EQAO and SIPSA

1. EQAO and SIPSA Presentation to School Council November 26, 2013

2. Goulbourn Data • Reading- 74% of our grade 6 students met or exceeded the Provincial standard • Writing- 70% of our grade 6 students met or exceeded the Provincial standard • Math- Only 31% of our grade 6 students met or exceeded the Provincial standard

3. Trends over the past 5 years

4. Comparisons

5. Story of our Data • In 2012-2013, only 54 students (each representing 2% of our results) wrote the Junior Provincial Assessment as opposed to the 148 students who wrote the year before. Of these 54 students, 28% have special education needs.

6. While we had seen huge strides in our students’ ability to communicate their thinking and take risks during our SIPSA cycle and on EQAO, we found that students were no longer attempting to answer questions, did not persevere with multi-step and/or open response questions, and made significant errors in multiple choice questions.

7. Our girls outperformed our boys in Reading and Writing, and for the first time, our boys outperformed our girls in Math. • Overall, 40% of students who met the provincial standard in grade 3 did not meet it in grade 6. 30 % of this cohort maintained the Provincial standard in 2012-2013. 30% of this cohort have never met the Provincial standard.

8. Our School Improvement Plan • Each school is required to select one area of focus that is curriculum based and create a SMART GOAL. • Specific • Measurable • Attainable • Realistic • Time-bound

9. We have decided to focus on two areas Numeracy-By January 2014, Goulbourn Middle School students will communicate their thinking during independent and collaborative tasks in the context of multi-step problem solving processes as measured by progress indicators.

10. Teachers will focus on making student thinking visible. • We will continue to implement three part problem solving lessons throughout the curriculum: • 1) Activation of prior knowledge • 2) Problem solving (small group and individual) • 3) Consolidation of knowledge and concepts

11. We are working with a Numeracy coach. We have given seven half days of Professional Development to look at the Math curriculum, our instructional practices, and what we are noticing about students as mathematicians. We will have an opportunity to co-plan and co-teach and share best practices. • Four of our teachers have signed up to work with an Intermediate Math Itinerant teacher. They are working with the teachers to capture what the students are thinking/how they tackle a Math problem/assignment.

12. Each grade team will also be working together for three half days to plan a pre-task, to moderate the task, to develop next steps for our students and to co-plan lessons for a unit.

13. Character Education- By June 2014, all members of the Goulbourn Middle School community will demonstrate their commitment to create, maintain and support a positive and inclusive school environment by imbedding the OCDSB Community of Character in all areas the curriculum and in our pursuit of global citizenship.