On November 21, Vanessa Ayley, a resource teacher at Aldergrove Community Secondary School, updated the Aldergrove Rotary Club on the success of the school’s iPAD Project for at-risk students and thanked the club members for their financial support.
“The iPads have been a welcome addition to each of our unique programs at ACSS,” Ayley said. “They have helped to better engage our at-risk students and allowed them more independence in their learning journeys.”
Over one-third of the students at ACSS are attached to the school’s at-risk programs. Students with special needs are very capable students. They do, however, have additional challenges including being visually impaired, having a learning disability, dealing with behavioural, emotional and/or social issues that need a more flexible alternate learning setting, or being part of the International Program, which means they need extra language support.
Using the many assistive technology applications in the iPADS, special education assistants work closely with these students enabling them to improve their literacy skills — reading, writing, math — and build self-confidence and become enthusiastically engaged in their education.
Earlier this year, the Aldergrove Rotary Club donated $4,000, which enabled the school to purchase the 10 iPADS that are now providing so much help to at-risk students.
“We are committed to making Aldergrove a better place in which to live,” said club president Lee Sawatsky. “What better way than by supporting the special needs of our students."
The Aldergrove Rotary Club meets Friday mornings at 7:10 a.m. at The White Spot, 264 Street and Fraser Highway. New members welcome.