Ontario Special Needs Strategy Update for Families - Rehabilitation Services

Please click here to download a pdf version of the update and letter to families.

Dear Families,

As a family whose child may be receiving or waiting for rehabilitation services (speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, physiotherapy), we are writing to provide you with an update on upcoming improvements to the delivery of children’s rehabilitation services in your community.

As you may know, in 2014 the government launched the Special Needs Strategy in response to feedback received from families to improve the timeliness, effectiveness and coordination of the services that children and youth with special needs require to fully participate at home, at school, in the community and to achieve goals for adulthood.

A key initiative of the Special Needs Strategy is the integrated delivery of rehabilitation services, including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology, for children and youth from birth to school exit.
Over the past year, service providers – including community-based Preschool Speech and Language providers, District School Boards, Community Care Access Centres and Children’s Treatment Centres – in communities across the province have worked to develop locally integrated, family-centred ways to deliver children’s rehabilitation services to improve family service experiences and outcomes for children and youth with special needs. In doing so, service providers have engaged with families and youth in our communities to seek their input.

What is Changing?

Once the improvements are implemented, children and youth with rehabilitation service needs and their families will have:
 A seamless service experience from birth to school exit, with no gaps in service as children transition to school or between service providers;

• Child, youth and family centred service as parents and children/youth work together with service providers and educators to set goals based on their individual needs and strengths;
•  Access to a broad range of high quality interventions (classroom, parent training, educator consultation) in settings that are most appropriate to their needs, and as convenient as possible to families; and
•  Continuous and consistent services throughout the calendar year regardless of who delivers them in the community.

Following the ministries’ review of initial local proposals, service providers are now beginning to refine their proposals based on consultation with stakeholders. Based on feedback gathered, they will then begin to develop local plans for implementation of their new local models for the integrated delivery of rehabilitation services in each community.

When Will These Changes Take Place?

These changes will be phased in so that they will not disrupt any services your child may currently be receiving in the community or school. Families currently waiting for services will maintain their place on the waitlist. There will be no reduction in service capacity as a result of this change. Implementation of new service delivery models is expected to begin as early as Fall 2018.

We will continue to work together across service providers in the community to ensure that there will be no gaps in services for your child and that any changes will be seamless for you and your family.

How Can I Get More Information?

We will continue to keep you informed as the new model is developed in your community.

You can also visit the Ministry of Children & Youth Services website at www.children.gov.on.ca for more information about the special needs strategy in Ontario.

For more information or if you have any questions, please contact: Sean Monteith, Keewatin Patricia DSB, 807 468 5571 ext 236

Sincerely,

Joan Kantola
Superintendent of Education
Keewatin Patricia District School Board

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Jack Talks Session in Kenora - Free Community Event on May 2, 2017 at 7:00pm

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It's Time to Register for the KPDSB's Hockey Canada Skills Academies for the 2017-18 School Year!

It's time to register for the our popular Hockey Canada Skills Academies in Dryden/Vermilion Bay, Kenora/Sioux Narrows, Sioux Lookout, Red Lake/Ear Falls and Ignace!

Please click on the links below for registration information by area:

• Dryden/Vermilion Bay
• Kenora
• Sioux Lookout
• Red Lake/Ear Falls
• Ignace

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KPDSB Trustees Approve Name for New High School in Sioux Lookout

Media Release - April 12, 2017

KPDSB Trustees approved a name for our new high school in Sioux Lookout at the April regular board meeting (held April 11, 2017, at Ignace Public School).   The new name, ‘Sioux North High School’, received unanimous support from Trustees.     

The process to select a name for the new high school began in May 2016.  In accordance with KPDSB Policy 805 – Naming of Educational Facilities, the Naming of the New Sioux Lookout High School Committee was created.  Members of the committee included area students and staff, as well as community representatives from both Sioux Lookout and Lac Seul First Nation.

Following a number of face to face community consultations in Sioux Lookout and Lac Seul, the public was given an opportunity to submit possible names for the new school through an online survey in June 2016.  Submitted names were then voted on by members of the committee and a short list of three options was once again given to the public for input through another online survey in December 2016.

Results of the final survey indicated ‘Sioux Lookout True North High School’ received the majority of votes (approximately 800 of 1300 votes – the other name options were Points North District High School and Lac Seul District High School).

The naming committee held one final meeting, where students on the committee suggested an abbreviated version of the top choice, adjusting the name from ‘Sioux Lookout True North High School’ to ‘Sioux North High School’.  The students’ suggestion received full support from the membership of the committee and the name was officially submitted to the Board of Trustees on behalf of the committee.

Sean Monteith, Director of Education, stated “The naming of our new high school in Sioux Lookout, Sioux North High School, not only represents another significant milestone to our end goal of an official opening, it also represents the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board remaining true to its vision statement that we put students first, and with that comes the inherent responsibility to honour their voice.”

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Kenora’s Beaver Brae Bronco Cheerleaders win Bronze at World Championships in Florida

Media Release - March 8, 2017

The staff, administration and Trustees of the KPDSB wish to acknowledge the incredible achievements of Beaver Brae Secondary School’s (BBSS) Bronco Cheerleaders at the High School World Cheerleading Championships at Disney World in Florida this month.

The BBSS Cheer Team, made up of 19 student athletes in grades 7-12, travelled to Florida mid-February to compete in the Junior Varsity Division after winning their bid to the High School World Cheerleading Championships in February 2016 from the Manitoba Association of Cheerleading.

In December 2016, the team was adjudicated in Winnipeg by a representative from the Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA), and shortly after, the Broncos were invited by the International Cheer Union to enter a second event at the world championships called Game Day, making the BBSS Broncos the first international team to compete in the event.

We are proud to announce the Beaver Brae Broncos Cheer Team won a bronze medal in the World Junior Varsity Non Tumbling finals.  Their placing helped earn the Canadian teams a silver in the Nations Cup. The Broncos also placed seventh overall in the U.S. Nationals Game Day event in the Junior Varsity division earning the Bronco Cheerleaders a Silver Nations Ranking.

Deb Allan, Head Coach for the Broncos Cheer Team, credits the team’s unprecedented achievement at the world stage to the hard work and dedication of each and every student on the team, the support of their families, teachers and coaches, and Beaver Brae’s Bronco Cheer Academy. 

Allan stated “This opportunity provided for our team was such an honour and it was a very proud moment to be Canadian and a Bronco.  The girls demonstrated such strength and composure at every single step and showed that they belonged on that Worlds Stage.  Our Bronco Cheerleaders looked great in purple, white and Bronze and are now a nationally and internationally recognized school program in North America.  Congratulations girls, this is an achievement you can carry with you for the rest of your lives and we’re very proud of you.”

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