Kinnikinnick Elementary School

Goal No. 1 (A strong instructional focus for improving student learning.)

Our goal is for Kinnikinnick Elementary to be a cohesive school community that provides a feeling of belonging and acceptance in a supportive place filled with tolerant, caring and skilled professionals. By promoting a stronger sense of belonging,we hope our students will work towards becoming accepted and contributing members of our school, and be able to build meaningful relationships with others. We want to help students achieve to their potentials and fully develop their sense of mastery. By providing opportunities for more student leadership, we can promote generosity. Through supportive teaching and mentoring, we can help those who make poor choices to develop their independence in making better decisions.

Objectives (To address achievement for all students.)

To achieve this goal over the next 3-5 years we will be working on the following objectives:

1. To develop in all students an increased sense of belonging and connectedness to the school.

2. To promote mastery by implementing strategies that will more effectively support our students with special needs and our Aboriginal learners to help increase academic success in all areas.

3. To promote a spirit of generosity by developing more opportunities for student leadership.

4. To promote independence by helping students to become more socially responsible.

Rationale (A thorough and connected set of reasons based on evidence for the selection of student achievement goals.)

In Sept. 2010, Sechelt and Kinnikinnick Elementary Schools, and the Grade 6&7 students from Davis Bay amalgamated together, almost doubling our size. In the middle of the year there was also a principal change. For the students, staff and parents of all three schools, 2010 – 11 has been a year of tremendous change. Over the next several years we will build a “new Kinnikinnick” on the Four Cornerstones.

Adapted from Martin Brokenleg’s model of a Circle of Courage, the Cornerstones are the foundations for resilience and positive youth development, and they are essential to improving student achievement.

Data (At least three sources of evidence including classroom, school and district/provincial data.)

School Satisfaction Survey (Ministry of Education) Grades 4, 7 and Parent Survey Questions related to connectedness, relationship, and positive culture:

Gr. 4 Questions # 1,2,13,14,15,16,17,18,19

Gr. 7 Questions #1,2,11,14,15,16,17,18,19, 20

Parent Questions #2,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,19,20,21,22,23,26

School-built survey of all students, parents & community members and staff.

Office Referral Data

Tracking of student/family participation rates in school activities

Student achievement data:

Literacy: FSA Reading, Writing Grades 4 & 7

Benchmarks Assessment K-7

Teacher Assessment K-7

Numeracy: FSA Mathematics Grades 4 & 7

Teacher Assessment K-7

Social Responsibility:

Teacher Assessment K-7

Strategies: Goal 1 (A well organized, focused improvement plan with a blend of research, best practice, and innovative thinking.)

1. To develop in all students an increased sense of belonging and connectedness to the school.

a) Regular in-class, between class and grade, and whole-school activities will continue to be designed to build the relationships between students, staff, parents and community members and re/build their sense of belonging to the school.

b) Staff, parents, and students as well as members of P.A.C. and S.P.C. will begin the process of establishing school vision and mission statements.

c) Work to increase opportunities for students to be involved in after school clubs and activities.

d) Work to increase opportunities for families to participate in school activities and events.

2. To promote mastery by implementing strategies that will more effectively support our students with special needs and our Aboriginal learners to help increase academic success in all areas.

a) Continue to look at ways to differentiate instruction (Universal Design for Learning) to assist us in better meeting the needs of all our learners.

b) Pursue the acquisition of more technology to help support our learners.

c) Together with the Sechelt Indian Band, and School District Aboriginal Programs we will engage in an enhancement process to help us better focus on our Aboriginal learners.

3. To promote a spirit of generosity by developing more opportunities for student leadership.

a) In the fall we plan to develop a student leadership committee. Students will be invited to take an active role in the everyday activities of the school, including spirit days, community service projects and fundraisers benefitting the more global community. Having this responsibility contributes to each student's active participation in the school, feeling of ownership and boosts self -esteem by contributing.

b) We plan to continue to a variety of multi-age activities and buddy activities where older students have the opportunity to mentor our younger learners and where students have the opportunity to get to know each other better.

c) Work to develop a peer support program where older students can help younger students in their academic work as well as helping to resolve issues on the playground.

4. To promote independence by helping students to become more socially responsible.

a) Review and revise the Code of Conduct with students, staff and parents

b) Be more consistent in our use of Restitution strategies in the teaching of life long skills of problem solving and self-discipline.

Structures (Aligned structures - resources, time, organizations - to achieve results.)

1. Multi-age, whole school activities, as well as after school activities will continue to be designed to build the relationships between students, staff, parents and community members and build their sense of belonging to the school; many of these will be designed by the School Leadership Team, and student leadership committee.

2. Learning Community Inquiry Project focused on how the use of technology can better assist our students in the areas of reading, writing and numeracy.

3. Primary and Intermediate Team Meetings to facilitate school wide activities and to track and assess student learning in the areas of literacy, numeracy, and social responsibility, review strategies used to differentiate instruction.

4. Monthly P.A.C. Meetings and ongoing meetings of the School Planning Council.

5. Staff Meetings to facilitate school activities and processes, work on developing a new school mission and vision, review restitution strategies for resolving issues and addressing concerns,

Parent Involvement

(Working with parents, including specific groups of parents, on improving student learning.)

Parent and family involvement is a critical aspect of this Growth Plan. Families need to be supported to build new connections and a sense of belonging. They need to be provided frequent, ongoing, and significant opportunity to participate in all aspects of the school. Ongoing communication with parents through newsletters, the auto-dialer, and student planners is also very important. Work on the school mission and vision, as well as revision of the Code of Conduct will be with the PAC, SPC, parent meetings and surveys.

Leadership (Principals, vice-principals, teacher, parent and student leadership is encouraged and systematically developed - with a focus on improving student learning.)

Times of change call for leadership – “lots of it” (Hulley & Dier, 2009). “Energetic-enthusiastic-hopeful leaders ‘cause’ greater moral purpose in themselves, bury themselves in change, naturally build relationships and knowledge, and seek coherence to consolidate moral purpose...effective leaders make people feel that even the most difficult problems can be tackled productively” (Fullan, 2000, p. 7).

As a principal new to Kinnikinnick I look forward to working Staff, Parents, the School Planning Council, the PAC, the District Literacy and Numeracy Support Teachers, the District Student Support Services team, District Aboriginal Education team and the Sechelt Indian Band to help provide leadership for this plan.