R.D.W. Howson Enrichment Centre

According to the IB, inclusion is an ongoing process that aims to increase access and engagement in learning for all students by identifying and removing barriers to learning. Consequently, upon receiving a psychological report with psychological/ psycho-educational/ medical report (paid and organized by the family) and educational evidence such as teacher observations or work samples, a student can benefit from various accommodations for assessments such as access to:

• Additional time;
• A scribe;
• A word processor;
• A speech recognition or reading software;
• Transcriptions;
• Practical assistance or modified papers

These accommodations are usually part of an Individual Education Plan (IEP) because the student has to practice using the accommodations throughout the academic year and not only for final examinations. 

The role of the Academic Coach is to support students who must miss one or more classes due to extracurricular commitments, for example, sports teams who travel for tournaments or students who attend school-related events for several days. The sports events and leadership opportunities are an important part of BCS life; students are encouraged to participate in these extracurricular activities, with the reassurance that they will not be disadvantaged in their academic program.

The teachers and EC staff work collaboratively to support these students. The teacher provides any school work missed to the EC staff. When the student returns from their activity, the Academic Coach meets with the student, normally on Monday or Tuesday, from 3:30-4:30 PM the week following an extra-curricular activity.

The Academic Coach is also an advisor to the varsity and prep hockey team members and their families. This allows an added BCS faculty member to help support and guide athletes and their parents to the suitable faculty member. From the commencement of the academic year, the Academic Coach holds meetings with the hockey team members, in order to establish a working relationship, to allow for a smooth transition into the new academic year and to answer any concerns or questions pertaining to academics. Examples of the approaches to learning which the Academic Coach focuses are time management, organization, and wellness.

The teacher or sports coach refers the student to the Enrichment Centre for additional support after a sports event or extra-curricular activity; or the student makes arrangements with the teacher and the EC staff to complete an assignment the week following an event.

The Enrichment Centre manages, implements and oversees Individual Education Plans (IEPs) for students with neuropsychological assessments. There are three IEP meetings throughout the academic year: the initial meeting at the start of the year (September or October), the mid-session review (February) and the final review/report (May). The constituents who may participate in an IEP are the student, the parents, the student’s teachers, the EC team members, the counsellor, and the Director of Academics. The meetings focus primarily on the strengths of the student, specific learning strategies to be implemented, areas of improvement, along with confirming and setting up entitled accommodations. The students are monitored through the EC and there is communication with all constituents involved throughout the academic year.

The IEP is a working document developed by the EC staff following the reading of assessments and recommendations, the IEP meetings, and implementation of strategies and support. The goal is for the student to feel at ease in developing and using strategies and accommodations that will help them to demonstrate their learning and to work to their full potential.

Students who want to improve their general knowledge and understanding in a particular academic subject or who want to improve their overall performance or grade, can benefit from having a tutor. The tutor will essentially teach and explain in a variety of ways the concepts the student wants to focus on or learn more about. At times, the tutor can help with homework or assessment preparation. A tutor usually costs approximately 40$/hour and is organized by the EC Coordinator. 

Students who need an increased level of accountability and supervision may opt-in or be referred to Supervised Prep sessions by their teacher or their Advisor. These sessions happen at the same time as the Evening House Prep (7:15-9:00 PM) but take place in the Enrichment Centre.

In Supervised Prep, there are between 10-15 students. The EC supervisor checks with each individual student the schoolwork to be completed, helps students stay on task and provides them with guidance on study skills. Each evening, the supervisor completes a brief report on the students’ progress during Supervised Prep. A student can be placed on Supervised Prep from one to four nights a week, depending on the support they require.

A student is referred by a teacher or EC staff to attend Supervised Prep. If a student wishes to develop more fully their organizational skills, they can request to attend Supervised Prep, instead of staying in their house for Evening House Prep.

Subject-specific support is coordinated through the R.D.W. Howson Enrichment Centre and provides all students with the opportunity to improve or develop their skills in various subjects. Subject-specific support is offered from Monday through Thursday between 7:00-9:00 PM. In addition to the regular classroom support during the school day, students may need additional help with an assignment or with the preparation for a summative evaluation (e.g., test, exam, project).

The EC support team members are current BCS teachers, retired BCS teachers or university students with a particular area of expertise, for example, Math, Science, Chemistry, Physics, French, History, or English. These educators work with students in a one-on-one or small group setting, depending on the specific needs.

Each subject area is assigned one or two evenings per week, depending on student demand. The schedule for subject-specific support is communicated with students at the start of the school year and, if necessary, it is adjusted accordingly. Students, faculty, and house staff receive daily updates and reminders on this type of support. It is also used as a resource for teachers to send students if they need the extra support at the end of the day.

A student signs up for support in a specific subject such as Math on the EC sign up document located on the BCS Portal.