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Autistic students should register early, school board advises

School board outreach prompted by changes to Ontario Autism Program that kick in April 1
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NEWS RELEASE
YORK REGION DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
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At the York Region District School Board, we strive to create welcoming, respectful and inclusive environments for all of our students and families.  

With the recently announced changes to the Ontario Autism Program (OAP) that begin April 1, we anticipate that many families will have questions regarding the supports and services available to students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

The first step in this process is for families to register their child as early as possible so that we can begin the planning process to provide the appropriate supports to help your child reach his or her full potential. All children entering our schools are initially enrolled in their home school.

For students who have been identified as having special needs, a transition meeting is held prior to school entry. The purpose of the meeting is to ensure a common understanding of the student’s strengths and needs, as well as the support that will be required for a successful entry to school.

Important information and assessment data about the student’s level of skill development and individual needs is shared with school staff. By working together, information can be used to proactively plan for experiences and programs that will maximize the student’s strengths and provide enabling strategies from the time of school entry.

We encourage families to include service providers and community partners in transition planning, so we can work together to identify students’ strengths, interests and needs and put the appropriate supports in place.  

Collaborative planning opportunities with external service providers may take on the form(s) of information sharing, consultation, observation and modelling.

For more information, please contact your home school to set up an appointment with an administrator.

Detailed registration information can be found here.

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