North Surrey Learning Centre
OUR CONTEXT
North Surrey Learning Center is a small secondary school comprising of grades 10 - 12. The school creates a family atmosphere where students thrive in the supportive, intimate educational setting as they work towards their graduation.
OUR LEARNERS
The Personal and Social competency is the set of abilities that relate to students' identity in the world, both as individuals and as members of their community and society. Personal and Social competency encompasses what students need to thrive as individuals, to understand and care about themselves and others, and to find and achieve their purposes in the world.
We want our learners to understand that their decisions and choices affect themselves and others around them. Social Emotional Learning, SEL, competencies are essential knowledge, skills, attitudes, and mindsets that individuals need to succeed in life. We will focus on the development of well-being and self-regulation.
Our learners believe in their capabilities to achieve academic, career and/or personal goals. Learners can make connections between emotions and learning.
Our learners can recognize their strengths and can use strategies to focus and accomplish their goals.
Our learners can make connections between emotions and learning. They can identify their own emotions, as well as those of others.
OUR FOCUS
Research regarding the theory of change indicates that an outcome of developing SEL competencies results in enhanced academic performance inclusive of relationship quality and health and well being.
During the 24/25 school year, North Learning Center teachers have taken different approaches to incorporate SEL into their classrooms. For example, one teacher focussed on mindfulness while another focussed on playing meditation music in the classroom to incite calmness and focus.
We want to help students recognize that they are apart of a larger community with responsibilities that come with that. SEL skill development will support this.
The Key concepts for Personal awareness and Responsibility include: regulate emotions, make healthy choices, persevere when stuck, and self-manage needs.
OUR NEXT STEPS
A survey was created to assess the SEL competencies. The survey will be administered to a select group of grade 10 students in the fall of 2024. Results will guide content taught to students in Skills for Success 10 and the Identity unit in Composition 10. The survey will then be administered again in the spring of 2025 and results analyzed.
According to research, incorporating SEL into the teaching will have a positive impact on academic performance. It is our hope that we will be able to utilize data collected and see a connection to academic performance. We will also look at self reports, teacher/adult ratings, interviews, rubric assessments, disciplinary rates, course completion and attendance.
We want our students to be able to use self-regulation and well-being to attain academic success and high school graduation in addition to acquiring valuable life skills.
"Exceptional students, exceptional learning"
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.
