** Special Education - Specialized Transportation Manual **

  Student Transportation Services of

   Thunder Bay

   Specialized Transportation Manual

       STUDENT TRANSPORTATION SERVICES OF THUNDER BAY

Special Needs Transportation Service Delivery Model 

 STSTB MISSION STATEMENT To develop, implement, administer, and providea safe, efficient, cost effectivetransportation system for students of Lakehead District School Board, Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board and Conseil scolaire de district catholique des Aurores boreales, that meets the needs of eligible students, parents/guardians, schools and staff.

                                                                                                                                                   Student safety is our number one priority  

  

 Students come first and the Transportation Department is part of the member-Boards’ system of support services for identifying and including students with special needs into the appropriate program.  The gathering of information regarding the needs, relevant health and contact information and the type of transportation that is required comes from Special Education coordinators and other stakeholder organizations.  Student Transportation Services of Thunder Bay follow official policies, procedures and authorized practices for all three boards;

·          Lakehead Public Schools Special Education Policy 5000 – 5010

·          Lakehead Public Schools Special Education Plan - reviewed annually,presented to SEAC and then to the   Board in the spring of each year

.·          Thunder Bay Catholic Special Education Policy 600 – 601

·          Lakehead Public Schools Transportation Policy 3000 – 3040

·          Thunder Bay Catholic Transportation Policy 700- 704

·          Lakehead Public Schools Anaphylaxis Policy 6060

·          Thunder Bay Catholic Anaphylaxis Practice

·          CSDC des Aurores bore’ales C-O44-P, C-004-DA

The following are items that must be considered: 

 Zones 

• Students wherever possible should be set up in programs closest to their home address.  Cross zone transportation affects cost. The challenge is to keep costs at a minimum when transporting students from diverse locations to centralized program schools. In peak periods and due to complexity three to four days lead time is needed to set up special education students that require wheelchairs, have other equipment requirements or that may come from rural areas.

 DISABILITY AWARENESS 

Mobility Issues 

• Students who are to be transported in wheelchairs or are ambulatory with equipment are set up on appropriate wheelchair vehicles.

 Equipment Needs 

• Some children bring walkers, canes, have braces, casts etc that prevent us from using the most cost effective means of transportation, as a result each student is assessed on an individual basis.

 Behavior Issues (due to cognitive conditions) 

• Each child is assessed on an individual basis by appropriate special education staff and depending on the degree of behavior identified, the type of transportation provided is then decided upon.  Points that are  considered; if a child can be included on a regular school bus; can ride in a special education vehicle; can ride in a taxi with other students or must be transported alone. Refer to page 5 “Definition of Exceptionalities”.

 Medical Conditions 

• Children with life threatening allergies or medical conditions are identified on our routes and information is then passed on to respective school bus drivers.
• Boards have Anaphylaxis policies or practices in place.
• Other medical conditions are assessed on an individual basis and noted on routes.

             Refer to page 5 “Definition of Exceptionalities”.

 Anaphylactic Students 

• STSTB annually requests information regarding any students that are Anaphylactic or that suffer from other life threatening allergies.  Students and the location of medical equipment that may be needed i.e. Epi pen or Puffers, are identified on the routes. 

 

• All drivers contracted by member Boards are trained in the use of the Epi pen. Should there be a need for driver intervention a meeting is set up with the driver, parents and school personnel to develop strategies to minimize the risk and to make sure drivers are equipped to respond appropriately.

     Time and Distance Tolerance 

• STSTB service area is large and geographically diverse.  Distance from home to school and the student’s ability to travel a long time over a great distance is considered at the time of entry into the program.  Most special education programs are provided at urban schools only; students from rural areas are given individual consideration.

 Program Hours 

• Special Education classes can be set up using a wide variety of “hours of attendance”.  Some students also have staggered entries.  Transportation implications are asked to be considered at intake meetings.

 Emergency Evacuation Drills 

• Each year schools are asked to carry out by October 15^th, Emergency Evacuation school bus drills for all students. This plan includes and considers the individual capabilities and needs of each student with special needs. Service providers that transport our students are trained in the Emergency Evacuation of special education students on their vehicles.

 Booster Seats 

• The use of booster seats in transporting STSTB students follow MTO Regulation 613 s. 8.1 (1) Seat Belt Assemblies, that require all pre school to primary grade students that ride in vehicles hired (other than a school bus or taxi) by the Board(s) to be secured in a booster seat.  Information on the age, height and weight of students are identified at time of intake.

 Harnesses and Seat Belts 

• If a seat belt is required to enable a student with special needs ride a regular school bus STSTB follows the Highway Traffic Act (s.106) requiring that any seat belt installed in a seating position must be used by anyone occupying that seat in the absence of the special needs student.

 

• Harnesses are used in some instances to aid in the transportation of students with special needs on regular school buses.  Harnesses will be used following the guidelines of Transport Canada.  Tether kits and vests are evaluated according to size and weight of individual students.

      Driver Training (Safety) 

• Drivers contracted by member boards are trained in all aspects of safety and this includes a Disability/Awareness course in the transportation of students with special needs. All drivers receive First Aid and CPR training.  Driver workshops on transporting children with specific needs such as Autism and student/driver relations are held yearly.  Drivers of special education vehicles are trained in the use of Securing Devices, lift operation and wheelchair loading and unloading.  Driver should communicate regularly with the school to ensure the needs of the children are met.

  Dropping off Students with Special Needs 

• Students with special needs will not be dropped off at school, at home or return address, without a parent, designated adult or caregiver to receive them.  Students are never to be left alone in the vehicle.  Routes will be designed to pick up and drop off students in front of home.

 Yearly Review 

• Before the onset of every new school year special needs facilitators are contacted by STSTB requesting any information on the “progress” of students that would allow them to be transferred from a special needs vehicle to a mainstream school bus. 

 Parental Responsibility 

• At time of “intake” meeting parents are reminded to follow guidelines set out in our School Bus Transportation Instruction booklet, and must realize that all rules and regulations related to school bus transportation apply to the exceptional student.

Parental help may be needed at time of pick up when loading students into vehicles that require vests to be buckled or to have specific equipment ready. 

Public Special Transit (HAGI) 

• Some students with specialized mobility needs are provided service using contracted accessible handi-van vehicles.  Rates for public special transit (HAGI) are negotiated.  HAGI keeps, wherever possible the same driver on school trips.  All drivers have criminal reference checks, CPR, First Aid training, Epi Pen training and Emergency evacuation of vehicles as well as training in accessibility requirements for the transporting of special needs students.

 Taxis and Wheelchair Accessible Taxis 

• In some instances taxis need to be used in the transportation of students with special needs.  Taxis are used as a last resort and are hired only when students with special needs cannot ride on a regular school bus, handi-van, special education bus or special education vehicle.  Transporting students from diverse locations to centralized programs and hours of programs are also some reasons why taxis may be used.  Every effort is made to keep same drivers on school runs.  Students transported by taxi are to ride in the back seat only.

        Mileage to Parents 

• STSTB service area is large and geographically diverse. Sometimes distance to program location and hours of attendance does not enable us to provide contracted special education vehicles or regular school buses to transport children.  Taxis are cost prohibitive from far distances and in some instances it is cost effective to pay parents, that are willing, a mileage rate to transport their child into school.  They are paid the Board mileage rate.

  Coding of Special Education Needs 

• Student Service codes noted in Mapnet allow for easy identification of students needs. Codes also help us identify the mode of transportation that would best suit the child taking into consideration their needs and the cost to transport.  Information can be printed on routes to alert drivers of any issues that may occur.

    DEFINITION OF EXCEPTIONALITIES 

Behaviour

 A learning disorder characterized by specific behaviour problems over such a period of time, and to such a marked degree, and of such a nature, as to adversely affect educational performance, and that may be accompanied by one or more of the following: a)       an inability to build or to maintain interpersonal relationships;b)       excessive fears or anxieties;c)       a tendency to compulsive reaction;d)       an inability to learn that cannot be traced to intellectual, sensory, or other health factors, or any combination thereof. 

Communication

Autism 

A severe learning disorder that is characterized by: a)       disturbances in:-rate of educational development;-ability to relate to the environment;-mobility;-perception, speech, and language; b)       lack of the representational symbolic behaviour that precedes language. 

 Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing

 An impairment characterized by deficits in language and speech development because of a diminished or non-existent auditory response to sound.

    Language Impairment

 A learning disorder characterized by an impairment in comprehension and/or the use of verbal communication or the written or other symbol system of communications, which may be associated with neurological, psychological, physical, or sensory factors.

  Speech Impairment 

 A disorder in language formulation that may be associated with neurological, psychological, physical, or sensory factors; that involves perceptual motor aspects of transmitting oral messages; and that may be characterized by impairment in articulation, rhythm, and stress. 

  Learning Disability 

 A learning disorder evident in both academic and social situations that involves one or more of the processes necessary for the proper use of spoken language or the symbols of communication, and that is characterized by a condition that: a)       is not primarily the result of:-impairment of vision;-impairment of hearing;-physical disability;-developmental disability;-primary emotional disturbance;-cultural difference; and b)       results in a significant discrepancy between academic achievement and assessed intellectual ability, with deficits in one of more of the following:-receptive language (listening, reading);-language processing (thinking, conceptualizing; integrating);-expressive language (talking, spelling, writing);-mathematical computations; c)       may be associated with one or more conditions diagnosed as:-a perceptual handicap;-a brain injury;-minimal brain dysfunction;-dyslexia;-developmental aphasia.

  Intellectual Giftedness

 An unusually advanced degree of general intellectual ability that requires differentiated learning experiences of depth and breadth beyond those normally provided in the regular school program to satisfy the level of educational potential indicated.

 Mild Intellectual Disability

 A learning disorder characterized by: a)       an ability to profit educationally within a regular class with the aid of considerable curriculum modification and supportive service;b)       an inability to profit educationally within a regular class because of slow intellectual development;c)       a potential for academic learning, independent social adjustment, and economic self-support.

  Developmental Disability

 A severe learning disorder characterized by: a)       an inability to profit from a special education program for students with mild intellectual disabilities because of slow intellectual development.b)       an ability to profit from a special education program that is designed to accommodate slow intellectual development;c)       a limited potential for academic learning, independent social adjustment, and economic self-support.

  Physical Disability

 A condition of such severe physical limitation or deficiency as to require special assistance in learning situations to provide the opportunity for educational achievement equivalent to that of pupils without exceptionalities who are of the same age or development level.

 Blind and Low Vision

 A condition of partial or total impairment of sight or vision that even with correction affects educational performance adversely.

 Multiple Exceptionalities

 A combination of learning or other disorders, impairments, or physical disabilities, that is of such nature as to require, for educational achievement, the services of one or more teachers holding qualifications in special education and the provision of support services appropriate for such disorders, impairments, or disabilities.

    EXCEPTIONAL STUDENTS

 1.   The Driver 

 1.1  Must give special attention to students with disabilities.

 1.2  Must be firm, but gentle; be patient, but persistent; be consistent.

 1.3  Must see that the students are properly seated at all times.

 1.4  Must be sure the student who leaves the school bus is delivered to a responsible person.

 1.5  Shall report any unusual actions in detail to the Principal or teacher immediately.

 1.6  Ensure that exceptional students abide by student regulations for transportation.

 1.7  Will not accept responsibility for any medication for any students.

 1.8  Will be aware of students identified  on bus routes with potential life-threatening illnesses.

   2.   The Principal

 2.1  Shall advise the operator of any health or behavioral problems of these students where lawful.

 2.2  Must realize that regulations for school bus riding apply to the exceptional student. 

  3.   The Parent/Guardian

 3.1  Must realize that all rules and regulations related to school bus transportation apply to the exceptional student.

 3.2  Shall advise the student of the rules and regulations.

 3.3  Must be aware that transportation is provided from a designated stop to a designated stop, and that any other arrangements are at the discretion of the Transportation Department or Principal. 

                                                                                                 

Provincial Schools

 (Following Provincial Schools Branch Transportation Policies and Procedures (see Appendix A) and included in Special Education plans for member-Boards).

  Transportation to Provincial Demonstration Schools for students from Thunder Bay is provided by air travel.  Provincial and Demonstration Schools are operated for students who are deaf, blind, or deaf-blind, or who have severe learning disabilities, which may include attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by the Ministry of Education.Students are placed in an appropriate alternative education option. Air travel is provided along with an escort (a person who travels with and assists students that cannot travel unattended).  Arrangements are made by Transportation Coordinator (see below).

  Transportation Coordinator and Contact Information 

Service in English for Residential Students: 

John Grochot  Ottawa Carlton District School Board

Phone (613) 596-8242 

Toll Free 1-866-426-5288 

email: john.grochot@ocdsb.ca

Paul Senuita, Coordinator of Operations and Support Services English Language                                                                                   

Phone (519) 453-4400 ex 1292

email:  transport@ceclf.edu.on.ca

Service in French for Residential Students: 

Stephen Taylor or Patrick Pharand

Consortium de transport scolaire d’Ottawa

Phone (613) 737-6599

Toll Free 1-888-511-7854

email transport@ceclf.edu.on.ca

Service in English for Day Students:

Paul Senuita, Coordinator Operations and Support Services

English Language Provincial Schools

Phone (519) 453-4400 ex 1292

Email:  paul.senuita@on.ca

   APPENDIX A:  PROVINCIAL SCHOOLS AND DEMONSTRATON SCHOOLS_______________________________________                     Provincial Schools and provincial Demonstration Schools:

·         Are operated by the Ministry of Education;·         Provide education for students who are deaf or blind, or who have severe learning disabilities;

·         Provide an alternative education option;

·         Serve as regional resource centres for students who are deaf, blind, or deaf-blind;

·         Provide preschool home visiting services for students who are deaf or deaf-blind;

·         Develop and provide learning materials and media for students who are deaf, blind, or deaf-blind;

·         Provide school board teachers with resource services;

·         Play a valuable role in teacher training.

 W. Ross Macdonald School:  School for the Blind and Deaf-Blind

W. Ross Macdonalds School is located in Brantford and provides education for students who are blind, visually impaired, or deaf-blind.

  The school provides:

·         A provincial resource centre for the visually impaired and deaf-blind.

·         Support to local school boards through consultation and the provision of special learning materials, such as Braille materials, audiotapes, and large-print text-books;

·         Professional services and guidance to ministries of education on an interprovincial, cooperative basis.Programs are tailored to the needs of the individual student and:

·         Are designed to help these students learn to live independently in a non-sheltered environment;

·         Are delivered by specially trained teachers;

·         Follow the Ontario curriculum developed for all students in the province;

·         Offer a full range of courses at the secondary level;

·         Offer courses in special subject areas such as music, broad-based technology, family studies, physical education, and mobility training;

·         Are individualized, to offer a comprehensive “life skills” program;

·         Provide through home visiting for parents and families of preschool deaf-blind children to assist in preparing these children for future education.

Provincial Schools for the Deaf The following Provincial Schools offer services for deaf and hard-of-hearing students:·         Sir James Whitney School for the Deaf in Belleville (serving eastern Ontario)·         Ernest C. Drury School for the Deaf in Milton (serving central and northern Ontario)·         Robarts School for the Deaf in London (serving western Ontario)·         Centre Jules-Léger in Ottawa (serving francophone students and families throughout Ontario)(For contact information, see page 38) Admittance to a Provincial School is determined by the Provincial Schools Admission Committee in accordance with the requirements set out in Regulation 296. These schools provide elementary and secondary school programs for deaf students from preschool level to high school graduation.  The curriculum follows the Ontario curriculum and parallels courses and programs provided in school boards.  Each student has his or her special needs met as set out in his or her Individual Education Plan (IEP).  Schools for the deaf:·         Provide rich and supportive bilingual/bicultural educational environments which facilitate students’ language acquisition, learning, and social development through American Sign Language (ASL) and English;·         Operate primarily as day schools;·         Provide residential facilities five days per week for those students who do not live within reasonable commuting distance from the school. Transportation to Provincial Schools for students is provided by school boards. Each school has a Resource Services Department which provides:·         Consultation and educational advise to parents of deaf and hard-of-hearing children and school board personnel;·         Information brochures;·         A wide variety of workshops for parents, school boards, and other agencies;·         An extensive home-visiting program delivered to parents of deaf and hard-of-hearing preschool children by teachers trained in preschool and deaf education.
Each provincial Demonstration School has an enrolment of forty students.  The language of instruction at the Amethyst, Sagonaska, and Trillium schools is English; at Centre Jules-Léger, instruction is in French.   Application for admission to a provincial Demonstration School is made on behalf of students by the schools board, with parental consent.  The Provincial Committee on Learning Disabilities (PCLD) determines whether a student is eligible for admission. Although the primary responsibility to provide appropriate educational programs for students with learning disabilities remains with school boards, the ministry recognizes that some students require a residential school setting for a period of time. The Demonstration Schools were established to:·         Provide special residential education programs for students between the ages of 5 and 21 years:·         Enhance the development of each student’s academic and social skills;·         Develop the abilities of the students enrolled to a level that will enable them to return to programs operated by a local school board within two years. In addition to providing residential schooling for students with severe learning disabilities, the provincial Demonstration Schools have special programs for students with severe learning disabilities in association with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD).  These are highly intensive, one-year programs. The Trillium School also operates Learning for Emotional and Academic Development (LEAD), a special program for students with severe learning disabilities who require an additional level of social/emotional support. Further information about the academic, residential, LEAD, and LD/ADHD, programs is available from the Demonstration Schools through the Special Needs Opportunity Window (SNOW) website at http://snow.utoronto.ca As in-service teacher education program is provided at each Demonstration School.  This program is designed to share methodologies and materials with teachers of Ontario school boards.  Information about the programs offered should be obtained from the schools themselves. 
Provincial School Contacts Teachers may obtain additional information from the Resource Services department of Provincial Schools and the groups listed   

Provincial Schools Branch, Ministry of Education

 Provincial Schools Branch 255 Ontario Street South Milton, OntarioL9T 2M5Tel:  (905) 878-2851Fax: (905) 878-5405  Schools for the Deaf The Ernest C. Drury     School for the Deaf255 Ontario Street SouthMilton, OntarioL9T 2M5Tel:   (905) 878-2851Fax:  (905) 878-1354  The Robarts School for the Deaf1090 Highbury AvenueLondon, OntarioN5Y 4V9Tel:   (519) 453-4400Fax:  (519) 453-7943  The Sir James Whitney School for the Deaf350 Dundas Street WestBelleville, OntarioK8P 1B2Tel:   (613) 967-2823

Fax:  (613) 967-2857

  School for the Blind and Deaf-Blind W. Ross Macdonald School350 Brant AvenueBrantford, OntarioN3T 3J9Tel:   (519) 759-0730Fax:  (519) 759-4741      School for the Deaf, Blind, and Deaf-Blind Centre Jules-Léger281 rue LanarkOttawa, OntarioTel:   (613) 761-9300Fax:  (613) 761-9301 Provincial Demonstration Schools The Ministry of Education provides the services of four provincial Demonstration Schools for Ontario children with severe learning disabilities.These schools are the following: Amethyst School1090 Highbury AvenueLondon, OntarioN5Y 4V9Tel:   (519) 453-4408Fax:  (519) 453-2160 Centre Jules-Léger281 rue LanarkOttawa, OntarioK1Z 6R8Tel:   (613) 761-9300Fax:  (613) 761-9301TTY: (613) 9302 and 761-9304 Sagonaska School350 Dundas Street WestBelleville, OntarioK8P 1B2Tel:   (613) 967-2830Fax:  (613) 967-2482 Trillium School347 Ontario Street SouthMilton, OntarioL9T 3X9Tel:   (905) 878-8428Fax:  (905) 878-7540   

 

REFERENCES  1.  Page 5 –     D-409-02 Motor Vehicles for the Transportation of Persons with Physical Disabilities 2.  Appendix A  - Provincial Schools         

While taking into consideration the specific needs of individual children, Student Transportation Services of Thunder Bay is committed to delivering safe effective transportation for Students with Special Needs.Our goal is to optimize service by using regular transportation wherever possible while utilizing the special education vehicle fleet to the highest degree.