Inclusion, Equity, and Diversity
School District 8 Kootenay Lake supports students with identified exceptionalities who study at home in an Online Learning (OL) program. Through our Inclusion Support Services Department, students are provided equitable access to learning, achievement, and the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of their educational programs. The Online Learning program supports the goals of SD8 to assist these students in meeting their personal competency goals related to academic success, creativity and imagination, citizenship, and resiliency.
Our Equitable and Inclusive Policy
SD8 Policy 450 Equitable and Inclusive Educational Services dictates that all learners have equitable access to education while honouring the diversity each learner contributes to our society talents. Elev8 DESK is "guided in its work to provide equitable, inclusive educational services in accordance with the BC Ministry of Education’s Special Education Services: A Manual of Policies, Procedures and Guidelines" (p.1).
Special Needs Defined
A student with "special needs" is a learner with a disability of an intellectual, physical, sensory, emotional or behavioural nature; student may also have a learning disability and/or special gifts or talents.
Individualized Learning Plan
All students who have been identified by the Board as having "special needs" will have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP).
A student with special needs is entitled to an IEP if the student with special needs:
- requires more than just minor adaptations to educational materials, or instructional or assessment methods; OR
- is working on the learning outcomes other then the prescribed outcomes of the curriculum; OR
- is working on the learning outcomes with little or no adaptations, but receives 25 hours or more of remedial help from someone other than the classroom teacher to meet the expected learning outcomes.
An Individualized Education Plan:
- assists teachers in monitoring student growth and progress.
- provides an ongoing record to assist with continuity in programming and transition planning.
- guides the implementation of learning support services inside or outside the classroom to align the educational program with the needs of the student.
An IEP documents:
- individualized student goals linked to the assessed special needs (and in some cases, indicate shorter term objectives).
- strategies to be used to support the learner.
- services and resources to be provided.
- metrics for tracking achievement;
- adaptations and/or modifications; and
- responsibilities for the various aspects of the IEP.
Our School-Based Team
An Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for students with exceptionalities is developed collaborative by a School Based Team (SBT) which includes the student’s regular online learning teacher, a district case manager, a learning support teacher (LST), a parent/guardian, and any other professionals relevant to a learner's IEP (e.g., physiotherapist, speech language pathologist/assistants, educational assistant, etc.). The IEP process involves a dynamic cycle of planning, monitoring, and evaluating throughout the school year.
Decisions are the outcome of the team planning process and prerequisites to inclusion are:
- A welcoming, respectful environment for all;
- A team-focused consensus that reflects clearly the wishes of student, parents, and staff in addressing specific and individual student needs; and
- Access to adequate and appropriate resources, competently trained professionals and paraeducators and involvement of other agencies where appropriate.
BC Ministry of Education Documents
For more information on inclusion policies and students requiring specific supports, please visit these resources:
