St. Cecilia Elementary School
Learning Plan
Mission *
The mission of St. Cecilia Catholic School is to provide a strong foundation in our children’s Catholic educational journey by leading each child on a path of
respect, tolerance and selflessness promoting intellectual, social and emotional growth. The St. Cecilia School motto: “A Vibrant, Caring, Faith
Community”.
Motto
"A Vibrant ,Caring, Faith Community"
Catholic Focus
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St. Cecilia Elementary School
Learning Plan
ST. CECILIA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
St. Cecilia Catholic Elementary School is situated in the north end of Brampton at 10 Brickyard Way, opened in September 1999 on the site of the old Brampton Brickyard.
It shares the facility with Westervelts Corners Public School of the Peel District School Board, the only separate and public schools in Dufferin Peel to do so. Combined, the
schools have a population of over 700 students. The school's motto is "A vibrant, caring faith community."
St. Cecilia Catholic Elementary School is named after the 3rd Century Roman martyr who converted her husband, his brother and many others to
Christianity. After protecting her virginity until marriage with an angel by her side, she is the patron saint of musicians and church music after claiming her
heart sang at the moment of her marriage and claims she sang to God at her death. St. Cecilia was martyred after her refusal to die, until she received Holy
Communion, despite several attempts by the Emperor to behead her. The Sisters of St. Cecilia are a group of consecrated Sisters who shear lambs wool
to make the palliums of new metropolitan archbishops. The feast day of St. Cecilia is celebrated on November 22.
St. Cecilia is a part of St. Anne's Parish. The Parish team plays an integral part in the spiritual development of the school community, participating in Masses
and liturgies at the school.
The School is committed to:
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deepening the understanding, appreciation and practice of the Catholic Christian lifestyle, with Jesus as role model;
aligning a system-wide approach to Catholicity, whereby all educational practices are implemented through a Catholic lens;
developing graduates who are fully alive in Christ, “not only in terms of knowledge and skills, but in terms of values, attitudes and actions”;
encouraging unique approaches to support system priorities and the principal strands of faith education: prayer and liturgy; sacramentality; morality and justice; and
scripture and church.
Students at St. Cecilia Catholic School are enriched by the Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations. Which support students to become:
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A Self Directed, Responsible, Lifelong Learner
A Discerning Believer
A Collaborative Contributor
An Effective Communicator
A Caring Family Member
A Reflective, Creative and Holistic Thinker
A Responsible Citizen
Core Principles
1. Catholicity:
St. Cecilia school community models, celebrates and nourishes gospel values in the teaching and learning of our Christ-centered programs and services by:
* Following the school Mission Statement
* By integrating and expressing the Virtues program in student actions / highlighting student actions through our Virtue's Challenge program
* School Liturgies / community involvement / prayer
* Masses /build strength with church, community and school / fostering these relationships
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St. Cecilia Elementary School
Learning Plan
* Morning Prayers / announcements
* Prayer tables in rooms
* Chapel / Sacred space
* Religion and Family Life Programs
* Visits from Parish priest
* Rosary program
* Religious images / icons
* Stations of the cross
* Staff liturgies / Seder meal participation / Ash Wednesday
* School Pastoral Plan
2. Learning Environment:
St. Cecilia school’s most recent EQAO primary division (Grade 3) assessment performance:
* Primary Reading: 52%
* Primary Writing: 58%
* Primary Mathematics: 55%
* Observations regarding school progress in primary EQAO: We will conduct an extensive review of IIR reports in order to learn from the decrease in our
grade 3 cohort scores. Since the significant majority of grade 3 students were level 2 students we need to work to ensure we move students from level 2 to
level 3. Last year our grade 3 EQAO scores increased by 25% in reading 22% in writing and 24% in math. It is essential that we work to realize these gains
again. As a learning community we continue to reflect on our practice and work in collaboration in order to increase student achievement across all curricular
areas with a focus on student wellness, learning skills, and student inquiry.
St. Cecilia school’s most recent EQAO junior division (Grade 6) assessment performance:
* Junior Reading: 93%
* Junior Writing: 79%
* Junior Mathematics: 39%
* Observations regarding school progress in junior EQAO: Our grade 6 scores have increased in reading and math and have stabilized in reading, however
we have to continue to support math instruction in order to increase achievement. The work we are doing through our theory of inquiry will work to support
these gains. As a learning community we continue to reflect on our practice and work in collaboration in order to increase student achievement across all
curricular areas with a focus on student wellness, learning skills, and student inquiry.
* School volunteer program parents
* School Student Council
* Small business supports school / Junior Achievers
* Parent Council
* Youth Faith Ambassadors
* Coop for high school / University teacher Candidates
* Field Trips
* Welcome to Kindergarten Program
* Community organizations visiting school (Police, Region of Peel, Literacy nights)
* Resource and support programs , i.e.: PALS program, RAID, etc.
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St. Cecilia Elementary School
Learning Plan
* Community school events (BBQ / Pro grant/ interviews / open house)
* High yield strategies to foster inclusion, leadership and teamwork to support increased student achievement, such as professional learning communities
St. Cecilia school demonstrates commitment to continuous improvement in student achievement and supports the well-being of all learners through:
* Welcome to Kindergarten Program
* By using data collection and analysis to inform instruction and best practice to improve student achievement
* By establishing a Theory of Inquiry designed to inform teaching/assessment practices, e.g., school & board wide assessments; Diagnostic, Formative and
Summative, formal assessments, e.g., , PM Benchmarks, CASI, CCAT, classroom assessments, summative tasks pre and post testing, etc., and informal
assessments, (e.g., observations, descriptive feedback, etc.), are implemented to identify student strengths/needs, enhance student outcomes and support
professional growth for staff
* Staff work in Professional Learning Communities aimed at increasing student wellness and academic achievement through student inquiry and a focus on
learning skills
* Integration of high yield strategies to address diverse learning needs, such as those included in the ‘Learning for All’ document (UDL, differentiated
programs, transition planning)
* Student Work Study Initiative
* Tutors in the Class Program
* School goals set in collaboration with the School Improvement team and staff
* Goals made visible for students and staff
* Field Trips
* Utilize special services Educational Resource Workers / Autism Spectrum Disorder team / Child Youth Worker / Social Worker / Speech and Language
Pathologist / Special Assignment Teacher / Psychologist / English as a Second Language for planning of individual needs (Individual Education Plans) and
transitions
* Staff meetings embedded with Professional Development around literacy and numeracy
* Positive Climate Change Initiative
* Differentiated Instruction
* Technology / Integrated Arts Initiative
* Anti-bullying / making students feel safe and wanting to come to school
*House Program
*Breakfast Program
3. Community Engagement
St. Cecilia Catholic School Councils reflect the diverse Catholic community:
* By recognizing and communicating to the parent community that the importance of the partnership of schools, parents/guardians, the Church and the
community is to create a positive learning community for all stakeholders
* Breakfast with Santa
* Encourage guest speakers to address the needs of the Catholic School Council
* Encourage participation via website and newsletter
* Encourage participation at open house to get involved in Catholic School Council
* Cultural displays in foyer
* Parent Reaching Out Grants to engage community and support school goals and priorities
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St. Cecilia Elementary School
Learning Plan
* Following the established By-laws to detail election procedures and appointment procedures for the various positions within the Catholic School Council
St. Cecilia school team builds and sustains community partnerships and collaboratives (e.g., collaborative relationships, Success By 6 Peel):
* By Promoting Healthy Safe Schools through the following Presentations from community organizations : Harmony Movement, Peel Police / Youth Ed
Centre, No Child Without Medical Alert, Eye See Eye Program, SMART Start Program Region of Peel, RAID, Brampton Safe City
* Invite coop students into school from high school
* PLASP
* Assist groups in acquiring permits to support community
* Providing options for parents to access alternative programming for students (e.g., Arch Bishop Romero Catholic School)
* Promoting English as a Second Language Assessment Centre
* Invite more school based presentations from Parks and Recreation, Peel Health / Smart Start
* Junior Achievers
* School Trips in the community
* involvement with Peel Health
4. Parish Home School:
St. Cecilia school promotes the engagement and active participation of the parish and home as a fundamental component of student success activities that
support this goal include:
* Attend parish meeting to plan for the year
* Support sacramental preparation
* Parish update on website / link
* Keep copies of the parish bulletin in the school
* Encourage visits from Parish Priest
* Support Parish activities: (food drive, Christmas baskets, Share Life)
* Celebration of Mass with Parish Priest
5. Physical Environment:
St. Cecilia school engages in that models and promotes good stewardship of resources:
*We are an ECO School and plan to continue working to maintain our certification
* Establish a recycling program / teacher lead and student run
* Establish Green Committee (Made of students) that gives the students ideas for making our school and their home eco-friendly
* Established a plan to reduce the number of photocopies
* Morning announcements and reminders related to conserving energy
* Promote healthy Litterless lunch
* Speak Up Grant to promote student led initiatives
* Breakfast Program
St. Cecilia school demonstrates financial responsibility by:
* Follow proper policies and procedures for spending according to Dufferin Peel Catholic District School Board Policy
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St. Cecilia Elementary School
Learning Plan
* Use Cash Net and IREN software systems to monitor spending
* Established a plan to reduce the number of photocopies
* Set aside funds for unforeseen costs
* Access approved grants to support local school projects (i.e.: Scool Life Fund)
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St. Cecilia Elementary School
Learning Plan
Creating Catholic Conditions for Well-Being, Learning and Leading
Outcomes
1.0 By 2016, the proportion of St. Cecilia Students indicating they feel excluded at St. Cecilia will decrease compared to the CCCCschool Climate Survey baseline
data
Action Plans
Catholic Community, Culture and Caring
1.1 by June 2016, the proportion of students indicating they feel safe all or most of the time at school will increase.
Action Plans
Catholic Community, Culture and Caring
Building Collaborative Practices Through Inquiry
Outcomes
2.0 By the 2016, there will be an increase in successful practices that support collaborative inquiry. Evidence of growth for students will include: an increase in
the proportion of students who have demonstrated improvement on the learning skill and work habit of collaboration; an increase in the proportion of educators
who are confident to apply knowledge gained through professional learning opportunities, as demonstrated by Catholic Board Learning Plan professional learning.
Action Plans
Increased student collaborative inquiry
School staff will actively work through collaborative Inquiry within Professional Learning Communities
Enhancing Transitional Practices
Outcomes
3.0 By June 2016, the graduation rate will increase.
Action Plans
Increase JK SK readiness for grade 1
Use SEF 5.3 and 6.3 as a framework for transitions / Support grade 8 to high school transitions for all grade 8 students / Support transitions through
effective IEP Transition Planning
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St. Cecilia Elementary School
Learning Plan
Knowing the Learner through Assessment
Outcomes
4.0 Through June 2016, Staff will work to study multiple measures of data including Contextual, Attitudinal and Behavioural, as well as, Achievement Data and
use this information to support student achievement.
Action Plans
Data analysis - Unpacking student and community data
Responding through Effective Instruction
Outcomes
5.0 By June 2016, student performance will increase on each EQAO assessment of literacy.
Action Plans
Guided reading / 100 minute Literacy Block / precision teaching, authentic tasks, gradual release of responsibility
5.1 By June 2016, student performance will increase on each EQAO assessment of numeracy.
Action Plans
Numeracy Expected Practice - 3-Part Lesson Model
Outcome Timeframe
Action Plan Priority
Long-term
High
Medium-term
Medium
Short-term
Low
Not Assigned
Not Assigned
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