District Inclusive Education staff work collaboratively with schools to address student needs by providing additional support, resources, professional development, and direct and/or indirect services.
School Psychologists
The School Psychologist works as part of a multidisciplinary team to support students’ academic, social, behavioural, and emotional development. They collaborate with educators, families, and other professionals to promote safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environments and strengthen connections between home, school, and community. The school psychologist may conduct psychoeducational assessments to better understand students’ learning strengths and needs, inform intervention planning, and help determine whether specialized programming may be appropriate.
Referrals from School Based Teams (SBT) for School Psychologist services are reviewed and discussed at Extended School Based Team (ESBT) meetings at the discretion of the School Psychologist in consultation with the school and the extended team.
Speech & Language Pathologists
The Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) work as part of a multidisciplinary team to support students’ educational and social communication needs across the school district. A multi-tiered approach to prevention, identification, and intervention is used to support student success.
Referrals for SLP services from School-Based Teams (SBTs) are reviewed and discussed at Extended School-Based Team (ESBT) meetings, as appropriate, at the SLP’s discretion and in consultation with the school team and extended team.
Occupational Therapists
Occupational Therapists (OTs) assess students who experience physical, sensory, or functional challenges that affect their access to learning, participation in school activities, and performance of daily living skills within the educational environment.
Referrals for OT services from School-Based Teams (SBTs) are reviewed and discussed at Extended School-Based Team (ESBT) meetings, as appropriate, at the OT’s discretion and in consultation with the school team and extended team. The OT will contact schools to discuss student needs and determine the availability of appropriate services and supports.
Itinerant Teacher for the Visually Impaired
Vision impairment encompasses a range of visual abilities, including blindness, legal blindness, low vision, and cortical visual impairment. The Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI) supports students who have a documented visual impairment, as identified by an optometrist or ophthalmologist. For educational purposes, a visual impairment is one that affects a student’s ability to participate in everyday school activities and access learning and achieve their potential.
The TVI provides specialized instruction, consultation, and collaborative planning with school staff and families. Support focuses on adaptations that improve access to learning, including how information is presented, the materials used, and the learning environment.
The primary role of the TVI is to promote student independence and meaningful participation in the curriculum. Depending on individual needs, specialized instruction may include concept development, braille reading and writing, orientation and mobility (O&M) skills for safe and independent travel, assistive technology and low-vision devices, self-advocacy, and the effective use of visual adaptations.
District Resource Teachers
The District Resource Teachers (DRTs) provides district-level leadership and support to promote the inclusion and success of learners with disabilities and diverse abilities at the elementary and secondary levels. In consultation with the Director and District Principal of Inclusive Education, the DRTs collaborate with elementary and secondary school-based resource teachers, classroom teachers, education assistants, administrators, other district personnel, and families to support diverse learners and strengthen inclusive educational policy and practices.
Itinerant Teacher for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Services are available to students with a documented hearing impairment. Eligibility may include students who have an audiological assessment confirming bilateral hearing loss, unilateral hearing loss accompanied by significant speech or language delays, or a cochlear implant. Students with central auditory processing disorder alone are not eligible under this category unless they also have a diagnosed peripheral hearing loss.
The Teacher of Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (TDHH) collaborates with classroom teachers to identify and implement appropriate adaptations, modifications, and instructional strategies to support student access to learning. Services aim to promote academic success, communication, and meaningful participation in the regular classroom within the student’s local school.
District Mental Health Behaviour Specialists
District Mental Health/Behaviour Specialists, including District Mental Health Clinicians, District Youth Care Workers, and District Addictions Counselors, report directly to the District Principal of Student Support Services. They provide consultation and support to designated schools across School District No. 57 and coordinate district-level mental health and behavioural services.
Referrals for support from a District Mental Health/Behaviour Specialists or the District Mental Health/Behaviour Team may be made through Extended School-Based Team (ESBT) meetings.
Homebound Program
The Homebound Teacher provides direct instructional support on an interim basis to students who are unable to attend school for medical, mental health, or disciplinary reasons. The service typically lasts 6–12 weeks, after which the student transitions back to their home school to resume classroom instruction.
Referrals to the Homebound Program may be made through Extended School-Based Team (ESBT) meetings. Responsibility for short-term educational planning, including assessment and reporting, remains with the student’s classroom teacher(s), in collaboration with the school-based team and the Homebound Teacher.
UHNBC Hospital Program
The UHNBC Hospital School Program provides educational support to children and youth from Kindergarten to Grade 12 who are receiving inpatient or outpatient hospital care.
Staffed by experienced teachers and an educational assistant from School District No. 57, the program helps students maintain continuity in their learning during their hospital stay. Teachers provide individualized instructional support, coordinate schoolwork with the student’s home school, and liaise with classroom teachers and counsellors to support ongoing educational planning.
If a student is discharged from the hospital but remains unable to attend school, program staff can help coordinate learning opportunities to support the student’s continued education at home.
District Elementary Learner Support (DELS) Program
District Elementary Learner Support (DELS) is a half-day program for students in Grades 5–7 who benefit from additional support with mental health, well-being, and self-regulation. The program focuses on building skills, developing proactive strategies, and supporting students in navigating school successfully.
DELS works collaboratively with students, families, home schools, classroom teachers, and youth care workers to develop individualized supports that respond to each student’s strengths and needs. An important goal is to maintain students’ connection with their home school and support their successful participation in learning and school life.
Referrals to DELS may come through community-based supports, including referrals from medical practitioners or the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD).
Provincial Outreach Program for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (POPFASD)
The Provincial Outreach Program for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (POPFASD) supports educators across British Columbia in meeting the learning needs of students with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Hosted by School District 57 in Prince George, POPFASD provides professional learning, consultation, training, and evidence-informed resources to help educators understand students’ strengths and needs and develop effective, individualized supports. The program promotes FASD-informed, inclusive teaching practices that support student learning, well-being, and participation in school.
Educators and guardians can access POPFASD’s online resources and training directly through the program’s website. For consultation, school-based support, or professional development, educators are encouraged to connect with their district’s POPFASD District Partner, who helps coordinate support and training needs. Educators can also contact POPFASD directly to inquire about available services. For more information, visit www.fasdoutreach.ca.