A Message From The Deputy Principal
Hello and welcome.
My name is Helen Ginty and I am the Deputy Principal and the Special Educational Needs Coordinator here in Woodland NS.
We have an amazing school community here in Woodlands and have a wide range of provision for our pupils who need some extra help to be the best that they can be.
We have 4 classes for pupils with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), one of which is an Early Intervention class for preschool pupils. These classes are a central part of our school, with many of the pupils in the ASD suite covering curricular areas in their age equivalent mainstream classes, while pupils from mainstream classes join in activities and lessons in our ASD suite. I’m not sure who benefits most!
We also have 2 classes for pupils who have Specific Speech and Language Disorder. Pupils attend these classes for a maximum of two years and as well as covering the curriculum, they benefit from regular Speech and Language therapy from our Speech and Language therapist who also works closely with the teachers in the class to progress Speech and Language development.
To support our pupils in mainstream, we have a number of Special Education Teachers (SETs) who work closely with class teachers to identify and help pupils who need that little bit extra, whether it’s in an academic subject or an area of emotional development. These teachers provide support in many different ways, depending on the pupil’s needs.
We have many wonderful Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) who support our pupils in both Special and Mainstream Classes in so many different ways.
We encourage parents to contact us at any stage to discuss concerns or questions about any aspect of a child’s learning or development. We work closely with parents to find the best model of support given the child’s needs.
We make it our business to provide a quality educational experience to all pupils in our care and look forward to welcoming you into our wonderful school community.
Helen Ginty
Deputy Principal & Special Educational Needs Coordinator, Woodland NS