2+Department+Goals


 * Department Goals derived from our PD Day November 18, 2011:**
 * Commitment statements:**
 * Student Success**
 * Collaboration**
 * Core Assignments for each course**
 * Commitment to meaningful PD to achieve these goals**


 * Department Goal: To close the achievement gaps for at risk students in English 1P courses by 10% at the end of semester 1 and semester 2.**

SIP Foci: • Critical Literacy/ Higher Order Thinking Skills • Reading intervention strategies for adolescent non-readers • Problem Solving Approach to Mathematic • Community, Culture and Caring • Engage students and to encourage their developments lifelong learners • Engages at risk students and early leavers • Expand pathway opportunities and improve students outcomes for diverse learners, with a view to closing achievement gaps

Examination of the data of at risk students in English 1P, 2P and LD courses revealed 26%... Attach class numbers here. Attendance of at-risk students
 * Planning:** When creating your goal please explain the data that you used to create your goal and what this data suggests. Examples could be from the Department Data Analysis worksheet (handed out at the cabinet retreat), demographics, program, perceptual data, etc.

We need to identify the teachers who have a well-developed/repertoire skill set for addressing the needs of students who access applied level learning. We need to examine our course outline to ensure balanced, assessment and evaluation practices. Refer to Student Success data base of relevant information about at-risk students.

Note: Each area of the English Department that includes Media and Drama has smart goals that are designed to engage and foster student success.

Strategies: Provide PD to support teachers with learning gaps in addressing the needs of students who access applied level learning.
 * Act:** This is your Department Goal – please indicate how you are addressing the two following areas. Also please include strategies that your department will use to improve student achievement.

Visit Grade 8 feeder schools to demonstrate for students the different teaching approaches to support the different learning needs at the different levels (LD/P/D). In-class resource support for larger groups of at-risk learners Continually tracking at-risk students Develop Collaborative approaches to create engaging activities to help at-risk students demonstrate the expectations Create a learning team of applied/college teachers to share the development of activities and approaches that will be implemented in the 1P course but can be then modified for use with LD, 2P, 3C and 4C classes. Use differentiated instruction

Obtain Learning Resource support for all students and Non exceptional I.E.P.’s where required Include authentic learning opportunities outside of the classroom and the school Department and course meetings to focus on best practices to engage students with promise. Participate in inter-departmental meetings to share best practices and engagement strategies for students who struggle Start senior and junior student partnerships for reading and writing
 * Share best practices**

Curriculum, teaching and learning practices interventions and closing the gap Develop class and student profiles and implement their use in planning differentiated authentic activities Use Bloom’s taxonomy to scaffold student skills in all four strands Utilize technology to increase engagement (computers, projectors, Smart Board) Enlist Student Services for support and to maintain a close contact with parents and/or guardians (Pyramid of Intervention) Employ OSAPAC licensed software for classroom and individual learning opportunities

Assessment for, as and of learning strategies addressed Use diagnostic tools/preassessment tasks to identify gaps Track progress (frequent formative assessments to monitor and track (measure) progress to ensure success Employ balanced assessment tools (including online assessment, peer assessment, live chats etc.) High yield strategies (i.e. meaningful and timely feedback from online assessment, in-class assessment and teacher generated feedback conferences) Conferencing (face to face and online ie.turnitin.com) to help students self-assess their needs, support development of self-advocacy skills Build metcognitive capacity in our students to support “as learning” development (eg. Self-assessment through reflection, critical thinking, self-analysis, etc)

Assess/Observe – During the year your department will need to revisit your goal. Please evaluate and analyze students achievement results compared to your department goal. Also evaluate professional learning and implementation, decide on next steps (this maybe done as a SMART Goal). Compare November’s Mid-term Assessment data with Final Evaluation data. Compare progress data with Semester 1 results. Compare Semester 2 midterm data with Semester 1 midterm (perceptual data, attendance data and achievement data) Compare Semester 2 final data with Semester 1 final data One-on-one conferencing with at-risk students to identify areas of strength and areas to develop

Teachers -working collaboratively- share successful strategies used in Semester 1 and mentor Semester 2 teachers of at risk students

Applied/College Learning Team will meet for the purpose of reflecting on student achievement data at least 3 times in semester 2 – progress report time, midterm report time and at least 3 weeks prior to final evaluations. Data and reflections will be shared with all department members during department meetings in order to support skill development of all department members and to enhance common understanding of diverse approaches to supporting student achievement.
 * Reflect:** At the end of the cycle please evaluate your department goal by comparing your plan with achievement outcomes. This may be done by referring back to your Planning stage (i.e. needs assessment) to gather evidence of student achievement.