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School Program

Each Demonstration School provides an elementary and a secondary program. At the elementary level, a highly individualized and modified program is provided to each student. In the semestered secondary section, courses are accommodated to enable students to receive secondary school credits.

Classroom sizes range from five to eight pupils for most subjects. Upon admission, an individual teacher and a residence counsellor is assigned special responsibility for the establishment of an individualized program for each student. The primary teacher and primary counsellor co-operatively take a special interest in, and responsibility for, the academic growth and social development of their assigned students. The home room teacher and the primary counsellor are in frequent contact to ensure that a consistent approach is taken with each student for whom they have special responsibility. Parents are involved as partners in the student's progress. Open communication between parents and Demonstration School staff is important to the success of our students. Weekly written contact is made by both teacher and counsellor as well as informal contact by telephone. In addition, parents are expected to participate in student program meetings at least twice a year to discuss their child's progress. Classroom assistants and volunteers provide additional support to students. These people enable our students to experience many opportunities for individual and small group instruction. School hours are consistent with the regulations for school boards. However, adjustments are made to ensure that students are able to return home on Friday and remain at home as long as possible on the weekend (in many cases until Monday morning).

Teachers and counsellors have a high degree of skill in both teaching/activity leadership and behaviour management. An attempt is made through appropriate adaptations and modifications of the program to meet the academic, cognitive, social and emotional needs of all students. When a student leaves the program, careful documentation of the interventions (successful or unsuccessful) that were attempted and suggestions for maximizing the learning potential of each student are provided to the home school.

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