Occupational Therapists

Occupati​onal therapy is a type of health care that helps to solve the problems that interfere with a person’s ability to do the things that are important to them – everyday things like:
  • Self-care - getting dressed, eating, toileting, moving around the house
  • Being productive - going to work or school, participating in the community
  • Leisure activities - sports, gardening, social activities

In a school setting, occupational therapy works to ensure that a student can participate in the full range of school activities including: 
  • Self-care - dressing for gym and outside, toileting, eating snacks and lunches
  • Productivity - printing, drawing, colouring, cutting, listening and attending to teacher, completing tasks, taking notes, working in a group 
  • Play and Leisure activities - playing games and sports  
  • Accessing school environments - getting to and from class, using playground equipment, accessing and adapting to various work spaces
 “The whole purpose of school-based occupational therapy is to help kids succeed at school”.

Occupational therapy services in the Yukon Schools​​​

​Department of Education’s Occupational Therapists (OTs) are members of interdisciplinary educational teams, and provide a range of services (i.e., consultation, assessment, programming, training, community liaising, etc.) to support students within the educational setting.
Occupational therapists (OT) work with students, teachers, and families to promote functional skills within the school environment. The Occupational Therapist observes the student, environment and task, in order to determine the supports required to be successful.
​Occupational therapists provide consultation and when required, assessment in the following areas:  
  • Fine motor skills 
  • Visual-motor and visual-perceptual skills 
  • Sensory processing skills and self-regulation
  • Self-care (dressing, feeding, personal care) 
  • Seating and positioning 
  • Environmental modifications (ramps, grab bars)
  • Life skills programming
  • Assistive technologies
  • multidisciplinary assessment for FASD diagnostic team

Occupational therapists aim to promote success for Yukon students through early intervention, advocacy and building capacity by providing: 
  • Fine motor screening in kindergarten and grade 1 classrooms
  • Classroom observations 
  • Consultation at school-based team meetings
  • Collaboration regarding student's programming and learning plans
  • Modelling programming strategies
  • Professional development to school staff
  • Providing training on appropriate use of adaptive equipment and assistive technologies
  • Collaboration with other community agencies 
  • Participation on various committees 
  • Assistance with successful transition to/from schools  (e.g. transition to adulthood)  ​

Our Team 

Jessica Masson Guerette

Jessica.MassonGuerette@ yukon.ca

Lacey Cann

Lacey.Cann@yukon.ca

Adrienne Dunbar

Adrienne.Dunbar@yukon.ca

Occupational Therapy Assistant
Occupational Therapy Assistants are Educational Assistants with specialized training, who support the delivery of occupational therapy services, under the supervision of Occupational Therapists. For the 2021-2022 school year, an Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) will work with students to support the development of fine motor skills, printing skills and us of assistive technology.  This role will occur within  identified schools on a 6-8-week rotation.  The OT for your school will be the individual who oversees the OTA and would be your contact for these services. 

Louis-Philippe Deschesnes

Resources​


Websites: Online Equipment Purchases: Books: 
  • ​The Out of Sync Child by: Carol Stock Kranowitz
​​​Assistive Technology Support 
Parents and/or guardians are encouraged to contact their child’s classroom teacher to discuss any concerns or questions about their child’s learning and development