ARCHIVED—Recipient Bios
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Year: 2000 – Province: Ontario
Certificate of Excellence Recipients
Kathryn Forsythe-Lantz
School: Waterloo-Oxford District Secondary School
RR 2
Baden, Ontario N0B 1G0
Principal: Brian Rainville
School Telephone: 519-634-5441
School Fax: 519-634-5469
School Website: wodss.wrdsb.edu.on.ca
Grades/Subjects Taught: Life skills, work experience
Teaching Approach:
- There is dignity in risk.
- See past the limitations of individuals. Bring out their best and allow them to dream and realize a productive future.
- Involve developmentally challenged students in work experience as an essential part of their educational program. The goal for these students is to be able to live on their own, work competitively and participate in leisure and community activities, as independently as possible.
Outstanding Achievements:
Developed and maintains an extensive school-to-work program. A wide network of prospective employers allows careful matching of student abilities to job requirements. Many students placed this way have continued with summer or full-time employment. Mrs. Forsythe-Lantz also finds grants and job creation program funding for these placements.
Initiated a peer tutoring program at Waterloo-Oxford as a credit course for regular stream students. Gives special needs students the opportunity to attend physical education, woodworking, music and art classes with a peer tutor to assist them. Both finish the course with a strong sense of responsibility, commitment and accomplishment.
Organizes activities for the senior elementary and secondary school life skills and developmental education students and staff. Activities such as sports, music and arts appreciation provide students with opportunities to begin making the transition from elementary to secondary school, to develop, with support, social interactions with a peer group and to experience a variety of community settings and the behavioural expectations that go with them.
Mrs. Forsythe-Lantz is currently President of the Ontario Association for Developmental Education. Through this group she is an effective advocate for her students both provincially and locally.
Rave Reviews:
"She has genuine concern for her students. I am convinced that it is this compassion which motivates her students to work so diligently for her." Fellow teacher
"Her positive, dedicated contribution has touched these students and the community they live in. Her impact will far outlast her teaching career!" Superintendent of instruction