Student Services

 

Staff

 
Maureen Elias (Consultant) [email protected]

Chris de Feijter (Consultant) [email protected]
 
Viviana Ruiz-Arcand (Consultant) [email protected]
 
Catherine Currie (Registered Psychologist) [email protected]
 


Handbook

 
The Student Supports Best Practices Handbook is continuously updated to include information about best practices in our school division. These best practices include working with students who require intensive supports, as well as practices around safe schools, and youth justice. Please see the handbook at the bottom of the page.
 


Training Opportunities

 
Nonviolent Crisis Intervention® training (NVCI) focuses on prevention and offers proven strategies for safely defusing anxious, hostile, or violent behaviours at the earliest possible stage.

Student Services consultants can provide training to schools in the standard NVCI program certification (one or two days), as well as more specialised training after a school has received initial certification. Specialised programs include a focus on Autism Spectrum Disorders, Bullying, and Enhancing Verbal Skills. Short refresher trainings can also be provided to selected school staff such as educational assistants, bus drivers, teachers, or response teams.


Early Learning

 
All Northern Lights School Division schools have a Prekindergarten program. Twelve sites are funded by the Ministry of Education and seven of these are partnerships with an Aboriginal Headstart Program.

The Prekindergarten program is for three- and four-year-old children. It provides learning experiences in the context of play and exploration.

The Prekindergarten Program Guidelines can be found in the Better Beginnings, Better Futures file.

The Play and Exploration Program Guide is also an important part of Saskatchewan's early childhood development initiatives. The Guide affirms the importance of high quality experiences for all Saskatchewan children during their preschool years - three to five years of age. See file.
 
 

Supports for Learning

 
Inclusion and Intervention Plan (IIP) is created for student who require intensive supports as per Ministry of Education guidelines (Tier III in a Response to Intervention Model, RTI)

For more information on Intensive Supports, visit the Ministry of Education website.

Specialist Services include psychologists, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists and physical therapists. Referrals for students are facilitated through the school.

Tier II Supports (RTI model) are provided for students by teachers within the classroom and small groups and for individual students. The focus is on literacy and numeracy and through adaptive teaching and learning strategies.
 
 

Social & Emotional Supports

 
School Counsellors provide student counselling services within the schools.

Student Support Workers monitor and provide supports for student attendance.

Attendance – school staff collaborate to identify and implement strategies to improve student attendance. Schools seek to actively engage parents, the School Community Council and the community to support improved student attendance.
 


Safety

 
Schools identify positive behaviour supports and have a student discipline policy.

Schools have a Critical Incident Response Protocol (CIRT).

Training is provided to school staff:
 
  • CISM (Critical Incident Stress Management)
  • NVCI (Non-violent Crisis Intervention)
  • ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Training)