Ecole Crescent Park Elementary 24-25

This year, Crescent Park is expanding its literacy initiatives by integrating a structured, research-based literacy framework across early primary classes. This approach links reading instruction with writing development through a systematic focus on phonics, spelling, and decoding. These foundational skills serve as a vital bridge to achieving success in writing.

A strong emphasis is placed on phonemic awareness, which helps students hear and manipulate the sounds in words, an essential skill for spelling and encoding during writing. Through consistent phonics instruction, students gain an understanding of letter-sound relationships and common spelling patterns, empowering them to write with increased independence and accuracy. The use of carefully selected texts supports structured writing activities that reinforce phonics and spelling knowledge in meaningful contexts.

In addition to spelling and decoding, the literacy framework also nurtures writing development by expanding vocabulary, teaching sentence construction, and promoting grammatical accuracy. Vocabulary instruction enhances students’ ability to express themselves, while explicit sentence-building practice ensures their written work is both coherent and grammatically sound. As students become more fluent readers and spellers, their cognitive energy is freed to focus on higher-level writing tasks such as organizing ideas and developing narratives.

To embed these practices into daily classroom routines, teachers use activities such as dictation, writing prompts, and creative writing extensions based on decodable texts. These strategies provide scaffolding that supports the seamless transfer of foundational literacy skills into effective written communication.

This year’s goals include:

• Equipping teachers with professional learning opportunities and resources to support effective implementation of literacy instruction.
• Prioritizing instruction in sentence structure, grammar, and punctuation alongside phonics.
• Using progress monitoring tools and BC Performance Standards to track student growth in both literacy and writing.
• Amplifying student voice in the learning process by:
  • Hosting student forums to gather input on engaging literacy practices.
  • Involving student representatives in the planning of school-wide literacy initiatives.
  • Providing opportunities for students to showcase their reading and writing growth at school events or assemblies.

Cohort teachers collaborated to set a timeline for literacy assessments and engaged in meaningful discussions around the strategies they used to support writing development. Assessment evidence was gathered in September, March, and June to monitor and guide student progress throughout the year. While writing is a school-wide focus, the data presented below was collected specifically from our early primary classes, kindergarten to grade 2, where the structured literacy framework was first implemented.

SEPTEMBER

MARCH

JUNE

Early data collection from beginning implementations of our structured literacy approach in select classrooms has shown encouraging results. Teachers reported:

• Increased student engagement during literacy activities.
• Noticeable improvements in phonemic awareness and decoding skills.
• Enhanced confidence in young learners as they progressed from decoding to encoding (writing).

In addition, writing samples collected throughout the year revealed:

• More consistent use of correct capitalization and punctuation.
• Growth in the quantity and detail of students' written work.
• More frequent and accurate use of complete sentences.

To continue building on the momentum of our literacy initiatives, Crescent Park is focusing on several key areas:

• Broaden Structured Literacy Implementation
  We aim to extend the use of systematic literacy strategies across all primary classrooms. This includes providing ongoing professional learning and support for staff to ensure consistency and sustained progress in instruction.
  
  
• Support for Intermediate Students
  Building on the strong foundation established in the early years, we will:
  • Enhance literacy and writing instruction for intermediate learners.
  • Introduce advanced writing strategies and critical thinking exercises to deepen students’ engagement with texts and strengthen their expressive abilities.
    
    
• Monthly School-wide Writes
  To promote consistent writing practice and support school-wide literacy development, we will implement a monthly School-wide Write for all students.
  • Each writing task will align with the Brainfit Superpower of the Month, integrating Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) into the writing process.
  • Topics will provide a unified writing focus across grades, allowing for meaningful comparison and reflection.
  • Writing samples will serve as valuable evidence of student growth over time and will help celebrate student voice and creativity.
    
    
• Community and Family Engagement
  Collaboration with families and the broader community remains central to our efforts. We plan to:
  • Share practical resources and tips with families to support literacy development at home, through newsletters or brief workshops.
  • Encourage family involvement in school literacy events, such as read-aloud days and family reading nights.
    
    
• Ongoing Monitoring and Reflection
  Data-informed practices will continue to guide our decisions. Specifically, we will:
  • Analyze trends in literacy and writing to identify growth areas and target supports.
  • Facilitate professional collaboration among staff to share best practices and refine instructional approaches.

By integrating these next steps with our existing goals, Crescent Park remains committed to cultivating a strong culture of literacy. Together, we look forward to a year of growth, collaboration, and continued success for all students.