I. General Information
School Name: Prince Rupert Middle School
School District: SD#52 Prince Rupert
Inquiry Team Members: Kerri Levelton: kerri.levelton@sd52.bc.ca
Lori Leighton: lori.leighton@sd52.bc.ca
Missy Trimble: missy.trimble@sd52.bc.ca
Salomon Garcia: salomon.garcia@sd52.bc.ca
Leslie Barton: leslie.barton@sd52.bc.ca
Natasha Brown: natasha.brown@sd52.bc.ca
Inquiry Team Contact Email: kerri.levelton@sd52.bc.ca
II. Inquiry Project Information
Type of Inquiry: Indigenous Education Impact Initiative
Grade Levels Addressed Through Inquiry: Intermediate (4-7)
Curricular Areas Addressed: Not applicable
Focus Addressed: Indigenous understandings (for example, Traditional Knowledge, oral history, reconciliation), Land, Nature or Place-based learning
In one sentence, what was your focus for the year? To build relationships so students LOVE being at school and this will improve their attendance.
III. Spirals of Inquiry Details
Scanning: We had our learners at the center of our scanning process. We noticed that some students need to gain more confidence in themselves. We noticed that some students don’t want to be at school because they struggle with academics and/or social connections. We noticed that some students were allowed to stay home from school.
We focused on attendance data.
We learned that we needed to develop some small group activities that focused on culture and gave students a space to be themselves outside of their classrooms.
Focus: We focused on attendance by providing small group fun activities to promote this (drumming, girls group, leadership group).
We hoped to change their attendance by supporting rapport and building stronger connections with adults and students in small social settings.
Hunch: Some of our students are allowed to stay home from school. We wanted to give them a reason to be at school by providing them with opportunities to engage in some fun, while providing a safe space with food and activities to support them.
This way they can tell their families that they want to be at school as they might miss out.
This included:
- Drumming at lunch (twice a week)
- Girls Group: making food, crafts, sewing skirts, playing games, etc. (once a week)
- Leadership Group: lead school activities, planned and judged our School Spirit Days, fundraised for school activities, some travelled to Haida Gw’aii, etc.
Reflections for Year 1: Having small groups with different activities has given students an opportunity to find themselves. We have had quiet, non-engaged students join drumming and perform in front of our whole school. We have had students from our leadership group welcome us to the territory in Sm’algyax language. We have had students design ribbon skirts.
Plans for Year 2: Increase the number of students by providing more activities. Use student voice to continue to lead these activities (focus discussions, surveys).