MINISTRY OF EDUCATIONCIAF Executive Summary

Report

May 7, 2013

Student Support Services

MOTTO“Students Come First”

MISSION“Excelling Through Student Learning”

VISION“Together Inspiring Passion For Learning – Excelling Now – Succeeding Tomorrow”

VALUESIntegrity, Empathy, Growth, Equity

Motto, Mission, Vision & Values

Student Services Vision

The Good Spirit School Division has adopted the vision for supporting student diversity that has been defined by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Education. This vision promotes the inclusion of all students in their neighborhood schools and is based on exemplary practices and evidence-based research. Services and support to all learners are provided through a response to intervention model of service delivery.

Continuum Of Support For ALL Students

For all students in GSSD we strive to:● Provide highly effective, research-based

core instruction

● Improve & refine core programming – Understanding by Design (UbD), Response to Intervention (RtI), Professional Learning Communities (PLC), common assessment, etc...

● Identify what we want all students to learn

● Systematically identify students who are not succeeding in our core program (ie. School Based RtI Teams, Inter-disciplinary Teams, Referral Intake Committee, etc…)

● Provide students additional time, resources and support until they achieve success

● Research based interventions (ie. Levelled Literacy Intervention)

● Utilize a variety of universal screening tools in use – F&P BAS, RAD, Math Benchmarks, WJIII, Key Math, etc…

Continuum of Student Supports & Interventions

CLASSROOM TEACHER (CR)STUDENT SUPPORT TEACHER

(SST)

STUDENT SERVICES PROFESSIONAL SERVICE

PROVIDERS (PSP)● Review cumulative file and

student history

● Differentiate/adapt curriculum and instruction

● Document adaptations and observations

● Continue with classroom assessment

● Consult with previous classroom teachers

● Discuss concerns with parents – consider health issues, hearing, vision, changes in home/social situation

● Continue to monitor and adapt for student individual needs, document supports

● Consult/refer to SST

● Observe student in the classroom

● Collaborate with CR to differentiate/adapt curriculum and instruction

● Document adaptations and observations

● Communicate concerns with parents

● Conduct in-school assessments – academic, functional behavioural, social/emotional, communication

● Provide in-class, small group, and/or individual support (RtI)

● Document adaptations/changes in program on Record of Adaptation (ROA ) or an Inclusion & Intervention Plan (IIP)

● Collaborate with school-based team (including parents)

● Consult/refer to PSP

● Consult with school-based team – Administrator, CR, SST, and parents

● Observe student in natural setting

● Conduct assessment

● Meet with school-based team and student when appropriate

● Document findings

● Support development of IIP Goals

● Provide follow-up/intervention

● Collaborate with partner agencies if required

● Monitor progress

2011 & 2012School Review Data

Emerging • Effective Professional

Development• Assistive Technology• Behavioural Supports• Support of School Personnel• Engagement of Support Agencies

Evident

• Inclusive Practices• Organizational Structures that

Support Inclusive Education• Parental/Caregiver Engagement• Fostering Independence• Designing Instructional Programs• Creating a Culture of Collaboration• Administrative Leadership• Building an Inter-professional Team

Exemplary • Inclusive Attitudes

Strategic Plan

What Caused Us to Change/Improve?

• School Review Feedback from 2011/12• Ministry of Education Feedback and Direction

(CIAF)• GSSD Strategic Plan Feedback • Research Best Practice

Strategic Plan

What Do We Plan to Improve?

• RtI, UbD, and Differentiated Instruction (DI) Strategic Initiative - Improved Student Learning & Well-being Outcome

• Non-Violent Crisis Intervention (NVCI) and Positive Behaviour Supports (PBIS) Strategic Initiative - Improved Student Learning & Well-being Outcome

• Assistive Technology (AT) Toolkit Strategic Initiative - Improved Student Learning & Well-being, Equitable Opportunities Outcomes

• Tracking Progress Monitoring (TPM) Template Strategic Initiative - Improved Student Learning & Well-being, Equitable Opportunities Outcomes

• GSSD Alcohol & Drug Policy Strategic Initiative - Improved Student Learning & Well-being, Equitable Opportunities Outcomes

• Trumpet Behavioural Supports Strategic Initiatives - Improved Student Learning & Well-being Outcomes

• TEAM Orientation Process• Consistency of Practice for GSSD OT, SLP/SLPA, Pysch., Counsellor,

SSC, & SST

Strategic Plan

What Do We Plan To Continue?

• Strategic Priorities of Collaboration, Capacity Building, Communication, Consistency of Practice (new)

• Inclusion & Intervention Plan (IIP) Expectations, Timelines and Supports

• Autism-Pro Circle of Care• Master Teacher Professional Development for Student Support

Teachers (SSTs)• Collaboration with Cornerstones Therapies• Collaboration with GSSD Facilities Department• Collaboration with GSSD Transportation Department• School Review Process• Inter-disciplinary Team Meeting Process• Roles and Responsibilities of EA, SST, PSPs

2012/13 GoalsEffective Professional Development

GSSD SMART Goal: By June 2013, GSSD will

develop a 5 year professional development continuum focusing on UbD, DI, and RTI implementation.

GSSD Initiatives/Actions to Support SMART Goal Attainment: • The formation and development of

Professional Learning Communities is an area of focus and concentration for GSSD. Linked closely with this is RtI, DI, UbD, etc. Both financial and staffing resources will be allocated to these focus areas to make them a viable reality at all 28 GSSD schools. Job embedded and on-going PD is being offered by the Student Services Department, the Curriculum and Learning Departments, and the GSSD Strategic Plan, etc. Emphasis has also been placed on encouraging our teachers to embrace 21 century learning techniques and technologies while improving their understanding of areas like Guided Reading, F&P BAS, Autism, common disability areas, etc.

• Development of a 5 year strategic PD continuum focusing on UbD, DI and RTI

2012/13 GoalsAssistive Technology

GSSD SMART Goal: By June 2013, the assistive

technology application process will be updated and TPM will be utilized to track and monitor requests, approval and implementation of AT.

GSSD Initiatives/Actions to Support SMART Goal Attainment: • Principles of UDL have been adopted as

school-based teams develop greater understanding of RtI. Procedures have been put in place for accessing classroom AT as well as individualized AT. GSSD has improved tracking procedures to follow the implementation and use of approved technologies for individual students. Student Services is collaborating with Digital Learning Coaches to increase access to AT. AT has also been infused into the core program by introducing Smart Board technology, etc., into virtually every school. AT Tool Kit Strategic Initiative will be implemented over the next 3 years. The first phase of this will be the deployment of sound field systems in all GSSD Kdn. & Gr. 1 classrooms in fall of 2012.

2012/13 GoalsBehavioral Supports

GSSD SMART Goal: By June 2013, 30 mini

FBAs and behavior support plans will be developed collaboratively and implemented by school based and division support personnel.

GSSD Initiatives/Actions to Support SMART Goal Attainment: • School counsellors have been trained to utilize targeted

prevention programs such as Incredible Years & Skill Streaming to build capacity of classroom teachers and provide Tier 1 and 2 interventions. Data collection methods such as CAFAS have been utilized in partnership with Mental Health.

• School Counsellors connect with In-School Admin., SSCs, and Central Office LEADs using the TPM Counsellor Tracking Template.

• Caring and Respectful School Committees (CARS).• Interdisciplinary team meetings build capacity in school

staffs in area of behavior. All school trained at Level 1 in Threat Risk Assessment.

Division based personnel will be trained as trainers in Threat Risk Assessment. NVCI Strategic Initiative will be deployed during the next 5 years. Division based team will be trained as trainers.

• Trumpet Behavioral Supports for students at tier 3 will also be provided. SSTs and PSPs will be exposed to the intervention and supports on Oct. 22 and throughout the year as referred to a maximum of 30 mini FBAs.

2012/13 GoalsSupport of School Personnel

GSSD SMART Goal: By June 2013, seven

GSSD student services initiatives will be developed and utilized using TPM software (F & P BAS, Referral Intake, IIP, Emergency Supports, Alternate Transportation, Counsellor Tracking, & SLP Tracking).

GSSD Initiatives/Actions to Support SMART Goal Attainment: • Roles & Responsibilities are outlined in our GSSD APs &

shared at interviews. • PLC collaboration time and prep time is provided

(common prep time for PLCs in some schools)• TPM Software • TEAM orientation available for SSTs, classroom teachers,

admin & EAs and addresses effective EA utilization. • FLEX time provided to allow EAs to participate in

meetings, PD, collaboration time. • Interdisciplinary meetings provide support and build

capacity in teachers.• Outside agencies attending and presenting at our

SST/PSP days• Professional Growth Plans link to Learning Improvement

Plans and School Division Strategic Plans• EA evaluation every two years.• Performance Appraisals & Annual Growth plans

completed by PSPs, as well as year-end Annual Reports.• Master Teacher modules for SSTs• Trumpet Behavioral Health program to create behavior

plans

2012/13 GoalsEngagement of Support Agencies

GSSD SMART Goal: By June 2013, a division

wide drug and alcohol admin procedure will be developed in collaboration with Sunrise Health Region. The admin procedure will be supported by a flow chart outlining treatment options and partner responsibilities.

GSSD Initiatives/Actions to Support SMART Goal Attainment: • Efforts continue to be made to bridge the

gap between education and health. Joint protocols have been developed to assist in the transition of students to Kindergarten/Pre-K. Additional support and service agencies have also been involved with this project – Kids First, Mental Health, Families First, PECIP, etc. Efforts have also been made with Addiction Services and Mental Health to work more closely to develop joint working procedures, etc. Common summative/diagnostic assessments have been purchased to add in treatment and information sharing. Additional work is being done with Cog. Dis., etc. to raise teacher awareness of their services and illustrate possible supports.

Staffing Ratios for Professional Service Providers and Student Services Personnel

Support Staff

FTE 2012/201

3

Proposed FTE

2013/14

GSSD

Targets For

2015

Student Services Coordinators

3.03.0

Ratio of 1:21003.0

Student Services Teachers &

Differentiated Instruction Facilitators

37.9

34.6 SSTsRatio of 1:175

10Ratio of 1:600

35 SSTs10 DIF

Educational Assistants 121.2110

Ratio of 1:55 110

EAL Consultant/Co-ordinator

1 1 1

Psychologist 2.8 2.8 4

School Counsellors 1113.5

Ratio of 1:45013

Speech & Language Pathologists/SLPAs

5.22

6 SLPs2 SLPAs

6 SLPs3 SLPAs

Occupational Therapists

1.75 2.70 3

Physical Therapists 0 .20 .5

Continuous Improvement: Student Services Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)

• All of our Professional Service Providers (Psychologists, Occupational Therapists/Speech and Language Pathologists, School Counsellors and Student Services Co-ordinators) have united to form profession-specific PLCs or learning communities.

• In line with the GSSD Board of Education Strategic Plan & the Ministry of Education Strategic Priorities (CIAF), these PLCs have delineated the following long and short term goals:

Continuous Improvement in Student Services – OT

Strategic Priority: System Accountability & Governance Equitable Opportunities

Goals:1. To develop a handout for staff and families regarding Occupational Therapy Services in the Good Spirit School Division, along with information on Occupational Therapy models of practice. (Completed Feb. 2012)

2. By June 2013, the OT PLC will produce a working guideline that outlines how OTs prioritize work with students in schools using a Tier 3, 2 and 1intervention model.

Continuous Improvement in Student Services – SLP

Strategic Priority: System Accountability & Governance Equitable Opportunities Higher Literacy & Achievement

Goal:1. By June 2013, the SLP PLC will achieve standardization of practise for assessment and severity rating procedures in the domains of speech (articulation and phonology) and language.

Continuous Improvement in Student Services – PsychologistsStrategic Priority: System Accountability & Governance Equitable Opportunities Higher Literacy & Achievement

Goals:1. By June 2014, the GSSD psychologists will support schools in developing Positive Behavioral Intervention plans through building capacity of staff members, identifying interventions across tiers, and supporting staff in the development of processes and data collection.  2. By June 2013, the GSSD psychologists will address People Engagement and Accountability through a multi-disciplinary approach and consistency of practice (PSP Referral Flow Chart Model, PSP report template, TPM tracking, the changing role of the psychologist)  3. By June 2013, the GSSD psychologists will create webinars regarding administration and interpretation of results for Key Math and WJIII assessments to build the capacity of SSTs in using assessment results to create effective interventions at the school level.

Continuous Improvement in Student Services – School Counsellors

Strategic Priority: System Accountability & Governance Equitable Opportunities

Goals:1. By June 2013, School Counsellors will enhance student well-being by ensuring up to date certifications.

 2. By June 2013, the School Counsellor PLC will strengthen counsellor team engagement and morale.

Community Connections

Ministry of Education

Health

Social Services

Community Connections

Community Agencies

Corrections, Public Safety and Policing

Justice: RCMP, Municipal Police, Young Offenders Program, Orcadia

Advanced Education & Training & AANDC

24

English as an Additional Language Approaches to Assessment

Initial Assessment: Woodcock-Munoz Language

Survey

Ongoing Assessment: Common Framework of

Reference Assessment

English as an Additional LanguageApproaches to Assessment

Informal Assessment of listening, speaking, reading, writing and vocabulary skills for beginning ELLs: Includes knowledge of alphabet,

letter sounds, numbers, colours, shapes, school items, body parts, following simple directions, telling a story using a picture, writing words and sentences.

English as an Additional LanguageEAL Numbers for 2012 & 13

19 schools out of 28 in the Good Spirit School Division reported EAL students

190 Total reported students as of March 25, 2013 94 EAL students that require support as of March 25, 2013

58 assessments completed since the beginning of 2012-13 school year

Since September, 2012, one-to-one contact with 73 EAL students and more than 35 teachers and EAs who work with EAL students

SECTION 3:English as an Additional LanguageCountries & Languages Represented

Countries: Philippines, South Korea, Ukraine, Serbia, Hong

Kong, China, Albania, Germany, Netherlands, Mexico, Guatemala, Israel, Honduras, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Japan, Libya, Nigeria, Taiwan, Syria, Thailand, Lithuania, Ethiopia

Languages: Tagalog, Ilocano, Korean, Ukrainian, Russian,

Serbian, Cantonese, Mandarin, German, Dutch, Spanish, Hindi, Tamil, Japanese, Arabic, Gujarati, Yoruba, Thai, Bangla, Urdu, Taiwanese, Lithuanian, Oromo

English as an Additional LanguageProtocols & Procedures

EAL Registration Form Informal contact: E-mail, phone

calls Required from the school prior to

assessment: student’s name, sex, birth date and year, grade placement, country of origin, first language and arrival date in Canada.

SECTION 3:English as an Additional LanguageImmigration Forecast

Sunrise Health Region has actively recruited nursing staff internationally. Some of the recruits are presently in Canada taking the necessary equivalency training. In most cases, their families have not yet immigrated, but will follow once employment is secured.

33% of Nurses in Sunrise Health Region are eligible for retirement between 2013 and 2015.

Manufacturing industries near Esterhazy continue to recruit workers from Ukraine.

A number of small businesses in the area have been purchased by immigrant business people.

The service industry continues to hire immigrant workers.

Potential for more immigration with the possibility of expansion in the potash industry south of Melville.

Additional Areas Requiring Continuous Improvement

The following feedback was gathered from the Professional Service Provider PLCs. These professionals indicated that the following areas required improvement and attention as GSSD moved forward into the 2012/13 school year and beyond: There is lack of time to do follow-up services from assessments and

to evaluate the recommendations to see what is working. It is difficult to get schools to implement recommendations and then

collect data to see if there is progress in a student. Limited availability of PSPs – would like to see additional

professional support. Prioritizing preventative programming – challenging for PSPs to be

proactive as opposed to reactive.

Additional Areas Requiring Continuous Improvement Less meetings Scheduling more CT, PSP and SST time

together could be facilitated by administration Continue to explore accessing additional PSP

time as another option to paraprofessional supports

Additional Areas Requiring Continuous Improvement

The following feedback was gathered from the School Based Administrators, SST, EAs, etc…. These professionals and paraprofessionals indicated that the following areas required improvement and attention as GSSD moved forward into the 2012/13 school year and beyond:

Finding a balance between Ministry and GSSD requirements and grassroots initiatives

Timeliness of PSP assessments, reports and follow-up Wait-time for assessments can be long PSPs are not always aware of school procedures

(e.g. check-ins upon arrival)

Additional Areas Requiring Continuous Improvement

Increase qualified support personnel working directly with classroom teachers (SLPs, Psychologists, Counsellors, OTs, SSTs)

Make better use of PSP support presently in the school Development of greater efficiency in providing supports

when students transfer Improve timeliness in filling student services vacancies

(SSTs, EAs, PSPs) Decrease “red tape” and streamline paperwork

requirements Decrease reliance on assessment results and increase

actual time with students

Current Actions & Future Directions

Continued promotion of Universal Design concepts within the classroom through the 5 Year Professional Development Continuum

Focus on “Assistive Technology” standards in elementary, middle years, and high school classrooms through the AT Toolkit Strategic Initiative

Non-Violent Crisis Intervention & PBIS training for all schools through the NVCI Strategic Initiative

Professional Service Provider PLCs focusing on the 4 C’s of Collaboration, Capacity Building, Communication & Consistency of Practice

Professional Growth Plans for PSPs – reviewed in the fall, mid year and spring

360 Review & Performance Appraisals for PSPs in 2013/14 PSP Referral/Intake Process – utilization of technology to enhance

collaboration

Current Actions & Future Directions Establishment of Differentiate Instruction Facilitators in each of our 28

schools as outlined in the 5 Year Professional Development Continuum Continued refinement of staffing ratios Universal screeners in reading, math, and behaviour Universal acceptance of the Understanding By Design Unit Planning

process as outlined in the 5 year Professional Development Continuum Continued capacity building of SSTs in effective reading instruction

through collaboration with the Curriculum Department and the LLI Program

Continued capacity building of SSTs in effective assessment through collaboration with the Curriculum Department and using the F & P BAS, WJIII, etc….