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School Improvement Plan School District # 73 (Kamloops – North Thompson)
Pacific Way Elementary School
2330 Pacific Way Kamloops, BC
V1S 1Z3 http://pacificway.sd73.bc.ca
Everyone, Every Day, P.A.C.K.!
Vision Statement Through a partnership involving all members of our educational community, we will strive to develop life-long learners. We will guide and encourage each child to develop to their full potential and we will do so in a positive, accountable, cooperative and kind environment.
School Goals for 2014-2015:
1. To improve student performance at all grade levels in mathematical skill development including basic facts, computation, and a common language that provides the foundation for problem solving.
2. To focus on improving social responsibility for all students through a school-wide behaviour supportive initiative.
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School History
Pacific Way Elementary is now into its thirteenth year of operation - opening its doors September 2001. We have a capacity for 320 students but presently sit at a student population of 310. Our catchment area is upper Aberdeen - a growing residential area. The neighbourhood is located in the southwest sector of Kamloops and overlooks the City and North and South Thompson River valleys. The majority of our students live in the Aberdeen neighbourhood and could walk to school.
Headcount 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15
Total 269 270 297 298 309
Female 127 120 137 142 149
Male 142 150 160 156 160
FN Students 19 18 21 24 23
Kindergarten 25 32 50 32 43
Grade 1 32 24 36 49 33
Grade 2 40 32 31 38 51
Grade 3 36 42 32 35 36
Grade 4 30 30 45 31 31
Grade 5 35 31 32 45 31
Grade 6 40 35 32 36 46
Grade 7 31 44 39 39
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School Context
● We enjoy amazing panoramic views from most of our classrooms as well as from a
fabulous playground and field. We sit high above the rivers and students enjoy our sledding hill many months of the year.
● Our Aboriginal population is stabilizing and 23 students have been self identified this year. ● Parents are highly visible in our school and are welcomed by staff. Our parent volunteers
read with students, coach teams, run milk programs and hot lunch days, and supervise noon-hours.
● Our student leadership group is called the Coyote Pack. This teacher led program involves students in organizing fun events that boost school and community spirit. Our grade 6/7 classes also participate in leadership activities by volunteering around our school.
Meeting the Needs of Our Population At Pacific Way Elementary (PWE) School, we have eighteen students identified in the various Ministry Categories.
Each of these students has an Individual Education Plan (IEP) – developed after meaningful consultation with parents, teachers, our Learning Assistance Resource staff, and if needed, district support staff. Students with special needs receive in-class support from Certified Educational Assistants (CEAs) First Nations Educational Worker (FNEW), and typically achieve success through adaptations to their environment and/or assignments. Learning Assistance time is scheduled for each of these students who require extra support.
Learning Assistance time has included reading groups, math groups, writing groups, social skills groups, and ELL support. Students have received most of their support via pull out groups where the focus is on intense instruction on specific skills. Students have also received support in class to help reinforce skills taught in the classroom. Learning groups have varied in length, depending on the needs of the students, most groups end when students are meeting expectations in their specified area of need.
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SCHOOL GOALS
District Goal
Enhancing student performance by: adopting as a priority student achievement in numeracy.
Rationale
Numerical literacy is the ability to use mathematics to reason and to solve mathematical problems in a real world setting. When a person is mathematically literate they are not only able to use mathematics but can also explain to others how to use mathematics.
In recent years student performance in mathematics has been above district averages. This is encouraging but student performance has fluctuated over 10% in the last four years (drop from 95% to 87% in grade 4, in grade 7 the performance range starts at 77% rises to 97% then back to 70%). By focusing on a common math vocabulary, collaborative activities, and problem solving, student performance will remain high and more consistent year to year, and more importantly through the transition from grade 7 to high school (grade 8).
Performance Indicators
• FSA • Report Card Marks • Satisfaction Surveys • Observations • Instructional Rounds
Performance Targets
• Students achieving a 90% average in grade 4 and an 80% average in grade 7 on the Foundations Skills Assessment (FSA).
• A positive trend line for students in grades 4 through 7 achieving a C or better in Math.
• To have 75% of students report through satisfaction surveys that they are getting better at Math.
• To have 80% of parents report through satisfaction surveys they are satisfied with their
child’s Mathematics skills at school.
• To ensure math vocabulary is visible in classrooms and hallways, through displays and publications.
Goal #1 To improve student performance at all grade levels in mathematical skill development; including basic facts, computation, and a common language that provides the foundation for problem solving.
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Goal # 1 - Strategies/Structures
Year One: 2012-2013
Strategy/Structure Review Date Action
Work collaboratively to examine the IRP outcomes for Numeracy (K-7) and determine priorities through a scope and sequence for the introduction of key concepts grade.
September 2012
Used a Pro-D day to work with teacher colleagues and the grade specific PLOs: Also looked at key concepts.
Look at the Numeracy Performance Standards for assessment targets.
January 2013 Grade 4 & 7 students were shown the performance standards for problem solving on their FSA booklets. These booklets went home for parents to have.
Share effective strategies used for improving student achievement in numeracy and the implementing of these effective classroom strategies throughout the school.
September, December
2012
Carole Fullerton did model lessons in our school as teachers observed then debriefed with her. The following pro-d day was dedicated to numeracy.
Teach and implement age appropriate computing skills to enable students to identify and improve computation and problem solving skills.
ongoing Jump Math, Nelson, Mastery of the Basics are used in classrooms.
Teach Math Vocabulary to assist with problem solving. Develop a school-wide common language.
Weekly – monthly
Thursday we have a math problem of the week on the announcements. There have been discussions about Math Walls in classrooms. Math Problem of the month is posted in hallways.
Acknowledge, celebrate and showcase student Math Achievement through bulletin board displays, website, announcements, newsletter inserts, & class booklets of written compositions.
March-June Some students went to Math Expo. More will attend the Math Challenge in the spring. Prizes were awarded starting in March for the Math Problems of the month. Examples – Math Contest, Math Expo
Use technology to engage students in the classroom – Smartboards, Math websites.
ongoing Teachers are embracing technology as a teaching tool. All classes, grades 1-7, have smart boards. We use staff meeting time as well as pro-d days to share our skills and knowledge.
Incorporate literature with Math term and concepts into other subjects.
Some teachers are doing this.
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Year Two: 2013-2014
Strategy/Structure Review Date Action
Collaborative Math Ongoing Students working together on questions using white board to check understanding, peer to peer teaching, Primary Math Centers
Problem Solving Strategies, concept vs. process
Ongoing What are they really asking? Having students identify the math being asked. Use logic / math problems to start the day
Learning Math Vocabulary Ongoing Teach, discuss, demonstrate, explain, word wall, math literature to introduce or reinforce math vocabulary and concepts
Hands on math Ongoing Manipulative (more), whiteboards, games
Teaching to mastery Ongoing White boards, mastery of basics, colored cups
Digital resources Oct, April Brain Pop, Nelson Math online, Ipad Mini’s (April), Basic Fact Apps, Video to enhance content
Math Professional Development Sept, Jan Carole Fullerton spent two school days modelling and working with teachers on the pedagogy of numeracy
Parent learning Sept, Jan, April Carole Fullerton ran two parent sessions (Sept, Jan), and there were three Family Math nights in April (district program).
Professional Development April Collaboration day to discover how to incorporate technology into numeracy lessons, focus on enhancing content through Ipad, videos, and peer to peer learning
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Year Three: 2014-2015
Next level of Work (from rounds group)
To Do List Have Done List
Math Specialist will assist classroom teachers in preparing conceptual tools and lessons for critical content to be taught in each class
Math videoconference for Primary; Box Cars and one eyed Jacks
Wall Math materials; Vocabulary poster, graphing super stumper, Vocabulary Strips
Math Specialist will assist teachers in presenting lessons to individual classes, as many times as possible / necessary
Carole Fullerton was here to model 4 times, District Coordinator was here last year; Math Specialist has been in classes to co-teach; Hip hop chants to learn math facts to 20
Create and purchase a list of must have manipulatives for each class, design and implement tasks incorporative the use of these manipulatives
Parking lot for ideas and must have items,
Marcy Cook Math Tiles; 12 different sets (integers 4 number operations , place value, primary sets to practice concepts, self paced)
Create an understanding of literacy rich math programming through staff discussions and in-service / meetings
Same grade collaboration or one grade up /down; Articles and videos for staff,
Pro D on use of ipads and modelling problem solving and engaging questions; Word Math Vocabulary Wall
each class to continue with Wall math that values challenging math problems and encourages persistence and discussions to solve problems
Create a stock pile of questions to put on the wall ; Prodigy Math to challenge students to new levels
Wall math is underway in classrooms; ipad mini as math center in classrooms
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Next level of Work (from rounds group)
To Do List Have Done List
use inquiry based tasks and projects that require students to relate math to problem solving and real world examples
Math Expo across intermediate rotate between science fair/ heritage fair and math expo; NASA activities for intermediate
Student Space Experiment Project; Teaching ratios and referring to Fibonacci's golden ratio, then creating art with the Fibonacci sequence; collecting daily temperatures of fish tank and keeping track of ATU's
design and implement activities that require students to explain the process behind a math outcome: give a presentation, represent a value in a different way, partners solve and present multi step problem solving
Explain Everything; Keynote,; you need to teach younger students how to explain the process , giving them the words, often a difficult process for more introverted students
Professional Development on use of ipads and problem solving; Math Centers and Games (greeting math, war deck of cards, bingo double dice multi, flashcards, Ron Brown Cd times tables) ; geoboard app, khan academy; 10 frame war, more / less , memory, dice addition; Cards (integers adding, multiplication war, added subtracting) Dice Probability outcomes, target thinking
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District Goal Improve Students’ Social Responsibility Skills and Provide a Safe Learning Environment for all Students.
Rationale
Positive Behaviour Interventions and Supports (PBiS) is an evidence based framework for developing positive behaviour and creating a positive climate for learning. At Pacific Way, we believe that a focus on the PBiS model of consistent teaching, modeling, and reinforcing positive behaviour, will result in decreased discipline problems, and enhance a culture that creates the opportunity for greater productivity, safety, and learning.
Performance Indicators
● Ministry Satisfaction Surveys ● School Behaviour Referrals
Performance Targets
Satisfaction Survey: ● To have 90% of students report that they are aware of the school’s expectations for
behaviour. ● To have over 90% of students report that they feel safe at school. ● To have less than 10% of students/parents respond that children are bullied, teased or
picked on at school. Behaviour Referral Slips:
● To reduce the number and severity of behaviour referrals each year
Goal # 2
To focus on improving social responsibility for all students, through a school-wide behaviour support initiative.
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Goal #2 - Strategies/Structures
Year One: 2012-2013
Strategy/Structure Review Date Action
Maintain a Steering Committee – PbiS (positive behaviour and intervention support) Team
monthly We meet regularly. The Principal brings data from the yellow slips. We target our den group days to address concerns and/or complement our Matrix teaching,
During Year 3 we would like to revise the Matrix.
We hope to complete this by September.
Continue with the set of consequences and positive reinforcement for expected behaviour.
ongoing We used our Matrix to reinforce positive behaviour and our Yellow Slips to track negative behaviour. Students had to go to Consequence room if they received a major.
Used a central database distrak and BCESiS to track behaviour referrals.
All behaviour referrals are colleted in a binder in the office. Major yellow slips are entered into BCESIS and all yellow slips in Distrak. Reports can be downloaded to assist with planning for students with behavioural challenges.
Teachers will develop lessons to teach the positive behaviours to the students of our school.
Grade 7 students taught school wide lessons during the first week of school to all the students. We had a school wide art project to decorate our fence with butterflies. We had a focus on being cooperative and kind this year. We had several school-wide days to reinforce cooperative and kind behaviour.
Student of the Week We recognized students each week by drawing names from the Gotcha box. Student photos are posted on the wall each Monday morning. They also are presented with a school pen.
School Mission Statement November 2012 –
February 2013
We wanted to have a mission statement that was easy to understand and remembered by all partners in our community. Working with staff, students and parents during meetings we agreed on a new Mission statement. Every one, everyday, PACK. This statement ties in with our PBiS focus.
PBiS Training April-May 2013
School team of principal, two teachers and one CEA will attend training to support our school PBiS team.
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Year Two: 2013-2014
Strategy/Structure Review Date Action
PBiS meetings Ongoing Once per month committee meets to discuss focus and progress
Den Group Activities Ongoing Once a term
Matrix Re-taught Sept Matrix was reworked last year, in Sept. Students were re-taught the matrix in den groups in Sept.
Den Groups activity Sept. Positive Slogans created as a hallway display
PBiS Training April District Training to follow up from last year
Buddy Classes Some classes have created buddy time to partner younger and older students
Used BCESiS to track behaviour referrals.
All behaviour referrals are collected in a binder in the office. All yellow slips are entered into BCeSIS. Reports can be downloaded to assist with planning for students with behavioural challenges.
Continue with the set of consequences and positive reinforcement for expected behaviour.
ongoing We used our Matrix to reinforce positive behaviour and our Yellow Slips to track negative behaviour.
Student of the Week Weekly We recognized students each week by drawing names from the Gotcha box. Student photos are posted on the wall each Monday morning. They also are presented with a school pen.
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Year Three: 2014-2015
Strategy/Structure Review Date Action
PBiS meetings Ongoing Committee meets to discuss focus and progress when necessary
Den Group Activities Ongoing Once a term
Matrix Re-taught Jan Students were re-taught the matrix in den groups in Jan.
PBiS Training Feb District Training to follow up from last year
Buddy Classes Some classes have created buddy time to partner younger and older students
Used BCESiS to track behaviour referrals.
All behaviour referrals are collected in a binder in the office. All yellow slips are entered into BCeSIS. Reports can be downloaded to assist with planning for students with behavioural challenges.
Continue with the set of consequences and positive reinforcement for expected behaviour.
ongoing We used our Matrix to reinforce positive behaviour and our Yellow Slips to track negative behaviour.
Student of the Week Weekly We recognized students each week by drawing names from the Gotcha box. Student photos are posted on the wall each Monday morning. They also are presented with a school pen.
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Appendix A
Goal # 1 To improve student performance at all grade levels in mathematical skill development including basic math facts, computation and a common language that provide the foundation for problem solving.
1. Foundation Skills Assessment
FSA Math Grade 4 (percentages of students meeting expectation level)
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Pac Way 90 87 86 87 84
District 85 76 75 85 76
Province 68 68 68 68 68
Grade 4 averages over the past five years are consistently around 86%. That value is above district and provincial averages for the same time frame. This consistency is excellent and supports the understanding the students are
doing well in Numeracy in grades K-4
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
% of Students meeting expectations FSA Math Gr 4
Pac Way
District
Province
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FSA Math Grade 7 (percentages of students meeting expectation level)
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Pac Way 97 70 83 70 80
District 79 69 71 69 70
Province 60 63 63 63 63
Grade 7 students are still above district and provincial averages this year the percentage of students meeting expectations meet the goal of 80%.
The focus of our numeracy interventions continues to be direct at students in grade 5-7, in an effort to increase this good level of understanding to a greater level.
2. Report Card Marks:
Students Meeting Expectation C or better in Math
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Gr 4 100 90 98 *
Gr 5 100 97 100 *
Gr 6 98 100 100 *
Gr 7 97 84 100 *
Report card values are excellent based on the common measure of a C or better (represents satisfactory progress). Values for June 2014 are not available. The mark of C or better is quite low for this measure.
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
% of students meeting expectation FSA Math Gr 7
Pac Way
District
Province
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3. Ministry of Education Satisfaction Survey
Are you getting better at math?
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Pac Way Gr 4 75 79 64 81 77
District 71 75 73 77 72
Province 75 74 74 74 74
Pac Way Gr 7 63 77 70 72 79
District 68 79 69 67 68
Province 68 67 68 68 68
Students reflection on their math skill is improving in both grade 4 and 7. The grade 7 values are similar to the parent values. This measure is important as it indicates that students are becoming more confident in their
numerical abilities.
Are you satisfied with the development of you child’s mathematics skills at school?
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Pac Way Parent 65 58 77 75
District 65 56 67 68
Province 63 57 61 60
Parent satisfaction is improving each year; however this is a small sample of parents. This year more attention was given to communicate success and challenges in our numeracy goal to parents through displays and publications.
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How are we doing?
Students achieving a 90% average in grade 4 and 80% average in grade 7 on the FSA.
o This goal is not met, grade 4 currently at 84% and grade 7 at 80%; however, there
is a 10% performance level unknown for the grade 4 average.
A positive trend line for students in grades 4 through 7 achieving a C or better in Math.
o This goals is met as report card marks continue to be high and the trend line is
neutral
To have 75% of students report through satisfaction surveys that they are getting better at
Math.
o This goal was met as 77% of grade 4 and 79% of Grade 7 feel more confident in
their math skills.
To have 80% of parents report through satisfaction surveys they are satisfied with their
child’s Mathematics skills at school.
o This question was not available in the survey this year
To ensure a common math vocabulary is visible in classrooms and hallways, through
displays and publications.
o This goal is in progress as we continue to discuss and explore ways to showcase
success.
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Appendix B Goal # 2 To focus on improving social responsibility for all students, through a school-wide behaviour support initiative. 1. Ministry of Education Satisfaction Survey:
do you know how the school expects you to behave?
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Pac Way Gr 4 85 96 93 85
District 90 91 90 88
Province 88 87 88 88
Pac Way Gr 7 80 81 89 97
District 86 88 92 91
Province 86 85 87 87
o This question was not available in the survey this year
Do you feel safe at school?
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Pac Way Gr 4 57 96 80 86 81
District 77 87 77 79 77
Province 82 81 82 82 82
Pac Way Gr 7 77 86 86 86 84
District 78 81 86 84 80
Province 81 81 81 81 81
Are you bullied, teased or picked on?
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Pac Way Gr 4 24 7 9 0 12
District 15 10 11 13 12
Province 9 11 9 9 9
Pac Way Gr 7 9 12 5 3 0
District 11 5 7 10 9
Province 8 8 8 8 8
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Parent Survey:
Parents: Do you feel your child is safe at school?
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Pac Way Gr 4 99 100 100 95
Pac Way Gr 7 87 100 93 95
District 83 92 86 84
Province 88 89 88 89
o This question was not available in the survey this year 2. Pacific Way Behavioural Referrals:
81
69 62
42
24 23
0
23
45
68
90
2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013 - 14 2014-15
Office Referrals
Office Referrals
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How are we doing?
To have over 90% of students report that they are aware of the school’s expectations for
behaviour.
o This goal is met, with very strong numbers for grade 7
To have over 90% of students report that they feel safe at school.
o This goal is not met but the values for both grades are 82% which is above district
and provincial averages.
To have over 90% of parents report that the children feel safe at school.
o This question was not available in the survey this year
To have less than 10% of students respond that children are bullied, teased or picked on at school.
o This goal is close to meeting, with 12% of all students feeling picked on, this is also
well above district and provincial averages
o the grade 7 percentage is 0
To reduce the number and severity of behaviour referrals each year.
o Behaviour referrals have dropped in each of the last five years, this year the
number is very low and it may be a challenge to go lower.