PROGRAMS IN PLACE FOR EXPELLED, SUSPENDED STUDENTS

Students who get expelled don't necessarily have to walk away from a
high school diploma.

Last February, Ontario's Ministry of Education told schools to set up
programs for students who are suspended for six days or more, or
expelled, said Rusty Hick, superintendent of schools and operations
for the public board.

Hick said the programs reflect the board's philosophy to not let any
student fall through the cracks, which is also a ministry directive.

"We have a commitment to all students," Hick said. "The board tries to
work with students who have challenges."

This was part of the changes to the Safe Schools Act, said education
ministry spokeswoman Patricia MacNeil. Boards were regulated to make
those changes by February 2008.

"How those programs are offered do differ from board to board," she
said. "Boards must provide academic and non-academic support."

To comply, the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board launched two
programs in partnership with local outreach agencies, such as the John
Howard Society, said Hick.

"The advantage to working with community agencies is they have links
to social services, like mental health service, if needed, things a
school board doesn't provide," Hick said.

Through those agencies, he said, students receive other support that
might be beneficial, such as addiction counselling, peer interactions
or relationship counselling.

The programs are in place for all students and pupils, Hick said,
although it's rare elementary pupils use them.

There are two types of expulsions, Hick said, expulsion from one
school or all board schools.

In Peterborough, students who are expelled from their school -- not
all board schools -- attend the Centre for Individual Studies (CIS) on
McDonnel Street.

Hick said CIS is an alternative school within the public
board.

For students expelled from all schools, and depending on what they
were expelled for, the board has partnered with Frontenac Youth
Services to provide nonacademic support, Hick said.

Frontenac is a non-profit children's mental health centre that
provides assistance to "emotionally and behaviorally disordered
adolescents and their families," their website states.

Hick said Frontenac workers meet with a student at a public place,
such as a library, and teachers help students work on their credits
and maintain pace with the curriculum.

"It's a one on one. It's not like a class or a school," he said.
"Frontenac would work with them for the non-academic part and our
teacher works with them for the academic portion."

From there, the board holds periodic meetings to determine when the
student can return to a school, he said.

Hick said students cannot return to any school until they have
clearance through Frontenac and must apply to the director of
education to return.

When students are expelled from all schools in the board, the student
is still technically a student of the board by law, Hick said.

"The reason for that is a good one," Hick said. "We just simply cannot
wash our hands of a student, not that we would want to.

"We want all students, no matter who they are and what they may have
done, to remain connected."

There is also a site in Peterborough for suspended students located in
the Learning Disabilities Association office under the Wolf/Kruz
building, which works with the John Howard Society, Hick said.