The Ottawa Catholic School Board is making changes to its Bus Attendant Program later this month. This program involves having a support worker ride the school bus to assist students with special needs. Jennifer Bloom, a bus attendant herself, says they are ‘advocates’ for these students. And if these positions are eliminated, she fears that student safety on these bus rides would be ‘impossible’ to maintain. Sadie Lajoie is a parent to her daughter Hayden, a Grade 1 student at Thomas Darcy McGee Elementary School and part of the school’s Developmental Education Program. Hayden is physically and intellectually disabled – using a wheelchair, non-verbal, and living with uncontrollable seizures. Lajoie joins Kristy Cameron on today’s Ottawa Now.

<p>The Ottawa Catholic School Board is making changes to its Bus Attendant Program later this month. This program involves having a support worker ride the school bus to assist students with special needs. Jennifer Bloom, a bus attendant herself, says they are &lsquo;advocates&rsquo; for these students. And if these positions are eliminated, she fears that student safety on these bus rides would be &lsquo;impossible&rsquo; to maintain. Sadie Lajoie is a parent to her daughter Hayden, a Grade 1 student at Thomas Darcy McGee Elementary School and part of the school&rsquo;s Developmental Education Program. Hayden is physically and intellectually disabled &ndash; using a wheelchair, non-verbal, and living with uncontrollable seizures. Lajoie joins Kristy Cameron on today&rsquo;s Ottawa Now.</p>