Policy: Student Services
Policy Number: EA
Policy Type: Support Services
POLICY
Hanover School Division recognizes the importance of having inclusive schools throughout the division
where all students are provided with the supports and opportunities needed to become participating
members of their school communities.
It is the role of Student Services of the Hanover School Division to support all students, including those
with exceptional learning needs, in an inclusive school setting. Inclusive schools provide a learning
environment that is accessible to all students as a place to learn, grow, experience acceptance and
belonging, and enjoy all the benefits of citizenship.
Student Services is under the leadership of the Assistant Superintendent of Student Services and is
comprised of a team of educational specialists and clinicians, which may include: an administrator, school
psychologists, school social workers, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists,
physiotherapists, and special education teachers. (See Appendices SS 2 - 7 for responsibilities and duties
of Student Services professional personnel).
GUIDELINES
1. Student Services adopts the following core values and beliefs:
1.1. All students have access to all the benefits of an appropriate educational program in the context
of an inclusive school setting.
1.2. All students can learn, in different ways and different rates, with individual strengths and abilities.
1.3. All students want to feel a sense of acceptance and belonging and are valued.
1.4. All students come from diverse backgrounds and want their differences respected.
The Individual Education Plan (IEP) is a process in which student exceptional needs are outlined and
appropriate educational programming is documented, a process in which the educational team includes
the parent(s) or guardian(s).
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2. Appropriate Education
2.1. Student Services complies with standards of practice as outlined in the document Appropriate
Educational Programming in Manitoba: Standards for Student Services
(Manitoba Education,
Citizenship and Youth, 2006).
2.2. Appropriate educational programming is the result of collaborative decision making of the
student’s educational support team, including parent(s) or guardian(s).
2.3. As far as reasonably practical, appropriate educational programming will be available to a
student in the classroom of his/her peers in the school whose catchment area includes the
student’s residence.
2.4. A student may attend another program in the Hanover School Division if the catchment school
can not provide the appropriate educational program.
2.5. Appropriate educational programming begins with the provincial curricula with consideration of
individual student learning needs and abilities
2.6. Appropriate educational programming may include a number of the following interventions (see
EA - Appendix A for glossary of terms and definitions):
● Differentiated Instruction
● Adaptations
● Modified Programs
● Reasonable Accommodations
● Individualized Educational Plans (IEPs)
● Behaviour Intervention Plans
● Adapted Education Plans
● Modified Education Plans
● Individualized Transition Plans (ITPs)
3. Individualized Educational Plan (IEP)
3.1. A principal will ensure that an Individual Education Plan (IEP) is developed for any student who
can not achieve the expected learning outcomes through differentiating instruction or
adaptations or accommodations to the learning environment.
3.2. The principal will ensure an Individual Transition Plan (ITP) is developed for any student with
special needs aged 16 to 21 years.
3.3. The IEP is the basis for decision making for students with exceptional learning needs and is
developed collaboratively with the student’s teacher, educational team, and the parent or
guardian.
3.4. An IEP is developed for any student who receives Special Needs Categorical Funding Level 2 or
3.
3.5. The IEP is the comprehensive term for individual behaviour plans or modified educational plans.
3.6. The IEP contains the following information:
● Summary of the student’s exceptional learning needs.
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● Outline of behavioural and health care needs.
● Description of student’s current performance and student specific outcomes.
● Strategies, methods, materials, resources needed to achieve the student specific
outcomes.
● Attachments, if applicable, Personal Transportation Plan (PTP) or Individual Health Care
Plan (IHCP).
● Defined roles and responsibilities of the participants.
● Review dates and assessment procedures.
4. Transitions In School – (Full details see EA – Appendix B)
4.1. Students entering kindergarten who have been identified as having exceptional special needs
are brought to the attention of the Assistant Superintendent of Student Services prior to school
entry. The Guidelines for
Early Childhood Transition to School for Children with Special Needs
(Healthy Child Manitoba, September 2002) protocol is followed to ensure a seamless transition
into school as well as allow time for school teams to prepare and plan for the child’s entry to
school.
4.2. School teams will facilitate the smooth transition from one school to another to ensure the
continued educational success of students. When students transition from Early Years to Middle
Years and Middle Years to Senior Years, plans for formal orientations and introductions to new
school environments are developed for students.
4.3. Students with special needs, aged 16 to 21 years, are required to have an Individual Transition
Plan (ITP). The plan is developed by the student’s IEP team and outlines the process for a
student to exit school and enter into the community and employment, accessing Adult
Community Services. School teams will follow the guidelines for the transition from school to
community outlined in the document Bridging to Adulthood: A Protocol for Transitioning Students
with Exceptional Needs from School to Community
(Manitoba Education, 2008).
4.4. Students who are in the care of Child Welfare Agencies must follow the Guidelines for School of
Students in Care of Child Welfare Agencies
(Healthy Child Manitoba, September 2002) protocol
to ensure a seamless transition into schools in the Hanover School Division. School Social
workers facilitate the formal intake meetings of all students in foster care. Principals will ensure
that educational programming is not unduly delayed because of non-receipt of Pupil files, and
may have no more than 14 days after the registration date to plan and prepare educational
programming for students transitioning into school.
5. Specialized Assessment - (Full details see EA – Appendix C)
5.1. Student Services of the Hanover School Division recognizes that some students may require
services beyond those available within the school. These services include specialized
assessment and interventions.
5.2. Specialized assessment provides additional information to support appropriate educational
programming for students.
5.3. Students will be referred for specialized assessment if information from school based
assessments, differentiated instruction, adaptations and other school based interventions are
found to be insufficient in assisting the student in achieving expected learning outcomes.
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5.4. Specialized assessments will be conducted in a timely manner by qualified professionals
(clinicians), as appointed by the Board of Trustees of the Hanover School Division.
6. Professional Qualifications for Specialized Assessments
6.1. Speech language pathologists, school psychologists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists,
social workers are the qualified professionals, or clinicians, appointed by the Board of Trustees
of the Hanover School Division to conduct specialized assessments.
6.2. Clinicians have the necessary education, training, and experience to ensure that specialized
assessments are completed in a competent and appropriate manner.
6.3. Clinicians conducting specialized assessments will comply with the Appropriate Educational
Programming Regulation: Public Schools Act
(2005) and Appropriate Educational Programming
in Manitoba; Standards for Student Services
(Manitoba Education 2006).
6.4. Clinicians attain their Permanent School Clinician Certificate to practice in Manitoba schools
through the Professional Certification Branch, Manitoba Education. The Professional
Certification Branch regulates the professional credentials of school clinicians.
7. Referral Procedures (Full details see EA – Appendix D)
7.1. A principal must ensure that a student is referred for a specialized assessment as soon as
reasonably practical if the school based team is unable to determine why a student is
experiencing minimal academic progress and student success.
7.2. Students will be referred for specialized assessment if information from school based
assessments, differentiated instruction, adaptations and other school based interventions are
found to be insufficient in assisting the student in achieving expected learning outcomes.
7.3. Outcomes of the specialized assessment are intended to assist the school-based team in
appropriate educational programming to improve academic performance and student success.
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Date Policy Created:
July 3, 2012
Date of last Review:
May 5, 2020
Reference(s):
● Bridging to Adulthood: A Protocol for Transitioning Student with Exceptional
Needs from School to Community
(Manitoba Education, March 2008).
● Guidelines for
Early Childhood Transition to School for Children with Special
Needs
(Healthy Child Manitoba, September 2002)
● Guidelines for School of Students in Care of Child Welfare Agencies
(Healthy Child Manitoba, September 2002)
● Appropriate Educational Programming Regulation: Public Schools Act
(2005)
● Appropriate Educational Programming in Manitoba: Standards for Student
Services
, (Manitoba Education, 2006).
Related Forms:
Appendixes:
Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix C
Appendix D
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