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.