Student Success Reaching Every Student TCDSB CSAC Conference

1. Student SuccessReaching Every StudentTCDSB CSAC Conference Presented by TCDSB Student Success Department Loretta Notten, Supt. of Student Success October 2006 We can make a difference… One student at a time One Teacher at a time

2. Welcome Parents to TCDSB CSAC Conference 2006

3. Through Me Through me let there be kind words and warm heart and a caring smile, Through me let there be a willingness to listen and a readiness to understand, Through me let there be dependability, steadfastness, trust and loyalty. Through me let there be compassion, forgiveness, mercy and love. Through me let there be every quality I find in Thee, O Lord. Amen

4. Agenda: Part One • Student Success Overview & • The Four Pillars • Pathways Program & Fast Forward • Key Goals & Strategies for the Year • Ministry’s Student Success Commission: • Student Success Initiative 06-07 • SSTs & CR • Credit Recovery • Key experiential learning programs

5. The challenge of preparing our children for an unknown future. 4 Fundamental Questions • How do we encourage our children to “aim for the stars” in light of rapidly changing times and an uncertain future? • Which form, if any, of post-secondary education will be the best for my child? • Can my child lead a successful and productive life with or without a university degree or a college diploma? • My child will be challenged to meet the rigorous demands of a high school diploma. What hope is there for my child?

6. A Catholic Community Our Board’s mission is “to educate students to their full potential” We strive to provide: • Programs and Supports • Hope and Opportunity • Honour and Dignity Excellence and Success for ALL !

7. Year 2000 Ontario Student Flow from Grade 9 to Post-Secondary Destinations OSSD to Work 24% Grade 9 Enrolment = 100% OSSD to University OSSD to College 28% 23% 25% Leave Before OSSD Alan King, Double Cohort Study (Phase II Report, p. 18), October 2002

8. “Why are some students failing courses in Grades 9 and 10?” • Is the transition from elementary school to secondary school more difficult than expected? • Are the demands of the curriculum too difficult? • Are students enrolled in courses and programs that do match their interests, aptitudes and abilities?

9. The Parenting Challenge !! Balance the dreams and aspirations you have for your child with their real-life strengths, abilities and interests. Consider the statistics as you make educational and career decisions with your child.

10. Schools are Communities of Dignity Our children should be at peace in the knowledge that they are supported by their parents, their teachers, and their schools. Catholic schools have comprehensive programs that prepare all students for their chosen post-secondary destination: • University • College • Apprenticeship/College • Workplace /”On the Job” Training

11. Program Pathways A program pathway consists of the combination or “package” of secondary school courses that make up a student’s educational program and the supports that are provided in offering that program. A program pathway is designed to lead a student to a particular destination within a large grouping of jobs that are related to each other in some special way.

12. Program Pathways Within each program pathway, students may take Academic, Applied, Locally Developed, and Opencourses in Grades 9 and 10. The program pathway will also include a variety of courses in Grades 11 and 12. These may include Open or College, University and Workplace Preparation courses.

13. University Program Pathways • Courses for 9 & 10 are taken at: • ACADEMIC -- “D” • Applied – “P” • OPEN -- “O” • COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY – “C/U/M” • You Should Consider this Pathway if: • You have experienced good academic success in English ,Science, and Mathematics. • You have demonstrated that you can work independently. • You have demonstrated that you can work cooperatively with others. • You have an excellent attendance record.

14. Apprenticeship and College Program Pathways • Courses for 9 & 10 are taken at : • Academic --“D” • Applied --“P” • Locally Developed – “LDCC” • Open -- “O” You should consider this pathway if: You are able to effectively communicate at grade 5 to grade 7 level. You have demonstrated an aptitude working on practical projects and with concrete objects. You are able to work independently with some guidance, supervision and can follow directions when given.

15. School–Work Transition Program Pathways Opportunities to: • complete secondary school diploma or certificate requirements, • meet the entry-level requirements of a specific industry, • develop employability and industry-specific skills, and obtain experience in the workplace. Students develop the knowledge and the range of skills (literacy, numeracy, life, technical and employability) required to make a direct entry into the work force.

16. Experiential Learning Regardless of your child’s post secondary destination, it’s beneficial to have a solid understanding of the real-life demands of the workplace. Experiential learning includes guest speakers, industry tours, “job shadowing”, “job twinning”, and work experience.

17. Which “program pathway” is right for my child? • Choose a program pathway that is clearly aligned with your child’s strengths and learning styles. • Choose a program pathway that your child is likely to regard as relevant and meaningful. • Choose a program pathway that will allow your child to experience early success. Remember, a program pathway is not a permanent commitment … it may be revised or redirected as skills develop and interests change.

18. What Can Parents Do to Identify the Right Program Pathway? • Engage your children in discussions to identify future goals and dreams. • Take an active interest in completing their Annual Education Plan. • Become a career coach to your children. • Encourage your children to attend career fairs.

19. “Essential Skills” Experiential Learning Opportunities Authentic Workplace Documents Technical Skills Life Skills Industry-Recognized Certification Multiple-Credit Technological Education Substitutions for Compulsory Courses Promote OSSD, OSSC and COA Locally Developed Compulsory Courses

20. Schools offering Fast Forward Programs Phase One Schools Transportation Construction Hospitality/Tourism St. Patrick Archbishop Romero Bishop Marrocco/Thomas Merton Mary Ward J. Cardinal McGuigan St. Mary Jean Vanier Fr. Henry Carr Don Bosco Blessed Mother Teresa

21. The 4 Pillars of Student Success: • Pathways… • Literacy • Numeracy • Catholicity, Community, Culture and Caring

22. Student Success…Literacy plan • It is about more than a successful result on the OSSLT • Students need literacy skills in order to succeed in ANY subject in school • History/research has shown that the more credits a student fails in grade 9, the more likely they are not to complete secondary school

23. Focus on The Literacy Plan Focus on

24. Cross Panel Connections • Each secondary school will select 3 local elementary schools to participate in the dialogues. • Each elementary school will send 2 teachers to participate in the dialogues; one school per SS department. • Grade 8 teachers / Elementary schools will be selected based on natural PLN connections.

25. Team Learning Process • Begin with the data • Analyze the data • Prioritize the needs • Develop a collaborative plan • Identify improvement strategies • Teachers use agreed upon strategies • Establish specific measurable standards or goals • Monitor results Collect new data • Compare results…

26. Student Success….Numeracy: • Discovering new modes of learning • TIPs • Manipulatives • Technology • LIFT • Math Trek • CLIPs • SMART Boards

27. Catholicity, Community, Culture and Caring The impact of one caring adult….

28. Catholicity, Community, Culture & Caring… • Attendance • Behaviour • Social-emotional • Transition • Student Success Team • Student Success Teacher

29. Student Success Reach every student One student at a time One teacher at a time

30. Student Success Keys themes for 06-07: • Consolidation and Alignment • Transition • Differentiated Instruction • “Starting Right in Grade 9” Layered on each of those is: • Use of Data – evidence based decision making (assessment literacy) • Need for sustainability • Exchange of Information: • From ES to SS • From SS to ES (re success – or lack thereof – of former students)

31. Questions school teams should be asking throughout the year: • Credit accumulation • Literacy Plan • Numeracy Plan • Transition plans 7, 8 – 9 • SST allocation/SS Team

32. TCDSB PD Model for Student Success Initiatives (7-12) Consolidation - Alignment Whole System PD Initiatives as Identified by Ministry and Success for All Differentiated Support Schools as Identified by Ministry*, by StS Steering Comm and Self-identified *”Sharpening Our Focus” C & A / Stud Success Resource Teachers = Network Facilitator C & A / SS Resource Teachers = Network Facilitator Regular Team Meetings per region School Teams: Principal (or VP) SSTs Credit Recovery Teachers Guidance Spec Ed Literacy Lead Numeracy Lead Coop Teacher Regular Workshops delivered in Family of Schools / 3 – 6 schools per session Floating Venues; PLCs will be used on occasion More personal interaction; Needs identified Where gaps still exist; differentiated support offered Mentors: Literacy teachers Numeracy teachers Pathways teachers PLCs / PLNs – Address needs identified in central PD Focus Schools: Personal Coaching/Mentoring

33. TCDSB PD Model for Key Initiatives (K – 12) Consolidation – Alignment Ministry Curriculum & Accountability / Student Success Literacy Numeracy Pathways Regional Team Meetings Literacy RT, Numeracy RT, Mentors, PLT, Staff Dev., Set Direction for the region based on Central Initiatives and Needs of Region – ensure reciprocal dialogue • *Methods of providing Differentiated/aligned support • Lesson studies • Dialogue (small group) • Personal coaching / mentoring • Facilitator to other support / master teachers • Role of PLC teachers: • Reflects needs of region • Represents a constructive voice • Provides differentiated Support * • Attends all system inservices

34. Breakthrough Model… • Precision • Personalization • Professional Learning Personalization Precision Moral Purpose Professional Learning Triple P Core Components

35. Mapping the data to action • “Yes, so…and now what…?” The School Learning Plan as roadmap

36. Our key strategies: • High expectations • Mentorship and coaching • Precise effective teaching • Using data to inform practice • Differentiation • Experiential Learning

37. Student Success Strategy 2006-2007Focus: The classroom teacher and the individual student • The Four Targeted Student Success Priorities • Increasing Grade 9 & 10 credit accumulation • Ensuring the total Student population does better • Supporting the culture shift in secondary schools • Introducing greater student access to more choice

38. Student Success Teachers (SST)Guiding Principles • Member of the School’s Student Success Team • Provides key leadership role • Key facilitator for: • Direct student advocacy and mentoring • Student monitoring • School-wide professional learning focused on students • Student instruction i.e. Credit Recovery & other intervention strategies • SST reports directly to Principal • SST to work with Administration, Guidance and Special Education to align services for students at risk

39. Student Success Teachers (SST)Guiding Principles • SST to have working relationships with Student Success Leader. Meetings must include: • Mentoring of SST • Provide SST with relevant training • Sharing of best practices • Data collection, sharing and analysis • By 2006-07 boards should be demonstrating movement towards achieving an SST allocation of 1.0 FTE

40. SST & the Student Success Team • Every school to have a Student Success Team • 2 primary functions of Student success Team • To develop school procedures and models for the effective delivery of all student success initiatives • To track, coordinate and assume responsibility for at-risk students through the SST • The Credit Recovery Team is a sub-set of the School Student Success Team

41. CreditRecoveryTeam • As a minimum requirement, Credit Recovery Team must be comprised of the Principal or designate, the SST and Guidance Head or designate • When discussing placement and where appropriate, team can include professional support staff, Special Education Head or designate, and subject specific teachers • Team will convene periodically to determine Credit Recovery Placement of a student who has failed a course

42. Credit Recovery Eligibility For each student who fails a course, the subject teacher shall complete the Recommended Course Placement Form which recommends the following options: • Repeating the entire course at the same or different level • Summer School • Night School • Credit Recovery When Credit Recovery is recommended the subject teacher shall provide: • The final mark for the course • A breakdown of all marks for the course attached to the Recommended Course Placement Form • Reasons for Credit Recovery recommendations

43. Credit Recovery Some Guiding Principles: • Credit recovery is part of whole school culture and has equal status with other forms of course delivery • Credit recovery is not a replacement for effective instruction and intervention during initial credit attempt. • Decisions regarding final placement in Credit Recovery must consider all factors that limited success • The teacher of the initial program (subject Teacher) must provide the Credit Recovery Team with relevant information to be considered when placing the student • Programs must be pedagogically sound and credible, recovered credit must demonstrate achievement of the overall course expectations

44. Continuous In-Take Co-opFocus: Students who are in danger of not graduating in their current school year. • Students have 20 or more credits but are not experiencing success at present time. • Students can earn anywhere from 1-4+ co-op credits. • Students work on independent modules at flexible locations with CIC teacher support and mentoring. • Home school submits referral form , application and résumé to CIC teacher. • Admission process involves home school, CIC teacher and parent. • Students remain on home school rolls.

45. Community In Community OutFocus: Students 15 years or older who are at risk due to low credit count • Alternative program designed for students who are not fully engaged in regular high school setting. • Program emphasis is on building community and involves: • One-to-one counselling • Individualized programming • Experiential learning • Small curriculum modules intertwined with community-service projects • Students continue working on high school diploma through a core credit package and individual needs. • Referral Process in place

46. What does Student Success look like at the local school: Reach every student One student at a time One teacher at a time

47. Next Steps to Student Success: Be involved Be aware Be supportive …Be an agent of hope