Ranch Ehrlo Society offers specialized education to its youth, helping to stabilize behaviours and offer support through the learning experience.

The Transition Centre is a unique educational facility designed to accommodate students who are in the midst of transitioning from Ranch Ehrlo’s Schaller Education Centre to mainstream classrooms.

The Transition Centre opened its doors in Regina in 2009 when educational staff identified the need for a facility to reduce the pressures of a growing population at Schaller school on the Pilot Butte campus.

“We were hitting capacity at Schaller leaving us no option but to move kids to mainstream high schools or elementary schools too soon,” explained Corinna Hayden-Fiddler, vice-president of education at Ranch Ehrlo. “Something would go awry and they would have to move back, but the only place for them to move back to was Schaller, and that was like taking 10 steps back in their treatment plan.”

And so a proposal was made and the Transition Centre was opened. But, just as things always change at the Ranch, the intent of the Transition Centre hasn’t always been fulfilled.

“We have some high school students who have left Schaller and come here, but haven’t transitioned anywhere else because they don’t fit anywhere else for one reason or another,” Corinna said from her office on Argyle Street North. “We’re always striving to have our students transition into an integrated (mainstream school) setting, but that hasn’t happened as much as we thought it would.”

Approximately 50 per cent of the students at the Transition Centre go on to attend mainstream schools, but many become comfortable and benefit from the specialized programming so much so that they stay long term.

The Transition Centre has one elementary classroom and one high school classroom. Both settings have a 10 student capacity and a one to five teacher-student ratio. Because the class sizes are smaller, students are provided specialized one-on-one instruction specific to each student’s Individualized Education Plan.

Although the educational opportunities at the Transition Centre are unique, students do receive instruction in traditional subjects such as math and English, and are able to earn high school credits. In addition, students at the Transition Centre also spend some time completing paid work projects in the community.

“We have a lot of students who have had many gaps in their learning for one reason or another, and they need a more intensive learning program than what basic curriculum provides,” said Corinna. “The kids that end up here are those who have the ability and some desire to learn. “

“We try to build on any successes that they have, get them as ready as they can be, and then set them up for more success by transitioning them to a mainstream school setting if and when they are ready,” she added.

The decision to transition a student to a mainstream school is made collaboratively by the student, Corinna, the youth’s unit manager, and the classroom teacher.

 “One of the things I love about working at the Ranch is the programs evolve based on the needs of the kids,” said Corrina. “We’re always evolving because all kids have different needs.”

The Transition Centre also accommodates a classroom for special needs students and a fourth classroom for Learning Centre clients and their staff.

“The mix of students here can be interesting. We use everything as an opportunity to learn, so when we added more of the younger autistic boys to the Transition Centre we had to teach everybody at the school about autism, about diversity, and about the acceptance of others,” Corrina explained. “I like the diversity in the building and the opportunity it gives for everybody to work together.”