Academics
Learning Services
A Supportive Environment
Learning Services at SJK is aligned with the School’s vision of providing a responsive environment for students in their pursuit of academic success, personal growth and social responsibility. It is SJK’s mission to support all students in reaching their potential according to their own interests, abilities and personal goals in an inclusive learning community.
The vision of the Learning Services Program is that students will be provided with interventions and extensions that are founded on evidenced-based research, are data-driven and are evaluated in order to ensure that students are supported in an effective, consistent, and sustainable manner. All students should have equitable access to learning, opportunities for achievement, and the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of their educational programming.
Learning support programs and services are determined based on the recommendations outlined on Learning Support Plans and Response to Intervention Plans for individual students. These plans are designed to meet the individual needs of students through a continuous process that includes ongoing informal and formal assessment, intervention and extension development, implementation and review. All teachers are expected to implement the interventions and/or accommodations for individual students, in all classrooms. Referrals to internal/external support services are also available including; Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Pathology, Psycho-educational Testing, Counseling.
Learning support programs and services are determined based on the recommendations outlined on Learning Support Plans and Response to Intervention Plans for individual students. These plans are designed to meet the individual needs of students through a continuous process that includes ongoing informal and formal assessment, intervention and extension development, implementation and review. All teachers are expected to implement the interventions and/or accommodations for individual students, in all classrooms. Referrals to internal/external support services are also available including; Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Pathology, Psycho-educational Testing, Counseling.
Planning for Success
A Learning Support Plan (LSP) is a documented plan for students who have been identified with a learning or attention disorder. The Learning Support Plan describes individualized goals, areas of strength, areas of need and the appropriate accommodations to support student learning. They are intended to be working documents that can change to reflect the on-going needs of the student. Learning Support Plans are not Individual Education Plans as outlined in Individual Education Plans (IEP) a Resource Guide (2004) and therefore contain no programmatic benchmarks or ‘modifications’ to the academic programming offered at SJK School. All decisions about placing a student on a Learning Support Plan are made in consultation with the student’s parents/guardians, teacher/advisor, and the appropriate school director.
If your child has an Individual Education Plan (IEP) at their current school, or has undergone a psychological assessment in the past, we ask that you please provide us with a copy of this documentation along with your application. We will invite you to discuss your child’s needs with our Learning Services Team prior to enrollment.
Students who arrive at SJK with a Learning Support Plan or Individual Education Plan from a previous school will not automatically have their previous plan continue. Relevant and recent documentation, as mentioned above, must be presented in order to be eligible for a Learning Support Plan.
Students who arrive at SJK with a Learning Support Plan indicating that they have been identified as Gifted will only be eligible for an Learning Support Plan if the identification of Giftedness was made by a registered psychologist following a full-scale formal psychological assessment.
For more information, please contact:
Rebecca Dufour
Whole School Learning Services Coordinator
(519) 648-3602 ext. 318
Learning Support Plans
The SJK Learning Services Team is committed to:
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Helping students identify areas of both strengths and challenges
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Helping students develop learning strategies that work for them
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Helping students with the development of self-management and affective skills
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Helping students to take ownership of their own learning and be strong self-advocates
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Supporting students with numeracy, literacy and writing skills development
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Providing accommodations and assistive technology to enhance learning
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Working closely with faculty and advisors to determine interventions and extensions to support student learning
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Communicating and meeting with parents to collaborate in student goal setting and program support
All students in the school are welcome to take advantage of learning support, and many students refer themselves by dropping in to schedule an appointment. Other students are directly referred by their teachers or are identified by parents as needing assistance or accommodations to achieve success.
St. John's-Kilmarnock School
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