School Goal One
To build belonging and connection by developing students’ social-emotional and social communication skills.
Through school-wide consistency, local teachings of the W̱SÁNEĆ peoples, and a lens of equity, how will a school-wide SEL approach targeting communication and language learning opportunities impact student achievement in literacy?
- We are a language-rich, dual track English and French Immersion school. Both programs celebrate our school-wide focus on developing students’ language skills: reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
- Our school data indicates that there are learning opportunities where we can improve students’ social communication and thinking communication skills particularly within literacy;
- We recognize the link between students’ social-emotional learning skills, engagement with others and with learning, and student success at school. Research shows that a focus on social-emotional learning helps meet the diverse needs of students;
- We value and include all students. In a supportive, authentic environment, students are empowered to be true to self and the best versions of themselves;
- We are committed to open, honest, and respectful communication, character development, global learning, social justice, environmental sustainability and emotional wellbeing;
- All students communicate. As such, a communication goal is inclusive for all students, staff, and programs: English French Immersion, ELL, ESL, SENĆOŦEN, FSL;
- We know that strong student achievement and social skills stem from students’ abilities, confidence, and willingness to engage with language and communicate needs, wants, feelings, and thoughts in social settings. This core competency - effective communication - is about effective meaning making in social settings; and
- Staff strive to create thoughtful, purposeful, and intentional learning opportunities, which lead to successful student experiences, growth, and results;
This goal and focused inquiry question aligns directly to the district strategic priorities in Literacy and Mental Health and Wellness. Additionally, our intended approaches are deeply connected to First Peoples Principals of Learning.
First Peoples Principles of Learning
The Social Emotional Learning Goal needs to ensure that:
- Learning is holistic, reflexive, reflective, experiential, and relational (focused on connectedness, on reciprocal relationships, and a sense of place).
- Learning is embedded in memory, history, and story.
Over the course of the year, the following will be our direct areas of focus:
- Continue to collaborate with staff and students regarding ways to ensure students feel connected and have a sense of belonging in their school (student leadership opportunities, assemblies, school-wide events, etc.);
- Implement common SEL language school-wide;
- Explicit teaching of the MindUp! resource school-wide;
- Direct resources towards the school goal;
- Explicit teaching of conflict resolution, and communication skills, school-wide;
- Continue to offer before and after school Reading Club to provide early intervention reading support; and
- Provide regular school updates to parents on goal progress and activities, and how parents can support learning.
Over the 2023-24 year, we will track progress on our initiatives identified in this year’s plan. And, specifically:
- Foundational Skills Assessment (FSA);
- Engagement Data: OurSCHOOL Survey;
- Social Emotional Learning DESSA School Survey;
- DLA/FI DLA;
- Office Visits;
- “Reading Between The Lines”: Gathering Street Data;
- Capturing data: Bi-annual class profile meetings; and
- Intermediate Student Leadership Club feedback.
Summary learning, based on evidence gathered over the year, will provide us with key learnings to guide next steps for the 2024-25 school year and beyond.
