What is there for at risk elementary students?

Here is a list of services that may be assistance to students :

General resources

• Many schools have after- school homework clubs and or after -school programs run by a community agency in their school .
• Boys literacy clubs
• Volunteers such as from Rotary, and McMaster students through Frontier College offer tutoring support within some schools
• Big Brothers mentoring program in the schools.
• Boys to Men mentoring program
• Project GO : girls only mentoring club
• CHAT: choosing healthy actions and thoughts a class- wide depression prevention program delivered in Grade 7
• onMATH : an internet program provides math support in and after school until 5.00p.m. ( higher grades)
• note also that the Public Library offers homework support on-line
• Summer camp programs in the schools emphasize literacy skills
• Anti-bullying programs including peer mediation; tribes;

Learning Difficulties

To access these programs, please talk to the Principal of your child’s school

• Summer skill program in the summer holidays to maintain literacy skills, and prepare for high school
• In-schools and system school resource meetings : multi-disciplinary consultations to discuss student progress and problem solve
• Itinerant teams for ASD, Augmentative Communication, LD, Behaviour

• Itinerant teachers for Hard of Hearing and Blind students

• Six week intensive program for some grade 6 LD students

• Students may be placed on an Individual Educational Plan (IEP) and linked to the school' s Learning Resource Teacher (LRT)
• If the students are identified as special education students through the Identification Placement Review Committee (IPRC) process then there are a variety of supports such as
• special education classes;
• support teams for Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) ;
• itinerant hard of hearing and blind teachers;
• and educational assistants.

More about programs for identified students can be found on the Board’s web site: www.hwdsb.on.ca

Social and Emotional support

• System school resource meetings : multi-disciplinary consultations to discuss student issues, including behaviour and mental health
• Settlement Workers in Schools (SWISH) work with families and students who are new to Canada
• Behaviour Pathway Program level 1:
• Five system itinerant behaviour teams each consisting of a teacher and 2 EAs support classroom teachers

• Behaviour Pathway program level 2 :
• Five system programs each staffed with a teacher and an EA to address behavioural needs of students who need more support than in level 1
• Behaviour Pathway Program level 3: Three self- contained classes for students with intense behavioural needs.
• Restorative Justice programs available in some elementary schools
• EA mentoring program : project to support students in targeted high needs elementary schools to address social–emotional issues

Alternative Programs

To access these programs, please talk to the Principal of your child’s school

• Adelaide Hoodless and Crestwood alternative programs and an outdoor program at Canterbury Hills.
• The School Alternative Educational Program (SALEP) has educational assistants, a social worker and two teachers who provide academic work and use some community resources as well as work experience to re-engage students in school who have not been attending.
• Students who have been suspended for 8 to 20 days or who are expelled may attend the Gateway program in two locations supported by HWDSB’s partner the John Howard Society.
• Section 23 programs are run in community agencies with teachers from HWDSB ( includes hospitals, mental health and secure facilities) . Access to these programs is through Contact Hamilton.