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SUPPORTING DIVERSE SEXUAL ORIENTATIONS, GENDER IDENTITIES AND GENDER
The Counselors will assist students in overcoming personal and social challenges that may create barriers to academic success and personal wellbeing. This is achieved through the counseling curriculum, responsive services such as individual and group counseling and consultation with parents and teachers. It is also the Counselor’s role to help support a safe learning environment and to work to safeguard the human rights of all members of the school community.
The Counselors also serve a major role in individual academic planning and the college research and application process. In collaboration with the administration and teachers, the Counselor supports students in developing a High School plan that will maximize their potential for academic success and will provide them with as many post- High School options as possible.
AISC upholds best practices for supporting students, staff and community members with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions. These are based on practices most consistently identified in current research and educational literature as effective and appropriate in the creation of learning environments that are welcoming, caring, respectful, and safe for students, staff, families, and all other members of the school community.
Best practices include:
1. Providing support that responds to an individual’s needs.
2. Respecting an individual’s right to selfidentification.
3. Maintaining school records in a way that respects privacy and confidentiality.
4. Ensuring dress codes respect an individual’s gender identity and gender expression.
5. Enabling students with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions to have full, safe, and equitable participation in curricular and extracurricular activities.
6. Providing safe access to washroom and change-room facilities.
7. Providing professional learning opportunities that build the capacity of staff to understand and support diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions.
8. Using a comprehensive whole-school approach to promote healthy relationships and prevent and respond to bullying behaviour.
9. Ensuring students have the understanding, skills, and opportunities to contribute to welcoming, caring, respectful, and safe learning environments that respect diversity and nurture a sense of belonging and a positive sense of self.
10. Ensuring all families are welcomed and supported as valued members of the school community.
11. Ensuring that school staff have work environments where they are protected from discrimination based on their sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions..
Please refer to the AISC Student Protection Manual for further information about privacy & confidentiality, names & pronouns, access to school facilities, overnight trips, dress code, and education in regards to diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions.
