Starting School: The School Entry Action Plan

Your child has the option to start junior kindergarten (JK) the year they turn four years old, and senior kindergarten (SK) the year they turn five. All children must attend school starting the year they turn six (entering grade one).

Starting school for the first time can be nerve-wracking for families – and even more so for families with children with disabilities. Planning for your child’s successful entry into the school system may feel overwhelming, so we have put together a School Entry Action Plan to help you prepare for this important transition.

1) Identify Your Child’s Strengths and Needs

In the months before school begins, reflect on some of your child’s strengths and needs. Once you begin communicating with your child’s new school team, this information will help them shape an ideal first learning environment for your child. Consider things like:

• What does my child enjoy? (i.e., toys, books, movies, the outdoors?)
• How does my child learn best? (i.e., by demonstration, by doing, with others, alone?)
• What things can my child do for himself?
• What help does my child need?
• What causes my child to experience stress, emotional dysregulation, meltdowns, or withdrawal?
• Does my child have a diagnosis?
• What reports do I have that reflect my child’s strengths and needs (from doctors, therapists, or preschool services)?

Write down what your child will need to participate fully at school. Identify necessary supports and accessibility considerations, such as:

• What therapy services will my child need at school? (i.e., physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, blind/low-vision services/orientation and mobility services, deaf/hard of hearing services?)
• Will my child need nursing care? (i.e., for g-tube feeding?)
• Will my child need to have medication administered during school hours?
• Will my child need assistance with activities of daily living? (i.e., toileting, feeding/drinking, dressing, etc.?)
• Are there any medical or safety considerations the school should know about?
• Will my child need accessible transportation to attend school?
• Is the school building accessible? i.e. ramps, automatic doors, accessible washrooms?
• Will my child use a mobility device or other specialized equipment at school? (i.e., a wheelchair, standing frame, walker, or activity chair?)

2) Register Your Child for School

Choosing a School Board:

Research school boards in your region. Usually, each region has a public or Catholic option for both English and French schools. You may also wish to consider private schools. Begin researching your options at least one year before your child starts school and find out:

• What are the school board’s philosophies toward special education and inclusion?
• What experiences have other families like yours had in the school board? (local parent Facebook groups are a great place to connect and ask questions)
• What are the school’s geographical boundaries?
• What type of supports does the school board provide for children with disabilities?
• (For private schools): If personal care support is not provided by the school, how much will it cost to hire a support worker/educational assistant?

Connecting with Your Local School:

• Identify your local school through the Ministry of Education website: Find your school | ontario.ca or via your school board’s website.
• Consider making an appointment or scheduling a phone call with the principal of your local school to discuss your child and the supports they will need at school in the fall or early winter before school starts.

Questions to Ask the Principal:

• What practices do you support at the school to facilitate the inclusion of students with disabilities?
• What is the current school enrollment?
• How many classes are in each grade?
• How many students are typically in each class?
• How are children with disabilities supported in kindergarten and beyond?
• When is school registration? Is the process online, or in-person?
• Do you provide any information sessions about kindergarten or entering school?

Register your Child for School:

This usually occurs between January and March each year.

• Find out the start date for registration and review the application requirements as soon as they become available.
• Make a list of all the documentation you will have to provide. This will include medical reports, if applicable.
• Ask the school what other information would be helpful in planning for my child’s entry.

Disclose Your Child’s Disabilities:

When you register your child for school, it is helpful to mention your child’s disabilities as soon as possible. You may be asked to complete an additional form or to meet with the principal or another member of school staff. Telling the school about your child’s disabilities will give the school time to prepare for your child’s entry in the fall.

Questions the school may ask you:

• Does your child have a diagnosis?
• Do you have any reports about your child from pre-school services or child care?
• What equipment does your child use?
• What help does your child need with activities of daily living, like feeding, toileting, and dressing?

Questions to ask the school:

• Is bus transportation available?
• What classroom supports will be available to my child? i.e., educational assistants or early-childhood educators?

It is important to note that, where multiple placement options exists, your child should not be placed in a specific classroom type based on their diagnoses without it first being discussed with your family (i.e. full-time special education or regular/mainstream class). You and your child have the right to participate in important decisions that will directly affect their experience at school.

Consent to Sharing Information:

You may be asked to provide consent to allow a health care professional or organizations to share information about your child with the school in writing or at a meeting. Before you sign any documents make sure that you understand what you are signing and request copies.

Questions to ask:

• What information will be shared?
• Who will the information be shared with?
• How will the information help the school?
• Do I have the option to be invited to conversations where information sharing will take place?
• Do I have the option to receive a written summary whenever information is shared?

Book a School Tour or Attend a School Open House:

Open houses are often held for families of students registering for kindergarten, and as part of Education Week in early May. This gives you and your child the opportunity to tour the school, see the classrooms, and note any accessibility issues. If you miss your school’s open house, consider requesting a school tour.

In either case, it is important to bring your child along to introduce them to their new school environment. Be sure to point out important places and points of routine. For example: “Here is the front door you will go in every morning, here are the hooks where your coat and backpack will go, and here is your classroom where you will spend most of the day.” Be sure to also tour the school yard where your child will spend recess.

There may be special events for new students planned in June or late August to allow you and your child to visit and tour the school. Ask the school what is the best way to receive up-to-date communications about school events.

Transportation:

Many school boards also offer sessions to find out about travel on the school bus and practice getting on and off a bus. Ask the school if any school bus events are planned for the coming year.

If your child will require specialized transportation to and from school, for example an accessible vehicle for wheelchairs, you will be asked to identify your child’s needs as part of the registration process for school transportation.

Information on your child’s pick up/drop off location and bus arrival times will be provided to you prior to the start of school.

Check for more strategies at Parent Tips on Transition to School.

3) Prepare for the Transition

Transition Planning Meetings:

It is very important that you attend all meetings scheduled to discuss your child’s transition to school. Depending on the level of your child’s needs, one or more meetings may be held with your current service providers and the school to plan the transition. Transition meetings are usually held in the spring. You should plan to bring someone with you to the transition meeting. A second person can help you by asking additional questions, making notes or reminding you of issues you want to discuss.

Questions to ask before the meeting:

• Who will be attending the meeting?
• What is each person’s role?
• What will be discussed at the meeting?
• What information should 1 bring to the meeting?
• Is there an agenda for the meeting?

Questions to ask at the meeting:

• What is the purpose and goal of this meeting?
• What do we need to discuss?
• What do you need to know about my child?
• What will happen after the meeting?
• Will we get the opportunity to meet my child’s teacher before September?
• Who will be responsible for the follow up activities?
• What do I need to do before the start of school?

Change of Service Providers/Therapists:

If your child received pre-school intervention or early intervention services (such as speech-language pathology, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, etc.) through your local children’s treatment centre/pediatric rehabilitation centre, it is very likely that your child will be transitioned to a new team of therapists responsible for the school-age program. Your pre-school intervention team may set up a transition meeting for you and your child to meet your new therapy team members. This may include therapists from your child’s treatment centre, and/or therapists/specialists employed by the school board or Ministry of Health.

While your old team will be responsible for bringing your new team up to speed on your child’s therapy needs, goals, and accomplishments, it is always a good idea to prepare a brief summary of your own. You may wish to include:

• Recent motor, speech, or communication skill developments and how they have benefited your child functionally in their daily life (i.e., “learning to reach/roll/communicate has helped my child to self-feed/play/have greater enjoyment during x activity”)
• New therapy avenues your child or your family wishes to explore, such as new specialized equipment
• Tips for successfully engaging your child during therapy (i.e., “my child appreciates a lot of enthusiastic encouragement” or “my child prefers quiet and low stimulation therapy environments”)

4) Understand the School System

Acronyms and Terminology to Know

At first, many parents struggle with the many new acronyms and terms related to staff and school processes. Here are some of the common acronyms and terms you may need to know:

• Accommodations are the strategies, supports, and services required for a student to access the curriculum and demonstrate learning. Accommodations do not change the provincial learning expectations for the grade level. There are three types of accommodations:
  • Instructional Accommodations – changes to the teaching method, for example providing Braille books or text to speech computer software;
  • Environmental Accommodation – changes to the classroom or school environment, for example changing seating arrangements, or lighting; and
  • Assessment Accommodation – changes that are required to show what the student has learned, for example allowing a student to answer test questions verbally or providing speech to text computer software
• Alternative Expectations – Program that the student needs, but is not part of the Ontario curriculum. Expectations should represent a specific program designed to support skill development in areas such as:
  • • Orientation and mobility for students who are blind;
    • Personal care for students who require assistance with activities of daily living;
    • Anger management for students with behavior challenges; or
    • Social skill programs for students with developmental delays
• Case Conference: A case conference is a meeting to discuss your child’s needs. A case conference may be held to plan for your child’s transition to school, or to address changes in your child’s needs. Community agency staff and professionals involved with your child, as well as his/her teacher(s), support staff, and school administrators may attend. Parents may choose to bring someone with them to take notes or speak on their behalf. The purpose of the meeting is usually to problem solve or make plans to support your child,
• Curriculum: The province of Ontario determines the curriculum that must be followed to educate children at each grade level. The curriculum describes the learning expectations (skills and knowledge) that students are expected to acquire in each grade. The curriculum is divided into different subject areas (e.g., Language, Mathematics, Social Studies) for both elementary and high school students.
• EA (Educational Assistant, also referred to as an Educational Aide, Teaching Assistant, or Pupil Aide): A staff member who supports students under the supervision of the classroom teacher. Education Assistants may work with individual or groups of students for part or all of the school day. They assist with activities of daily living, such as toileting, feeding, and dressing.
• ECE (Early Childhood Educator): A staff member who supports the classroom teacher with activities and programming, assessments, and supporting students’ development. ECEs are most commonly placed in kindergarten classrooms. They may also assist with activities of daily living, such as toileting, feeding, and dressing.
• Exceptional Student: According to the Education Act, an exceptional student is a student who has been formally identified by an Identification and Placement Review Committee (IPRC). An exceptional student has significant needs in the areas of behaviour, communication, intellectual, physical or multiple disability and meets the provincial and school board criteria for exceptional identification. A student who has been identified as exceptional must legally be provided with the supports and services required to meet the exceptional needs. In addition, an Individual Education Plan must be developed for the student within 30 days of identification at an IPRC.
• IPRC (Identification and Placement Review Committee): The IPRC is a committee made up of members appointed by the school board. This committee identifies a student’s exceptional learning needs and recommends the special education placement for the student. The IPRC also documents students’ strengths and needs, which is sometimes called the profile statement. The IPRC may also recommend support services and equipment. The IPRC process may be initiated by either the family or the school and includes an appeal process for parents who are not satisfied with the decision regarding their child’s Identification or Placement.
• IEP (Individual Education Plan): The IEP is a plan that outlines the programs and services to be provided to students, and is developed by the school, in consultation with the parents. It must include specific educational expectations based on the curriculum, an outline of the special education program and services that will be received, and a statement about the methods by which the student’s progress is assessed. Modifications and accommodations should also be included in the IEP. The IEP must be completed within 30 days after a student the IPRC. An IEP may be developed for students who have not been Identified through the IPRC to document accommodations, modifications or alternate programs that the student may require. Parents must receive a copy of the IEP and the IEP is to be reviewed each term or semester.
• Modifications: These are changes made to the grade level expectations for a subject or course to meet the needs of the student. For core subjects, such as Math and Language, the expectations may be from another grade level (higher or lower). For content subjects, such as Social Studies or History, the modifications may include significant changes to the number and/or complexity of the learning expectations.
• OSR (Ontario School Record): This is the student file that contains all documents related to your child’s education. The contents of the OSR and access to the information are authorized by the Education Act. Report cards, IEPs, medical and assessment reports are kept in the OSR. Your child’s teacher(s), the principal, and others working with your child have access to the OSR. Parents can ask to see the contents of the OSR by contacting the Principal.
• Resource Withdrawal or Resource Room: This is a special education program where the student is in a regular class placement for most of the day, but also receives regularly scheduled assistance from a Special Education Resource Teacher outside of the classroom.
• SERT (Special Education Resource Teacher): These teachers have additional training in the education of students with special education needs. While they may not teach your child directly, they are involved in the ongoing assessment, evaluation and reporting for your child. They will likely provide direction and strategies to your child’s classroom team to support your child. They also assist in IPRC preparation, arrange case conferences, facilitate class placements, act as a liaison with service agencies, and arrange for accessible transportation. They may also be referred to as a Resource Teacher, Special Education Teacher, Learning Support Teacher (LST), or Student Support Teacher (SST).
• Transition Plan: Transition plans can exist for a variety of situations, depending on student needs, including:
  • • Transition into school from preschool services, other school boards, and Care and Treatment Programs.
    • Transitions between grades, divisions and schools
    • Transition into and out of secondary school.
    • Transitions between activities, subjects and classes

  The transition plan documents the strategies and supports the student will require for the transition event and identifies who will be responsible for the activity. Students who have an IEP must have transition plans (as required under the Ministry of Education Policy/Program Memorandum 156.)

Know Your Child’s Rights:

Familiarize yourself with the Ontario Human Rights Code for students with disabilities and the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s report, The Opportunity to Succeed: Achieving Barrier-free Education for Students with Disabilities.

Understanding the rights your child has, as well as the responsibilities the school has to accommodate your child, will empower you as you advocate for your child.

Connect with a SEAC Representative at Your Board:

Every school board in Ontario has a Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC). Members of SEAC represent different associations, including Easter Seals Ontario. Try reaching out to your school board’s SEAC (contact information can be found on the SEAC webpage of your school board’s website). They may be willing to provide some insights about navigating special education and/or accessibility at your child’s school board. (To learn more about SEACs or to volunteer as a SEAC representative of Easter Seals Ontario, please click here.)

5) Get Ready for the Big Day

Talk to your child about starting school:

• Model a positive attitude for your child. Parents’ moods and attitudes can greatly affect children.
• Talk to your child about the idea of a new school, new teacher, new friends, etc.
• Answer questions and respond to your child honestly. Talk about the things that may be exciting as well as those that may be worrying your child.
• Involve your child in the development of their school routine and let them practice things they will need to do, such as sitting quietly or listening to their teacher.

Set up a routine:

• Decide on an outfit for school the night before
• Decide on a bedtime and wake-up time and get your child used to it
• Decide if you will pack lunches the night before or in the morning
• Create a morning routine that allows plenty of time for the expected (eating, brushing teeth, and getting dressed) and unexpected (overwhelming emotions, toileting accidents, etc.)

Practice your child’s new routine:

• Do a trial-run of an entire school day with your child
• Walk or drive to school, pointing out familiar landmarks along the way, to help your child learn their route to school
• Set up a lunch picnic to practice self-feeding skills (i.e., opening juice boxes, packets, or containers.) Encourage your child to ask for help if they need it.

Prepare your child’s backpack and school supplies:

• Consider purchasing an adaptive backpack and lunch bag if your child uses a wheelchair or has limited mobility (adaptive backpacks may be eligible expenses through SSAH, Enhanced Respite, or ACSD)
• Pack your child’s backpack with all the supplies they will need, including adaptive supplies, toileting supplies and medication approved for administering by school staff (if applicable)
• Have your child practice opening their backpack and getting items out, even if they require full support to do so

Acknowledge your own feelings about your child starting school:

• It is normal to feel sad or anxious for your child. It is also normal to feel excited for a new chapter.
• Share your feelings with someone who will listen without judgement
• Give voice to everything you are worried about
• Find out if there is a parent group you can join where you can share your feelings and get support from others in your situation

Starting school will be a big change at first, both for you and your child. Remember to take it one day at a time. Celebrate every success, big or small – like riding the bus, coming home on the first day, and getting used to the new routine. If you have concerns about your child’s experience at school, document them and talk to the teacher or other school staff.