This week, staff reviewed our 2014-2015 School Improvement Plan and looked at areas of focus for 2015-2016. Some of our initiatives were delayed due to the Work to Rule and may continue until the local agreement is ratified with TDSB, but staff will continue to focus on working in teams to plan their programs. Over the next few blogs, I'll share our learning with you. In Literacy:
2014-2015
2014-2015
-Grade ones in need of more support receive Early Literacy Intervention
strategies by our resource teachers and support staff
-Staff uses “Bloom’s Taxonomy” strategies to promote higher level
thinking
-Two staff attended a one day workshop at Rotman on Integrative
Thinking and presented at the December workshop with the intention that staff
could use the strategies in the classrooms; Ms. Kimm and Mrs. Perrin attended a
3 day workshop on IThinking at Rotman, courtesy of TDSB
-All classes have computers and library scheduled into their timetables
-Teachers have built in planning time to share best practices and plan
as a team
-Best Practices such as Differentiated Instruction, Anchor Charts,
Descriptive Feedback, Success Criteria and Co-construction of goals are
implemented within each classroom
-Literacy Blocks are scheduled as much as the timetable will allow,
especially for the primary teachers, to allow for more literacy time
-Parents encouraged to use online reading programs (RAZ) at home
(funds for license provided by Parent Council)
-Collection of data (CTBS, EQAO, DRA/CASI, Classroom
Assessments/Evaluations, and Report Card etc.) is used to guide our practice
2015-2016 Literacy Focus
-continue to focus on creating a balanced reading program including but
not limited to, the use of reading logs, shared reading, reading responses,
reader’s workshop, novel studies, shared reading and read alouds
-continue to use CASI/DRA as assessments
-continue to teach spelling and grammar
-continue to teach using writer’s workshop, journals and writing
assignments for purpose (use First Steps Writing as resource)
-continue to focus on oral presentations like retells, recounts,
Special Person, current events, speeches, debates etc.
-continue to provide media literacy using our LKS primary resource developed by staff; create junior media literacy resource
Throughout the year, we continue to teach the students, particularly the middle school, about Internet safety. I saw this article about a high school student's struggle recently and thought you'd like to look at it. It could help open up a discussion at home. We are sharing it with our grade 7 and 8 students.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/lynelle-cantwell-ugliest-girl-facebook-1.3347311
Have a great weekend everyone!
December 2015
7-Grade 1 House League at Lunch
8-Grade 2 House League at Lunch; Grade 8 classes visit ECI
9-Primary/Grade 4 Concert -6:30 p.m.
10- Grade 1-8 Report Cards Go Home; Grade 6-8 Concert/Grade 5 Drumming -6:30 p.m. (postponed until Jan 28th)
11-Pizza Lunch; Grade 3 House League
14-Primary and Jr/Intermediate Sharing Assembly; Grade 1 Houseleague
15-Kindergarten Sharing Assembly; Grade 2 Houseleague; Grade 6-8 Middle School Dance; Seeds of Hope at Retirement Home; Author Visit: Ellie MacKay
17th-K-3 School Bus Safety Presentation
18-Grade 3 Houseleague
Dec 21-Jan 1, 2016-School Holidays
January 2016
4-School Begins
11-Officer Rich visits grade 1 and 8
18-Primary Sharing Assembly
21-Junior/Intermediate Sharing Assembly
22-PA Day
29-Kindergarten Sharing Assembly
February 2016
5-Report Cards go home
9 and 10-Kindergarten Registration
12-PA Day
15-Family Day
18-Special Education Annual Reviews
22-Parent Council
23-Primary Sharing Assembly
24-Jr and Intermediate Sharing Assembly
26-Kindergarten Sharing Assembly; Pizza Lunch
March 2016
14-18-March Break
25-28-Good Friday/Easter Monday
May 2016
23-Victoria Day
June 2016
10-PA Day
29-Last Day for Students
