St. Justin School Plan for Continuous Growth 2018-2021 - Act justly, love tenderly, walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)
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St. Justin School Plan for Continuous Growth
2018-2021
Act justly, love tenderly, walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)
September 2018 Page 1St. Justin Plan for Continuous Growth 2018-2021
School Mission: The mission of St. Justin Catholic Elementary School is to bring Christ’s
message into our students’ everyday lives through modeling our teaching and our daily contact
with them while developing their unique individual capabilities to live and learn in a responsible
manner according to Christ’s principles.
School Vision: In a Christ-centered supportive environment, we will strive to inspire our
students to reach their potential, while celebrating their unique gifts and talents, and preparing
them to be environmental stewards and successful 21st century learners.
School Charism: St. Justin School, through the charisms of faith, social justice support, and
leadership, nurtures an enriching Catholic learning community for all to reach their full
potential and become living witnesses of Christ.
Data Analysis:
Areas to celebrate
Accountability Pillar Measure Category:
St. Justin School scored above District and was ranked Excellent in the following
areas: SAFE AND CARING SCHOOLS, STUDENT LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES –
Education Quality, PREPARATION FOR LIFELONG LEARNING, WORLD OF WORK,
CITIZENSHIP – Work Preparation and Citizenship, PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT,
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT – School Improvement
Acceptable: STUDENT LEARNING ACHIEVEMENT– PAT: Improvement
Improved Significantly: CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT– School Improvement—from
Very High to Excellent
Improved: STUDENT LEARNING ACHIEVEMENT– PAT: Acceptable from Low to
Acceptable
District Satisfaction STUDENTS Grades 4-6:
Survey Students scored above District Average in 24/25 areas.
Regression Analysis Grade 6:
There has been an improvement in the scores for our students in the
following subject areas: Mathematics
PAT/Diploma analysis The school continued to improved significantly over last year in the following subject
areas:
• English Language Arts: Writing
Standard of Acceptable
• Social Studies:
Standard of Acceptable
September 2018 Page 2• Mathematics:
Acceptable Standard
Our School Survey Social Emotional Outcomes: St. Justin School was above District Average in the
numerous categories including the following:
Feel Safe Attending This School; Positive Teacher-Student Relations; Positive
Learning Climate; Expectations for Success; Importance of Religious Celebrations
and Prayer; Exploring their Love of God and Service to Community
5 Marks of Catholic The areas where we grew were as follows:
School Identity Mark Three: Animated by a Faith Infused Curriculum
Assessment Standard Three: An excellent Catholic school has an academic curriculum that
integrates a vision of faith within the learner outcomes and teaching strategies.
The school offers a Catholic faith-infused curriculum (the lessons of which) that
could not be duplicated in a non-Catholic school.
The curriculum addresses the spiritual, moral and ethical life of the student, either
explicitly or implicitly.
Gospel values and Church teaching are regularly and consistently incorporated into
planning and instruction.
Mark Five: Shaped by a Spirituality of Communion
Standard Five: An excellent Catholic school recognizes that each and every
stakeholder is responsible for the common good.
The school has an active and vibrant parent advisory council working with a shared
purpose. (Although our school council is small, it is very active.)
The Catholic school has a plan to increase involvement of parents in the life of the
school and parish.
Areas to target for growth
Data Source Measures Goals in response to data
Accountability There are no areas of decline. Several areas that we will continue to
Pillar work on and address are:
STUDENT LEARNING ACHIEVEMENT:
PAT – Acceptable; PAT Excellence.
We will work on these through our
goals of Literacy and Numeracy.
District No concerns Parents are encouraged to
Satisfaction participate in their children's
Survey learning by joining School Council,
volunteering, reading, attending
numeracy sessions, participating
in student led conferences and
functions; and supporting student
learning at home (i.e. Home
Reading, numeracy basic facts,
signing student agenda).
The use of technology to assist
staff’s instructional practices, and
students in their learning, has also
been heavily invested in over the
past several months.
September 2018 Page 3Regression Regression Analysis: Both Literacy and numeracy
Analysis We will continue to focus our support on literacy continues to be our main areas of
(nonfiction – science related) and numeracy. focus in our goals and we support
these two components in our school
PAT/Diploma We will continue to focus support on Mathematics, and district growth plans. Ongoing
analysis Science, Social Studies, and Language Arts Professional Development
opportunities for our St. Justin School
teaching staff that directly impact
student learning.
5 Marks of Need to work on: We have identified the need to create
Catholic Mark Two: Imbued with a Catholic Worldview a sacred space for students and adults
School Standard Two: An excellent Catholic school has a to engage daily with their faith:
Identity visible and tangible Catholic vision evident in its witness, pray, reflect, worship, and
Assessment physical space, liturgical celebrations, and prayer life. put their beliefs into practice.
We have identified the need to create
and sustain opportunities to enhance
our partnership between home,
school, and parish.
Goals:
Goal 1:
Students will meet or exceed their predicted levels of achievement on school-based
assessments and PAT exams.
District Correlation:
ECSD Goal One: ECSD students are successful
1.2 Identify and implement best practices that align with excellent early learning pedagogy
and learning environments.
1.3 Ensure that flexible and responsive programming meets the diverse needs of all learners.
ECSD Goal Two: ECSD supports First Nations, Métis and Inuit students’ success
Objective: In collaboration with our Indigenous communities, we will continue to be at the
forefront of developing best practices to ensure success of First Nations, Métis and Inuit
students.
2.1 Increase academic success and cultural knowledge by promoting successful practices to
support First Nations, Métis and Inuit students.
a) Continue programs and enhanced academic and cultural supports for all students.
ECSD Goal Four: ECSD has excellent teachers, and school and school authority leaders
Objective: We will provide an optimal learning and working environment that fosters a
culture of faith, trust, unity, inclusivity, confidence, respect, value and appreciation for one
another.
September 2018 Page 44.1 Provide professional learning opportunities that build the capacity and leadership of all
staff to improve learner success.
4.4 Promote excellent teaching practices consistent with the Teaching Quality Standard,
which guides student achievement.
4.6 Ensure that every school and department create the conditions for optimal student
learning and achievement within the context of a Catholic learning community.
a) Engage in professional learning aligned with the provincial focus on the learner
competencies, literacy and numeracy, conceptual and procedural knowledge as per the
Ministerial Order on Student Learning (May 6, 2013), and continue to focus on the
foundations of literacy and numeracy and Alberta Education’s key competencies.
b) Ensure that assessment practices focus on improved student learning
c) Ensure that schools and departments are given flexibility in allocating resources to meet
their unique needs.
Sub Goal A:
Students will increase their reading levels as measured by Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark
Assessment Tool, as well as improve their ability to express themselves in written form.
Strategy 1:
Certificated staff will be trained to administer and interpret standardized reading assessment
tools and use the data.
Actions Measures/ Evidence of
1. Lead teachers will participate in district professional effectiveness
development through the district and provide professional Continued improvement in
development to teaching staff, sharing best practices. classroom based and
standardized student
2. Through Communities of Practice, teachers gain skill in achievement results as a
administration and interpretation of data gained from using result of intentional targeted
the F&P Benchmark Assessment Tool. literacy teaching:
• F&P scores indicate
decreasing numbers of
struggling readers
• PAT Language Arts
Scores (Part A and B)
3. All teachers Grades K-6 receive coaching and modeling. reflect higher number of
students achieving at
4. Community of Practice on site. acceptable and
excellence levels
Consistency throughout staff
in delivery and interpretation
September 2018 Page 5of data of F&P Benchmark
Assessment tool.
Students will display their
interest and passion for
reading/literature through
authentic oral and written
responses shared with the
student community.
Strategy 2:
Certificated staff will utilize strategic text to deepen knowledge and expertise of literary
practices in the area of writing, and to further enhance students’ learning
Actions Measures/ Evidence of
1. Continued professional reading. effectiveness
Deliberate practice in
2. Staff professional development sessions targeted on the teaching writing skills to
topics of reading/writing site with Language Arts Consultants students in Kindergarten –
Grade 6.
3. Expert modelling of writing lessons in each classroom 3-4
times throughout the school year for all staff. Collegial sharing.
4. Planned school wide and district opportunities for Visible growth in skill of
authentic writing experiences ongoing throughout the school student writing; quality and
year. level of confidence in writer.
5. School-wide Write On experiences, paired with teacher Students will participate in
collaborative marking opportunities and professional authentic writing
dialogue with colleagues to follow, twice per year. opportunities.
Enhance student pride
6. Authentic student writing samples (i.e. welcome, through a variety of publicly
commitment to Catholic Schools) on display in main office shared writing samples.
(Celebrating Local Student Authors)
Strategy 3:
Increase school wide and community focus on fostering positive attitude towards reading
Actions Measures/ Evidence of
1. Extend Read In Week to include the full school year effectiveness
2. Celebrate student birthdays with the gift of child’s choice Student excitement about a
of a new book variety of guest readers in
school (i.e. parents,
community and public
figures)
September 2018 Page 6Students are excited about
choice of books for birthday
acknowledgements,
purchase, or borrowing from
Learning Commons
3. Continued opportunities to experience excellent quality High level of student
books: participation:
• Scholastic Book Fair • voting for YRCA 2018
• Used book sale/exchange for students • visiting Book Fair,
• Continued additions to complement and grow the used book sale
Learning Commons collection of resources
• Participation in YRCA 2018 Students and families gain
• Edmonton Public Library presentations on site awareness of Edmonton
Public Library programs
4. Provide students experience to interact with authors, Select students provided
illustrators or literacy productions: opportunity to participate in
• Young Author’s Writing Conference Young Author’s Writing
• Host an author visit Conference.
• Theatre production celebrating reading/literacy Increased awareness of
(Rooney and Punyi Reading presentation) author collections and the
craft of writing.
5. Continued acknowledgement of student participation in Learning Commons
Home Reading programs: circulation continues to
• Draws to participate in Pizza lunch grow.
• School wide Pizza lunch Excitement and enthusiasm
• Student goal setting twice per year for reading and growth in
student participation and
parent support for Home
Reading programs
Strategy 4:
Final stage of Learning Commons transformation; creating a well-organized and easily
accessible center for learning and literacy for the school community.
Actions Measures/ Evidence of
effectiveness
Emily Rowan Library and Music Memorial Endowment Fund Additional purchases of
recipient as well as continued partnership with School highly requested
Council: materials/resources for
students and staff, including
completion of seating and
shelving projects.
September 2018 Page 7• Continue to add to our library collection
(STEM/STEAM resources, high quality literature, YRCA
collection) Student and staff are aware
of and follow common
expectations.
Complete organizational structure of materials in Learning
Commons and develop a culture of understanding of the
common expectations and organization of the learning space
Sub Goal B
Students will be more efficient, accurate and flexible in their ability to work with basic facts
appropriate to their level.
Strategy 1:
Certificated staff will participate in a variety of professional development opportunities.
Actions Measures/ Evidence of
1. Professional Development with math consultant and effectiveness
partner school.
Increase in achievement
2. Staff representatives collaborate with math curriculum levels at the acceptable and
consultant to analyze and interpret assessments. excellence levels for Math:
• PAT Part A
• Regression analysis
3. COPs for staff focusing on best practices and activities to
support the acquisition of successful strategies to promote Professional collegial sharing
flexibility and accuracy to increase student success with basic of learning.
fact fluency.
Assessment tools will help to
4. School wide focus on computational fluency with basic successfully identify and
facts to promote flexible thinking strategies. strategically implement
targeted instruction.
5. Collaborative teaching and planning will occur to enhance
understanding the continuum focus with COP grouping to
share/create activities.
6. Students will have opportunity to teach peers and learn
from peers in mathematical learning experiences.
Strategy 2: Interactive visual displays will continue to build throughout the school year.
Actions Measures/ Evidence of
1. SIOP strategies encouraged to enhance the teaching of effectiveness
basic fact fluency and foundational numeracy skills.
Math is visible throughout
2. Interactive visual displays to support academic language the school (i.e. vocabulary,
development will be posted in central areas accessible to all process thinking, math
September 2018 Page 8throughout the school year, as well as intentional school- journals, curriculum
wide teaching through morning broadcast. outcomes)
3. Personal dictionaries, visual dictionaries, and/or classroom Students will use personal
visuals will be used in all classrooms to enhance vocabulary dictionaries or other
develop and to provide easy access for students to support vocabulary tools accessible to
their learning in math and other content areas. them independently in the
classroom to support
learning and build confidence
Strategy 3:
Students will be able to use academic language to identify strategies used, along with an
explanation as to how they were successful with basic facts fluency.
Actions Measures/ Evidence of
1. Students will articulate their understanding of strategies effectiveness
used in their basic fact fluency to peers and adults.
Staff and students regularly
2. Staff will identify and model academic terms related to hear appropriate strategies
basic facts fluency. named and discussed related
to basic fact fluency.
Review Date 1:
Review Date 2:
Goal 2: Over the course of the year, we will focus on living our faith so that our students and
our community grow together and develop an understanding of witness.
District Correlation:
Edmonton Catholic School District Goal: Live and enhance the distinctiveness of Catholic
education
This goal is central to our mission and fundamental to our being. We are called to live the
Word of God through worship, witness, and service.
1.1 Demonstrate the distinctiveness and advantages of Catholic education.
a) Continue to enhance the home – school – parish relationships.
b) Cultivate and support a Catholic ethos/environment within each site.
c) Demonstrate a way of life rooted in the Catholic Christian call to discipleship and service.
d) Ensure that permeation of faith remains central in all our day to day practices.
1.2 Promote and foster the presence of Edmonton Catholic Schools in the education, Church,
civic, business and government communities.
b) Create opportunities to be a visible presence in the broader community including
evangelization of our families.
September 2018 Page 9c) Support and promote the work of the Edmonton Catholic Schools Foundation.
e) Provide opportunities for relevant and authentic student engagement.
1.3 Demonstrate commitment to and excellence in Catholic education.
a) Deliver and support our Religious Education programs to all students as a spirit-
filled lived experience.
b) Continue a focus on faith formation learning opportunities for all staff.
c) Expect the same practice of excellence, professional preparation and quality of
resource materials for Religious Education instruction as for other academic
instruction.
d) Continue to develop the role of the school-based chaplain to support the faith
formation of students and staff and support sacred-space environments.
g) Continue to enhance and strengthen our Catholic identity through revisioning the
Five Marks of Catholic School Identity Implementation Plan (2015-2018) (Five Marks
of Catholic Education) and continue teacher faith formation through the Five Marks of
Catholic School Identity and the Excellent Catholic Teacher (The Excellent Catholic
Teacher).
Strategy 1: Create and sustain opportunities to enhance our partnership between home,
school and parish.
Actions Measures/ Evidence of
1. Community will increase their involvement in our liturgical effectiveness
life: Parents and families will be invited to join us for faith- Increased community
based activities including school wide liturgical, class, and attendance at faith events
parish celebrations. Information and invitations will be and experience the
shared through a variety of ways: newsletters, website, opportunity to enter into
student made invitations, as well as through Swift K-12. prayer together (classroom,
school, and parish).
Initiation of Catholic
Education mass for our
school at the parish.
2. Parish staff will have increased presence in our school.)
3. To further develop our relationship, parish events will be
shared in the school newsletter and important school
information will be shared in the parish newsletter to create All stakeholders will
an awareness of and develop our sense of community experience the home, school,
between parish and school. and parish community
working together in a variety
4. We will enter into communication with the parish priest, of ways:
district consultants, and district religious leaders about • District Satisfaction
sacred spaces, and designate an area in our school for the Survey Results
development of an indoor sacred space. • Our School Survey
results
September 2018 Page 10• Five Marks year end
assessment
5. Staff will enter into community through participation in a
liturgical celebration with our Community of Schools at our
designated parish.
Visits go beyond celebrations
to include presentations and
participation in classroom
learning – both in the religion
6. Invite parents to Education Week activities (grand re- class and beyond
opening and dedication of the Learning Commons, as well as
blessing of the new space, Learning through Games Math
Event, Christmas concerts etc.) Increased parent attendance
at religious celebrations and
learning
7. Enter into partnership with School Council on targeted celebrations/demonstrations
events connecting home and school:
• Welcome Back Family Dance (new)
• Learning evening for parents i.e. Internet Safety Increased participation in
Session parish and school events,
• Numeracy/Literacy afternoon/evening session during including volunteerism.
Education Week
Strong participation in
celebrating the liturgy (mass)
with our family of Catholic
Schools on a designated
Thursday afternoon in
January.
Increased parental
attendance at events to
support learning and
celebration of student
learning.
Strategy 2: Create and sustain opportunities for student and staff commitment to acts of
service and stewardship in and beyond the school.
Actions Measures/ Evidence of
1. Students will engage in student-led service: G.O.D. Squad effectiveness
(Giving of Ourselves to Do good) student leaders from grades
4-6 will actively plan service activities at the school and Students will articulate their
community level to celebrate and support our school effort rationale for their social
to visibly live our faith; Walking Together in God’s Love. justice choices and will
September 2018 Page 112. Student leaders from grades 4-6 will have the opportunity demonstrate commitment to
to attend WE Day and share their experiences and stories of their causes.
inspiration at a student led assembly.
3. Teachers will plan cross-curricular activities or projects
that go beyond our school and into the community to
highlight Catholic social teaching, citizenship, and the Students will share stories of
foundations of our faith. inspiration and ignite interest
from students to become
4. Staff will engage community service opportunities: As a involved in Social Justice
staff we will commit to providing one afternoon of service to initiatives at the school level
a community organization in the first half of the year, and
another in the second half of the year. These experiences will Staff will share their rationale
be shared and reflected upon by staff with students at for the social justice choices
assembly and at our Faith Day. made as well as the personal
responses to their
commitment to their causes.
Students will see staff as
models of authentic Christ-
centered service in the
community.
Strategy 3: Create an environment conducive to hearing and proclaiming the Word of God
clearly at school wide celebrations, contributing to a positive experience and understanding
for all present; students, staff, parents, and guests.
Actions Measures/ Evidence of
1. In partnership with School Council and through application effectiveness
to the Community Initiatives Program (CIP) Grant, we will Successful application for CIP
secure funding to rebuild the audio and visual equipment in grant with financial
the school gymnasium. contributions from School
Council.
Students will use technology
to lead celebrations in the
gymnasium.
Clarity of messages shared at
celebrations (The Word of
God) is high standard.
More meaning is attained as
a result of clear sound and
visuals.
September 2018 Page 12Review Date 1: Review Date 2: September 2018 Page 13
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