(Canada) Sault Ste Marie, Ont: Kindergarteners with autism to get extra help

Aug 9, 2025, Sault Star, Sault Ste Marie: St. Basil students get extra help in fall

Kindergarten students at St. Basil with autism and other needs will get extra help making the transition to school starting in September.

Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board is earmarking $150,000 [$109,000 U.S.] to help an estimated eight to 12 students starting their education during the 2025-26 school year.

 “This is us trying to be proactive,” director of education Fil Lettieri told reporters following a special meeting of trustees last Thursday. Trustees backed the proposal.

Speech-language pathologist Lori Ivey will deliver the school readiness program. She did similar work with Algoma Public Health, said Lettieri. Ivey submitted the only proposal for the board’s new program when a request for proposal went out in mid-July.

Participating students will be split into morning and afternoon groups to work on their communication and self-regulation skills. . . .

St. Basil is the board’s largest elementary school with about 760 students expected in classes this fall. The new school readiness program will be overseen by superintendent of special education Franca Spadafora and special education co-ordinator Rosanne Zagordo.

The English Catholic board has a speech-language pathologist on staff. A second is on contract. They have a “full caseload,” said Lettieri.

Trustee Lindsay Liske, representing Espanola, asked if the board would extend the program to other schools “if the dollars are there.” There are “needs” at other board sites “especially” east and north of Sault Ste. Marie.

 “If we see that this is beneficial and it’s achieving the objectives that we feel it’s designed to do then we would obviously look at that as another option for all our schools,” said Lettieri.

He later told reporters schools outside the Sault “have access to supports locally” and the board office.

Ministry of Education earmarked $15.3 million [$11M U.S.] to HSCDSB for special education for 2025-26. The board dedicated about another $600,000 [$436,000] to help special ed students.

“It’s something we prioritize,” said Lettieri. He expects trustees will get “more of a comprehensive look” at the new program at their next meeting on Sept. 17.