Student Services

Philosophy of Inclusive Education

Student Services in Manitoba schools support all students, including those with exceptional learning needs.

The school-based Student Services Support Team typically includes a school administrator, resource/counsellor, classroom teacher and the Clinical Services Unit. The team assists schools to develop exemplary practice in inclusion and to promote the planning, development and monitoring of Individual Education Plans (IEPs) for students in all aspects of their learning. When a student requires an IEP, a member of the school-based Student Services Support Team usually acts as the student's case manager, and coordinates meeting and planning efforts.

In keeping with the Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth (MECY) mandate for all school divisions, the Louis Riel School Division has adopted the provincial Inclusive Education philosophy and the recommendations elaborated in the MECY 2006 draft document Appropriate Educational Programming in Manitoba - Standards for Student Services.

While most of the students in the Louis Riel School Division receive their educational programming in the regular classroom, a continuum of services at the school and divisional levels is necessary to meet the wide range of needs presented by all students. A divisional priority is to create schools that ensure success for every child—that success grounds itself with collaboration to build relationships. The school-based Student Service Support Teams provide direct service for and programming to students because they understand their needs.

School teams and divisional support staff collaborate to ensure that inclusionary strategies meet students' needs.

Appropriate educational programming is a collaborative school-family-community process in which school communities create learning environments and provide resources and services that respond to the cognitive, social, and emotional needs of all students.

Inclusive schools provide learning environments that are accessible to all students as places to learn, grow, and enjoy all the benefits of citizenship and community.

In an inclusive school, all students receive the supports and opportunities they need to become participating members of their school communities.

Respectful partnerships between home, school and community are critical to those supports and opportunities.

Core Values and Beliefs

• All students can learn in different ways and at different rates.
• All students have individual abilities and needs.
• All students want to feel they belong and are valued.
• All students come from diverse backgrounds and want their differences to be respected.
• All students have the right to appropriate educational programming.
• The provincial curriculum is the starting point for educational programming.
• Parents and students must be involved in the individual education planning process.
• The IEP is the basis for decision-making for students with exceptional learning needs.

Student Services Review

The vitality of a school division depends significantly on the programs and services it provides. In 2005, the Louis Riel School Division hired a social research company, to review the current state of student services within the Division.

The review was designed to identify the strengths of existing programs and services, and to suggest improvements. A steering committee comprised of teachers, administrators, divisional consultants, trustees and parents participated in the project to ensure all sides were represented.

The final report offers recommendations to enhance and strengthen existing programs and services. The Louis Riel School Division is progressive in its commitment to developing and enhancing its programs and services to ensure that student needs are met.