SCHOOL  DISTRICT  NO.  78  (FRASER-CASCADE)

POLICY   NO: 5010 DATE: 2004-11-09 REVISED:

 

SUBJECT: SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLANNING PROCESS

 

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The Board of School Trustees expects that district staff and all School Planning Councils will utilize the attached guidelines and templates as a method for developing school and district growth plans.

 

  1. The intent is to focus attention on improving student achievement.

 

  1. Student Achievement includes intellectual, human and social, and career development.

 

  1. The development and implementation of plans at the school level are of primary importance for improving student achievement.

 

  1. School and district plans should reflect the characteristics, values, and needs of the community they serve.

 

  1. Good use of assessment data improves instruction.

 

  1. Targeting the performance of lowest achieving students is important.

 

  1. Improvement plans should be based on multiple data sources including provincial, district, school, and classroom-based measures.

 

  1. A clear focus on a few key areas can promote commitment and more effective use of resources.

 

  1. District plans should arise from and support the successful implementation of school goals and improvement needs, and from an analysis of provincial, district and school data regarding student achievement results.

 

 

 

 

 

SCHOOL  DISTRICT  NO.  78  (FRASER-CASCADE)

 

GUIDELINES NO: 5010G DATE: 2004-11-09 REVISED:

 

SUBJECT: SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLANNING PROCESS

                  DISTRICT GROWTH PLAN GUIDELINES

 

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The focus of the district growth plan is improving student achievement in all areas of school life and student well being. The board will prepare an accountability contract annually to be submitted on or before October 31st, to the Minister of Education. The district growth plan will be made available to SD #78 residents via the district website, through school PACs and through the district DPAC.

 

In developing its plan, the school district will review how individual schools are performing and how identifiable groups of students are performing through an analysis of school plans and achievement results.

 

The district growth plan will include strategies to improve the achievement of the lowest performing schools and the lowest performing students.

 

The Board will determine First Nations Student achievement goals jointly with the Aboriginal communities the district serves.

 

Goals for district achievement will be:

·        Specific

·        Measurable

·        Achievable

·        Relevant

·        Timely.

 

The district growth plan will include:

 

1.   A description of the context of the district—its characteristics, strengths, and challenges.

2.   Clearly stated goals and the data-based rationale for the selection of the goals.

  1. An identification of outcomes, strategies, and measures for improvement.

4.   An identification of improvement targets.

5.   The progress made in the previous year(s) in moving towards the desired targets.

6.      A description of the way in which the district plan is connected to school plans.

7.      Specific strategies the district will use to support lower achieving schools.

8.      The strategies the district will implement to raise the performance of identified groups of students.

Policy #5010G                                                                                   Page 2

School Planning Councils

 

School Planning Councils (SPC) give parents/guardians, teachers, and principals an advisory process to review school data and to develop and implement school plans aimed at improved student achievement.

 

Fraser-Cascade School District will tap into provincially sponsored Professional Development for parents/guardians, principals, and teachers to assist them in gaining the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully engage in school improvement planning on an annual basis.

 

Mandate:

 

By September 15th, of each year, each school will form a School Planning Council. By May 1st, each school planning council will prepare and submit to the Board of School Trustees a school plan with respect to improving student achievement and other matters contained in the board’s accountability contract as these relate to the school.

 

The SPC, under the principal’s leadership and guidance, will besides developing the school plan, monitor its implementation and review the achieved results.

 

The SPC will consult with the Parents’ Advisory Council during the preparation of the school plan.

 

The SPC will consult with school and district staff during the preparation of the school plan.

 

The SPC will determine First Nations Student achievement goals jointly with the aboriginal communities the school serves.

 

The SPC will not engage in discussion or provide advice regarding:

·        Personal/confidential information on students, teachers, parents/guardians or their employees

·        Complaints about individuals

·        Personnel matters

 

Structure:

 

The structure of the SPC is as follows:

·        School Principal

·        Teacher Representative elected by secret ballot from the teaching staff

·        Three (3) representatives elected from the school Parent Advisory Council who are parents/guardians of children currently enrolled in the school. (One representative must be an elected officer of the PAC).

·        One Student Rep (Secondary Schools)

·        Employees of any School Board in the Province are not eligible for election to the school planning council as parent/guardian representatives.

Policy #5010G                                                                                   Page 3

Responsibilities:

 

School Board

 

·        Ensure that a school planning council is in place for each school as per Bill 34.

·        Determine the District timelines for the School Planning Councils.

·        Communicate the proposed timelines and transition strategies to the schools and the PACs

·        Consult with SPCs as per the consultative process whereby the board seeks advice from those who may be affected by a decision, considers the advice, and then makes its decision.

 

Principal

 

·        Notify the school community that the School Planning Council will be formed.

·        Communicate to the school community the SPCs purpose, mandate, and timelines as per the board’s interim guidelines.

·        Assemble the information required to begin the planning process.

·        Establish operating principles for problem solving, consultation and decision making to ensure that the plan developed by the SPC represents the school community’s shared understandings.

 

Teachers

 

·        Elect a representative by secret ballot to the School Planning Council.

·        Establish a process for the representative to:

 

Parent Advisory Council

 

·        Elect three (3) representatives (one of whom must be a member of the PAC executive) by secret ballot to the School Planning Council.

·        Establish a process for the representatives to:

Policy #5010G                                                                                   Page 4

School Plans

 

Guidelines:

 

School Plans need to be focused on specific areas of student achievement. Student achievement includes intellectual, human and social development, and career development.

 

School Planning Councils are to consider district goals in the development of their school plans.

 

School plans should reflect the context and needs of the school relative to:

 

·        The allocation of staff and resources at the school;

·        Matters contained in the District Growth Plan as they pertain to the school;

·        Educational services and educational programs at the school; and

·        Other pertinent quality of education and school governance issues.

 

School plans are considered a consultative document for the Board of School Trustees.

 

The Board of School Trustees will either accept the school plan as developed by the SPC, return the plan with suggested modification or instruct the school principal to develop an alternate plan. The Board will base its decision on the plan’s relevance, achievability, measurability, and affordability.

 

Schools will consider the following data sources in the development of their plans:

 

·        Graduation rates;

·        Grade-to-grade transitions

·        Foundation Skills Assessment data

·        Provincial Exam Results and participation rates

·        Parent/guardian student and staff survey results

·        Attendance data

·        Behavioral information

·        Report card data

·        Other relevant data

 

School plans will address the performance of subgroups such as gender, Aboriginal, non-Aboriginal, ESL, Special Needs, etc., as per the population of the school.

 

Policy #5010G                                                                                   Page 5

 

School plans should have a few (2 or 3) key goals. Teamwork around a few key goals creates a positive impact on school improvement. Goals should be

 

·        Specific

·        Measurable

·        Achievable

·        Relevant

·        Timely

 

Content:

 

School Plans will include:

 

·        Clearly stated goals, outcomes, strategies, measures and achievement targets.

·        Data-based rational for the selection of the goals.

·        A description of the way the school intends to meet the achievement needs of sub groups of concern to the school.

·        Indication of progress made with respect to previously stated school goals.

·        A budget that reflects revenues and expenditures

 

Planning Cycle:

 

Phase One: Collection and Interpretation

 

All relevant public information about the school should be made available to the School Planning Council. This information should be interpreted by the council to develop a common understanding of its meaning.

 

Phase Two: Review, Analyze and Report

 

The information should be reviewed to identify areas of strength and areas of improvement. These findings should be shared with staff, the PAC and the school community.

 

Phase Three: Developing The Plan

 

Using information from phases one and two, and the feedback received from staff, PAC, the aboriginal community and the school community in general, the school growth plan is developed.

 

After consultation with the PAC, Staff, and School Community, the competed plan is submitted to the School Board for review. The School Board may accept the plan, return the plan for revision or instruct the principal to develop an alternate plan.

 

Phase Four: Implementation and Monitoring

 

The School plan is put into practice and monitored for effectiveness.

Policy #5010G                                                                                   Page 6

 

Funding:

 

The district and schools will work cooperatively to develop district professional development and curriculum implementation plans. District funding is available for district and school level professional development and curriculum implementation planning and development.

 

Professional development opportunities for parents/guardians and staff to successfully engage in the school planning will be made available through provincial educational partner groups that have been funded for this purpose.

 

The Board of School Trustees has budgeted funds for the purpose of school growth planning and implementation. Schools will be funded for this purpose as follows:

 

DASP/HARP/ACE                                                     $500.00

Yale Elementary                                                       $500.00

 

Boston Bar Elementary Secondary                                $1 000.00

 

Coquihalla Elementary                                     $1 500.00

Kent Elementary                                                       $1 500.00

Harrison Hot Springs Elementary                               $1 500.00

C.E. Barry Intermediate                                         $1 500.00

Silver Creek Elementary                                           $1 500.00

 

Hope Secondary                                                        $2 500.00

Agassiz Elementary Secondary                                $2 500.00

 

District Growth Planning                                                $5 500.00

 

Policy #5010G                                                                                   Page 7

 

Parent Advisory Councils

 

PACs are encouraged to amend their constitutions to include the following enabling clauses:

 

·        Three parents/guardians will be elected annually to fill three positions on the School Planning Council.

·        An executive member of the Parent Advisory Council will hold one of the three positions.

·        Voting will be done by secret ballot.

·        Employees of any school board in the Province are not eligible for election as a parent/guardian representative on the School Planning Council.

 

 

 

Policy #5010G                                                                                                                        Page 8

 

TIMELINES

 

School Board/District Staff

 

Yearly

School Planning

Councils

 

 

 

Begin analyzing data to report on progress regarding growth plan goals.

September

 

 

 

 

Report on Progress and consult with partner groups to update district growth plan

September-October

Establish School SPCs.

Submit previous school year’s progress report to superintendent.

 

 

 

Review Draft district growth plan with partner groups

September-December

Review School growth plans with SPCs, collect and analyze data, and monitor results

 

 

Review draft district growth plans to examine linkages and to provide input.

Submit district’s growth plan

October 31

 

 

December-March

Continue to collect and analyze data to identify growth areas

 

Report interim progress on three-year district growth plan goals. Review district growth plans

 

January-March 31

 

 

Consult with staff, PAC and First Nations communities to develop school growth plans

 

Visit Schools to discuss draft school plans

March-April

Complete School Growth Plans and review with the Superintendent/Assistant

 

 

 

 

May 1

Submit plans to district

 

 

 

Begin consultations with educational partners to update district plan

May-June

Present school plans to the Board of School Trustees for Review

 

Review and approve School Growth Plans

 

June

 

 

Fall,

Monitor implementation of School Plans until new SPC is formed.