ELEMENTARY School Improvement Plan 2014-2015 SCHOOL ...

ELEMENTARY School Improvement Plan 2014-2015
SCHOOL: Courtland Public School PRINCIPAL: Deb Opersko

AREA OF FOCUS: Kindergarten

SUPPOSITION: If we provide opportunities for the students to use the four elements of inquiry then they will be able to focus their learning in a more

purposeful way.

Plan of Action

HIGH YIELD Expected Outcomes TIMELINES RESPONSIBILITY
STRATEGIES FOR MONITORING
Staff Will: Students Will:

4.4 Learning is deepened In the classroom team members will They raise questions about the Inquiries will All kindergarten team
through authentic, relevant and include all children involved in the inquiry in objects and events around them. last for educators and the
meaningful student inquiry. a plan for systematic observations to varying principal
determine the needs throughout an inquiry. They explore objects and events timelines and
around them and observe the results will involve
Encourage the children to observe and talk of their explorations. whole
among themselves and to the team. groups, small
They make observations, using all of groups and
Provide a rich variety of materials and their senses, and generate individual
resources, and strategically question and questions. students.
observe children to clarify, expand or Teachers will
discover the children’s thinking. They will begin to gather, sort, continue to
classify, order, interpret, describe set up
Model how to plan, observe and reflect. observable characteristics and provocation
properties, notice patterns, and draw for inquiry on
Listen to the children to help them make conclusions, using a variety of simple a continuous
connections between prior knowledge and tools and materials. basis.
new discoveries. Students will individually and with
other, share and discuss ideas and
listen to ideas.

STAFF DEVELOPMENT NEEDS: STAFF DEVELOPMENT PLANS:

- Become more familiar with the four elements of inquiry - Team members will each track a different student inquiry. They will
- Articulate student actions/ progress as they proceed through an inquiry present their inquiry through a learning story at the final collaborative
- Plans reflect the four elements of inquiry and include student input as inquiry session and use a school created tracking page to monitor
progress, reflect on learning and provide next steps. (see attached
they proceed through the inquiry Appendix 1)
- Continue to work on ways to document and what is important to

document

Previous Kindergarten Collaborative Inquiries at the school (2013-14):
CI 1 How am I going to use documentation and observation to move kids beyond the exploration element into investigation and communication?
CI 2 How will we weave literacy and numeracy into our inquiries in an authentic way?

ELEMENTARY School Improvement Plan 2014-2015

SCHOOL: Courtland Public School PRINCIPAL: Deb Opersko

AREA OF FOCUS:

Improving Student Literacy In Reading and Writing

SMART GOAL: (*SMART = Specific/Strategic, Measurable, Achievable, Results-based/Reasonable, Timely)
Reading: 65% of students will be reading within the recommended guided reading levels for their grade.
Writing: 65% of students will achieve a level 3 or 4 on their final writing pieces by June 2015.

SUPPOSITION:

(if, then . . .statement)

For Reading:

If we provide timely, on-going, descriptive feedback during guided reading lessons, then the students will be better able to apply a variety of reading strategies to
make meaning from text.

For Writing:

If we provide timely, on-going, descriptive feedback during writing lessons, then the students will be better able to produce different types of text to convey an

intended purpose and audience.

HIGH YIELD EVIDENCE OF PROGRESS TIMELINES RESPONSIBILITY
STRATEGIES (Monitoring) FOR MONITORING

SEF Indicator 1.4 At the school: In the classroom: Students:
(Assessment for, as and of learning)
Anchor charts, student Students and Can describe the Writing Teachers bring student
During learning, timely, on-going, work teachers consistently learning goals and Learning work to learning cycles
descriptive feedback about student samples/exemplars will co-construct success criteria that will Cycle
progress is provided, based on student be consistently used meaningful success be used to assess their Anchor charts, learning
actions and co-constructed success and accessible to the criteria that are learning. During Oct., goals, success criteria
criteria. students in the school expressed in student Nov., and are consistently posted
to scaffold student friendly language. Use success criteria Dec. staff throughout the school
learning, provide effectively to self- meetings
feedback and set high Feedback will be assess and to improve Individual teachers will
expectations for clearly linked to the their work. Daily work in develop own feedback
students. success criteria. classrooms tracking system (eg.,
Writing conventions Students will better during 100 tracking sheet, photos,
expectations are understand the different minute anecdotal notes, One
posted separately forms of writing to literacy block Note, Livescribe pen)
from the success become more
criteria. competent writers. Share more frequently
information about
feedback, success
criteria, and learning
goals with parents

Reading More frequent principal
learning cycle walk throughs and
coincides opportunities for
with spring principal to co-plan or
SIM session co-teach

SEF Indicator 4.2 Comprehensive Teachers will Students read a variety Teachers track the use
(Curriculum, Teaching, and Learning) literacy programs continue to find of reading materials, for of the nine components
support student resources such as different purposes of comprehensive
A clear emphasis on high levels of achievement through mentor text and within the literacy in their
literacy (reading and writing) is evident the use of the graphic organizers to recommended reading daybooks.
throughout the school. curriculum documents, use to teach different levels for grade.
Guides to Effective forms of text for
Instruction and the reading and writing. Students will learn to
GEDSB Literacy identify key
Profile. Teachers will support components of different
student achievement forms of writing.
Set up struggling through the use of
reader support using curriculum Students use critical
the Levelled Literacy documents i.e. literacy skills to think
Intervention (LLI) Guides to Effective more deeply about the
program. Instruction, the texts they read and the
GEDSB Literacy texts they create.
Profile.

Arrange for parent Teachers will track Teachers team teach
volunteers to work use of the nine and co-plan with the
throughout the school, components of instructional coach.
listening to students comprehensive
read who do not have literacy in their Students who need
this support at home. daybooks. modifications or
accommodations for
Intermediate and Language Arts are
junior teachers may provided with the tools
choose to visit other and resources to
intermediate and maximize their success
junior classrooms to (i.e. assistive
see guided reading in technology, IEP clearly
action for their grade reflects needs and
level. supports)

Continue to track,
monitor and provide
additional support for

struggling readers,
using our DRA
Data wall and LLI
(Levelled Literacy
Intervention) to fill in
the gaps in students’
learning.

Ed Tech Initiative-
continue
implementation of the
use of tablets and
netbooks in all
classrooms, K-8.
Maximize the use of
the resources loaded
on these computers
for reading and
writing.

Train staff and
students on the use
of assistive
technology.

STAFF DEVELOPMENT NEEDS: STAFF DEVELOPMENT PLANS:

We need further opportunities to write learning goals and success criteria for a - Full implementation of the Literacy Profile (especially Guided Reading), and
variety of subject areas. the use of the Effective Guides for Literacy Instruction and Think Literacy.

We need to explore tools for documenting feedback and next steps for our
students.

We need PD about how to co-construct success criteria with our students.

Ability to consistently and fully implement Comprehensive Literacy, especially
Guided Reading (Literacy Profile).

Become more confident implementing one or more resources provided through
the Ed. Tech. image and more competent with using assistive technology to
support reading or writing.

ELEMENTARY School Improvement Plan 2014-2015

SCHOOL: Courtland Public School PRINCIPAL: Mrs. Deb. Opersko

AREA OF FOCUS:

Promoting Safe Schools

SMART GOAL: 75% of all students (grades 1-8) will achieve level 3 or 4 (G or E) in responsibility and collaboration on the learning skills of their report card

by June of 2015
(*SMART = Specific/Strategic, Measurable, Achievable, Results-based/Reasonable, Timely)

SUPPOSITION:

(if, then . . .statement)
If we promote equity, inclusion, and positive relationships, then the school community will continue to thrive.

HIGH YIELD EVIDENCE OF PROGRESS TIMELINES RESPONSIBILITY
STRATEGIES (Monitoring) FOR MONITORING

2.5 Staff, students, parents and school At the school: In the classroom: Expected Student Sept 2014 – All Staff Members
community promote and sustain student Outcomes: June 2015
well-being and positive student behaviour Divide all staff and Concentrate on two Report incidents of
in a safe, accepting, inclusive and healthy students into sixteen learning skills per discrimination,
learning environment. mutli-grade families, reporting period harassment, bullying
who will sit together (responsibility/ and injustice and
at assemblies and collaboration, contribute to problem-
work on team organization/indepen solving in respectful,
building activities dent work, and responsible ways.
together. Family initiative/self-
members will earn regulation), including Students will be given
points for their family providing students opportunities to play
when displaying a with posted success and lead a variety of
strong work ethic and criteria for each. activities, including yard
a willingness to help activities and clubs.
others. During the first week
of school all teachers Students demonstrate
Continue to develop will go over school character attributes
Spirit Days to build procedures and daily, encouraging
community, including expectations as peers by modelling.
every student and written in the school
staff member. handbook. Students may choose
Plan at least one A classroom teacher to be part of the
activity per month to will use the Roots of school’s Kindness
welcome parents and Empathy program to Crew. This group
focusses on developing

community members foster the character empathy and doing
into the school. attributes. good works in the
school and community.
All staff report Classroom practice
incidents of reflects safe, Students behave in
discrimination, accepting, inclusive, accordance with the
harassment and caring, respectful and school’s code of
bullying, including healthy learning conduct, known as the
social media environments. “Code of Co-operation”.
incidents.

Early intervention and Continue to expand and
progressive discipline develop our school’s
guides students’ nutrition program to
choices and decision promote healthy
making. students and staff.

6.2 Students, parents and community Our school Code of The classroom Students see
members are engaged and welcomed as Co-operation will be environment is themselves as valued
respected, valued partners in student updated and revised inviting for and members of their
learning. with the guidance of respectful of school community and
the Safe Schools students, parents and take pride in being
team. community members. representatives of the
school.
Our school’s mission
and vision will be Students interact
posted in the hallway positively with peers,
for staff, students, parents and community
parents and members.
community members
to see. The School Climate
Survey will be
Communication to completed and results
parents, both positive followed up on.
and incident-involved
is timely.

The diversity of the
school community is
recognized and
respected, for
example in monthly
slide shows.

Various opportunities
for parent
involvement are
available, such as;
Parent council
involvement,
volunteering in
classrooms etc.

An effort will be made

to increase the

number of parent

council members and

volunteers.

STAFF DEVELOPMENT NEEDS: STAFF DEVELOPMENT PLANS:

Explore student leadership opportunities Time to analyze and plan next steps after receiving School Climate Survey

data.

RESOURCES (Human and Material):

Results of the School Climate Survey, GEDSB character attributes, Pro Grant Parent Information session (Homework Wars), Safe Schools’ binder, Roots of

Empathy, Kathy Pellizari, our school’s child and youth worker will lead Salvaging Sisterhood, a series of 3 sessions for Grade 7 and 8 girls on relational bullying.