School District 59
Inclusive Education Guide
Section One
Overview and Introduction
Introduction
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About School District No. 59 (Peace River South)
School District No. 59 (Peace River South) is located in northeastern British Columbia, encompassing the municipalities of Dawson Creek, Chetwynd, Tumbler Ridge, and Pouce Coupe, as well as the surrounding rural areas of the Peace River Regional District. The district extends from the BC/Alberta border in the east to the Pine Pass in the west and north to the Peace River.
With approximately 3,781 students, 1,178 of whom identify as Indigenous, the district values its close partnerships with Saulteau First Nations, West Moberly First Nations, the strong Métis community, Inuit families, and Indigenous students and families from across Canada. These partnerships are essential in fostering inclusive and culturally responsive education.
School District No. 59 (Peace River South) Mission
The mission of the Board of Education of School District No. 59 (Peace River South) is to embrace, inspire, and value learning, meaningful communication, and integrity for each individual and the communities we serve.
School District No. 59 (Peace River South) Strategic Plan 2024-2028
The Board of Education of School District No. 59 (Peace River South) is guided by practices that challenge all to learn, work, and lead together in equitable and effective ways. The Board values inclusion, equity, Truth and Reconciliation, effective communication, and positive culture within school communities that focus on student learning. We look forward to advancing our plan to ensure the success of each learner in School District No. 59 (Peace River South).
Throughout the 2023-2024 school year, the Board of Education undertook an extensive consultation process to determine priorities for the school district. The engagement process identified three areas of focus for the 2024-2028:
Priority 1: Student Success
- Through an equity lens, each student has access to rich learning opportunities and supports that connect them to their passions and aspirations.
- Student belonging, wellness, and mental health are key components of the success of our learners.
Priority 2: Building Capacity
- In an ever-changing world, students and staff need to be provided with new learning based on research and best practice and have access to resources and supports that enhance their rich, learning experience.
Priority 3: Communication
- Consistent and clear communication impacts the culture of a school district at all levels. Through an equity lens, communication needs to be accessible for everyone, in different forms. Positive communication will further increase our connectedness and strong relationships.
Commitment to Indigenous Education
The Strategic Plan 2024-2028 aligns with the Indigenous Enhancement Agreement (2021-2026), developed in partnership with the Dawson Creek Indigenous Education Council, Chetwynd Indigenous Education Council, and the Ministry of Education and Child Care.
This agreement is centered on improving both the educational performance and sense of belonging for each Indigenous learner within the district. School District No. 59 supports the Indigenous community’s commitment to student success and the aspirations of Indigenous learners to achieve their personal and professional goals.
Through collaboration, respect, and continuous learning, School District 59 is dedicated to fostering an inclusive and thriving educational community for all students.
The 2021-2026 Indigenous Enhancement Agreement focuses on the following priorities:
SD59 and Inclusive Education
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Inclusive Education in School District No. 59 – Peace River South
School District No. 59 – Peace River South is committed to fostering an inclusive learning environment that supports the diverse needs of all students. Because of our district’s size, socio-economic conditions, and diverse student population, learning needs vary across schools and from year to year. This diversity presents both challenges and opportunities for students, parents, and teachers. It requires us to continually reflect on and refine our practices to best serve all learners.
Our Commitment
We provide instructional support that is learner-focused, flexible, and responsive, ensuring every student has access to quality education. Our work is guided by the BC Ministry of Education and Childcare Inclusive Education Serivces: A Manual of Policies, Procedures, and Guidelines focusing on meaningful participation and engagement for all students.
Our Mission
Our mission is to create a supportive and inclusive learning environment where every student is valued, empowered, and able to reach their full potential. Through equity, collaboration, and meaningful participation, we foster diversity and support all learners in achieving success.
Guiding Beliefs
- An inclusive environment is planned with the student’s best interests in mind.
- All students are valued for who they are and have the potential to grow academically and socially.
- Embracing diversity requires building capacity among educators and the community.
- Planning for student success is a collective responsibility that relies on collaboration.
- Differentiated instruction and Universal Design for Learning maximizes student learning.
- Planning focuses on student strengths and early, least-intrusive interventions (universal, targeted, intensive).
Our Inclusive Education Framework
Our model for inclusive education is designed to:
- Encourage all students to reach their full potential.
- Provide equitable access to learning and achievement.
- Recognize and celebrate individual strengths.
- Support classroom teachers with clear, tangible resources.
- Foster collaboration between home, school, and community.
School District No. 59 is committed to continuous improvement in how we support students, ensuring that inclusion is not just a practice but a core value.
Our Learning Serivces and Inclusive Education Manual reflects the commitment of parents, staff, and the broader community in ensuring that every student receives the support they need to succeed. We are proud to work together to create an inclusive, supportive, and engaging learning environment.
What is Inclusive Education?
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The Ministry of Education and Child Care “promotes an inclusive education system in which students with disabilities or diverse abilities are fully participating members of a community of learners. Inclusion describes the principle that all students are entitled to equitable participating members of a community of learners. Inclusion describes the principle that all students are entitled to equitable access to learning, achievement and the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of their educational programs. The practice of inclusion is not necessarily synonymous with full integration in regular classrooms and goes beyond placement to include meaningful participation and the promotion of interaction with others.”
Inclusive education programs and services enable students with disabilities or diverse abilities to have equitable access to learning and opportunities to pursue and achieve the goals of their educational programs.
School districts are mandated to design and implement individual education plans for students with diverse abilities. A students with diverse abilities is a student who has a disability of an intellectual, physical, sensory, emotional or behavioural nature, has a learning disability or has special gifts or talents. In BC, the students whose exceptionalities are significant, have a Ministry Inclusive Education identification.
These plans are called Individual education plan (IEP): An individual education plan designed for a student that includes one or more of the following:
- learning outcomes that are different from, or in addition to, expected learning outcomes set out in the applicable educational program guide,
- a list of support services,
- a list of adapted materials, instruction or assessment methods.
Inclusive Education services are designed to:
- complement regular education services
- support the needs of a diverse range of students
- provide assessment that links to effective intervention
- identify students’ strengths and provide opportunities to build on these
- consider resource requirements for ongoing planning and development
- support collaborative decision making among teachers/parents/others involved
Collaborative practice involves team members sharing their thinking and taking responsibility for their work to achieve success. Students themselves, and their parents are part of this team.
The collaborative decision-making process includes:
- assessment of the student’s strengths as a learner
- assessment of the learning environment
- analysis of the instructional content and techniques
- selection of intervention strategies that provide opportunities for success
Research shows that most students (80%) won’t need inclusive education services, while up to 20% may need extra support at some point. A smaller group (1%–5%) will require ongoing, intensive interventions.
Although inclusive education is often linked to students with diverse learning needs, it goes beyond special education. It affects all students and educators, everywhere and at all times. Ensuring success for all learners requires teamwork, not isolated efforts. True collaboration and mutual respect among everyone involved are essential.
Overview of Resource
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Information for Families, Staff and Community Partners
This resource outlines policies, procedures and guidelines that support the delivery of inclusive education services in Peace River South schools. These policies and procedures reflect those outlined in the BC Ministry of Education and Childcare Inclusive Education Services Manual of Policies, Procedures and Guidelines.
The purpose of this resource is to provide a guide regarding BC Ministry of Education and Childcare and Peace River South School District policy and best practices, to support schools with the development and implementation of inclusive education. The information is for parents/guardians, principals, staff and school-based teams. It can also be a supporting document for social service and health care providers, and local community agencies.
As inclusive education services are one of the key pieces to supporting students in schools this resource should be used in partnership with others that are not specific to inclusive education. Links to key documents can be found in Section 7 of this resource. Other documents can be found at www.sd59.ca and at https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/education-training/k-12/teach/resources-for-teachers/inclusive-education.
As the field of inclusive education is evolving, this resource is updated regularly to reflect any changes in practice and personnel. The goal is to ensure that all school district staff and the local community are aware of the inclusive education services available.
This includes:
- procedures used to identify, assess and plan for students
- procedures used to include parents/guardians and other service providers
- reporting procedures and monitoring of student progress using Inclusive and Competency Based Individual Education Plans (ICBEPs)
- a description of district services and programs
- specialist staff assignments and job descriptions
The Peace River School District is committed to an inclusive education system where every student is a meaningful part of the learning community.