St. Joseph Brampton Elementary School
Learning Plan
Mission *
We, the Staff of St. Joseph Brampton Catholic Elementary School, celebrate spirituality and diversity through achieving, believing and community living in an
inclusive Catholic environment.
We, the Parents of St. Joseph Brampton Catholic Elementary School, in partnership with staff and students, are dedicated to our children’s spiritual,
intellectual, emotional, social and physical development in a secure environment, at home and in class. Working together, we nurture growth in the likeness of
Jesus and utilize each person’s qualities, talents, cultural and religious heritage so that our school community may develop to its potential in harmony, in spirit
and in truth. Working together, we will attain success by educating students to their full potential.
We, the Students of St. Joseph Brampton Catholic Elementary School, act and learn as a Catholic community. We demonstrate our love for God by
respecting each other and by trying to meet the expectations of our parents and teachers.
Motto
“Home of the Stars”
Our motto is "Growing in Harmony, in Spirit and in Truth" which we try to live out in all that we do.
Catholic Focus
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St. Joseph Brampton Elementary School
Learning Plan
St. Joseph School, nestled in a mature community, is an elementary school of approximately 195 students, of diverse social and ethnic backgrounds, from
Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8. The surrounding community consists of single mature family homes, apartment buildings, townhomes, and subsidized living
units all situated in an urban, geographic area located in a mature west central section of Brampton.
At St. Joseph School our commitment to academic excellence is a shared responsibility. Together, the Staff and School Council work hard bringing together
students, parents, teachers, pastoral team, trustees and other partners to form a Catholic community in the service of the spiritual, intellectual, physical and
emotional needs of students in our care. Within the context of an authentic Catholic learning community, St. Joseph School strives “. . . to provide students
with the opportunity to realize their potential and develop into highly skilled, knowledgeable, caring citizens who contribute to society.”
Our students come to us with a variety of strengths and needs, with their Catholic faith as their common bond. Our prayer life, liturgical celebrations, the
sacraments and our faith and values system form the foundation of our school program. The curriculum is broad, balanced and relevant to the needs and
aspirations of all our students. A wide range of subjects and learning experiences are offered to develop the skills, abilities and talents of individual students.
Accordingly, appropriate assessment procedures are employed regularly to motivate and encourage student success. To ensure coherence and wholeness,
subjects are taught within the context of the Ontario Curriculum, Gospel values and sound educational practices.
For 54 years, St. Joseph School has been a beacon for Catholic Education in the area responding to God's call. St. Joseph School believes that the Catholic
faith, as expressed through Gospel values, is the driving force in our community of learners which includes the following key groups: students, the parish,
home and community, teachers and support staff, administrators, supervisory officers and trustees. Our school fosters and nourishes a Christ-centred
atmosphere, rooted in tradition and scripture, in which all may work and learn in a supportive, inclusive, meaningful and respectful environment. To strengthen
its Catholic identity, St. Joseph School will continue to develop opportunities for faith formation of students and staff, together with an educational program
which strives to integrate the board’s fundamental beliefs and values into all of its endeavours by . . .
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being authentic witnesses to our Catholic faith, deepening the understanding, appreciation and practice of the Catholic lifestyle;
being responsible stewards of God’s grace in the world;
respecting human dignity;
modelling all learners after Jesus, as ministers of compassion and service;
developing graduates who are fully alive in Christ, “not only in terms of knowledge and skills, but in terms of values, attitudes and actions”.
Core Principles
Catholicity
The school community models, celebrates, and nourishes gospel values in the teaching and learning of our Christ-centred programs and services in the
following ways . . .
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integrating and celebrating virtues education with the parish and school community;
creating a sacred space within the classroom (prayer centres) or during a liturgical celebration (altar) which undergoes changes reflective of the
liturgical calendar and the celebration;
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St. Joseph Brampton Elementary School
Learning Plan
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beginning each day with opening exercises which include our community prayers;
involving students in leadership capacity and prayers that reflect the virtues, liturgical calendar, variety of types of prayer, including music and
children's themes, attendance at a Diversity conference, organizing liturgies and celebrations throughout the school year: Remembrance Day, Advent
liturgies, Ash Wednesday Liturgy, Catholic Education Week liturgy, Graduation liturgies and monthly Virtues Assemblies;
organizing and participating in social justice projects such as support for Share Life; conducting food/clothing drives at Thanksgiving, Christmas, Lent,
end of the year;
integrating the morals and teachings of our faith in all subject areas and aspects of our students’ days;
through daily provisions of rich experiences of our Religion and Family Life programs;
identifying and integrating faith stories and teachings in daily teaching in order to provide a Catholic perspective across the curriculum;
fostering positive home/school/parish relationships e.g. pastoral school visits, parent/community invitations to school masses, sacramental and other
celebrations;
enforcing Safe Schools Policies, Bullying Prevention and Character Building/Leadership Programs, e.g., PALS, Second Steps, Restorative Justice
Initiatives, Peace Garden, Student Recognition Awards;
building positive school-community relationships, e.g., School Volunteer Program, School Council, School Community Partnerships, i.e., Peel Regional
Police, Peel Health, Rosary Apostolate, Big Brothers, Big Sisters;
collaboratively preparing with the parish of the sacraments of Reconciliation, Holy Eucharist and Confirmation;
praying the St. Joseph Prayer on a regular basis; and
developing and implementing a pastoral plan.
Learning Environment
A summary of St. Joseph's most recent EQAO primary division (Grade 3) assessment performance includes:
Primary Reading: 53%
Primary Writing: 67%
Primary Mathematics: 47%
Our Grade 3 results in Writing have increased but Reading has slightly declined from last year's results. Mathematics results have decreased from the
previous year.
A summary of St. Joseph School's most recent EQAO junior division (Grade 6) assessment performance includes:
Junior Reading: 73%
Junior Writing: 73%
Junior Mathematics: 9%
Our Grade 6 results in Reading and Writing have increased from the previous year . Mathematics results show a substantial decrease from the previous
year. It is important to note that there were only nine Grade 6 students writing the EQAO assessments.
The St. Joseph School community supports and provides opportunities for life-long learning in the following ways:
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ongoing teaching, learning, and reinforcing the principles of the Ontario Catholic Graduate Expectations throughout the JK to Grade 8 years for lifelong learning;
providing students with opportunities to build on in-school experiences and activities to further explore personal interests, strengths and destinations,
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St. Joseph Brampton Elementary School
Learning Plan
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e.g., participation in out-of school excursions/retreats, school sports teams, Arts in the School Programs, Secondary School Orientation Programs,
Student Leadership opportunities, e.g., Student Council, PALS, Student Bus Patrollers, ECO-team, Office/Classroom helpers;
supporting a range of educational pathways for students transitioning into elementary school from the home, from grade to grade, from elementary to
secondary school, and for those ‘at risk’ and/or identified as exceptional learners;
delivering enhanced curriculum provided by community partners, Peel Health, Youth Education Officer, City of Brampton;
encouraging parents and adults to participate in the School Volunteer Program, School Council, CCCSC Family of Schools Meetings, etc.;
welcoming programs such as Parent and Family Literacy Centre, college candidates, co-op , Junior Achievers, See Hear, Medic Alert, Welcome to
Kindergarten, RAID, Homework Help Program;
modelling of lifelong learners by all Staff.
The diverse ways that the school demonstrates commitment to continuous improvement in student achievement and supports the well-being of all
learners are as follows:
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providing the Ontario Curriculum and experiences that are broad, balanced and relevant to the needs and aspirations of all our students;
employing appropriate assessment procedures regularly to motivate and encourage student success;
utilizing current data, class profiles, and individual student profiles to improve student achievement;
providing Welcome to Kindergarten Program, Tutors in the School;
forming Professional Learning Communities to support ‘research in action’, inquiry based learning opportunities for staff, and to enhance student
learning/outcomes;
implementing high yield strategies proven to increase achievement;
establishing Reading Buddies with older students that are able to assist younger students with Reading
designing and implementing Back at the School days connected to our School-wide Collaborative Inquiry to inform teaching/assessment practices to
identify student strengths/needs, enhance student outcomes and support professional growth for staff;
developing IEP’s to support ‘at risk’, and exceptional learner needs and learning opportunities for growth;
holding monthly Team Meetings with Special Services Personnel;
participating in School/Family/Board wide professional development opportunities as appropriate to needs;
organizing and attending transition meetings to support the transition of learners: into Kindergarten, from grade to grade, from elementary into
secondary schools, for students at risk and with exceptional learning needs;
making Support Services Staff available to meet the various needs of students.
Community Engagement
St. Joseph School ensures that Catholic School Councils are reflective of the diverse Catholic community in the following ways:
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focusing on welcoming everyone, so that everyone feels valued as part of our diverse community;
providing the entire community with information on the school council election;
inviting the community individually to participate in the school council during our Open House/Curriculum night or sharing information informally where
appropriate;
inviting parents and other adults to participate in volunteer activities/committees/ classroom field trips/special celebrations, etc.;
providing a welcoming, inclusive school climate;
providing opportunities to support the involvement of all community stakeholders;
engaging the community through the Pro Grant process and activity.
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St. Joseph Brampton Elementary School
Learning Plan
The St. Joseph’s School Team continues to build and sustain community partnerships in the following ways:
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building and fostering partnerships through staff participation in school to school (family wide) learning teams;
providing opportunities for participation in curriculum related field trips
implementing co-curricular/intra, and/or inter-school/ board wide competitions, e.g., sports teams, Forest of Trees Reading Programs, Math Mania,
Chess, Science Olympics, etc.;
working collaboratively with our Community Partners; Peel Regional Police, Youth Education Officer, e.g., Children’s Safety Village, Peel Heath ,e.g.,
(PALS), Brampton Parks & Recreation, Peel Children’s Centre, Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Associated Youth, Archbishop Romero;
encouraging community involvement through the use of permits that support and/or enhance student well-being, e.g., Brampton Parks & Recreation,
Sports teams, Boy Scouts, Family Literacy, etc.;
collaborating with various agencies dedicated to the support of student well-being, e.g., EYE SEE, EYE Learn Program, Region of Peel- Student
Immunization Program, etc., Brampton Clean City, No Child Without – Medical Alert Program.
Parish-Home-School
St. Joseph School promotes the engagement and active participation of the parish and home as a fundamental component of student success as follows:
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attending parish team meetings;
celebrating Masses, the sacraments, virtues and other celebrations with our parish, St. Jerome’s Church;
nurturing strong student, staff, and parental involvement in the liturgical celebrations;
seeking ways that will enable parents to become more actively involved in the daily activities of the students;
working in collaboration with Father Jan and the parish to support sacramental preparation and faith development with the home;
providing support for Parish and Board charitable works initiatives, e.g., Share Life, The Knight’s Table, Ste. Louise Outreach, Food drives, etc.;
promoting safe and healthy school initiatives by including outside community partnerships e.g. Peel Police presentations, Peel Health, etc.
Physical Environment
St. Joseph School continues to engage in activities that model and promote good stewardship of resources in different ways:
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providing and organizing various programs such as the Eco-Schools Program, healthy eating programs, e.g., litterless lunch, Brampton Clean City
‘Adopt a Park’ , Earth Day;
incorporating in the curriculum a ‘respect for life’ and stewardship of resources;
purchasing learning resources that reflect the diversity within the school;
reducing the use of photocopying to reduce paper consumption;
reducing the consumption of electricity by turning off lights, computers and equipment when not needed.
St. Joseph School continues to demonstrate financial responsibility in the following ways:
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complying with board policies and best practices in the areas of fiscal responsibility, accountability, and transparency;
striving to maintain a balanced and sustainable budget to balance student achievement with fiscal prudence within the Catholic stewardship context;
aligning and allocating the school budget to system and school goals in order to improve student achievement, purchasing any core resources which
are required for students;
‘reusing’ and/or sharing of texts and/or resources where available with other schools;
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St. Joseph Brampton Elementary School
Learning Plan
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conducting school fundraisers to help with enhancements;
using a Staff budget committee to advise on spending for school needs.
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St. Joseph Brampton Elementary School
Learning Plan
Creating Catholic Conditions for Well-Being, Learning and Leading
Outcomes
1.0 By 2016, the proportion of Dufferin-Peel students indicating they feel excluded will decrease compared to the CCCC School Climate Survey baseline data of
Spring 2013
Action Plans
Develop a variety of initiatives, programs and events to promote inclusiveness and support student well-being.
Use data from CCCC survey to inform CCCC action plan
Virtues Program and Assemblies
Building Collaborative Practices Through Inquiry
Outcomes
2.0 By the end of 2016, there will be an increase in the proportion of students who have demonstrated improvement on the learning skill and work habit of
collaboration.
Action Plans
Building Collaborative Practices through Inquiry
Collaborative Inquiry Approach
Enhancing Transitional Practices
Outcomes
3.0 By the end of June 2016, there will be an increase in the proportion of students who have demonstrated improvement on the learning skill and work habit of
self-regulation.
Action Plans
Intermediate Students Transitioning to Secondary School
Supporting successful transitions
Transition to Kindergarten
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St. Joseph Brampton Elementary School
Learning Plan
Knowing the Learner through Assessment
Outcomes
4.0 By June, 2016 there will be an increase in the proportion of educators who increased their understanding of assessment for and as learning as a result of
professional learning opportunities and as demonstrated by the CBLP feedback.
Action Plans
During learning, students will receive ongoing, descriptive feedback on the success criteria from teacher and peers.
Learning Goals and Success Criteria
Responding through Effective Instruction
Outcomes
5.0 By the end of June 2014, there will be an increase in achievement in the proportion of students achieving level 3 or 4 on EQAO in Grade 3 and Grade 6.
Action Plans
Responding through effective instruction
Outcome Timeframe
Action Plan Priority
Long-term
High
Medium-term
Medium
Short-term
Low
Not Assigned
Not Assigned
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