Pubdate: Thu, 26 Feb 2009 Source: Peterborough Examiner, The (CN ON) Copyright: 2009 Osprey Media Group Inc. Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/4VLGnvUl Website: http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2616 Author: Andrea Houston PROGRAMS IN PLACE FOR EXPELLED, SUSPENDED STUDENTS Students who get expelled don't necessarily have to walk away from a high school diploma. Last February, Ontario's Ministry of Education told schools to set up programs for students who are suspended for six days or more, or expelled, said Rusty Hick, superintendent of schools and operations for the public board. Hick said the programs reflect the board's philosophy to not let any student fall through the cracks, which is also a ministry directive. "We have a commitment to all students," Hick said. "The board tries to work with students who have challenges." This was part of the changes to the Safe Schools Act, said education ministry spokeswoman Patricia MacNeil. Boards were regulated to make those changes by February 2008. "How those programs are offered do differ from board to board," she said. "Boards must provide academic and non-academic support." To comply, the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board launched two programs in partnership with local outreach agencies, such as the John Howard Society, said Hick. "The advantage to working with community agencies is they have links to social services, like mental health service, if needed, things a school board doesn't provide," Hick said. Through those agencies, he said, students receive other support that might be beneficial, such as addiction counselling, peer interactions or relationship counselling. The programs are in place for all students and pupils, Hick said, although it's rare elementary pupils use them. There are two types of expulsions, Hick said, expulsion from one school or all board schools. In Peterborough, students who are expelled from their school -- not all board schools -- attend the Centre for Individual Studies (CIS) on McDonnel Street. Hick said CIS is an alternative school within the public board. For students expelled from all schools, and depending on what they were expelled for, the board has partnered with Frontenac Youth Services to provide nonacademic support, Hick said. Frontenac is a non-profit children's mental health centre that provides assistance to "emotionally and behaviorally disordered adolescents and their families," their website states. Hick said Frontenac workers meet with a student at a public place, such as a library, and teachers help students work on their credits and maintain pace with the curriculum. "It's a one on one. It's not like a class or a school," he said. "Frontenac would work with them for the non-academic part and our teacher works with them for the academic portion." From there, the board holds periodic meetings to determine when the student can return to a school, he said. Hick said students cannot return to any school until they have clearance through Frontenac and must apply to the director of education to return. When students are expelled from all schools in the board, the student is still technically a student of the board by law, Hick said. "The reason for that is a good one," Hick said. "We just simply cannot wash our hands of a student, not that we would want to. "We want all students, no matter who they are and what they may have done, to remain connected." There is also a site in Peterborough for suspended students located in the Learning Disabilities Association office under the Wolf/Kruz building, which works with the John Howard Society, Hick said. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin