Peggy Blair – Superintendent of Education (Learning Services)
519-527-0111 ext. 109peggy.blair@ed.amdsb.ca
BIPSA/SIPSAW, Mental Health Strategy, MACSE, FNMI Education, Special Education, Special Needs Strategy, Transition Planning, English as a Second Language, Co-Op Support: job coaches, Equity and Inclusive Education Strategy, Section 23, Interventions: KLLIC, etc. Agency Liaison: CAS, Choices for Change, PDHU, HPC Board Committee Liaison: SEAC, Joint Health & Safety (Alternate)
“All students can learn but not always on the same day and not always in the same way.”
All students require support from teachers, classmates, family, and friends in order to thrive and to gain full benefit from their school experience. Some students have special needs that require additional supports beyond those ordinarily received in a classroom setting.
Many students have special education needs. Some are formally identified through the Identification, Placement and Review Process (IPRP) and have an Individual Education Plan (IEP) that guides their programming. Other students have an Individual Education Plan without the formal identification. Classroom teachers focus on universal design for learning and differentiated instruction to meet the needs of all students. Special education programs and services in the Avon Maitland District School Board support classroom teachers in meeting the needs of our diverse group of learners with special education needs.
Resources, programs and services provided to students depend on funding allotted to AMDSB by the Ministry of Education.
Supports and Learning Services
Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Teachers of the Deaf & Hard of Hearing provide service to students with moderate, severe, and profound hearing losses. Support is given to the schools on classroom acoustics, amplification, seating and teaching strategies.
Blind and Low Vision
Teachers of the Blind provide service and program support to students with moderate, severe, and profound visual impairments. Teachers of the blind also provide support through consultative services relating to the student’s vision loss.
Speech and Language
Speech & Language Pathologists provide a range of services to support students with speech, language and communication needs in the classroom. This includes consultation, assessment, programming, therapy and community liaison.
Psychological Services
The Board’s Psychology Team provides psychological services such as assessments, consultations and training.
Special Education Consultants
Special Education Consultants provide special education consultant services to a region of schools and to the district as a whole.
Gifted Program
Teachers of the Gifted provide direct service to students identified as gifted in grades:
- 4-5-6 who are admitted to the out-of-school gifted program;
- 7-10 through the Module program;
Our gifted teachers also provide support to other students identified as gifted by consulting with classroom teachers.
English as a Second Language (ESL) Services
Provides direct support to ESL students.
Student Support Team
Student Support Teachers observe, plan and apply behaviour strategies, intervention, data collection and classroom management methods to support classroom teachers, school staff and students experiencing behaviour crisis. Student Support Teachers can be accessed through both consultations and direct referrals approved by the Superintendent of Education (Learning Services.)
There are dedicated Educational Assistants (EA) to assist the Student Support Teachers in observing, planning and applying behaviour strategies, intervention, data collection and classroom management methods to support classroom teachers, school staff and students experiencing behaviour crisis.
School-To-Work Transition Support
Job Coaches are available to assist special education and co-op teachers with students in school-to-work transitions.
Mental Health
Overall, mental health exists to create positive and inclusive learning environments that provide mental health and wellness to maximize student learning outcomes. To achieve this aim, we offer a variety of services intended to raise awareness, create positive environments and deliver supports for students with mental health concerns.
Learning For All Coaches
Avon Maitland District School Board has developed a K-12 coaching model to build teacher capacity in order to foster positive inclusive learning environments board wide. Partnerships have been established between coaches and classroom teachers to work through the Collaborative Inquiry Cycle. The goal of the work is to build greater teacher capacity in the successful inclusion of all students. Principles from the Learning for All document including Differentiated Instruction and Universal Design for Learning are the foundations of this work.