WCOS Education Plan 2012/2013 - West Country Outreach School

West Country Outreach School
Education Plan 2012-2013
Promoting and encouraging a positive journey
in lifelong learning and personal growth.

The Raven
Raven Spirit Symbols:
Introspection, Self-knowledge, Courage, Magic, Mysteries, Shape-shifting,
Creation, Divination, Wisdom, Truth, Answers, Secrets, Messages,
Instruction, Change
“The Moon” – our Raven is reflected in a moon. A moon symbolizes mystery and
wonder. The full moon shares the symbolism of the circle as an image of wholeness and
strength.
“The Circle” - Our logo places the Raven and the Moon within the larger circle,
which symbolizes unity. Circles are protective symbols, without beginning or end, and
mean continuity of purpose, safety, and a sense of belonging.

Beliefs and Values
“Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.”
Helen Keller
• WCOS provides a viable educational alternative for junior and senior high students
who, due to their individual circumstances, find that traditional school settings do
not meet their needs.
• Students have the responsibility to be active participants in the learning process.
• The provision of individualized instruction and personal supports, will guide
students toward successfully meeting provincial academic standards for high
school completion.
• WCOS is a supportive, caring, and safe environment for students and staff.
• We provide students with educational supports that are in addition to the
Programs of Study, such as personal and career counselling, parenting skills, and
addictions counselling, with the assistance of ‘wrap-around’ services from
community agencies.
• We provide a flexible learning environment, which allows for and supports our
students’ individual goals, learning styles, and life circumstances.
• We encourage and foster positive relationships with parents and our community.
• We believe in an environment of equality.

Our Philosophy
“Teachers open the door, but you must enter yourself.” (Chinese Proverb)
• Our first responsibility as educators is not to deliver instruction, but rather
to motivate students to learn. (Dembrowky, 1990). Outreach schools
provide the support and resources to build this internal motivation.
(Housego, 1999).
• WCOS provides a holistic education that supports the psychological,
emotional, physical, and intellectual wellbeing of all students.
• We demonstrate responsible citizenship in our school, our community, our
country, and in the global world.
• All students can learn and experience success.
• A positive self-concept improves academic and social success.
• Outreach education is an integral component of inclusive education.

What the research says….
• Alberta Education (2011). AISI Improving Student Learning: Personalized
Learning. Retrieved from:
http://education.alberta.ca/admin/aisi/themes/personalized-learning-
.aspx
•
• “Personalized learning is a broadly-defined term that is moving to the
forefront of educational reform efforts across Canada and around the
world. In Alberta, the Ministry of Education’s 2010-2013 Business Plan
describes the intent to “support a flexible approach to enable learning any
time, any place and at any pace, facilitated by increased access to learning
technologies (p. 70).” In the recommendations from Inspiring Action on
Education (2010), personalized learning means that…”students have access
to a greater variety of learning experiences that include and extend beyond
traditional education settings and benefit from increased community
involvement in their learning (p. 14)”.

…
Housego, B. E. (1999). Outreach schools: An educational innovation. Alberta
Journal of Educational Research, 45(1), 85-99.
“To benefit those students who cannot or will not pursue their educations in
traditional high schools, that is, to prevent their leaving before graduation or to
facilitate their return if they do leave prematurely, educators continue to address
the problem of providing alternate educational programs.
Marzano, R. J. (2007). The Art and Science of Teaching: A Comprehensive
Framework for Effective Instruction. Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development. Alexandria, VA.
“…the picture of what constitutes an effective school *are+ a well-articulated
curriculum and a safe and orderly environment [and] the one factor that surfaced
as the single most influential component of an effective school is the individual
teachers within that school (p. 1)”.

The flexibility and sense of community of an alternative educational setting alleviates barriers some students
face in their educational and personal growth.

Our Mandate
• WCOS offers a more flexible learning environment. This allows students to work
on individualized courses, using independent timetables, based on their own
personal schedules.
• Attendance and progress is agreed upon in contracts between the teacher and
student. There may be no attendance requirements for senior high students if
progress remains satisfactory, although attendance is encouraged. Junior High
students have mandatory attendance expectations.
• STUDENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• May wish to complete an extra course to speed up their graduation
• May wish to take a dual program - courses at both the Outreach and RJSH
• May require a more flexible time schedule due to personal, employment or
parenting commitments
• Are pregnant or new moms who still wish to continue with their education
• Want to work ahead or off-site due to involvement in sports requiring a lot of
time away
• Have withdrawn from classes and wish to return, but prefer a more independent,
smaller learning environment
• Have not met with success in a traditional school setting
• Are at risk of dropping out, due to emotional, psychological or behavioural issues

Demographics
• 2010-2011
• Jr. High = 14
• Sr. High Outreach = 51
• Dual Students = 32
• Mild/Moderate = 11
• Severe Disabilities = 13
• 2011-2012 (Jan)
• Jr. High = 13
• Sr. High Outreach = 79
• Dual Students = 42
• 2012-2013 (March)
• Jr. High = 10
• Sr. High Outreach = 70
• Dual Students = 40
• Mild/Moderate = 9
• Severe Disabilities = 12
• Pregnant/Parenting = 4
• Employed = 17
• Living Independently = 9
• Mild/Moderate = 9
• Severe Disabilities = 12
• Pregnant/Parenting = 5
• Employed = 24
• Living Independently = 8

Our Team
“Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is
success.” Henry Ford
• Brenda Snow – Work. Exp.
• Lothar Kemski – English
• Natalya Agafonov – Math
• Shelley Dyrland – Sciences/Jr.High
• Doug Kowalzik – Custodian
• Alicea Sliwkanich– Sciences/Jr. High
• Dave Robertson – Social St. Calm/P.E.
• Margo Froehlick – FSLW
• Stacey Johnson – Adm. Asst.
• Alva Holliday – Principal
• Sheila Craven - CA

REFLECTING ON THE PAST: 2011-2012 GOALS
Goal 1:Empowering students to embrace lifelong learning while encouraging and
guiding students to practice positive citizenship.
Parent Survey
I believe WCOS staff try to teach the
importance of caring for others.
AGREE UNSURE DISAGREE
100% 0% 0%
WCOS is helping my child(ren)develop
healthy habits and positive virtues and
values. 71.4% 28.6% 0%
The staff of WCOS model
characteristics of good citizenship
The graduates of WCOS demonstrate
the knowledge, skills and attitudes
necessary for life-long learning.
85.7% 14.3% 0%
28.6% 71.4% 0%

89% of students believe they are taught attitudes and behaviours that will make them successful
in the world of work.
70% agree that students who graduate from WCOS demonstrate the skills, knowledge, and
attitudes necessary for life-long learning.
Lifelong Learning
& Positive Citizenship
*Community Citizenship-
Sidewalk Shovelling
Spring Clean-up
Recycling
*Student Participation
SADD, Christmas Trays,
Food Bank,
Remembrance Day Ceremony
Provincial Recognition
(Royal Canadian Legion)
Outdoor Ed. Program
Work Ex. Program
(enrolment steadily increasing)
Accountability Pillar – shows
„citizenship‟ and „work prep‟
higher than prov. average

Goal 2: Incorporate the 12 fundamental components of an
Excellent Learning Environment into our instructional
strategies, resulting in improved learner outcomes for
students.
Students Speak:
• “My teacher informs me of the learning objectives.” ELE #2 (85%)
• ``My teachers provide feedback on what I did correctly, and areas of improvement.``
ELE #10 (82%)
• `My teachers guide me to solutions/answers to my questions.``ELE#8 (82%)
• “Staff communicate expectations for deadlines & course completion” ELE#9 (82%)
Parents Speak:
• `Teachers are assessing my child using a variety of methods, such as rubrics, checklists,
portfolios.`` ELE #5 (72%) (unsure: 28.6%)
• ``I am satisfied with the school`s commitment to improving students` learning through
assessment.``ELE’s #10, 12 (72%) (unsure: 28.6%)
• ``Teachers use a variety of methods such as group work, discussion, video, technology.
(86%)
• “The help and support that teachers provide for my child helps him/her succeed as a
learner.” (86%)
Accountability Pillar Highlights:
Continued yearly Increase in 3-year high school completion rate by 15%
High levels of satisfaction with quality of education, safety, respect & care.
Significant increase in high school Math diploma results.

Goal 3: Implement new initiatives through AISI, distributed leadership,
and innovative teaching practices which result in increased measures
of continuous school improvement.
• Students able to access more course choices at WCOS and in partnership with RJSH (Art, CTS)
• WCOS continues to celebrate successful graduation rates of 15-20 students. Largest
graduating class this year of 23 students.
• Accountability Pillar results show an increase of over 10% in the 3-year completion rate at
WCOS.
• High school completion rates are steadily increasing
• Collected artifacts to showcase ELE’s.
• Shared Leadership roles embraced by all staff. High levels of satisfaction reported on
Leadership Evaluation.
• Students report high measures of school improvement (90%). Parents do not (54%) for
“their school and schools in their jurisdiction”

Envisioning the Future: 2012-2013 Goals
1. Empower students to embrace lifelong learning
while encouraging and guiding students to practice
positive citizenship.
2. Develop a working understanding of the 12
fundamental components of an Excellent Learning
Environment (ELE) in an Outreach context.
3. Through a collaborative effort, all staff will
incorporate a series of timely, systematic, and
focused interventions (RTI’s), supporting positive
student behavior, and ensuring increased academic
success for all learners.

Evidence: Where are we now…
Quantitative Survey Data:
Goal 1: “Students demonstrate the knowledge, skills, attributes for lifelong learning.”
• Parents – unsure = 72% (90% respondents Jr.H.) Students – Agree = 27/39
• (data not representative of the population)
Goal 2: “Working Understanding of ELE’s”
Baseline data suggests challenges with ‘New Knowledge’ and ‘Backward Design’
Goal 3: RTI’s
Number of behavioral interventions requiring parental contact/suspension) – 2011 = 15
Factors affecting data: New staff, new Principal, change in programming.

Qualitative Data:
Convenience Sampling – representative of the population – Interviews.
Testimonials – Kelly & Matthew
“I stopped living at home when I was 16. I went through kinship care, foster care, and a group home before
giving up on the social work system. . . I got pregnant. I explained my situation, (and fear of failure) and for
the first time…I found a school where someone wanted me to succeed as badly as I did….It was easy enough
to disappoint myself, I‟d done that a hundred times. I needed to be treated like an adult instead of a child with
too many mistakes to fix and I‟ve found all of that at WCOS. I‟m 19 now and Matthew is 8 months old. Better
late than never, because this time, I know that I WILL graduate.”

Strategies
• GOAL 1: LIFELONG LEARNING AND POSITIVE CITIZENSHIP
• Fresh starts for students – intake meetings
• Increase number of students enrolled in Work Experience and RAP
• SADD
• Stress importance of digital citizenship
• Greg E. assisting us with improvements in technology implementation
• FSLW provides regular guest speakers in areas of careers, positive choices and healthy
lifestyle
• VOLUNTEERISM: ex. Food Bank, Christmas Carolling, snow removal, community centre setup/take-down
• Field trips promoting team building and positive relationships (ex. District Outreach Group
Activities, Frontier Lodge, Telus World of Science)
• School pride – new school clothing, celebrating our successes in the local newspaper, new
logo, newsletter
• “California Dreamin’”!!
• EVIDENCE: Parent and Student Satisfaction Surveys, Interviews – unstructured, open-ended

GOAL 2: ELE Working Understanding
• Dedicated AISI weekly meetings to collaborate on a working
understanding of ALL ELE’s in an Outreach context.
• Re-think, re-write ELE’s with Outreach specific language, forming a new
document for use in our school
• Use the language of ELE’s in our correspondence to parents (school
newsletter), and with students (ex. “exemplars”)
• Shared ELE artifacts
• Evidence: ELE Baseline Data Survey – Level 2 Understanding,
• On-Line Staff Survey
• Parent and Student Surveys are reflecting our efforts to imbed ELE
language and understanding into the Outreach learning context.

GOAL: Response to Intervention (RTI’s)
• Diamond Team Book Study: “Pyramid Response to Intervention”
• Amber to present to our School Council (shared language and understanding)
• SSF to adapt district’s Pyramid of Intervention for our school
• PLC time will focus on learning Tier 1, 2, 3 behavioural interventions and developing
behavioural supports (“positive reinforcements and evidence-based strategies are used in a
small group setting with a low student-to-teacher ratio” )
• Gather data on adherence
• Institute “Student of the Week”, motivational Mondays celebrating positive contributions to
the school. Newsletter.
• Target positive leadership through “School Ambassador” program
• Parent-Teacher conferences changed to “Coffee and Sweets night” for parents and students.
• Improve knowledge through targeted professional development: Outreach Educators
Conference, Special Ed Conference, Students At-Risk Conference.
• Evidence:
• Anecdotal – staff and student reflections through survey
• School Documents – analyze retention rates, discipline reports

Staff Feedback
The top 3 areas of growth that WCOS
celebrated last year:
1. Increased number of graduates.
2. We are better able to meet the diverse
educational needs, as our staff becomes
more proficient through research-based
district and school initiatives. (ELE‟s)
3. The school culture continues to grow
as one of acceptance, tolerance,
empathy, humour, and mutual respect.
We continue to grow as a team.
The top 3 areas we envision for improvement are:
1. Continued positive collaboration with partner schools.
2. Higher completion rates as defined by high school graduation or successful
transition to the workforce.
3. An Improved understanding of ELE’s in an Outreach context.

TRENDS AND ISSUES
*Issues:
Maintaining our CEU funding and current level of staffing expertise as an outcomes-based delivery system
while meeting holistic psychological, emotional, intellectual, behavioural needs of teens
Increase in the multi-dimensional levels of support required for at-risk students (ex. increasing levels of mental
illness, depression, addictions)
Trends:
*continuous improvement in teaching and learning outcomes, given the staff’s
commitment to the components of ELE’s, AISI initiatives, technology, educational
research, Outreach philosophy and delivery methods, PLC goals, professional reading,
distributed Leadership, community involvement, parental contact, and student welfare.
*collaborative relationship with RJSH, resulting in appropriate placement of students requiring full-time
Outreach education, and those requiring temporary interventions. Increased utilization of WCOS for dual
students.
*improved collaboration and communication with parents and community

Celebrations

Excellent Learning Environment

Community and School Culture

The last word…from the students
• What we do well:
• teach us; care about students; positive teaching
• Good at listening, good at teaching
• Fights against bullying; promotes good behavior
• The teachers rock!
• They feed me when I’m hungry, give me space because
I’m pregnant.
• They are humorous; they are helpful
• Let us work at our own pace
• They try their best to meet the needs of the students
whether the problems are in school or personal (at
home)
• What improvements can we work on:
• better gym; funner assignments ‘cause these ones were
boring
• More field trips
• Maybe get lockers cuz personal things go missing
• Do more to prevent bullying
• Since the school is quite small, there are not as many
classes that they can offer, but thankfully through our
neighboring school, there are more options available.