Pacific Heights Elementary 23-24
OUR CONTEXT
Who We Are at Pacific Heights Elementary:
- Our learners come from various countries, with new students joining throughout the school year who are new to Canada.
- Students in our French Immersion program (Kindergarten to Grade 3 starting in the 2024-2025 school year) come to us from outside the neighborhood.
- Students in our Social Development program are at our school for a limited period of time, focusing on building self-regulation skills.
- Students at our school have diverse learning abilities, requiring tailored approaches to meet a spectrum of academic and personal growth needs.
At Pacific Heights, the first principle of the First People's Principles of Learning articulates who we are as a school:
"Learning ultimately supports the well-being of the self, the family, the community, the land, the spirits, and the ancestors."
Wellbeing of Self:
- Teaching self-awareness by helping students recognize and articulate their emotions.
- Practicing mindfulness skills through regular mindfulness moments.
- Modeling self-care practices to students by demonstrating ways to take care of oneself.
Wellbeing of Others:
- Teaching social awareness by applying self-awareness language in response to their connection with others.
- Focusing on understanding the impact of actions on others.
- Understanding the importance of reconciliation and the impact of past actions on others through large events like Orange Shirt Day, National Indigenous People's Day and First People's in Residence.
- Promoting thoughtful and helpful ways to help others through events like the Walk For Water and the annual Food Drive.
Wellbeing of the Land:
- Teaching the impact of human actions on the land and methods to better care for it.
- Engaging in events and activities that promote caring for the land and its well-being.
OUR LEARNERS
Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) plays a crucial role in supporting our learners in developing skills essential for their academic, professional, and personal lives. This includes fostering self-awareness, social awareness, and responsible decision-making, creating a foundation for holistic growth.
Our diverse group of learners, including those new to Canada and participants in our French Immersion and Social Development programs, benefit from a curriculum that integrates balanced literacy and the Science of Reading. By incorporating evidence-based reading practices, we aim to provide a comprehensive approach that meets the varied literacy needs of our students.
Mindfulness practices, such as visualization, deep breathing, and daily gratitude, are utilized by our learners to support their well-being and emotional regulation. These techniques, alongside the exploration of social, ethical, and environmental implications in the local environment, enrich their learning experiences and promote a deeper understanding of the world around them.
Encouraging curiosity, humility, and openness towards diverse perspectives and experiences, our learners engage with the unique diversity present in our school community. This inclusive approach not only enhances their understanding of others but also fosters a sense of belonging and mutual respect among all individuals.
By creating a safe and supportive learning environment that promotes self-regulation and emotional well-being, our students can focus on their studies, feel secure, and develop the necessary skills for both academic success and personal growth. Integrating balanced literacy and the Science of Reading into our educational practices further enhances our commitment to nurturing well-rounded, empowered learners at Pacific Heights Elementary.
OUR FOCUS
Balanced Literacy and the Principle of Learning Embedded in Memory, History, and Story:
In the vibrant tapestry of our school community, the integration of balanced literacy not only addresses the diverse needs of our learners but also blends with the core belief that "learning is embedded in memory, history, and story."
By combining the essence of memory, history, and storytelling into our balanced literacy practices, we affirm the importance of respecting students' backgrounds, experiences, and cultural narratives as essential components of their educational journey.
At Pacific Heights Elementary, a central focus lies on literacy improvement, specifically within primary grades and Learning Support teachers who are actively revising their programs based on current data and insights from the Science of Reading. This strategic shift aligns with the First People's Principles of Learning, highlighting that "Learning is embedded in memory, history, and story," underlining the value of incorporating diverse narratives and historical contexts into education.
Our teachers enhance literacy instruction through the integration of varied perspectives and cultural stories, fostering a more inclusive and captivating learning environment that resonates with all students.
Through our book study: "Shifting the Balance" by Jan Burkins and Kari Yates, primary and intermediate teachers dove into effective literacy strategies, while the implementation of the University of Florida Literacy Institute program (UFLI) by K-3 teachers elevated their literacy instruction. The transition to using DIBELS for assessments reflects a commitment to a comprehensive, research-based evaluation of early literacy skills, replacing the previous Fountas and Pinnell approach.
Feedback from teachers:
"The students responded well, showing excitement in applying their decoding and encoding skills. They exhibit greater independence in reading and writing compared to previous cohorts, successfully decoding 4-phoneme words, a remarkable achievement!" (Kindergarten teacher)
"UFLI has notably enhanced students' phonemic awareness, spelling abilities, and phoneme manipulation for spelling purposes." (Grade 2 teacher)
OUR NEXT STEPS
Next Steps for Our Science of Reading and Balanced Literacy Focus:
- To further strengthen our literacy initiatives, we will strengthen our focus on the Science of Reading principles and the integration of balanced literacy strategies.
- Our attention will also be directed towards closely monitoring students receiving learning support and during grade transitions, with a specific emphasis on students new to grades 1-7 and ELL students, ensuring they receive a literacy foundation aligned with evidence-based reading practices.
- Incorporating a phonemic assessment tool into classroom assessments will be a new addition to our evaluation methods, enhancing our ability to assess students' phonemic awareness and literacy development.
- The combination of quarterly Level A assessments from the Learning Support team, classroom-level assessments infused with the Science of Reading and balanced literacy approaches, and the inclusion of a phonemic assessment tool will provide a comprehensive view of students' literacy skills.
- By embracing the Science of Reading principles, balanced literacy strategies, and the addition of phonemic assessment tools, we aim to create a robust literacy framework that caters to the diverse needs of all students at Pacific Heights Elementary, ensuring their academic success and growth.
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.
