Measures of Student Achievement and Success
Our school follows the guidelines set out by the OCDSB Policy and Procedures for Student Evaluation, available on the Board’s website. Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) province-wide assessment for all students in Grade 3 is administered during the spring term. Teachers of Kindergarten students use The Early Literacy Observation Tool to assess language development. Teachers of students in grades 1-3 use PM Benchmarks/GB+ and teachers of students in grade 4-5 use CASI to assess reading proficiency and plan for effective programming. Core French teachers use the AIM program to deliver quality second language instruction.
Ongoing classroom assessment and evaluation (student observations, oral presentations, portfolios, anecdotal notes, running records, tests, etc.) are done throughout the year. Analysis of student achievement on the provincial report card with suggestions on how to help the student improve and ‘Learning Skills’ comments on the report card are designed to provide suggestions for improved work habits.
Regular meetings between the Principal and the Learning Support Teachers help ensure student needs are being met, as do regular conferencing with the classroom teachers, parents, and personnel from the Student Services Department at the OCDSB. Students are involved in various performances that showcase their learning, including public speaking, dramatic productions and assemblies.
School Improvement Plans and Initiatives
The School Improvement initiatives focus on the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board’s focus areas of literacy and numeracy in both Regular English and the Early French Immersion programs. The Early Literacy Program for Kindergarten students is supported by our parent volunteers.
Jockvale Elementary School has implemented the Balanced School Day where the school day is pided into three instructional parts. Teachers are able to provide uninterrupted instruction for the Language Arts and Mathematics curriculum. Teachers are implementing the Balanced Literacy framework and the Nelson Mathematics program. Math classes are 60 minutes per day and the focus is on teaching students how to problem solve effectively.
Communication and correspondence between home and school will continue to be an important initiative at Jockvale. School and classroom newsletters may be sent home regularly with students. Some classes have their own ‘Class Blog’. We are also using a new program called ‘School Connects’ and may be receiving information directly through an email or a phone call from our VP.
Staff and students will continue to support the positive atmosphere at Jockvale Elementary School in class and on the playground, through the Character of Education program ‘A Community of Character’. These universal values are integrated throughout the curriculum and are reinforced throughout the year.