The Wild Rose School Division's Going the Distance program provides individualized academic support and case management for students with high absenteeism due to behavioral, mental health, or medical issues. The program is staffed by a 0.5 teacher and 0.5 social worker and uses a blended model of Alberta Distance Learning curriculum and direct instruction. It aims to support students at risk of not completing a semester or year of school and to facilitate their successful reintegration or transition to alternative programs. Common student referrals involve mental health concerns, pregnancy, and school refusal or avoidance. The program sees improvements in addressing weaknesses in student skills and transitions as well as mental health needs through its flexible blended programming and focus on building relationships.

1. Wild Rose School Division
Tracy Orr
2012-2015

2. Why Going the Distance?
 High Absenteeism (School avoidance vs. School
refusal)
 Some students were being sent home with teacher-
made materials or ADLC materials. Follow-up with
these students was difficult and often non-existent
 Students who were not in school had multiple and
complex needs.

3. Who are the Students?
Going the Distance Program
 Students with high absenteeism grades 9-12
 Students of WRSD who cannot be adequately
served in any school environment and whose
semester or school year completion is at risk.
 May be for behavioural or mental health reasons, as
a result of a threat or complex needs assessment,
because of physical health or planned absences.
 Top few percentage of PBIS (Positive Behaviour
Interventions and Supports) pyramid.

4. Staffing
 .5 program teacher, .5 social worker
 Social worker provides case management and
student emotional support and referral
 Teacher chosen for teaching excellence, flexibility,
and ability to build relationships with students
 Program housed in outreach schools (2 in division)
 Current focus jr and sr high school students

5. Program Components
Going the Distance
1. Community
2. Academic support
3. Relationship

6. 1. Community
GTD Program Components
 Case Management – GTD program social worker
acts as case manager and assists with community
connections.
 Community connections might be alternative
learning environments
 Connections are often referrals to community
agencies
 Volunteerism and Work Experience involvement is
facilitated.

7. 2. Academic Support
GTD Program Components
 Academic Support -Team Teaching approach with
Alberta Distance Learning Curriculum.
 GTD program teachers, not ADLC, have ultimate
responsibility for modifying course materials and
assessment of outcomes.
 Student remains enrolled in their “home” school.

8. Academic Support cont.
 GTD program teachers have frequent contact with
students and guardians.
 Time can be scheduled for direct instruction. Best
results involve students coming in twice a week for
two hours or more to outreach school

9. 3. Relationship
GTD Program
 Relationship – Program teachers have daily contact
with students and periodic contact with families.
Focus is creating positive and encouraging
relationship with students where many a bridge may
have been burnt.
 Support may be via the internet, face to face
through home visits or other student location
(community, relative)…. Text messaging

10. What has happened?
 GTD supports kids falling through the cracks.
 Weaknesses in transitions between programs or
particular skills can be identified (eg. Gr. 9, early
reading, undiagnosed learning disabilities)
 Increasingly blended and flexible programming
addresses mental health needs (anxiety, exposure)
 Goal to ensure that students don’t lose a semester
or year of school or, if desired, successful re-
integration into school or other academic programs.

11. GTD program stats
2014/2015
 20 active
 11/20 referrals involve mental health concerns (55%)
 2/20 referrals are pregnant teens (10%)
2013/2014
 31 intakes, 23 active,
 13/23 referrals involved mental health concerns
(57%)
 3/23 referrals were pregnant or parenting teens
(13%)

12. Program Organization
 Guardians and students review the program
description, discuss their goals and sign a contract
consenting to participate in the program.
 Weekly case review of GTD students and 3 program
components (.5 to 1 hour)
 IPP format with minimum of 4 reviews, some
monthly, some every 2 weeks
 Frequent communication with guardians as well as
students.
 Shared doc anecdotals

13. Challenges
 Students with mental health problems who tend to
be more successful in GTD program: internalizing
vs. externalizing disorders
 School refusal… still difficult to engage
 Staffing, financial challenges, burn out
 Meeting basic needs for some students
 Boundaries
 Last chance at engagement, quick responses

14. Contact Information
Tracy Orr , GTD Program Coordinator
tracy.orr@wrsd.ca

15. DD
 DD is in grade 12. She was referred in grade 9 for non-
attendance due to mental health concerns, severe anxiety. A
classroom Public speaking project resulted in a 3 week
absence. DD was connected with a therapist at Alberta Mental
Health Services as well as being referred to a physician. DD is
still struggling with anxiety and her medication and will be
seeing a psychiatrist. She has however completed her math
handily.
 Due to DD’s continued mental health problems, she a blended
program this year with her local high school and GTD.
 DD will graduate from high school this spring if at all possible
or take an extra semester depending on mental health
concerns. She now takes most of her classes at the local high
school and will take part in their graduation plans and
ceremony