School Learning Focus for the 2025-2026 school year 

Literacy goes beyond reading — literacy is grounded in everything we do. To have literacy skills is to be able to participate in the world around us by making meaning and contributing ideas. It’s a tool to empower learners. 

Evidence-informed rationale (WHY) 

This goal stemmed from a common literacy scan conducted in September with a sample of grade 8 students. While over 50% of the students achieved an overall score of ‘proficient,’ when the data was broken down, higher-order literacy skills such as inferencing, making connections, and responding, had a higher proportion of Emerging to Developing learners. All students are language learners, and all subject areas have a literacy component. As such, our focus is on having students broadly apply their literacy skills learned in one class to other classes. 

Priority Learners 

Grade 8 students 

Action Statement (HOW) 

Over the last few years, teachers have noticed students struggling with executive functioning skills, especially in grade 8. Executive functioning skills include organization, task initiation, time management, goal setting, and memory and these are the skills that lay out the foundation for success in school and beyond. They also enable readers to focus, remember what they’ve read, and stay on task which is crucial for understanding texts of all types.  

As a result, this school year: 

1. All grade 8 students will participate in two workshops during PLT about key skills for success in high school: staying organized and developing productive habits. 

2. Grade 10-12 leadership students with the help of the leadership teacher will deliver the lessons while bringing in their personal experiences. Not only are the grade 8s learning new skills, but the leadership students will gain literacy skills in communication, organization, and interpersonal skills.  

3. Facilitate collaboration between staff to enable explicit instruction of literacy skills so that students can apply them broadly in all subject areas. 

4. Build connection and belonging in our school community as everyone can feel equipped for success and supported by their school community – both staff and students. 

Intended Impact (SO WHAT) 

The intent of this data is to inform and mould practice beyond simply providing strategies. This data should begin changing the way our school approaches literacy as a team effort in better servicing learners and teacher professional development. At different times throughout the year, other formal and informal assessments will be used to verify the efficacy of the strategies and interventions implemented. 

Evidence of Impact (HOW WE WILL KONOW) 

Students demonstrate effective literacy strategies learned in one curricular area and apply them to multiple curricular areas. After an initial scan in English, a second scan in Science will assess how effectively students transfer these literacy skills between contexts. 

Alignment Statement 

Success for all learners – increase the percentage of students meeting grade level expectations as measured by evidence-based literacy screening tools.