The Halifax Regional Centre for Education (HRCE) has established Student Outreach Teams to work with identified high school students who have a diagnosis of School Anxiety and/or School Refusal. Students need strategies and skills to build resilience for navigating institutions like school (both secondary and post-secondary), for the world of work, and for the myriad of social settings they will encounter in their lives. Your school’s planning team and school principal have identified your son / daughter as a student who could benefit from Bedford and Forsyth Education Centres (BFEC) Student Outreach Team. For more information about BFEC please visit our website at bfec.hrce.ca.

The focus of Outreach teams is to reconnect students not currently attending their home school with education through purposeful and supportive practices and with the expectation of transitioning the high school student to one of the following options:

       • HRCE Alternative High School BFEC (either campus) either part time of full time
       • Neighborhood High School for regular program
       • Neighborhood High School to enroll in Nova Scotia Virtual School
       • High School of Choice for regular program
       • High School of Choice to enroll in Nova Scotia Virtual School

The Outreach team (Teachers, Social Worker, Transition Teacher) work with students and families during the school day to re-engage with academics, mental health and other community supports as required. Students will focus on one course at a time with their Outreach teacher. This will be a combination of direct instruction and independent work through google classroom.  Direct Instruction will take place for 2 hours a week at an agreed upon location in the student’s home community (library, community centre, a school). Students are expected to complete 8 additional hours of independent practice each week. This allows time for students to attend their mental health appointments and focus on their well-being. 

If you feel your son/daughter would benefit from re-engagement with school, please work with your current school principal to submit the completed referral documents.