Achievement and School Improvement Planning
Measures of Student Achievement and Success
The school follows the guidelines set out in the OCDSB Policy and Procedures for Student Evaluation, available on the Board’s website2. Over the last 5 years, WHS has seen an increase in all major academic indicators and staff is committed to ongoing improvement. 40 percent of the graduates earned Ontario Scholar ranking. 8 percent of our graduates earned the Silver Standard for maintaining better than 90% average. Approximately 75 percent of our graduates go on to post-secondary studies. Our 2012 graduates generated in excess of $230,000 in various scholarships. Over 175 students were honoured at our Junior Awards Evening in November. WHS student leadership development program continues with peer tutoring, peer leadership, and student organized retreats and conferences such as the annual district-wide dance symposium.
Each year, WHS sends student representatives to universities’ mini-enrichment programs. As an extension to our award-winning Musical Theatre program, WHS students also participate in the popular Cappies initiative – a theatre critics and awards program in partnership with The Ottawa Citizen newspaper. Woodroffe also offers a thriving Co-operative education program which supports student achievement in a flexible and very effective way. Students continue to pursue academic credits while simultaneously gaining valuable workplace experience.
Each year, our students demonstrate an acute sense of social justice by raising awareness and money for various charities and initiative of humanitarian relief. Some examples include building homes in Guatemala with Habitat for Humanity, providing financial support for the construction of a school in Kenya and traveling to Costa Rica to enhance their understanding of sustainable living. Outstanding AP results in French with many students scoring at top levels. Our interscholastic teams are highly competitive, bringing home numerous NCSSAA championships and going on to represent the National Capital Region in provincial (OFSAA) championships.
School Improvement Plans and Initiatives
The WHS Vision Statement has been revised to reflect the dynamic nature of our rapidly changing school community. Students, staff, parents, and community partners contribute to the ongoing improvement of school tone and program delivery. The overarching goal driving Woodroffe’s school improvement plan for student achievement focuses on critical thinking across the entire curriculum. The WHS school improvement plan considered results from EQAO testing of literacy and numeracy, system-wide assessment of exams in senior English and Math courses, as well as other measures of student achievement. School improvement initiative will be monitored within the school’s Professional Learning Communities. Program improvements include the continued development of unique WHS Certificates. Students may choose course packages that reflect their interests in International Studies and/or Fine Arts.
Further development and enhancement of our website (www.woodroffehs.com) to ensure up-to-date, relevant information is available to our community. Continuous improvements in the area of technology. Staff has received training and continue to be supported in the implementation of Google Education Applications. We are currently expanding our use of interactive technologies and training on these tools, including Smartboards, student responders and wireless netbooks. A growing number of teachers are shifting to a blended mode of delivery whereby student access part of the content and submit assignments via an interactive website.
Continuing to upgrade and modernize our physical facility, including redesigning the physical space of learning. In order to achieve this goal, the school has embarked on a multi-year furniture renewal program. The new furniture is more conducive to 21st century learning and provides greater flexibility in terms of interactive groupings. The school’s library is also being transformed to meet the needs of our learners. Staff meets regularly in Professional Learning Communities to discuss implementation strategies that will lead to greater use of critical thinking across the curriculum.
Working with all staff on the continued implementation of new assessment and evaluation practices.
Leadership Recognition
“Leadership in the OCDSB is the demonstration of personal initiative to achieve a positive outcome.”
Students
Woodroffe High School celebrates the persity of our community and similarly our student body. We are proud past recipients of the OCDSB’s Isis Officer Ethnocultural Equity Award. This award recognizes the many activities that give Woodroffe HS a welcoming climate. Along with being inviting, the students, staff and community focus on ensuring that the voices of all groups are heard and represented in the many events and opportunities at the school, in the neighbourhood and beyond. Representation is part of the structural make-up of the school, while developing the strength to articulate ideas, feelings and goals is part of the formal and informal curricula of the school. Leadership skills are developed in conjunction with this emphasis on bettering articulation and demonstrating a desire to better the lives of others. Whether as part of Students’ Council, Woodroffe Athletic Association, music recitals, Model U.N. Club, or the many other organizations and teams, the focus is on improving ourselves in order to better the lives of others. Our peer tutoring program is growing as a result of students wanting to invest in the lives of fellow students. This extends beyond our school environment as we also focus on global awareness and participation in social justice initiatives. For example, we have been active participants in a Habitat for Humanity building project in Guatemala, a “Pay it Forward” initiative to New Orleans, raising funds to help build a school in Kenya, completing the Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards, the Adobe Youth Voices, and the city’s Thanksgiving Dinner for those in need. The school has been involved in video conferencing partnerships and is currently pursuing new international partners. Students have been instrumental in planning and hosting the OCDSB Character Education Conference for the high schools in the district. These are a few examples of WHS Tigers becoming global citizens. This is how we view success. This is why we say that Woodroffe HS has a world of possibilities to offer each and every student.
Staff
The staff members of Woodroffe High School (WHS) have a wealth of professional experiences including Bachelors and/or Masters degrees in Arts, Education, Fine Arts, Mathematics, Physical Education, Sciences and Engineering, as well as additional qualifications in Special Education, English as a Second Language, Music, Visual Arts, Guidance, and Computers in Education. But the academic talents of our staff “Tigers” are only part of the puzzle in the development of a faculty who can meet the challenges and demands of a rigorous curriculum and the ever changing challenges of our world. WHS has world-class athletes, world travellers, bright and accomplished staff who balance the nurturing of our youth with the ability to instil self-discipline and pride through personal/collective accomplishments. The population of WHS continues to grow as more students choose to grow as Tigers. The number of academic and professional staff wishing to join the Woodroffe team continues to increase as school staff members view WHS as the place to grow professionally and collegially. We have managed to build upon our existing staff leaders and recruit many scholastic experts. These adults are excellent role models and nurturing authorities. Regularly, WHS staff members are recognized for various awards of excellence both at a district and regional level.
Parents/Guardians/Volunteers
The School Council of Woodroffe HS is involved in the many aspects of school life. At the annual International Potluck, students, parents and staff get together over food to celebrate persity! The School Council works with staff, students, parents and the broader school community to target initiatives to support school and community priorities. Our parent e-mail database is administered through our School Council Communications Coordinator, Mrs. Becky Hughes-Cloutier. Weekly notifications are sent to our parents inviting them to consult our website to learn more about upcoming school events and activities. Our new website, developed with input from parents, acts as a portal of information for all members of the school community. Consistent with the philosophy of Woodroffe HS is the inclusive nature of our School Council.
Community
Woodroffe High School has numerous community partners. We are most fortunate to have expert personnel from the Pinecrest-Queensway Community Health Centre (PQCHC) available at school at various times throughout the week. A nurse practitioner assists students and their families. Through the Pathways Canada™, a growing team of PQCHC staff members work every week with approximately 130 students, providing ongoing school and family support. In September, PQCHC’s Board recognized Woodroffe HS with the Organization Award. The Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization provides WHS with a Multicultural Liaison Officer on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Strong community partnerships also exist with Rideauwood, Ontario Works and our First Nations Community. Along with our OCDSB Social Worker and Psychologist, Woodroffe High School is well staffed to support all students and address issues to ensure continued success.
Along with support mechanisms, the efforts of our students in making the community a better place must also be recognized. To mention only a few -- our talented musicians perform throughout the school year at various venues and celebrate spring with our annual Concert-in-the Park, our Senior GLP class has set-up a leadership initiative involving several elementary schools, our students assist in community centres, Boys’ & Girls’ Clubs and neighbourhood homework clubs!
Woodroffe HS is both a part of our community and a hub within our community.