C. IAN MCLARENAnnual School Education Plan and Report2010 -2011

C. Ian McLaren: A Caring School CommunityContents:

School Profile 2009 – 2010

Results 2010- 2011 Goals Trends and Issues Celebrations

C. Ian McLaren: Profile

We are a caring school community committed to: 

o Embracing a standard of excellence for all learners

o Providing high quality innovative academic opportunities

o Providing current technology opportunities with a focus on the future

o Providing value based character education

o Embracing co-operative family and community partnerships

o Instilling and fostering values to be life long learners

C. Ian McLaren is K- 6 School nestled in the Foothills of Southern Alberta, in the community of Black Diamond.

2010 – 2011 Staff and Students Enrollment: 168 students from K – 6 11 Teachers including Principal and Vice-Principal Three strong inclusionary programs including: Diversity, BEST and Learning

Support . Four PUF EAs and one Diversity EA for students with severe learning needs. One Youth Development Counselor and a 0.4 Family School Liaison Counselor to

assist with the social and emotional well-being of students 1.0 Office Administrator and 0.85 Librarian One of each: ECS class, Grade 1, Combined Grade ½, Combined 2/3, Grade 3,

Grade 4, Grade 5 and Grade 6 Strong integration of technology, student independence Job –embedded time for all teachers to work with the Learning Coach with UBD Job-embedded time for teachers to observe one another teach and

subsequently reflect together Innovative school – Pilot for new Learner Profile, Smart Technology, Respect in

School, I-Pads Job-embedded time of 75 minutes per week for all teachers for PLCS Three timetabled periods of RTI Exemplary music program for K-6 ; Grade 6 Band Program Strong second language program for Grades 4-6 :French & introductory Spanish Strong character education program organized through family groupings Several clubs: intramurals, dance, yoga, crafts, photography, library , choir and

others

School CouncilWe have a very active school council. A new group of

parents form our School Council Executive while maintaining several past executive members to provide transition and continuity.

They support a wide range of activities within the school through volunteering and fundraising:

• Healthy choice hot lunch program

• Fundraising through Casinos and other school sales

• Family Dances• Playground planning• School Recycling Program• Special Events in the school

through our Family Group Activities

• Breakfast Program

Community RelationsOne of our missions is to embrace cooperative family and community partnerships. We have partnered with a variety of community members including:

The Lion’s Club The Legion The Rising Sun Lodge for Seniors Community Gardens The Town of Black Diamond The Rotary Club of Okotoks The Chamber of Commerce Oilfields High School Foothills Composite High School Okotoks Junior High Career Fair Local Businesses in Black Diamond and Okotoks

Public RelationsCommunicating with the public is an important part the day to day workings of C. Ian McLaren. We make contact in a variety of modes:

Website: http://cim.fsd38.ab.ca/ Monthly newsletters Gateway Gazette, Western Wheel Our new sign outside the entrance to the

school Meet the Teacher, Beef on a Bun Night,

Christmas Activity Night The Eagle: 100.9 FM

2009 – 2010 School ResultsStudent achievement in the Acceptable Levels is an area for growth.

Areas of concern are: Grade 3 and Grade 6 Language Arts

Language Arts Reading Results

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Math Results

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Grade 6 Math

November 2009 May 2010

Intellectual Engagement showed 14% growth from November to May according to the Learning Bar Survey

Other highlights: 94% of our students value school outcomes. 90% of our students try hard to succeed. 82% say the school staff emphasizes academic skills and hold high expectations for all students to succeed. 97% of our students think they may go to SAIT, college or university. One of our areas of concern, from the survey in November, had been the lack of clubs for students. Staff have responded by having a variety of clubs available for students for 4-6 week intervals.

Accountability SurveyWe have noticed a downward trend indicated by students that they do not feel that they are treated well by their peers.

Do others treat you well?

Year % of Students answering YES

2006 80

2007 82

2008 96

2009 80

2010 76

Area of concern

2010 – 2011 GoalsGoal #1 –improve instruction and

assessment practices to reflect sound

instructional design principles in reading

Goal #2 - improve instruction and assessment to reflect sound instructional practice in the strand of Number Sense and Patterns

Goal #3 - students will feel safe at school and learn the importance of caring for others

Goal #1 –improve instruction and assessment practices to reflect sound instructional design principles in reading

Strategy #1: Response to Interventiono Jerry Johns Assessment and Diebels to assess student ability.o Categorize students by abilities into Blue (above), Green

(at), Yellow(just below), and Red (extremely below)o Three periods a week where students work on targeted

reading skills as shown in their reading assessment and teacher’s observations

o Create a bank of intervention strategies and resourceso Focus on targeted skills, not everything at onceo Students targeted as yellow receive structured time with

teacher to work on improving those skills.

o Resources: 1. Greater collaboration between Turner Valley and C. Ian McLaren2. “40 Reading Intervention Strategies for K-6 students” by Elaine McEwan – Adkins3. The Florida Centre for Reading Research 4. Technology: Raz Kids, Jolly Phonics, Reading A – Z, Abracadabra

Goal #1 –improve instruction and assessment practices to reflect sound instructional design principles in reading

Strategy #2: Reading & Writing in the

Content Areas

o Refocus on writing in the content areas

o Focus on math vocabulary/use correct academic terminology

o Integrate reading comprehension strategies into content areas

o Teach note taking skills

Resources:

1. “Teaching Reading in the Content

Areas” series

Goal #1 –improve instruction and assessment practices to reflect sound instructional design principles in reading

Strategy #3: Use Backwards By Design to plano Assessments link to curriculumo Better understanding of

curriculumo Know essential

understandingso Know what the targets and

assessments are before the teaching

o When reading, have the higher level conversations/debate

Goal #1 –improve instruction and assessment practices to reflect sound instructional design principles in reading

Strategy #4: Promote reading to

the larger community

o Promote reading and speech in the community

o Promote Literacy For Lifeo Coordinate needs with the library

program

GOAL # 1 EVIDENCE

•80% of students will achieve acceptable on the Provincial Achievement Test in Reading•80% of students will be proficient on the Learner Profile in Reading outcomes•Diebels (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills)•Jerry Johns Inventory•GRADE - Group Reading and Diagnostic Evaluation

Goal #2 – improve instruction and assessment to reflect sound instructional practice in Number Sense and PatternsStrategy #1 – Working in PLCs to create

common

understandingo Team teachingo Create benchmarks for each grade levelo Develop common academic math vocabularyo Develop common foundational understanding of

concepts across the grades

Goal #2 - improve instruction and assessment to reflect sound instructional practice in Number Sense and PatternsStrategy #2- Relate math concepts

to real life

situationso Integrate strands into other subjectso Collaboration among studentso Increase performance-based assessmento Real life application of work in the

canteeno Apply math skills in libraryo Use literature and non-fiction reading in

matho Transference from concrete to abstract

Goal #2 - improve instruction and assessment to reflect sound instructional practice in Number Sense and PatternsStrategy #3 – Differentiate math

instructiono Spiral the strandso Move away from the worksheetso More problem solving situations that involve

more than one strando Use of manipulativeso Center approach to develop understanding

o Resources:

1. “Good Questions for Math Teaching” by Peter Sullivan and Pat Lilburn

o “Teaching Student Centered Mathematics” by Van de Walle & Lovin

o Study Island – online math program

GOAL #2: EVIDENCE

• 80 % of our students will score at the acceptable level on the Provincial Achievement Test in number sense and patterns

• Common Assessments• Learner Profiles• Benchmarks• Student Exemplars• Video of students in action

Goal #3 – Students will feel safe at school and learn the importance of caring for others

Strategy #1- Develop school-wide character

education program

o Plan authentic, engaging, worko Continue to focus on what it means to be a

Cougaro Complete Understanding By Design plan for

Character Educationo Monthly assemblieso Citizenship Tree o Continue to integrate family groupings into

character educationo Celebrate positive demonstrations of

authentic , day-to-day caring behaviouro Real life problems to role play

Goal #3 – Students will feel safe at school and learn the importance of caring for others

Strategy #2: Develop positive social behaviour

with studentso Provide variety of clubs: dance,

intramurals, choir, art club, photography, yoga, library

o Involve more community members to lead clubs

o Community walks & family groupingso BEST Character Education classeso Kelso’s Choiceo Peer Supporto Friendship Groupso Roots of Empathyo Grade 6 Student Councilo Cougar Canteeno Resource:1. “Lost At School” by Ross Green

GOAL #3: EVIDENCE

UBD Plan Accountability Survey: “Do other

students treat you well?” 85% of our students will indicate that they feel they are treated well by their peers.

Tell Them From Me Survey Tracking number of referrals to the

office

Trends Working in collaborative teams to design

curriculum, cross graded assessment, and teaching practice

Continuing to observe colleagues teaching Collaborating with Turner Valley on Response to

Intervention (reading) Developing UBDs with Learning Coach Integrating Web 2.0 and Smartboard technology

with the help of Learning Coach and Technology facilitator

Continue to schedule job embedded PLC time Continue to send teachers to PLC conferences

Issues of a Small School

Improvement of PAT resultso Reality: Small class size affects PAT resultso Reality: Collaboration among grade level teachers is

difficult Class Sizes

o Influx of split grades in order to meet recommended Class Size Initiative

Fundingo Fluctuating enrollments affects school budgets, AISI

funding, and Evergreeningo Difficult to plan for futureo School Council provides several thousands of dollars in

funding for bussing, Evergreening, and playground structures. Do we overly depend on their support?

Celebrations:Embracing the standard of excellence for all learners

Subject Increase in Standard Of Excellence

Grade 6 Writing +11.5 %

Grade 6 Reading +16.4 %

Grade 6 Science: Knowledge

+15.8 %

Grade 6 Science: Skills

+25.2 %

Celebrations:Providing high quality innovative academic opportunities for all

Daily 5 Performance Based Assessments Daily Sensory Breaks for students

with occupational therapy needs Response To Intervention Inclusionary Special Needs

Programming

Celebrations:Providing current technology opportunities with a focus on the future

Use of iPads and iTouches to enhance student learning

Use of Smartboard to increase student engagement through interactive learning

Math Learning Community Raz’s Kids (on-line reading program) Study Island Use of movie media to present learning Technology is embedded in the day-to-day

learning of the class

Celebrations: Providing value based character education

Walks Family groups Character Tree UBD Design: handout

Embracing cooperative family and community partnerships

Family dances Open house Beef on a Bun DARE Community Gardens Read at hospital, visits to Rising Sun Lodge Playground: School Council, Lions Club,

Legion, Oilfields High School, Foothills Composite

Rotary Club Discovery Days

Instilling and fostering values to be life long learners Field Trips Telus World of Science Grade 6 Sports teams Peer Tutoring

Conclusion…

To continue to foster a caring atmosphere where all children have access to innovative academic opportunities and use technology to prepare for the future.

To continue to foster and enhance two-way community partnerships in order to ensure students reach their full potential.

To continue to instill life long learning and expect excellence at McLaren.