Student Success Grade 7-12 Initiative
Progress Report and Action Plan 2013/14
Carlo Zen, Student Success Leader
Student Success Report – 2013/14
Table of Contents
Part A – Message from Student Success Leader Carlo Zen
3
Part B – Mission Statements and Elements of Student Success – Student Success Pillars
4
Part C – Objectives:
 Ministry
 Board-Level
7
9
Part D – Data:
 EQAO
 Taking Stock
 Indicator Data
Part E – General Information:
 Organizational Chart
 SWOT Analysis
Part F – Aligning Student Success strategy to Objectives:
 Student Success Lead Teacher, 7-12 (SSTs)
 Pillars – 2013/14
 Numeracy
 Literacy
 Pathways
 Instructional Strategies
 Community Culture and Caring
 Student Voice
 Technology
10
11
13
14
17
20
25
35
37
40
43
Part G – Board Initiatives, 2012-2014
45
Part H – School Initiatives, 2012/13:
 Secondary highlights
 Elementary highlights
47
50
Appendix:
 2013/14 IPP Implementation Plan, Grades 7 to 12
2
Part A: General Information - Message from Student Success Lead – Carlo Zen, SSL
Each year, The Upper Grand District School Board provides new and exciting opportunities for students through
Student Success 7-12. As we work to engage and re-engage students, creative and thoughtful techniques, courses
and programs have emerged.
In 2012-13, we saw continued to see the impact of our School to Career Work programs on the success of our
students. Our Co-Operative Learning, Ontario Youth Apprenticeship and Dual Credit Programs have strong
participation and meet the diverse needs of students. Specialist High Skills Major programs continue to soar as we
have continued to grow our SHSM programs during the previous school year in a variety of sectors. Our SAL and
Co-op recall programs, under the leadership of dedicated and determined individuals across the system, are
growing and graduating more students across the district.
Our Student Success Committees (Literacy, Numeracy, Pathways, Interventions, and Instruction) continued their
hard work to improve student achievement, and to specifically address the needs of all students within our system.
Moving forward, the composition and direction of our Student Success Committees will be changing as we, along
with the province, move towards a K-12 model. We look forward to the implementation of a number of cross panel
initiatives throughout the district as teachers from both panels will work side-by-side to address both student
learning and professional development.
2013-2014 brings a new focus in the area of student achievement with a focus on the achievement of students
enrolled in applied courses. Like all boards in the province, we will be engaging all the stakeholders in developing
what is being termed the ‘Applied Strategy’ in an effort to close the gap between students in academic and applied
courses. This year also saw the release of the Creating Pathways to Success document that sets out the new career
development policy for the province of Ontario. It offers a new and exciting perspective on how we can, as a
community, assist students in their journey through school and into the world of work.
Skills Canada, Speak up projects and the many more Student Success programs continue to involve large numbers.
This school year brings new and exciting opportunities as we continue to challenge ourselves as a system to
improve the learning of our students.
All this has been possible because of the fine work of the Student Success committees and the leadership provided
by school administrators in all grades. It is also a time to thank our Student Success Teachers, and in particular our
Program Leaders and support staff for Student Success who work tirelessly in the service of our students.
As we continue to work to increase graduation rates, the dedication of educators across the system is the heart of
what drives our district. We are grateful to all of them, and to all of our partners, especially our parents, as we work
together to meet the needs of our students.
Yours in Student Success,
Carlo
3
Part B: General Information – Student Success Mission - Pillars
Goal:
Increase the graduation rate
Priorities:
Increasing credit accumulation, engaging programming, and numeracy and literacy access
Outcomes:
All Upper Grand students are successful within K to 12 schools, and beyond secondary school
Literacy, Numeracy, Instructional
Strategies
Why we do the work? We believe
that:

All students can learn, given
the appropriate and
necessary supports (students
with special needs and
English Language Learners
are duly entitled to
accommodations /
modifications

Learning is engaging when
there is a positive and
inclusive environment that
embraces the learning styles
of each student and is
attentive to their physical
and emotional needs

Learning is improved
through the use of proven
research-based instructional
and assessment practices that
incorporate inquiry, problem
solving, critical thinking,
reflection, and metacognition

All students, individually
and with others, develop
abilities to think, express,
and reflect
How the work looks? We take
action to:

Research/develop and
implement effective
instructional and assessment
practices which align
curriculum to meet the
abilities and needs of
students

Provide cross-panel
opportunities for teachers to
Pillar
Career Pathways
Community, Culture and Caring /
Interventions
Why we do the work? We believe Why we do the work? We believe
that:
that:

Students can become

Recognition of success
relevant and meaningful
fosters students’ selfcontributors to society via a
confidence and resilience
number of equally valuable

Timely and effective
pathways
supports for students at risk

Classroom/school climate
improve their engagement in
improves when all pathways
school and result in
are valued
increased personal success

Learning is more authentic

Strong support teams include
and engaging when students
students, teachers, support
are allowed a wide choice of
staff, administrators, parents
pathways and programs
and community agencies

Up-to-date and accurate

Flexible school
career information, that
structure/timetables and
connects to students’ goals
“pyramids of intervention”
increases achievement
are important for the

Experiential learning
inclusion and engagement of
opportunities help all
students at risk
students develop confidence 
A positive classroom/school
and employability skills
climate is created when

Good communication
individual differences of
between students, schools,
students are recognized and
parents, and community
celebrated
partners benefits everyone

Transition programs and
caring community help
students connect with their
school & their future
How the work looks? We take
How the work looks? We take
action to:
action to:

Create opportunities for

Encourage the celebration of
pathways to employment
student success

Develop and effective

Support school-based
career/life-planning
Student Success Teams
education program K to 12,

Develop and/or provide
based on 2013 Creating
support for differentiated
Pathways to Success
instruction and after school
document:
programs

Refine and support the
o K to 6 “All About
4




refine instructional and
assessment practices
Provide
teachers/administrators with
opportunities to address the
curriculum continuum, and
implement best, researchbased, practices
Support preparation and
remediation for the OSSLT
and Grade 9 EQAO
Assessment of Mathematics
Develop Literacy curriculum
and support OSSLC teachers
Address the needs of LDCC
and Applied levels students
and teachers
How do we measure effectiveness?
We measure effectiveness by:

Evaluating achievement on
EQAO assessments, report
card marks, and other student
assessments; and by
monitoring credit counts and
graduation rates

Monitoring the quality of the
discussions educators have
when examining student
achievement data

Reviewing student, teacher
and parent feedback on
programming and instruction



Me Portfolio”
o 7 to 12 IPP
o K to 12 Career/Life
Planning School
Advisory
Committee
Promote and foster career
exploration opportunities for
students
Improve transitions to high
school
Communicate the
importance of varied
program pathways to all
system stakeholders, in
particular parents
How do we measure effectiveness?
We measure effectiveness by:

Learning opportunities, and
other pathway programs and
school practices

Tracking the number of
students in Co-Op, SHSM,
OYAP, Dual Credit, Reengagement, SWAC, and
expanded Co-Op

Monitoring the secondary
school program choices of
grade 8 students, and their
level of participation in
Skills Canada, and My
Blueprint and/or IPP usage at
both elementary and
secondary levels



UGDSB Transitions Plan
Support school based
programs that assist and
support students in order for
them to achieve their OSSD
Encourage and support the
empowerment of students
Provide professional
development opportunities to
teachers & support staff in
order to enrich their abilities
to meet the needs of students
How do we measure effectiveness?
We measure effectiveness by:

Evaluating data on
attendance, suspension,
retention, student
achievement, work habits,
and student engagement in
school life

Surveying parents and
student awareness of
academic supports at schools

Reviewing input from
community partners and
agencies
5
Part B - Key Elements of Student Success and Board-level Responsibility:
Leadership:
Building the Culture and Delivery System:
Focus on Instruction and Engagement:




Student Success Leaders, Student Success
Teachers and Student Success Teams – Carlo
Zen
School Effectiveness Framework – Gary Slater
/ Natasha Skerritt
Board Improvement Plans – Tracey Lindsay /
Cheryl VanOoteghem
Programs:





Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM)– Charles
Benyair
Dual Credits – Susan McPhedran
Expanded Cooperative Education – Louise
Coffey
Credit Recovery – Carlo Zen
Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program
(OYAP) – Ron Aimola



Differentiated Instruction –Instructional
Strategies SS Pillar
Math GAINS – Numeracy SS Pillar
Literacy GAINS – Literacy SS Pillar
Education and Career Planning – Pathways SS
Pillar
Interventions for Students
At Risk of Not Graduating:






Credit Recovery / Credit Rescue – Carlo Zen
Transition Planning – Carlo Zen - Grades 4 to
10 (2013/14 – four FOS (CHSS, ODSS, GCVI,
and WHSS, plus grades 3/4 transitioning with
Waverley Drive)
12/12+ Re-engagement Strategy – Susan
McPhedran
Supervised Alternative Learning (SAL) –
Carlo Zen
Children & Youth in Care – Carlo Zen /
Jennifer Meeker (Dufferin-Peel) / Sandra
Szpular / Kelly Sergi (Guelph-Wellington)
School Support Initiative – Carlo Zen /
Stephen Gayfer / Brian Serafini – Two schools
CHSS and WHSS
6
Part C: Objectives – Ministry and Board Foci
Ministry Initiatives, 2012/13 and 2013/14:
Ministry Goals:
 Higher Levels of Student Achievement
o Precision as we drive towards 75% and 85%
o Increased attention to excellence, innovation and higher order thinking
 Reduced Gaps in Student Achievement
o Precision in our identification and support for groups of students, schools, and boards facing
additional achievement challenges
 Public Confidence in Publicly Funded Education
o Now more than ever
Student Success Learning to 18:
Ministry Goals of the Student Success Strategy:
 Increase the percentage of students graduating from secondary school
 Support good outcomes for all students
 Provide students with new and relevant learning opportunities
 Build on students’ strengths and interests
 Provide students with effective transitions
Student Success Key Learnings:
 Professional learning in DI needs to continue in a subject specific, collaborative, job-embedded
fashion
 Early and ongoing career/pathways planning supports smoother transitions and increases student
engagement
 Precise intervention needed to close achievement gaps
7
 Engagement of educational leaders (including teachers) is critical
 Students as Researchers provide powerful insights into relevant gap closing strategies
Literacy Numeracy Secretariat (LNS) Learnings:
1. Teaching and Learning
a. Content knowledge vs pedagogic skill
b. Knowledge construction vs learning processes
c. Depth vs coverage
d. Student-driven vs curriculum-driven
2. System change
a. Knowledge building and mobilization
b. Coherence
3. Supporting Conditions of Collaborative Inquiry
8
UGDSB / Board-Level Foci, 2012/13:
Board Goal: Increase the graduation rate in the Upper Grand District School Board
Strategy:
Increasing credit accumulation
Vehicle:
Board Improvement Plan For Student Achievement (BIPSA 2011-2014)
UGDSB Student Success Foci 2012/13 and 2013/14:

Instructional leadership strategies “teaching and learning focus” - ie. Learning Goals, Success Criteria and
Descriptive Feedback

Student Engagement - Increase student and teacher engagement for Applied courses - ie. “The Applied
Strategy”, Promethean, TC2

Pathways and career planning – supporting successful transitions (elementary-secondary; secondary-postsecondary), ie. IPP, My Blueprint

Continue to address literacy and numeracy achievement
2012/13 Grade 10 OSSLT Results:
60% of Gr. 10 students in Applied English courses passed 48% of students with Special Needs passed
2012 Gr 9 EQAO Mathematics Results:
52% of students in Applied Math at 70% and above
43% of students with Special Needs at 70% and above
Literacy
 If we see a change in assessment and evaluation practices (e.g., using learning goals and success criteria),
then we will see improvements in student achievement in Applied level courses.
 66% of grade 10 students in Applied courses (53% of students with Special Needs) will pass the OSSLT.
Numeracy
 If we see a change in teacher practice (teaching through problem solving with a focus on consolidation and
independent practice) then we will see an improvement in students’ conceptual understanding of math at
the Junior and Intermediate Levels.
 55% of students taking Grade 9 Applied Math (45% of students with Special Needs) will achieve 70% or
above as evidenced in EQAO results.
Instructional Strategies
 If we focus on proven effective instructional strategies that differentiate and meet student needs in all
subject areas then we will see improved student achievement.
 If we focus on improving assessment and evaluation practices in all subject areas then we will improve
instructional decisions, promote student engagement and improve student learning
Student Engagement
 If we design effective programming and interventions then we will engage and re-engage students and decrease the
percentage of leavers.
o System and School based initiatives to promote mental health wellness.
o Engagement - decrease the percentage of students leaving school (JK–12).
o Re-Engagement–Increase in the number of credits granted to students who have been re-engaged.
o FSL – Increase the number of students remaining and participating in both CORE (beyond grade 9) and FI
programs to Graduation
o Increase FNMI self-identification in both panels and begin to track student credit accumulation, achievement
levels and graduation rates to establish a baseline.
9
Part D: Data (EQAO, Taking Stock, and Grade 9/10 Indicator Data)
1. EQAO
Goal: Align to Ministry and Board-level objectives:
 Increase student and teacher engagement for Applied courses
 Continue to address Literacy and Numeracy achievement
OSSLT – April, 2013 (see Literacy Pillar update within document)
 82% - stable with the previous year, showing consistency, and above provincial results (Provincial
result was 82%).
2. Taking Stock – Ministry document – latest version - November, 2013
Goal: Align to Ministry and Board-level objectives:
 Increase student and teacher engagement for applied courses
 Early and ongoing career/pathways planning supports smoother transitions and increases student
engagement
3. Board Indicator Data – Grade 9 and 10 Credit Accumulation Data (last shown, December, 2012,
available again April, 2014)
Goal: Align to Ministry and Board-level objectives:
 Increase student and teacher engagement for applied courses
 Early and ongoing career/pathways planning supports smoother transitions and increases student
engagement
10
Part D: General Information - Organizational Chart
Superintendent of Education and Student Success Leader (SSL)
Carlo Zen
Administrative Resource
Cathy Hill
Curriculum Leaders:
 Lisa Sanvido, Student
Success
 Susan Bender, SS Numeracy
 Laura Beal, SS Literacy
 Christina Schilling,
Secondary FSL
 Louise Coffey, Pathways
 Charles Benyair, SHSM
 Ron Aimola, OYAP
 Susan McPhedran, Dual
Credit/Reengagement/SWAC
 Caroline Mitchell, K-6
Student Success
 Andrew Cloutier,
Elementary Numeracy
 Chad Reay, Elementary
Pathways
 Heather Galoska,
Elementary Literacy
 Lynn Michelle, Elementary
FSL
 Bill Mackenzie, IT
Consultant, K to 12
 Sean Hamilton, E-learning
District E-Learning Contact
(DELC)
Program Department
Tracey Lindsay, Superintendent
Cheryl VanOoteghem, Principal
Student Successs
Steering Committee
SSL, Curriculum Leaders,
Pillar Chairs, Principal of
Program, and K-6 Student
Success Curriculum Leader
Pathways
Chairs: Sandra Roberts,
Bill Lenny, Brent Ellery,
Louise Coffey
Committee Members:
Cheryl VanOoteghem,
Joan Arbuckle, Susan
Interventions
Literacy
Chairs: Stephen Gayfer,
Jennifer Meeker
Chairs: Joan Arbuckle, Joe
Burns, Laura Beal
Committee Members: Saskia
Marquis, Leslie Newman, Kate
Creery, Sandra Szpular, Krysta
Petrie, Mark Lyons, Joanne
Committee Members: Heather
Galoska, Heather Buck, Alanna
King, Elizabeth Mick-Anger,
Amanda St. Jean, Diane Leach,
11
McPhedran, Charles
Benyair, Ron Aimola,
Chad Reay, Jennifer
Apgar, Adam Rowden,
Maria Rossi
Goals:
 Implementation of K
to 12
Pathways/Career Life
Planning Creating
Pathways to Success
Ministry document,
2013/14
 Early and ongoing
career/pathways
planning supports
smoother transitions
and increases student
o My Blueprint
training
 Skills Canada
 Volunteering
Sealey, Carl Kellum, Erin
Rivers, Mary Leigh Collins,
Christine Kirkland
Goals:
 Alternative Education
 Pyramid of Intervention –
November, 2013
 Mentorship
 Peer counsel and mediation
 Student tracking/student
transition planning
Numeracy
Chairs: Chad Warren,
Susan Bender, Andrew
Cloutier, Cheryl
VanOoteghem
Brent Bloch, Vanessa Swance,
Barb Illingworth, Carolyn
Frielink, Karen Fraser, Rylan
Pranger, Sandra Kritzer,
Robert Scheidel
Goals:
 Grade 7-12 Literacy
Curriculum
 EQAO Grade 10 OSSLT
preparation and
remediation
Instructional Strategies
Chairs: Amanda Leatham,
Deidre Wilson, Pam Eurig,
Chad Reay
Committee Members: Louise
Coffey, James Wardle, Robert
Rosie, Brooke Jamieson, Laura
Beal, Wendy McIntosh-Clodd,
Glenn Wagner, Chris Popofski,
Committee Members:
Mike Anderson, Natasha
Skerritt, Cathy Brindle,
John Dallan, Billie Gitter,
Sean Hamilton, Deidre
Wilson
Goals:
 Cross-Curricular literacy,
numeracy, and instructional
strategies
 Implementation/support of
effective instructional
practices and assessment
strategies
Goals:
 Grade 7-12
Mathematical literacy
curriculum
 EQAO Grade 9
Mathematics
preparation and
remediation
Schools
Principals / Vice Principals,
Directions Teams, Department
Heads, Student Success Lead
Teachers, Teachers, Students
*Yellow highlighting indicates new to role in 2013/14
12
Part E: General Information – SWOT Analysis
UGDSB Student Success SWOT Analysis
Strengths:
 Strong professional learning
communities K-12
 Educator commitment to continued
improvement
 Increasing coherence and alignment
of ministry, regional and DSB efforts
 Innovation on the journey from
“great to excellent”
Weaknesses:
 Learning curve for new program
staff and Pillar Chairs/Members
Opportunities:
Threats:
 Math K – 12
 Literacy K -12
 Precision Across the Cycle of
Planning, Implementing, Monitoring
and Evaluating (Plan, Act, Observe,
Reflect)
 Precision in Closing Gaps
 Instructional Leadership
Infrastructure
 Supporting Transitions K-12
 Aligning Resources to Priorities
 Constrained finances
 Transformation initiatives
 Fluid environment
Next Steps 2013/14:









Use current data sources (Compass for Success, EQAO, Taking Stock) to drive our assessment and
instructional practices
Focus on “The Applied Strategy”
Examine board Credit Recovery practices
Alignment of K to 12 resources and strategy
Review current assessment and evaluation board-wide practices
Examine current programming and interventions
Promote mental health wellness
FSL – Increase the number of students remaining and participating in both CORE (beyond grade 9)
and FI programs to Graduation
Increase FNMI self-identification in both panels and begin to track student credit accumulation,
achievement levels and graduation rates to establish a baseline
13
Part F – Aligning Student Success Strategy to Ministry/Board-wide objectives
 Student Success Lead Teacher, 7-12 (SSTs)
 Pillars – 2012/13 and 2013/14
o Numeracy
o Literacy
o Pathways
o Instructional Strategies
o Community Culture and Caring / Interventions
 Student Voice
 Technology
Student Success Lead Teacher, 7-12 (SSTs)
Purpose:
The Student Success 7-12 initiative has brought about many positives changes for students. The reason for these
changes is owed to the work done by Student Success Lead Teachers who:
 Initiate timely and effective interventions/supports for students at risk to improve their engagement in
school
 Provide individual support for academic, social, emotional and career issues
 Build confidence and a sense of belonging in our students via innovative projects and initiatives
 Identify and support students during transitions through tracking
 Assist students to explore careers and the world of work beyond school
Thank you so much to the Student Success Lead teachers for the incredible investment they make in the lives of
our students!
Plan 2013/14:
 Completion of Taking Stock Reports (grades 9 to 12) – completed three times per year, in the Fall, Spring
and End of Year
 Collective analysis of Taking Stock Data – breaking down report, and creating common category
definitions
 Provide information and support around Student Success Initiatives – Pathways, Interventions, Numeracy,
Literacy
 Professional Development:
 Fall 2013:
• November 6th, 2013 - Examination of Credit Recovery – based on SSL survey
submitted to Ministry in the spring of 2013
• Technology and alt ed program delivery – D2L, Blended Learning
 Spring 2014:
• March 25th,2014 – Mental Health Lead, Dr. Lynn Woodford, Compassion Fatigue,
Dr. Jean Clinton (neuroscience of adolescence)
Success will be measured by:
 Evaluating achievement on EQAO assessments, report card marks, and other student assessments
 Monitoring credit counts and graduation rates
 Reviewing student, teacher and parent feedback on programming and instruction
14
STUDENT SUCCESS LEAD TEACHER 7/8- 2011-2014 (39 schools)
School
Intermediate SST
SS Admin Contact
Feeder
School
1.
Aberfoyle P.S
Andrea Duncan-Martyn
Sue Guest
CCVI
4.
Centre Peel P.S
Anthony Bowman (Tony)
Rhonda Gingrich
NDHS
2.
3.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
Arthur P.S
Natasha Backer
Centennial Hylands E.S Erika Williamson
Credit Meadows E.S
Drayton Heights P.S
East Garafraxa P.S
Elora P.S
Erin P.S
Gateway Drive P.S
Glenbrook ES
Grand Valley DPS
Hyland Heights E.S
Island Lake P.S
J.D Hogarth P.S
Jean Little P.S
John Black P.S
John Galt
John McCrae
Ken Danby
Kortright Hills P.S
Laurelwoods P.S
Minto Clifford Central
PS
Mitchell Woods P.S
Mono-Amaranth P.S
Montgomery Village
P.S
Palmerston P.S
Parkinson Centennial
P.S
Janice Dampier
Paula McCracken
Shane Mead
Karen Fraser
Adam Wain
Katie Muller
Todd Schooley
Lynn Shipley-Yake
Melissa Davidson
Ann Skwarek
Laura Smylie
Olivier Cutz
Shari Roberts
Deborah Snow
Christine Wilson
Steve Rane
Cathy Brindle
Cindy Chalifoux
Tim Dickieson
Chris Murray
Janice Gibson
Sherrie Parks
Jamie Cox
Tammy Ritchie
Brent Ellery
Karen Kowaluk
Victoria Crandall
Jeff Crawford
Kimberley DempseyJones
Nelson Keane
Peter Leblanc
Amanda Leathem
Tom Thompson
Andy Pink
Denise Heaslip
Colleen Egan
Marni Barrow
Randal Wagner
Scott Preston
Ken Keesmaat
Leslie Newman
Saskia Marquis
Karen Acton (2012/13)
Kirk Runciman
Jonathan Walker
Shelley Grose
Mike McNamara
Tammy Fleming
Tim Murray
Wilma Shannon
Mitchell Zuk
WHDHS
CDDHS
ODSS
NDHS
WSS
CWDHS
EDHS
GCVI
CDDHS
CDDHS
CDDHS
ODSS
CWDHS
CCVI
CWDHS
JFR
JFR
JFR
CCVI
WSS
NDHS
GCVI
ODSS
WSS
NDHS
WSS
15
School
Intermediate SST
SS Admin Contact
Feeder
School
29.
Primrose P.S
Jennifer Kelk
Mike Quinn
CDDHS
32.
Rickson Ridge
Marina Harrison
Gord Heasley
CCVI
30.
31.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
Princess Elizabeth P.S
Princess Margaret P.S
Rockwood Centennial
P.S
Taylor Evans P.S
Victoria Cross
Waverley Drive P.S
Westminster Woods
Westwood
Willow Rd P.S
Robert Robson
Laurie Heimbecker
Gillian Seigwart / Sarah
Smith (2012/13)
Katherine Petreny/Melissa
Roth
Jason Gauci
Mette Peterson-Millar
Jill Woytko
Kelly Walton/Tom Collier
Jason Doucette
Sean Singh
Wally VanderVaart
Katharine Creery
Farhan Hussain
Curt McQueen
Blair Conrad
Heather Broddy
Karen Sims
Steve Viveiros
ODSS
ODSS
JFR
GCVI
WHDHS
JFR
CCVI
GCVI
GCVI
STUDENT SUCCESS LEAD TEACHER – SECONDARY 2011-2013 (11 schools)
School
Student Success Teacher
SS Admin Contact
Centennial CVI
Ian Macpherson
Deb Magahay
Centre Dufferin DHS
Cinthya Halifax
Pat Hamilton
Centre Wellington
DHS
Gillian Stevens
Beth Burns
College Heights
Erin Rivers
Stephen Gayfer
Erin DHS
Gary Robinson
Kelly Shaw
GCVI
Melissa McDowall / Luis Ribeiro / Kelly Julie Prendergast
Sergi
J.F Ross
Cisca Campolongo / Ian Walters / Travis
Oke
Tom Dagg
Norwell DHS
Kyla Bloch / Brent Bloch
Scot Bishop
ODSS
Deb Schaner
Daryl Kirkland / Bill
Lenny
Wellington Heights
Matthew Timberlake / Adam Rowden
Brian Serafini
Westside
Todd Lawler
Deidre Wilson
16
Numeracy
Chairs: Chad Warren, Deidre Wilson, Cheryl VanOoteghem, Mike Anderson, Natasha Skerritt
Program: Susan Bender, Andrew Cloutier
Members: Cathy Brindle, John Dallan, Billie Gitter, Sean Hamilton, Deidre Wilson
Board Data:
2013 Gr 9 EQAO Mathematics Results:
52% of students at 70% and above
43% of students with Special Needs at 70% and above
Ministry Goal:
 Continue to address literacy and numeracy achievement
 Increase student and teacher engagement for applied courses
BIP Goals:
 If we see a change in teacher practice (teaching through problem solving with a focus on consolidation and
independent practice) then we will see an improvement in students’ conceptual understanding of math at
the Junior and Intermediate Levels.
 55% of students taking Grade 9 Applied Math (45% of students with Special Needs) will achieve 70% or
above as evidenced in EQAO results.
Purpose:
 Support preparation and remediation for the grade 9 EQAO Math Assessment
 Research/develop and implement effective instructional and assessment practices which align curriculum to
meet the abilities and needs of students
Highlights 2012/13:
Building Innovative Practice (BIP)– Teaching through Problem Solving & Transitioning from Elementary to
Secondary School Mathematics:
Building Innovative Practice – Secondary is a multi-level collaborative inquiry with teachers and system leaders
from classrooms, schools and the board implementing instructional strategies to engage students and facilitate their
learning. This cross-panel initiative will involve secondary and elementary school mathematics teachers teaching
through problem solving. Using the Professional Learning Cycle framework of Plan-Act-Observe-Reflect they
collaborate on lesson design and co-teach problem-based lessons. The focus will be on providing students
opportunities to solve problems and to develop skills with using a variety of tools as they strategize different
approaches. Teachers will analyze evidence of student learning through observation and collected student work.
Then, in the consolidation stage of the 3-part lesson, teachers will co-facilitate the learning of concepts as students
use reasoning, justifying and communicating skills to show their understanding. Finally, teachers will reflect on
their teaching and learning through problem solving experiences, with the purpose of fine-tuning their practice and
improving the students’ success with learning new concepts.
Cross-Panel Numeracy Initiatives 2012/13 – Collaborative Learning in the Classroom (CLiCs) with Building
Innovative Practice EPO Grant from Ministry:
During the 2012/13 school year, we continued the implementation of cross-panel Math projects designed to
investigate teaching math through problem solving using the 3-part math lesson to do so. The model of the project
followed that of the collaborative and job-embedded CIL-M ministry project that had been so successful in our
17
Junior classrooms. Invitations to participate in this project were sent to the math departments of five secondary
schools (CCVI, CDDHS, EDHS, CWDHS, WHSS) and to all Intermediate Math teachers at the corresponding
elementary feeder schools. Response to these invitations was positive, yet the political climate did have an impact
on attendance at cross-panel sessions.
The project was kicked off with a February session at the Fergus Sportsplex, lead by Mary Kay Goindi, Mike
Anderson, Deidre Wilson, Paul Costa, and supporting curriculum leaders. The CLiC sessions ran across four to
five days in the Winter/Spring, depending on number of feeder schools within the Family of Schools (FOS) - one
day for each of the secondary school/feeder school groupings -- and were hosted at elementary schools. Upon
arriving at the elementary school, participants were broken into teams. Each team consisted of a curriculum leader
to facilitate and a mix of secondary and elementary teachers. The breakdown of the day for all teams was as
follows:
•
Co-plan the "Minds On" and the "Action" phase of a math lesson
•
Enter the classroom and have a two team members co-teach the planned lesson. Other team members
recorded observations about what students said and did.
•
Bring observations and completed student work out of the classroom and meet to deconstruct the student
understandings (and misunderstandings) and plan an appropriate "Consolidation" phase for this lesson.
•
Re-enter the same classroom and have two team members facilitate the co-planned Consolidation. Again,
other team members recorded observations.
•
Leave the classroom to debrief both the student and the teacher learning.
Feedback from participants from every day was incredibly positive. Teachers appreciated the opportunity to
deepen their understanding of the math content as well as to gain more confidence in their use of instructional
strategies to improve student engagement and learning (accountable talk, effective questioning). As well, they
enjoyed being able to network with teachers from different schools and across the panels.
Funding for “Building Innovative Practice” has been extended into 2013/14. The UGDSB Numeracy Committee
plans follow two paths:
•
invite new secondary school/feeder school groups to join
•
deepen the cross-panel relationships and collaboration at the four secondary school/feeder school groupings
from last year
Numeracy – Across the Curriculum
Mathematics is “a well-established discipline”, but Numeracy is “necessarily inter-disciplinary” (Supporting
Numeracy, Capacity Building Series, K-12, August 2012):
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/inspire/research/cbs_supportnumeracy.pdf.
Numeracy - Across the Curriculum is a Ministry and Board initiative to prepare students to think mathematically
in the context of everyday life. Teachers will identify what it means for a person to be numerate in today’s world
and then how they would incorporate the development of numeracy skills into their teaching in the context of their
curriculum area. Developing financial literacy skills across curriculum areas would be part of preparing students to
be numerate.
Other Numeracy work the 7 to 12 Numeracy Curriculum Leaders and Numeracy Committee have planned
are summarized in a graphic organizer on the next page.
18
Success will be measured by:
 Evaluating achievement on EQAO assessments, report card marks, and other student assessments
 Monitoring credit counts and graduation rates
19
Literacy
Chairs: Joan Arbuckle, Joe Burns
Program: Laura Beal, Heather Galoska
Members: Brent Bloch, NDSS Eng/Lang.; Heather Buck, EDHS English; Karen Fraser, Elora PS 7/8;
Carolyn Frielink, JFRoss ESL; Barb lllingworth, WHSS Eng/Drama; Alanna King, ODSS TeacherLibrarian; Sandra Kritzer, CWDHS Hist.; Diane Leach, CHSS English; Elizabeth Mick-Anger, WSS
Resource; Robert Schiedel, CDDHS Tech; Amanda St. Jean, JFRoss Guidance/ Library/ Literacy; Vanessa
Swance, CCVI Eng.
Board Data:
2013 Grade 10 OSSLT Results:
 60% of Gr. 10 students in Applied English courses passed 48% of students with Special Needs passed
Ministry Goal:
 Continue to address literacy and numeracy achievement
 Increase student and teacher engagement for applied courses
BIP Goals:
 If we see a change in assessment and evaluation practices (e.g., using learning goals and success criteria),
then we will see improvements in student achievement in Applied level courses.
 66% of grade 10 students in Applied courses (53% of students with Special Needs) will pass the OSSLT.
“All students are equipped with the literacy skills to be critical and creative thinkers, effective meaning makers and
communicators, collaborative co-learners, and problem solvers in order to achieve personal, career and societal
goals. All students, individually and with others, develop abilities to think, express and reflect. ” – Adolescent
Literacy Guide (2012)
Six Foundational Principles for Improvement in Literacy, K–12 (Ministry of Education):
1. Focus on literacy.
2. Build an understanding of effective literacy instruction.
3. Design a responsive literacy-learning environment.
4. Support student learning with fair, transparent and equitable assessment practices.
5. Coordinate and strengthen literacy leadership.
6. Support collaborative professional learning in literacy.
EQAO Data: See charts at end of Literacy Section
Purpose:
 Support preparation and remediation for the OSSLT
 Research/develop and implement effective instructional and assessment practices which align curriculum to
meet the abilities and needs of students
Highlights 2012/13:
 Secondary coaching project (focus on JFR below)
 Rollout of Literacy GAINS research document, Adolescent Literacy Guide and accompanying resources;
workshops and presentations with a variety of educators representing school literacy teams, subject-specific
groups, program and department leaders.
 Updated Essential English course of study (writing team - Colleen Anstett, NDSS; Laura Beal,
Secondary Curriculum; Mark Howe, CHSS/Program Dept.; Diane Leach, CHSS; Gerry Walker, CHSS);
PD provided to staff, piloted at CHSS last year
20
 Remediation Programs/ OSSLT Test Preparation: creation and implementation of a new after school
secondary EQAO OSSLT program, the Pass the Test Program (Writing Team: Diane Leach, CHSS;
Amanda St. Jean, JFRoss CVI; Meridyth Taylor, JFRoss CVI. Creation of a writing team for the grade
7&8 after school program.
 Targeted support for students at risk in Applied, Essential, ESL/ELD classes, gr. 7&8 at-risk: schoolbased interventions for students such as mentoring, workshops, practice assessments, building capacity in
the use of assistive technology for students, explicit instruction of effective practice in literacy.
 Deepening understanding and building capacity of school leaders in Collaborative Inquiry and the
Professional Learning Cycle through workshops with Steven Katz and Lisa Ain Dack; facilitators
included Program/ Curriculum staff, Instructional Coaches, and Literacy GAINS provincial staff.
Action Plan 2013/14:
 K-12 restructuring / alignment of Literacy Committee
 Detailed analysis of OSSLT data; capacity-building of school literacy leaders in data analysis. Schools use
data analysis to inform practice; for example, to teach all students in grade 10 particular strategies for
specific skills.
 Continued targeted support of students at risk of failing OSSLT, incl. supports for teachers (instructional
practice, assessment & evaluation, use of technology, use of accountable talk, use of guided & shared
reading)
 Creating new after-school programs for grade 7&8 (students achieving level 2 or below in Language Arts
and/or unsuccessful on Gr. 6 EQAO).
 Engaging teachers in professional learning: Literacy Symposium (Effective Practice in Adolescent
Literacy), cross-panel Collaborative Inquiry, creating effective PLCs, staff reading clubs, use of technology
to support effective instruction (using digital texts in English classes, especially Applied; use of Google
Cloud and other tech tools), using inquiry in the classroom (Partnership with the Critical Thinking
Consortium)
 Alignment of assessment and evaluation practice across secondary schools. Sharing best practice in
diagnostic and formative assessment tools and strategies. Collaboration on learning goals and success
criteria.
School Success story: John F. Ross CVI and their coaching initiative - lead by Amanda St. Jean
The Literacy Community is a cross-curricular group of
John F Ross teachers striving to improve students’
critical thinking through high yield instruction. Using an
instructional coaching model, in 2012-13 the group
began the process of learning and teaching together to
improve students’ literacy. As a large group, with wide
variation in understanding and confidence around
literacy instruction, the group began by self-selecting and
studying a text written by a leader in North American
literacy instruction. The group then held a “teach in”,
supported by a Literacy GAINS facilitator, to share
learning with others on the team. The educators then
developed a process for coaching each other through the
implementation of high yield literacy instructional
strategies. In the 2013-14 year, the team completed a
vision statement and moved to the most challenging phase – implementation of the coaching cycle. The Literacy
Community fundamentally believes that the most effective form of professional development is job embedded –
and the teachers look forward to coaching each other to improve their students’ learning through high quality
instruction and collective learning.
21
OSSLT Data – April, 2013:
EQAO OSSLT Data, First Time Eligible Students
Of the 2622 students writing for the first time, 50% were female and 50% were male. English Language Learners
represented 1% of this population. Identified students with Special Needs (excluding gifted) accounted for 20% of
the population; 17% of Identified Students received accommodations.
Province
2011-12
UGDSB
2011-12
Province
2012-13
UGDSB
2012-13
Successful
82%
84%
82%
82%
Not Successful
18%
16%
18%
18%
Female
86%
90%
86%
89%
Male
78%
78%
78%
76%
English Language Learners
66%
62%
72%
83%
Special Needs (excluding gifted)
52%
52%
51%
48%
Identified students With Special
Needs Receiving
Accommodations (excluding
gifted), IEP & IPRC
51%
52%
49%
47%
First Time Eligible Students
(data represents those who wrote
the test)
22
Province
2011-12
UGDSB
2011-12
Province
2012-13
UGDSB
2012-13
Academic (62%)
93%
97%
94%
97%
Applied (28%)
53%
63%
51%
60%
LDCC (5%)
14%
22%
12%
11%
Program of Study
(Demographic data)
100
80
60
40
20
0
86 85
85 84
84 83
84 82
82 82
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
UGDSB
Province
EQAO OSSLT Data, Previously Eligible (PE) Students
Demographics: Of the 845 students who were previously eligible (either absent, deferred, or unsuccessful previously),
36% were female and 64% were male. English Language Learners represented 7% of this population. Identified
students with Special Needs (excluding gifted) accounted for 45% of the population; 39% of Identified Students
received accommodations. 20% of previously eligible students opted for the Ontario Secondary School Literacy
Course as a substitution for the test.
Previously Eligible
(data represents those who wrote
the test)
Province
2011-12
UGDSB
2011-12
Province
2012-13
UGDSB
2012-13
Successful
48%
51%
49%
52%
Not Successful
52%
49%
51%
48%
Female
53%
55%
54%
58%
Male
45%
48%
46%
48%
English Language Learners
43%
33%
50%
64%
Special Needs (excluding gifted)
34%
42%
33%
35%
Identified students With Special
Needs Receiving
Accommodations (excluding
gifted), IEP & IPRC
33%
45%
31%
36%
23
(N/D: No data released at this time.)
Trends Over Time - PE
100
80
60
40
20
0
55 54
56 51
51 49
51 48
52 49
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
UGDSB
Province
Success will be measured by:
 Evaluating achievement on EQAO assessments, report card marks, and other student assessments
 Monitoring credit counts and graduation rates
24
Pathways:
Chairs: Cheryl VanOoteghem, Brent Ellery, Jonathan Walker, Bill Lenny, Sandra Roberts
Program: Louise Coffey, Charles Benyair, Ron Aimola, Sandra Szpular, Susan McPhredran, and Chad
Reay
Members: Jen Apgar, Adam Rowden, Dave Byers, Pam Tarbush, Sean Hamilton, and Lori Arsenault
Ministry Goal:
 Pathways and career planning – supporting successful transitions (elementary-secondary; secondary-postsecondary)
Purpose:
 Students can become relevant and meaningful contributors to society via a number of equally valuable
pathways
 Classroom/school climate improves when all pathways are valued
 Up-to-date and accurate career information, that connects to students’ goals increases achievement
Pathways Highlights 2012/13:
Co-Operative Education:
1,475 students were enrolled in co-op programs last year, representing a 5.3% increase over the previous
year. Historically, annual growth in co-op participation has been fairly consistent. Over the last decade, the
number of students taking co-op has grown by over 50% (2002-2012). Programs at the UGDSB that
contribute to the most recent growth in our co-op participation rate include the Specialist High Skills Major
Program, and the success of Co-op Recall, Continuous Intake Co-op and Supervised Alternative Learning
Programs – all important components of our student success strategy.
The success of our program impacts students in numerous ways. Experiential learning allows students to
integrate classroom theory with learning experiences in the community. Through co-op, students apply and
extend the knowledge, and practice and refine the skills, acquired in a “related course” and demonstrate
achievement of placement expectations that reflect current workplace practices and standards. Co-operative
education is an important component of the supports offered to SAL and recall students, helping students who
have left school without graduating earn credits while working.
Co-op teachers in the UGDSB have worked collaboratively to meet the needs of 21st century learners. Two
schools (8 teachers) used blended learning in their co-op classrooms in 2012. Feedback from students and
teachers has been positive and the model will be expanded in 2013/14. The UGDSB model has led to crossschool PLCs and has been shared with co-op teachers in other boards.
As always, there remain challenges. Finding enough placements, particularly those that are related to the
students’ specific SHSM, or that suit the needs of the students who require additional coaching/support, is an
ongoing concern. Our co-op teachers work tirelessly to maintain positive employer relationships and to
support their students. The UGDSB enrolment and success rates for students in co-op show the positive
outcomes they achieve.
Dual Credit and Re-Engagement Dual Credits:
The DC program was introduced into Ontario schools in 2005 as part of the Student Success Strategy. One of
4 Pathways Programs at Upper Grand, DCs enable students to build on their knowledge and skills to work
towards earning their OSSD and get a head start on their postsecondary education and training.
25
Highlights 2012/13:
This Pathways program is now well established with all secondary schools in Upper Grand having access to
programs through one or more of our college partners – Conestoga, Georgian and Humber Colleges. A range of
program types and delivery models have been developed to meet the needs and interests of students interested in
pursuing the College or Apprenticeship Pathway after graduation.
An attempt is made to offer courses that give the students both a “taste” of the college environment and
expectations, as well as the careers that can be pursued after completion of a college program. Many of our
students in our Mainstream programs use their Dual Credits to meet the requirements of an SHSM. Several of our
OYAP Dual Credit students secure employment in their chosen trade upon completion of the program. Having
completed the first level of trade school as a secondary student gives them an edge in a competitive labour market.
We now offer a two-credit Re-engagement program each semester with Conestoga College in both Guelph and
Orangeville. Students selected to participate fit the “primary target group” – disengaged students at risk of not
graduating. A nutrition program, which provides the students with the opportunity to research and prepare healthy
food choices, has been incorporated into the Re-engagement program.
Now in its second year, the School Within A College, or SWAC program, is being offered to 25 students in the
Guelph and Centre/East Wellington areas. They attend the Guelph Campus four days per week, combining 2 dual
credits with the secondary credits required to graduate.
In all cases, our students are timetabled to Upper Grand teachers, who advocate, monitor, and advise our students
providing a variety of supports to assist them to be successful. Transportation is provided for all college pathway
programs; the OYAP students are reimbursed for their travel costs at the end of the semester.
The success of the dual credit program hinges on good partnerships – within our schools to make students aware of
the opportunities and at the college where faculty engage the students supported by secondary dual credit teachers.
And from our experience over the past 8 years, it’s working.





Alignment of College Pathway course packages:

Exploring the Trades series:
o Culinary and Food Production,
o Construction,
o Manufacturing
o Motive Power

ECE

Community Leadership

Police Foundations

Cosmetology

Leadership and Lifestyle

Design Fundamentals
Re-Alignment of Apprenticeship Offerings to reflect labour market demands
Access transportation funding so all students in all schools have access to a Dual Credit program
Introduce 1 credit DC program in Brick and Stone Masonry at Summer School
Introduction of the SWAC (School Within A College) program
Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) Highlights 2012/13:
This past school year there was a 15% increase in the number of OYAP participants from
26
the previous year. We are working on building awareness of the apprenticeship pathway and the skilled trades for
our students, parents and educators as well as building connections with employers. One of the primary ways that
we communicate the opportunites in the skilled trades are through in class presentations. These presentations assist
students to understand the Apprenticeship pathway. We begin these presentations in elementary schools with our
TAKE TECH initiative. We also focus on grade 10 Careers classes in the secondary level.
Our OYAP program received an increase in funding this year in order to promote Careers in the Skilled Trades to
Young Women. We kicked this initiative off with the following event:
The Women’s Networking Dinner
This event was held on November 19th at the Frank Hasenfratz Centre of Excellence in Manufacturing.
Approximately 150 female students attended this year’s dinner and workshop.
Union Trade Tours
As part of the Discover the Trades Tour Series, UA527 Plumber, Steamfitters and Welders and the Carpenters
Union Local 785, in partnership with OYAP, invited students from the Upper Grand District School Board who are
considering a career in the trades to attend a series of workshops at the Plumber’s Union United Association in
Waterloo and the Carpenters Union in Cambridge.
School/College/Work Initiative (SCWI)
Schools in the Upper Grand District School Board are given opportunities to have students participate in various
day workshops at one of the Conestoga College campuses. This year, students from our schools have the
opportunity to attend the following educational workshops:
Truck and Coach, Heavy Equipment, Motorcycle/Small Engine, Heavy Duty Equipment, Manufacturing,
Information and Communications Technology, Hospitality and Tourism and Construction.
Skills Canada Competitions
Eventhough there were labour issues with OSSTF this past year, there were still 58 competitors participating at our
Regional Skills competitions. All the competitions although smaller than in previous year were very successful.
• Attached are: the competition results from the Provincial Competition in May 2013 at RIM Park.
•
Also attached is the process for participating in Skills Canada competitions, as well this years’ dates.
•
Congratulations to all the student competitors for their continued success.
27
Cardboard Boat Race Challenge
In this exciting and creative event elementary and secondary teams of students from various schools in our Board
set out to build the fastest boat, with the largest capacity, using only cardboard, contact cement and duct tape.
Students then compete against other teams doing exactly the same thing, in different ways.
Elementary Skills Highlights 2012/13:
On Thursday, April 5th, 2013, 656 students from 38 Elementary Schools participated in the 5th Annual UGDSB
Skills Competition at the Centre Wellington Community Sportsplex in Fergus. The event was a great opportunity
for students to develop their teamwork and hands-on problem-solving skills.
28
Below is a list of the top teams from the 12 events that will be moving on to the Provincial Competition on April
30th at RIM Park.
Intermediate

Tech (Design and Build) - John McCrae PS

Tech (Construction) - Elora PS

Tech (Green Energy) - Grand Valley PS

Character Animation - Mitchell Woods PS

Lego Robotics - Waverley Drive PS

Lego Mechanics - JD Hogarth PS

Workplace Health and Safety - Victoria Cross PS

TV/Video - Westminster Woods PS
Junior

Tech (Design and Build) - Jean Little PS

Character Animation - Mitchell Woods PS

Lego Robotics - Waverley Drive PS

Lego Mechanics - Sir Isaac Brock PS

Winners of the regional secondary school competitions, held earlier, are posted on the Ontario Youth
and Apprenticeship Program website.
Specialist High Skills Major Highlights 2012/13:
• The UGDSB had over 400 SHSM red seal diploma graduates this past year.
• Participation in SHSM is at an all time high with 27% of all grade 11 and 12 students
enrolled in an SHSM sector.
• Students continue to benefit from sector recognized certifications and co-op education opportunities.
Benefits to Students:
•
•
The SHSM is a Ministry approved specialized program that allows students to focus their learning on a
specific economic sector while meeting the requirements for the Ontario Secondary School Diploma
(OSSD), and assists in their transition from secondary school to apprenticeship training, college, university,
or the workplace
An SHSM enables students to gain sector-specific skills, certifications and knowledge in the context of
engaging, career related learning environments and helps them focus on graduation and pursuing their
postsecondary goals
Specialist High Skills Major UGDSB –Capital Equipment Allocation 2013-14
SCHOOL
SECTOR
STATUS OF PROGRAM # of STUDENTS
PROJECTED
CCVI
Business
Renewed
52
Construction
Renewed
20
Environment
Renewed
20
Health/Wellness
Renewed
20
ICT
Renewed
20
Manufacturing
Renewed
10
Transportation
Renewed
20
Total Students 162
29
CDDHS
CWDHS
CHSS
Business
Construction
Health/Wellness
Hospitality/Tourism
Transportation
Agriculture
Arts/Culture
Business
Construction
Environment
Health/Wellness
Hospitality/Tourism
Manufacturing
Sports
Transportation
Agriculture
Arts/Culture
Construction
Health/Wellness
Horticulture
Hospitality/Tourism
Manufacturing
Transportation
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
New
New
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
Erin DHS
Arts/Culture
Environment
Hospitality/Tourism
Manufacturing
Sports
Transportation
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
GCVI
Arts and Culture
Business
Construction
Environment
Health/Wellness
Manufacturing
ICT
Sports
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
Ross CVI
Agriculture
Arts and Culture
Construction
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
20
20
20
20
20
Total Students
100
20
52
40
20
20
140
20
10
20
30
Total Students
372
10
20
30
30
20
30
40
40
Total Students
220
30
10
20
10
20
20
Total Students
20
50
20
20
68
20
37
20
Total Students
110
255
20
56
30
30
NDSS
ODSS
Environment
Health /Wellness
Manufacturing
Transportation
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
27
70
20
30
Total Students 253
Business
Construction
Environment
Health/Wellness
Manufacturing
Transportation
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
10
20
20
45
20
20
Total Students
135
25
20
30
20
50
40
20
Total Students
205
Arts/Culture
Business
Construction
Environment
Health/Wellness
Hospitality/Tourism
Transportation
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
WHSS
Arts/Culture
Business
Construction
Health/Wellness
ICT
Manufacturing
Sports
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
WSS
Arts/Culture
Environment
Hospitality/Tourism
Transportation
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
Renewed
Total Schools
11
Total Programs 75
30
10
20
30
10
30
20
Total Students 150
40
40
30
50
Total Students 160
Total Students 2122
SAL:
SAL/Co-op Recall/Con Ed Recall - all three programs designed to re-engage students who have left
traditional classroom settings before achieving their OSSD's. SAL ages 14-17, Co-op Recall ages 18-21, Con
Ed Recall 22+
Teachers/Sections:
 Deb Kortleve: 6 Guelph, Erin, SAL, Recall and Con Ed Recall
 Adam Martin: 6 Centre Peel SS
 Ian Hesler 2 (Norwell and WHSS), SAL and Co-op Recall
 Ian Hesler: 1 section SAL, 1 Section Co-op Recall, Norwell and WHSS
31
 Susan Trowell 2 Dufferin, SAL
 Erik Drebit sem 1, one section SAL CWDHS
 Jeff Wilford sem 2 one section SAL CWDHS
Length of program: Our Mennonite SAL students, the majority of students are in SAL for four years.
10-20 students working on a credit course this year. The rest of the 30 students are working full time, or helping
out at home on the farm, providing childcare and other domestic activities.
New to the Centre Peel SAL students this year is a SAL Centre. When construction is done in the next few
weeks, we will offer a drop-in style centre for those 10-20 Mennonite SAL students to come in and work on
their courses with me in the room providing support.
Number of Students:
 40 Centre Peel SAL students
 5 Wellington Heights Mennonite SAL students
 1 Norwell DSS Mennonite SAL student
 1 JF Ross SAL student
 9 Co-op Recall students attached to 3 EDHS co-op recall sections
Action Plan 2013/14:
 Implementing new Ministry document Creating Pathways to Success within schools:
o 2012/13:
 Mandated board-wide My Blueprint usage for Pathways/Career Life Planning (includes IPP
(7 to 12) and course selection (8 to 12)
o 2013/14:
 By June, 2014 - Completion of IPP training and course selection training – grades 7 to 12
(see IPP implementation plan in Appendix of this report)
• Format: in-school training and support
 By June, 2014 – K to 12 Creating Pathways to Success implementation plan creation:
• K to 6 – “All About Me Portfolio”
• K to 12 – Career/Life-Planning School Advisory Committee
• Grades 8 and 12 – exit surveys
 Skills Canada – April – May, 2014
 Dual Credit - Continue to encourage students to consider Dual Credits as part of their Individual Pathways
Plan Contribute to the development of a Pathways Program website to enable all stakeholders to access
information about our programs
 Expansion of the Re-Engagement program into Guelph – program now has spaces for 72 students to
enrol, with an opportunity to earn two credits each
 SHSM - The UGDSB will continue its expansion of SHSM programming for the 2013-14 school year.
o To meet this need the UGDSB is offering 75 SHSM programs in 11 High Schools, covering 12
different Sectors.
o Total student enrollment is expected to be over 2000 students.
o 5 New additional programs have been applied for the 2014-15 school year.
32
Data (IPP completion, as of January 31st, 2014):
IPP Progress –
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
#
%
< 10%
0
2
1727
1615
1964
3403
10
8721
73.21%
10% - 19%
3
0
411
167
326
397
1
1305
10.96%
20% - 29%
0
0
157
139
147
67
0
510
4.28%
30% - 39%
3
0
90
122
77
34
0
326
2.74%
40% - 49%
0
0
76
92
48
12
2
230
1.93%
50% - 59%
0
0
33
111
35
8
0
187
1.57%
60% - 69%
1
0
16
36
26
7
0
86
0.72%
70% - 79%
0
1
6
41
15
4
0
67
0.56%
80% - 89%
0
0
6
36
9
10
0
61
0.51%
90% - 99%
0
0
0
67
14
12
0
93
0.78%
0
0
9
117
103
97
0
326
2.74%
7
3
2531
2543
2764
4051
13
11912
100%
by Grade
100%
Total
Success will be measured by:
 Tracking the number of students in Co-Op, SHSM, and expanded Co-Op
 Monitoring the secondary school program choices and IPP completion of grade 7/8 students, and their level
of participation in Skills Canada, and the My Blueprint usage at both elementary and secondary
33
34
Instructional Strategies
Chairs: Deidre Wilson, Pam Eurig, Amanda Leathem
Program: Chad Reay, Charles Benyair
Members: James Wardle, Robert Rosie, Brooke Jamieson, Laura Beal, Wendy McIntosh-Clodd, Glenn
Wagner, Chris Popofski,
Ministry SS Goals:
 Precision and instructional leadership
 Increase student and teacher engagement for applied (open level) courses
BIP Goals:
Instructional Strategies:
 If we focus on proven effective instructional strategies that differentiate and meet student needs in all
subject areas then we will see improved student achievement.
Student Engagement:
 If we design effective programming and interventions then we will engage and re-engage students and
decrease the percentage of leavers.
 System and School based initiatives to promote mental health wellness.
 Engagement decreases the percentage of students leaving school (JK–12).
 Re-Engagement–Increase in the number of credits granted to students who have been re-engaged.
Purpose:
 Research/develop and implement effective instructional
and assessment practices which align curriculum to meet
the abilities and needs of students
Highlights 2012/13:
1. Technical Teacher Symposium (TTS)
Last year the instruction committee hosted Upper Grand’s
first Technological Teacher Symposium. WHY? Two
reasons, our board data supported professional development
around instructional strategies and classroom management
for “open” level Tech courses, and Tech Teachers have often
not benefitted from such professional learning opportunities
within our board in the past.
The TTS featured Dr. Barrie Bennett and Garfield Gini-Newman, both OISE
professors, working with our technology teachers from across the board on
classroom instruction and assessment practices. A keen team of committee
members and lead technology teachers at each school planned this event through
two focus groups held in February and March, 2013.
a. February, 2013 – Focus Group – 25-30 Tech Teachers and
Administrators examined Assessment/Evaluation and Critical
Thinking (21st Century Skills) with Garfield Gini-Newman
b. March, 2013 – Focus Group – 25-30 Tech Teachers and
Administrators examined Instructional Strategies with Barrie Bennett
35
c. April, 2013 – Board-wide conference with all Tech Teachers working with Garfield Gini-Newman
and Barrie Bennett, based on work of focus groups from February and March, 2013.
2. Book Study – Spring, 2013
The committee examined Learning Targets: Helping Students Aim for Understanding in Today's Lesson by
Susan Brookhart and Connie Moss, over a six week session held March and April at Westside SS. Thank you
to Deidre Wilson and Elizabeth Mick-Auger for facilitating these sessions that benefitted 20 Upper Grand
teachres.
Action Plan 2013/14:
Technical Teacher Collaborative Learning in the Classroom (CLiCs)
The Instructional Strategies SS Pillar will be offering three regional Tech Teacher CLiCs (Collaborative Learning
in the Classroom) as a follow up to the April 2013 Tech Teacher Symposium featuring Barrie Bennett and Garfield
Gini-Newman.
The three regional sessions are as follows:

March 31st - Centre Wellington DHS - schools involved: CWDHS, NDSS, and WHSS

April 1st - Orangeville DSS - schools involved: ODSS, EDHS, WSS, and CDDHS

April 2nd - College Heights SS - schools involved: CHSS, CCVI, JFR, and GCVI
The schedule for the day will be as follows at each session:

8:45 a.m. Introduction and schedule of day

9-10 a.m. Barrie Bennett

10:15 a.m. Break off into subject groupings and proceed with lesson planning for afternoon lesson delivery
with Barrie Bennett and Board Facilitators

12-12:45 p.m. Lunch

12:45-2 p.m. Lesson delivery

2-3:20 p.m. Reflection and next steps
Success will be measured by:
 Evaluating achievement on report card marks, and other student assessments
 Monitoring credit counts and graduation rates
 Note: All Instructional Strategies Pillar professional learning opportunties and book studies are supported
by an EPO grant, DI/CI. There are two Ministry reports submitted to account for this funding.
36
Community Culture and Caring (Interventions)
Chairs: Stephen Gayfer and Jennifer Meeker
Program: Sandra Szpular
Members: Saskia Marquis, Leslie Newman, Kate Creery, Sandra Szpular, Krysta Petrie, Mark Lyons,
Joanne Sealey, Carl Kellum, Erin Rivers, Mary Leigh Collins, Christine Kirkland
In 2012/13 we said goodbye to Vice-Principal Jeni Vaughan who was the Co-Chairperson for the
Community, Culture and Caring board SS Pillar for 10 years. Jeni’s energy and passion have helped so
many students and youth, she spearheaded the 2013 Pyramid of Interventions as one of her many
contributions.
We will miss Jeni, and are so lucky that she continues to work tirelessly for the success of our youth through
her role as an administrator and member of the Board Mental Health Steering Committee. Thank you Jeni
for your perseverance and diligence!!!
Purpose:
 Encourage the celebration of student success
 Support school-based Student Success Teams
 Provide timely and effective supports for students at-risk, improve their engagement in school and personal
success:
o Student Engagement
 If we design effective programming and interventions then we will engage and re-engage
students and decrease the percentage of leavers.
• System and School based initiatives to promote mental health wellness.
• Engagement - decrease the percentage of students leaving school (JK–12).
• Re-Engagement–Increase in the number of credits granted to students who have been
re-engaged.
• FSL – Increase the number of students remaining and participating in both CORE
(beyond grade 9) and FI programs to Graduation
• Increase FNMI self-identification in both panels and begin to track student credit
accumulation, achievement levels and graduation rates to establish a baseline
37
Highlights 2012/13:
“Achieving By Believing” Awards
Each year the Community, Culture and Caring Committee, a Pillar of the UGDSB 7-12 Student Success initiative
honours graduating students, through Achieving By Believing Awards. These awards are given to students who
have faced challenges, adversity, and/or socio-economic issues which would deem them to be “at risk” of not
graduating from high school. The selected students were recognized at the Board meeting held at the Guelph
Board Office, on Tuesday, June 4th, 2013.
The criteria for the award is as follows:

The student is in their graduating year

The student is going on to further their education, training or skills

The student was deemed to be “at risk” through attendance, academic or social concerns

The student accessed an alternative form of education while in high school (at risk co-op, off site
programs, credit recovery or school based alternative programs)
Each Secondary School is eligible to submit two nominees for this award. All
nominees receive a certificate.
The 2012/13 recipients of the Achieving by Believing Awards were:
Elementary Awards:
1. Meghan Veffer-Jolly, Westminster Woods Public School
2. Zackary Cunningham, Island Lake Public School
3. Brandon Moffat, Hyland Heights Elementary School
Secondary Awards:
1. Erika Emond, College Heights Secondary School
2. Jessica Wendel, John F Ross CVI
3. Morgan Fischer, John F Ross CVI
4. Kaitlyn Strome, College Heights Secondary School
5. Melissa Hastings, Centennial CVI
6. Kaitlin Huffman, Centre Dufferin District High School
Zackary Cunningham, Island
Lake PS
Staff Award:

Erin Rivers, College Heights Secondary School
Kaitlin Huffman, Centre
Dufferin DHS
38
Action Plan 2013/14:
 November 4th, 2013 - Pyramid of Interventions –
Secondary
 Candy Palmater school visits – College Heights
SS (see photo) Westside SS, Centre Dufferin DHS,
Guelph, CVI, JF Ross, Centennial CVI
 May, 2014 - R.I.S.E Conference, University of
Guelph
 June 3rd, 2014- Achieving by Believing Awards
 Alternative Education Learning Resources and
Professional Development – Year long
 Rollout of Supporting Minds and An
Administrators Guide to Mental Health to UGDSB Staff
Success will be measured by:
 Evaluating achievement on report card marks, and other student assessments
 Monitoring credit counts and graduation rates
Student Voice 2012/13:
39
Ministry SS Goal:
 Increase student and teacher engagement for applied courses
 Student Voice is about Ontario's students – having a voice in their learning
 Connects what's happening in the classroom to real-life experiences outside school and giving students
ways to help achieve their goals
 Student Voice is a way for students to shape their learning environment while building their skills and
abilities
 It helps students be a more active citizen and supports student democracy and empowerment
There are three main Student Voice Projects:
1. Minister's Student Advisory Council:
a. Approximately sixty students in grades 7 to
12 from across the province will meet with
the Minister of Education to share their
ideas and perspectives. 2. Student Forums, ie. Students As Researchers: a. Student forums are being held in Ontario so
that you have an opportunity to share your
ideas on topics that matter to you, like
curriculum and student leadership
3. SpeakUp Projects: a. Across Ontario, SpeakUp projects are
helping students like you engage both
academically and socially by leading
projects that they design and implement
with the support of their learning
community. To date, thousands of students
in grades 7-12 have actively led or
participated in over 6,000 projects in
hundreds of schools.
BIP Goals:
 If we design effective programming and interventions then we will engage and re-engage students and
decrease the percentage of leavers.
 System and School based initiatives to promote mental health wellness.
 Engagement decreases the percentage of students leaving school (JK–12).
 Re-Engagement–Increase in the number of credits granted to students who have been re-engaged.
Approved 2013-14 Speak Up Projects
School
Project Title
Grant
Amount
Arthur Public School
Elective Program with the Arts
$1,000
Centennial Collegiate and Vocational Institute
Green Bin Project
$1,000
Centre Wellington District High School
CW Aboriginal Club Native Workshops
$1,000
East Garafraxa Central Public School
Everyone Gets to Play Sports - EGPS
$735
Erin District High School
Student Leadership Development in
$1,000
40
Mentorship
Glenbrook Elementary School
Healthy Living Day
$1,000
Hyland Heights Elementary School
Healthy School Tuck Shop
$1,000
Mitchell Woods Public School
Outdoor Adventure to Engage Students
$1,000
Mono-Amaranth Public School
Outdoor classroom
$1,000
Orangeville District Secondary School
Paper & Ink
$1,000
Orangeville District Secondary School
Mental Health Conference
$1,000
Rickson Ridge Public School
Challenges Intermediates Face Trying To $1,000
Maintain Their Individuality
Rickson Ridge Public School
Student Wellness Symposium/Retreat
$1,000
Rockwood Centennial Public School
Painting Club
$1,000
Sir Isaac Brock Public School
Junior Minecraft club
$600
Westwood Public School
Skills Challenge
$1,000
Westwood Public School
Student Film Festival
$1,000
Willow Road Public School
Character Crew
$1,000
“Students As Researchers”, October, 2013 – Bishop MacDonnell Catholic High School:
Participants:
School
Westside SS
Rickson Ridge
Representative
Kathryn Lloyd
Marina Harrison and Heather Walker
Teachers see learning through the eyes of students; students see themselves as their own teachers.- Dr. J. Hattie,
Visible Learning, 2009
What is the Students as Researchers Forum and why is it important?
The 2012 Students as Researchers Forum is an opportunity to invite students to work in collaboration with
educators to create and share knowledge about student engagement, learning and teaching. The Minister’s Student
Advisory Council (MSAC) has identified the high value that students have placed on explicit skill development.
Additionally, research skills are highly valued - the recent Ontario Trustees Association (OSTA) surveys reflect
students’ interest in gathering evidence to inform decision-makers.
Involving young people in collaborative inquiry/participatory action research provides an opportunity for raising
and exploring their own questions and learning from each other. It promotes ‘youth-adult collaboration’ in which
students work alongside teachers to mobilize their knowledge of school and become ‘change agents’ of its culture
and norms. Student-teacher collaborations develop a sense of shared responsibility for the quality and conditions of
teaching and learning, both within particular classrooms and more generally within the school as a learning
community.
41
Success will be measured by:
 Evaluating achievement on report card marks, and other student assessments
 Monitoring credit counts and graduation rates
42
Technology
Ministry SS Goals:
 Precision and instructional leadership
BIP Goals:
Instructional Strategies
 If we focus on proven effective instructional strategies that differentiate and meet student needs in all
subject areas then we will see improved student achievement.
Student Engagement
 If we design effective programming and interventions then we will engage and re-engage students and
decrease the percentage of leavers.
 System and School based initiatives to promote mental health wellness.
 Engagement decreases the percentage of students leaving school (JK–12).
 Re-Engagement–Increase in the number of credits granted to students who have been re-engaged.
Purpose:
 Research/develop and implement effective instructional and assessment practices which align curriculum to
meet the abilities and needs of students
Plan:
 Interactive and collaborative technologies:
o Whiteboards
o Document cameras
o Response devices
o iPads – 20 iPads purchased for elementary and secondary schools, rotated on a monthly basis, June,
2012
o Promethean Boards – purchased for Special Education, and Geography Departments (secondary),
Spring, 2013
 Compass Four Success Training – Bill Mackenzie, and Program Department
 LMS Training (E-learning and Blended courses) – Continuing Education – Sean Hamilton
o e-Learning:
Courses broken down by course code and school:
Semester 1
CCVI
EWC4C
Semester 2
NDA3M
CDDHS
SPH4C, PSE4U
CWDHS
ICS4U, OLC4O
CHSS
MCF3M
EDHS
EWC4U
MCT4C
GCVI
HHS4C
IDC4UB
JF Ross
MDM4U
SES4U
NDSS
NBV3E
NBV3E, SPH4U
ODSS
ENG4C, HSB4U
MHF4U
WSS
PPZ3O
MPM2D
43
WHSS
MCV4U
BAT4M
o e-Learning uses the provincial Learning Management System (LMS) to allow teachers to interact
with their students who are not able to be in the classroom at the same time and monitor their
progress as they work through online credit courses developed by qualified Ontario teachers.
o Blended learning uses the tools of the provincial learning management system (LMS) to teach and
support learning in a face-to-face class.
o Continuous Intake e-Learning allows flexible entry after the academic year/semester has started,
from the end of September and continuing until March. Students are enrolled weekly during this
period and work at their own pace through course materials, guided by teachers.
 UG Cloud Training – Bill Mackenzie
Success will be measured by:
 Evaluating achievement on report card marks, and other student assessments
 Monitoring credit counts and graduation rates
44
Part G – Board Initiatives
EPO Grant – School and Cross-Panel Teams – Supporting Transitions and Innovative Practices:
Project Goal: Determine inquiry question, determine implementation plan including timeline and deliverables
Inquiry Question: How does ‘student voice’ inform our actions for supporting students who are at risk
through transitions?
For Example:
If we develop well-coordinated transitions for students who are at risk, then we will see a decrease in one or more
at-risk indicators.
Project Success Criteria: By the end of December 5th initial meeting:
• Our FOS/school will work towards completing the template contained in this document, and available in
paper copy on our tables, which examines the inquiry question above
• Determine next steps if template is not complete
Possible Evidence - Grade 9 Credit Count, Attendance, Decrease in the number of students who are considered to
be At Risk, Engagement, Suspected Addictions, Mental Health, Student Voice, Interviews, Taking Stock,
suspensions, Academic Achievement
Additional Guiding Questions:
• How do we define K-12 At Risk?
• What is already in place to support student transitions?
• What are our students telling us works / helps / doesn’t help with regards to transitions?
• What evidence do you have to support the success of your interventions?
• How will we share our learnings across the board? Province?
• Which students will we target?
• How are our students informing our practices?
• How are parents informing our practices?
Ideas:
•
•
We need to clearly embed transition learning into Blueprint, Transition planning requirement for all IEPs,
Compass for Success
Refer to Pathways to Success (Chapter 4) in our sessions.
FOS Involved in the Project:
Grade 8-9 Transition
• GCVI - Taylor Evans, Willow, Westwood and Gateway (Facilitator: Steve Viveiros)
• CHSS - John Black, Erin Public, Kortright Hills, Aberfoyle (Facilitator: Ian Main)
• WHSS - Mount Forest, Arthur, (Bluewater, Wellington Catholic) (Facilitator: Adam Rowden)
• ODSS - Island Lake, MAPS, Princess Margaret, PEPS, Credit Meadows (Facilitator: Natasha Skerritt)
Grade 6-7 Transition ~ Gifted Transition (3-4)
• Waverly - Ottawa Crescent, Brant Avenue, Gifted (Facilitator:TBD)
School Teams Composition:
• Administration (one P or VP from each elementary and secondary school MUST participate)
• Student Success Teacher
45
•
•
•
•
Resource Teacher
Spec Ed/Alt Ed
Social Worker/CYC
Intermediate (7 and 8 teachers)
Next Steps:
• Set additional meeting dates for meetings based on progress of December 5th meeting
rd
• March 3 – Board “Digital Session”
th
• March 20 – Ministry face to face session
• For June, 2014 - Define what will be brought to each meeting (evidence, student voice information)
Other initiatives “in the works” 2013/14 and 2014/15:
Focus: 21st Century Learning Skills
EPO Grant - October, 2013 – Allison Zmuda – work with College Heights SS and Erin DHS
Topic: aligning Fullan’s Great to Excellent article with 21st Learning Skills in supporting all students, with
emphasis on greater support for students in Applied courses
Goal for 2014/15: Continue work with Allison Zmuda
Focus: Building Leadership Capacity within schools
EPO Grant - October and January, 2013/14 – work with Stephen Katz
Topic: Building leadership capacity within schools
2012/13: June 3rd – Facilitator “capacity building” workshop at Fergus Sportsplex with 150 grades 7 to 12
school leadership team members
2013/14: Follow-up session for secondary schools, six secondary schools had a two hour follow-up through
Adobe Connect with Stephen Katz
2014/15: Continue to
focus on leadership
capacity building
within schools, and
monitor work to date
46
Part H - School Initiatives
There is amazing work happening in our schools to support Student Success, check out a few of the many below:
Secondary school Student Success Teachers were asked to outline their school’s “most effective” student
success strategies:
Centennial CVI – Ian Macpherson:

Cadence - off site Alt. Ed. program

GLD2O-Discovering the Workplace one credit co-op

Connect (first semester): first period to get reluctant students to school, establish relationships, build
resiliency, earn credits

Alternate Learning environments (CELP, Headwaters, Beyond Borders)

Grade 9 Challenge Day and Mentoring program

Teacher volunteers to mentor PE students for OSSLT; review strengths and areas for improvement

Grade 8 visit and tours of the school building

Hosted grade 8 teachers in applied and academic English, math and science classes

Created an after school supervised room for students to complete tests that they missed

Pro-Social Portable: a place for students to 'hang out' at lunchtime, build relationships and
connections, feel included.
Centre Dufferin DHS – Cinthya Halifax:

LINK- grade 9 transitions throughout the year- supervised activities for grade 9's on PLC days

Tutors- senior students helping other students at lunch time- volunteer hours granted

Mel Lloyd Centre: "Early Year's Centre" - young mothers encouraged to attend their program on
Thursday afternoons - workshops and guest speakers re: raising your young child

Girl Gab- run by social worker- an opportunity for girls to network in a safe environment

GSA club/ events- discussing issues/ concerns and school awareness

Grade 8 parents night and tours- talk with heads of dept's./ presentation on pathways

GLC/ CHV rescue during exam week
47












Credit Recovery summer school- 2 weeks in July
Daily Breakfast program
School wide Character Education program- monthly character trait with teacher and student
nominations and prizes
Dual credit program/ SAL/ REN/ 4 credit House Building Program
OSSLT- prep, remediation and accommodations
Nutrition Program in Alt Ed classes- healthy snacks
Certificates awarded to all students who earn a credit in Alt Ed- / Special awards at Student Success
Assembly for students who have earned 3 (or more) credits in 1 block
Responsibility room- during CR chase periods- teachers can send down students who need extra help
or for "catch up"
Mentor program in grade 9- all year and all students with interim concerns and midterm fails meet
with mentor and /or student success coordinator to make a plan for success and liaison with
classroom teachers
Student Success Assemblies (Junior and Senior) - all departments participate in giving students
awards/ certificates. Parents invited.
Resource room open all day- lunch program- for at risk kids to drop in/ have lunch/ socialize/ play
games
Regular IST meetings
Centre Wellington DHS – Gillian Stevens:

Anxiety coping baskets to encourage students to stay in class and learn self-regulations

Youth Talk - Student led activities assemblies and discussions to remove stigma of mental health

Wake up Wellington, Free Breakfast, once weekly, Hot lunch daily to encourage healthy eating and
inclusion

All students who have a midterm failure are met individually with Student Success, Guidance and
Resource to develop a plan for success

Organizational Support for all Identified and Student Success Students to organize binders and
provide supplies, met with in both semesters

LINK CREW - Grade 9 mentoring program to ease transition and continued connection into
Semester 2

Extensive and flexible Alt. Ed and Credit Recovery--Focus is success for all, responsive to school wide
needs not just at-risk

SAFFE - Staff and student committee committed to Positive School Climate, organizing events,
throughout the year and using "Tell them me survey"

Programs - Continuous Intake, GLD coop, Farm Program, Social Justice Program, Martial Arts,
SAL, SHSM, Skills Canada
College Heights SS Erin Rivers:

CELE Camp one day for grade 9 students and 3 days for grade 10s

Young Parent Program - 2 grads this year

Jean Little visit where teachers had a chance to see College Heights programming in action

Dual Credit program at Conestoga College
Guelph CVI – Melissa McDowall:

Grade 8 Girls Empowerment Day for Feeder Schools

Teamwork to develop a program to support students with anxiety and depression

Dual Credit and SWAC programs

Continuous Intake Coop program

Involvement of students and guardians in our Student Intervention Team meetings, which occur
weekly
48






Our grade 9 tutoring program
OSSLT preparation and remediation strategies
All female and male grade 9 math classes
Developing innovative programs for students - Green Industries, LAUNCH, Urban Arts, Outdoor
classroom project, Dual credits
Our daily practice of communication between staff members to help students be successful and
graduate.
We do what it takes!
Norwell DSS – Kyla Bloch:

Exercise Ed. alt. ed. program - students work out for 20 minutes followed by course work – Nicolas
Waterfield

Took Grade 9 at-risk students to Camp Wyoka for team building, personal challenges etc.

Daily breakfast program

SST meets with all students failing one or more courses at midterm and with all students with a poor
interim report card to develop a personalized plan

Outdoor classroom
Wellington Heights SS – Matthew Timberlake:

Informal Staff-Student Mentorship program

Participation in REN Re-engagement Dual Credit program in Orangeville via Conestoga College
(both semesters)

Youth Moving Forward Alternative Education program running in its sixth year

Very effective school community response to tragic event involving a recently graduated student

Grade 9 Camp created inclusive environment for incoming students

Safe Arrival program implemented for all Grade 9 students. If absent at beginning of day, and no
call made, Admin calls parents until contact made. Has cut unexcused absences dramatically

Participation in Volunteer Week to get students community service hours during the school day.
(Green Legacy Program with CELP)

All Semester 1 students with 80%+ average recognized with certificate and gigantic cookie.
Reinforcing positive behaviours. Resource students attending and working also recognized.

Improved traceability and tracking of credit recovery students

Skills Canada Gold – Home Build category
Westside SS – Todd Lawler:

Camp Thunder for grade 9s

Character Education for Grade 10s

Alternative Education Programs: in school and Centre Street Campus

Link Crew for Grade 9 transition to High school and throughout the year

Transition Team meetings and planning with Montgomery Village (feeder school)

Essential Skills Class trip for grade 9s and 10s to promote self-esteem and character building

Bullying Presentation and workshop with student leaders

Library Social at Lunch for students to connect, play games, and have a safe environment

Celebrations of student achievements with gift certificates for Alt-ed or Credit Recovery Students
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Elementary Schools Student Success Teachers were asked to outline their school’s “most effective top
three” student success strategies:
Grand Valley DPS – Lynn
Shipley-Yake
1. Well Day! (6 electives & 2 motivational speakers)
2. Conestoga College Trip
3. CDDHS Drama Presentation
Jean Little P.S – Carrie
Nethery
1. OYAP Day
2. Cross panel day at CCVI & CHSS
3. Homework Club (all treats for our programs)
John Black P.S – Shari
Roberts
1. Arts Day (made better with our fabulous iPads)
2. Career pathways
3. Graduation/Celebration of accomplishments
Kortright P.S – Cathy Brindle
1. Magazine Project
2. CD Project
3. Rim Park Skills Canada for Grade 7 Child Witness Symposium for Grade 8
Mitchell Woods P.S – Chris
Murray
1. Drumming workshops
2. Cajon Drum building
3. Skills Canada
Montgomery Village P.S –
Sherrie Parks
1. Skills Canada
2. Conestoga College Trip
3. Tech. Club
Palmerston P.S. – Jamie Cox
1. Purchase of Mobi's for classroom
2. Explore You Future Field Trip
3. Skills Canada
Primrose P.S – Jennifer Kelk
1. Djembe drumming
2. Ipads (movie making and edits)
3. Skills Canada
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Taylor Evans P.S – Katherine
Petreny
1. Brebeuf Leadership Camp
2. Building Relationships
Through Square Dancing
3. Skills Canada
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Notes:
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