Betty Huff Elementary 24-25
OUR CONTEXT
Betty Huff Elementary, located in the heart of the city, is a vibrant and diverse school serving over 370 students. Known for our long-standing theatre program, Betty Huff hosts performances each winter and spring, attracting hundreds of students, staff, and families from across the district. As a community-focused school, Betty Huff provides extensive support through outreach workers, school meal programs, and a wide array of extracurricular activities.
Our dedicated staff aim to nurture an inclusive learning environment. Many staff members have been at our school for decades and are deeply committed to the school community, while others are at the beginning of their careers and feel fortunate to be part of the Betty Huff family. We encourage students to excel academically, socially, and emotionally, while celebrating the rich cultural diversity of our student body. Betty Huff is a place where every child is valued and given the opportunity to thrive.
OUR LEARNERS
Our learners at Betty Huff Elementary are a diverse and dynamic group of students. As of April 2025, classroom achievement data shows that 52% of our students are on track in numeracy, 44% in reading, and 37% in writing. Reflecting our multicultural community, 60% are English Language Learners, and 80% speak a language other than English at home. Our students collectively speak 28 different languages, enriching our school environment.
The latest provincial Student Learning Survey indicates that most of our students consistently feel welcome at Betty Huff. Most students feel that two or more adults at the school care for them. Further, most of our students feel safe at school all the time. All this is crucial for their well-being and academic success.
We have very high student participation in extracurricular programs, with large numbers of students involved in our theatre productions, athletic teams, and leadership initiatives. These programs are consistently well-attended and reflect students’ strong sense of connection and engagement with the school. High involvement in these activities supports a positive school culture.
OUR FOCUS
Our Student Learning Plan focus is to improve students' ability to communicate their mathematical thinking in many ways.
A dedicated cohort of primary and learning support teachers are engaged in inquiry-based collaboration to improve math instruction for multilingual students. This improvement effort is driven by participation in a book club, professional development sessions with specialist teachers, and ongoing collaborative inquiry. Teachers are working to understand the unique needs of multilingual learners in math class and implement strategies to support these learners. Regular professional development sessions equip our teachers with the latest evidence-based strategies to bring back to their classroom. Our goal is to create a supportive and inclusive environment where all students can develop strong mathematical communication skills.
We are currently in the early stages of the inquiry process, focusing on professional learning, refining our thinking, and planning in the near and long-term. The Impact Canvas below illustrates our initial efforts and long-term goals.
At this initial phase of our school-improvement initiative, our primary focus is on gathering process evidence. To date, we have met our targets related to the activities outlined in our process evidence plan, including:
- Six (and counting) book club meetings
- One whole-staff professional development session led by a helping teacher
- A staff meeting where teachers explored math strategies
- Classroom trials where teachers implemented new strategies
This early progress provides a strong foundation for expanding our inquiry and deepening our impact.
All teachers, across all grades, provide students with learning opportunities aimed at increasing their mathematical communication competency. To highlight and determine overall successes and gaps, we will monitor the progress of one cohort:
- 3 primary classroom teachers
The inquiry focus for our primary classes is supporting multilingual learners in developing mathematical understanding and confidence. To support our school-wide goal, students are engaging in rich mathematical experiences that emphasize exploration, communication, and conceptual understanding. They participate in number talks, math warm-ups, and hands-on routines such as counting collections and the use of manipulatives. Open-ended tasks and whiteboard activities encourage students to show their thinking and increase participation. Through these experiences, students are developing foundational skills in measurement, number sense, addition and subtraction strategies, and financial literacy. Teachers are using strategies like open-ended questioning, pair-share, and extended wait time to foster inclusive discussions and deeper thinking. Evidence of learning is gathered through anecdotal notes and formative assessments, including student drawings and whiteboard responses. As a result of this inquiry, students are demonstrating increased confidence, greater willingness to take risks, and a stronger sense of belonging in math learning. They are learning that there are multiple ways to approach problems, and all students are engaging with the same concepts at their own level. Moving forward, the focus will be on refining open-ended questions to better support multilingual learners and encouraging more exploratory play with materials before formal instruction. Collectively, our learners are beginning to articulate their thinking with growing confidence, reflecting the positive impact of our instructional approach.
OUR NEXT STEPS
As we continue our professional inquiry into supporting multilingual learners in math, our next steps involve deepening and expanding this work within the initial team while also amplifying across the school. We will build on the initial strategies explored by our early inquiry team and continue engaging staff in collaborative learning and professional development. This includes ongoing use of instructional tools, reflective practices, and data collection to better understand and respond to the needs of multilingual students. Over time, we hope to refine our approaches, share effective practices school-wide, and ensure all learners are supported in developing strong mathematical thinking and communication skills.
Moving Forward
Our school community is dedicated to creating equitable, supportive, and caring learning environments where all children and youth can thrive and reach their full potential. To this end, we will continue to monitor and adjust our student learning plan. By determining our progress, identifying what is working and what needs to be improved, evaluating the impact of our plan, and using this feedback to adjust ongoing teaching and learning, we will support learners from all communities in developing literacy proficiencies that cultivate cognitive skills and “thinking habits” that prepare them for future success.
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.
