Recent statistics indicate that more than 1,000 students in the Rainbow District School Board and the Sudbury Catholic District School Board have a learning disability.
The Learning Disabilities Association of Sudbury (LDAS) also says 35 percent of these kids will drop out of high school.
At a press conference held Oct. 3 at Tom Davies Square, Mayor David Courtemanche proclaimed October to be learning disabilities awareness month in Greater Sudbury.
The press conference was also an opportunity for the LDAS to announce that Jacques Demers, former NHL head coach and Stanley Cup champion, will be the guest speaker at a dinner in Sudbury Nov. 20.
The dinner comes a little more than a year after Demers announced he is functionally illiterate. He managed to keep his illiteracy a secret while working in the NHL, fearing that if the truth escaped, it could mean the end of his coaching career.
According to the LDAS, a learning disability is a neurological disorder that causes people with average to above average abilities to have trouble learning and using certain skills, such as listening, thinking, speaking, reading, writing, math, reasoning, organization or social skills.
“The respect that we have for Mr. Demers, and what he’s been able to do in his career, and then to have the courage to step forward . . . we look forward to learning from him,” said Glenn Thibeault, executive director of the United Way, which is helping the LDAS bring Demers to Sudbury.
Because the LDAS’ 2006 theme is “Calling all Coaches,” Sudbury Wolves head coach and general manager Mike Foligno has been recruited to be the honorary chair of learning disabilities awareness month.
“As a coach of the Sudbury Wolves, I’ve coached players with learning disabilities,” Foligno said. “We as coaches have to identify, recognize and deal with those players and bring them along just like anybody else and make them feel like they’re still a part of the team. “When we talk about society, that’s what we are - a team. We have to work together to bring those that have these problems along and help them enjoy life to the fullest,” he said.
The LDAS also announced the launch of a new “coaching” program that partners Laurentian University students who are training for a career in teaching with Grade 8 students who have been identified as having a learning disability. The one-on-one tutoring program started Sept. 16 and runs until March 31.
“It’s really developed for Grade 8 students to help them in their transition to Grade 9,” said Heather Inch, a fourth year school of education student at Laurentian University who is participating in the program. “The aim is to help them be as successful as they can be in their high-school careers.
“As future teachers, we need to know that this is a part of our classroom and we need to have everyone in the classroom succeed. Getting this hands-on knowledge is a really great experience for us as future teachers,” she said.
For ticket information to the dinner with Jacques Demers, phone the United Way at 560-3330, ext. 200.
For more information on learning disabilities, phone the LDAS at 522-0100 or visit www.ldasudbury.ca.
