Kirkbride Elementary 25-26
OUR CONTEXT
OUR LEARNERS
At Kirkbride, we take great pride in nurturing strong literacy skills, knowing they are the foundation for lifelong learning and active, meaningful participation in society. Literacy empowers our students to make sense of the world around them, to think deeply and creatively, and to discover and realize their unique potential. From Kindergarten through Grade 7, literacy is thoughtfully woven into every area of learning.
Literacy at Kirkbride goes far beyond reading and writing. It includes listening, speaking, viewing, representing, and creating across oral, written, visual, digital, and multimedia forms. While closely connected to language arts, literacy plays an essential role in all subject areas, supporting students as they learn, question, and communicate with confidence.
We are especially proud of our diverse school community. Our students come from many cultural backgrounds and bring with them rich stories, languages, and traditions. By sharing their experiences and honoring their identities, students strengthen their literacy skills while building empathy, understanding, and a strong sense of belonging. These shared stories enrich our classrooms and deepen everyone’s connection to the world and to one another.
Across all grade levels, students engage with a wide variety of texts and stories that inspire curiosity and critical thinking. Through meaningful literacy experiences, they develop and apply comprehension strategies, express their ideas clearly, and grow into confident, capable communicators who are prepared to thrive both in school and beyond.
Our learners and their families understand that language and text can be a source of creativity and joy.
In the images below you see students in various grades enjoying reading. At Kirkbride we have monthly Family Read mornings. On Family Read days, parents, grandparents and caregivers are invited into their child's classroom to read with their child. For students whose families are unavailable, siblings partner to read and/or older students buddy up with younger students to read together.
Our learners are open to learning and explored their identities through the lens of the Seven Grandfather Teachings. Through these teachings, students develop greater self‑awareness, respect for others, and a stronger sense of belonging as learners and community members.
At school gatherings, one Seven Grandfather Teaching was shared each month through storytelling, with a primary teacher reading the story aloud. Our Grade 7 MCs introduced the teaching, shared its meaning, and explained what it could look like in everyday actions. In the following month, students demonstrated the teaching through their learning and interactions. These examples were acknowledged and witnessed by teachers, with stories of student learning shared within classrooms to build understanding and community.
Student Reflections
"I respect my ancestors (elders and parents) by watching my tone of voice and my words" (Kimee, Grade 6).
"When someone asks a question or when I am in trouble I think about telling the truth, like the turtle" (Japjot, Grade 6).
"The Grandfather teachings tell us that there is things you should follow like to love one another, to be honest with yourself and others" (Job, Grade 6).
OUR FOCUS
Reflecting on Last Year
Last year, literacy instruction guided by The Maze Comprehension assessment showed growth for both struggling and proficient readers. Strategies such as instruction, reciprocal teaching, explicit and scaffolded activities helped students engage in small-group and paired work, promoting peer learning and independence.
Current Year Focus
We prioritized support for Grades 3–7 students who had not shown expected progress despite classroom differentiation and LST support. These learners needed intensive, targeted intervention.
The baseline assessment data illustrates the wide range of PM Benchmark reading levels across Grades 2–7, with several students reading at beginning or early primary levels despite being in upper grades. This visual highlights the significant gaps in reading achievement and reinforces the need for intensive, targeted literacy intervention.
Learning Support Team
After reviewing assessments and collaborating with classroom teachers, the LST team identified sixteen students in Grades 3–7 for a targeted literacy cohort. Two LST educators (Ms. Pang and Mrs. Gill) delivered one hour of intensive instruction, five days a week, focusing on:
- Small-group instruction
- Scaffolded tasks
- Explicit teaching strategies
Progress was monitored through running records, PM Benchmarks, phonemic awareness assessments, and sight word assessments before and after intervention to guide instruction and measure growth.
Sixteen students in Grades 3–7 participated in daily targeted literacy instruction focused on strengthening decoding, spelling, and comprehension skills. Throughout the intervention, students actively engaged in a variety of structured and hands‑on learning experiences.
Students:
- Participated in hands‑on word‑sorting activities to explore spelling patterns and strengthen phonics understanding
- Practiced phonemic awareness skills to reinforce sound–letter relationships
- Engaged in multisensory lessons to build automatic word recognition
Through Wilson Just Words, students:
- Practiced phonemic awareness and sound manipulation
- Strengthened understanding of the alphabetic principle and letter–sound correspondence
- Decoded multisyllabic words
- Studied spelling patterns and word structure
- Developed automatic word recognition through multisensory practice
Using the Words Their Way program, students:
- Developed phonics, spelling, and vocabulary knowledge
- Completed word sorts aligned with their developmental spelling stage
- Practiced weekly word lists
- Participated in explicit, structured lessons to deepen word knowledge
Assessment and Progress Monitoring
Student progress was closely monitored using multiple assessment tools to inform instruction and measure growth before, during, and after intervention. Assessment data included:
- Running Records
- PM Benchmarks
- Phonemic Awareness Assessments
- Sight Word Assessments
Student Literacy Assessment Overview/Student Current Reading Level and Grade Level
Our Goal
Our goal was to strengthen students’ decoding accuracy, reading fluency, spelling proficiency, and overall comprehension. Through targeted, intentional instruction and ongoing assessment, we aimed to empower students to become more confident and capable readers who can fully access learning across all subject areas.
In alignment with the Core Competencies, we supported Personal and Social development by building students’ confidence, perseverance, and independence as learners, enabling them to take ownership of their reading growth and collaborate effectively with peers.
OUR NEXT STEPS
Student Literacy Assessment
Overall, students showed positive progress in reading over time. Many students increased their reading levels, with an average gain of about five levels. Students practiced reading a variety of texts, worked on reading words more accurately, and applied strategies to help them read more smoothly and understand what they read. Students working on early literacy skills focused on identifying letters and sounds, blending sounds together, and strengthening their understanding of how sounds connect to print. These efforts supported students in building strong foundations for future reading.
Students actively engaged in targeted reading activities that matched their learning needs. They practiced decoding unfamiliar words, used strategies to help make sense of their reading, and gradually became more independent when reading texts. As students learned and applied new skills, many showed increased confidence and willingness to take on reading challenges.
Teachers used reading levels alongside specific skill‑based assessments to better understand how students were learning. This approach helped ensure students worked on the skills that would most support their progress. Through ongoing practice, feedback, and focused instruction, students developed stronger reading habits and improved their ability to apply literacy skills across different reading situations.
Overall, the results showed that students benefited from focused reading instruction, meaningful practice opportunities, and support tailored to their needs. Students made steady progress as readers and were better prepared to continue developing their reading skills moving forward.
Next Steps
- Try UFLI in some classes to support phonics and early reading development.
- Collaborate with LST and classroom teachers to plan supports, share strategies, and strengthen UDL‑aligned instruction.
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.
