Section 4: Co-ordination of Services with Other Ministries or Agencies

Transition of Students into School from Preschool
Students entering the Lambton Kent District School Board are welcomed through the Early Years registration procedure. (Refer to Section 2.3.1) If students have moderate to severe needs and are under the jurisdiction of one of the community agencies – e.g., Children's Treatment Centre, a meeting is convened by the Special Education Co-ordinator in the spring of the year prior to school entry. Agency staff and parents are invited to share information regarding the child’s strengths and needs. This information is, in turn, shared with the school staff. Teachers may attend the Day Care setting to observe the child and a second meeting is held at the school to review progress and needs. The timeline and pre-school intake form are found in Appendix 4.1.

Transition of Students out of School to Community Agencies
Exceptional students age 14 and older have a transition plan as part of their Individual Education Plan, either through their “Annual Education Plan” or, if their disability is moderate to severe, as a separate support document (Section 2.9, Appendix 2.9.2). For students leaving the school, the special class or resource teacher may provide support documentation to the staff of the post-secondary destination, e.g. supported work placement, or special needs officer at college. Upon receipt of the Ministry of Education Guidelines, a timeline and action plan will be developed. The plan will identify strategies to ensure collaborative efforts with community agencies whereby transition planning for leaving secondary school commences at age 14. Strategies will also be developed in order to involve families. The Board plan will reflect the Ministry of Education Transition Plan Resource Guide and the document, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Community and Social Services, Proposal for the Development of Joint Guidelines for Transition Planning for Students with Developmental Disabilities.

Advance Planning for Students Arriving from Other Programs
For students returning from out-of-district programs, the appropriate staff meet with the sending institution or facility to discuss the student’s needs, e.g. Psychologist for demission from Mental Health Facility, or Special Education Co-ordinator for students returning from a Demonstration School Program. Services and supports are arranged in accordance with individual requirements. For high needs students entering the system from other jurisdictions, every attempt is made to gather information prior to admission in order to have supports in place for the student.

Assessments accompanying these students are accepted. It is not the practice of the Board to reassess all incoming students. Reassessment is completed only when additional information is required for the improvement of instruction for the student.

How information is shared for students leaving to attend other programs
All reports available related to student needs, programs and services, if conducive to the improvement of instruction, is contained in the documentation file of the Ontario School Record, as per the Ministry Guideline, 2000 and the Board Guideline, 2001.

Persons responsible for successful admission
Admissions and transfers of students from one program to another is the responsibility of the school Principal, in consultation with the Superintendent of Education and support staff, e.g.,. Psychometrist, Special Education Co-ordinator. If placement in a Special Education Program is required, the placement is made through the Identification Placement and Review process (Section 2.4)

Links to Government and Community Initiatives
The Lambton Kent District School Board is committed to partnerships with community services and a holistic approach to supporting special needs children with the municipalities. To this end, special education personnel have frequent and ongoing communication with a number of community agencies, serve on a number of community committees whose mandate is to provide services for exceptional pupils. Staff also work proactively to encourage families to explore services for their children, which are available outside of the regular school setting.

Liaison with Community Agencies
The Special Education Co-ordinators are involved in liaison with a number of community agencies. These include:

· Associations for Community Living

· Chatham Kent Integrated Children’s Services

· Child and Parent Resource Institute, London

· Community Care Access Centre

· FAST Program: Family and Schools Together (Sarnia-Lambton)

· Learning Disabilities Association

· Pathways Health Centre for Children

· Prism Centre for Audiology and Children’s Rehabilitation

· St. Clair Child and Youth Services

· Thames Valley Children’s Centre

· Windsor Western Regional Centre

Special Education staff also serve as committee members for groups such as the following:

· Chatham-Kent Integrated Children’s Services KIDS Team

· Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee

· Pre-school Intake Review

· Pre-school Speech and Language Committee

· Summer Experience

· High Risk Committee

· Sarnia-Lambton REBOUND

· 18 to 21 Transition Committee

· I.O.D.E.

· East Lambton Secondary School Foundation

· Ontario Association of Psychological Associates

· Chatham-Kent Suicide Prevention and Education Committee

· Association of Chief Psychologists for Ontario School Boards

· Canadian Cancer Society

· Coaching to Inclusion Committee

· Integration Services Advisory Committee (I.S.A.C.)

Family Counselling Centre, STARRting Point Advisory Committee