Youth in Care
School of Success & Learning for Life
In May 2007, the Children’s Aid Society of the District of Nipissing and Parry Sound and the Near North District School Board entered into a unique and exciting partnership in the development of a programs called the School of Success and Learning for Life (L4L).
The Learning for Life (L4L) program is based in the Parry Sound High School and is staffed with a high school teacher and part-time Child Welfare Support Worker. The School of Success is located at the North Bay Children’s Aid Society and is staffed with a teacher, teacher’s assistance and full-time Child Welfare Support Worker. The positive outcomes generated from this program are true testaments to the type of integrated partnerships and programming needed to engage and meet the complex needs of our young people in care who would otherwise struggle to find success within the mainstream school system.
These programs are designed to meet the unique needs of those receiving CAS services and ensure that all students who attend the program have an educational and career path for the future. By maintaining a safe environment where students feel comfortable, they are able to learn, experience success and develop their potential. These programs offer a school placement for young people who are in transition or require a reprieve from the stresses within the traditional educational setting. Emphasis is placed on enhancing social and life skills while also ensuring that students are provided with individually tailored plans that meet their specific academic, emotional and social needs. Students are provided with an opportunity to learn in a supportive setting at a pace congruent with their success.
“The School of Success is a place that helped me when I was not successful in a mainstream classroom. With the help of the amazing staff and the flexibility the classroom program, I was able to achieve the credits I needed to graduate and apply for post-secondary.”
– former School of Success student
The goals of the program consist of the following:
- To ensure a safe environment conducive to teaching and learning whereby students feel comfortable and want to attend.
- To ensure the enhancement of the development of life and social skills.
- To provide frequent assessment, evaluation and feedback of student performance.
- To incorporate all aspects of agency, community and corporate parents.
- To develop a work placement for students and encourage their contribution and membership in the community.
- To enhance community partnerships with Youth Employment Services.
- To ensure that all students have a career and educational path for the future.
- To demonstrate that students attending the program do have the ability to direct their own futures in a responsible way.
- To direct and facilitate the successful reintegration of students back into community schools.
- To provide a school placement for students in transition.
- To promote greater partnership with resource agencies to allow for greater direction and professional development of students in their field of endeavor.
- To facilitate multidisciplinary monthly meetings to review each student’s planning, progress and goals for the future. The multidisciplinary team includes child welfare workers/supervisors, classroom staff, school board representatives, probation officers, mental health clinicians, family, and any other relevant person in the student’s life.
- To celebrate successes and provide ongoing encouragement as young people progress and begin to feel empowered as competent and engaged learners.
- To ensure a safe environment conducive to teaching and learning whereby students feel comfortable and want to attend.
- To ensure the enhancement of the development of life and social skills.
- To provide frequent assessment, evaluation and feedback of student performance.
- To incorporate all aspects of agency, community and corporate parents.
- To develop a work placement for students and encourage their contribution and membership in the community.
- To enhance community partnerships with Youth Employment Services.
- To ensure that all students have a career and educational path for the future.
- To demonstrate that students attending the program do have the ability to direct their own futures in a responsible way.
- To direct and facilitate the successful reintegration of students back into community schools.
- To provide a school placement for students in transition.
- To promote greater partnership with resource agencies to allow for greater direction and professional development of students in their field of endeavor.
- To facilitate multidisciplinary monthly meetings to review each student’s planning, progress and goals for the future. The multidisciplinary team includes child welfare workers/supervisors, classroom staff, school board representatives, probation officers, mental health clinicians, family, and any other relevant person in the student’s life.
- To celebrate successes and provide ongoing encouragement as young people progress and begin to feel empowered as competent and engaged learners.