Beginning the School Calendars Conversation: Focusing on Success for each Learner

The format for our Discussions today…  Introductory activity – Focusing on learning and learners  Overview of the thinking  Focusing on the Learners  Identification of the Challenges  Small Group Discussion and Feedback

Focusing on our Learners  Working with a partner or partners  You have a document called “Conditions for Learning”  You also have a piece of coloured paper with a statement on it  Discuss the statement in relation to  the conditions for learning  our need to focus on student success  our discussion today on the calendar  Be prepared to share

What do we know about how our kids are doing?  No one piece of data or evidence tells the story  No one reason is behind the evidence to tell us what the solution might be  No one solution can give us all the answers  Our student can be more successful  But we have to work together and get beyond  Blame  Shame  “Yeh buts”

EDI  EDI assesses kindergarten students in five areas, physical health and well-being, Social competency, emotional maturity, language and cognitive skills, communications skills and general knowledge.  Of the 342 students assessed 127 or 37.1% were vulnerable in at least one area and 75 or 21.9% were vulnerable on at least 2 EDI scales.

Average Days Absent Rural / Urban First Nation Non-First Nation FemaleMale ElementaryRural ElementaryUrban SecondaryRural SecondaryUrban YukonRural YukonUrban261719

Students on Individual Education Plans  All students 690  Urban 487  Rural 203

8 Yukon Achievement Test (YAT) 2010/11 - English 3 ALL Students

9 YAT 2010/11 English 3 First Nations

10 YAT 2010/11 - English 3 Non First Nations

11 YAT 2010/11 - English 6 ALL Students

12 YAT 2010/11 - English 6 First Nations

13 YAT 2010/11 - English 6 Non First Nations

14 YAT 2010/11 - English 9 ALL Students

15 YAT 2010/11 - English 9 First Nations

16 YAT 2010/11 - English 9 Non First Nations

Provincial Exams  Grade 10  English  80% wrote – 32.7% did not pass or did not write  Mathematics  76.1% wrote – 33.7% did not pass or did not write  Science  78.4% wrote – 30% did not pass or did not write  Grade 11  Socials  70.5% of the students wrote, 9% did not pass

Provincial Exams and Graduation  Grade 12  English  281 students wrote, 274 passed  Communications  57 wrote, 55 passed  Grad  Of all student enrolled in grade 12, 70% of urban students, 62% of rural students and 48% of First Nations students graduated  Six year completion rate - 69%

What do we Know about the school year in Yukon and other jurisdictions?  In Yukon  Other Jurisdictions  Ministry mandated standard number of days  Start and finish days  Statutory holidays  Some flexibility in Professional development days Note: Albert and Ontario work on a schedule of 190 days plus professional development days

What do we know about the Yukon context?  A variety of calendars used  Geography and weather  Hunting and on the land opportunities  Rural students  Fewer numbers of secondary students in rural communities affecting the course offerings  Educators concerns –  Secondary completing the content required for BC Exams  Elementary meeting curricular outcomes

What do we know about Learning?  The conditions for Learning  The value of time on task  The Attention span of students  Length of a day and the number of days  Length of summer holidays  Technology increasingly used to deliver courses and engage students

Current Challenges in using Uncoordinated Timetables  Connecting rural and urban schools  In person  Using technology  Distance Learning  Connecting with other jurisdictions  Coordinating sports  Wood Street enrolment  Dual Credits – connecting with the college  YATs schedules  BC Exam schedules  Coordinating breaks – March and Other  Professional Development  Principal and teacher Orientation