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Continue readingWelcome to SfL!
We look forward to meeting your family for the upcoming intake appointment. Here is a nifty guide so you know what you expect moving forward.
Intake Appointment
You will be meeting with our Director of Education, BJ McIntyre, or SfL Clinician, Stephanie Broytman. The intake appointment is 1.5 hours in total and will start with a 45-minute student meeting talking about the student’s learning experiences and completing a number of academic tasks that mirror the challenges the student is having so we can begin to understand their learning style in real-time. Although the intake is not a formal assessment, we may use some assessment tools to get a deeper understanding of the student’s needs. It is also an opportunity for us to get to know the student’s personality, temperament, and interests and for the student to understand our role. This is followed by a 45-minute parent consultation where we will exchange observations and discuss the family’s goals for support.
Clinician Match & Scheduling
We will email you the student’s Clinician match usually within 1 week of completing the intake. We will also send you an introductory email connecting you with your child’s Clinician so we can set up the weekly schedule and confirm the start date. On occasion, it will take longer than 1 week to hear back about a match. If that is the case, we will follow up to inform you.
Preparing for the First Session
In-Person Sessions: We recommend coming in about 5 minutes before the start of the session so the student can grab a snack, use the restroom, and get settled in. You can expect the child’s Clinician to greet you and guide the student to the room where they will be working. Please keep in mind that sessions at 50 minutes long. At the end of the session, you can briefly connect with the Clinician about how things went and ask any questions you may have.
Virtual Sessions: Your child’s Clinician will email their video link before the first session. It will be either a Zoom link or a Google Meet invite. We recommend joining about 5 minutes before the start of the session so the student can make sure their audio, video, and wifi are working properly. You can expect the child’s Clinician to greet you and will start working directly with the student. Please keep in mind that sessions at 50 minutes long. At the end of the session, you can briefly connect with the Clinician about how things went and ask any questions you may have.
Cancellation Policy
Sessions must be canceled a minimum of 48 hours in advance, excluding weekends/holidays by the parent, not the student. (i.e. If you need to cancel a Monday session, you need to let your Clinician know before Thursday) Sessions that are canceled with less than a full 48 hours in advance will be charged at the regular session rate. If you need to cancel or reschedule a session, please contact the student’s Clinician directly. Three or more cancellations during the school year, apart from school holidays and illnesses, may result in forfeiting your session times.
Progress Reporting
Ongoing collaboration is one of the key elements of student success and growth in learning. To that end, Clinicians are responsible for communicating the student’s progress by preparing written progress reports, and/or scheduling progress meetings. Because the Clinician’s hourly fee is applied to a written progress report or meeting, parents will need to request one, and it will not be provided automatically. We will send parents periodic reminders to request a progress report or meeting. You also also request one at any time by emailing your Clinician directly or contacting us at info@strategiesforlearning.com.
We recommend that parents request a written progress report or a parent meeting with the student’s clinician about every 3-4 months, depending on the frequency and consistency of sessions. Learn more about progress reporting.
FAQ
When will I be billed for the intake?
Per our policies, you will receive an invoice via email by the end of the month. Intakes are billed at $175/hr and approx. 1.5 hours long. ($262.50)
Can you remind me of your fees?
Sessions are billed at $175 per hour for 1x/week sessions and $165/hr for 2x/week sessions. Consultations, progress reports, and communication with other professionals involved in the child’s care will also be billed at the same hourly rate. This includes in-person meetings, phone calls, video calls, or lengthy email communications over 10 minutes.
What is your cancelation policy?
Sessions must be canceled a minimum of 48 hours in advance, excluding weekends/holidays by the parent, not the student. Sessions that are canceled with less than a full 48 hours in advance will be charged at the regular session rate. If you need to cancel or reschedule a session, please contact the student’s Clinician directly.
How much communication should I expect from my child’s Clinicians?
The Clinician will reach out to you if they have any brief updates, concerns, or positive feedback to report. If a longer parent meeting is needed, they will reach out to schedule one. Because lengthy communication (over 10 minutes) is billed at the Clinicians’ hourly rate, meetings are on an opt-in basis. If you have questions, you can email the Clinician directly or email us at info@strategiesforlearning.com.
Can I observe the sessions?
Because the addition of a family member into a child’s session can affect the student’s performance and ability to build rapport with the Clinician, we do not permit regular parent observations. If you would like to observe the session, please email your Clinician in advance.
Can I lose my weekly time slot?
Three or more session cancellations during the school year, apart from illness, family emergency, and designated or religious holidays may result in forfeiture of the session day/time reserved for your student.
When will I get my Invoice?
Invoices are emailed at the end of each month and are due by the 15th of the month. Payments can be made using our secure online portal. A late fee of $45.00 will be applied to invoices on the 16th of the month. If payments are not received by the 20th of each month, sessions will be paused immediately until payment has been received in full.
Please review the policies and procedures section of the intake forms for our full list of policies.
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