Jr/Sr High School Program

Janus Academy operates a Junior High/Senior High School program located in the lower hall of McDougall United Church, at 8516 Athabasca Street S.E. The Jr. High/High school program accepts students from grades 6 to 12. Each of our Junior / Senior High School classrooms have a very low student to teacher ratio. The ratio ranges depending on the needs of the student and each specific class from 1:1 to 2:1 students to Behavioral Therapist.

Janus Academy Junior High/Senior High School program provides an individualized and functional approach to programming for each student based on the science of Applied Behaviour Analysis. The program provides a major emphasis in two core areas. The first core area emphasizes development language and communication skills, the development of socially appropriate behavior and the development of appropriate life skills, daily living skills, and pre-vocational skills. The second core area emphasizes the expansion of learner skills and academics, through a verbal behavior approach and discrete trial teaching. Goals and objectives for each student are designed to facilitate independence and allow each student to grow and develop to their full potential.

Integration is offered based on a community outreach approach in which the students are given the opportunity to use skills mastered in the classroom in a supported community setting. The students all participate in weekly grocery shopping trips in conjunction with their cooking class, as well each class is provided the opportunity to learn and practice community safety and awareness skills within the larger community on a regular basis.

The Janus Academy provides programming in education to students who possess skills across the autism spectrum. As student profiles differ significantly, we have created different divisions within our program to target individual needs and group cohesiveness. Janus Academy classrooms are not formed by grades but rather by similar student profiles. We do our best to ensure that all students are placed within a peer group that will provide them with the most successful education.

Those students who meet criteria in learning readiness skills, language comprehension skills, and expressive language (vocal or sign language) are assessed using SRA Direct Instruction materials in reading, math and language arts. SRA employs systematic, direct instruction within an environment of ideas and exploration. Skill development is actively pursued, then applied in meaningful contexts. Scores on placement tests then guide teachers when they are making programming decisions for which curriculum level is appropriate for each student.  SRA curriculum is presented to students in small groups of two to four students or within a 1:1 setting. Students may be placed on one or a combination of these curriculums to supplement their classroom learning;

• Distar Math
• Connecting Math
• Reading Mastery
• Language for Learning
• Language for Thinking
• Language for Writing

Classroom instruction is based primarily on intensive behavioral strategies that have been developed as a result of the B.F Skinners analysis of verbal behavior. Skills are taught by building upon previously learned skills in a developmentally sequenced manner.

Each student’s program is based upon goals set out in their Individual Program Plan. These goals are derived from the collaboration of the student’s educational team, ABLLS assessment, functional analysis of behavior, and contributions from parents.

Individualized instruction is intensive and requires a high rate of responding by the student. Positive reinforcement is used to create an atmosphere that maintains the student’s motivation throughout the day. Learning opportunities are capitalized upon and created during individual sessions, group activities and structured community activities.

Programs are frequently reviewed and adjustments are made to teaching strategies and the skills targeted. Probe data is taken daily on all targeted goals and programming decisions are made from the analysis of this data.

Sign language is often used for those students who have difficulty acquiring speech as their primary mode of communication and as a method of teaching basic language skills. The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is also taught to those students to whom it is beneficial.
Instructional staff are continually challenged to improve and expand their teaching skills through in-service training, hands on training, and professional development opportunities.

For more information regarding the Jr. High/Senior High program or to book a tour, please contact Koren Trnka at: contact@janusacademy.org or 403-262-3333.