Page 34 - CARING and SAFE SCHOOLS in ONTARIO

Assessing Capacity in the School, Home, and Community
STAFF
System and school leaders need to develop a clear picture of the professional knowledge and abilities school staff bring to the task of supporting all students, particularly students with special education needs. An assessment of staff capacity will need to consider their:
✦ knowledge about and experience with supporting students with special education needs;
✦ knowledge of and experience with a range of specific strategies for building and maintaining a caring and safe school culture;
✦ knowledge and experience of working collaboratively with other members of the school team to support students with special education needs.
PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS
System and school leaders also need to identify knowledge and capabilities among parents and community members that they can draw upon in developing a caring and safe school culture and supporting all students. An assessment of parents’ and community members’ capacity will need to identify:
✦ community structures and resources that can complement a safe school strategy;
✦ resources and expertise that parents and community members might contribute to assist in supporting students with special education needs;
✦ existing cooperative relationships with parents and community members and possible ways of expanding them;
✦ existing means for communicating with parents and community members and communication gaps that may need to be bridged.
Areas of Knowledge: A Summary
▪ The knowledge web in Figure 9 summarizes the key information about students and about staff and community capacity that school and system leaders need to acquire, using a variety of assessment tools, before they can respond appropriately and effectively to behavioural issues.
Caring and Safe Schools
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