Red Zone - Westmount Charter School

STUDENT
SERVICES
2015/16
OUR TEAM
STUDENT SERVICES TEAM
Colleen Thomas Groot – Coordinator
• Assistant Principal and SS Coordinator
• With Westmount since 1999
• MEd focusing on Leadership and Gifted Education
• Taught in both Elementary and Mid/High and as a SS Specialist
• Previously taught at the SACV with students with severe social,
emotional and behavioural difficulties
• Mother of 2 WCS students ages 13 and 14
SS COORDINATOR ROLE
• Program Overview
• Budget/Resources
• Alberta Education Documentation
• Referral Coordination
• RSCD/Providence Liaison (Speech, Occupational Therapy, Physical
Therapy, Mental Health)
• TLA and Specialist Scheduling & Supervision
• Intake Coordinator
STUDENT SERVICES TEAM
Laureen Mayer – Specialist (K, 1, 2)
• Student Services Specialist, Humanities, Math & Science Learning
Leader
• With Westmount since December 2011
• Graduate work in English Language Learners, human development
and early literacy
• Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) certificate and Inclusive
Education certificate (UBC-O)
• Former registered Recreation Therapist
• Previously taught at Almadina Language Charter Academy
• Mother to three adult children, and grandmother to one year old Ava
STUDENT SERVICES TEAM
Nicole Brayton – Specialist (3,4)
• Responsible for Grade 2 Emergent LA, K, 3 and 4 Literacy Support,
K-4 Social Emotional Support, Case management of our 3/4 Twice
Exceptional Students
• B.A in Sociology/Criminology; B.A. in Masters of Education Program With Westmount since 2001
• Previously Taught Grades 1 and 3 using an Integrated Curriculum
Model
• Semi Finalist for Excellence in Teaching in 2007
• Mother of 3 with 2 WCS children ages 15 and 8. Our youngest will
be applying this year for Kindergarten
TIMETABLED SPECIALISTS
• Literacy Support
• EAL Support
• Zones of Regulation Support
Coordination
• LA Classes
• TLA Partnerships/Collaboration
• Class Visits
• Student Services Team Meetings
• Academic Support
• Prep Time
• Assessment
• One-to-One as needed
• Groups
• Teacher Support as needed
• Virtues Coordination
• Case Management of 2e and
Mild/Mod
STUDENT SERVICES TEAM
Sophie Strawson, TLA Kindergarten (T/R)
• Started at Westmount in 2014
• Almost 20 years experience working with school aged children in a
variety of settings.
• Specializes in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Behavioural Challenges
• Worked as a TLA at the SACV with students with severe social,
emotional and behavioural difficulties and as an in-home support
worker with New Heights Education Services, supporting students
with ASD.
• Sophie has 3 daughters: Allie (10), Emily (8) and Claire (4).
• Allie is in Grade 5 at Westmount.
STUDENT SERVICES TEAM
Heather Lofthouse, TLA Kindergarten (M/W)
• Came to Westmount in 2007
• Previously a registered nurse
• First aid certified and has certificates in ASIST 11 and CTRT in
Autism.
• Mother to three WCS students past and present: Eric and
Mary who attend U of C and Victoria in Grade 10
STUDENT SERVICES TEAM
Jacqueline Shaw, TLA Grade One
• Joined WCS this year.
• Worked previously with children at the Foothills Academy,
focusing specifically on children with learning disabilities
• Currently completing an Ed. Assistant certificate at Grant
McEwan University.
• Mother of two children: Daughter (15) and Son (12)
STUDENT SERVICES TEAM
Jackie Kondrat, TLA Grade One
• Started at Westmount in 2010
• Earned her B.Ed. In 1999
• Special Education Teacher in Calgary Catholic School Division for 10
years
• Also worked in group homes, as a preschool teacher and as an in-home
support worker working with children with ASD through New Heights
Education Services.
• Jackie is the mother of two children: Josh (14) at the mid/high campus
and Alyssa (12) at the Calgary Girls School
STUDENT SERVICES TEAM
Robyn Hamilton, TLA Grade Three
• Has been with Westmount for 8 years
• Holds an Ed. Assistant Certificate from University of Calgary
• Has varied training in Autism, Crisis Intervention, anxiety and
learning disabilities
• Has two boys at Westmount: Aidan in Grade 6 and Cameron in
Kindergarten
STUDENT SERVICES TEAM
Madhu Ramdaursingh, TLA Grade Four
• Joined Westmount in January, 2015
• Volunteer at Westmount since 2008
• Has a degree in honours Psychology
• Worked with children in a non-profit organization for 8 years
prior to having children.
• Has two children at Westmount: Dhanika (11) and Sid (8)
STUDENT SERVICES TEAM
Susan Choy, TLA Grade Four
• At Westmount for 5 years
• Has a certificate in Behavioural Strategies and an Education
Assistant Certificate.
• Certified in non violent crisis intervention, suicide prevention and
last year obtained her certification in Iyengar Yoga.
• Mother of 3 children: Zac (24), Zoe (22), Will 19.
• Brother is gifted and Susan has watched his struggles and success.
STUDENT SERVICES TEAM
Lisa Wagner, Office Support
• In her second year at Westmount.
• Worked as a high school guidance secretary
• Worked as a TLA for 10 years with the Rockyview
School Division
• Mother of 2 Boys: Shaw (21) attending University in
Edmonton and Ethan (17) grade 12 WCS
TEACHING & LEARNING ASSISTANTS
• Twice Exceptional and Mild/Mod
Caseload (Clustered Classrooms)
• Documentation/Anecdotal Record
Keeping
• Unofficial caseload as time
• Assistive Technology Management
permits
• C3 Members
• Strategy Specialists/Teacher Support • Clubs/Committees
• Partnership with Case
• Recess Supervision (2e)
Managers/Specialists
TAKING A CLOSER LOOK…
FEEDBACK COLLECTION
• Teacher Survey
• Teaching and Learning Assistants’ Survey
• Spring Conversations with all Staff
• Parent Feedback
• Historical Review
• Discussions with the Superintendent
• Delivery Service Model/Program Research
• Collaborative Concept Circles Findings
DEVELOPING THEMES…
ACCOUNTABILITY
CONSISTENCY
PREDICTABILITY
CLARITY
VISIBILITY
PRIORITY
PROCESS OF PRIORITIZING…
Back to the
Basics
Identify the
Must Dos
Do Them
Well
Add On
STUDENT SERVICES
RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION (RTI)
Student Services
Intensive Individual
Intervention
Targeted Intervention
Research Based Core
Instruction
Student Services
INDIVIDUAL PROGRAM PLAN (IPP)
• assessment data (diagnostic assessment data used to determine special education programming and
services)
• current level of performance and achievement
• identification of strengths and areas of need
• measurable goals and objectives
• procedures for evaluating student progress
• identification of coordinated support services
• relevant medical information
• required classroom accommodations
• transition plans
• formal review of progress at regularly scheduled reporting periods
• year-end summary
• parent signature to indicate informed consent.
(Alberta Education, 2006)
THE IPP PROCESS
• Identifying strengths and areas of need
• Setting the direction
• Creating a plan
• Implementing the plan
• Reviewing and revising
• Planning for transition
(Alberta Education, 2006)
IPPS (FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE “BEST ME I CAN BE”)
• Parent Questionnaire Went Home on Sept 14th and
Returned September 21st
• Goals are chosen specific to student programming
• Maximum 3 goals – depending on child (gifted,
special programming, EAL)
• Signed IPP Must be Returned – Housed in Classroom
ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL
LANGUAGE SUPPORT (EAL)
Inclusivity in education requires support for the multitude of unique
needs which present in our province’s schools.
EAL SUPPORT
We need to address the needs of our students who
speak more than one language.
At Westmount, this accounts for about 25% of our
students.
EAL SUPPORT
To ensure that these students have the same
pathways to success, we need to supply them
with specific tools and strategies.
EAL SUPPORT
The largest focus is on
“playground versus academic” language.
EAL SUPPORT
EAL delivery can, and should, vary.
Variables: age of child, number of children, grade
groupings, progress
EAL SUPPORT
Alberta Education requires that identified students are benchmarked.
Assessed: listening, speaking, reading and writing
Benchmarks are:
- To support teachers in assessing language proficiency
- A tool for communicating with students and parents
- For planning explicit language instruction
EAL SUPPORT
Benchmarks are NOT part of your child’s report
card!
EAL SUPPORT
Because of the pace and rigor of our programs at
Westmount, it is important that our gifted students
receive the support that they need to excel.
LITERACY SUPPORT
•A portion of our children at Westmount
Charter School require literacy instruction
that is intensive, structured and purposeful in
order to meet their needs.
WHO RECEIVES SUPPORT?
• Pull out support is offered in Kindergarten and Grades 3 and 4
• Grades 1 and 2 receive support through a teacher facilitated class
– Laureen Mayer teaches the Grade 1 Emergent Class;
– Nicole Brayton the Grade 2 Emergent Class
HOW ARE CHILDREN IDENTIFIED
• Referrals for Literacy Support are made at the homeroom
level
• Teachers refer using current Student Writing Samples and
Star Reading Levels
• Referrals are made when a child is a minimum of 1.5 Grade
Levels BELOW their current grade
• Teachers refer using a checklist in order to provide
focused and intentional support
WHAT DOES LITERACY SUPPORT
LOOK LIKE?
• Based on referrals, small groups at either the K, 3 or 4 levels are created based on types of
support required
• I one hour session/ week that will run approximately 4-6 weeks and will be grouped according
to referrals
• Strands of Literacy Support may include:
– organization of ideas
– planning and pre-writing
– sentence structure
– paragraph structure
– spelling rules and phonic instruction
– grammar and conventions
– reading decoding, reading fluency and reading comprehension
CALGARY & AREA REGIONAL
COLLABORATIVE SERVICE DELIVERY
(RCSD)
Regional Collaborative Service Delivery involves a regional
partnership between:
• Local School Authorities,
• Alberta Health Services (Child and Youth Addiction and
Mental Health Services and Rehabilitative Services)
• Human Services (Child and Family Services and Persons with
Developmental Disabilities)
• other community stakeholders.
RCSD/PROVIDENCE
• Kindergarten screening was completed by Providence the week of
September 8th – 11th
• Providence identified students eligible to receive support through
Providence.
• Providence communicates directly with family keeping WCS informed of
progress.
• Teachers/Families have identified students Grades 1-4 to be referred to
RSCD for services
• Spaces are extremely limited – RSCD prioritizes based on need
STRATEGY BINDERS/STUDENT INFO
• Each classroom is supplied with a binder containing pertinent
information regarding children on the SS caseload.
• Rationale for this resource is communicative - movement
between classes, specialists, office staff and playground
supervisors require a common understanding of students.
• Confidentiality is considered in the creation of this document.
• Strategies to use with students within the binder.
WELCOME TO WCS FAMILY PROGRAM
• Survey results indicated this was a priority.
• Welcome to Westmount for an entire year!
• Increased level of support in integrating new students K-4
• Student Services Specialists will be assigned new students in their
respective grade levels to monitor for their first year at WCS
• Together with the classroom teacher, will monitor their social,
emotional and academic well-being in their first year
• Math/Language Arts Assessment assistance for teachers.
SUPPORT RESOURCES/ASSISTIVE
TECHNOLOGY
• Support Sacs Distributed to each classroom before school began
• Support Sacs included: Headphones, Timer, Lap Bag, Fidget
• Assistive Technology available through SS to teachers
• Experiment with accommodations but are mindful that we can not provide
long term accommodations without documentation.
RESET SPACES
• Each classroom is building a reset space – a first stop.
• Student Services Reset Room – if your child needs time away
from the classroom they can ask a teacher to use this space.
• Usage is supervised and monitored.
STUDENT GROUPS/ONE TO ONE
• Based on teacher referrals to Student Services
• Cluster based on need
• Occur during class time via pull-out or whole class
• 35 minutes – approximately 3-5 classes
• One-to-one also available
INTAKE
• Accepting applications September 1, 2015, to
December 1, 2015
• Application requirements: WPPSI/WISC, PIP, TILS,
Performance Task Evaluation/Interview, PPVT
• Open Houses: 1 in June and 2 in September
attended by approximately 600+ people
CHARACTER EDUCATION
…the deliberate attempt to promote the development of
virtue, moral values, and moral agency in youth, especially in
school settings.
Character is who you are when no one
is looking.
J.C. Watts
WHY ARE WE TAKING VIRTUES ON?
- Directly addresses the affective domain of the Matrix but fits beautifully with
the rest of Matrix as well
- Connection between affective domain and cognitive processes cited in:
- Theories associated with these connections:
- Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
- Dabrowski’s Theory of Positive Disintegration and Overexcitabilities
- Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development
BUT ESPECIALLY BECAUSE…
…we already have so many pieces of this in place
already,
this is recognizing what we do by giving name and
structure to it
PERFECT FIT FOR GIFTED LEARNERS
Gifted kids can be:
-Justice-oriented
-Altruistic
-Idealistic
-Empathic
-Socially precocious
-Energetic
POTENTIAL BENEFITS
Allows teachers to draw upon a variety of teaching pedagogies:
- cooperative learning, service learning and project-based learning
Empowers our kids in their own character development
Engages them in an ethics-based curriculum (deepening topics)
Balances asymmetrical relationships by providing opportunities for cross-age
relationships (younger and older)
Opportunity for serving others, learning through real-life activities
FOR A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM
- Needs to be an institutional priority
- Professional development for coordinators of the program
- Peer interactive strategies: discussion with colleagues, students,
other stakeholders
- Explicit promotion of healthy relationships
- Promotion of intrinsic motivation -> do it for the greater good, not
an individual ‘win’
- Empowerment of the whole school community to continue being
effective and responsible citizens
IF CHARACTER EDUCATION IS NOT
PRESENT
- If not addressed, uneven development of other domains may be
enhanced, emphasizing the ‘differences’ (Silverman)
- If asynchronous development is left unchecked, unhealthy lifestyles
may emerge (perfectionism, self-criticism, poor self-concept) or
maladjustment may occur (depression, eating disorders, antisocial
behaviour) (Roeper)
BUT WHEN IT IS…
Gifted students can meet life’s challenges with
emotional balance and coping mechanisms!
HOW WILL WE DO THIS?
THE FIVE STRATEGIES
Strategy 1: Speak the language of virtues
Strategy 2: Recognize teachable moments
Strategy 3: Set clear boundaries
Strategy 4: Honour the spirit
Strategy 5: Offer companioning
STRATEGY 1: SPEAK THE LANGUAGE
OF VIRTUES
Acknowledge the power of words, and use the words
authentically.
This takes practice.
STRATEGY 2: RECOGNIZE TEACHABLE
MOMENTS
•Using the specific words, allows our
community to build an accurate vocabulary as
we learn the lessons of character
STRATEGY 3: SET CLEAR BOUNDRIES
•Boundaries based on respect create an
atmosphere of peace, cooperation and safety.
Guidelines and parameters should be clear,
though not inflexible.
STRATEGY 4: HONOUR THE SPIRIT
•By weaving the language into activities,
surroundings, and celebrations, we deepen
the connection of the word to our world
and actions
STRATEGY 5: OFFER COMPANIONING
•Companioning is being truly present in
communications. Offering clarifying questions
to enable the person to find the answer within.
FOR EXAMPLE,
SEPTEMBER'S WORDS WERE:
Accountability*
Courtesy
Empathy*
Friendliness
Initiative
Moderation
* Goals for this school year
According to Borba, it is believed that
empathy is the core virtue.
This book was recommended as a great
jumping off point for the year. It is a
conversation between a boy and an ant,
different perspectives are shown with
respect to stepping on an ant!
Any questions you might have about the
Virtues program, please direct to Laureen
Mayer.
WHAT IS THE ZONES OF REGULATION?
• The Zones of Regulation is a program developed by Leah
Kuypers MA Ed, OTR/L to help students develop social,
emotional and sensory regulation.
“Self-regulation can go by many names, such as “self-control,” “self-management,”
“anger control,” and “impulse control.” There terms all describe people’s ability to adjust
their level of alertness and how they display their emotions through their behaviour to
attain goals in socially adaptive ways”
(Bronson 2001)
WHO BENEFITS FROM THE ZONES OF
REGULATION?
• In the beginning,The Zones of Regulation was developed for students with both
neurobiological disorders and/or mental health disorders such as ASD, ADHD, ODD, Anxiety,
etc.
• After initial studies and implementation it became apparent that the population as a whole
could benefit from The Zones of Regulation – including teachers.
• After visiting New Horizons Gifted School in the Spring, staff realized that this was a program
that would work well for our student population and was one that would tie in as well with
the existing matrix.
THE TAKE AWAY…
Using various techniques and strategies, students are taught
how to shift between one zone and another, or alternatively
stay in a zone, as a result of understanding their different
emotions, needs and thoughts.
Each student who uses the Zones of Regulation program will
walk away with a ‘toolbox’ of methods in order to move
between the zones and have a better understanding of how to
identify and become aware of their emotions (self-regulate)
WHAT ARE THE ZONES?
• The Blue Zone (Rest and Recharge) is used to describe low states of alertness, such as when one feels
sad, tired, sick, or bored. This is when one’s body and/or brain is moving slowly or sluggishly.
• The Green Zone (Good to Go) is used to describe a regulated state of alertness. A person may be
described as calm, happy, focused or content when in the Green Zone. This is the zone students
generally need to be in for schoolwork and for being social. BEING IN THE GREEN ZONE SHOWS
CONTROL.
• The Yellow Zone (Take Warning and Slow Down) is also used to describe a heightened stated of
alertness; however, a person has some control when in the Yellow Zone. A persona may be experiencing
stress, frustration, anxiety, excitement, silliness, nervousness, confusion and many more slightly elevated
emotions and states. (wiggly, squirmy, sensory seeking). THE YELLOW ZONE IS STARTING TO LOSE
SOME CONTROL
• The Red Zone (Stop and Regain Control) is used to describe extremely heightened states of alertness
or very intense feelings. A person may be experiencing anger, rage, explosive behavior, panic, terror or
elation when in this zone. THE RED ZONE IS WHEN YOU ARE NOT IN CONTROL OF YOUR BODY
HOW WILL WE USE THE ZONES AT
WESTMOUNT?
• The Roll Out of the Zones of Regulation will work much like our old Best Me I Can Be
Themes and Lessons. It is our goal to be utilizing the program comprehensively within 3 years
of it’s first lesson
 Year One: Identifying the Zones
 Year Two: Creating My Toolbox
 Year Three: Full Implementation
• Approximately one week prior to the start of each month, I will send out the focused lesson
will be sent to teachers
• Support in the classrooms will be on an as needed basis (team teaching, small group work and
one to one)
ZONES SCHEDULE FOR 2015/16
September: Preparation
October: Lesson 1 - What Are the Zones? Identifying Your Emotions
November: Lesson 2 - Zones Bingo to familiarize and reinforce
December: Lesson 3 - Social Thinking - connection to Michelle Garcia Winner
January: Lesson 4 - Identifying the Zones in Others and in Me
ZONES SCHEDULE FOR 2015/16
(CONTINUED)
February: Lesson 5 - Understanding Perspective
March: Lesson 6 – Classroom visit check-in
April: Lesson 7 - Me in My Zones
May: Lesson 8 - Me in My Zones
June: Review and recap of the year: session lead by Nicole in classroom visits
with a look ahead at Strategies and Toolboxes
Any questions you might have about the Zones
of Regulation program, please direct to Nicole.
FEEDBACK WELCOME!
Colleen Thomas Groot
colleen.groot@westmountcharter.com
Nicole Brayton
nicole.brayton@westmountcharter.com
Laureen Mayer
laureen.mayer@westmountcharter.com