Welcome to the ARC (Academic Resource Centre) at BHS!

Back to School! 

We hope that you had a restful summer and are looking forward to the beginning of a new school year.  We're excited to begin another journey with you in the halls and classrooms of BHS!  

Students - please come and say hello in the first week of school.  It's important to know where the ARC is and to connect with the people that can assist you throughout the year.  If you have a laptop, it will be stored in the ARC (room 133) and will be ready for sign-out on the first day!  

Back to school can be exciting, but it can also be stressful.  If you require some support in easing the transition back to school, please don't hesitate to call or email to book an appointment with a Special Education Resource Teacher.  We will be in throughout the last week of the summer and will be able to offer that support as needed.  Please make sure you call first to see that one of us is available, as the schedule that week will not be consistent.

General Information

Special Education provides programming and resource services for students with and without an Individual Education Plan (IEP). The teachers in this department also work with classroom teachers to design programs that are inclusive and diverse.  All students in the school are able to access the resource room and its services. These include:

· Small group support with classroom work

· Technological assistance such as laptops, learning apps and assistive technology

· Organization and time-management coaching!

· Transition planning

· Providing information about community resources

· A quiet space to work

· Educational assessments where required - primarily this occurs in Grades 9 & 10

Please see our student brochures for more information about the day-to-day workings of the room, and the department.  If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact the grade appropriate SERT (Special Education Resource Teacher), or the Principal for more information.

ARC Student Brochure.pdf

Students who have been identified as Gifted are offered the opportunity to take French Immersion classes or Advanced Placement courses. 

If you require academic support you have lots of options:

• Your first - and best - option is to ASK YOUR TEACHER! They're the experts in their subject and their classroom and it makes them happy that a student is showing initiative in asking for help. 

• Lunch help - many departments offer lunch help.  Ask when it's available!

• Homework Workshop - takes place on THURSDAYS from 2:45-4:00.  It's staffed by teachers and is a great time to complete homework with assistance.

• Tutoring - check in Guidance to see if there is a peer tutor available for your subject

Welcome to the new members of our Special Education Team

We are excited to welcome Mr. Mattucci to the ARC for first semester and Mrs. VanLoon for second semester.  Although we are happy to work with any student who comes into the room, we do have grade responsibilities for case management.  

                                                        Grades 9 & 10                                                                   Grades 11 & 12

Semester 1 (September - January) Paul Mattucci - paul_mattucci@kprdsb.ca                           Jennifer Tomlin - jennifer_tomlin@kprdsb.ca

Semester 2 (February - June)         Jeanette VanLoon - jeanette_vanloon@kprdsb.ca                   Jennifer Tomlin - jennifer_tomlin@kprdsb.ca

Please don't ever hesitate to call, email or schedule a meeting if you have questions.  We appreciate and encourage open communication between the school, family and the students.

Board Office Support

http://www.kprschools.ca/Programs/SpecialEducationParents.html

Department Members

Please see below for grade assignments so you know who your SERT is for 2018/2019:

Paul Mattucci          Lead Teacher &  Special Education Resource Teacher (SERT)     paul_mattucci@kprdsb.ca

Jeanette VanLoon            Special Education Resource Teacher (SERT)                   jeanette_vanloon@kprdsb.ca

Danielle Moher            Special Education Resource Teacher (SERT)                danielle_moher@kprdsb.ca

Patrick Assinck        Special Education Resource Teacher (SERT)       patrick_assinck@kprdsb.ca

*Please check the first page of your student's IEP to see which SERT is responsible for coordinating information for the IEP

CYW Students

Once again we are happy to welcome CYW students from Fleming and Durham Colleges into our department throughout the year.  We will definitely post the information as soon as we know who will be joining us and when!

Student Success Teacher

We also work closely with the Student Success Teacher, Julie Reid and our Child and Youth Workers (CYW). 

Academic Resource Support

The resource program supports students with exceptional learning needs through 1:1 or small group academic support in our resource room (133). Here students can receive:

- The additional tutorial support needed to understand their lessons, reading material or course expectations

- Remedial academic assistance to support their learning

- Organizational support

- Support with editing assignments

- A quiet, library-like environment, where they can focus on and complete assignments

- Support with homework

- Support with problem-solving and balancing personal and academic needs

- Advocacy support and training, and liaison with classroom teachers and parents

- Support with and a place to utilize special types of educational equipment (computers, Kurzweil, Dragon and other educational software)

- An alternate setting for writing tests/exams/provincial assessments with accommodations as outlined in IEP.

We support students through an involvement with the Student Success team, Literacy Committee, Pathways Committee and the Co-op department. If modification of curriculum expectations is needed, Special Education Resource Teachers (SERTS) work in conjunction with classroom teachers to help adjust the program.