About the Clifford Bowey School Foundation
Founded in 1970, the Clifford Bowey School Foundation is a registered charitable organisation managed by the Clifford Bowey School Council which includes parents and staff members. The Foundation raises money to support school programs and new initiatives. Over past years, donations to the school have contributed towards the Snoezelen room, swimming pool equipment, items for the toy library, and classroom learning materials. The school recently installed a new primary playground and a new accessible senior playground.
About Clifford Bowey SchoolClifford Bowey is a school for children with a variety of special needs. Some students have neurological disorders, many students are non-verbal, and all are developmentally delayed. Many students have additional disorders. All students are unique in their own way. Our school accommodates 104 students ranging in age from 4 to 21 years. Clifford Bowey Public School is a leader in education for students with special needs.
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History
Clifford Bowey Public School was opened in 1970 to meet the academic and social needs of students with developmental delays. The school was named in honour of Mr. Clifford Bowey, the first Executive Director of the Ottawa Association for Retarded Children. In 1977 a senior wing was added. A leisure and therapeutic pool, the Deborah Anne Kirwan Pool, was completed in 1983. More recently, a Snoezelen Room, exercise gym, and outdoor Fitness Trail have enhanced the facilities available to our students.
Location
Clifford Bowey Public School is located at 1300 Kitchener Avenue in the Ottawa-South Electoral District. The school is in Zone 11 of the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board.
Attendance Area
Clifford Bowey School is part of the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, but also serves students with developmental disabilities from the Ottawa Catholic School Board. Students residing east of the Rideau River and Bronson Avenue are within "Bowey's" attendance area.
Facilities
Clifford Bowey School is equipped with a gymnasium, library, music and movement room, Snoezlen room for sensory and relaxation therapy, exercise room, light box room for students with vision deficits, life skills teaching room, recycling room, and cafeteria. We have physiotherapy and occupational therapy facilities and a nursing station. Our students enjoy the regular use of our heated therapeutic pool.
Curriculum
Clifford Bowey is a highly specialized educational setting which provides programs for children and young adults with developmental delays and multiple disabilities. The nature of our programs demands that each student receives a great deal of individual education. Using Ministry of Education guidelines, curriculum checklists, current professional resources and Ottawa-Carleton District School Board protocols, our staff develop individualized programs in the following areas:
• Personal Care and Living Skills
• Communication Skills • Social Skills • Self Control • Fine and Gross Motor Skills • Skills for Literacy and Numeracy • Work Experience Teachers use SMART board technology to stimulate and enhance student learning. We’ve also had great success using Core Vocabulary, a program designed to help develop and expand our students’ communication skills.
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Clifford Bowey’s older students may participate in work experience in the community by working at our local Food Bank, Salvation Army and Pizza Hut. In-school work experience includes work in the cafeteria, recycling, can crushing, and paper shredding. Students develop life skills in our life skills room by using a washer, dryer, stove, microwave, refrigerator, and dining and sofa set. Weekly field trips offer many opportunities to develop social and life skills in the community. All this helps our students reach their full potential.
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Parental Engagement Initiative
During the school year, workshops are offered to parents on specific topics relating to the needs of our students. Recent topics have included sensory integration and neurodevelopment, and apps for special needs. These workshops educate parents on various aspects of their child's development and enable them to follow up on learning at home. Childcare is made available to facilitate parent attendance.