ITAQUE ARS VA - Strategies So I Can Succeed

What is a Learning Disability

“Learning Disabilities” refer to a number of disorders that may affect the acquisition, organization, retention, understanding, or use of verbal or nonverbal information. These disorders affect learning in individuals who otherwise demonstrate at least average abilities essential for thinking and/or reasoning. These disorders are not due primarily to hearing and/or vision problems, socio-economic factors, cultural or linguistic differences, lack of motivation, or ineffective teaching (Learning Disabilities Association of Canada, January 30, 2002 - Re-endorsed on March 2, 2015). 

Program Mandate

At the Academy at King Edward (AKE), our primary emphasis is on closing the gap in the academic areas of reading, writing and mathematics with the goal of reintegration into community school programming.  This occurs alongside of our focus on rebuilding the confidence, persistence, resilience, organization and social skills of the students in our program. In grades 3-9, additional time is devoted to literacy and numeracy instruction above that which usually occurs in a community school so that we can address the academic gaps in these areas.  As a result, students receive modified exposure to the science and social studies curriculum.  Second language instruction is also omitted for our students in elementary and is only offered as an option in junior high and high school.

Elementary & Junior High FAQs

What specialized supports does the Academy provide in addition to a small setting with a special education trained teacher?

 Other specialized intervention supports available include:

-reading specialist coach support

-numeracy specialist coach support

-Success Coach (a support for social, emotional and academic success)

-reading intervention support specialists focused on providing daily intensive interventions support in the areas of numeracy, vocabulary, decoding, fluency and comprehension: 

• Empower ™
• Orton Gillingham ™
• LindaMood ™ - LiPS
• LindaMood ™ - Verbalizing and Visualizing
• LindaMood ™ - on Cloud Nine 

Junior High Options

Students in junior high have an opportunity to select one option to enroll in each term.  The option offerings vary each year but below is a sampling of the options we typically offer:

• fitness
• outdoor education
• foods studies
• film studies
• science & technology explorations
• Spanish language and culture
• art & design
• guitar/music
• leadership
• Spanish
• Learn to Drive
• drama 
• photography

AKE High School

The Academy’s high school program is a diploma stream program.  In high school, students will take the majority of their core courses (math, science, social studies and English) within the supportive environment of the AKE program.  They will also take subject such as Learning Strategies, CALM, physical education and a few options in our small sized setting.  Students will be supported to take options from our “sister” schools of McNally or Victoria as outlined in their academic blue print.  Click on the link below to view a copy of our Division’s High School Guide (AKE offers the dash two stream, i.e. English 10-2, Social 10-2, ect.) 

We highly recommend taking Phys-Ed 10 during the summer as we are not guaranteed Gym time at either site Victoria or McNally.

High School Guide 2024-25

We also strongly encourage families explore our Division’s Campus EPSB option for high school students.  Campus EPSB is designed as another way for students to earn high school credits and industry credentials, get ahead of their studies and/or prepare for post-secondary. It’s a great way for students to explore opportunities and get hands-on experience that can help them plan their next steps.  Student enrolled in the Academy have access to apply for enter into the many fabulous Campus EPSB programs.

We will update the Campus EPSB site when it becomes available for the 2023-2024 school year. 

Application Timelines and Procedures

Edmonton Public students are given first right of access to available program spaces requested in Special Needs Assisted Placement (SNAP) from February 3 - February 10,  2025. Confirmation of acceptance will be communicated to families by your current Edmonton Public School.  Families will also need to select the Academy at King Edward during the pre-enrollment phase. 

Families from outside of Edmonton Public Schools can register students that are new to the Division beginning February 3, 2025.  Please keep in mind that all of our classes are small so that we can provide the necessary interventions and we have limited spaces at all grade levels. Once we have reached capacity in any programming cohort level we will stop accepting applications at that specified level. Acceptance for students outside of Edmonton Public Schools is not guaranteed, families will be notified by Academy at King Edward administration if enrollment has been approved. 

HOW DO WE APPLY?

Entry to the Academy at King Edward (AKE) is by application only.  

1. Current Edmonton Public families must speak with their current school administration to ensure that their child qualifies and is entered into the  Special Needs Assisted Placement (SNAP) process which is a digital acceptance process. This process opens up on February 3^th for schools to make a request on your behalf.  We will begin accepting or declining students between March 3-13.  Then again on April 1 onwards.  Administrators are encouraged to review the Academy’s unique criteria.  All yellow bus applications for elementary and junior high students must be done in conjunction with the SNAP application.
2. Students from outside of Edmonton Public Schools must have a recent psychoeducational assessment and provide us with a copy for review. The psychoeducational assessment is comprised of two parts: 
   1. An academic assessment which must be no more than one year old.
   2. A cognitive assessment and for students originally assessed in grades 1-3, cognitive assessments must be no more than three years old.  The cognitive assessment must include a full scale score and be reflective of the student’s current level of functioning.  ***The FSIQ must be in the AVERAGE or ABOVE AVERAGE range with a Standard Score of 85 or higher.  A Generalized Ability Index Score will not be accepted in place of the FSIQ.

PARENT INFORMATION PAGE

Parent/legal guardians need to complete this page. Take the last page of the application to your current school principal for completion (If your child is currently attending a school outside of Edmonton Public Schools,  please ask your child’s current school to print off the following - report card, school based specialist reports and IPP).

The School Recommendation needs to be filled out by current school.

In addition to reviewing your child’s psychoeducational assessment we need additional information from your child’ current school to ensure that our school is the best option for your child.  In order to get a more accurate picture, we need information from your child’s current school to ensure that we can meet his/her learning needs.

Student Name: ________________________________

School: ______________________________________

TO: THE PRINCIPAL OR PRINCIPAL DESIGNATED SNAP COORDINATOR (EPSB ONLY)

• Confirm that the student is currently coded with a Learning Disability and if the student is from outside of EPSB that the academic assessment is not older than one year.

§  Complete and forward the school Recommendation Chart below

§  forward a copy of the applicant’s most recent IPP, progress report and any school specialist reports such as OT, SLP , ect.  This is only necessary for students outside of Edmonton Public Schools.

§  Once both parts are complete, forward the application to AKE.  We will accept applications via fax, ground mail/Canada Post or an encrypted email file.

• EPSB schools need to ensure that the student’s birth certificate is in his/her Pinpoint file 

This can be filled out by the Principal, Assistant Principal, Counselor or a Teacher that knows the student well. This information is important in the selection process for the Academy at King Edward.   Since our small size obliges us to limit enrolment, it is important that we are able to make an informed judgement as to which candidates can best benefit from our program. With this purpose in mind, please complete the ratings below.

Please use the following criteria to rate this student’s behavioral and academic support needs:

school recommendation- to be filled out by current school

Date:  ___________________________

Name of administrator completing form:  ________________________________

Signature of administrator completing form: _____________________________

Contact phone number: ______________________________________________

Student Registration Form

The Academy at King Edward is one school that is located at three different sites.  The first is in the beautiful community of Strathcona, situated at the top of Edmonton's river valley on the south side of the North Saskatchewan River. This site offers programming for students in Grades 3-9.  Our second site is at Victoria School of Arts where Academy students in Grades 10-12 are offered programming. Our newly opened third site is at McNally High School.  This is also a site where students in Grades 10-12 are offered programming.  Even though the Academy is located in three separate sites, it is very much one school. Each site regularly benefits from an exchange of resources and expertise; furthermore, students are given opportunity to enjoy activities together.