western school division community report 2019 2020

WESTERN SCHOOL DIVISION COMMUNITY REPORT

2019 - 2020

About Us Board of Trustees: Brian Fransen—Chairman Robyn Wiebe—Vice-Chair Barb Petkau David Guenther Darcy Wolfe Central Office Administration: Stephen Ross - Superintendent Cyndy Kutzner - Asst. Superintendent Carl Pedersen - Secretary-Treasurer Allan Toews - Operations

“Rooted in Caring; Committed to Learning”

Divisional Facts Student population: 2045

5 school sites

Over 220,000 square feet of educational space in schools

Total professional staff: 153

Total teaching and support staff: 393

The average monthly student attendance was 93.54%

View how our students do compared to their Provincial Peers here:

https://www.westernsd.mb.ca/Division/CIP/

Our Mission

Developing people who are Rooted in Caring, and Committed to Learning.

“Mission statements obligate people to moral action.” Thomas Sergiovanni

Unit 4 – 75 Thornhill Street, Morden, Manitoba, R6M 1P2

Ph. (204) 822-4448, Fax. (204) 822-4262 Email: [email protected] www.westernsd.mb.ca

COMMUNITY REPORT 2019-2020

https://www.westernsd.mb.ca/Division/CIP/

MAPLE LEAF SCHOOL 225 12th Street, Morden, MB. R6M 1Z3

Principal: Mr. Mike Keith; Vice-Principal: Mr. Michael Ward Telephone: (204) 822-4458, Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.westernsd.mb.ca/school/mapleleaf

Find us on Twitter and Instagram! https://twitter.com/mapleleaf_wsd https://twitter.com/mordenmlsphysed

https://www.instagram.com/maple_leaf1928/ https://www.instagram.com/mordenmlsphysed/

About Us Maple Leaf is a K-4 Dual Track school, with English and French Immersion programming. Our school has grown to 522 students and we have 60 incredible staff members in and out of our building each day. We’ve also added two teachers since the start of the school year: Chelsea Enns and Zoe Fraser. We have an incredible team of educators that work hard to offer strong academic programming which includes project-based and play-based learning. Our students can participate in extra-curricular programming, which includes sports and music. We have active involvement from our parents/guardians in the Home and School Association, parent volunteer program, and Canadian Parents for French chapter! We are excited to start another year and look forward to seeing our students again in the fall.


Our Mission Statement

Maple Leaf School is dedicated to:

Working as a community to provide a safe, caring, student-centered learning environment where diversity is celebrat-ed; activating student learning in support of our children reaching their potential as creative, responsible, and contrib-

uting members of our democratic society; working as a collaborative staff in improving our capacity to improve stu-dent learning.

“Learn, Grow, Live / Apprendre, Grandir, Vivre”

2020-2021 Priorities Improve student learning and achievement in student

numeracy and literacy outcomes

Focus on French Immersion programming and in-creasing the use of the French language

Continue to support Education for Sustainable Devel-opment and Physical Literacy

Foster a culture of integrity in the school and through connections to the community

Highlights Volunteer Choir

Festival of the Arts

Parent presentations on Numeracy, Literacy, and Early Years Evaluations, and how to support Kindergarten learning

Dustyridge Equine Therapy Program

New Regulation Room!

Roots of Empathy

School Garden!

Expanding Sensory Path!

Dotting

Learning Sprints

Continued work using Fountas & Pinnell for reading and writing

Zones of Regulation, Bucket-Filling, Restitution, Play is the Way

Christmas Concerts at Access Event Centre / Kindergarten concerts in Music room

Field Trips

Classroom run assemblies!

Our school’s own Féstival du Voyageur

Project-Based Learning

Bilingual Bop

Cuddle Up and Read Night

I Love to Read Month

Spirit Week!

New Social Media on Twitter and Instagram

Remote Learning – using various methods such as online platforms to connect

Western Talent Show

All the amazing work kids have done from home #MapleLeafStrong

MINNEWASTA SCHOOL 1 Academy Drive, Morden, MB. R6M 1Z4

Principal: Mr. Geoff Sutton, Vice-Principal: Mrs. Korina Peters Telephone: (204) 822-4580, Email: [email protected] Website: https://www.westernsd.mb.ca/school/minnewasta

Highlights The Global Cardboard Challenge

Transition Days for connections between staff, parents, and students

School-wide activity days

Project-Based Learning Activities school-wide with presentations on some of these activities to the WSD Board of Trustees

Grade 4 student conflict managers

Book clubs

PAC provided all students/staff with Minnewasta Pride Wear - all students wear their Minnewasta T-shirts on Fridays to build school spirit/community

Community experiences and field trips

I Love to Read Month: Amazing Race Across Canada

Makerspace: crafts, building, technology, and robotics

Student-led assemblies

Indigenous education resources

K-4 active health and outdoor education opportunities

Dustyridge Equine Therapy program

Breakfast and healthy snacks program

Intramural programming throughout the year

Home and school communication: newsletters, apps (Twitter, Homeroom, Seesaw, Microsoft Teams, Instagram)

Grade 2 and Grade 4 teachers using “Learning Sprints”

Parent Advisory Council hosted Movie Nights in Minnewasta Gym

Participated in “Jack Frost Challenge” where students snowshoed a combined 130 km outdoors for Physical Education in just 4 days

PAC Hot Lunches / Pay it Forward Hot Lunches

Celebrating the diversity of all staff and students

Priority Areas for 2020-2021 1. Literacy 2. Numeracy 3. Culture/Wellness 4. Education for Sustainable Development


Our Mission

The mission of Minnewasta School is to provide a friendly, safe, and respectful place where students, staff, parents/guardians, and community work together to encourage lifelong learning. Minnewasta’s staff will use the best available resources to challenge all students in a caring and competent way, knowing that each child is an

individual.

“Learning and Growing Together”

About Us K-4 school with approximately 335 students

Diverse and inclusive learning community, welcoming to all

35 professional and support staff members

English programming with Early Start French in K-3 and Basic French in Grade 4

Strong inquiry/Project-Based Learning driven instruction

Large school with small-school feel (sense of community)

Classroom configuration: 4 classes of Kindergarten (half days) and 3 classes each of Grade 1 to Grade 4

Thank-you and Congratulations! We want to congratulate and wish our very own Mrs. Sharon Remple a happy retirement at the end of June this year. Thank you for every-thing that you have done over the years for Minnewasta School! Sharon has been teaching for over 25 years in various roles in Sandy Bay, Winnipeg, Garden Valley, and Western school divisions. She plans to continue teaching as a substitute teacher and spend more time with her family at the cottage! Highlights of her career include receiving gifts from her students such as goose feathers and colourful leaves! She also has memories of students calling her “Mom” halfway through the school year. It always put a smile on her face and reminded her that teaching is all about relationships!

ÉCOLE MORDEN MIDDLE SCHOOL 150 Wardrop Street, Morden, MB. R6M 1Z2

Principal: Mrs. Suzanne Powell, Vice-Principal: Mr. Garth Shindle Telephone: (204) 822-6225, Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.westernsd.mb.ca/school/mordenmiddle


Our Mission

École Morden Middle School is committed to providing children with experiences to help them develop intellectually, socially, and morally. These experiences will take place in a caring and nurturing environment created and supported

by a partnership of parents, students, educators, and the community. We are working to develop attitudes and abilities that will enable children to continue their education and learn skills for independent living. Through the shared responsibility of all the partners, the children are expected to acquire a

sense of respect for self and others, a responsibility to the community, and a lifelong desire to learn.

Highlights Student Learning:

Participation in the Wellbeing Well Becoming Project

Participation in the Manitoba Rural Learning Consortium (mRLC) numeracy project to help improve students’ numeracy skills

Robust remote learning Student Voice:

Yearbook created by our Grade 8 students

Bullying Awareness Month

Freedom Fighters– supporting local food bank, Walk for Water, Random Acts of Kindness initiative

Student Council—dances, supporting classrooms by providing resources, supporting community groups

Student initiated service learning projects

Goals & Priorities

COMPETENCE: Develop a positive view of one’s abilities and actions through academic growth and achievement

CONFIDENCE: Develop one’s internal sense of overall positive self-worth and self-efficacy; positive identity; and belief in the future

CONNECTION: Develop and foster positive bonds between peers, family, school, and community

CHARACTER: Develop respect for societal and cultural rules, standards of correct behaviours, a sense of right and wrong, and personal integrity

CARING / COMPASSION: Develop a sense of

sympathy and empathy for others

About Us

Grade 5-8 dual track French/English middle school

620 students

45 professional staff, 15 Educational Assistants, and 8 support staff

Our school offers a variety of programs with a Middle Years focus


Our Mission

The mission of our school is to create a safe and caring environment which emphasizes learning as a life-

long quest. Our school strives for equality, mutual respect, and cooperation in everything that it does; to be a place where all citizens are encouraged to seek continually to be better, more informed people and

citizens.

MORDEN COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE 345 5th Street, Morden, MB. R6M 1Z1

Principal: Ms. Marianne Fenn Vice-Principal: Ms. Tania Sigurdson

Telephone: (204) 822-4425, Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.westernsd.mb.ca/school/mordencollegiate

School Goals and Priorities 1. Improved achievement in student numeracy outcomes 2. Improved achievement in student literacy outcomes 3. Focus on French Immersion programming 4. Focus on Graduation Rates

About Us Morden Collegiate Institute (MCI) is a grade 9-12 high school offering courses and graduation opportunities in both English and French Immersion programming. This year we are graduating our first ever group of students who will have achieved a French Immersion Graduation Diploma! We are very proud of the accomplishments of our students and in the ongoing support of students, staff, and families in helping us reach this achievement.

We are also pleased to be part of the Red River Technical Vocational Area Consortium, and our students have the opportunity to learn and achieve credit in a variety of technical trades programs. As such, graduation with the Province of Manitoba Senior Years Technology Education Diploma is possible as well.

Our students have opportunities to engage with personalized and project-based learning experiences at MCI, both in and out of the classroom. Some examples include culinary “Chopped” challenges, Bike Shop, body systems interactive science displays, outdoor education, drama productions, students becoming teachers of preschool music lessons, researching local war veterans and creating plaques in their honour, Business Education students with product challenges and flea markets, food security projects, and more. At MCI, students will find opportunities to be artists, athletes, philanthropists, social activists, and scholars. We thank our skilled staff and students at Morden Collegiate Institute.

Highlights Covid-19 has changed the look and feel of many of our opportunities and activities for the second part of the school year. Together, we enjoyed many experiences in the first half of the year in person, and have collectively learned how to enjoy experiences together—differently and sometimes remotely – in the later part of our school year.

October Academic Awards Assembly to honour Academic achievement of students

Terry Fox Run

RRTVA Trades Camp – half day hands-on activities in skilled trades classrooms

We Day!

Participated in Honour Band

Debate Club hosted National Seminar with participants from throughout Canada

Travel Club: planned trip to Italy and Greece sadly cancelled due to Covid-19.

Red River Technical Vocational Area program student tours

Performances from the Band and Choir

Outdoor Education focused Phys. Ed. classes

Korean Club cultural experiences

GSA Club supporting students

Student Council: numerous events and activities including dances, spirit weeks, and grade wars challenges!

Student Ambassador Program: supporting new students to Morden Collegiate

Partnership with Regional Connections in supporting our Newcomer families

Transition Day to support Grade 8 students moving up to Gr. 9

Evening of Elegance

Ski/Snowboard Trip to La Rivière

June Athletic Awards to honour athletic achievement of students (the virtual version!)

Fundraising and raising awareness by our HASTA group

Wellness Club focusing on student health and wellness

“Together at Home” video project

University Tours and Career Fair

Community Connections Like so many in our community, our students this year have been presented with additional challenges as they have worked tirelessly to continue their own learning while facing the uncertainty that COVID-19 has brought to our lives. We as a staff cannot express our pride enough at seeing these learners strive to reach their goal of graduation despite the extra energy it takes to work, homeschool children, and then still find time to do their own school work remotely.

Director Kelly Vipond, teacher Todd Folkett, and Education Assistant Carmen Funk remain the team of teachers here at

MORDEN ADULT EDUCATION CENTRE 200-30 Stephen Street, Morden, MB. R6M 2G3

Director: Mrs. Kelly Vipond Telephone: (204) 822-1231

Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.westernsd.mb.ca/school/maec

Our Year at a Glance

Morden Adult Education Centre has worked hard to help 19 graduates reach their goal and earn their Manitoba Mature Student Diplomas. Our grads this year have a wide variety of interests and many are planning to pursue post-secondary education to find careers that meet with their personal passions. We have a number looking to move into the field of healthcare, while others pursue dreams that vary from running their own business to becoming a commercial airline pilot. Many of our students are hoping to continue their studies in fall of 2020 and complete their diplomas for June 2021.

Plans for Next Year September is always an exciting time as we get to meet new faces and get to know a whole new group of learners. While at this time we are uncertain as to exactly what form our programming will take, we plan to offer our regular compulsory courses throughout Semesters one and two: Essential Math 20S and 40S, English 20F, and Transactional English 40S. Our hope is to continue to offer a variety of elective courses as well.


Our Mission

To provide adults with the opportunity to expand their educational horizons in a flexible and comfortable

academic setting. Our school strives to promote learning as a lifelong activity accessible to all.

the Centre and have worked continuously to move courses and materials into online platforms over the last couple of months, continuously communicating with students remotely. Stacey Fehr—our beloved Administrative Assistant—has served as a great support to our student body, keeping in regular contact and supporting students during such unprecedented times.

Child Development Centre staff Karen Wowk and Ayne Wieler sought ways to stay connected to students’ children. They created individual activity boxes that were delivered weekly to all the families in our centre using the CDC and were in contact using Zoom meetings. With the maintained connections, it has made for easier transitions for children re-entering daycare while their parents access the school by appointment and complete their studies.

BOARD PRIORITIES PLAN 2019-2023

BOARD PRIORITIES STRATEGIES

IMPROVE STUDENT LEARNING

Resource literacy and numeracy improvement at all levels.

Respond to the needs of the student.

Review programming division wide.

Offer programming to set up students for success after school completion.

INSPIRE A CULTURE OF INTEGRITY

Develop a courageous conscience that acts with: Personal Responsibility Empathy Ethics Leadership Resilience Integrity Emotional Intelligence Gratitude Honesty The Board is willing to resource learning opportunities that model these attributes.

ENCOURAGE ADVENTUROUS

ACHIEVERS

Create safe environment for staff to encourage and promote adventurous achievers.

Ignite the potential for innovative invitational ideas.

Provide professional development for staff directly related to adventurous achievers.

Support programs that strengthen, enhance, extend, and personalize instruction.

DEEPEN COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS

Involve the school in the community and the community in the school.

Nurture partnerships within the community.

Welcome and encourage feedback.

Develop and implement a Board communication plan.


A Note from the Board Members of your locally elected Western School Division Board strive to ensure that the division achieves it’s mission, “Developing people who are rooted in caring and committed to learning.” Trustees are committed to listening to our students, staff, and community so that they can make prudent educational and financial decisions.

Throughout the year Trustees monitor the progress of their Board Priorities Plan through meetings and events with students, staff, and community. This June marks the end of the current Board Priorities Plan and Trustees have already been busy developing the new plan which will be unveiled soon.

going on in schools. On this page you will find a small sampling of the awesome student and staff groups that have shared the excitement of their learning with the Board. It is always a treat to have parents attend with the students so that Trustees can hear directly from parents about their children's school experiences! At Western School Division we believe it takes a community to raise a child. By working together, we can ensure that we provide a solid foundation of skills and abilities so that our students may grow into great citizens who contribute to a great quality of life for all those in our community. The Board of Trustees wishes you all a great summer and looks forward to providing strong leadership through effective governance for years to come!

The new Board Priorities Plan will provide direction to the staff and community for the next four years concluding in June of 2023. You can expect to hear from the Trustees as the plan is rolled out across the division. Opportunities such as school presentations at regular Board meetings by students and staff ensure that the Board is connected to what is

western school division community report 2019 2020

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