The highest leverage strategy of educational improvement efforts is the development of staff capacity. In collaboration with the Cariboo-Chilcotin Teachers Association we are making significant investments in quality professional learning for educators in current, research-based practice to increase knowledge and confidence.
Some examples of the work of are:
- Shifting from one-off workshops to a robust learning series with successive professional development sessions and classroom learning rounds, time to practice and reflect in between, and a community of practice network to support one another
- Learning Series with exceptional BC, Canadian, and global leaders in numeracy, literacy, educational research, inclusion, resilience and trauma-informed practice.
- Common district assessments with support for learning how to administer them, analyze results, and use what is learned to plan for instruction
- District mental health plan
- Full program of support for new teachers in their first three years
Explore the ways we are LEARNING BETTER TOGETHER with support for professional learning in Cariboo-Chilcotin School District:
Strengthening Social Emotional Learning Practices
100 Mile Elementary
150 Mile Elementary
Alexis Creek Elementary/Secondary
Anahim Lake Elementary/Secondary
Big Lake Elementary
Cataline Elementary
Chilcotin Road Elementary
Columneetza Junior Secondary
Forest Grove Elementary
Graduation Routes Other Ways
Horse Lake Elementary
Horsefly Elementary/Junior
Lac La Hache Elementary
Lake City Secondary
Likely Elementary
Marie Sharpe Elementary
Mile 108 Elementary
Mountview Elementary
Naghtaneqed Elementary/Junior
Nesika Elementary
Outback Storefront
Peter Skene Ogden Secondary
Skyline Alternate
Tatla Lake Elementary/Junior
<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>
Bryan Gidinski Visits Horse Lake
Horse Lake Elementary
<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Both students and teachers were treated to a morning of Literacy Learning thanks to literacy specialist Bryan Gidinski's visit to Horse Lake Elementary. Bryan led three of our primary teachers through a primary lesson with a class of grade 2 students, and then proceeded to design an intermediate lesson for grade 5 and 6 students with the help of two intermediate teachers. Bryan modelled his teaching strategies while keeping the students motivated toward writing their own stories. Our teachers are looking forward to incorporating these strategies into their lessons.</span></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/3d3b5107-6154-409b-8044-4fab80a67abe" alt="Bryan 2 Murray Helmer" 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/683f00d3-4ff5-4331-aa15-0914a9a29528" alt="Bryan 1 Murray Helmer" 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>
Assessment Workshop For Early Career Teachers
Horse Lake Elementary
<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Horse Lake Elementary played host to ten new and early career district teachers, six of whom teach at our school, who gathered for an Assessment Workshop presented by local educator Marlene Funk. This professional development opportunity focused on formative and summative assessment, and differentiated between Assessment Of, For, and As Learning. Participants took away valuable information to start their year in a productive way. We are fortunate to have Ms. Funk continue her involvement with our school's early career teachers in a mentorship role this year.</span></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/52941c75-681c-4981-9d0a-72f18109b2c0" alt="Assessment 1 Murray Helmer" 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/0cec5faa-3b67-482d-898d-f36ba7f7a1e5" alt="Assessment 2 Murray Helmer" 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>
Carole Fullerton Shares Numeracy Strategies For Multi-Grade Classrooms
Horse Lake Elementary
<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Carole Fullerton and Helping Teacher Alison Bos returned to Horse Lake Elementary and focused their efforts on strategies that could be used in multi-grade classroom situations. We combined students from our grade 1 / 2 class and grade 3 / 4 class and Carole and the teachers worked with manipulatives to progress from simple addition, to subtraction, and then to multiplication for the assembled group. The progression allowed students to participate with their peers and blurred the lines between grade expectations within the group.</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/4911ed2c-c359-5fb0-a3d6-5021cb820735" alt="315eji79.jpg" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit"></p></div><div class="editor-layoutItem"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><img src="/images/8f6cdbef-c6a6-552b-b859-0a70482f0893" alt="f5tqbdr5.jpg" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit"></p></div></div>
Horse Lake Students and Teachers Get Introduction To Coding
Horse Lake Elementary
<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">District Helping Teacher Allison Bos visited Horse Lake Elementary armed with iPads and robotic devices, and helped the grade 1 & 2 students in Ms. Armitage's class, and the grade 3 & 4 students in Mrs. Lum's class learn some key ADST components of coding. The teachers learned about the logistics of teaching ADST coding concepts, while students quickly learned how to control the movements of the robotic devices in and around the classroom.</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/cf32ef3a-8a06-5ceb-bb29-556538552447" alt="skfu5ojn.jpg" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit"></p></div><div class="editor-layoutItem"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><img src="/images/0a346538-285c-550a-af86-38d8d9b24a24" alt="dai2xqqg.jpg" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit"></p></div></div>
Carole Fullerton and Horse Lake Primary Teachers Join Forces to Teach Numeracy
Horse Lake Elementary
<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Horse Lake Elementary was fortunate to host Numeracy Consultant Carole Fullerton for the third time in recent years, with a focus this time on improving primary numeracy. Working progressively through classes of grade 1s through to grade 4s, our teachers were able to experience the sequencing and continuity of Carole's hands-on approach using manipulatives to teach primary numeracy concepts. District Helping Teachers, Marianne Okrainetz and Alison Bos, also participated in the lesson delivery to give them more strategies to use in their district role.</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/1a09e30d-89b5-5e93-8235-6e8474312609" alt="ol926c7s.jpg" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit"></p></div><div class="editor-layoutItem"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><img src="/images/5b093ee2-91d4-599f-bbae-f3b63bba672f" alt="h71qhru9.jpg" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit"></p></div></div>
Bryan Gidinski Works With Horse Lake Staff and Students
Horse Lake Elementary
<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Horse Lake Elementary was fortunate to play host to Literacy Consultant Bryan Gidinski this week, as he worked alongside teachers and with students in several intermediate classrooms throughout the day. Bryan focused on three different learning strategies with our students, including 'Surfacing Stories', 'Show! Don't Tell', and 'Say What?' which form the basis of a learning continuum for student writing. Staff also joined Bryan for an informal conversation over lunch about ways to successfully implement our school's literacy goals for the year. </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/9713f0ca-af27-5078-a991-7587480b8958" alt="c1m27bwg.jpg" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit"></p></div><div class="editor-layoutItem"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><img src="/images/2defdb79-e504-5cd0-9a2a-faa576bcf6a4" alt="q6515gqo.jpg" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit"></p></div></div>