A new school year means a new strategic plan.
District School Board Ontario North East is rolling out a new three-year plan to improve student learning. Director of Education Lesleigh Dye says this new plan focuses on improving equity, culture and innovation by staying true to the mission statement “together, we inspire innovation and passion for learning.” DSB One says the plan includes eight commitments that will be rolled out over the next three years including:
Putting the needs of learners first by:
Ensuring that students are the focus.
Expecting high standards in pedagogy, programs, and results.
Providing access to resources, technology and experiences that meet students’ strengths
and needs.
Excellence by:
Supporting high standards for each learner.
Maintaining high professional standards for staff.
Recognizing and celebrating the achievements of students and staff.
Inspire and promote learning by:
Encouraging risk-taking by students and staff.
Engaging the community in real world experiences for students.
Developing critical thinking skills in students.
Engaging in open and transparent communication by:
Celebrating the successes of the DSB1 community.
Consulting internal and external audiences during the decision-making process.
Promoting student and family voice.
Equitable practices by:
Recognizing the diversity of our Board community.
Promoting our Board’s diversity and achievements.
Encouraging participation in our DSB1 community of learning.
Ensuring respectful learning and working environments by:
Providing resources that promote wellness.
Respecting cultural diversity.
Promoting a culture of learning.
Utilizing the leadership skills of the entire community by:
Fostering student voice.
Ensuring strong community partnerships.
Demonstrating pride in our diversity.
Being a strong steward of public education by:
Engaging with all levels of government.
Allocating resources in an equitable fashion.
Serving the needs of all learners
Dye says this plan was created with help from the students, parents and people working in the district. She says since January over 2,000 people were involved in the discussions that shaped this plan. She says it was very important to hear when the public thought needed to be worked on. “We directly serve our students, we need to hear what our students are saying, we need to understand our families lived experiences so that we can do a better job.”
Dye says moving forward DSB One looks forward to making the learning environment better for the students. She says the teachers and authority figures were briefed on the plan before school started this week. “We know that we have lots of strengths, we also know that we have areas of focus and areas to improve.” She adds that “the plan will allow us to ensure that we are staying focused and committed to the areas we have determined are most important for our school year.”
(Written By: Mackenzie Read)
