Last updated: January 2024
FIS welcomes students with a variety of educational needs. The number of students with additional needs are carefully managed to ensure a high quality program for all students. The learning support program is designed to serve approximately 10% of the total school enrolment and is offered on a space available basis to those who meet the program's entrance criteria.
Students with learning, neurobiological, sensory, speech and language, physical and medical needs are supported through tiered levels of support, that may incur additional fees.
Student needs are aligned in three broad categories: Mild, Moderate, Intensive.
Students with mild needs are supported through monitoring, consulting, minimal interventions and are expected to meet grade-level expectations.
Students with moderate needs are supported through multiple interventions, related services and possible utilization of external expertise, as needed.
Students with intensive needs are supported through personalized interventions, related services, and modifications to program and identification of alternative pathways.
Divisional Principals, in collaboration with Admissions and Learning Support teams, manage and determine the total number of learning support students admitted based on the availability of resources and related services.
Students who present with severe or profound mental health, behavioral, cognitive or medical needs cannot be accommodated within the existing program at FIS and will not be admitted.
The following steps are taken in the application of students with identified learning needs:
1. Parents must provide pertinent school records including details of any former special education plans and services including recent assessments and reports such as psycho-educational assessments (within the past three years), speech and language, sensory, or related neurological/medical reports.
2. If deemed necessary, students may be required to come for an admissions interview. If an in-person interview is not possible, video or virtual arrangements can be made.
3. Formal recommendations made by school-based teams may be a condition of enrollment at the school in order to meet a student’s needs.
4. Parent collaboration in terms of support services may be considered as a factor regarding decisions around admission.
5. In cases where parents have withheld educational and related assessment information pertinent to the student’s placement or special learning program, the school may deny admission or nullify its admission decision, or require an admitted student to be withdrawn from the school.