Established in 1977, SSAAM unites Manitoba’s student services leaders to advocate for inclusive and evidence informed education that supports every learner.
Our ConstitutionStrategic PlanEquity begins when leadership, learning, and action work together. SSAAM brings these elements into focus across Manitoba’s schools.
Set Direction
Leading with clarity and shared vision across Manitoba’s schools
SSAAM provides provincial leadership and advocacy to ensure that every student has access to the supports they need to thrive. By uniting administrators, educators, and system leaders, we help define what equitable, inclusive education looks like in practice.
Build Capacity
Strengthening professional knowledge through collaboration and connection
Through conferences, workshops, and regional engagement, SSAAM creates opportunities for student services professionals to learn together and from one another. These experiences build confidence, competence, and a shared sense of purpose across the province.
Strengthen Community
Joining SSAAM connects you to a province-wide network that advances student services.
Membership brings educators together to share expertise, strengthen leadership, and support practices that improve outcomes for students across Manitoba. It creates space for collaboration, growth, and a commitment to ensuring every learner has the supports they need to thrive.
SSAAM’s mandate is to advance appropriate educational programming opportunities for all students through advocacy, promotion of evidence-based practices and collaboration. SSAAM is committed to providing provincial leadership and informed advocacy to support appropriate educational programming for all students.
— Student Services Administrators’ Association of Manitoba
Leading with Purpose
Roles & Responsibilities
Impact often begins with small, intentional actions. SSAAM’s work is rooted in advocacy, collaboration, and inclusion. Each role carries a shared responsibility — to influence, support, and strengthen educational outcomes for all learners.
The starfish has long symbolized the power of one small act to create lasting impact. Inspired by The Starfish Story, it represents SSAAM’s belief that every student deserves care, attention, and opportunity—and that each effort makes a difference.
The Starfish Story
Once upon a time there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work. One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.
As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up something and very gently throwing it into the ocean.
As he got closer he called out, “Good Morning! What are you doing?” The young man paused, looked up and replied, “Throwing starfish into the ocean.”
“I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?” “The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them in, they’ll die.”
Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, “But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can’t possibly make a difference!”
The young man listened politely, then bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it into the ocean, past the breaking waves and said,
“It made a difference for that one.”
Building Capacity through Inclusive Leadership
- Provide visionary leadership in developing an inclusive culture and climate
- Provide leadership for inclusive education
- Provide leadership with all educational partners
- Advance vision, mission, and strategic development
- Build school team capacity
Advocating to Inform and Influence
- Advocate for children and their families
- Promote public education
- Provide support to families to facilitate student success
Liaising with Internal and External Partners
- Liase with outside agencies
- Liaise with clinical services
- Liaise with student services coordinators/directors
- Promote community partnerships
Managing Budgets and Resources
- Write and report on categorical grants
- Oversee URIS A and Level 3 EBD funding processes
- Oversee divisional budgets and reporting
Conciliating Urgent and Emergent Challenges
- Manage crises and threat assessments
- Share information and facilitated communication
- Facilitate problem-solving
- Resolve disputes, informal and formal
Linking Knowledge to Action
- Implement evidence based/data informed practices
- Participate in regional and provincial SSAAM
- Follow provincial standards and guidelines
- Develop and implement divisional policy
Leading and Managing Division Initiatives and Operations
- Collaborate with school teams
- Plan and implement student specific plans (SSP’s)
- Support curriculum and assessment
- Coordinate specialized assessments
- Coordinate professional learning support professional staff, clinicians and support staff
- Coordinate clinical services
- Develop and implement divisional plans and student service plans
- Manage student and divisional records
Coordinating Program Planning and Service Delivery
- Support and develop transportation plans
- Interpret data
- Oversee needs assessments at the individual, school and division levels
- Improve and monitor service delivery
- Oversee continuum of appropriate educational programming for all students
Additional Responsibilities May Include:
- Develop and implement divisional policy
- Hire, train and allocate educational assistants
- Assist superintendents and administrators with staffing
Student Services Administrators’ Association of Manitoba
Since 1977
For nearly five decades, SSAAM has supported inclusive education across Manitoba. We bring student services administrators together to share knowledge, strengthen leadership, and promote equitable learning environments for all.
49
Years of Support
Advocating for inclusion, collaboration, and informed practice in Manitoba schools.