Overview
Assessment
We are very pleased to be piloting our new digital elementary report card in all our elementary schools. "Communicating Student Learning" was designed by an EIPS stakeholder committee which included teachers, administration, parents, and students. Feedback to date indicates that parents and teachers find the report card to be very informative and accessible.
We also are responsible for the successful management and reporting of provincial achievement assessments (PATs and Diplomas). Elk Island students have continued to score very well on these examinations in all four subject areas: language arts/English, math, science, and social.
As part of our ongoing goal to enhance literacy and numeracy skills of students in all grade levels, the Division introduced two new assessment tools during the 2016–2017 school year: STAR 360 and Math Intervention/Programming Instrument (MIPI). Learn more.
Library Support
Learning Supports provides district help and guidance for our school libraries. Over the next few years we will be moving toward the "Learning Commons" library framework and system.
Literacy
Learning Supports works with a number of cohorts of beginning (0-4 yrs. experience) division I and II teachers. Through mentoring, direct instruction and collegiality, our consultants ensure teachers are well supported as they deliver literacy instruction in the classroom. Secondary teachers are also supported through direct coaching, content area professional learning communities and access to our secondary literacy consultant.
The divisional Literacy Committee, under the leadership of our consultants, have developed both a framework and LiveBinder for EIPS Literacy in Action (Literacy Goals & Initiatives). Collaboration with teachers and administrators in achieving school literacy education goals is on-going and supported during School Based Professional Learning days.
Supporting literacy in the early years is another area of focus, with literacy initiatives in the PreSchool PALS program and in Kindergarten through the Supporting Emergent Literacy in Kindergarten (SELIK) program. With the collaboration of the early learning team, Shawna provides support in these programs.
Celebrating and highlighting student learning in literacy is another integral part of what we do. We provide the literacy lead for our annual Read In Week event and Junior and Senior High ElkFest Film Festival and the Grade 4-9 Young Authors' Conference.
Numeracy
The Learning Supports team also works with K-12 teachers to develop and hone literacy instructional skills. A variety of professional learning opportunities are offered each year, and coaching and support is available on an ongoing basis.
Professional Learning
With a focus on student and staff learning, we provide and support various professional learning opportunities within EIPS and outside of the district. Together with our divisional professional learning committee we developed our professional learning beliefs and framework (PL Framework & Plan). As a team, we believe that effective professional learning is instrumental in improving instruction, which in turn will lead to improved student achievement and engagement. We are looking forward to implementing division wide Professional Learning Networks and Communities as we continue to refine and communicate our professional learning work.
This is a shift in our practice as historically, we have held division wide professional learning days in which a variety of sessions were presented. For the upcoming school year, all our Professional Learning Days will be school based to allow teachers the opportunity to determine their own learning needs.
Services
- Innovative instructional and curriculum design and support
- Locally developed courses (LDC) design, implementation, renewal
- Professional learning design and support
- Literacy Framework, design, and support
- Literacy support for new teachers
- District Literacy Events: Read In Week, Young Authors' Conference, ElkFest Film Festival
- Assessment/Report Card design and support
- Assessment/Provincial Assessment support and reporting