Park Lane Public School's Mission Statement
Park Lane Public School: "A Pathway to Learning". Our school provides a safe, caring and supportive learning environment for students. All students receive an individualized educational program designed to foster participation and independence through the development of functional communication skills, functional academics and functional life skills. Park Lane serves students with developmental disabilities ranging in age from 4 to 21. In addition, many students are challenged with Physical Disabilities, Vision and/or Hearing difficulties, ASD or other serious medical conditions. Our staff assist each student to meet their unique challenges, identify their personal potential and move towards the greatest possible level of independence.
Park Lane School first opened its doors in 1968 but was closed as a public school in June 1980 due to declining enrollment. Subsequently, various private schools were housed at Park Lane. Central Ontario College provided year-round schooling for students in grades 11-13 primarily from Hong Kong and Malaysia. It later became The Toronto Learning Centre, serving the needs of students with Learning Disabilities. In 1990, Park Lane School reopened as a special education facility under the The Metropolitan School Board. It was transferred to the North York Board of Education in 1995 and is now part of the Toronto District School Board.
Programme Support
At Park Lane, a structured team approach is used to support the needs of the students. Members of the team include 13 Special Education Teachers, 20 Educational Assistants, 3 Nurses from St. Elizabeth Health Care, 11 support staff generated through SIP grants, and 10 noon hour assistants. We also access the services of our Special Education/Low Incident Consultant, Physical/Occupational Therapist, Speech-Language Pathologist, Social Worker, Psycho-Educational Consultant, Vision and Deaf & Hard of Hearing Support, the TDSB ASD/PDD Team and Surrey Place.
More Information About Park Lane Public School
Snozelen Room
In the Snoezelen Room our students have opportunities for their senses to be activated and engaged using specialized equipment. They are able to make choices – changing the colours or the bubbling speed of a brightly lit bubble tube, or they can relax and enjoy the vibrations, the heat, the sounds and gentle movement created by a vibroacoustic waterbed.
Integration Programme
Park Lane is involved in integration with neighbouring schools within the family of schools: Denlow, Bedford Park and Rippleton Public Schools. This year's integration programme involves visits to and from our partner schools for folkdancing, cooperative games and social activities.
Special Needs Folkfest
On May 22, 2012 we will participate in the Special Needs Folkfest. The event is held annually at Ted Reeves Arena and involves participants from our integration schools as well as students and staff from other special needs classrooms from accross the TDSB. We hope to dance with over 400 other students and staff at this year's event.
Community Integration
Park Lane students are involved in a variety of outings into the community including weekly swim sessions during the spring and fall for many students, weekly trips on the TTC to Metro to purchase food for preparation in the classroom or to the local library for storytime, adventures to the TSO, Toronto Zoo, Windreach Farm and Forest Valley Outdoor Centre.
Additional Features
- Individualized Students Programming
- Dreams Take Flight
- Spring Fling
- Summer Jam
- Fallfest
- Holiday Concerts
Student Life - Where You Belong
GO TEAM
Students at Park Lane participate in a variety of challenging and engaging activities throughout the school year such as:
-Special Friday Activities
-Holiday Concert
-Spring Fling
-Summer Jam
-Swimming Programme
-ORFF
-Integration
-Wheelchair dancing
-Special Needs Folk Dance Festival, Track & Field,
Cross Country
-Arts presentations such as drumming, dance, theatre
-African and Asian Heritage Month Celebrations
-Aboriginal Education Month Celebrations
-Terry Fox, United Way and other charitable fundraising
WHAT SETS US APART
-Individualized Programming and low student to teacher and staff
ratio
-Focus on Functional Communication Skills, Functional Academics
and Functional Life Skills
-Safe and caring environment
-On-site St. Elizabeth's Nursing Care
-Wheelchair accessiblility
-Specialized equipment to support motor development
-Sensory equipment for blind/low vision, deaf/hard of
hearing
-Tactile/Sensory Hall
-Staff trained in ABA, Zigguarat and Autism Pro support for
Autism
-Staff trained in Behaviour Management Systems, Seizure
protocol, First Aid
- Snoezelen Room
- Life Skills Room
-Teachers trained in PECS
PARENT AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Park Lane has an active School Advisory Council that meets monthly and provides workshops for parents, upon request, to support parent needs such as "financial planning" and "accessing community support services".
The Alexandre Arnold Charitable Foundation and The Not For Profit Bus Company were created and funded to provide greater community access for students in wheelchairs.
Park Lane also collaborates with community and social agencies such as: TACL (Toronto Association for Community Living), CAS (Children's Aid Society), CCAC (Community Care Access Centre), Holland-Bloorview Kids Rehabillitation Centre, Surrey Place, Geneva Centre and a variety of other service providers.
Park Lane has on-going partnerships with Centennial College, George Brown College, and Ryerson University to provide placement and learning opportunities for students in PSW, DSW, CYW, ECE and EA programmes.