Accessibility

AODA Accessible Customer Service Policy

Timothy Christian School strives to offer quality service to each member of our community including students, educators, parents, and visitors and to always provide that service in a way that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. TCS is committed to open communication and to ensuring that persons with disabilities have equal opportunity to access. This commitment means that we do our best to achieve service excellence for everyone who visits our school or attends ours school functions, including people with disabilities.

Under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), TCS falls under the AODA Requirements for Businesses and Non-Profits with 1-19 Workers. TCS strives to meet and remain compliant with all applicable requirements under the Act.

TCS makes this document available to the public by:

• Posting it in an accessible section of the website
• Providing copies of the accessibility policy for distribution in the office
• Producing documents in larger print or other formats, upon request

TCS reviews its accessibility policy on an ongoing basis and makes adjustments when necessary.

Any TCS accessibility policy that does not respect the needs of the persons with disabilities is modified or revoked.

Assistive Devices

TCS encourages persons with disabilities to use assistive devices while interacting with TCS. We are committed to serving people with disabilities who use, or who may benefit the use of, assistive devices; whether to access our goods or services, or for other reasons because of their disability. Our employees, volunteers and board members have been trained and are familiar with various types of assistive devices that may be used by customers with disabilities while accessing our goods and services. The devices could include:

• Barrier free accessible washroom
• Designated handicapped parking spaces
• Ramps
• The accessibility section of the website which has been formatted to be easily interpreted to comply with the World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCACG) 2.0.
• Other devices as applicable

TCS is committed to make school spaces more accessible for students, educators, parents, and visitors with disabilities by enhancing the availability of assistive devices in any redevelopment of its public spaces.

Communication

TCS communicates with its students, educators, parents, and visitors with disabilities in a variety of ways to ensure that we can create and provide timely and free accessible formats and communication supports which may include communication in person, on the telephone, through email, in large print or reading information aloud.

Comments and feedback about the delivery of services to persons with disabilities are welcome as it may help to identify areas that require change and assist in continuous improvements. Feedback can be submitted through the website, mail, email, and phone or in person. We are committed to address feedback in a timely and respectful manner.

Service Animals

TCS welcomes individuals using guide dogs or service animals. Service animals are permitted on all TCS premises including the grounds and within the facility that are open to the public (except where otherwise prohibited by the law).

Support Persons

Individuals requiring the assistance of a support person are permitted to do so. Support persons are allowed on any part of the TCS premises that are open to the public. At no time will a person with disabilities be prevented from having access to his/her support person while on the TCS premises. TCS does not charge any admission fees to school events that would apply to support persons.

Temporary Disruptions

TCS has a section on the website that provides notices about any planned or unplanned temporary disruptions in services impacting accessibility devices.

Training

TCS is committed to providing AODA awareness training to all those that encounter students with disabilities over the course of their general work including educators (those who design courses, prepare and or deliver lessons), staff, school board members, other support and administrative staff. The training will help identify and meet the needs of those with disabilities and to correct any barriers in the classrooms or on the premises and will include:

• An overview of the Accessibilities for Ontarians with Disabilities Act 2005 and the requirements under the Customer Services Act Regulation 429/07.
• How to interact and communicate with persons with various disabilities
• How to interact with persons with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a support animal or support person.
• How to use equipment or devices available at the school which may help with the provision of goods or services to the person with a disability.
• What to do is a person with a disability is having difficulty accessing our goods or services.
• Help educators become familiar with the various techniques that improve the learning environment for students with disabilities and the different types of learning resources and materials to use when developing lesson plans

TCS will ensure that there is a documented record of training.

Contact Information

Please visit our contact page complete contact information, including email, address, office hours, phone, and fax.