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York Region District School Board

Improving Student Learning and Achievement

Special Education Programs and Servi​ces

York Region District School Board has a strong tradition of fostering an inclusive, innovative and engagement-oriented community. York Region District School Board also recognizes the importance of setting high expectations and closing the gap for students with special education needs. 

To achieve the Board of Trustees’ Multi-Year Strategic Plan priorities, the Director’s Action Plan sets out six goals that align with the strategic plan and the Board’s Mission, Vision and Values. In alignment with the concepts in the Ministry of Education’s Learning for All, the Director’s Action Plan goals focus on raising the achievement of students who are underserved and underperforming. When we focus on raising the achievement and well-being of students who are underserved and underperforming, all students benefit. 

At York Region District School Board, Student Services is responsible for collaborating with all stakeholders to ensure successful facilitation and implementation of:

  • a continuum of service delivery models responsive to pupil strengths and needs;
  • skilled resource staff who work in an interdisciplinary approach that supports the development of quality programs for exceptional pupils;
  • a tiered approach to prevention and intervention;
  • high-quality evidence-based assessment and personalized instruction;
  • intentional planning, instruction and differentiation; and,
  • inclusive and collaborative environments where all staff, students, parents and community members are engaged as partners.

In the 2020-2021 school year, Student Services focused on building capacity and creating a collective responsibility through:

  • Policy Updates
  • Programs and Pilot Projects
  • Professional Learning Opportunities
  • Collaborative Partnerships
  • Regulated Healthcare Professionals - Support & Training
  • Development of Resources

 

Policy Updates

 

Programs and Pilot Projects

  • Provided a virtual  After School Skills Development Program for approximately 350 students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) with a focus on personalized goal setting and skill building in collaboration with families.
  • Provided virtual PEERs programs for youth with ASD. This included a focus on student interest and preference to encourage lasting connections and friends.
  • Continued with Phase Two of the Executive Functioning for All (EF4ALL) pilot project.
  • Continued to train staff as Empower™ Reading Program instructors to deliver intensive support to struggling readers.
  •  Launched ‘Hear, Say, Play!’, a new virtual summer program for children entering SK and Grade 1. Speech-language pathologists partnered with kindergarten educators to support the development of phonological awareness skills in fun, engaging and interactive ways. The program ran for four weeks in July with approximately 270 students attending the program each week.
  • Partnered with Special Education Resource Teachers (SERTs), speech-language pathologists (S-LPs) and ran a newly developed two-week intensive virtual summer program, ‘SKILL: Targeting Narrative Intervention’, to target narrative skill development for students in Grades 4-6 with previously identified learning needs. A total of 66 students attended the program.
  • Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy Services (PTOT) Summer transition group in partnership with York University ran this summer over three sessions. This program was a virtual iteration of our youth transition program for students with a physical disability. The focus was on: preparing for social and academic transition using York University resources, building skills in self-care, organization, time management, linking with peer mentors who are attending York University; and developing and enhancing their self-advocacy skills. 
  • PTOT Summer Youth in Charge (YIC) group was offered virtually for students with a physical disability in Grades 7, 8 or 9. Current evidence-informed practice and transition models were used to inform the structure and curriculum of this group. This group acted as a virtual bridge and introduction to the Youth in Charge program that runs throughout the school year in partnership with Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation(HBKR). The virtual group sessions focused on: building self-advocacy skills, preparing for social and academic transitions, building skills in: self-care, organization, time management; and linking with peer mentors.
  • PTOT Fun, Fitness and Friends Virtual Summer Series with focus on Fitness, Fun and Friends over 5 sessions. 
  • YRDSB hosted the Return to School Transition Program for 866 students across 137 schools. The Return to School Transition Program focussed on supporting high-needs students by offering a welcoming entry back to school. The goals of the program included supporting student well-being, allowing students and staff to build/re-establish positive rapport prior to the start of school, promotion of adjustment to new routines and schedules, informing planning for re-entry to full time, in-person schooling and allowing students to reacquaint themselves to the classroom environment. 
  • Reintegrated 20 students from Giant Steps into community schools, full-time.
  • A new High School Transition Pilot Program for students using American Sign Language (ASL) as a first language at Alexander Mackenzie High School. 
  • In addition to the use of Remote Microphones, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services has been piloting SEA Technology for access note-taking, both in English and French Immersion.

 

Professional Learning Opportunities

Special Education Training

In 2020-2021, YRDSB:

  • continued to provide virtual Special Education Resource Teacher (SERT) training to all new SERTs in elementary and secondary schools, as well as virtual Individual Education Plan (IEP) and SSNET drop-in sessions for all SERTs/teachers;
  • introduced professional learning opportunities for online learning during the school closure; and
  • introduced IEP Writing webinars for all SERTs.

There were 64 learning opportunities offered to educators. These included live webinars, recorded webinars, flipped model learning and webinar, and drop-in sessions. Professional Learning sessions were differentiated to meet the needs of both face-to-face and virtual educators. 

In addition, a professional learning website was developed to house recorded webinars to support on-demand learning. Student Services created a curated list on an internal website that links to on-demand professional learning for system educators. Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services continued to provide in-service and training to develop visual tools and systems to provide greater visual access for blended model learners. 

Assistive Technology

In 2020-2021, YRDSB:

  • provided online sessions to support elementary and secondary Educational Assistants and Teachers with the use of Google Read&Write, EquatIO, Clicker, Boardmaker, Kurzweil and more; and
  • provided online-specific learning opportunities to support the use of assistive technology and other tools during school closure. 

There were 27 professional learning opportunities offered to teaching staff and 23 sessions offered to Educational Assistants on PA days. There were 24 low incidence software training sessions provided for educators and five high incidence software training sessions were offered in conjunction with our training vendor, LEARNStyle.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

YRDSB provided numerous opportunities to support the programming, planning and implementation of educational programs for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), including virtual opportunities for self-directed learning as well as full-day/half-day/after school professional learning sessions.

Non-Violent Crisis Intervention Training with an ASD Focus

YRDSB trains staff in the Crisis Prevention Institute® CPI ® Nonviolent Crisis Intervention program to maintain safety for staff and students. During the 2020-21 school year, Crisis Intervention trainers provided 12 new certification sessions for staff and seven half-day refresher training sessions.

Violence Intervention And Prevention Training

In collaboration with multiple departments, Students Services led the development of online introductory training for all staff addressing violent incidents in classrooms and workplaces. This training, delivered in February for all school staff, introduced key concepts including behaviour as communication, collective roles and responsibilities, prevention and intervention, fostering and maintaining relationships and additional resources.

ASD Compliance Training

Secondary schools participated in an online system-wide compliance training in the area of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Staff engaged in learning about ASD and its key features, understanding neurodiversity and how to best support autistic learners, PPM 140 and using the principles of ABA to support instruction. 

Mental Health Professional Development/Training

Mental Health staff, in collaboration with Student Services (Psychology and Social Work), as well as Inclusive Schools and Community Services (ISCS), and Indigenous Education staff developed a five-part Professional Development series for educators, “Understanding Anxiety through a Social Framework.”  The learning series is built upon the foundations set out in YRDSB’s Caring Communities: A Student Mental Health and Well-Being resource as well as the Ministry of Education’s Mental Health Resource for Educators K-12 Supporting Minds. This learning series also supports system actions laid out in the YRDSB’s Director’s Action Plan, which highlights the goal of building safe, healthy and inclusive learning and working environments where all feel they matter and belong.

The Understanding Anxiety Through a Social Framework series is comprised of five separate modules (each approximately 40 minutes in length, and available to all staff by online registration). 

The modules include:

1.    Understanding Anxiety Within the Current Social Context

2.    What is Anxiety? How might it affect the educator?  Signs and Symptoms 

3.    Trauma-Informed and Healing Informed Approaches Powered by Relationships 

4.    Racial Trauma and Classroom Practices 

5.    Individual Strategies to address student anxiety

Understanding Anxiety Through a Social Framework aims to acknowledge the current climate may be affecting student anxiety. The impact of COVID-19, the new challenges associated with learning models for both face-to-face and virtual, anti-Black Racism and anti-Indigenous Racism will be explored.  

Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) 2020-2021

With the consultation of YRDSB Health and Safety staff, six small size ASIST training sessions were facilitated over the course of the school year. Sessions were limited to ten participants each. This was done in an effort to meet physical distancing parameters at the time. A total of 39 participants took part in the training. More sessions are planned for the coming school year. 

Collaborative Partnerships

  • Developed and formalized two new CRES Partnership agreements with:
    • Taibu Health / Mental Health Services for self-identified Black students and families; and, 
    • BridgeNorth Women’s Mentorship & Advocacy Services (BN), a survivor founded and survivor-led, trauma-informed organization with three primary purposes: to provide direct service to women, girls, and families affected by the sex industry; to advance sexual exploitation education and awareness; and to advocate on behalf of trafficked persons for systemic change to end the oppression of human trafficking in Canada.
  • Continued to collaborate with the New Teacher’s Induction Program (NTIP) Consultants in supporting sessions for new teachers of students with special education needs.
  • Partnered with Inclusive Schools and Community Services and Curriculum and Instructional Services to provide a variety of summer school opportunities such as:
    • Grade 6, 7 & 8 Literacy and Numeracy reinforcement program for students who have an IEP.
  • Partnered with Early Intervention Services (EIS) to foster a strong working relationship to support the successful entry of children into Year 1 and Year 2 Kindergarten including an online Early Intervention Orientation Evening session.
  • Initiated collaborative work between Early Years, Speech-Language Pathology Services (SLP) and Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy Services (PTOT) on the revisioning of the Transition to Kindergarten process. 
  • Engaged in a formal partnership with Children’s Treatment Network (CTN) to provide Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech-Language Pathology, Communication Disorders Assistant and Coordinated Service Planning services to children/youth and their families to address their home and community rehabilitation, service coordination and alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) needs.
  • Collaborated with Kinark Child and Family Services to support the transition of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder from Intensive Behavioural Intervention into school through the Connections for Students program.
  • Collaborated with Kerry’s Place and Mackenzie Health to support students with Autism Spectrum Disorder through Applied Behaviour Analysis Services.
  • Maintained membership within the York Region ASD Partnership, working collaboratively with agency partners and community members to align services for children with ASD in York Region.
  • Collaborated with Accessibility Services at York University to prepare and provide the Summer Transition Group. 
  • Collaborated with Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation and Children’s Treatment Network to deliver and evaluate the Youth in Charge (YiC) program.
  • Supported the initial phase of the Ontario Autism Program - Entry to School request for letters of support for community partners applications.
  • Student Services began work with the De-streaming Coordination Team and De-Streaming Advisory Council.
  • In collaboration with the French as a Second Language team, held Assistive Technology webinar on using Google Read and Write in French for French Immersion and Core French teachers.
  • In collaboration with NTIP, held two sessions on supporting identified learners for new classroom teachers.
  • In collaboration with Corporate Communications, Plant Services and schools, Student Services supported the creation of National Accessibility Week videos.
  • Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services continued partnerships with community agencies to support preschool students with hearing loss (ages 2-4).
  • Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services continued to engage in partnerships with outside agencies (including Provincial Demonstration Schools) to provide access to American Sign Language and Deaf Culture with Deaf adult role models. 

Regulated Healthcare Professionals - Support & Training

  • Speech-language pathologists (S-LPs) adapted their Parent Articulation Workshop, an informative session for families of students with mild articulation difficulties, to a virtual format and provided several workshops over the course of the year. A total of 68 families attended.
  • S-LPs led training sessions for educators to enhance knowledge of strategies to support phonological awareness skills with students through the delivery of the Hear, Say, Play! summer program. Play-based Activities for families were also created and shared.
  • S-LPs engaged in continued collaboration with kindergarten educators to enhance oral language, play, and phonological awareness skills for students entering SK and Grade 1 through the virtual Early Years Summer Learning Program. 
  • Continued delivery of support to augment oral language and phonological awareness for students in Junior and Senior Kindergarten programs.
  • Provided PT/OT workshops in the areas of self-regulation, sensory processing, fine and gross motor development.
  • The Ignite Technology Grant for the 2020-2021 school year included:
    • Four graduation recipients, who demonstrated leadership with regards to the use of Special Equipment Amount throughout their school careers, were awarded $1,000 each to support the purchase of technology for their post-secondary pursuits. 
    • Two school grants of $480 were given to Armitage Village PS and Silver Pines PS for promoting the positive use of Assistive Technology in schools. 
  • Positive Identity Formation and mental health In Black Youth three part professional development  for YRDSB Psychology and Social Work Staff (Nov. 2020 - Feb . 2021)
  • Anti-Oppressive Assessment Practices three part  professional development for Psychology Staff (March 2021- May 2021)
  • Psychological Services staff provided workshops for parents/guardians on multiple topics: Coping with Covid, Anxiety, Managing Transitions in the Return to School.
  • Psychological Services staff completed 95 contracted psychological assessments during the summer to support continuity of learning and care. 
  • Psychological Services and Social Work Staff worked with ISCS on a Focus on Youth (FOY) initiative to support in-risk secondary school students (Grades 10-12) considering which characteristics these students may share (e.g. low socio-econoic status, Black, Indigenous, other racialized students). The intention of the Focus on Youth program was to hire, serve, and support students in-risk situations who face personal challenges that hinder their academic achievement, and face disadvantages and barriers to employment due to circumstances directly linked to systemic inequality, racism and discrimination, and lived experiences of socio-economic disadvantage (i.e., personal/familial involvement in the criminal justice system, poverty and/or homelessness, violence and lack of safety at home/school/community, and lack of access to community services and supports). 

A variety of Mental health groups co-facilitated by Psychological Services and Social Work included:

  • A group for Black self-identified YRDSB students
  • Connections: A group for racialized 2SLGTBQ+ youth of YRDSB
  • Together Not Alone, a virtual group to support student anxiety for YRDSB self-identified Farsi speaking youth aged 12-16 years old
  • Supporting Student Stress and Anxiety group for Grades 10 and 11 students targeting stress and anxiety with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
  • Anxiety group for students to learn about anxiety and new effective coping strategies by using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. This group was open to seven participants, between the ages of 10 and 13
  • A peer support group for students going into Grades 10-12 who want to talk about and work through experiences of anxiety and develop/expand on interpersonal skills and helpful coping
  • A peer support group for students aged 12 and up who want to talk about and work through experiences of anxiety and develop/expand on interpersonal skills and coping 
  • A group for Grade 7 and 8 students  focused on learning about stress and anxiety and effective coping strategies using a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) approach (the group is open to six participants)
  • Group to support students with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Strategies included in TAKE A.C.T.IO.N.  are – Awareness of signs of anxiety, C keep Calm, Think strong thoughts (action-oriented thoughts), get Into action (learn to approach anxiety-provoking situations), use my Options (coping strategies), and Never stop taking action. 

Development of Resources

  • Revisioned Special Education Plan to align with the Ministry Standards and Requirement outlined in Special Education in Ontario (2017)
  • Revisioned Special Education pages on the public website
  • Learning and Caring Plan Resources
  • Launch of Student Services Twitter account to provide information and resources to YRDSB families
  • Student Services collaborated with Curriculum and Instructional Services to provide suggestions for accessible and appropriate reading materials for the YRDSB Online digital library. 
  • In collaboration with Corporate Communications, Plant Services and schools, Student Services supported the creation of National Accessibility Week videos
  • In collaboration with Mental Health, Caring and Safe Schools, Healthy Schools, Outdoor Education, ISCS, and Indigenous Education the development of the Positive Mental Health Daily Activities Resource provides a variety of activities to engage in with students in both face-to-face and virtual settings. The Resource provides the user with important considerations and shared understandings related to student mental health within the context of COVID-19 and the disproportionate impacts on marginalized communities. In addition, the Resource also includes five separate division folders (i.e. Early Years, Primary, Junior, Intermediate, and Senior) which provide activities including: 

1.     Outdoor adventure/nature connection

2.     Stress management/self-care

3.     Identify and manage emotions

4.     Positive motivation and perseverance

5.     Healthy relationships

6.     Self-awareness and identity

7.     Critical thinking

8.     Active living

Updated December 2021