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T. Student Assistants

  1. A student assistant is a person who is employed in a school to assist with student-specific needs as identified by the student support services team; including such needs as personal care, portering, lifting, and behaviour management. [Nov/27/08] [JC Feb/09] [2009 BGM]
  1. Student assistants shall be responsible to the principal of the school.
  1. The primary role of the student assistant is to assist the special needs student(s) in the effective implementation of the student’s Individual Support Services Plan (ISSP) under the direction of the ISSP team. The student assistant shall not be responsible for instruction, assessment, program design, evaluation, or reporting to parents. [Nov/27/08] [JC Feb/09] [2009 BGM]
  1. To fully implement the special needs students’ program as outlined by the ISSP, student assistants may be required to carry out, under the direction of the program planning team, personal care duties such as, but not limited to feeding, cleaning, toiletting; portering, lifting; and individual student supervision. If such services are routinely required in order for a student to be in regular attendance at school, student assistant(s) shall be provided in sufficient numbers to carry out such duties. [Nov/27/08] [JC Feb/09] [2009 BGM]
  1. Where children require student-specific, health-related procedures, the student assistant will not undertake such procedures unless fully inserviced by the appropriate personnel. Under no circumstances (except in an emergency situation) will teachers, other than those working in categorical special education positions, be required to undertake student-specific, health-related procedures. [Nov/27/08] [JC Feb/09] [2009 BGM]
  1. Where the services of a student assistant would normally be available to assist with the implementation of the student’s ISSP in a regular classroom, and when such a service is not available, placement other than in the regular classroom will be arranged unless parents/volunteers are available to perform the functions of the student assistant in the regular classroom. [Nov/27/08] [JC Feb/09] [2009 BGM]
  1. Whenever a student assistant is absent due to illness or any other reason, a substitute shall be provided.
  1. The duties ordinarily performed by the student assistant shall not be assigned to teachers, other than those working in categorical special education positions, unless in an emergency situation. [Nov/27/08] [JC Feb/09] [2009 BGM]
  1. In case of a job action by student assistants, teachers other than those working in categorical special education positions will not carry out those duties ordinarily performed by student assistants and no increase in teachers’ assigned duties will occur. [Jan/8-9/99] [1999 BGM] [Nov/27/08] [JC Feb/09] [2009 BGM]
  1. In any situation where student assistant services, which are ordinarily provided, are not available and the safety of the student(s) cannot be assured, the principal shall have the authority to determine whether it is appropriate for such student(s) to remain in school.
  1. Student assistants shall receive ongoing inservice training in all matters relating to their specific duties regarding the effective implementation of the student’s ISSP.
  1. Student assistants shall not be included in the student-teacher ratio for the school. [Mar/5- 6/93] [1993 AGM]

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