Cindrich »

What we know about our learners?

Cindrich Elementary is a large, vibrant school with 485 students. It is comprised of a largely South Asian population with more than 75% of our students speaking a language other than English in the home. Although the overwhelming majority of students speak Punjabi, Cindrich is a culturally diverse community with several other languages spoken.

The staff had an opportunity to explore the question what we know about our learners, in teams and then created 

t-shirts  to represent our learners.

These t-shirts represent what we know:

Our students are kind, supportive, willing to try and adventurous!

They are:

Our students are grateful, compassionate, energetic, inquisitive, and receptive.

Our students are caring individuals, diverse nationalities, resourceful, inclusive, creative and most of all helpful.

Staff, students and families take great pride in the school and the accomplishments of all learners.

We also know:

• Many of our early learners do not have previous school experience such as preschool or StrongStart.
• Limited outside experiences
• Limited social and academic experiences outside of home
• Our learners have stronger numeracy skills than literacy skills
• Low physical fitness levels
• Video games and TV are predominate outside school activities
• Language barrier issues

Evidence that supports our learners’ strengths:

Observations and student partcipation:

–       Lunch monitors

–       Crossing guards

–       Library monitoring

–       Leadership Team

–       Recycling Team

–       Intermediate Recess Helpers

Observations and Counseling/CCYW reports that demonstrate where we can support :

–       Social skills require support and development, teachers model and work with students

–       Language issues, as high ELL numbers in each class.

–       Limited parent involvement (language and work commitments)

–       Benchmarks are lower that average

–       Low independence in personal organization and daily tasks

–       Low reciprocal home/school communication

What focus emerges as a question to pursue?

 At Cindrich, we are a Community of Learners who are committed to fostering the well-being of students, families and staff.

In what ways can we nurture the heart, mind, body and spirit of each of our learners?

Workshops, Helping Teachers, Resources to support our learning in:

-Physical: nutrition, active-living (outdoor-education) sleep

-Social Emotional: MindUP, Friends for Life, Self Regulation, citizenship, Empathy

-Academic: Empowered Life-long learners, personal responsibility, what’s your passion goals, building literacy and numeracy skills

Every staff meeting, conversations, sharing and brainstorming on how we can continue to support our learners.

Activities around our question:

Sleep –

-At our Meet the Teacher Night have a short presentation on our School Goal with focus on sleep expectations for each age group.

-Have Intermediate students research the benefits of proper sleep

Prepare a handout for reference

Fitness

– Zumba Week

-Have a monthly run for the whole school.  We will use the same route as the Terry Fox Run .  Warm up and run for 25 minutes.  Kindergarten and Grade 1 will run around the school grounds perimeter.

-Intermediate classes will run weekly

-Fit Kids : Grade 5, 6 and 7 students will be trained to run the Fit Kids program in the gym

-Bike to School Week   – participation recognized at assembly and highest class participation will receive a prize

Nutrition

-No pop allowed at school

-Fruit and Vegetable program with lessons

-Milk program (workshops provided)

-Healthy choices

Social Emotional Learning

-Focus for this year is SEL

-Helping teacher Emily Leggatt

-Grade 3/4 classes, grade 4 class, grade 4/5 class, grade 5 class involved in the process of building capacity for SEL

Strategies, lessons, and collaboration time for the staff

Healthy Schools Fair –  January date

Committee met in November to set up the criteria and what the Healthy School Fair might look like for our families.

Art by our Primary students.

One of our stations asked how much fat was in fast food burgers and fries?

How many hours of sleep do you need?

Fun at the Fit Kids Station

Surrey Parks and Rec hosted a station for our families.

We had a Social Emotional Learning Helping Teacher work with our students twice a week . A few of the items they worked on was to build self awareness and self reflection.