Looking Forward: The Elementary to Secondary Transition Natalie Middleton-Bondy Teacher Consultant Student Success

Our Mission  The Student Success team in each Secondary school is responsible for the implementation of strategies that promote a smooth transition from Elementary to Secondary school.  We partner with our “Family of Schools” (Elementary feeder schools) to service our students with the transition process.

Student Success Team  The Student Success Team is comprised of the Vice-Principal, Student Success Teacher, Guidance Head, Instructional Coach and Learning Support Teacher, along with other teachers/support staff.  The Student Success Team develops procedures and models for: effectively delivering all Student Success initiatives tracking/coordinating/assuming responsibility for students at risk meeting the needs of all students ensuring that students transition successfully from Elementary to Secondary (Transition Team, grant applications, partnerships)

Elementary Transition Activities  Our Student Success Teams take advantage of so many ways to partner with Families of Schools - and we start early: Eco Team visits Science classes to plant trees English students serve as Reading Buddies for Primary students French students run Carnaval at Elementary schools Sports teams visit to provide mentoring by senior players/coaches Participate in Elementary events (assemblies, awards evenings) Secondary school mascot visits Elementary schools Elementary presence in Secondary schools (artwork, photos)

Grade 7 – Caring Adult  Elementary schools and families play the largest role in helping students with this transition.  A caring adult (school staff member) partners with students, according to their needs, to assist in their transition to Secondary.  Student-adult partnerships are coordinated and monitored by the Student Success team.  Students, families and caring staff members begin to take advantage of opportunities to learn more about the Secondary school, with the goal of building students’ familiarity.

Grade 7 – Transition Activities  Students and their families: participate in activities that familiarize them with the high school (tours, orientation evenings, website – content/tour video, games) hear from guest speakers (Student Success Teacher, Student Ambassadors, Leadership students) are involved in plenty of discussions (i.e., topics include: meeting new friends, meeting new staff, Elementary vs. Secondary similarities/differences) are asked about what they want and need from the transition process – our Student Success Teams respond to this input

Grade 7 – Individual Pathways Plan (IPP)  Students use Career Cruising to facilitate their IPPs.  Career Cruising is a powerful tool that can be used by students, parents, and educators to facilitate the exploration of careers, pathways and course selections.  The Individual Pathways Plan on Career Cruising helps students explore their interests/abilities and identify their strengths to plan for their initial post-secondary destination.

Grade 8 – Transition Activities  Through continuing and increasingly intensified transition activities, students and their families gain a strong sense of the Secondary school’s: academic pulse (curricular, pedagogical, assessment, content), students have the opportunity to experience classes at different levels (Locally-developed, Applied, Academic, Open) and to try high school homework social pulse (support and engagement of friends, families, educators, schools, & communities) extra-curriculars (students sign up now – attached to something and someone before they start Grade 9) procedures/day-to-day operations (lockers, locks, transition time) Open Houses in Dec./Jan. and plenty of Shadow Time  Transition Guide for Students/Families: Transition GuideTransition Guide

Grade 8 – Planning for Success  The Student Success Teacher (SST) works with Guidance and Special Education staff (Learning Support Teacher- LST) and the Student Success Team to develop communication strategies with feeder schools to help identify students at risk.  Schools develop individual student profiles that highlight the strengths, needs, and interests of each student (e.g., academic, emotional, social, physical).

Grade 8 – Individual Pathways Plan (IPP)  Students use Career Cruising to facilitate their IPP’s.  Students complete the Grade 8 Exit Survey (inside the IPP).  This collection of “student voice” informs our practice as a Student Success Team.

Grade 8 – Course Selection  Students customize their learning experience.  In partnership with families, schools develop individualized timetables for Grade 9 students, basing them on students’ strengths and interests, with a focus on at-risk students.  These are developed in order to help give students a positive start in secondary school.

Grade 8 – Community Involvement  Student Success Teachers visit Grade 8 classes in May/June.  They help students sign up on Hour Republic, the online tracking tool for community involvement hours.  Students are provided with plenty of volunteer opportunities.  They can begin volunteering in the summer before Grade 9.

Walkerville Centre for the Creative Arts  Magnet program  Application Package Application Package  WCCA Promo Tour: October 5th to 16th 2015, 9pm-3pm  WCCA Open House: October 22th 2015, 7pm-9pm  Deadline for Application: November 6th 2015, 6pm  Audition Dates: December 4th and 5th 2015  Result Letters: Late December 2015

Grade 9 – Welcome to High School  The transition process continues into high school.  Student Success Teachers pay special attention to new registrants.  Student Success Teachers access data collected from Grade 8 Teacher via Compass for Success.  This helps us provide a smooth transition as additional supports are in place for students who need them (proactive vs. reactive approach).

Transition Timeline Grade 7 General orientation Grade 8 Exit Survey Extra-curricular & HR Sign-up Grade 9 Shadow Days, Orientation Open House (Dec./Jan.) Transition Guide Caring Adult Monitoring by SS Team Preparing for Next Transition

Conclusion  Our Student Success Teams are dedicated to providing students with a fully-supported transition process that is embedded in both the elementary and secondary schools.  While we tend to think about the “8-2-9” journey most often, we know that effective transition support is in place much earlier than Grade 8 and later than the beginning of Grade 9.