Supporting Students with Additional Needs

The Elementary School Counsellor supports student well-being by working with staff to plan classroom strategies, lead group interventions, and support positive behaviour and social skill development. They help with student transitions, interpret assessment results, and coordinate with parents, teachers, and community agencies to address learning and behavioural needs.

The School Support Specialist works with staff, students, and families to reduce barriers to learning and support student success. They use school data to develop preventative strategies, lead school-wide and classroom-based initiatives, and help students with social, emotional, and behavioural challenges. The role includes supporting transitions, coordinating with outside agencies, and connecting families with resources.

ELIS = Early Learning Intensive Support Program 

The Early Learning Intensive Support Program (ELIS) helps three and four-year-old children with developmental delays who need extra support to reach their potential. While a medical diagnosis is not required to qualify for ELIS, many are in the process of formal assessment. Spaces in the ELIS Program are limited. Factors including the child's age and other services available may influence the selection process. While both three and four-year-olds can attend, priority is given to four-year-olds, especially those not already receiving intensive support in another early learning program.

All Prekindergarten programs within Regina Catholic Schools offer ELIS. This provides opportunities for children to engage in inclusive learning alongside their peers. Support is provided through a team-based approach, focusing on each child’s unique needs and strengths to help them participate and learn.

To apply for the Early Learning Intensive Support Program, please click and fill out the application form below and email it to studentservices@rcsd.ca.  

RCSD ELIS Application Form 

Please call Student Services at (306)791-7200 for more information.

Please see the Ministry of Education ELIS Brochure for additional information for families: Ministry of Education ELIS brochure.

EISC = Elementary Intensive Support Classroom

What is an EISC?

Regina Catholic Schools has Elementary Intensive Support Classrooms for students who require an additional learning space to meet their needs. Students who participate in EISC have individual goals to support development of both adaptive skills and academics. All students who require this level of intensive support continue to participate inclusively in mainstream classrooms for part of the day.

Students in EISC receive individualized support in communication, social development, personal care, transitions, and academics.

Who are the students in an EISC?

Students may access EISC support if they have, or are at risk of, a developmental disability and need support beyond the mainstream classroom to learn. Common developmental disability diagnoses students have in our EISC include, but are not limited to, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Intellectual Developmental Disorder, Global Developmental Delay, and Down Syndrome. 

Who are the adults in an EISC?

Intensive Support Classrooms, similar to mainstream classrooms, have a classroom teacher. The teacher in the EISC is called an Intensive Support Teacher who has additional training and skills to support students with disabilities in their learning. Intensive Support Teachers develop Inclusion and Intervention Plans (IIPs) and academic learning plans for their students and monitor their progress. Intensive Support Teachers work in partnership with each student's family. 

RCSD Intensive Support Classrooms also have a team of Instructional Assistants (IAs) to help the students in their learning, social development, personal care, and to ensure each child’s safety. When students participate in inclusive settings, they are supported by the IAs from the Intensive Support Classroom. 

As a key member of the school’s Student Support Team, the Student Support Services Teacher, SSST, offers leadership, expertise, and guidance in designing and implementing inclusive, differentiated instruction to address diverse student needs. The SSST collaborates with administrators, teachers, support staff, parents/guardians, and external agencies to promote equitable access to education and ensure student success.  

The High School Guidance Counsellor helps students with course selection, graduation planning, and post-secondary applications. They support students with academic, personal, and attendance concerns, and connect families with outside services when needed. The counsellor also shares information about scholarships, career options, and school programs.

The School Support Specialist works with staff, students, and families to reduce barriers to learning and support student success. They use school data to develop preventative strategies, lead school-wide and classroom-based initiatives, and help students with social, emotional, and behavioural challenges. The role includes supporting transitions, coordinating with outside agencies, and connecting families with resources.

The Student Support Services Teacher and Tutorial are supports available for students in Grades 9 to 12 who need extra help to succeed in their classes. Student Support Services Teachers may offer in-class assistance, as well as individual or small group support. Students taking regular courses can access this, which may include a tutorial period to focus on homework, finish assignments and projects, and benefit from targeted small-group instruction.

Students transitioning from Grade 8 who are on a Transitional Learning Plan (TLP) may need adjustments to outcomes in Grade 9 to be successful. In Grade 9, staff can make adjustments to courses for students who will transition to modified courses in Grades 10-12. This is done in consultation with the student, guidance, administration, and parents/guardians. When course outcomes are adjusted in Grade 9, students may not have the necessary knowledge to succeed in regular credit courses for Grades 10-12 in that subject.

Modified courses are available at the Grade 10-12 level. Students who experience learning difficulty in courses may require modified course outcomes to achieve credits and work toward graduation. Modified courses do not meet the criteria for most post-secondary programs. Students and parents/guardians have the right to understand why a student may be placed in modified courses. This decision will be based on classroom data and standardized assessment results.

Administrative Application 8734 – Transition to Adjusted Outcomes/Modified Courses

Students in Regina Catholic Schools with significant cognitive challenges may be eligible for Alternative Education in high school. Deciding whether a student should join these courses involves a thorough process, including assessments, observations, and meetings with a team of educators, to carefully consider how this placement will benefit the student.

Alternative Education courses are different from regular high school courses. They are designed for students whose needs cannot be fully met by the standard program and who would benefit from a specialized approach.

Please note, completing Grade 12 in Alternative Education does not currently meet the admission requirements for most post-secondary programs. Students graduate with a Saskatchewan Grade 12 Transcript of Secondary Level Achievement - Alternative Education.

Administrative Application 8733 – Transition to the Alternative Education Program

RCSD offers a Functional Integrated Program (FIP) which is a structured learning environment for students with multiple disabilities who are of high school age. FIP provides an educational environment for students experiencing developmental disability focused on life skills and functional academic skill development. Students have inclusive opportunities, however, they do not complete formal curriculum-based courses developed by the Ministry of Education. All students enrolled in FIP have Inclusion & Intervention Plans (IIPs) that guide individual instructional outcomes.

Administrative Application 8738 - Functional Integrated Program (FIP)

Inclusion and Intervention Plans

Students who need intensive support may benefit from an Inclusion and Intervention Plan (IIP). This plan is a flexible tool designed to help meet a student's unique learning needs.

Parents and guardians are an important part of the support team and are encouraged to take an active role in developing and reviewing the IIP for their child. The team works together to help the student understand and be involved in the process.

The IIP is a personalized, evolving plan created by a team that includes parents, school staff, division staff, and any outside professionals involved in the child's care. It outlines the specific supports and strategies that will help the student learn and grow.

An IIP includes:

• Student gifts, interests, and learning needs; 
• Goals with measurable outcomes for areas of development;
• Strategies and resources to help achieve these goals;
• Team members responsible for implementing the plan;
• Assessments to track progress;
• Plans for daily and long-term transitions.

What Is an Individual Safety Support Plan?

An Individual Safety Support Plan is created when a student’s behavior could potentially impact their own safety or the safety of others. These plans help ensure a safe, supportive learning environment for everyone.

When Are They Created?

• Proactively: When a student has a known history of behaviours like aggression or running away
• Responsively: After a safety-related incident at school

Who Is Involved?

• School staff and administration
• Students Services Team
• Parents or caregivers
• Area Superintendent

How It Works

Safety Support Plans are developed collaboratively and monitored by school administration. Plans include behaviour supports, guided by a safety goal in the student’s Individual Inclusion and Intervention Plan (IIP).

Psychology Services are provided by Registered and Provisionally Registered Psychologists who are members of our Student Support Services team. The Psychologists work closely with school staff and families to support student learning, social-emotional development, and mental health.

Psychology services may include:

• Assessment: Identifying a student’s learning profile, including strengths and areas of need. This may involve psychoeducational assessments and, when appropriate, the diagnosis of developmental disorders such as intellectual developmental disorder or specific learning disorders (dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia).
• Consultation: Collaborating with teachers and families to understand student needs and develop effective supports.
• Intervention Planning: Helping design targeted strategies to promote student learning, behavior, and emotional regulation.
• Crisis Support: Providing guidance and assistance during times of trauma, loss, or school-wide crisis.
• Referral Guidance: Assisting families in accessing additional services or community-based resources as needed.

At Regina Catholic Schools, we believe every student can succeed. Teachers use a variety of strategies to support student learning. One important tool a Record of Adaptation (ROA) which allows for adjustments to help students succeed without changing the curriculum.

The ROA lists adaptations for individual students. These adaptations allow for flexibility in:

• What is taught (content and resources)
• How it's taught (instruction)
• How learning is shown (assessment)
• Where and how learning happens (learning environment)

ROAs are designed to support student learning in all grades and courses. Teachers collaborate with other professionals in the school to create and update the ROA, with input from principals, vice principals, and school counsellors. Student Support Services teachers assist with planning and ensuring that adaptations are working effectively. Parents and guardians are provided with a copy of the ROA to stay informed about the support their child is receiving.

Speech & Language Pathologists help students develop communications skills. This can include:

• Speech Sounds (Articulation): Helping children pronounce sounds more clearly and confidently
• Language Skills: Building vocabulary, sentence structure, and social communication
• Pre-Literacy Skills: Developing early reading abilities like rhyming, sound awareness, and storytelling
• AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication): Supporting students who need tools like pictures, gestures, or speech-generating devices to help them express themselves
• Fluency: Supporting students who may repeat sounds, words, or have difficulty with smooth speech

All students in Pre-K and Kindergarten are screened to identify those who may benefit from extra support. Beyond screening, SLPs offer support in several ways, depending on each child’s needs.

Classroom Support

• Working directly in classrooms with small groups or whole class
• Collaborating with teachers to plan language-rich activities
• Providing materials, strategies, and demonstrations
• Observing students to better understand their communication needs

Direct Student Support

• One-on-one or small group sessions
• Help with speech sounds, stuttering, and vocabulary
• Individual assessments and progress reports
• At home practice programs for families
• Hearing screening

A Transitional Learning Plan (TLP) is created for students who are currently learning below their grade level in language arts or mathematics. It helps guide their progress and outlines:

• The specific skills and goals the student is working on
• Classroom strategies and supports to help the student succeed
• A plan to help the student achieve those goals

Parents get updates on their child’s progress toward TLP goals through ongoing communication with the teacher and during regular reporting periods, alongside the student’s report card.

Mental Health Capacity Building (MHCB) is a program helps students, staff, and families grow skills and access support for positive mental health. Regina Catholic Schools works with our MHCB Team to create safe, welcoming school communities where resilience, belonging, and hope thrive. Everyone deserves to flourish mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

Supportive Learning Environment

At Regina Catholic Schools, we believe in inclusion and aim to create learning experiences that meet each student's unique needs. Sometimes, this means offering programs that provide the support needed for gradual progress towards full inclusion. One such program is the Supportive Learning Environment (SLE) at St. Luke Alternative School, which offers a caring space where students can develop their strengths, build self-confidence, and grow in their independence. Through this process, students will gain the skills to return to their neighbourhood school. This approach aligns with The Education Act and is considered when students need intensive support.

Administrative Application 8730 – St. Luke: Supportive Learning Environment (SLE)

Quiet High School

We believe in an inclusive model; however, at times students may present significant needs that prevent them from succeeding in a traditional high school setting. The Quiet High School (QHS) Program at St. Luke Alternative School is a transitional program that embraces our students as valued members of our community and provides a place of belonging. This program allows for students who have mental health challenges to manage the academic/psycho-social demands of school.

Administrative Application 8731 – St. Luke Quiet High School

St. Luke School Website

St. Maria Faustina School provides a supportive and structured learning environment for students with significant developmental challenges and deficits in adaptive functioning. These students may experience difficulties in areas including conceptual (understanding written language or concepts or numbers, quantity, time, money), social (understanding of symbolic communication in speech or gesture) and practical (physical care, health and safety).

Administrative Application 8736 – St. Maria Faustina School