First Principal’s Presentation First Principal’s Presentation to School Councilto School Council

Monday, September 14, 2009Monday, September 14, 2009

MissionMission

• Samuel W. Shaw School is a Samuel W. Shaw School is a collaborative community of learners collaborative community of learners creating an innovative environment creating an innovative environment to facilitate active & meaningful to facilitate active & meaningful learning for all.learning for all.

VisionVision

• Samuel W. Shaw School provides Samuel W. Shaw School provides opportunities to achieve success in opportunities to achieve success in an ever-changing world.an ever-changing world.

Whose in our school?Whose in our school?

• 524 Students in Total524 Students in Total

• 133 grade 5s133 grade 5s

• 143 grade 6s143 grade 6s

• 134 grade 7s134 grade 7s

• 115 grade 8s115 grade 8s

• 26 Teaching Staff26 Teaching Staff

• 10 Support Staff10 Support Staff

Who are the learners?Who are the learners?

• 26% of grade 5 are ESL & 20% have 26% of grade 5 are ESL & 20% have identified Learning needs identified Learning needs

• 24% of grade 6 are ESL & 22% have 24% of grade 6 are ESL & 22% have identified Learning needs identified Learning needs

• 25% of grade 7 are ESL & 22% have 25% of grade 7 are ESL & 22% have identified Learning needsidentified Learning needs

• 31% of grade 8 are ESL & 13% have 31% of grade 8 are ESL & 13% have identified Learning needsidentified Learning needs

First Weeks Excitement:First Weeks Excitement:Building a culture of Building a culture of belonging and learningbelonging and learning

• All school assembly on the First All school assembly on the First ThursdayThursday

• Buddy lunch and activitiesBuddy lunch and activities

• Stampede Breakfast by Downtown Stampede Breakfast by Downtown Attractions!Attractions!

What’s Learning Like for your What’s Learning Like for your Students?Students?

Every grade level is working on an Every grade level is working on an inquiry question related to the inquiry question related to the concept of Identity!concept of Identity!

All subjects are related to a topic of All subjects are related to a topic of meaning for students. meaning for students.

What’s Learning Like for your What’s Learning Like for your Students?Students?

• Technology is embedded in most learning Technology is embedded in most learning opportunities.opportunities.

• We endeavour to teacher students of the We endeavour to teacher students of the 2121stst Century in ways we know they Century in ways we know they learn…..This means:learn…..This means:– We have a digital reference library on-lineWe have a digital reference library on-line– We make extensive use of digital cameras, I-We make extensive use of digital cameras, I-

pods, centios, smartboards and computers so pods, centios, smartboards and computers so students can demonstrate their learning in students can demonstrate their learning in many ways.many ways.

Why don’t our students have Why don’t our students have textbooks?textbooks?

• Textbooks are outdated the day they Textbooks are outdated the day they are produced!are produced!

• Textbooks are not the most Textbooks are not the most interesting way to learn anything!interesting way to learn anything!

• We believe that students learn by We believe that students learn by doing & exploring! Few textbooks doing & exploring! Few textbooks lend themselves to this!lend themselves to this!

If our students don’t have If our students don’t have textbooks how will I know what textbooks how will I know what they are doing?they are doing?

• Teachers will be making extensive use of D2L Teachers will be making extensive use of D2L – our online communication tool with parents – our online communication tool with parents and students to detail what students are and students to detail what students are working on.working on.

• Log on to the schools website and click on the Log on to the schools website and click on the D2L button. With your students Id number D2L button. With your students Id number and password, you can see when an and password, you can see when an assignment is due and what they are working assignment is due and what they are working on! on!

Can our students bring in their Can our students bring in their own Laptops? own Laptops? • YesYes

• No server access right now, however by No server access right now, however by mid November we should be able to mid November we should be able to give students access to the internet.give students access to the internet.

• School won’t be responsible for School won’t be responsible for damages or theft.damages or theft.

• Teachers are not computer technicians!Teachers are not computer technicians!

• Laptops are for learning at school not Laptops are for learning at school not playing games! playing games!

What is CTS anyway?What is CTS anyway?

•CTS stands for Career and CTS stands for Career and Technology Studies….Technology Studies….

•When I was in school we When I was in school we referred to these classes a referred to these classes a shop or cooking!shop or cooking!

Other questions!Other questions!

• What’s Happening in the grade 5 & 6 What’s Happening in the grade 5 & 6 Lunchroom?Lunchroom?– More students than anticipated.More students than anticipated.– Students must pay to stay – Students must pay to stay – – Adding more seating with benches and Adding more seating with benches and

chairs.chairs.– Hiring more Lunchroom supervisorsHiring more Lunchroom supervisors

What happens with H1N1?What happens with H1N1?

• Confirmed cases are to be reported Confirmed cases are to be reported by the medical professional to by the medical professional to Alberta Health Services.Alberta Health Services.

• When they are confirmed cases, AHS When they are confirmed cases, AHS contacts the school.contacts the school.

• We are advised by the health We are advised by the health authority and the appropriate authority and the appropriate response. response.

When can we start When can we start volunteering?volunteering?

• We really value and want parent We really value and want parent volunteers! volunteers!

• Without parent volunteers we couldn’t Without parent volunteers we couldn’t have made the hotdog lunch, stampede have made the hotdog lunch, stampede breakfast and SUTP books sales work.breakfast and SUTP books sales work.

• We have to go through 524 students to We have to go through 524 students to ensure parents have appropriate ensure parents have appropriate volunteer clearance. This is taking a volunteer clearance. This is taking a while.while.

VolunteeringVolunteering

• As soon as the office gets through As soon as the office gets through the paper blizzard we will be letting the paper blizzard we will be letting the Volunteer Coordinator know.the Volunteer Coordinator know.

• Thank you for your interest. Thank you for your interest.

Can we lengthen the lunch Can we lengthen the lunch time?time?

• We are working with transportation to We are working with transportation to revise the school hours. revise the school hours.

• We would like to start school at 9:00 am. We would like to start school at 9:00 am. • Add 5 minutes to the lunch time, so Add 5 minutes to the lunch time, so

walkers have a bit more time.walkers have a bit more time.• Take 5 minutes from morning break and Take 5 minutes from morning break and

end 5 minutes earlier.end 5 minutes earlier.• I will let you know as soon as I get I will let you know as soon as I get

confirmation from transportation.confirmation from transportation.

A High Tech school and what it A High Tech school and what it means for parent means for parent communication!communication!• We will post newsletter and other We will post newsletter and other

important dates and notices on our important dates and notices on our Website.Website.

• When we get all the email addresses When we get all the email addresses entered into our system, you will get an entered into our system, you will get an email reminder to check every month.email reminder to check every month.

• D2L is the communication tool regarding D2L is the communication tool regarding homework. Parents are welcome to get on-homework. Parents are welcome to get on-line to see what’s happening in school. line to see what’s happening in school.

• Interviews are booked on-lineInterviews are booked on-line

Thank you!Thank you!

• The parent feedback and support has The parent feedback and support has been fantastic!been fantastic!

• Thank you for your interest in the Thank you for your interest in the school and support for your students!school and support for your students!