District Supports

Speech and Language Services

District Speech and Language Pathologists (SLP) provide services related to screening, identifying, assessing, managing, rehabilitating and preventing communication disorders. Communication delays and disorders affect:

- - articulation (sound production);
  - receptive language (both understanding and reading);
  - expressive language (both speaking and writing);
  - fluency (stuttering), and
  - voice.

These services may be provided as direct therapy or as consultation with other members of a school team. Speech and Language Pathologists in our district are certified by Speech-Language and Audiology Canada and must maintain registration with the College of Speech and Hearing Health Professionals of BC.

District Teacher of the Hard of Hearing

A student is considered to be deaf or hard of hearing when they have a medically diagnosed hearing loss which results in substantial educational difficulty. The educational program for students who are deaf or hard of hearing includes instruction in:

- - working with school teams to develop an Individual Education Plan (IEP);
  - performing classroom observations and assessments;
  - providing information regarding hearing loss, implications and suggested strategies;
  - providing in-service on hearing loss and related issues;
  - teaching skills that are unique to students with hearing loss;
  - for deaf students - signing and all related skills;
  - for hard of hearing students - ensure equipment is available;
  - teaching self-advocacy skills for independent learning and thinking;
  - keeping students abreast on current technologies;
  - liaising with community agencies and support groups;
  - assisting with program or school transitions; and
  - providing consultative services for students.

District Elementary Counselling Services

Elementary school counsellors support social/emotional needs of students by providing the following supports:

- - individual (or group) counselling for students (Kindergarten to Grade 7);
  - support students with emotional concerns, life challenges, or to assist with skill development; and
  - address anxiety, depression, poor social choices, behaviour struggles, events at home which affect school life.

School Psychologist

Services are district-based, non-categorical educational and mental health services designed to support students, school personnel and parents in understanding and enhancing academic, adaptive and social skills for students.The school psychologist:

- - provides collaborative consultation;
  - may assist with pre-referral interventions;
  - provides psycho-educational assessment for students referred by the school-based team;
  - writes formal psycho-educational assessments which serve as diagnostic and planning functions for students with special needs and may include assessment of cognitive functioning;
  - provides information that assists teachers and parents to better understand the nature of the special need, developmental factors, and educational, social, emotional and career implications;
  - may provide ongoing collaborative planning;
  - may contribute to the design and evaluation of the Individual Education Plan (IEP); and
  - may provide in-service training in the area of assessment.