The Education Plan for Foothills Academy Society, commencing on May 31st 2023, was prepared under the direction of the Board of Governors in accordance with the responsibilities under the Private Schools Regulation and the Ministerial Grants Regulation. This plan was developed in the context of the provincial government’s business and fiscal plans. The Board has used its performance results to develop the plan and is committed to implementing the strategies contained within the plan to improve student learning and results.
The Board approved the 2023/2026 Education Plan on May 28th 2023
priorities abilities, to:
The outcomes and priorities have been developed from areas of need identified in the Annual Education Results Report, and from feedback provided by stakeholders including parents, staff and students.
Board of Governor Meetings
Foothills Academy Society General Meetings
Date 2023/24
September2023,November(AGM) 2023,January2024,March2024, May2024,June2024
June 2023, September 2023
Internal Staff Survey & Review
Meet the Teacher Night, and General Meeting
FoothillsAcademyParents’ AssociationMeetings(monthly)
Student Focus Groups
Staff Meetings (whole staff and team meetings)
Staff Professional Development
June 2023, August 2023
September 2023
October2023-June2024
December 2023, March 2024, June 2024
September 2023 - June 2024
September 2023 - June 2024
Bolster the parent and family connection with the school, and reengage family involvement to pre-Covid levels.
Insights from Results Analysis:
Parents and guardians are integral to any school community, and nowhere is that more important than at Foothills. The role of parents and guardians is hugely instrumental in supporting student achievement and wellness at school Foothills families are actively engaged in school matters, through homeroom & subject teachers, extracurricular staff, and administrators; as well as being connected through Foothills Academy Parents’ Association (FAPA). However, some parents reported to the parents’ association that they felt disconnected, and hope for more opportunities to connect post pandemic, and re-engage our strong school community. There is always a large appetite for parent and guardian involvement, especially after the disconnected isolation which families experienced during the pandemic. After analysing the results from the AERR, and receiving feedback from meetings and surveys from FAPA, it is evident that we should focus on family involvement within the school.
Stakeholder Engagement
Analysis of responses from parents and teachers from the Parental Involvement measure
Administration attended monthly parent association meetings with FAPA. FAPA solicited feedback from parents and the parent’s association regarding school involvement and input.
Outcome
Parents, guardians and families will be re-engaged in the post-Covid era, to have appropriate and meaningful involvement in discussions and decisions pertaining to the school, where it is relevant to parents, guardians and families.
Continued refinement of communication systems and feedback to parents; scheduled calls, family handbook updates, and expectations of parents
presented at general meetings
Provide further opportunities for parent connections, with a return to regular face-to-face meetings with staff, and work with FAPA to identify opportunities for parent-to-parent connection times too. Administration will work with FAPA to identify times in the year when teacher/parent connections can be made, such as:
Monthly FAPA meetings
General school-wide meetings
Meet the teacher
Parent interviews
IPP interviews
Transition nights and parent experiences for grade 6, 9 and 12 parents
Drama productions
Sporting events
Increase staff professional development to understand the role of parents and understand the school through their eyes. Invite parent speakers to present to staff.
Host more parent workshops to understand the LD world
Continue with FAPA Awards
The new role of the manager of Fund Development will work with the parents’ association to connect parents within the community to our collaborative fundraising efforts to support the life-changing bursary program at Foothills.
Measures
AEAM Parental Involvement details will increase by 10% for parents and teachers. From 84% to 94% and from 80% to 90% respectively. Internal surveys will report sustained or improved staff satisfaction with parental involvement
Parents will report having a sustained or enhanced involvement in the school through continued parental roles and events such as the FAPA graduation awards and the staff appreciation lunch.
Strategy
Refinement of communication and expectations - Family and Staff handbook
Time Frame
Provide further opportunities for parent connections
Increase staff professional development to understand the role of parents and understand the school through their eyes. Invite parent speakers to present to staff. Host more parent workshops to understand the LD world
Continue with FAPA Awards.
Fund Development Manager will collaborate with the parents’ association to support the life-changing bursary program at Foothills
August 2023
September 2023 - General meeting & meet the teacher
September 2023 - IPP interviews
November 2023 - Student/Parent/Teacher interviews
Transition nights for grade 6, 9 & 12 (TBD)
Drama Production - Spring 2024
Sporting events - year round
November 2023
February 2024
April 2024
Spring 2024
September 2023 - June 2024
Enhance student learning engagement whilst continuing to grow citizenship opportunities to support all students to become outstanding citizens who contribute greatly to society.
Insights from Results Analysis:
Foothills staff are dedicated, committed and passionate about the meaningful work they consistently engage in with our exceptional students. The impact of staff upon the lives of our students is great. It is no surprise therefore, that outstanding staff want to continue challenging themselves, by not only guiding their students to reach their potential, but to push their own professional standards to the maximum too Teachers want to increase student motivation and create a greater understanding for students about the importance and relevance of our program. Supporting students to see the value and relevance of all classes will help to elevate student learning engagement.
We also identified an opportunity to focus upon re-engaging students in active citizenship activities, and recognized the potential to refine the consistency and clarity of the school-wide standards and expectations which all students are held to.
Stakeholder Engagement
Analysis of responses from parents, teachers and students from the Citizenship detail measure
Individual ‘fireside’ meetings for classroom staff with the school principal Internal staff survey data feedback.
Anecdotal discussions with staff members and with students.
Staff meeting. Team meetings.
Students will be fully engaged in all aspects of their fields of study.
There will be increased opportunities for new learning experiences in a wider range of elective programs
Students will have a greater sense of the ‘urgency of reality’, and will respond accordingly with regards to their Foothills’ Footpath into adulthood, through the evolving careers and guidance program. Increased opportunities for volunteering experiences will be made available to students
Professional development will continue to have a focus upon the needs of the LD brain, with regards to executive functioning and how to enhance levels of motivation.
Additional space will be made available for staff to offer alternative electives, with a focus on music, performing arts, and dance The Foothills’ Footpath program will be implemented in high-school, to support each student’s journey through high-school to graduation and beyond. The program will be initiated in grade 10, and grow through high-school over the subsequent years.
Staff will source further opportunities to volunteer through external programs, and connections in the community
1. 2. 3. 1. 2 3.Students will be fully engaged in all aspects of their fields of study. Student responses to the AEAM Student Learning Engagement detail measures will increase by 10%: From 68.5% to 78.5%.
Staff responses to the AEAM Student Learning Engagement detail measures will increase by 5%: From 895% to 945%
Overall agreement that students are engaged in their learning at school will be comparable to, or surpass the performance measure target of 78.5% set out in Alberta Education’s Business Plan section 4.b.
Staff will report higher levels of student success and engagement on internal surveys.
There will be increased opportunities for new learning experiences in a wider range of elective programs
At least one new elective course will be offered to the current rich offerings in High-School.
At least one new elective course will be offered to the current rich offerings in Junior-High.
Students will have a greater sense of the ‘urgency of reality’, and will respond accordingly with regards to their Foothills’ Footpath into adulthood, through the evolving careers and guidance program.
All students in grade 10 will be signed up to myPass.
At least 50% of grade 12 students will take advantage of the passport program to analyse their psychoeducational assessments with an assessment psychologist
Increased opportunities for volunteering experiences will be made available to students.
Administration will support classroom staff to identify at least one volunteering opportunity or off-site experience for each grade, to foster and develop their citizenship skills.
Grades 6, 9 and 12 will engage/explore with a new or revisited volunteering opportunity or off-site citizenship experience
Professional development will continue to have a focus upon the needs of the LD brain, with regards to executive functioning and how to support access to the different levels of motivation
Additional space will be made available for staff to offer alternative electives The Foothills’ Footpath program will be implemented in high school, to support each student’s journey through high school to graduation and beyond. The program will be initiated in grade 10, and grow through high school over the subsequent years.
Time Frame
August 2023
December 2023
April 2024
September 2023 - June 2024
Staff will source further opportunities to volunteer through external programs, or through connections in the community
September 2023 - June 204
Every student will be engaged academically, socially and emotionally in a way that supports yet challenges them to thrive and succeed.
Insights from Results Analysis:
High standards and expectations of students are important for student success and maximizing their potential. Our dedicated staff are insightful, caring and compassionate, and they understand the need to support each student’s social and emotional wellness, as well as their academic skills and scholastic achievement Many students with Learning Disabilities face additional challenges, which our staff and school program strive to support Student support must address any social and emotional needs in order for academic growth to thrive. As is the case in so many schools across the country, the social and emotional needs of children post-pandemic are much greater than before.
We have an opportunity in the post-pandemic era to re-focus on engaging students to the highest levels of academic achievement so that they ‘Maximize Potential’. It is always a balance to support students with their social and emotional wellness as well as their academic needs, and we are typically successful at blending the two. As the world is getting ‘back to normal,’ we must strive to improve our students’ expectations of learning and success and support staff to find further ways to innovate and engage students in their learning
Analysis of responses from teachers, parents, and students from the Teaching and Leading detail measure.
Individual ‘fireside’ meetings with the school principal
Internal staff survey data feedback
Anecdotal discussions with staff members and with students.
Administration meetings and feedback from stakeholders in supporting professions of psychology, OT and SLP.
Professional inter-school meetings with AISCA school members.
All students will be appropriately challenged by school work in order to maximize their academic potential Students will be interested in their school work and will clearly understand what they are expected to learn.
All students will engage with appropriate FNMI activities and instruction throughout the year.
School-wide outcomes based assessment measures will be implemented to all grades, and will be clearly communicated to parents, guardians, families and stakeholders
Administration will evaluate the current process for reviewing long range plans, unit plans, and assessment practices, to help staff identify areas for improved efficiencies to maximize their teaching over the course of the year.
Professional development will focus on innovation in the classroom, motivation and engagement of students with Learning Disabilities
Professional development will incorporate how to implement FNMI resources in all subject areas.
Striking the FNMI committee to have representatives from each team. The FNMI resource library will continue to be added to by each teaching team over the course of the year
All staff will be engaged in creating a new whole school agreement for student and classroom expectations
Conduct exit interviews with grade 12 graduates.
AEAM Education Quality detail measures will increase by 5% for teachers: From 89.6% to 94.6%.
AEAM Education Quality detail measures will be sustained or increased for parents: 931% or above
AEAM Education Quality detail measures will be sustained or increased for students: 85.5% or above.
Internal surveys will report sustained or improved staff satisfaction with student involvement in core curriculum classes, and also in skills classes.
At least one staff member (including administration) will have taken further professional development on student motivation in the post-covid world, and presented it to all staff.
Implementation and adoption of the process or strategy will have begun for at least grades 6, 9 and 12.
At least one staff member (including administration) will have taken ongoing professional development in FNMI instruction and resources for school-wide implementation
Implementation and adoption of the appropriate FNMI learning will be observed throughout each Team in the school.
The FNMI committee will meet once bi-monthly over the course of the year. Every classroom will have the same, developmentally appropriate, whole school agreement of classroom expectations posted clearly on the classroom walls
School-wide outcomes based assessment measures will be implemented to all grades, and will be clearly communicated to parents, guardians, families and stakeholders
June 2023 (Professional Development)
August 2023 (Professional Development)
September 2023 - June 2024 (Implementation)
Administration will evaluate the current process for reviewing long range plans, unit plans, and assessment practices, to help staff identify areas for improved efficiencies to maximize their teaching over the course of the year.
August 2023
September 2023
Professional development will focus on innovation in the classroom, motivation and engagement of students with Learning Disabilities.
August 2023 - June 2024
All staff will be engaged in creating a new whole school agreement for student and classroom expectations
June 2023
August 2023
September 2023.
Conduct exit interviews with grade 12 graduates
June & July 2023
This Education Plan sets out clear priorities for continued growth and development, which helps to ensure we consistently offer exceptional support and services for our students and families. In order to monitor progress of the plan, and to adjust where necessary, we follow the cycle presented by Alberta Education.
Once the plan is prepared and the budget has been set accordingly, the strategies laid out in the plan will be acted upon over the course of the year; as per the progress monitoring time frame. These strategies will be reviewed monthly by the school leadership team, to evaluate their effectiveness. Adjustments will be made in the moment if necessary.
The Education Plan uses key insights from the AERR and local measures, to inform the direction of the plan to ensure continuous improvement throughout the school The measures from the plan will help to inform the subsequent AERR as the cycle of continuous improvement keeps our standards, expectations and successes as high as possible, as all stakeholders within the Foothills community strive to maximize their potential.
The board directed $196,500 to be allocated to the building maintenance reserve fund, as per the building life cycle review conducted by a contracted engineering firm. Capital spending in the coming year includes the cyclical replacement of student computers,iPads, technology and associated resources.
The budget also accounts for the professional development required in priorities of the Education Plan and for the development of a grade 12 off-site retreat to support the growth and development of stronger relationships and to build citizenship opportunities, as per priority two. Further spending will focus on providing more support to classroom staff for the implementation of new programs and the evolution of current programs and interventions. These supports will bolster the aims of priorities two and three in relation to student engagement and success.