Student Transitions

Transition of Preschool Students Entering Elementary School

There is a transition process for preschool age students with special needs who are in any registered daycare and involved with a community program within Waterloo Region(such as KW Habilitation Services, KidsAbility, Pre-School Autism Services) prior to attending JK or SK in WCDSB Schools.

School personnel work collaboratively within this process with resource consultants from the community agencies and parents to facilitate the transition of students to elementary school.

Parents of a child with special needs who are not involved with a community agency, need to contact their home school early in the year prior to the child's entry into school to begin the process of planning for their child's transition.

If parents have any questions about their child's transition to school, it is important to contact the home school Principal.

Transition of Students Moving from Elementary to Secondary Schools

Transition meetings for all Grade 8 students with an Individual Education Plan or IEP who are moving to a Secondary School in WCDSB need to be completed by the end of March of each school year.

The student's current IEP will be the primary document used at all elementary to secondary Transition Meetings.

If a Grade 8 student has been part of the Identification Placement and Review Committee process (IPRC) in WCDSB, the IPRC Annual Review can be held in conjunction with the Grade 8 Transition Meeting (if this meets parent and school needs).

Transition of Students Moving from Secondary Schools to Post Secondary Education, Workplace or the Community

All students age 14 years of age and older on an Individual Education Plan or IEP (except for those identified solely as Gifted) must have a Transition Plan as part of their IEP. The Transition Plan identifies goals for work, further education and/or community living. The plan is prepared in consultation with the student, parent and/or community agencies. The plan reflects opportunities and resources available to the student when he/she leaves school. The plan changes yearly to include steps achievable by the student in helping him/her achieve goals.

The Ministry of Education resource on transition can be found at:

http://edu.gov.on.ca/eng/general/elemsec/speced/transiti.html

For those students with more complex needs who will require community supports upon leaving secondary school, the WCDSB Community and Workplace Officer is available to assist school staff, the student and the family with transition planning. The transition process for these students must be started 4-5 years prior to leaving school, in order to coordinate agency supports, as extensive wait lists exist for these supports.

Transitions for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Connections Initiative

Connections for Students is a collaborative initiative between the Ministry of Children and Youth Services (MCYS) and Ministry of Education (EDU). This initiative is designed to facilitate the smooth transition of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) from publically funded Autism Intervention Programs (AIP) to publicly funded school boards in Ontario. Connections for Students will improve on the current support for students with ASD transitioning from Intensive Behavioural Intervention (IBI) services to Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) instructional methods.

Transitions for Students with ASD

The Ministry of Education also identifies the need for specific transition planning for students with ASD in Policy/Program Memorandum 140 (2007) as follows; “Transition planning is an important process for all students, but especially for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).  Principals are required to ensure that a plan for transition is in place for students with ASD.”

Types of Transitions may include:

• Entry to school
• Transition between activities and settings or classrooms
• Transitions between grades
• Moving from school to school or from an outside agency to a school
• Transition from elementary to secondary school
• Transition from secondary school to postsecondary destinations and/or the workplace

For students with ASD at WCDSB, transition activities and strategies are documented where appropriate, within the student’s Individual Education Plan and/or Transition Plan.

Student Transition Planning Financial Resources

Transition Planning Life Skills Resources