Who We Are

Strategic Education Plan and
Report
2015-16
www.chinookcenter.ca
December 2015
About Chinook Center School
• Chinook Center School is a Kindergarten to Grade 4 Elementary School.
• Our small school allows for a community feel where teachers build relationships
with all students and families. We have small class sizes and curriculum
specialists. Parent involvement is welcomed and valued.
• Our students have consistent academic success. We promote individualized
education and assist each child to meet their full potential, both academically
and socially.
• CCS values education and citizenship skills as a priority. We have moral and
ethical expectations for each child. Children learn and practice their skills in a
safe and caring environment. Peer leadership is an important part of our
school’s culture from K-4.
• We believe that a strong school-home component is critical for student success.
Keeping parents informed of school happenings and involving family members
in our school culture is key to CCS’ success. We also believe that a unified,
positive approach to positive behavior will help all students to feel safe and
successful in our school.
Who are we?
• We are a Self Managed Administrative Team
• We have 6 Teachers, 6 Educational Assistants and 2 Administrative
Assistants on staff
• We are leaders of a small K-4 school of 91 students
• We teach and learn in an open area facility
• We are committed to small class sizes and student supports
• We are a Professional Learning Community committed to
Professional Development
We are a family of learners!
Mission: to collaboratively build a foundation that engages every
student in meaningful learning by challenging, encouraging and
believing in them.
Vision: Chinook Center School will be recognized as a
collaborative learning community where learning is personalized
for all students to achieve success as compassionate and global
citizens.
Chinook Center Values:
C- Cooperative
• Collaborative teaching and learning, multi-aged opportunities
C-Caring
• Family atmosphere, every adult “teaches” every child
S-Safe
• Small school, closely supervised playground, digital safety
Character Education –
Building a Positive Behavior Foundation
The staff at CCS created a mascot that would allow us to model
positive behaviors that will help to build the foundation for
Cooperative, Caring and Safe Citizens.
What Makes Us Unique?
• A Small school with a family atmosphere
• A positive and caring environment that
nurtures global citizenship
• Open area learning spaces
• Personalized learning in an inclusive
environment
• Whole School Guided Reading Program
(Gr.1-4)
Wait! There’s more…
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Multi-aged opportunities for learning
Fine Arts Programming
Self managed administration team
Invested staff committed to mission
and vision
Strong Home/School relationship
Active Parent Council
Parent Volunteers
Shuttle bus service to our school
Successes
What We Accomplished in 2014-2015
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Awesome Parent Survey results!
99% attendance to Student Led Conferences
Focused Collaborative Days that impacted teaching and student learning
Integration of Chromebooks and applications in classrooms
Instructional Leadership focus on Growing Effective Teams, peer
mentorship, teacher development and growth
2nd year of Whole School Guided Reading structure implemented from
Grades 1-4
Baselines established in literacy for programming and personalization
QLE focus for all staff
Professional development attended:
• Daily 5 & CAFE
• RTI
• RTI introduction to all staff, processes in place to implement approach
Provincial Accountability Report Card
2014-15
• A safe and caring school with strong programming
• Quality teaching and learning opportunities continue in all
grades
• CCS is committed to continuous improvement
Chinook Center School Parent
Survey
April 2014
What our parents said…
Statement
My child’s teacher believes in him/her and he/she is appropriately
challenged and encouraged in the classroom
I am satisfied that my child has a positive relationship with at least one
adult in his/her school
I understand and see evidence of CCS’s Literacy Goal
I feel that my child is safe at school
63 Family Responses
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
72%
27%
1%
79%
68%
76%
21%
32%
24%
I am satisfied with the overall communication that the school provides me
I am satisfied with the amount and/or quality of the feedback I receive
regarding my child’s progress
71%
27%
2%
73%
26%
1%
I am satisfied with the overall quality of education that my child is receiving
75%
24%
1%
What this means…
 Parents are informed and highly satisfied that all educational and social
needs are being met at Chinook Center School
 Parents wanted communication that was personalized to their
child/grade/classroom (class newsletters accompany general school news)
How do we know?
(excerpts from parent survey)
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…I have never seen support like our kids get at this school
…all of the adults in the school have had a positive impact on my son
…due to CCS’ literacy focus, my children are avid readers…the passion for
literacy came from CCS
…CCS has created a warm and compassionate environment that allows children
to express themselves and be who they are naturally
…love the SOS system as well as the newsletters and online updates the school
provides
…very happy with all of the feedback I receive, I feel it is thoughtfully written
and relevant
…excellent quality of education is offered at Chinook Center School
Successes
School Council and Parental
Involvement
• Fortunate to have a very active Parent Council
• Organized and offered parent information
evenings
• Financial support for:
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Cultural events
Library Books
Learning materials
Field trips (Calgary Children’s Festival, Safety City, Kerrywood
Nature Center)
• School Theater Programs
• Consistent parent volunteers assisting in the classroom, from
home and with special events
School Goal and Key Strategies
What reading strategies can we implement to
improve comprehension and fluency?
Whole School Guided Reading
• Literacy Place resources
• Scholastic Guided Reading
Clear Grade Level targets,
benchmarks are defined
Daily 5 & CAFE
School wide common reading
assessment and tracking system
• Fountas and Pinnell
• CC Pensive
Targeted readers are
supported with ELI
Programming and levelled
in Whole School Guided
Reading
Literacy focus in all subject areas
Home Reading in all
Grades
Open Library
• Supports
comfortable reading
and learning spaces
School Goal &Planning for 2015-16
 Measure growth from baseline data
 Create quantitative data to provide evidence of success
 Follow CESD READS to determine levels of support for students
 RTI is the verb for which we personalize instruction
 Home Reading alignment between all grades, reading as the
ONLY focus
 Continue to use Collaboration as a forum to drive growth and
reflection of leaders, teaching practice and student
improvement
 Utilize professional development to build research based literacy
knowledge and practice
 Inform parents of research based literacy information
 Continue to access Division supports as needed for at risk
students, FNMI, ESL and inclusive education
Planning for 2015-16
What is Driving Change at Chinook
Center School?
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Instructional Leadership
Collaborative Days
Evidence and Data
Response to Intervention (RTI)
Research and Best Practices
Provincial and CESD Education Goals
Planning for 2015-16
Goals and Targets
• Success for all Students
 Increased focus with FNMI , ESL, Inclusive Ed.
• Implement Best Practices to improve literacy
instruction
• Use of collaborative time to grow as leaders and
teachers and improve learning for all students
Goals and Targets for 2015-2016
 1. Success for all students
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Continue to work with community partners to support students
entering our school.
Access all resources to support FNMI, ESL, Inclusive Ed needs
Continue to use collaborative days to focus on needs, share
resources, classroom practices
Build RTI foundations
 2. Commitment to Improving teaching Practice
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Continue to align materials and goals across grades
Continue to utilize collaboration days as reflection and action forums
Continue to utilize reflection to improve and refine practice
Use Research as guide for practice
Analyze student data to create action plans
 3. Collaborative Focus
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Continue to use Professional Growth plan as living document to drive growth and direction
All staff is included on goal setting and implementation
Relationships continue to grow with Collective Responsibility in mind
RTI becomes the verb for which we meet every students’ needs
Three Trends
• What is on the horizon?
• Commitment to Collective Responsibility for the success of all
students
• Leadership capacity in the school continues to grow through the
Division Instructional Leadership program (PLC, LST, SS)
• Collaboration Days are a focus for staff development and
professional growth that will impact student learning
• RTI and Research drives teaching practice with focus on
personalized learning
Our Challenges
• What challenges are unique in our school and
community?
• Providing supports for ALL student needs: at risk
students, mental health, speech and language, family
wellness
• Catapulting our professional learning (collaborativeresearch based work/structures and methods) into
other areas such as numeracy and social/emotional
Key Messages
What You Should Remember About
Us!
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We are Cooperative, Caring, Safe!
Small is beautiful.
We are a family of learners.
We work hard to establish high academic
expectations through personalize learning.
• We consistently have excellent survey results.
• Our students are true ambassadors of our school!
• We thrive in our unique building and administration
“everyone here wants my child to be successful..”
“the inclusiveness, small class sizes, the teachers!”
“when you come to this school, you feel at home”
Conclusion
Have Your Say…
Have we missed anything?
Have we targeted the right areas for growth?
Do you have any further questions?
Would you like to come for a tour?
• E-mail your questions or comments to us at
cwilligar@chinooksedge.ab.ca