HERITAGE CHRISTIAN ONLINE SCHOOL EDUCATION ASSISTANT TRAINING MANUAL

Transcription

1 (REVISED) HERITAGE CHRISTIAN ONLINE SCHOOL EDUCATION ASSISTANT TRAINING MANUAL SPECIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

2 HCOS Education Assistant Training Manual 1 Special Education

3 Table of Contents OUR MISSION:... 3 OUR PURPOSE:... 3 KCC STATEMENT OF FAITH:... 4 PHILOSPOHY OF EDUCATION:... 5 WHAT IS A EDUCATION ASSISTANT?... 5 EMPLOYMENT OF EDUCATION ASSISTANTS:... 6 ROLE OF A EDUCATION ASSISTANT:... 7 RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE EDUCATION ASSISTANT:... 7 PROGRAM ADAPTIONS AND MODIFICATIONS:... 8 WAGES AND ALLOWANCES:... 9 COMPENSATION FOR EDUCATION ASSISTANTS ON CONTRACT:... 9 TRAINING AND COMPENSATION FOR MANDATORY TRAINING: WORKSAFE BC: TAX INFORMATION: SPECIAL EDUCATION TEAM CONTACT DETAILS: APPENDIX I GLOSSARY OF TERMS HCOS Education Assistant Training Manual 2 Special Education

4 OUR MISSION: Heritage Christian Online School has been distinctly called to serve and support the home educator and educate the home learner from a Christian Worldview and Perspective. We believe strongly in the integration of Biblical Truth in and through every area of learning. We take seriously the command of our Lord Jesus Christ to Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. We believe that the stewardship and ultimate responsibility for caring and educating children rests with the parent. OUR PURPOSE: To provide a supportive and flexible Christ-centered programs to children that have special needs and are learning at home, enabling them to reach their God-given potential and assisting them to acquire the necessary skills for independence and adulthood. THE EVANGELICAL FELLOWSHIP STATEMENT OF FAITH The Education Assistant is an Evangelical Christian and has read and agrees with the statement of faith as presented by the EVANGELICAL FELLOWSHIP OF CANADA and has a life style and moral standards are consistent with those of Evangelical Christians across Canada. 1. The Holy Scriptures as originally given by God are divinely inspired, infallible, entirely trustworthy, and constitute the only supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct. 2. There is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 3. Our Lord Jesus Christ is God manifest in the flesh; we affirm his virgin birth, sinless humanity, divine miracles, vicarious and atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension, ongoing mediatorial work, and personal return in power and glory. HCOS Education Assistant Training Manual 3 Special Education

5 4. The salvation of lost and sinful humanity is possible only through the merits of the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, received by faith apart from works, and is characterized by regeneration by the Holy Spirit. 5. The Holy Spirit enables believers to live a holy life, to witness and work for the Lord Jesus Christ. 6. The Church, the body of Christ, consists of all true believers. 7. Ultimately God will judge the living and the dead, those who are saved unto the resurrection of life, those who are lost unto the resurrection of damnation. KCC STATEMENT OF FAITH: The Education Assistant agrees to respect the statement of faith and values of the Kelowna Christian Society and will not teach or support any anti- doctrinal perspective contrary to this statement of faith. 1. We believe in the Bible to be the only infallible authoritative Word of God inspired by the Holy Spirit; 2. We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, 3. We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in the blessed hope of His personal, visible and imminent return to this earth to receive to Himself, His blood-bought Church, that it may be with Him forever; 4. We believe that the only means of being cleansed from sins is through repentance and faith in the precious blood of Christ; 5. We believe that the redemptive work of Christ on the cross provides healing of the human spirit and soul and body in answer to believing prayer; 6. We believe in the empowering of the believer by baptism with the Holy Spirit according to Acts 2:4, for the believer who asks for it, with the initial sign of speaking in tongues, as the Spirit gives utterance. 7. We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost, the one to everlasting life and the other to everlasting damnation; 8. We believe in the present day ministry of the Holy Spirit; in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within each believer from the moment of spiritual rebirth; in the nine Gifts of the Holy Spirit as available to all Spirit-filled believers; HCOS Education Assistant Training Manual 4 Special Education

6 9. We believe in the spiritual unity of all believers in Christ. 10. We believe that re-creation by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential for personal salvation; 11. We believe in intensive world evangelism and missionary work in accordance with the great commission with signs following (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16). PHILOSPOHY OF EDUCATION: We understand that our students learn best when their education is tailored to their interests, abilities, and needs. Every home-educator s needs are different, thus we have three design options to accommodate these differences. As a program funded by the BC Ministry of Education, we are accountable to the Provincial Learning Outcomes (PLO s); however, we offer a flexible approach and work toward maintaining the educational philosophy of the family while meeting the PLO s in ways that suit the family s method of learning. WHAT IS AN EDUCATION ASSISTANT? Education Assistants play a key role in supporting the educational program for students with special needs and may perform a variety of functions. However, the main role of the Education Assistant is to support the students learning and to work closely with parents, other professionals and the SE teacher assigned to the student. Each person is responsible to two other people in the agreement and is to communicate and support each other (see diagram below). The Education Assistant (EA) is contracted by the school to provide additional support to the student. It is necessary to remember that the primary intent of the funding from the Ministry of Education is to provide intervention and this is where the majority of the funding must be spent. Consequently, funds are in place because the student requires this support. HCOS Education Assistant Training Manual 5 Special Education

7 EducaIon Assistant Parents SE Teacher EMPLOYMENT OF EDUCATION ASSISTANTS: The hiring of an Education Assistant is a joint responsibility of the family and the school. In some cases the family has someone in mind that knows the child well, is a good fit and is well qualified for providing services. In other cases the school will advertise the position and make a short-list of applicants to interview with the family. The competence and compatibility of the Education Assistant is paramount for the benefit of the child, and the Education Assistant must be able to work with both the family and the school. Once all parties are in agreement, an employment contract is made between the Education Assistant and the school. Typically, an Education Assistant s hours may range, depending on funding level and the types of service required. In a few cases, specialized or professional support may be required to supplement the services of an Education Assistant. The decision to not hire an Education Assistant will occur only when there is a demonstrated need for other more appropriate types of intervention. HCOS Education Assistant Training Manual 6 Special Education

8 ROLE OF A EDUCATION ASSISTANT: The role of the Education Assistant usually includes: Acquiring and organizing instructional materials Implementing the Individual Education Plan Providing instruction to the child and remediation as appropriate Developing and/or supporting learning activities Implementing a program and monitoring the child s progress Record keeping and writing a weekly report and noting significant milestones within FileMaker Supervising the child in learning situations outside the home Providing feedback to the family and to the school on a regular basis Maintain weekly contact with the SE Teacher within FileMaker It is not expected that the Education Assistant will replace the family s role in supporting the child s education. Rather it is a team effort and the meetings with the SE Teacher should include the Education Assistant if at all possible. The SE Teacher will also meet with the Education Assistant when needed to assist in the implementation of the program and to monitor progress. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE EDUCATION ASSISTANT: Individual Education Plan: An Individual Education Plan (IEP) is a documented plan developed for a student with special needs that describes individualized goals, adaptations, modifications, the services to be provided, and includes measures for tracking achievement. Additionally, an IEP is a very important communication tool for the IEP team. It allows all the different individuals working with a particular student (the IEP team) to be on the same page and ensure that everyone is working toward similar goals. All the members of the IEP team (parents, teachers, consultants, therapists & EA s) need to be involved at some level in creating the IEP for the student. The student's individualized teacher is the Team Leader, also known as Case Manager, for this process. Any goals and/or objectives from an Education Assistant should be submitted to the Individualized teacher so that they can add the goals to the IEP document. In addition, an IEP is a document HCOS Education Assistant Training Manual 7 Special Education

9 that can change throughout the year (a fluid document) as the student's needs change. An IEP must have one or more of the following: the goals or outcomes set for that student for that school year where they are different from the learning outcomes set out in an applicable educational program guide; or a list of the support services required to achieve goals established for the student; or a list of the adaptations to educational materials, instructional strategies or assessment methods. An IEP should also include the following: Present levels of educational performance of the student; Setting where the educational program is to be provided; Names of all personnel who will be providing the educational and support services during the school year; Period of time and process for the review of the IEP; Evidence of evaluation or review, which could include revisions made to the plan and the tracking of achievement in relation to goals; and Plans for the next transition point in the student s education (including transitions beyond school completion) and linkages to Graduation Portfolio during Grades PROGRAM ADAPTIONS AND MODIFICATIONS: It is important to understand the difference between adaptation and modification to a student s program. Adapted Program: When a student s program is adapted their progress is still measured against Provincial Learning Outcomes for their grade. Adaptations do not change the learning outcomes; they are the changes in the delivery of the instruction and in the output requirements to enable the student to demonstrate their learning more effectively. HCOS Education Assistant Training Manual 8 Special Education

10 Modified Program: Modifications are when the Provincial Learning Outcomes are replaced by objectives that are unique to the student and based on their needs. As a result, measuring a student s progress cannot use the same criteria as other students in their grade. Progress is measured on the basis of individualized outcomes in the IEP. Again, these students should be on the caseload of a Special Education teacher. Common adaptations, as listed by the Ministry of Education, may include: different formats for resources to enable students to receive instruction or information, such as Braille or books-on-tape; different teaching strategies, such as visual cues or breaking tasks into smaller parts; and/or different ways of demonstrating learning, such as oral exams or extra time. WAGES AND ALLOWANCES: Pay is deposited into the bank account provided by the Education Assistant on a monthly basis on the last business day of the month. COMPENSATION FOR EDUCATION ASSISTANTS ON CONTRACT: Education Assistants are contracted and must submit online invoices for services rendered by the sixteenth (16) of each month. The fifteenth (15) of each month is the last day of billing for services rendered. The billable period is from the sixteenth (16) to the fifteenth (15) of each month. Invoices are to be submitted within FileMaker under the Invoice Tab. A login and instructional video on how to perform these tasks will be ed to your school provided address. HCOS Education Assistant Training Manual 9 Special Education

11 Important Notes regarding Payroll Invoicing: Invoices for hours, will be confirmed by by parents/guardians for services rendered Never invoice or log hours more than your contract stipulates the school is under no obligation to pay for going over contracted hours Cancelled sessions without 24 hours notice by the parent is considered billable hours. Education Assistants who bill for cancelled sessions must make an effort to use this time to complete any outstanding administrative tasks such as student reporting, checking company , contracting SE teacher or lesson planning/preparation. If the session is cancelled in advance of 24 hours, the session can be rescheduled at a mutually agreeable time. It is the responsibility of the Education Assistant to give 24 hours notice for any cancelled sessions. Contracted services will not go beyond June 15th We do not provide services during summer months Please refer to the Education Assistant contract for details Login pages and other documents found at: under Education Assistants TRAINING AND COMPENSATION FOR MANDATORY TRAINING: We encourage Education Assistants to attend Professional Development courses offered by HCOS. Professional development is usually offered once a year and is directly related to the duties and responsibilities carried out by the Education Assistant. All Education Assistants will meet online or in person with the Special Education administrative team at the beginning of each school year as stipulated in their contract. The session will cover topics such as contract issues, IEPs, and school policies. You will also have the opportunity to ask questions and meet the team. It is important to note that you will not be compensated for this meeting due to the fact that you are an independent contractor and it is a requirement of your contract. HCOS Education Assistant Training Manual 10 Special Education

12 WORKSAFE BC: Education Assistants who are solely on contract with HCOS do not have to obtain their own personal coverage through WorkSafe BC. Education Assistants, who contract their services out or employ worker, are required to obtain their own personal coverage. Information on registration and obtaining coverage is included as an attachment to the Education Assistant contract. For more information, please contact WorkSafe BC directly by visiting their website at: TAX INFORMATION: Education Assistants are considered self-employed and are a contractor of the school. The school does not retain any of your income for taxes, EI, or benefits. Please consult an accountant or contact Revenue Canada. As all Education Assistants are self-employed, it is necessary to complete the T2125 form. Further information regarding tax information and your deductions can be found in the T4002 guide or by visiting the following website: SPECIAL EDUCATION TEAM CONTACT DETAILS: The Special Education (SE) Teacher is your primary and first contact on all matters directly related to your student. Our website is the place to find information related to Special Education including, invoice links, login, resources, and forms. General inquiries can be ed to: lbedard@onlineschool.ca HCOS Education Assistant Training Manual 11 Special Education

13 APPENDIX I GLOSSARY OF TERMS Glossary of Terms: IEP (Individual Education Plan) This is the plan that sets the specific individual program for each student. Each year this is to be completed by the Special Education teacher in consultation with the family, professionals and Education Assistants. LS Teacher Learning Services Consultant who guides and consults with teachers and parents to set forward a program for students with learning disabilities, that are not specifically funded by the ministry. PLO The Ministry of Education sets the education standards for students in grades K to 12 through the provincial curriculum. These standards are called Prescribed Learning Outcomes (PLOs). PLOs outline the expectations for what students should know and be able to do at each grade and within each subject area. Education Assistant A person providing service for a student directly under contract with HCOS. Providing direct service to the student as set out by the IEP and Special Education Teacher. SE Teacher Special Education teacher who is working for HCOS to supervise and monitor the program of special education students HCOS Education Assistant Training Manual 12 Special Education