My name is Sheri Zwack, my daughter, Olivia (age 12), has diagnoses of Down syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and Intellectual Disability; she is non-verbal and medically complex due, primarily, from a surgically repaired and monitored congenital heart defect. She requires constant and intensive support, and utilizes an Internationally Accredited Autism Assistance Service Dog named Ivan, who accompanies her in the community. Olivia has attended school programming in Warman, within the scope of the Prairie Spirit School Division (PSSD), for the past 7+ years.
After Olivia commenced kindergarten at the age of 5, developmental interventions in the form of Speech Language Pathology (SLP) & Occupational Therapy (OT), were no longer offered by the Health Authority; rather, the PSSD became the provider of said developmental interventions. This transfer of SLP & OT services from the Health Authority to the Ministry of Education has been in place for many years and, thus, results in a child receiving a consultative SLP & OT service in the school environment, in comparison to the one to one treatment service that was previously available. As a result of the aforementioned service transition, the only way to effectively meet Olivia’s SLP & OT therapeutic needs was through the private acquisition of SLP & OT therapies which come at a considerable cost.
Fortunately, in 2015 a parent organized, non-profit organization called Ability in Me (AIM) was created in a grass-roots manner, with the sole intention of providing developmental interventions specifically tailored to the needs of Saskatchewan-based children & youth diagnosed with Down syndrome from 0 to 22 years of age. AIM services consist of speech & language therapy, occupational therapy, literacy programming, music therapy, and an array of social & skill development groups and services. The AIM service model mirrored a reputable & highly regarded program rooted in Calgary, ALTA., called PREP. AIM-based professionals follow therapeutic Best Practices relative to Down syndrome and work collaboratively with parents and caregivers, as well as, with health and education professionals. The AIM service model puts an emphasis on the incorporation of home, school, and community settings. Simply put, AIM has been integral in allowing a child with Down syndrome to reach their full potential, Olivia included.
Before the COVID-19 Pandemic, Olivia would attend programming at the AIM program site on a weekly basis. However, due to the necessary Pandemic health & safety restrictions over the past 18+ months, AIM has shifted to a virtual-based treatment approach which, unfortunately, posed a BIG problem for Olivia; because Olivia has an ASD, she does not associate “therapy” with her home setting and, thus, virtual sessions at home did not go well.
Preliminary discussions with Olivia’s new school team at the Warman Community Middle School (WCMS) at the beginning of this school year went well in regards to having AIM programming play a small part as a virtual learning option during her school day. However, we were abruptly alerted that utilizing AIM for Olivia at school will no longer be able to occur as

Special Education Coordinator, Susan Protz, advised us that this was not in the
"administrative procedures" and, thus, could not be accommodated. My husband and I then escalated our request for a temporary allowance of virtual AIM services for Olivia to the PSSD superintendent, Dean Broughton, and he “officially” said no, again, due to the “administrative procedures”. Our family appreciates the administrative policies & procedures of the PSSD, but the COVID-19 Pandemic has forced all services to adapt & evolve. When a high-needs child, such as Olivia, requires support during this unprecedented time, it is appropriate to re-evaluate existing policies & procedures to insure that they are continuing to align with the needs of those they are intended to serve.
Like so many children during the Pandemic, Olivia’s developmental therapies structure has
been compromised for nearly 2 years. Home-based learning was very challenging for her, and we are grateful for in-person schooling, as this realm of learning has proven to be more effective. Our request is simple and temporary: a 30 to 60 minute/once per week virtual AIM therapy session. This session would include Olivia and her EA or SERT working alongside Olivia. It is also important to note that, once the COVID-19 Pandemic ends and services at the AIM program site recommence, Olivia will return to that setting for in-person AIM facilitated therapy sessions. Please understand that we are not attempting to overshadow PSSD SLP and/or OT strategies/recommendations; rather, we want to have AIM enhance and supplement the PSSD array of services.
As Olivia’s parents, my husband and I will not stop advocating for her rights & needs. We will keep escalating this request for a school accommodation until it reaches a person with the professional courage to recognize that the PSSD “administrative procedures” are lacking.