Our Learning

Taking Action:

1. Initiation of School-Wide Code of Conduct: P.R.I.D.E.

Exposure to school population: Grade Assemblies, Leadership Activities, School Publications-Student Agenda & School Calendar, Classroom Posters; Grade 8 Day,  Focus week activities & pledges, specific individual classroom activities & theme work.

1. P.R.I.D.E. language aligned with school reporting of Work habits.
2. P.R.I.D.E. language aligned with Core Competencies and assessed across grades 8 & 9.

• Checking:

Student focus question surveys grades 8 and 9.

Student Satisfaction Survey responses with specific school based questions on P.R.I.D.E. grades 10 & 12.

Baseline data collected on initiation year.

Continued collaboration time utilized to shape future steps.

Continued involvement of District Support team to assist our practice.

Collecting artifacts from individual classroom activities.

Evidence securing sources next phase for all grades-“Strengths & Stretches” for Personal Growth with the 5 core values.

Communicating out Our Story & Results

School Website

Mandatory Reports-Core Competencies

PAC Presentations

Meet the Teacher & Program Planning Evenings-Slide Shows

Awards Night Address-Highlights of the Year

2018-2019 Update

LINK CREW:

Link Crew is a High School transition program that welcomes Grade 8’s and makes them feel comfortable throughout the first year of their High School experience. Built on the belief that students can help students succeed, McMath Junior and Senior Leadership students use the skills that are acquired in class to connect with the Grade 8’s. As positive role models, Link Leaders are motivators, leaders and teachers who guide the Grade 8’s to discover what it takes to be successful both socially and academically during the transition to High School and they help facilitate their success all year long.

More and more studies show that if students have a positive experience during their first year in High School, their chance for success increases dramatically. The Link Crew High School transition program provides the structure for Grade 8’s to receive support and guidance from Junior and Senior Leaders who have been through the challenges that High School poses, and understand that the transition to a larger school can sometimes be overwhelming.

The vision for the McMath Link Crew is to provide both academic and social support throughout the school year. Academically the Link Leaders will introduce some basic strategies that will contribute to Grade 8 High School success. This is accomplished via a Peer2Peer model where Link Leaders are trained to teach and deliver life skill lessons in Grade Eight classrooms. This year the plan is to develop curriculum that touches on the following four topics: academics, social/emotional connectiveness/socialization, and personal management.

Socially the Link Leaders also facilitate interaction during the year. These activities allow the Grade 8’s and their Link Crew Leaders to be connected in a number of different ways. Some of the activities have or may include ~ personalized invitations to each Grade welcoming them to McMath (mailed at the end of August); providing assistance to Grade 8 Homeroom teachers the first day of school; a Meet and Greet Pizza lunch check-in in October; invitations to attend the Grade 8-10 Junior Halloween School Dance, the Annual School Pep Rally, Breakfast with Santa; a check-in after Term 2 report cards and again prior to Term 3,  treats at Valentine’s Day; a Minute-to-Win It Activity;  and, possibly an end-of-the-year lunch.

McMath was the first school in Richmond to offer this unique yearlong connection between senior and junior students and the program provides a hands-on opportunity to demonstrate ~ ‘Wildcats Helping Wildcats.’

Nov 2019

Building connection and enhacing PRIDE through Grade 8 Camp

Grade 8 camp was first introduced last year at McMath with tremendous success, and we wanted to build on that success with this year's Grade 8 students. Our students got to spend 3 days and 2 nights at Camp Stillwood. 
Camp provides real life situations where kids can understand the immediate benefits of teamwork, sharing responsibility, compromise, and resolution within a community of their peers. Students need this type of interaction in order to develop social skill sets that will allow them to be successful and productive members of society. The combination of independence and inter-dependence within the supportive environment at camp help students develop their emotional intelligence. During these 3 days, students are motivated by fun, comradeship, interesting situations, and dynamic activities. Additionally, this camping experience allowed students to be better in the areas of PRIDE, problem-solving, inclusion, global citizenship, and environmental awareness.