A.J. McLellan Elementary 25-26
OUR CONTEXT
AJ McLellan Elementary sits on the shared, traditional territories of the Katzie, Kwantlen, Semiahmoo, and other Coast Salish Peoples. We honour the deep connections Indigenous communities have with this land; connections rooted in stories, stewardship, language, and generations of learning together. As a school, we are grateful for the opportunity to learn, play, and grow on this shared, unceded territory, and we strive to respect and reflect the teachings of those who have come before us.
Our school is named after A.J. McLellan, a contractor who played an important role in Surrey’s early development by building the Old McLellan Road, a key route in the area. Both the road and the nearby McLellan Station were named in his honour, recognizing his contributions to the growth and infrastructure of the Cloverdale and Surrey community. In acknowledging our school’s history and location, we are reminded of the ongoing importance of building respectful relationships and learning from the Indigenous peoples who have cared for this land since time immemorial.
Our school community is vibrant and ever-evolving, reflecting the diversity of Surrey itself. At AJ McLellan, we believe that every student deserves to feel seen, heard, and valued. Guided by principles of equity and inclusion, our staff work to create a space where learners from all backgrounds can thrive. We recognize and celebrate the many cultures, languages, and experiences that enrich our classrooms and hallways.
Learning at AJ McLellan goes far beyond curriculum resources. Our students are invited to develop their voices; whether through Student Voice forums, daily classroom dialogues, or community projects. These platforms ensure everyone has a chance to shape their school experience and foster a sense of belonging. Our Compassion Club leads the way in service and kindness, organizing initiatives that support peers and the wider community, while our literacy focus brings equity and diversity to the forefront, using literature and storytelling as tools for understanding and connection.
We offer a wide range of experiences that nurture curiosity and well-being: athletics, performing arts, technology integration, environmental education, and hands-on activities like gardening and creative arts. Our school spirit comes alive through colour Teams, assemblies, and special events; uniting students in friendly competition and shared celebration.
Partnerships with local organizations, public health, and secondary schools help us broaden our students’ horizons. Programs in social-emotional learning, leadership, and digital citizenship prepare our learners to become thoughtful, responsible members of the wider world.
Families are at the heart of AJ McLellan. From our active PAC to classroom volunteers and cultural celebrations, parents and caregivers help shape our school’s unique character. We invite families to share their stories, strengths, and traditions, enriching our collective learning journey.
AJ McLellan is more than a school as it’s a strong, thriving community where relationships matter, every voice counts, and everyone belongs.
OUR LEARNERS
Our students come to AJ McLellan with a remarkable range of strengths, interests, and perspectives. They are thinkers and creators, capable of seeing the world through multiple lenses. Whether solving a problem with a hands-on project, expressing themselves through music or art, or reaching out to help a peer, our learners show empathy and a genuine sense of responsibility for one another and for their community.
We recognize that each child’s learning path is unique. Some students learn best by listening or reading, others by moving, building, or performing. We encourage them to explore and show their understanding in the ways that suit them best; through discussion, visual art, digital media, drama, or traditional writing. Our classrooms are lively spaces where students are challenged and supported to try new things, take risks, and grow as both learners and people.
AJ McLellan students thrive on activities that let them engage directly with their world. From building and completing ADST tasks, to tending our gardens or taking the stage in a performance, they learn by doing. These experiences not only build skills but also help our learners make connections between what they learn in school and the world around them.
A key focus for us is supporting social and emotional growth. Students are learning to name and manage their feelings, to understand others, and to navigate the ups and downs of working and playing together. We see emotional literacy as foundational, helping students build resilience and strong relationships that will carry them far beyond their years at our school.
Writing sits at the heart of our learning journey this school year. We see it as more than just a subject as it’s a tool for self-expression, reflection, and connection. Our writing goal is to help students become confident, capable writers who can share their ideas with clarity and purpose. This means building stamina over time, so students can write for longer periods without losing focus or enthusiasm. We use mentor texts to spark ideas, draw on what students already know, and model effective writing strategies. Brainstorming is an active, collaborative process, helping students generate and organize their thoughts before putting pen to paper.
Consistent, meaningful feedback is the center of our approach. We use clear language and performance scales so students always know where they are in their learning and what their next steps might be. Feedback is ongoing and specific, designed to encourage growth and celebrate progress.
Ultimately, we want our students to see themselves as writers with stories worth telling. By connecting writing to their own lives, sharing their work with real audiences, and exploring a range of forms and purposes, they learn not just how to write, but why writing matters. Our work is guided by the English Language Arts Curricular Competency: planning and creating a variety of communication forms for different audiences and purposes. Through this, our learners discover their unique voices and develop the confidence to use them both, inside the classroom and out in the world.
OUR FOCUS
This year we wanted to expand on writing skills within the school population. Our focus for this document will be five sample cohorts: Samples of Grades 1,4,5 6,7. Though all classes were encouraged to participate in activities, data reported will come from these groups.
Our specific focus has been to increase stamina and brainstorming skills by:
using mentor texts and provided prompts to work on brainstorming as a class, using tools such as bubble brainstorm, class discussion, and anchor charts
use personal experience and knowledge to connect to stories and other texts to make meaning
through brainstorming, exchange ideas and perspectives to build shared understanding
provide opportunities to increase writing stamina through guided writing
To meet these goals, classroom teachers used provided mentor texts and writing prompts to guide students. Leading up to the guided writing activity, teachers taught and modeled brainstorming and organization of ideas in writing. Students were encouraged to write for increased periods of time as the year progressed.
We hoped to see an increase in stamina, seeing students be able to write for longer periods of time. Improving brainstorming skills will provide writers with more ideas to draw from, increasing the output of writing.
Mentor texts were used to start discussions for brainstorming :
Anchor charts helped to guide the writing process :
Students were provided opportunities to practice and build writing skills :
OUR NEXT STEPS
Next Steps for School-Wide Writing Improvement
Based on school-wide writing data, students are demonstrating steady growth, particularly in moving toward proficiency and reducing the number of learners in the emerging range. To build on this momentum, the next phase of instruction will focus on strengthening writing stamina, deepening understanding of the writing process, and supporting students in developing more detailed and elaborated responses. Across classrooms, students will be provided with more frequent and sustained opportunities to write for extended periods of time. This will include structured routines such as daily or weekly writing practice, gradual increases in writing duration, and regular opportunities to write across subject areas. These approaches will help students build confidence, independence, and endurance as writers.
In addition, there will be a continued emphasis on explicitly teaching the writing process, including planning, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. Teachers will model each stage of the process through think-alouds and guided instruction, while reinforcing shared language and expectations across the school. Particular attention will be placed on revision as a meaningful stage of writing, encouraging students to strengthen clarity, organization, and idea development rather than focusing only on surface-level corrections.
To support the development of more detailed writing, instruction will prioritize strategies that help students expand their ideas through explanation, description, and examples. Students will be encouraged to move beyond basic responses by answering the how and why in their writing, as well as incorporating more precise vocabulary and descriptive language. Instructional strategies such as sentence expansion, use of mentor texts, and opportunities for oral rehearsal will further support students in developing stronger and more thoughtful written responses.
Professional Learning and Collaborative Practice
A key next step will involve increasing structured opportunities for teacher collaboration. Staff will be provided with dedicated time to explore, discuss, and apply evidence-based writing instructional practices. This work will be grounded in The Writing Revolution 2.0 by Judith C. Hochman and Natalie Wexler, as well as The Writing Rope framework by Joan Sedita. Through collaborative planning, teachers will develop a shared understanding of explicit writing instruction and co-create lessons that emphasize sentence-level work, scaffolding, and gradual release of responsibility.
Collaboration time will also support consistency in instructional approaches across grade levels, ensuring that students experience a coherent progression of writing skills throughout the school. Teachers will work together to design writing tasks, align assessment practices, and share strategies that effectively support both developing and proficient writers.
Future Considerations for Sustained Growth
An important next step will be the development and implementation of student writing portfolios from Kindergarten through Grade 7. These portfolios will follow students across years, providing a longitudinal view of growth and development in writing. By collecting and revisiting writing samples over time, both students and teachers will be able to track progress, identify patterns, and set meaningful goals. Portfolios will support teachers in better understanding each student’s strengths and areas for growth, allowing for more targeted and responsive instruction.
In addition to supporting instructional decision-making, writing portfolios will help foster student ownership and reflection. Students will have opportunities to review their work, recognize their progress, and develop a stronger sense of identity as writers. Portfolios can also be used during student-led conferences and communication with families, providing concrete evidence of learning and growth over time.
Further benefits of implementing writing portfolios include strengthening continuity between grade levels, ensuring that important information about student development is not lost year to year, and supporting more consistent assessment practices across the school. Portfolios may also include goal-setting reflections, draft-to-final writing samples, and examples from multiple subject areas to highlight the transfer of writing skills.
Ongoing use of common writing assessments will continue to be important to monitor student progress over time. Collecting writing samples at multiple points in the year will allow staff to track growth, identify trends, and adjust instruction based on student needs. Targeted support will be provided for students who continue to require additional development, particularly those in the emerging range, through small-group instruction and scaffolded writing opportunities.
At the same time, consideration will be given to extending learning for students who are meeting or exceeding expectations. These students will benefit from opportunities to deepen their writing through increased complexity, development of voice, and exploration of different forms and purposes.
Embedding writing across subject areas will remain an essential focus, reinforcing writing as a tool for thinking and learning in all disciplines. Providing authentic opportunities for students to share and celebrate their writing will further strengthen engagement and support the development of positive writing identities.
Overall, the school will continue to work toward a consistent, research-informed approach to writing instruction that supports all learners in developing confidence, stamina, and the ability to communicate their ideas with clarity and depth.
Surrey Schools
Formed in 1906, the Surrey School District currently has the largest student enrolment in British Columbia and is one of the few growing districts in the province. It is governed by a publicly elected board of seven trustees.
The district serves the cities of Surrey and White Rock and the rural area of Barnston Island.
