SCHOOL LEARNING IMPROVEMENT PLAN

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OUR VISION

We are an inclusive Catholic learning community that educates students, staff, parents and trustees to grow in grace and knowledge and to lead lives

rooted in faith, hope and charity.

Witness, Innovate, Act: Toronto Catholic District School Board learning communities transform the world..

(Isaiah 2:3)

and that we may walk in his paths."

that he may teach us his ways

"Come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord

OUR MISSION

Superintendent of Education, Student Success

Patrick Keyes

PRINCIPAL: David Comacchio TRUSTEE: Angela Kennedy SCHOOL NAME:

SCHOOL ADDRESS:

SUPERINTENDENT:

St. Denis Catholic School John Shanahan

67 Balsam Ave Toronto ON M4E 3B8 296

STUDENT ENROLMENT:

www.tcdsb.org

Catholic Education Centre 80 Sheppard Avenue East Toronto ON M2N 6E8

Superintendent of Education, Curriculum and Accountability Team Dan Koenig

Gary Poole Associate Director, Academic Services Jo-Ann Davis Chair of the Board Director of Education

2014 - 2018

IMPROVEMENT PLAN SCHOOL LEARNING

TORONTO CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD

Angela Gauthier

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St. Denis Catholic School

SCHOOL LEARNING IMPROVEMENT PLAN 2014 - 2018

TORONTO CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD

St. Denis School takes pride in being the little school with the BIG HEART. This reputation has been nurtured through the positive relationships between all stakeholders - staff, parents, church, students. The ongoing support and focus on learning through enriching the experiences and high academic expectations for students has allowed us to support the development of individuals who embrace the Catholic Graduate Expectations. Christian values are taught and nurtured in all students to sustain a caring and supportive learning environment.

There is a strong sense of social justice which is student driven and has enriched our community involvement locally and globally with various initiatives (a water well in Africa/delivery of lunches to the homeless/The Art of Giving/St. Vincent de Paul Society Christmas Drive and much more).

In partnership with parents, we strive and support academic excellence for each of our students. Academic excellent has allowed our EQAO test scores over the past several years to be consistently above both board and provincial averages. The emphasis is on assessment for learning, collaborative planning and appropriate resources that will engage our students and support the staff. Through CSAC, staff has received a lot of support with the purchase of Smart Boards for the classrooms, laptops and iPads for student use, Scientist in the School, presentations, classroom art projects, classroom resources and much more including opportunities for parent engagement.

As an extension of the regular program, students are given the opportunities to participate in numerous co- curricular activities: Divisional Intramurals, Soccer, Volleyball, Hockey, Swim Team, French Club, Festival and Pop Choirs, a Ukulele program, Lego Club, Flag Football, Yoga, Cross Country, Track & Field, Chess Club, Math Club, Basketball Teams, Kids4Kids, Student Council and more.

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School GOAL : IF teachers help students positively engage in their own learning and in their Catholic learning community THEN their feelings toward school will improve. This will be measured annually through the Safe and Caring Catholic School Climate Survey.

School Effectiveness Framework

Targeted, Evidence-Based Strategies Resources for Targeted, Evidence-Based Strategies Indicators of Success

3.2;

3.3;

6.2;

4.3;

4.4;

5.2;

5.3;

Inquiry - based learning in FDK

I-Cubed initiative through the Learning Partnership for grades 7 and 8 students Opportunities for "Genius Hour" for all classes

Safe and Caring Catholic School Climate Survey I-Cubed resources

Online resources for "Genius Hour"

Inquiry-based learning resources and materials

Additional Data/Information as detemined by School Improvement Team:

Data and any anecdotal information will be updated on an ongoing basis in consultation with all SIT members throughout the duration of the SLIP from 2015 to 2018.

3. Student Engagement

3.2 Students¶stated priorities that reflect the diversity, needs and interests of the student population are embedded in the School Learning Improvement Plan (SLIP).

3.3 Students are partners in dialogue and discussion to inform programs and activities in the classroom and school that represent the diversity, needs and interests of the student population.

6. Home, School and Community Partnerships

6.2 Students, parents and community members are engaged and welcomed as respected and valued partners in student learning.

4. Curriculum, Teaching and Learning

4.3 Teaching and learning in the 21st century is collaborative, innovative and creative within the global context.

4.4 Learning is deepened through authentic, relevant and meaningful student inquiry.

5. Pathways Planning and Programming

5.2 Opportunities for authentic learning experiences and experiential learning exist in all classrooms, school and community programs.

5.3 Students, parents, families, and educators understand the full range of pathways, programs, options, and supports that are available.

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School GOAL : IF teachers embed effective teaching practices in the area of numeracy THEN students will demonstrate better understanding of concepts taught as measured by a variety of effective assessment tools.

1.3;

1.4;

1.5;

4.4;

4.5;

4.6;

4.7;

Numeracy

Assessment For, As and Of learning

- Descriptive feedback (by students and teacher) to identify suggestions for improvement and next steps

- Developing a Math Talk Learning Community

- Collaborative learning strategies - such as, think, pair share, turn and talk, round table, graffiti to structure

- Descriptive feedback from students and teacher - to provoke further thinking, clarify and elaborate on mathematical ideas underpinning success criteria

Differentiating Mathematics Instruction

- Mathematics intervention resources - for diagnostic assessment and strategic pathways for student learning/instruction, like Leaps and Bounds

- Focus instruction on key mathematical concepts and strategies - Implementing Three-Part Problem Solving Lesson

- Co-construction of lesson learning goal, success criteria and descriptive feedback ±

derived from and further developed using students¶mathematical thinking Organizing Learning Environment

- Posted Highlights/Summary (i.e., lesson learning goal, co-constructed success criteria) in sequence of lessons

Planning and Preparing for Mathematics Lessons

- Identify key concepts/strategies - using resources (e.g., Ontario mathematics curriculum, Big Ideas, K to 3, 4 to 8 or 9 to 12, range of student solutions)

Numeracy

Articles and Books

Small, M. and Lin, A. (2011). Big ideas from Dr. Small, Grades 9-12.

LNS. (2010). Communication in the Mathematics classroom.

Capacity Building Series, 13.

MOE. (2005). The Ontario curriculum, Mathematics: Grades 1 to 8.

MOE. (2006). Guide to effective Instruction in mathematics, Grades K-6: Volume Two ±Problem solving and communication.

MOE. (2006). Guide to effective Instruction in mathematics, Grades K-6: Volume Four ±Assessment and home connections.

MOE. (2007). Combined grades: Strategies to reach a range of learners in kindergarten to grade 6.

Small, M. (2008). Big ideas from Dr. Small: Grades 4-8.

Small, M. (2010). Big ideas from Dr. Small, Grades K-3.

Webcasts

LNS. (2008). Differentiating Mathematics Instruction (featuring Marian Small).

LNS. (2008). High-Yield Strategies for Improving Mathematics Instruction and Student Learning.

LNS. (2007). Making Mathematics Accessible to All Students.

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1. Assessment for, as and of learning

1.3 Students and educators build a common understanding of what students are learning by identifying, sharing and clarifying the learning goals and success criteria.

1.4 During the learning, timely, ongoing, descriptive feedback about student progress is provided based on student actions and co-constructed success criteria.

1.5 Students are explicitly taught and regularly use self-assessment skills to monitor, improve and communicate their learning within the context of the Ontario Curriculum and/or Individual Education Plan (IEP).

4.4 Learning is deepened through authentic, relevant and meaningful student inquiry.

4.5 Instruction and assessment are differentiated in response to student strengths, needs and prior learning.

4.6 Resources for students are relevant, current, accessible, inclusive and monitored for bias.

4.7 Timely and tiered interventions, supported by a team approach, respond to individual student learning needs and well-being.

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School GOAL : IF teachers use effective descriptive feedback strategies in the area of Literacy THEN students will apply this feedback accurately to improve on given tasks.

1.1;

1.4;

1.7;

2.2;

4.1;

4.2;

3.3;

Literacy

Comprehensive assessment practices:

- Growing Success strategies, learning goals , co-constructed success criteria, descriptive feedback, peer and self-assessment and reflection(metacognition), with multiple and varied ways to demonstrate learning

- Inform instruction through consistent use of Board recommended assessments as outlined in Comprehensive Literacy and including the reading assessment (Running Records/Comprehension Conversation), QCA, OCA, and locally developed common assessments

Consistent implementation of targeted, evidence based literacy strategies:

- Regular opportunities for small group instruction (guided reading/writing) and daily opportunities for independent reading (K-12) with both student and teacher selected texts.

- Daily literacy block ±in all elementary classrooms.

- Reading: consistent emphasis on reading for meaning focusing on expectations 1.4 to 1.9 in Reading (Grades 1-12) using a variety of texts

- Writing: explicit teaching of writing forms for grades 1-12 for different purposes and audiences through the writing process.

Literacy

Material/Digital Resources

Ontario Curriculum and policy documents including the Guides to Effective Instruction in Reading, FDELKP, Learning for All, Equity and Inclusive Education, Growing Success, Together for Learning (OSLA)

TCDSB Portal: Literacy Department Pages Digital Resources on Portal and Classroom DVDs Centrally purchased texts and professional resources TCDSB Databases

MOE/LNS Resources/Webcasts/ monographs/e-workshop EduGains website

1. Assessment for, as and of learning

1.1 Assessment is connected to the curriculum, collaboratively developed by educators and used to inform next steps in learning and instruction.

1.4 During the learning, timely, ongoing, descriptive feedback about student progress is provided based on student actions and co-constructed success criteria.

1.7 Ongoing communication about learning is in place to allow students, educators and parent to monitor and support student learning.

2. School and Classroom Leadership

2.2 Processes and practices are designed to deepen understanding of the curriculum and refine instruction to support student learning and achievement.

4.1 A culture of high expectations supports the belief that all students can learn, progress and achieve .

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School GOAL : IF students are given strategies to improve their areas of need in regards to their learning skills THEN they will show improvement in applying these skills to their learning.

3.3;

3.4;

6.4;

2.2;

2.3;

- Student Self assessment early in year to identify the students' strengths and areas of need with regards to Learning Skills

- Teachers to co-create a goal for students

- Teachers to use and modify ³Skills for Life´resources, and other related resources, across all grades

- Teachers, with assistance from the school Guidance Teacher, to provide strategies for students to develop the identified learning skills requiring improvement

- Guidance Teacher to provide support and resources

Skills For Life resources Guidance resources

3. Student Engagement

3.3 Students are partners in dialogue and discussion to inform programs and activities in the classroom and school that represent the diversity, needs and interests of the student population.

3.4 Students demonstrate a wide range of transferrable skills, such as teamwork, advocacy, leadership and global citizenship.

6. Home, School and Community Partnerships

6.4 Learning opportunities, resources and supports are provided to help parents support student learning and have productive parent-teacher-student conversations.

2. School and Classroom Leadership

2.2 Processes and practices are designed to deepen understanding of the curriculum and refine instruction to support student learning and achievement.

2.3 Organizational structures are coherent, flexible and respond to the needs of students.

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Numeracy:

- 5 Year trend in Gr. 3 Math shows a slow decline

- Further analysis indicates students continue to struggle when responding to open-ended (problem solving) questions in all strands but particularly in Number Sense and Numeration and Measurement.

- Results from Gr. 3 Math from 2013-14 show that students struggled with multiple choice questions in all strands

- 5 Year trend in Gr. 6 Math shows a steady increase with the exception of 2013-2014 results where there was a 30% drop from 76% achieving Level 3 and 4 to 46%

- Further analysis indicates students continue to struggle when responding to open-ended (problem solving) questions in all strands but particularly in Number Sense and Numeration.

- Results from Gr. 6 Math from 2013-14 show that students struggled with multiple choice questions in all strands School Climate:

- the 2013-2014 SCCSCS survey indicated the following when asked "How do you feel about school?"

13.7% I love school 39.2% I like school

31.4% I really don't care either way 15.7% I don't like school

- This has generated a need to address student engagement which inturn has led to creating a SLIP goal to address this.

Comprehensive Needs And Strengths Assessment

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