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Dear Parents/Guardians,
We have just completed our first month of teaching and learning at Londonderry this school year. It has been a smooth and very productive ‘start-up' for both staff and students. This October message is a brief update on school topics prior to the publication and distribution of our first newsletter near the end of the month. The newsletter will provide a more detailed report of the ‘comings and goings' of life at Londonderry.
Teaching and Learning
Our teachers' professional development and instructional improvement work continues to move along at a fast pace. Teachers continue their work from last year, focusing on Assessment for Learning (AFL) and Differentiation teaching strategies. Additionally, teachers will continue developing their expertise in using technology as a means for increasing the participation and engagement of students in their learning. If you would like more information about this work, I encourage you to attend our Parent and School Council meetings and/or speak with your child's teacher.
Thanksgiving Assembly
We are having our annual Thanksgiving assembly on Friday, October 9th. The assembly starts at 2:10 pm in the school gymnasium.
All parents/guardians and grandparents are invited to attend the assembly.
Parent and School Council
Our last Parent/School Council meeting was on September 18, 2009. At this meeting we reviewed the highlights of the previous year as well as reviewed our school survey results.
Our next Parent/School Council meeting is scheduled for 6:30 pm on Thursday, October 15th. Parent /School Council meetings are a useful vehicle for parents to work in partnership with the school towards common educational goals. As student learning and school success are very closely related to parental involvement and support, I strongly encourage parents/guardians to consider attending your Parent/School Council meetings. The school needs and benefits from your support.
Review of Londonderry's 2008/09 school achievement results.
We will be having a review of the 2008/09 school year with Trustee Esslinger and Trustee Shipka. This review will take place on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 beginning at 3:00 pm at M.E. LaZerte High School. Londonderry School strives very hard to provide your child(ren) with a purposeful and focused learning environment. Please see information below regarding our 2008/09 grade nine provincial achievement results. As expected, our strong focus on teacher teamwork and instructional excellence ensures our students' academic results continue to be very solid and well above the provincial average.
2009 Provincial Achievement Test Results
Students who Wrote the Test
This graph is a comparison of the 2009 Grade 9 Provincial Achievement Tests. It shows the results of all grade 9 students at Londonderry who wrote compared to all grade 9 students in the province who wrote. Each exam is shown as the percent of students who achieved the acceptable standard (Acc. - this is typically >50%) and students who achieved the standard of excellence (Exc. - this is typically >80%).
When comparing the academic success of all Londonderry students who wrote with all of the students in the province who wrote, the following can be noted:
- Ø On average, 10% more of Londonderry students met the acceptable standard on all three tests compared to students in Alberta.
- Ø On average, 14% of Londonderry students met the standard of excellence on all three tests compared to students in Alberta.
*Londonderry Junior High School was part of a provincial pilot that implemented the NEW grade 9 Social Studies curriculum one year earlier than mandated by Alberta Education. This project does not provide individual pilot schools with achievement results with respect to provincial norms. For the 2009/10 school year, Londonderry will be able to compare our results with provincial averages.
Please note that these achievement results will be discussed at our next School Council meeting, Thursday, October 15 at 6:30 pm in the library.
Stakeholder Survey Results for the 2008/09 school year
In April 2009 data was collected from surveys completed by different school stakeholder groups. The intent of this data is to give the school feedback about how it is perceived in a variety of different areas. This data is then used, along with other types of relevant information, to assist us in organizing and implementing a school wide plan that sustains excellence and addresses challenges. Some highlights from the feedback we received from staff and students were:
Communication - SchoolZone
Over 550 parents signed up for SchoolZone. This is an excellent first response. For SchoolZone to be really effective it is important for parents and students to access SchoolZone on a regular basis.
Staffing update
We have begun two new school community partnerships this year. We welcome Ms. Camille Jepson from the Family Centre. Ms. Jepson is a half-time ‘success coach' and provides additional support for students who are at risk of underachieving. We also welcome Ms. Sarah Murray from the Aboriginal Youth and Family Society. Ms. Murray is a half-time teacher mentor and will be providing additional support for some of our aboriginal students.
Interim Report Cards #1 and Newsletter #1
Our first set of interim report cards as well as our first newsletter will be uploaded to schoolzone on Tuesday, October 20th.
Student/Parent/Teacher Conferences and Interviews
Our first of two sets of parent teacher interviews is on October 28th and 29th. We encourage you to make an appointment with one or more of your child's teachers. You may contact Londonderry School at 780.473.4560. The general office will begin taking appointments on Wednesday, October 21st. The last day to make an appointment is Tuesday, October 27th.
Professional Development Day #1
We have our first Professional Development Day on Monday, October 26th. There is no school on this day.
If you would like further information or have any questions regarding this Principal's Message please contact me at the school (780.473.4560 or
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On behalf of the whole staff I wish everyone an enjoyable and special upcoming Thanksgiving Day holiday.
Sincerely,
Phillip Grehan, BA, MEd
Principal
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