KINDERGARTEN TO GRADE 6 INITIATIVE (Literacy and Numeracy)
In February 2005, NOEL (Northern Ontario Education Leaders) submitted a proposal to the Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat for project funding. The 8 partner boards and 9 school authorities proposed a 3 year plan to support student achievement in literacy and numeracy entitled Improving Student Achievement in Literacy and Numeracy K-6: Aboriginal Student Success. In Phase One of the plan, each of the boards and school authorities proposed specific projects, based on their individual needs, to improve student achievement. In September 2005, NOEL submitted the Phase 2 proposal and received funding in November 2005.
During the first year of the project a wide variety of strategies were implemented across the region, addressing the specific needs of each community based on data accumulated from a variety of sources. The focus and goals were the same for all boards: continual improvement of student achievement in literacy with particular emphasis on oral language skill development and the needs of our Aboriginal learners. Following is a list of strategies and initiatives employed by the various boards and school authorities: intensive capacity building, focusing on primary and junior literacy initiatives with training, coaching and modeling of evidence- based teaching strategies; additional support to clustered schools with lower achievement and/or high Aboriginal population; - increased instructional leadership in literacy;
- establishment of professional learning communities in targeted schools;
- allocation of additional time and/or additional staff to provide job-embedded training in select schools (modeling, coaching, at the-elbow mentoring);
- additional instructional time for students requiring focused teaching and support in literacy and numeracy with special emphasis on Aboriginal students;
- additional focused attendance support services;
- implementation of oral language programs, reading intervention programs to assist in closing the achievement gap of our Aboriginal students;
- increased and enhanced Oral Language pilot projects;
- improvement of Aboriginal students attendance with parent outreach programs;
- significant infusion of resources to schools to ensure equity;
- acquisition of resources with an Aboriginal identity;
- the sharing of effective practices across the region
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