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2011-2012 School Growth Plan for West Sechelt Elementary   A.   Setting Directions   Goal No. 1 (A strong instructional focus for improving student learning.) To improve the performance and engagement of all learners, targeting the most vulnerable.[Marker]   Objectives (To address achievement for all students.) • to increase the number of students meeting expectations at each grade level • to continue to learn about, become comfortable with, and regularly implement the first three areas within the six strategies of Assessment For Learning                • Learning Intentions – making sure students are aware of the learning intentions before the lesson begins                • Setting Criteria – developing the criteria for success, with the students where     appropriate, for the learning activity                • Descriptive Feedback – giving detailed feedback to students regarding their work and progress as to areas they are strong in and areas they may need to further develop   • where applicable to add the strategies of Questions (encouraging open-ended, critical thinking questions), Self  /Peer Assessment (intended for self reflection and goal setting)     Rationale (A thorough and connected set of reasons based on evidence for the selection of student achievement goals.) Throughout the school year, the staff has continued to work on this goal.  As some teachers are in different places we needed to continue with the first three assessment for learning strategies so we can have school wide consistency but we also needd  to look at opportunities for increasing our repertoire.   Our ultimate goal is to have confident, skilled students who take ownership over their own learning. Assessment  for Learning will help us achieve this.   This goal allows for teachers to use these skills in all areas of the curriculum.   Data (At least three sources of evidence including classroom, school and district/provincial data.) As stated last year, it became evident early on that traditional assessment measures would be inadequate to show the effectiveness of using Assessment For Learning. A simple number on a standardized test does not do justice to the various levels of learning that can take place in a classroom where Assessment for Learning is a regular way of doing business.  Therefore, much of the data will be anecdotal accounts from the teacher and students. As well, as a staff we have agreed to have a student portfolio move with the students from year to year with the following data: •We will collect and use data in reading using PM Benchmarks and/ or DART. •We will also collect and use the writing rubrics to show growth in the area of writing. •We will be researching how best to show growth in math FSA data will also be used.  Our main focus will be students who ‘surprise’ us, either by doing better or worst than expected.    Goal No. 2 (A strong instructional focus for improving student learning.) To develop a common language and expectation for students around self regulation   Objectives (To address achievement for all students.) -       to increase student awareness of what self regulation is -       to have a common vocabulary and expectation/ strategies around self regulation   Rationale (A thorough and connected set of reasons based on evidence for the selection of student achievement goals.) Taken from the handout – Sunshine Coast Fostering Self Regulation by Colleen Politano   Self regulation has 2 sides: •the ability to control impulses and Stop doing something •the capacity to do something (even when we don’t want to) Self regulation is NOT compliance   Every child needs to learn more about how to self regulate.  We can’t change a child’s previous experiences or current situation but we do have the power to make the best of the time they are with us.   Given all the resent research we know that self-regulation is a greater predictor of long-term success than I.Q.  There fore we want to give our students strategies and knowledge to support their futures.   Data (At least three sources of evidence including classroom, school and district/provincial data.) The data for this will come from observations , anecdotes and a student survey Is there an indication in each classroom (signs on the wall, notebooks, language used) that self regulation is a reoccurring theme?  Are students and staff using the same language?  Is there a common understanding of expectations?       B.   Organizing for Improvement   Strategies: Goal 1and 2 (A well organized, focused improvement plan with a blend of research, best practice, and innovative thinking.) AFL and self regulation will continue to be ongoing items on our staff meeting agenda to ensure it stays in the forefront of our professional discussions. The staff is also dedicated to committing some of our Pro-d efforts to this goal.   Primary and Intermediate teams will support each teacher’s efforts to move further along the AFL continuum and to introduce and have common expectations for self regulation.  Principal will take students for assembly times to allow for discussion and support of these topics.   The school staff will participate in the district initiatives (LCT, Literacy, Metro sessions) based on AFL and self regulation.   School-based funds will be committed, if possible, to allow teachers to work together, team-teaching, observing and providing feedback to each other.   Learning intentions and criteria for success will be posted in classrooms.   Newsletters will inform parents what is happening so they can support goals.   PAC Theme Nights – either separate evenings if there is a need, or 20 minutes of each PAC meeting to discuss, highlight and review the goals.           Structures (Aligned structures - resources, time, organizations - to achieve results.)   •Some school-based Pro-d days will focus on AFL and self regulation •Principal, Resource Teacher and district literacy and mathematics teachers will offer      support and guidance •Staff will investigate ways to find time to work collaboratively – primary assemblies, whole school concerts, floating TOCs etc. •School funds will continue to support our growth in this area with purchases of relevant teacher resource materials •Use of website, email, newsletters to keep parents informed and involved •Survey given the beginning of the year around our goals, seeing what students know and the same survey given at the end of the year to see how much they have taken in.       Coherence / Alignment (Connection between school and district goals; connections with other schools.) •Ties in with district goals on literacy and numeracy  - engages students at a deeper level with their own learning •Ties in with district goal of social responsibility.        SD46 is committed to AFL. Having our school adopt this goal is directly in line with what we know to be “best practice”.                     C.   Building Learning Communities     Dialogue and Communication (Promotion of dialogue about student achievement and progress on goals.) Goal discussed and created by staff and SPC.  Goal presented to PAC during April meeting Goal will be included regularly in our school newsletter and on the school website Goal will be on display in each classroom and in the hallways Teachers will regularly discuss AFL and self regulation with their students, involving them at a much deeper level in their learning.       Parent Involvement (Working with parents, including specific groups of parents, on improving student learning.) •SPC meetings •Discussion at PAC Meetings •Parent volunteers in the classrooms will be able to see and learn firsthand •Will seek PAC financial support if needed to achieve these goals •Newsletters, emails, website       Leadership (Principals, vice-principals, teacher, parent and student leadership is encouraged and systematically developed - with a focus on improving student learning.) Discussion and focus at: •Staff Meetings •Primary and Intermediate teams •SPC meetings • PAC Meetings •Grade 5 to7 students as lunch monitors, helpers on hot lunch days, sponsoring activities around the school – this is modeling and supporting self regulation.  (Train the Trainer model so older students have the skills to model and use self regulation) •Work around the school with criteria and descriptive feedback so all students can see the range and continuity of learning     D.   Achieving Results (please indicate trends overtime)   Results (Monitor key areas of student achievement and make adjustments to improve.)   This year there was no formal way of monitoring our goal of AFL skills being taught in the classroom.   The staff were asked if in their classroom there was evidence of :   •Learning Intentions given before the lesson? •Developing criteria for success with the students, where appropriate, for the learning activity? •Giving detailed feedback to students regarding their work and progress as to areas they are strong and areas they may need to further develop?   Results   Learning Intentions -sometimes was the answer given most often, often verbally rather than written on the board - this would also differ from early primary where you would do more verbally than written. -overall it was not happening daily. -some subjects were easier to remember to write out intentions such as math   Developing Criteria -again this differs from early primary to late intermediate -some did this a lot -many just occasionally - usually on larger activities and projects The Primary staff is still using the clothes line for writing (samples of writing as you progress through the stages) so that students know where they are and what they need to do to progress to the next stage.   Detailed feedback -most have focused on giving feedback in certain areas of the curriculum -one was only giving feedback orally -a couple feel confident they are working on this daily throughout subjects -again there is a difference between primary and intermediate needs   Our FSA results showed no surprises with the vast majority of our students in both grades meeting or exceeding expectations. The staff, as a whole, have agreed to keep portfolios that will go with the students from year to year which will have reading and writing assessments in them.  (we are working on math) Anecdote from a parent:   When I tell my daughter good job, or nice work she responds with “Can you give me some more detailed feedback”.