Concise, student-centred focus statement.

Note: In 2025/26, the focus must include literacy and/or numeracy.

In the 2025/2026 school year, our focus will be on enhancing literacy skills for our grade 8 population.

Explain why this focus matters and which patterns or trends in the data informed it. Use quantitative and qualitative sources (dashboard/scanning/student voice).

Since the pandemic, there has a been a slight decline in the Graduation Literacy Assessment 10 and 12 results and student performance in Language Arts courses on report card data.  As a result, we will focus on increasing literacy skills and success for all students.  

Identify the specific learner groups whose outcomes informed your focus.

The priority learners are the grade 8s.   This population was specifically identified as this is a transition year for students. 

Describe current performance.

Describe the specific actions adults (ie. teachers) will take to advance this focus.

All grade 8 students will participate in a Fall and Spring literacy assessment to identify strengths and stretches.   Teachers will then use this information and target specific literacy instruction (ex. word skills) across the curriculum. 

Describe the differences you expect to see for learners.

By targeting instruction, we expect students to build their literacy toolkit in the areas of word skills, making predictions, notemaking, making connections and inferences. By increasing the literacy tool kit, we are expecting to see an increase in comprehension in all subject areas. 

Identify what evidence will demonstrate improvement in student learning. Ensure the evidence is directly connected to the actions and impact.

There will be a Fall and Spring literacy assessment, and we expect to see an increase in all aspects of the literacy crtieria. 

Describe alignment to District Strategic Priorities.

Hugh Boyd’s literacy goal is directly related to Strategic Priority 1, Objective 1 – Improving literacy outcomes for all learners across the curriculum.