I. General Information
School Name: Moscrop Secondary Secondary
School District: SD#41 Burnaby
Inquiry Team Members:
Georgia Campbell <Georgia.Campbell@burnabyschools.ca>
Leanne Ellis <Leanne.Ellis@burnabyschools.ca>
Shelley Brown <Shelley.Brown@burnabyschools.ca>
Colleen Gaskell <Colleen.Gaskell@burnabyschools.ca>
Scott Spracklin <Scott.Spracklin@burnabyschools.ca>
Cristina Georgilas <Cristina.Georgilas@burnabyschools.ca>
Inquiry Team Contact Email: marta.pippomichielli@burnabyschools.ca
II. Inquiry Project Information
Type of Inquiry: NOIIE Case Study
Grade Levels Addressed Through Inquiry: Secondary (8-12)
Curricular Areas Addressed: Not applicable
Focus Addressed: Differentiated instruction, Flexible learning, Social and emotional learning, Transitions
In one sentence, what was your focus for the year? Build community and support transitions from grade 7 into grade 8.
III. Spirals of Inquiry Details
Scanning: We utilized information gathered from students, and also from families about how students were feeling in their transitions. Students feel supported here, however, we observed feelings of apprehension and worry coming into Moscrop for our grade 8 students, in particular ones with IEPs. We wanted to increase support and a sense of community. We found in the First Peoples Principles of Learning that learning is holistic and that learning ultimately supports the well-being of the self, which is most relevant to our observations. Some parents spoke about students not feeling supported in an authentic way in the past, or didn’t feel supported with their initial contact with the school, and this is something we really want to change.
This supported the formation of our goal of supporting each student’s well-being and place within the community, with the ultimate goal of fostering student success in the school.
Focus: We want to make sure every student feels supported before they even set foot into the building. We want to ensure students have a sense of community here that is authentic and closely connected. The changes we are hoping to see is: more connectedness, more involvement in cultural programming activities, and more student voice in our initiatives. Also, more support is needed for our incoming Indigenous students, in particular those with IEPs.
Hunch: Our community of Indigenous students at times, can feel a little disconnected due to building layout, inconsistency in Indigenous Success roles (lots of transitions in the roles), and being in a large school with a relatively low Indigenous population compared to other schools in the district.
School-wide policies around course scheduling for some struggling learners did not help incoming families feel welcomed or supported (especially those that were hoping to have support blocks built into their schedules).
Indigenous Success is a supportive structure built in that we want to continue building upon.
New Professional Learning: What new areas of professional learning did you explore? What resources were most helpful? What specific designs did you use to support the learning of your colleagues?
Pro-D around LD, diverse learners, inclusive classrooms, and UDL to help support diverse learners (and their teachers that are working with them).
NOIIE symposium is helpful to hear what other schools are doing to support and empower Indigenous learners.
Taking Action: We created a New-student Welcome in June last year for our students transitioning from grade 7 into grade 8. We invited students and their families in to connect and meet the team.
We went on an overnight field trip in September, during the second week of school, to an Indigenous cultural center. Students connected with one another and with Squamish culture.
Students participated in a district-wide Indigenous Youth Council. This led us to create a school-based Moscrop Indigenous Youth Council to increase student-voice, create student-led cultural initiatives, connect, and build community. Students are currently planning and hosting our 2nd annual New-student Welcome for transitioning students.
Our team attended grade 7 articulations at elementary schools with the counselling and LSS department to better understand who our incoming students are, what needs they have, and what supports they need. We attended school-based team meetings regularly to advocate for support of our Indigenous students’ academic needs. We supported students who are “double-blocked” with support blocks and electives.
Checking: The differences we made: having a greater sense of community in the school by:
– Students participating in district and school-based youth council
– Students are eager for more cultural programming initiatives next year
– Students are welcoming of new transitioning students
– More students in the All My Relations (Indigenous support) room on a regular basis, daily
– Grade 8 students reported feeling supported at the end of the school year
– All grade 12 students are graduating!
We feel that we made great progress this year. Our community building and support has improved greatly throughout the year. We still have a ways to go and plan to continue by:
– Meeting monthly for Indigenous Youth Council
– Plan more cultural programming initiatives
– Meet grade 7 students who will be transitioning earlier in the school year – making connections at their elementary school before transitioning
– More student-led initiatives
– Plan another over-night field trip for Spring 2025
– Plan a field trip or gathering for the 2nd week of September to gather as a community
Reflections/Advice: We learned that, as the First Peoples Principles of Learning state: learning involves patience and time. We look forward to continuing the journey and increasing our community and supports for our students.
The more opportunities we have to connect with students, highlight student voice, and support well-being, the more able we are to provide supports for academic success.