Student Support Services

Child and Youth Counsellors

Child and Youth Counsellors are a unique branch of Student Services. Working in conjunction with parents, teachers, and other agencies if required, they provide personalized support for students while adhering to the strictest codes of confidentiality and ethical standard. In addition to individual support, these services may include group facilitation, advocacy between parents, staff and other agencies, small and large group presentations, responding to critical incidents and working with school-based teams to provide prevention and education in order to promote positive mental health for their schools.

All Sun West schools either have their own Child and Youth Counsellor or are served by an itinerant Counsellor.

These professionals embody a vast array of experience and education, and as such work in collaboration with each other to offer the best practices to reach personal, social, emotional and educational success for students in Sun West.

Educational Psychologists

Educational Psychologists work with schools to identify and assess the learning, development and adjustment characteristics and needs of students. When issues are identified they determine the assessment procedure that will provide the appropriate diagnosis if it is felt the student has exceptional needs.

Speech and Language Pathologists

Speech and Language Pathologists (SLPs) in Sun West School Division assist students to become efficient communicators. They provide assessment and treatment for articulation and phonological disorders (speech and sound production), dysfluency (stuttering), voice disorders, oral-motor, feeding difficulties, language development, social skills and literacy skills. The SLPs will provide information regarding referrals to appropriate outside agencies when needed and will work as part of both the medical and educational team. They also provide routine screening of speech sound production, language development and hearing to all Kindergarten students. SLPs in Sun West offer training to both parents and other staff members in the form of individual meetings or larger group in-service opportunities.

Speech and Language Pathologists are available to talk to parents about concerns they have with their children. It is very important for parents to be involved in assisting and understanding their children. Parents are encouraged to talk with SLPs either on the phone or meetings can be arranged at schools. The SLPs will keep in contact with parents and update them on their child's progress, as appropriate.

Occupational Therapists

Sun West employs Occupational Therapists who work with schools to help develop programs for students who experience learning challenges surrounding issues of mobility, sensory skills and coordination.

Occupational therapy is a profession concerned with a person's ability to perform daily occupations, or activities of life. Occupations for a child in the school setting may include reading, writing, manipulation of tools, participation in physical activities, interacting with peers and independence in self-care activities. These areas are dependent on motor coordination, eye-hand coordination, visual-perception, attention, and sensory processing abilities. An occupational therapist works with the school team to improve the student's ability to participate in these tasks by helping the student develop these abilities, adapting the task and environment, or recommending assistive devices.

Addictions Educator

The Sun West Addictions Educator develops and delivers school-based prevention programs to Sun West students at all grade levels. The Addictions Educator works closely with the Child and Youth Counsellors, school-based administrators, students, other school staff, the Saskatchewan Health Authority, the RCMP and other community agencies to make addiction services and programs more effective and accessible for all students.

The Addictions Educator offers programming and presentations that focus on preventing alcohol, tobacco and other drug use. She offers programming to every grade level and to every school within the Sun West School Division. The Addictions Educator is also available to help teachers and school staff obtain the necessary resources to discuss alcohol, tobacco and other drug prevention within their classrooms.

The PARTY (Prevent Alcohol and Risk-related Trauma in Youth) and TTYL (Talk To Youth Live) Programs are part of the Addictions Educator's responsibilities.