Reintegration of Amethyst Students to Community
Schools
by Clive Hodder, Superintendent of Programs, Provincial Schools
Branch, Demonstration Schools
At the Amethyst Provincial Demonstration School for students with
severe learning disabilities, the students attend a residential
program at the London campus for a period as short as one semester
or for a term up to two years. The process of re-integrating students
to their community school necessitates a systematic plan that involves
the total Amethyst team, the parents, the student and the Resource
Team at the receiving school.
Planning for a successful re-entry begins at the first Pupil Planning
Conference , in October or late February depending on the student’s
entry date, where the topic of community school choices is introduced
to the student and the parents. Parents are encouraged to become
familiar with schools in their communities, investigate the programs
and support services available for their child and acquaint themselves
with the standards and opportunities available at their community
schools. For our secondary students, plans for enrollment in a credit
course and the provision of an integration experience at the secondary
school adjacent to Amethyst are discussed. This program allows secondary
students to experience high school expectations while continuing
to receive support from the Amethyst academic and residential staff.
In January and early February, parents finalize their choice of
community school. Contact with the Resource and Guidance team is
established by the parents, registration is completed and course
calendars and selection forms are obtained. Support from the Amethyst
Resource Consultant is available if needed. In consultation with
the Amethyst consultant, teacher advisor, student and parents, programs
are planned and the course selection process is completed. Our Resource
Consultants verify that the process has been completed for all students
whose re-entry will begin the following September. Special needs
and accommodations are discussed with the Resource contact in the
community school.
The final Pupil Planning Conference offers an opportunity to review
and update the plan and ensure that the Individual Education Plan
reflects the needs and accommodations for the student. For students
who are returning to an Elementary School, plans for a week-long
visit are developed with the goal of allowing the student an opportunity
to re-establish friendships and assess their needs in their community
school. The Individual Education Plan and a letter of support for
an ISA application, for students who have become fluent and dependent
on adaptive technology, are forwarded to the receiving school board.
During May and June, the Resource Consultant makes arrangements
for an Identification Placement and Review Committee meeting at
the receiving school. At the community school, the Individual Education
Plan and specific needs of each student are discussed with the Amethyst
Team, the student, the parents and the community school team.
Following the student’s return to their community school,
the Amethyst consultant arranges a visit to support the student,
parents, and school personnel through transition issues. Transition
issues may include the effective integration of technology into
the curriculum course program, issues affecting the social and emotional
adjustments that students face in re-establishing peer relationships,
or supporting students to initiate appropriate self-advocacy skills
in their community school.
Although the mandate of the Provincial Schools is complete at this
point, the Resource Consultant remains available for consultation
and support through the transition period. The effectiveness of
our program is measured by the success of the Amethyst student in
transferring the academic skills that they have acquired, in integrating
the specific strategies that they have learned and in internalizing
the social skills they have mastered as life-long habits. Ensuring
the successful transfer of these skills is an essential and integral
component of the Amethyst Experience and one our students must carry
with them as they confront the challenges of the learning disabled
student in a demanding educational environment.
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