Glen Cedar P.S. is committed to on-going improvement and focus on the following areas: Student Achievement (Literacy and Numeracy), Equity, Engagement and Well-being, and Family Engagement.
Literacy involves the development of a continuum of skills, knowledge and attitudes that prepare all learners for life in a changing world community. It begins with the fundamental acquisition of skills in reading, writing, listening, speaking, viewing, representing and responding. It becomes the ability to understand, think, apply and communicate effectively in all subject and program areas in a variety of ways for a variety of purposes. Mathematical proficiency has five components: conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, strategic competence, adaptive reasoning, and productive disposition. These five components are interwoven and interdependent in the development of proficiency in math.
The following is an outline of our school's Plan for Continuous Improvement including highlights of some of the strategies to support student achievement.
During literacy instruction, an emphasis is placed on reading for meaning and comprehension and the demonstration of balanced literacy programming across the curriculum. We are committed to an intensive school focus helping students develop critical thinking skills and the ability to apply their learning to new situations as supported by the use of inquiry based multi-stepped questions. Our teachers are involved in regular professional learning designed to encourage reflective discussions of current research, practices and resources.
The collection and analysis of assessment data continues to provide valuable information for teachers to make instructional decisions in the classroom and meet individual student needs. Our teachers collect baseline academic data at the beginning of the school year, and based on this data, achievement targets for their students are established for the school year. The use of co-created learning targets and success criteria clearly define expectations for student learning. Exemplars and anchor charts are also widely used as models and reference material for students to assist them to identify how they can improve their academic performance and set personal goals for the future.
Our focus for Equity, Engagement and Well-being combined with Family Engagement starts with creating a warm, welcoming and safe learning environment for all. We are pleased to share our enhanced communication strategy between home and school with the launch of our new school website and regular weekly email updates to our parent community. We are exploring ways to ensure improved access to and effective implementation of early literacy and numeracy supports available to our families that will support the development of school readiness skills for our pre-school population. While we continue to explore the potential for expanding current and establishing new partnerships with pre-school and day care programs in our area.
Family and community involvement in the school remains a key to our success. With the establishment of more meaningful partnerships with parents and guardians, we wish to engage in intentional goal setting and improved communication with respect to academic achievement and the development of learning skills. We are aiming to help parents and guardians develop a greater understanding of curriculum expectations and the skills required for critical thinking and sustainable learning through face to face meetings and school wide events where students share their learning.
To ensure equity, inclusivity, and well-being, character education is embedded in our classroom programs throughout the school day. Students are celebrated for their demonstration of these fundamental character traits, receiving Character Crows as a visible acknowledgment of their efforts. As we endeavour to deepen our work with character education, a focus on student well-being and fostering a sense of belonging is a school goal. Providing opportunities for increased student voice and leadership in all areas of school life is a first step. The teaching and learning environments are inclusive and reflect the diversity of our student population while recognizing individuals’ strengths, needs, and learning preferences. A wide variety of classroom opportunities as well as extra-curricular experiences are available for students. Leadership opportunities abound and student ideas and suggestions are sought and their creativity is celebrated.
Working together, students, staff, parents and community members can continue to make Glen Cedar an awesome place to learn.