Assessment

The Teachers at Brock Corydon School:

• Ensure that assessment is based on what is taught from the curriculum, on what instructional approaches are used, and on how well the student has progressed toward meeting the objectives of the instruction
• Determine through assessment techniques, procedures or instruments the appropriate level of instruction and instructional strategies
• Consider student's developmental requirements and provide clear and complete direction that are appropriate for their ability, age, and grade level
• utilize many assessment tools and techniques to develop a clear picture of student progress
• provide students with many varied opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge, skills and understanding
• identify the criteria for assessment and evaluation, and, where possible, share/develop these with the students prior to instruction and learning
• maintain records of student information
• use collections of students’ work to provide authentic samples of their progress
• involve students in the assessment process, where possible, so that they are able to take ownership and responsibility for their learning, and evaluate their progress
• meet regularly with the support staff to review student progress throughout the year
• use student led conferences to provide students with the opportunity to reflect on what they are learning, what their strengths are, and what learning goals they have  set for themselves
• explain to students and parents, where necessary, the way summary comments and grades are generated and interpreted
• communicate student progress in meaningful ways to both students and parent
• provide parents with written anecdotal reports, where appropriate, to highlight students’ strengths and areas requiring improvement
• provide parents with updated overviews of their classroom programs

CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES

A wide variety of materials and methods are used at Brock Corydon School in the assessment of student performance. These may include:

• Winnipeg School Division’s Comprehensive Assessment Program (CAP)
• On-going, Authentic, Performance-Based Assessments
  
• Classroom Observations and Anecdotal Records
  
• Classroom and/or Homework Assignments
  
• Rubrics, Checklists, and Rating Scales
  
• Oral/Written Questions
  
• Individual Student Conferences, Surveys, and Interviews
  
• Students’ Journals and Reflections
  
• Student Portfolios
  
• Student Self-Assessment and Peer Assessment
  
• Developmental Continua
  
• Informal Reading Inventories
  
• Teacher-developed tests

The Resource Program uses diagnostic tests with individual students or groups of students in order to:

• to provide in depth diagnosis of learning strengths and weaknesses
• to provide information to be used in program planning
• when necessary, the school will obtain the consultative and direct services of the Child Support Services (Reading, Psychologist, Speech and Language, Social Work) and School Therapy Services (Occupational Therapists)

COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT PROGRAM

At the beginning of the school year all teachers from Nursery to Grade 6 spend time discovering the individual strengths and needs of their students.  One way that teachers do this is through the Winnipeg School Division Comprehensive Assessment Program (CAP).  Since performance is measured at the beginning of the school year, the CAP provides information about each student’s skills and development based on the curricular outcomes of the previous grade. The information is used to plan appropriate next steps for children’s learning.  Teachers discuss the CAP information and student progress with parents/guardians at the November parent teacher conferences.

REPORTING PROGRESS TO PARENTS/GUARDIANS

Brock Corydon School maintains on-going communication with parents/guardians throughout the school year in the following manner:

• Parent and Student Led Conferences
• Written Report Cards
• Parent/Teacher/Student Meetings
• Classroom Visitations
• Letters/Notes Home
• Telephone Calls

Parents/guardians are informed as early as possible in the academic year when students:

• are experiencing difficulty, the specific details of the difficulties and the strategies for dealing with them
• are unable to cope with the designated curricula, and need adapted programming
  
• a change in program is being considered for the following year

In accordance with the Winnipeg School Division policy, we have four reporting periods during the school year: 

Nursery/Kindergarten:            

November: Written Report with Anecdotal Comments and Parent/Teacher Conferences

March: Written Report and Tri-Conferences with Student Portfolios

June: Written Summary Report

Grades 1 to 6:

November: Written Report with CAP Information and Parent/Teacher Conferences

March: Written Report with Anecdotal comments and Tri-Conferences

 June: Written Summary Report Card

WINNIPEG SCHOOL DIVISION REPORT CARD

In addition to the CAP information, families of students in Grades 1 to 6 receive a report card with marks based on a 4 point scale. These marks represent each student’s progress towards meeting the learning outcomes of the Manitoba curriculum. The report card is a brief summary of each child’s achievement of the learning outcomes for the grade during the term. The numbers on the report card indicate if the assessment of performance is based on a regular or adapted program. Teachers may provide parents/guardians with other student progress information for clarification such as anecdotal comments, reading continua, portfolios work samples, resource reports and Individual or Adapted Educational Plans 

Regular program:  It is expected that most students will receive 2s on their report card. This number indicates that they are achieving at grade level and that they are developing the strategies to progress with the assistance of their teachers.  It does not mean they are having difficulties. In the next report card, students may continue to receive 2s because the expectations are different and more involved as the year progresses. Some children may receive 3s on the report card which means that they are achieving at grade level and that they are proceeding independently and with ease in specific areas of the curriculum. There may be students who receive 1s on the report card which indicates that they are not yet at grade level and require additional instruction and supports. Whereas, some children may receive 4s indicating that they are consistently achieving at a level beyond grade expectations in those specific areas of the curriculum.

Adapted program: Some children are on an adapted program meaning that a portion or all of the student’s program is adapted to meet his/her learning needs i.e. instructional methods, materials, time frame or grade level outcomes have been changed. On the report card, a student who is receiving an adapted program may be placed, for example, in Grade 5 but may be working at an adaptive level in one or more subject areas; the teacher then applies the same scale i.e. 2s or 3s to describe the student’s level of achievement in relation to the revised grade expectations. The student may also require additional support from the resource teacher and/or educational assistant. If adaptations are required in specific areas of the curriculum and not in most areas, teachers may attach a one page adaptations checklist to indicate what adaptations are in place.