Services offered within the district are introduced here briefly. For further information regarding these services please contact the Special Services Coordinator at (604) 414-2607, or contact the program coordinators listed below. For learning resources and guides visit the links to the right of the page.

• Deaf and Hard of Hearing
  Mr. V. Currie
• Drug and Alcohol Prevention Program
  Ms. S. Hill
• English as a Second Language
  Ms. L. Yule
• Gifted Support Service
  Ms. T. Verdiel
• Health Promotion
  Ms. R. John
• The Hospital/Homebound
  Mr. G. Brach
• Learning Assistance
  Mr. V. Currie
• Physiotherapy/Occupational Therapy
  Ms. D. Wilson
• School Psychology
• Speech-Language Pathology
  Ms. S. Keane
• Student-Mom Program
  D. Green

Deaf and Hard of Hearing

A student is considered to be deaf or hard of hearing if there is a medically diagnosed hearing loss that results in such a substantial difficulty that he/she requires direct, frequent, and ongoing support from a Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

The educational program of a deaf or hard of hearing student includes the regular program and may include specific instruction in language development, auditory management, speech reading, sign language, and/or deaf culture.

Most, but not all, hearing losses are detected prior to students entering the school system. All students referred to Special Services require a vision and hearing screening. If there are concerns about an individual student's hearing that are not addressed by a hearing screening, referrals for the Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing can be made through the School Based Team to Special Services.

Drug and Alcohol Prevention Program

The Drug and Alcohol Prevention Coordinator assists children, youth and their families as well as school personnel on issues of alcohol and drug prevention. This service is based on British Columbia's School Based Prevention Model. The Prevention Coordinator provides primary prevention, early intervention and community development within the school district and community at large. Referrals can be accessed in the following way:

• School personnel
• Self referrals
• Other community agencies
• Parents/guardians

The Drug and Alcohol Prevention Coordinator is Susan Hill and can by reached at Westview Learning Centre at (604) 485-5257, or New Life Counselling at (604) 485-3234.

English as a Second Language

Is for students whose language, or home language, is other than English. This includes students whose parents/caregivers first language is other than English. ESL is not intended for students of the International Program. ESL services must be accessed through School Based Team Meetings. For further information, the District English as a Second Language Handbook may be found at your child's school. The ESL Services Coordinator is Laurie Yule. She may be reached through Special Services at 604-414-2607.

Gifted Support Service (Elementary-Middle Schools)

Gifted children, as identified by qualified professionals, are those possessing demonstrated or potential abilities that give evidence of exceptionally high capability with respect to intellect, creativity, or specific academic subject area.

Gifted Support Service for Students: The major focus of the Powell River School District for these students is to establish a school-based approach in providing differentiated educational support services beyond the basic school curriculum. In this way, gifted students are able to realize their potential for high performance and become effective, productive individuals and members of society.

Types of Activities Offered to Students:

• Enrichment or extensions of the regular curriculum, based on student interests/needs and classroom teacher requests.
• Differentiating part of the curriculum, according to content, process, product, and learning environment.
• Guided independent study, based on students' ability level but also their interest.
• Integrated investigation of real problems for a real audience.
• Group process skills, eg.:
  • upper level thinking skills (especially, Analysis, Synthesis, and Evaluation)
  • creative thinking skills (fluency, flexibility, originality, elaboration)
  • creative problem solving
  • future problem solving
  • Odyssey of the Mind program (spontaneous problems; long-term challenges)
  • inventioneering
  • debate
  • leadership training
• Other challenges and contests, eg.:
  • Internet searches
  • Web Quests
  • Great Canadian Geography Challenge
  • Canadian National Math Contest
  • School or District competitions

Health Promotion

K-12 Sexuality Education

The Health Promotion Advisor helps teachers implement human sexuality components of the K-12 personal planning and career and personal planning curricula.

Special Needs Students - Sexuality and Relationship Education

The Health Promotion Advisor adapts and implements age appropriate human sexuality curriculum and implements the CIRCLES program for students identified by special needs teachers.

Peer Health Education

The Health Promotion Advisor coordinates the training of peer/cross-age peer health educators and provides training for them in the area of human sexuality.

Hospital / Homebound

The Hospital / Homebound service provides individualized instruction for students in grades one through twelve who may be absent for five school days or longer because of physical, emotional or social conditions which prevent attendance at school.

Teachers, administrators, counsellors, parents or any other person concerned with the welfare of the child may make a referral by contacting Special Services at 604-414-2609 or by contacting Gerry Brach directly by phone at 604-485-5257 or by email.

Learning Assistance

... is a non-categorical helping service to support classroom teachers who enrol students with special learning needs. This service is collaberative, varied and innovative in order to address the needs of the whole child.

Physiotherapy/Occupational Therapy

... is a professional discipline directed toward the promotion, maintenance, and restoration of the skills necessary for optimal physical functioning.

School Psychology

... is a professional discipline that provides consultation and assessment pertaining to the learning, behavioural, social and/or emotional needs of students. It assists in the identification of and educational programme planning for students with special needs.

A Speech-Language Pathologist

... is a professional who identifies, assesses, and treats communication disorders. The Speech-Language Pathologist teaches people coping strategies and provides treatment to eliminate or minimize speech, language, and related problems.

Student-Mom Program

... is the classroom component of PRYSM (Powell River Young Student Moms). PRYSM is a partnership program between SD47 and Powell River Child, Youth and Family Services. PRYSM consists of three main entities: Learning House Young Parent Program (0-3yrs childcare facility specifically for teen parents and their children); Young Moms Support Group (a weekly support group and outreach program for teen moms); and the Student-Mom Program.

Student-Mom Program (SMP) assists young parents to overcome barriers to education and employment opportunities. We provide a safe and supportive learning environment where students can complete their School Leaving Certificate, High School Dogwood Diploma or Adult Graduation Diploma. We offer required and elective academic courses through guided on-line learning, as well as teacher-directed exploratory courses that are designed to address the needs and challenges of teen mothers.

Together, we encourage and empower teen moms to:

• complete high school
• increase parenting skills
• enhance life skills
• strengthen self-esteem
• explore career and work opportunities
• develop mutual support and self-reliance