POPARD Consultants visit all of the school districts in British Columbia throughout the school year. While we are in your district we may see individual students, consult with the District Autism Team regarding several students, and/or provide workshops and in-service programs. In order for individual students to be seen by POPARD consultants, a referral process must be followed by the school-based team and the District Partner for your school district.

Applications for student consultations will include:

• Generic application form signed by parent, principal, district administrator and/or district partner
• Distribution of Reports form signed by the parent in order for information to be released
• Release of Information form for permission for receipt and release of information
• Needs analysis completed by the school team
• Diagnostic information, preferably multi-disciplinary, i.e. psychological, speech and language, OT/PT
• Medical report providing the specific diagnosis that would place that student in the low incidence categories
• Individual Education Plans
• Any other reports considered pertinent by the District Partner

Visit Format

POPARD staff will spend one-half to one full day in the classroom. If possible, a brief meeting prior to the observation between the teacher and the POPARD consultant will provide the consultant with information on the teachers' concerns and what the POPARD staff should look for throughout the observation.

POPARD staff will:

• Collect data on the student
• Observe and record his/her interactions with peers and school staff
• Map out the physical environment of the classroom, including the location of the student's desk and work area
• Review any other pertinent information provided by the school staff

During the course of the initial observation, and prior to the team meeting, the POPARD staff member will require approximately thirty (30) minutes to complete the site visit summary report. This document will form the basis for the discussion that will take place during the subsequent team meeting.

Team meetings usually take place at a time convenient to the school staff. The district partner and school staff determine the composition of the team. Typically team members include: school staff including the principal of the school, the District Partner, parents and the social worker or other community participants, e.g. behaviour support therapist from a community agency.

At the initial meeting, the team reviews the needs analysis survey, the services that the POPARD has to offer; the site visit summary report and any other issues brought forth by team members during the meeting. Persons designated by the parent to receive the site visit summary report are required to initial the report indicating that they have received it.