Rainy River District School Board
System Plan
2006 - 2007

We are using the Seven Correlates of Highly Effective Schools as our guiding principles in developing our System Plan. The System Plan is the vehicle used to further the Board's Mission, Vision and Beliefs. Therefore, to address student achievement in the 2006-07 System Plan, we are focusing on precision, personalization and professional learning in our goals and actions as outlined in the Breakthrough model:



OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN

Priority: To maximize every student’s opportunity to succeed to the highest level.
   
Goal: Strategies which address student-centered needs and improve individual student achievement will be implemented throughout the system.

Specific Actions Status
Increase opportunities to reach ahead/experience high school for Gr. 8 students. Expanded beyond Rainy River High School to Fort Frances High School.
   
Investigate 3 + 1 student sharing model with Seven Generations and Fort Frances High School. On hold due to increased cost (transportation and student registration).
   
Develop sample probing questions based on the three P's (Precision, Personalization, Professional Learning) to help employ literacy and numeracy checklists during classroom walk throughs. Meeting held Feb 5/07. The questions were completed and distributed to elementary principals / vice principals at Feb 14 Board Leadership Team (BLT) meeting.
   
Complete review of Alt. Ed. and investigate/implement new Alt. Ed. models. Rainy River and Atikokan models established. Learning Support Room at Fort Frances High School will replace offsite Walker Street campus beginning Sept/07. United Native Friendship Centre site to be expanded.
   
System support for using EQAO data to develop the School Improvement Plan. Completed in Nov/06 with principals. Linda and Ian to follow-up Jan/Feb. Completed follow-up.
   
Finalize articulation agreements with Confederation College. Agreement signed off.
   
Link Ministry initiatives to the Achievement Schools Project for greater impact. Council of Ontario Directors of Education (CODE), Ontario Focused Intervention Partnership (OFIP) and Northern Ontario Education Leaders (NOEL) projects are all integrated to support Achievement Schools Project. Final reports submitted July/07. In 2006/07, successful project proposals totaled $1.7M and were used to support the system plan.
   
Facilitate a Boys & Literacy Camp. Successfully completed in Sept/06. Impact being assessed over the year. Final report being submitted in June.
   
Develop K-12 Literacy and Numeracy System Plans. Meetings have occurred. Template being developed. K-Gr. 8 Literacy/Numeracy Plans in place. Gr. 9-12 Literacy Plan has been drafted and shared with secondary principals.
   
Investigate and develop a consistent system-wide Credit Recovery Program. All schools running credit recovery. Reviewing draft procedure and data. Data pertaining to credits recovered has been analyzed monthly with final analysis in September. Summer Credit Recovery Program being offered.
   
Investigate partnership with First Nation communities to offer outreach support. JK-6 after-school tutoring in literacy/numeracy (partnership with First Nation communities). Parent involvement workshops to begin second semester. The after-school tutoring program was established in three communities. A Parent Outreach session was held at Couchiching in April.




CLEAR AND FOCUSSED MISSION

Priority: To communicate our shared mission statement in all of our schools and communities.
   
Goal: All stakeholder actions reflect the Mission Statement of the Rainy River District School Board.

Specific Actions Status
Ensure the Mission statement/logo is on all communications. Ongoing (school newsletters, volunteer name tags, Board Community Newsletter). The Board Community Newsletter will be distributed in June.
   
Install LED sign at Atikokan High School. Completed.
   
Align all school improvement plans with system plan. Supported with Board Leadership Team (BLT). Assitants to the Director to follow-up in January. System Plan presented at four schools. XQ Survey completed for feedback and future direction. June meetings with principals to review challenges, successes and next steps.
   
Ensure school web site maintenance training and ensure all school web sites are in place and are regularly updated. 100% of schools in the Rainy River DSB have active websites in place. Two of these websites require minor updating and one of these websites requires updating to a greater extent. All other websites are acceptably current.
   
Market Rainy River District School Board merchandise. Ongoing.




SAFE AND ORDERLY ENVIRONMENT

Priority: To enhance our safe teaching and learning environments to maximize opportunities to learn.
   
Goal: A safe environment will be provided where all students, community members and staff feel welcome and eager to learn and work.

Specific Actions Status
Implement the recommendations of the 2006-07 Accessibility Plan. Available on the website. Updated based on feedback. Next meeting October, 2007.
   
Complete and submit the Business Plan for Prohibitive To Repair (PTR) school funding as per Ministry direction. Priority Plan submitted. Waiting for Ministry of Education approval to proceed with Business Plans. Templates submitted on May 25 as we were approved for Phase II.
   
Ensure Quality Daily Physical Activity is in place in all schools. Committee work complete. Resources and supplies in all schools. Implementation being monitored. More training will take place in May and June
   
Expand the Safety Trust Attitude Respect (STAR) Program to include internet bullying and safety (e.g., Cyber Cops, Mirror Image). Cyber bullying presentation on Jan 17. Ontario Principals Council (OPC) presentation on bullying planned for Feb 15. Grade 7-8 students from J.W. Walker attended presentation on safe internet use Jan. 18. Character Education Symposium May 3 & 4 held in Thunder Bay. Training for the Air Dogs Program held on May 24. Cybercops and Mirror Image Programs now incorporated into Gr. 7/8 curriculum.
   
Provide cultural awareness opportunities for staff. New Teacher Induction Program (NTIP) held at Manitou Mounds Feb 13. Planning for PD day Nov/07 underway. Spring Board Leadership Team (BLT) meeting located on a First Nation site with activities. Meeting on First Nations site postponed until August BLT meeting.
   
Ensure STAR Program training is included in New Teacher Induction Program (NTIP). New teachers will be inserviced on the STAR (anti-bullying) Program on Feb 13.
   
Ensure STAR Program aligns with Ministry directives. Fall Ministry of Education conference confirmed appropriate alignment with Ministry directives. May 3 & 4 Character Education Symposium will result in expansion of STAR Program.




POSITIVE HOME SCHOOL RELATIONS

Priority: To strengthen communication with parents and to encourage their meaningful involvement with the teaching and learning of children.
   
Goal: All parents/guardians are contributing participants to the learning environment.

Specific Actions Status
Fully implement Self-Identification Policy. Data entered in Trillium Jan 31. Future actions based on MISA (Managing Information for Student Achievement) progress. Chris Denby has tested the program. Able to disaggregate data based on self-identification.
   
Implement Parent Involvement Committee at system level. Committee has met and actions to occur in spring for implementation of Ministry requirements. May 3 Parent Engagement meetings occurred in Thunder Bay. $500 allocated per school to increase parent involvement.
   
Explore funding opportunities for offering Family Literacy Celebration and other similar events. Events occurred in four communities with great parental participation. Over 350 parents/ guardians participated. A series of parental workshops have occurred throughout the Board
   
Promote First Nation cultural events (e.g., Pow Wows, Fall Harvest, field trips) within all schools. A multitude of cultural events have occurred. (see Appendix I)
   
Establish a program to increase the involvement of parent/guardians within the First Nations Communities. After-school tutoring and parent involvement workshops established. Report to the Board in the fall, 2007.
   
Increase parental involvement through the School Attendance Counselor Pilot Project and home visits. Currently operating at Crossroads, Huffman and Robert Moore. Report will be submitted at the end of June.
   
Implement Reality Check survey within all schools and system. Principal training on April 17. All schools have a login for Reality Check and all schools to complete a survey by the end of June.




FREQUENT MONITORING OF STUDENT PROGRESS

Priority: To strengthen consistent practices for monitoring, assessing, and reporting student progress to ensure school and student improvement.
   
Goal: A detailed, systematic and ongoing profile of the progress of all students will be provided to ensure continuous improvement.

Specific Actions Status
Implement Assessment Policy and Procedure (e.g., tools, professional development). Policy approved. Procedure ready for implementation. Primary/junior/intermediate teams met May 17 to begin development of common assessments for the 07/08 school year.
   
Complete and implement the Prior Learning Assessment Recognition Policy and Procedure. Policy approved. Procedure in place.
   
Implement the Revised Year 2 MISA/ONSIS Plan. Signed off and implemented on schedule.
   
Investigate and implement a system-wide numeracy assessment. PRIME is being piloted in grade 2 classes. Math exemplar developed, implemented and moderated for grades 4 & 5 for fall and spring. Five schools implemented PRIME diagnostic tool for number sense - will review in June.




CLIMATE OF HIGH EXPECTATIONS

Priority: To develop a positive teaching and learning environment where all staff, students, parents and community members contribute to improving individual student achievement to the maximum potential.
   
Goal:
  1. Clear learning expectations and appropriate targets for sustained improvement for all students are established through collaboration with all stakeholders.
  2. All staff members work toward their highest level of performance through participation in professional learning opportunities.

Specific Actions Status
Smart goals and targets established in 100% of school improvement plans. Smart goals and targets established.
   
Link three P’s (professional learning, precision, personalization) Breakthrough Model with Seven Correlates of Effective Schools (system plan). Strong implementation in primary. Ongoing emphasis in junior/intermediate. Professional Learning Communities (PLC) established in all divisions. PLC's established for Special Education Resource teachers (SERTS) and Student Achievement teachers.
   
Develop new and expand existing programs focused on improving Aboriginal student achievement. Fort High expansion of NSL. Credit recovery proving beneficial (see * items in Appendix I)
   
Implement NTIP (New Teacher Induction Program) and revised TPA (Teacher Performance Appraisal) process. Training has occurred and implementation is in progress. Updated at monthly Board Leadership Team meetings and the new teacher performance appraisals introduced in May, 2007.
   
Complete the Performance Appraisal tracking system for all employee groups. Tracking system complete. Status reports provided to supervisors.
   
Develop and Implement a Performance Appraisal process for Vice Principals. Committee being struck. The draft document is ready for presentation to the Leadership Committee and senior administration for input prior to implementation.
   
Review and refine Professional Learning Communities across the system. Professional Learning Communities established and operating in all divisions. Funding was established to allow for coaching at the elementary level.



LEADERSHIP

Priority: To enhance staff, student and parent leadership development for sustainability of current and new leaders.
   
Goal: Recognizing that leadership is an action and not a position, thus all members of the education community as leaders or potential leaders will participate in learning opportunities which develop and refine their leadership skills.

Specific Actions Timelines
Implement Covey Training (Seven Habits of Highly Effective Schools) for staff and students. Covey training for principals/vice principals complete. Student training completed in May.
   
Implement the final Emotional Intelligence module (Howard Stone). Final session completed May 7.
   
Provide an Aspiring Leaders’ Workshop. Workshop held Dec 4 in Fort Frances. Completed in Atikokan. A second workshop held Feb 1.
   
Increase involvement in leadership opportunities for:
1) staff (school, board, regional initiatives)
2) students (Young Women’s Conference, Student Trustee and Student Senate, First Nations Student Council, etc.).
 Numerous leadership conferences attended (NOEL, PLC Summit, Ministry Leadership Institute, Quest, Character Education)
  • 21 staff attended the PLC Summit training this year.
  • Expanded principal representation on System Planning Team (SPT).
  • Funding has been received for initiating a principal / vice principal mentoring / coaching program.
  • A student representative attended the Character Education Symposium Oct/06
  • Young Women's Conference held in May at Luther Village.
  • Covey training for students occurred in May.
  • Quest for Knowledge was held at Seine River First Nations and was attended by staff and students.

 

First Nation Initiatives (2006-07) Appendix I

* Refer to "Climate of High Expectations"

 

System Planning 2005 - 2006