Our School Plan Progress 2017-2018

Improving Student Learning

The Abbotsford School District’s Strategic Plan reflects our public commitment to BC’s new curriculum by working together to continuously improve learning for each student.

School Goals

Under the Framework for Enhancing Student Learning, all Abbotsford School District schools are required to develop a long term plan to improve student achievement, one that maintains a balance on the intellectual, social and career development of students. Each year, each school develops an annual plan and sets individual goals to improve student achievement.

Abbotsford Middle School Goals

At Abby Middle:

  • We are a supportive, caring, and inclusive school community.
  • We model open communication and supportive partnerships that foster curiosity and creativity; equipping students with skills for life-long learning.
  • Learning is purposeful, engaging, collaborative, active, authentic and reflective.
  • Learning involves active participation, inquiry, and positive risk taking.
  • Students are encouraged to be balanced, open minded, thoughtful, and principled global citizens

 

Abbotsford Middle School Goals 2017-18

We have four school goal areas for this year:

  1. Literacy - How can we increase the reading skills of our students as measured by Gates, aiming to increase the number of student above the 22nd percentile in both Vocabulary and Comprehension?
  2. Numeracy - How can we increase numeracy skills in our students in the areas of computation and application of skills and concepts as measured by the Stanford Math Assesment, aiming to increase the number of students above the 22nd Percentile in both Computation and Concepts and Applications?
  3. Self-Management - based on the IB MYP Approach to Learning (ATL)
    • How can students improve their organizational skills? (Organization)
    • How can students improve management of their own state of mind? (Affective)
    • How can students be increasingly reflective? (Reflection)
  4. Innovative Pedagogy - 
    • How do we continue to grow in our use of innovative teaching: incorporating best practices from the IB MYP program, while continuing to enhance our instruction and assessment practices?
    • Now that we are a BYOL school, how can we continue to leverage technology in ways that move down the SAMR model (from Substitution-Augmentation-Modification-Redefinition) while increasing student achievement. 

 

PDF Downloads: 

PDF icon AMS Literacy 2017-18.pdf
PDF icon AMS Numeracy 2017-18.pdf
PDF icon AMS Self Management 2017-18.pdf
PDF icon Innovative Practice - IB and technology 2017-18.pdf

Intellectual

Our students will learn key academic skills - like reading, writing and math - to encompass the knowledge and processes associated with intellectual development. As learners and meaning-makers, students take subject-specific concepts and content and transform them into a new understanding. 

Our celebrations of learning

Leveraging technology for enhanced learning opportunities

Abbotsford Middle School is a BYOL school.  We strive to incorporate technology in our learning in order to redefine our educational possibilities.  Students don't just answer questions, they now ask them.  They don't just consume content, they create it.

Inquiry Based Learning

The IB MYP program enourages our students to view learning through the lens of real world problems.  Students are encouraged to apply their learning in a hands-on, practical way. Several examples shown include: calculating area of Gingerbread Houses in Grade 6, and creating a French zoo in Grade 7.

Literacy and Numeracy Goals

At Abbotsford Middle, we realize the importance of literacy and numeracy goals.  Our classroom teachers work hard to identify our students needs in these areas, and provided individualized programs for our students.  Non-enrolling staff such as LSS teachers, Literacy & Numeracy Support teachers, and our Library Learning Commons teachers are all involved in this process to ensure that all students are challenged in these areas and encouraged to grow throughout the year. 

PDF Downloads: 

PDF icon AMS FSA results 2016-17.pdf

Human & Social

Our students will study personal and human social skills and as they relate to students' identity in the world - both as individuals and as members of their community. We are learning that personal and human social skills encompass the abilities students needs to thrive as individuals, to understand and care about themselves and others, and to find and achieve their purposes in the world. 

Our celebrations of learning

Holistic Education

We believe in the importance of education for the whole child.  We encourage our students to embrace the opportunity to find their passions, exploring areas such as Arts and Athletics.

Making Connections

Students are encouraged to connect with their classmates as well as the adults in their lives at school.  Classrooms are designed with the students learning and social-emotional needs in mind.  Efforts are made to strengthen these bonds throughout the year.  We start every day with advisory, a time for homeroom teachers to check in with their classes, teach Self-Management skills, and create a space where every student belongs and is connected.

Careers

Our students will succeed in a much different future from the one we envisioned 10 or 15 years ago. It is our responsibility to prepare all children for success in whatever life path they choose, connecting learning opportunities with future career possibilities. We know that real-life experiences - like community involvement, gaining business knowledge, and hands-on-learning - build better students and life-long citizens. 

Our celebrations of learning

Bringing community experts to share with our students

Mrs. Krause brought guest speakers in to share real life experiences related to Nursing, the Abbotsford Police Department, and Abbotsford Fire and Rescue Services.

Genius Hour

Students were encouraged to follow their passions.  One student even created her very own Beauty Salon!

Community and Service

As part of the IB MYP program, students are encouraged to be involved in their community in a variety of ways. One example fo this is regular visits to the Gleaners where students help prepare vegatables for soups that are distributed throughout the world.  A more local example is our Husky Sports council which provides minor officiating for all of our school sports teams.