borrowed their child’s specialized school-based equipment (SEA equipment). This equipment is an important part of your child’s Individual Education Plan and we will be communicating a process for families to receive or return this equipment based on the selected 2022-2023 school year model. We will be developing updated Individual Education Plans that will incorporate the safe use of this equipment as your child returns to school.
Care and Treatment Programs
Care and Treatment programs will continue to follow York Region Public Health (YRPH) protocols to support in-person programming and care, including transportation, in alignment with school safety protocols.
PEAK and Transit Training and Orientation & Mobility
We will be resuming community-based transit training with Orientation and Mobility (O&M) Instructors for students who are blind or have visual impairments, based on guidance and direction from York Region Public Health (YRPH). The instruction will take place in the school and local community with interpersonal safety measures to support the learner. There will be practice and described video scenarios for student consideration that follow current public health guidelines when taking public transit if the need arises to support their Expanded Core Curriculum IEP goals.
Work Experience Transition Coordinators and Work Placements, PEAK
We appreciate the value of community-based Work Experience Placements for students. We will continue with safe in-school alternatives to community-based work placements. We will continue to identify safe opportunities to have students working in the community, following direction and guidance from York Region Public Health (YRPH).