Dear Parents / Guardians,
Welcome to the 2024-2025 school year! My name is Colleen MacPherson and I will be returning as the occupational therapist for Southern Kings Consolidated School this school year. I am very much looking forward to working at your child’s school. I will be at Southern Kings every Wednesday beginning September 18th.
Occupational Therapists (OTs) are regulated health professionals who work with children in many different settings and know a lot about motor development, sensory processing as well as environmental set up, adaptations and accessibility. OTs support students in schools with participating in
- Personal cares: bathroom routines, putting on and removing outdoor clothing and footwear, clothing fasteners (e.g., snaps, zippers, buttons, shoelaces), opening and closing lunch containers, feeding self, etc.
- Classroom and school routines: transitioning between activities or spaces within the classroom or school, organizing and locating school materials, participating in classroom routines, participating in Phys Ed, library, music, recess, and playground activities, etc.
- Learning-based activities: using classroom tools (e.g., scissors, pencils, glue stick, learning manipulatives, etc.), expressing learning through cutting, colouring, drawing, printing, cursive writing and using technology, self-regulation with respect to focusing attention and starting work in a timely manner, etc.
- Managing the sensory demands of a school environment: managing the sound of the bell and /or announcements, sounds and movement in busy corridors, echo in the gym, sounds during assemblies, lighting in the school, feel of learning materials, etc.
- Managing the physical environment: accessing spaces when using mobility aids (e.g., wheelchairs, walkers, etc.), accessing appropriate classroom desk and chair heights, using flexible seating options and optimal learning spaces, using equipment for personal cares and technical access (e.g., change tables, lift systems, switches for environmental controls or communication devices), etc.
As the OT, I will spend time in many areas of the school (i.e., classrooms, gym, music, playground, etc.) and will observe students participating in their school activities. I will provide support to school staff in understanding how they can use activities within the classroom to help children with their motor skills and their sensory environment. If your child’s classroom teacher and I notice your child is having difficulty in the above-mentioned areas, the teacher will contact you to discuss making an individual referral to the OT Program. If you have questions or concerns about your child in the above-mentioned areas, please feel free to contact myself at the information below as well as speak to your child’s classroom teacher.
While at the school, I will be part of the school team and available to school staff as well as to parents/guardians. The primary focus will be on supporting students in their elementary school years (e.g., kindergarten to grade 6). However, I am available to consult with students in their junior high years if determined by the school and yourself, as parent/guardian, that an OT referral is needed.
If a family doctor, pediatrician, or other health agency would like your child to be seen by the school OT, the referral request must be communicated to both you as well as your child’s school to start the referral process. If your child is currently being seen by private OT and you and your child’s school team would like to refer your child to the STOT Program, please feel free to contact me at the information below to discuss the role of the school-based OT and private OT.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the school or myself at cgmacpherson@ihis.org or (902) 326-2876.
Wishing your child a good school year!
Colleen - Occupational Therapist
School Therapy OT Program
Helpful Videos Provided by OT:
To view all videos, go to this link.