Niagara Catholic District School Board

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Strategic Directions 2012-2013

STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS

Build Strong Catholic Identity And Community To Nurture The Distinctiveness Of Catholic Education

To conduct a Niagara Catholic elementary and secondary Student Conference 2013 focusing on the theme of Growing in Wisdom by April 2013.
To enhance our distinctive Catholic educational system by implementing the first year of the Niagara Catholic Faith Formation program, Growing in Wisdom to Worship and Witness by June 2013.
To enhance our Elementary Chaplaincy Leader program in elementary schools through the addition of Elementary Chaplaincy Leaders who, through Family of Schools, will implement the Niagara Catholic Faith Formation Program and the Journey Retreat Program in all elementary schools by June 2013.
To enhance local, national and international social justice experiences for elementary and secondary students by June 2013.

Advance Student Achievement For All

To continue to support all students who are six years of age in the development of literacy skills, particularly in learning to read by June 2013.
To continue to develop and implement specific literacy and numeracy strategies to support all students from early learning kindergarten programs to graduation by June 2013.
To develop a school-based inquiry process focusing on mathematical processes, problem solving and communication with all secondary mathematics teachers by June 2013.
To consolidate an inquiry based model of teaching and learning in all elementary and secondary schools by June 2013.
To expand language acquisition for elementary and secondary students through the introduction of French Immersion at designated sites and specific international languages to meet the needs of students by June 2013.
To nurture global citizenship of our students through enhanced national and international educational travel opportunities for students and staff by June 2013.
To enhance e-Learning initiatives in Niagara Catholic by June 2013.
To continue with system implementation of the Ministry of Education “Growing Success Assessment, Evaluation and Reporting in Ontario Schools” and the Niagara Catholic Assessment, Evaluation and Reporting K-12 for all schools in the Board by June 2013.
To continue to advance student achievement with Ministry of Education, Board and School teaching and learning initiatives on the Provincial EQAO Primary and Junior Assessments, the EQAO Secondary Mathematics Assessment, the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) and classroom assessments to close the achievement gap by June 2013.
To align and design initiatives to achieve the target of 85% graduation rate of 2012-2013 Grade 12 students by June 2013.
To continue to advance student achievement using the Learning for All, K-12 (Draft 2011) resource as an integrated process of assessment and instruction in all elementary and secondary schools in the Board by June 2013.
To continue to advance student achievement, through the development and implementation of the Board Improvement Plan for Student Achievement (BIPSA), and School Improvement Plans (SIP), for every elementary and secondary school focusing on the pillars of Catholic Faith, Community, Culture and Caring, Literacy, Numeracy, and Pathways in all schools by June 2013.

ENABLING STRATEGIES

Provide Supports for Success

To design, implement and assess the model of intervention strategies, programs and services within the Niagara Catholic Mental Health and Addictions Plan by June 2013.
To implement the Social Workers in Schools protocol in cooperation with Pathstone Mental Health and Contact Niagara to continue to address the need for increased supports for children and youth mental health by June 2013.
To promote and design programs and supports for healthy lifestyles of students and staff by June 2013.
To provide continued supports and coordinate training on Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) instructional methods and resources to increase capacity of school and Board staff to use ABA methods by June 2013.

Enhance Technology for Optimal Learning

To implement the Course Planner component of the Career Cruising platform in all secondary schools by October 2012.
To design a technology refresh program for the Niagara Catholic Data Center by November 2012.
To design and implement a Smart Technology Training Program for staff by December 2012.
To design and implement a Niagara Catholic Technology Security Program by January 2013.
To conduct Niagara Catholic Technology Conferences for staff to engage in selected technology training delivered by Board approved companies by April 2013.
To increase the number of technological devices for optimal learning in schools by June 2013.
To research, select and train all administrators on a student achievement software program by June 2013.

Building Partnerships and Schools as Hubs

To continue to build capacity with Trustees, the Diocese of St. Catharines, Parishes, administrators, staff, the Student Senate, Niagara Catholic Parent Involvement Committee, Catholic School Councils, Special Education Advisory Council and parents/guardians by providing information and opportunities for dialogue on Catholic education for all students in the Niagara Catholic District School Board by June 2013.
To develop and implement programs through the engagement of community groups and the community use of schools program to address the needs of children and families including nutrition, physical activity and literacy by June 2013.
To continue to expand educational-based research projects in the Board, by sharing current research, and by extending research partnerships with outside agencies by June 2013.

Strengthen Human Resource Practices and Develop Transformational Leadership

To implement the Niagara Catholic Attendance Support Program for staff of Niagara Catholic by September 2012.
To further enhance the knowledge and skills of staff to achieve the annual system priorities of the Board, Human Resources will identify, design and support focused Professional Development opportunities for staff through the implementation of an electronic Professional Development Program by October 2012.
To develop a consistent tool for the scoring, assessment and evaluation component of the interview process for all job classes within the Niagara Catholic District School Board by January 2013.
To develop within the Employee Hiring and Selection specific Administrative Guidelines for designated non-teaching job classes by March 2013.
To continue with the development and implementation of the second year of the Niagara Catholic Human Resources Certificate Program for all Principals, Vice-Principals and Senior Administrators by May 2013.

Create Equity and Accessibility of Resources

To increase the knowledge, awareness and acceptance of equity and diversity initiatives with all staff and students by June 2013.
To implement the strategies supporting equity, diversity and accessibility as identified under Catholic Faith, Community, Culture and Caring within the 2012-2013 Board Improvement Plan for Student Achievement by June 2013.
To implement a plan to identify and remove barriers to individuals with disabilities in Board facilities as identified in the 2012-2013 Niagara Catholic Accessibility Plan and the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation by August 31, 2013.

Ensure Responsible Fiscal and Operational Management

To ensure that all Catholic Education Centre departments develop Operational Plans and review cycles, which align with the Vision 2020 Strategic Plan by October 2012.
To consolidate key risks and mitigate budget factors into a single risk plan in connection with the annual budget for 2012-2013 by October 2012.
To ensure that the School Generated Funds and related Procedures Manual are finalized by November 2012 and that school administration staff are trained to implement the Policy and Administrative Guidelines by March 2013.
To initiate the upgrading of the Budgetary Accounting System Computer Program in collaboration with other school Boards through the Educational Computer Network of Ontario by June 2013.
To continue to develop, implement and monitor the day cleaning program in all school facilities by June 2013.
To develop and implement measurement systems for the reduction of energy consumption, diversion of waste from landfill, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and school ground greening through the Green Niagara Catholic program by June 2013.
To comply with Ministry of Education requirements for fiscal financial management by presenting to the Board a balanced budget for 2012-2013 by June 2013.
To ensure that the Internal Audit Plans are presented to the Audit Committee as required throughout 2012-2013.
To ensure that the External Audit Plans are presented to the Audit Committee as required throughout 2012-2013.

Address Changing Demographics

To develop a report on school capacities, enrolment, attendance area boundaries and building utilization with recommendations to address changing demographics within Niagara Catholic by January 31, 2013.

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Mid-Year Progress Review - Niagara Catholic Strategic Directions Priority Indicators 2012-2013

System Priorities 2011-2012 -Achievement Report

Mid-Year Progress Review - Niagara Catholic Strategic Directions Priority Indicators 2010-2011

System Priorities 2009-2010 - Achievement Report

System Priorities 2009-2010

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