Alberta
Like everyone else it has been an incredibly challenging six months as we had to cut costs and decrease hours for staff in response to COVID 19. We have decided to take this opportunity to focus on shifting our program delivery model to online and resource development. It has been a challenge, but the good news is that we are making progress and hope to start to offer a series of webinars and increase our Right To Read RTR online courses in the fall.
We had a successful program launch in May 2020 and have had over 40 participants go through the program. The RTR Program (Catching Children before They Fail) focuses on early identification and intervention for at-risk learners. The RTR Program includes a Reading Readiness Screening Tool and intervention strategies teachers can use to support their students as they learn to read. The course is designed for practicing teachers, tutors, or homeschoolers. LDAA has partnered with Foothills Academy Society to offer the online version of the course. For more details and course registration go to: https://foothillsacademyoutreach.org. Cost for the course is $300/participant and there are group discounts. We can also set up separate cohort sessions if you would like to have a number of staff go through the course together.
For more information please contact Toby Rabinovitz, LDAA Executive Director at: execdir@ldalberta.ca
Quebec
During this special back-to-school period, the ITA is excited to brief you on some new developments:
– Relive the online Summer Conference
Following the success of our online Summer Conference “Back to school, things will be fine!” viewed by over 1,850 participants, we are offering you the chance to relive the event. From August 24 to October 31, 2020 inclusively, you can register and watch a replay of more than 35 presentations, including those by Rose-Marie Charest, Ron Canuel, and many others.
Discover the program (in French)
– New membership offer
The ITA surveyed several stakeholders in the education and healthcare communities to better target their needs for the coming year. Based on the answers received, a new membership offer was designed in order to better meet their expectations in terms of continuing education. Among many benefits, membership provides a one-year access to all our asynchronous (offline) training sessions along with our next annual conference.
Learn more about our membership offer
– Regional support network for parents
While the parents of children with a learning disability are always first in line to help them, they often lack support and information. It is with this in mind that the ITA is launching a Facebook group where Quebec parents will be able to support each other. This online space is designed to encourage discussions among parents as well as the sharing of tips and information.
Join the self-help group for Quebec parents
Institut des troubles d’apprentissage du Québec (ITA)
Saskatchewan
I hope all is well and that everyone is staying safe and healthy during these unprecedented times.
Since my last submission LDAS been making many adjustments in programming in order meet the needs of the various populations we serve. We had closed operations in Prince Albert and Regina but have recently reopened. In Saskatoon we have stayed open through the last number of months, offering a variety of services to our clients both through a remote online delivery as well as in house.
We have just recently started Psychological Services and Neurofeedback again, and we hope to soon see a return of these services to full capacity. We continue to strategize to offer most of our programming for children and adults (Arrowsmith, Tutoring, Coaching) through online delivery methods and in person but our numbers are still well below our targets. LDAS Saskatoon has been fortunate to offer our Summer Sunshine Day Camp for the past 7 Weeks, and the community is grateful that we maintained a safe and healthy environment for these children.
As we start planning for the next academic year and implementing new ways to offer our many services we will be maintaining strict COVID protocols and guidelines to keep everyone safe. Along with our Day Camp that we are offering for Essential Service employees and their families, LDAS is also going to be offering a FLEX Ed program that will allow students an opportunity for an online delivery of K-12 programming that will be housed within our Saskatoon location. We are excited to see how this new program will enhance the clients we serve.
Along with several scholarships LDAS provides on an annual basis, LDAS will be offering two MacRae Memorial Scholarships to recipients on World Suicide Prevention Day, Sept. 10, 2020. LDAS is hosting this event as part of the MacRae Legacy for Life, the Memorial Fund Scholarship that was created to recognize the hard work and dedication necessary to complete a high school diploma. The scholarships will support individuals with learning disabilities in their pursuit of a post-secondary education. Mr. MacRae died by Suicide in 2018 and had been a student at LDAS who had hoped to pursue post-secondary education. These scholarships are in his memory. This event on Sept. 10, 2020 will bring awareness to reducing the stigma of being different, having a learning disability and that it is okay not to be okay in these unpredictable learning environments.
I wish you and your colleagues and families health and positive well being.
Wayne Stadnyk, Executive Director
Learning Disabilities Association of Saskatchewan