Who We Are

Background: Development of the Role

In 1980, Bill 82 mandated the inclusion of students with special needs into the regular school setting. In order to attend their neighbourhood schools, the Board of Education and the schools had to show that they could provide the service to these children. The role of the Teaching Assistant was developed at this time. Teaching Assistants were employed to support, foster, and facilitate learning for these exceptional students and to encourage their independence.  

In June, 2005, Peel Teaching Assistants voted to change the name of the Association to Educational Resource Facilitators of Peel.   

All students have a balance of strengths, weaknesses, special needs and exceptional requirements. For some students the needs are greater. It is our job to assist students to be successful in reaching their maximum potential.  

As part of Special Education staffing, Educational Resource Facilitators have traditionally supported students diagnosed with:

• Visual Impairments
• Physical Challenges
• Developmental Challenges
• Learning Disabilities
• Attention Deficit Disorder
• Autistic Spectrum Disorder
• Behaviours
• Challenging Syndromes
• Chromosome Disorders  

Roles and Responsibilities

As part of the education team, the role includes responsibilies such as:  

• assisting in the identification and program development to improve a designated student's skill deficiencies
• participating in planning and implementation of approved programs
• developing effective problem-solving and team building strategies
• assisting in the team in discussing students' progress, problems or needs while maintaining and respecting the need for confidentiality
• assisting in the adaptation and preparation of instructional materials as required for the student
• promoting and supporting students in new fields of technology
• acting as a resource person for parent/teacher/student interviews
• assisting in supporting a school climate that is positive and accepting of all learners
• assisting students with approved therapy including physio, ortho, visual, speech, and personal care and dressing
• supporting student's self-worth and confidence

Early Learning Program

With the incorporation of the Early Learning Program, we have a new role: the Designated Early Childhood Educators. These members work in classroom partnerships to support the learning needs of 4 and 5 year old children in all day kindergartens.

Our Objectives

Some of the objectives outlined in our Constitution include:

• Facilitating independence to the best of the student's ability
• Promoting and advancing the cause of education
• Supporting social skills and development of life skills
• Maintaining a high standard of professional ethics  

Professional Development

As life-long learners. E.R.F.'s and D.E.C.E.'s constantly upgrade their skills through conferences, research, and in-service development. We also have the Enhancing Professionalism: Modules, developed by Peel Board, to further enhance our skills. Our members also research current information from numerous sources to improve their knowledge base and to be more effective in their jobs.  

Definition of Levels and Roles

Role descriptions are currently under review. The definition of levels is below, followed by brief role descriptions. The content is general information only.

Level 1

a) Academic - Kindergarten: Works in kindergarten settings to provide instructional support to the classroom teacher.

Level 2

a) Academic - Early Years Hub: Works with the Early Years Hub Kindergarten Teacher, members of the Hub school team and community agencies as part of an inter-disciplinary team. This team provides effective programs to children and families from the diverse, cultural, ethnic and linguistic backgrounds within the communities served by the Hub.

b) Academic - Early Years Readiness Centres: Works with the Readiness Centre Teacher, as part of a team, to provide effective programs to children and familites from diverse cultural, ethnic and linguistic backgrounds served by the school.

c) Instructional Pre-School: Works in a daycare type setting. The program operates out of a secondary school to service pre-school children. E.R.F.s plan and program for the activities of the children; order and prepare materials; assist students with personal care routines, such as toileting, dressing, grooming, and hygiene; and administer minor first aid. These programs are self-funded.

Level 3

a) Special Needs: Works in a contained classroom, or in a mainstream setting, implementing and modifying approved program for students with special needs. They work with either the classroom teacher, itinerant teacher and/or ISSP teacher. They also work very closely with agencies such as Erinoak to provide approved therapy support.

b) Contained Classroom Behaviour: Works in conjunction with the behaviour team (principal, vice-principal, teacher, psychoeducational consultant, SERT, guidance/student services department, social worker) to implement a program for students with behaviour challenges. They work directly with a behaviour teacher in a classroom setting. They are administratively part of the Superintendent's itinerant pool.

c) Itinerant Behaviour: Works in conjunction with the behaviour team, similar to a contained classroom Behavioural E.R.F. They work in various settings within a school. This job is an itinerant position and may change at any time. Placements may last weeks, months, or years.

d) F.M. (Frequency Modulations) Technologist: Manages, maintains and repairs allocated, and reallocated, FM equipment within the Board for hard of hearing students. They manage the equipment inventory data-base for the Board as well as prioritize and schedule FM equipment delivery. There is one full-time and one part-time E.R.F. in the Board. They travel from school to school but are based out of Special Education Support Services at the Central Board Office.

e) Itinerant Technical Support Technician: Manages the inventory database for special needs equipment. They maintain and oversee equipment repairs, imcluding toileting equipment, therapy equipment and computer hardware and software. They also prioritize and schedule delivery of the equipment being used and ensure quality standards are met for all reallocated equipment. There is only one E.R.F. in this position within the Board. The E.R.F. travels from school to school and is based out of Special Education Support Services at the Central Board Office.

f) Parent and Family Literacy: Works in Parenting and Family Literacy Centre. The centres are school based, drop-in programs for parents, grandparents, and caregivers with children from birth to six years of gae. The E.R.F. provides opportunities to help children transition more easily to kindergarten as well as help to establish positive home-school connections.

g) Designated Early Childhood Educator - Will work with the classroom teacher to plan and implement a full day Early Learning Program within a classroom setting. The D.E.C.E. will plan programs and organize activities to create opportunities for developmental progress. An extended day model is projected to be incorporated into this program over time.

Level 4

a) Intervenor - Provides intensive academic, social, hygienic and life skills support to students who cannot function without specialized support, e.g. deaf, blind or medically fragile. They work with students assisting with feeding, mobilization (including lifting, positioning and arrival and departure to and from vehicles at school) and personal care routines to estalish good health and life skills.

b) Work Experience - Coordinates student work placement programs and monitors students' progress during on-site visits with employers. They research and identify prospective employment opportunities and develop and implement employment arrangements between the employer and the student. The E.R.F. in this role travels with students from the school to the job site and back to school. Knowledge and practical use of public transit may be part of the training.

c) Food Services - Works in settings such as Applewood and Parkholme. The school cafeteria is staffed and coordinated by an E.R.F. responsbile for the purchasing, maintaining and running of the food services program. They have the responsibility of training students with special needs to prepare and serve food. Their job involves set-up, clean-up and 'everything in between'.

d) Mobile Support Teams - Works through the Behaviour Coordinator, in consultation with a multi-disciplinary team, which includes the psycho-educational consultant, social worker and teacher. They provide intensive emotional, academic, social and life skills support to high needs behaviour students, and where appropriate, their parents. The E.R.F. supports students in multiple school sites and acts as a primary resource for specialized program delivery, providing consultative support on behaviour management.

e) Fresh Start - E.R.F.s in this role report to the Superintendent of Alternative Programs, through the Principal of Alternative Programs/Behaviour Coordinator, and work in consultation with a multi-disciplinary team. They provide intensive emotional and academic support to students in the expulsion program. They implement and provide specialized program to students regarding social needs, life skills, self-management, anger management, drug awareness and nutrition, or other needs, as identified.

f) ASD Resource - Reports to the Superintendent of Special Edcation Program Services through the Coordinator of ASD Programs. There are 4 E.R.F.s in this role who assist the itinerant teachers with Autistic students in mainstream settings. They work very closely with the ASD team. They assist with program modifications and accommodations as well as provide resource materials related to ASD. They model appropriate practice to E.R.F.s working with ASD students and facilitate workshops related to Autism Spectrum Disorder.

g) School-Wide Health Support - One E.R.F at Parkholme and one at Applewood work school-wide in this position. They are responsible for responding to medical emergencies, e.g. seizures, administering medication, etc., and are responsible for the collation and administration of medical records received from parents/doctors. They function as a resource to staff regarding the effects and reactions to medical emergencies and work with staff overseeing physiotherapy in classrooms.

h) Facilitator of Professional Development - Reports to the Superintendent of Special Education Program Services through the Coordinator of Staff Development, Special Educationa and works out of the Central Board Office. The PD Facilitator coordinates, organizes and tracks professional development for all E.R.F.s that is held on PD Day. The PD Facilitator determines the selection of workshops and communicate with appropriate staff, administrators and wprkshop facilitators. The PD Facilitator is also responsible for the advertising and communication of P.D. sessions to members, preparing module materials and planning and organizing the logistics of the sessions.

i) Positive Physical Intervention Instruction and Program Developer - The role provides Positive Physical Intervention Training and site-based student specific interventions regarding high risk, aggressive students to directly reduce aggression and negative behaviour. Intervention training and follow-up occurs within multiple school sites and reflects PDSB policies and guidelines. The E.R.F. acts as primary resource to school teams, including administrators, teachers, E.R.F.s and resource staff, to provide specialized program delivery to ensure student and staff safety. The development of safe learning environments assists in the promotion of emotional, academic, social and life skill support to students. There is no incumbent currently in this role.

Educational Resource Facilitators are as diverse and individual as the children they support. It is our fundamental belief that Educational Resource Facilitators respect and support exceptional students and foster ALL students to grow into contributing members of society and that: "We Make a Difference".

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