Student Support Services
YMCA Academy teachers and staff go above and beyond every day to support the well-being of our students and their families. Through continual collaboration, the Academy team builds personalized strategies to help students meet their socio-emotional and academic needs, which help break down barriers that otherwise might impact their academic and personal growth.
Here are a handful of our many resources for providing wrap-around support.
Student Success Team
Each member of our team brings unique expertise and experience that enable us to support our students holistically. We understand that each student learns differently, has individual needs, and may require alternative forms of support. Our proactive approach focuses on identifying and addressing areas of concern early on to ensure timely and effective intervention. To provide the best support, we meet weekly and maintain frequent communication with other staff and parents/guardians.
- Zareh Demirdji – Guidance Supervisor
Zareh is responsible for creating student course schedules tailored to individual needs and various factors. He guides students in finding volunteer opportunities and ensures they complete the required hours. Additionally, Zareh offers post-secondary and career counseling to support students as they transition out of the YMCA Academy. - Lareesa Duncan – Student Life Counsellor
Lareesa provides group and individual social and emotional goal-orientated counselling, mental health support, and crisis intervention. Her role is to promote student well-being by addressing personal, social, and emotional challenges. - Luka Ilic – Special Education Supervisor
Luka provides academic support, conducts workshops on study skills and executive functioning, and offers resources to help students reach their academic goals. He also develops and assesses student plans, manages IEPs, and oversees accommodations and assistive technology. - Nicki Rutland – Student Life Counsellor and Learning Specialist
Nicki provides counseling support to address students‘ social and emotional needs and their mental well-being. She also implements targeted support and instructional strategies to help students with diverse learning needs achieve their academic goals, as well as support with IEP development.
Student Life Counsellors
Our Student Life Counsellors provide group and individual, social and emotional, goal-oriented counselling. This also entails mental health promotion and crisis de-escalation. Students receive support with developing and practicing social skills, healthy coping skills, problem solving skills, emotional regulation, self-advocacy, healthy relationships skills, and self-esteem building. The Student Life Counsellors support students to make informed choices that will lead towards their personal growth, development, and well-being. The Student Life Counsellors are active members of the Student Success Team, holistically collaborating with different departments, teachers, staff, students, parents, and the students’ external support team.
Staff Collaboration and Communication
Academy teachers and staff are highly collaborative, and use a combination of large- and small-group meetings and productivity tools to ensure that no student “falls through the cracks.” Teachers and staff regularly receive and provide updates about new and ongoing challenges students are facing, within and beyond the classroom. Informal discussions happen many times each day, and the entire team meets weekly to collaborate around student needs.
Community Connections
The Academy is part of a robust network of organizations and practitioners who work together to support our students and their families. These include mental health professionals, counsellors, tutors, occupational therapists, educational psychologists, and advocacy organizations from across the Greater Toronto Area and beyond.