THUNDER BAY — Improvements in standardized testing, and success with the EarlyOn and pathways programs were some of the highlights of the past school year for the Lakehead District School Board.
Sherri-Lynne Pharand, Director of Education, said, “we're very pleased that over the last year, our students have improved in all areas and our focus on literacy and mathematics is such an important foundation for the future. It is an important piece we've had students and staff who have continued to achieve as well.”
The board discussed their director’s 2023-2024 annual report at their recent annual meeting on Dec. 3.
EQAO and OSSLT results
According to the report, grade three and six Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) results are up from the 2022-2023 school year.
In literacy, grade three students' reading levels are 83.1 per cent, up from 75.8 in 2022/23, and their writing levels are 75.8, up from 68.3.
Grade 6 students' reading levels are roughly the same as the last school year. Reading is at 84.7, up from 84, while writing skills have slightly lowered from 83.5 last year to 82.7.
“We are super proud of the progress that we're making because it makes a big difference for kids. We want all our kids to be readers and to be successful,” Heather Harris, superintendent of education, said.
“So, our continued focus this year is on structured literacy. We think we're starting to see some gains in our EQAO results in elementary. We're also very proud of that.
In math, the EQAO results are substantially up for Grade 3 students, while grade six students are seeing an improvement over the previous school year.
In 2022/23, grade three students scored 58.4 and Grade 6 students scored 43.9.
In 2023/24, grade three students scored 70.5 and Grade 6 students scored 51.1.
Harris said the school board’s math action plan is continuing this school year because it provides “a clear scope and sequence and resources for teachers in grades one through eight.”
“An online digital tool with common assessment for grades three through eight was taking place at the beginning, middle and end of the year to monitor shortfalls. In mathematics, district schools and educators have focused professional learning on grades four, five, seven and eight and all of that on the morning of the PA Day.
“We formed a valuable partnership with the university to offer subsidized training for teachers and additional basic qualifications related to math.
Grade 10 students take the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT).
The OSSLT is where educators embed literacy strategies and supports, including vocabulary and scaffolding reading and writing tasks, across all curriculum areas.
However, OSSLT results are lower than the previous school year.
In 2022-2023, students scored on average 81.9 per cent, whereas, in 2023-2024 their score was 79.5 per cent.
EarlyOn
In the early years part of the report, Harris highlighted the opening of the two after-school child care programs at Gorham and Ware Public School and Five Mile Public School.
In Sept, Gorman and Ware and Five-Mile public schools offered board-operated, licensed after-school child care for kindergarten and school-aged children. The programs are staffed by early childhood educators and childcare workers whose training is provided by the Thunder Bay District Social Services Administration Board (TBDSSAB).
“We are proud to help meet the needs of the community. We know that childcare is important. And, we know the stress that it caused families when a third-party provider was no longer able to provide care in those schools,” Harris said.
These programs focus on early childhood development by building on the child’s interests, but also centre on how to safely de-escalate a child's more difficult behaviours.
Pathways
According to the report, 270 Lakehead Public School students entered into the Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) program which includes arts and culture, aviation, business, construction, environment, health and wellness, hospitality and tourism, justice community safety and emergency services, manufacturing, and transportation.
The SHSM programs allow students in Grades 11 and 12 to learn specific economic skills while meeting the requirements of the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD).
“Preparing students for future success is a key priority at Lake District School Board. We aim for all students to have a chance to explore a variety of pathways that include our secondary school programs, post-secondary education, apprenticeship, training and career opportunities,” Harris said.
In Sept, the board added two more SHSM programs.
SHSM students at Superior High School can take an environmental program and Westgate can take construction.
Harris also said the board gave Grade 12 SHMS students math credits “so that students in the math department and in the tech department could have authentic learning tasks while building skills in both these subject areas.”
The report also states that this past year, the board began an all-female manufacturing class for Grade 11 to get young women into the trades.
The report states that this initiative fosters confidence, breaks down barriers, and promotes inclusivity in the field by ensuring that students in technology and SHSM classes receive hands-on instruction using state-of-the-art equipment, equipping them with the skills needed for success in the workforce.
“Our approach is to provide opportunities for experiential learning and career exploration to help our students make informed decisions about their future and equip them with the skills and the knowledge that they need for success in their chosen pathways,” said Harris.
