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Measures of Student Achievement and Success
The Progress Report in November provides an early indication of learning skills, successes, and areas for improvement. As a vehicle to provide “Assessment for Learning”, this report does not use marks or grades, but provides talking points for teachers, students, and parents to set goals for the school year.
• Provincial Report Cards incorporate academic grades, evaluation of Learning Skills, and comments by teachers. They go home in February and June.
• Senior Kindergarten students receive two report cards, mid-year and end-of-year. Junior Kindergarten students receive one end-of-year report card.
• Enrichment and remedial accommodations are provided where deemed necessary, and Inpidual Education Plans are provided as needed.
• Rubrics are used as benchmarks in assessment.
• A school-wide tracking system monitors the needs and successes of students.
• We value ongoing communication with students and parents, and willingly give and receive feedback.
• Teacher Moderation: groups of teachers co-mark student work in order to clarify expectations and develop consistent standards.
• During the 2013--2014 school year, Greely is working with a Numeracy Coach on our school improvement goals.
• EQAO - Provincial Assessment of Reading, Writing and Mathematics – Primary (grade 3) and Junior (grade 6)
• PM Benchmarks in grade 1,2,3, and some Junior classes
• CASI Reading Assessments and DRA in Junior Grades
School Improvement Plans and Initiatives
Cycle One focus: composing and decomposing numbers for true understanding in mathematics. “Students will represent mathematical ideas and relationships using concrete materials.”
Other Initiatives:
Greely Elementary has been recognized by the Ottawa Health Unit as A Healthy School. In cooperation with our parent community, healthy eating is encouraged. Healthy hot lunches (trans fat free) are organized, as well as other healthy incentives. Whole grain snacks and fruit are available for students who have an insufficient lunch.
Our School Improvement Plan focuses on improving student learning and developing higher-order thinking, particularly in math. Up-to-date program materials (such as Leveled Literacy Intervention Kits), and continued renewal of math manipulatives support our emphasis on Balanced Literacy and Balanced Numeracy. Our Literacy Bookrooms and our Science and Math Resource Room allow easy access to the resources for classroom instruction. Teachers meet regularly in teams to collaborate and plan programs and activities for our students, such as a school-wide emphasis on communicating mathematical ideas through Data Management.
Staff members work cooperatively to introduce computer programs and assistive technology to our students. Seven SMART® Boards are in regular use to provide a motivating interactive learning environment. Specialized computers and assistive technology programs are provided for students whose special needs require these resources.
Our Awards Program for grades 4-6 includes: Academic Excellence, Learning Skills, Most Improved, Leadership, Citizenship, and Sportsmanship awards. An annual Celebration of Learning is held for the grade six school-leavers. Our special events include: a very moving Remembrance Day Service involving community members, field trips, visiting authors or storytellers and other arts presentations, hosting community sports figures, etc. This year we are hosting the Osgoode Area Choral Music Festival. A Greely Shout-out program originated this year; students are awarded “shout-outs” for displaying good character during school activities: empathy, fairness, cooperation, optimism, integrity, perseverance, responsibility, respect, acceptance, and appreciation. Intramural sports, as well as classroom and schoolyard conduct are all ways to earn shout-outs. Monthly Character Assemblies celebrate the growth of our students in these character traits with certificates, shout-outs, and a slide show of our students in action. Students are proud of their contributions and participation in the Terry Fox Run, the M.S. Readathon, Pass the Baton for Parkinson’s, Children’s Wish Foundation, the Osgoode/Enniskerry Food Bank, and student-initiated responses to disaster relief. Jump Rope for Heart celebrates over 30 years of contributions from our students. In addition, we support the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board’s “Education Foundation of Ottawa” with “Toonie Tuesday” once a year.
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