GLRR – Mrs. Atkinson / Miss Beaudoin

Students are provided with an academic life skills program focusing on reading, writing and math programs that will allow them to get and maintain a job, live on their own independently and take part in leisure time activities. These programs may offer students opportunities for work experience. Students in these programs may present with a mild or moderate mental handicapping condition, a syndrome, a physical or medical disability and/or an emotional/behavioural disability. Students who present with a severe learning disability in the areas of reading decoding and comprehension, as well as math computations and word problems may be considered. (Students who have good reading comprehension but a writing disability may best have their needs met by staying in regular education and having modifications made for how they can present their assignments and tests.)nbsp; Students in these programs will either continue on to General Learning Resource Rooms at the Composite High or qualify for Knowledge and Employability courses.

Adapted Program - Integrated

Program Overview:  This program is designed to accommodate the learning needs of students who are achieving below grade level but not significantly enough to qualify for District GLR programs. Our Adapted program retains the learning outcomes of the Program of Studies and provides adjustments to the instructional process to address the special education needs of the student.  These students are able to cope in an inclusive classroom environment with an adapted academic program.

 
Goals and Objectives:  The goals of the Adapted program are to identify the individual students learning needs and adapt their program to help them successfully complete the Junior High Curriculum to the best of their abilities.
The objective of the program is to integrate the student as much as possible.  The Adapted class is designed to have two teachers: one core and one special education for the Language Arts and Mathematics blocks. Students with IPPs for below grade level achievement are placed in the Adapted class. The Adapted students are integrated with regular education students in this homeroom class.  The special education teacher supports the student and the core teacher with any adaptations to assignments, tests or the delivery of the curriculum.  Small group or individual pull-out situations may be arranged by the special education teacher however integration is supported as much as possible. Adaptations required in any other courses are made by the core teacher, who incorporates the student’s IPP.  The Special Education teacher supports these teachers with suggestions for adaptations and resources that may help them to adapt assignments. 

Referral Process:  Students entering Montrose Junior High School with a current IPP are placed in the Adapted program.  Throughout the year, teacher referrals and parental referrals are assessed for movement in or out of the Adapted program. A special education referral form, detailing the students’ specific learning needs is required when referring a student for special education assessment and consideration for a modified program.  (See Referrals) 

Entry/Exit:  The Grade 7 Special Education Teacher interviews the Grade 6 teachers from each feeder school in May/June, prior to entry in Grade 7, to assess the needs of the students with IPP’s.  The Grade 8 and 9 Special Education Teachers meet with the Special Education Teacher from the previous grade to identify students continuing in the Adapted program.  Any students entering from outside the District will be assessed upon receipt of a referral from teachers or parents.  Consent from parents for students continuing in an Adapted program or entering the program is required each school year.  Exit can occur throughout the school year depending upon individual student growth and assessment results.

Students in an Adapted Grade 9 program do not have a clear pass to Grade 10; therefore, they most likely will be registered in the Knowledge and Employability (K and E) program at the Composite High School.  Grade 9 students in the Adapted program, will be assessed in February by the Composite High School for entry to their K and E program.

Assessment:   Students should be assessed upon entry or exit to the program, or at the beginning and ending of each school year.  The following assessment tools are used at Montrose, dependent on the area of achievement being assessed:

• Woodcock Johnson III
• WRAT – Wide Range Achievement Test
• CAT 2/ CAT 3 – Canadian Achievement Test
• Key Math
• Eckwall/Shanker Reading Inventory
• CTBS – Canadian Test of Basic Skills – Reading
• CCAT – Canadian Cognitive Abilities Test
• Star Reading – Reading Vocabulary Test
• Stanford Diagnostic Math and Reading Tests
• Student Academic Performance in classroom

Parental Involvement:  Parental involvement is integral to the success of the student in the Adapted program.  IPP’s are prepared and reviewed with the parents at or before the November Parent Teacher Interview.  Subsequent reviews take place in March and June.  Throughout the year, the special education teacher will contact the parent regarding student progress.  Promotion or major programming concerns will be discussed through a formal meeting involving the parents, special education teacher and the principal.