Instructional Capacity

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">This past pro-d, a group of English and French teachers worked collaboratively on aligning assessment practices between the French and English programs in our school. Teachers spent time looking at effective assessment strategies, what rubrics actually meant, and aligning practice so we are assessing students the same way across grades and programs. This work will help guide us not only in how we assess out students, but how we plan for the "what's next" after assessment as a whole school.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/9287b3a9-dd52-4e98-ba32-cbcc414bb935" alt="Assessment Practices Collaboration" width="545" height="408" style="width:545px;height:408px;display:inline-block"></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><br></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Many SD27 educators recently participated in a four-week Outdoor Learning course designed to strengthen Social Emotional Learning (SEL) practices. Each 60-minute session offered practical strategies to support student wellbeing through nature-based experiences.</span><br><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Over the four weeks, educators explored:</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">-Mindfulness and self-awareness through sit spots, nature observation, and journaling.</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">-Social awareness and communication through cooperative outdoor play and group activities.</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">-Emotional regulation and perseverance through outdoor challenges that require patience and problem-solving.</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">-Ethics, stewardship, and community-building using Indigenous pedagogies and land-based learning.</span><br><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">This learning series expanded instructional capacity by equipping teachers with simple, powerful routines that connect SEL and the outdoors—strengthening both classroom practice and student engagement.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p><table class="editor-table"><colgroup><col><col></colgroup><tbody><tr><th class="editor-tableCell editor-tableCellHeader" style="width: 350px; background-color: rgb(242, 243, 245); border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/8bc725e3-8479-48f0-ba37-56d1d04107f5" alt="Outdoor SEL kimberley ikebuchi" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block"></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p></th><th class="editor-tableCell editor-tableCellHeader" style="width: 350px; background-color: rgb(242, 243, 245); border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/e2c06472-82a6-4430-bb57-6126fd91a38d" alt="Outdoor SEL 2 kimberley ikebuchi" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block"></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p></th></tr></tbody></table><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The French Immersion teachers at Nesika have spent the month of September collaborating on improving instruction in classrooms. Teachers are learning about new French Literacy Assessments and how to improve phonics instruction in the French Classroom.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/d9ac1e28-9afd-4d55-905a-b628fee6bdbe" alt="Picture1" width="348" height="423" style="width:348px;height:423px;display:inline-block"></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Teacher leader Melissa Therrien has been collaborating with teacher Marina Campsall demonstrating a new approach to unlocking content area literacy with older students. The teachers co-teach the whole group with reading long multisyllabic words and comprehending content area text. This explicit teacher-led instruction is helping our students focus on new strategies for success.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><img src="/images/b60adc7a-f11d-40d6-8893-0f3db8318362" alt="Teachers collaborate on student literacy" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit"></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br><br><br></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">One of our Teacher Candidates Marie (TRU) led the learning, hosting well-known numeracy consultant Carole Fullerton in her grade 2/3 practicum classroom. Several of our primary teachers were able to take part as well! We are pleased to also be hosting Anila, who is an International Teacher Candidate. Nesika is a fortunate school to help build instructional capacity and share the learning with both candidates.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/d4307c08-bae2-4312-92aa-c0d1a031f725" alt="Student Teachers Building Capacity with Numeracy Consultant" width="718" height="396" style="width:718px;height:396px;float:left"></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/9464b609-8d26-440d-bd49-f0d712b4c369" alt="Student Teachers Building Capacity with Numeracy Consultant" width="522" height="390" style="width:522px;height:390px;float:left"></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Anila Joy joined the Nesika team this week! Ms. Joy is originally from India and is currently enrolled in the Masters of Education program at TRU and is completing a practicum requirement as part of the new TWINQ Project (Teachers with International Teaching Qualifications). She will be spending a month with the team at Nesika, under the leadership and mentorship of Ms. Nasuszny in her grade 4/5 class. The Nesika community is grateful for Anila's contributions to our learning and we are looking forward to sharing this time with her!</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/5c30526e-375f-4039-bdc3-b075ed60b9b9" alt="International Teacher Candidate Joins Nesika" width="493" height="482" style="width:493px;height:482px;float:left"></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/1a6b62cc-52d6-40d6-bf98-6b42080bd048" alt="International Teacher Candidate Joins Nesika" width="543" height="623" style="width:543px;height:623px;float:left"></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">La classe de Mme Jones had the privilege of a visit from Québécois author Alexandra Larochelle who shared her story of how she became an author at age 10, followed by a Q&amp;A period. Tellement excitant!</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><img src="/images/de6bb16a-eee2-4829-a909-cc85223d06ab" alt="Author Alexandra Larochelle" width="676" height="507" style="width:676px;height:507px"></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">We’re pleased to share that several Nesika students placed in this year's Williams Lake Legion Remembrance Day poster and literary contest. Congratulations! The students will be invited to a ceremony in which they will be recognized for their achievements. The date of the ceremony is still to be determined. Thank you for supporting the Legion!</span></p><div data-lexical-layout-container="true" style="grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; display: grid;"><div class="editor-layoutItem"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><img src="/images/c2fd850d-71b9-5b81-bf64-9e3b2ad3e3dc" alt="2epzb0kl.jpg" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit"></p></div><div class="editor-layoutItem"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><br></p></div></div>

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">All of our teaching staff had a chance to learn from numeracy expert consultant Carole Fullerton yesterday. Carole led learning rounds focused on assessment in Ms. Kolinsky and Mme Jones’ classrooms, while other teachers were released from their classrooms to observe and learn. After school a group (pictured) got to spend extra time debriefing and asking good questions. Thanks again Carole!</span></p><div data-lexical-layout-container="true" style="grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; display: grid;"><div class="editor-layoutItem"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><img src="/images/300a21be-73bd-5d0f-a031-c460b9244bc2" alt="qik0p40k.jpg" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit"></p></div><div class="editor-layoutItem"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><br></p></div></div>

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Teachers, with the support of helping teacher Natalie Ohlhauser, collaborated over an early dinner to assess the Nesika students' literacy work. DART, EPRA and SWW were all looked at and discussed in both English and French. Teachers will use the information gathered in this session to inform next steps in their teaching.</span></p><div data-lexical-layout-container="true" style="grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; display: grid;"><div class="editor-layoutItem"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><img src="/images/5ce0dd01-fddd-5d6e-a403-d4c61c900cfb" alt="fxyy106e.jpg" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit"></p></div><div class="editor-layoutItem"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><br></p></div></div>

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Nesika school is in our final year of the HCTF WILD Schools program. Every year as part of our commitment, teachers participate in an HCTF professional development workshop. Teacher leaders at Nesika have been learning alongside students each time - actively engaging with the learning. This year, teachers used our October meeting to work in grade groups with our facilitator Martin Kruus: pulling apart lesson plans, thinking through adaptations, and structuring our next workshop date. On October 23, "Take Me Outside for Learning Day" - our Nesika community will tackle Project WET.</span></p><div data-lexical-layout-container="true" style="grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; display: grid;"><div class="editor-layoutItem"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><img src="/images/3bbd23f4-2902-5105-a795-61f44ddfdf74" alt="hqypoqkp.jpg" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit"></p></div><div class="editor-layoutItem"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><br></p></div></div>