ACTION PLAN FOR LEARNING
2015-2016
LYTTON ELEM SCHOOL
School Community
Lytton Elementary School is located in the Village of Lytton. It was
constructed around 1950 as the original high school. In 1962, when
Kumsheen Secondary School was built, it became Lytton Elementary
School. At that time, with nearly 300 students, a gymnasium and large
library were added on to the main building.
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Today Lytton Elementary School houses 75 students. Of these students
all but four are of Indigenous ancestry. Most of the students travel by
school bus from five main Indigenous communities, farms, or other rural
areas. Only eight students live within walking distance to the school.
The school building and grounds are often used by community groups
outside of school hours. Two large rooms under the gym and two rooms
upstairs are used by Nzen'man’ Child and Family Development Center
which offers daycare and afterschool programs.
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Many years ago, the Anglican Church ran a residential school near Lytton.
Many parents and grandparents of today’s students grew up in the
St. George’s Residential School system. The impacts of their experience
at Residential School are felt throughout our school and community.
Lytton Elementary School is viewed by many as the center of the
community and is valued as an option for their children to attend school.
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Inside this Action Plan
School Community
1
Reflection and Long Term Goal
2
Inquiry Question
2
Research Foundation
3
Action Plan for 2014-2015
4
Evidence
5
Support & Connections for Success
6
ACTION PLAN FOR LEARNING
Page 2
Reflection on 2014-2015
This current school year saw a return of 3 out of 5 teaching staff.
This continuity allowed for smooth continuation of the Action Plan
for Learning and focus on Self-Regulation and Social-Emotional
Learning.
Self-regulation, along with social emotional teaching has truly been
evident in all classrooms, for all students. The current staff
recognize the importance of continuing this work by wanting the
goal and inquiry question to evolve and become more specific.
After much discussion, and with the recognition that the upcoming
school year could possibly find us with an entire turnover of
teaching staff, it was decided that school connectedness needs to
be the main goal of the 2015/16 Action Plan for Learning.
When students feel
supported by
One of the greatest challenges at Lytton Elementary, and what is
most important for student engagement and successful student
learning is the relationship between students and teachers, and
their connectedness to school.
adults at school,
they feel more
motivated to
engage in class, do
their homework,
and are more likely
to value school.
(McNeely, 2013)
Long Term Goal
By June 2016, all students will feel safe, cared for, and connected to
our school and our staff as determined by student and parent
surveys.
Inquiry Question
If the school as a whole teaches strategies and provides activities
proven to support school connectedness, will all students and
parents see Lytton Elementary School as a safe and caring school?
2015-2016
Page 3
Research Foundation
School Connectedness
“The presence of caring relationships in schools — the heart of school connectedness —
is increasingly recognized as a vital component of successful schools. The research is
strong and consistent; students who feel connected to school do better academically and
are healthier.”
“Research has found correlations between school connectedness and four academic
outcomes: attendance, dropout rates, self-reported grades and perceived academic
competence. “

Healthy Schools BC, School Connectedness, What Does the Evidence Say, 2014
What is Connectedness? Connectedness is a term increasingly used to describe a
healthy, protective relationship between youth and the environments in which they grow
up. It is increasingly clear that opportunities to experience a sense of place, belonging,
and trust promotes wellbeing – not just for individual youth, but also for the environments
in which they live. While relationships with individual adults are important, connectedness
also encompasses ideas related to belonging, attachment, and reciprocal positive regard.
It also implies a sense of place, respect, and belonging that comes from feeling like you
and others like you are valued members of school and/or community.

Places to be and Places to Belong, Youth Connectedness in School and
Community, ACT for Youth, September 2004
ACTION PLAN FOR LEARNING
Page 4
Action Plan for 2015-2016
Classrooms
 Clear structure with consistent expectations
 Project-Based Inquiry learning opportunities
 Hands on learning
 Relevant, meaningful learning
 Local Indigenous integration
 Celebrating successes
 Joyful activities
 Local fieldtrips to support learning
 Small-sized learning environments
 Mind Up program
 Self regulation strategies/tools in classrooms to meet individual needs
of students.
School
Connectedness is
about creating a
school community
where everyone
feels safe, seen,
heard, supported,
significant, and
cared for.
School Wide
 Breakfast/snack program—all students will be offered a daily nutritious
start to their school day
 Elders/family teas to showcase learning
 Month end assemblies as celebrations of learning
 Restitution/restorative practise—as reflected in our school Code of
Conduct, discipline issues will be addressed through the restitution
model and restorative process.
 Various cultural activities
 Clubs—at least three sets of clubs over the school year
 Organized activities offered during recess and lunch (sports, games,
crafts, etc)
(BC School
Centred Mental
Health Coalition)
Staff

Professional learning on meeting the diverse cognitive, emotional, and
social needs of students, including study of the “BC Healthy Schools—
School Connectedness” document
 School based professional development days/staff meetings—time
spent on school connectedness
 Development, administration, and analysis of surveys
2015-2016
Page 5
Evidence
Student Survey — May 2015
At school there is someone who cares about me:
Yes 78%
No 22%
At school there is someone I trust that I can go to for help:
Yes 90%
No 10%
The above information was taken from a survey administered in early May 2015.
In order to gain more specific and accurate evidence, a parent and student survey will be
developed in September and administered/sent home three times over the school year; at
the end of September, at term two reporting, and at the beginning of May.
Specific questions for the student and parent survey will be determined by the staff in
September.
“School Connectedness is the belief by students that adults in the school care about
their learning and about them as individuals. Students are more likely to succeed
when they feel connected to school.”
- Robert Blum, MD, MPH, PhD
LYTTON ELEM SCHOOL
Box 219
Lytton, BC
V0K 1Z0
Phone: 250-455-2215
Fax: 250-455-2528
E-mail: [email protected]
Support and Connections for Success
How will we provide for staff development and collaboration?

Teacher collaboration time for planning and reflection

School based professional development days

Professional development opportunities as they arise over the school year
How will we involve parents and caregivers?

Celebrations of learning

Open house

Invitations to various events and activities over the year

Conversations of learning

Parent surveys
How will we communicate our work in the school and community?

Parent night open house

Information in monthly newsletters

Bulletin board displays

Lytton Elementary Facebook page
School District 74 (Gold Trail)
www.sd74.bc.ca