Policy on Practicum

Practicum placements outside of NLSchools or Conseil scolaire francophone de Terre-Neuve et Labrador (CSFP)

All non-pre-service teacher program practicums that fall outside of NLSchools and CSFP must be sponsored and supported by a valid non-profit organization that works with K-12 children and youth. The expectation is that if a practicum student is currently employed in a K-12 teaching position, then the practicum must take place in a school. Community placements will only be considered if you are not a current teacher, or the practicum is taking place outside of the K-12 school year. Faculty of Education students may not recruit privately for a K-12 student.

Practicum students work directly with vulnerable populations in a position of trust and authority. In order to ensure the safety and well-being of everyone we serve, the Faculty of Education requires students to provide the following documentation prior to engaging in this work:

1.  A letter of good standing from the student’s current or previous employer affirming the absence of documented concern with the student’s working with vulnerable populations, to be issued as follows:
   1. a. If the student is currently employed in a K-12 teaching position (e.g. with NLSchools or CSFP), then that current employer must issue the letter of good standing;
      b. If the student has been employed in a K-12 teaching position (e.g. with NLSchools or CSFP) within the past five years but is no longer employed in that capacity, then that previous employer must issue the letter of good standing; or
      c. If the student has not been employed in a K-12 teaching position within the last five years, then the student’s current or most recent relevant employer must issue the letter of good standing;
2.  Any student under b. or c. above must submit a current (within the past six months of the start of the practicum) a negative criminal record check (CRC) and vulnerable sector check (VSC);
3.  All applicable consent forms as provided by the instructor (parental, co-operating teacher, principal, organizational representative, etc.); and
4. Any and all applicable required documentation by the outside sponsoring organization (it is the student’s responsibility to connect their instructor with the organizational representative so the instructor can verify that all external processes and procedures have been completed).

The student must submit all required documentation listed above prior to the date on which coursework with vulnerable populations is scheduled to begin. If the student does not provide all the documentation by this time, or where the documentation causes reasonable concern about the student’s suitability to work with vulnerable populations, the student will be unable to proceed with the practicum and will be permitted to drop the course. Failure to drop the course will result in a failing grade, which may impact the student's status in the program as per Calendar regulation 12.2 Regulations for Readmission and Advancement.

If any of the submitted documentation raises the concerns of the Instructor or the Faculty of Education, the concern will be reviewed as per regulation 12.7 Regulations for Readmission and Advancement as per Faculty of Education Policy. This may include, but is not limited to, a review by the Faculty of Education’s Professional Suitability Panel and would be at the discretion of the Dean of Education or delegate.