LONGUEUIL — École Jacques-Ouellette opened its hallways to 55 students last Monday, offering tailored supports for pupils with visual impairments and underscoring how a small, specialised school in Longueuil adapts everyday classroom practice to meet a wide range of needs.
Provincial mandate, local reach
Funded by the Ministry of Education, École Jacques-Ouellette is the only French-language school in Quebec dedicated specifically to students with visual impairments. While the school is administered by the Marie‑Victorin School Service Centre, its intake extends beyond the centre: pupils arrive from about 10 other school service centres to receive services that may not be available in regular neighbourhood schools.
Individual needs require flexible solutions
Staff at the Longueuil school stress adaptability. The educational team comprises roughly 50 full‑time employees plus about a dozen additional staff who collaborate closely on programming and supports. Students range in age from 4 to 21, and the school provides instruction on the Quebec curriculum at each pupil’s own pace.
“It’s always on a case‑by‑case basis. One student might read in Braille, another in print—but one needs 18‑point type, while another needs 36‑point type to read. Yet another can only see on a video display,”
The principal, Geneviève Blondin, made the point that admission requires that a pupil’s vision meet a certain standard. Teacher Virginie Roy explained the central challenge is arranging structures that are both safe and functional for students, then adjusting them as needs change.
- Enrollment: 55 students, ages 4–21.
- Staffing: about 50 full‑time staff and roughly a dozen others working closely with them.
- Mandate: only French‑language provincial school in Quebec for students with visual impairments; serves pupils from roughly 10 other school service centres.
Materials and methods
Classroom materials and presentation formats are varied and frequently customised. Some students use Braille, others need large‑print texts in 18‑point or 36‑point type, and some rely on video displays to access written material. The school librarian, David Choquette, works alongside teachers to provide resources that match those needs.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Students | 55 (ages 4–21) |
| Full‑time staff | ~50 |
| Additional staff collaborators | ~12 |
| Service reach | Marie‑Victorin plus ~10 other centres |
Administrators and teachers at École Jacques‑Ouellette say the work requires constant creativity and frequent readjustments to ensure environments remain both secure and conducive to learning. For Longueuil families and school administrators across the region, the facility represents a concentrated resource for students whose visual impairments are accompanied by additional needs that regular schools may not be equipped to meet.
The school’s approach illustrates how specialised public services operate at the intersection of provincial responsibility and local delivery, tailoring supports to individuals while maintaining the province’s curriculum framework.
