香港六合彩

Saturna Ecological Education Centre 2024 – 2025 School Plan

Our School

SCHOOL IDENTITY/CONTEXT

The Saturna Ecological Education Centre (SEEC) is located on the traditional territories of the Peoples in what is now known as the Southern Gulf Islands. The SEEC program prepares students in grades 10-12 to be independent, community-minded individuals who can apply the principles of ecological literacy to enhance their understanding of place and solve real-world problems. SEEC’s identity is built around the following core themes:

• Community integration
• Place-based learning
• Environmental science

Students spend three nights per week for one full year at an off-grid education centre where they live and learn to connect these core themes to local and global contexts. A group of twelve SEEC students come to Saturna Island from school districts across BC, leading to a great opportunity to share knowledge, experience, and worldviews.

OUR STORY

Student Success

Looking to the (FESL), SEEC recognizes the importance of students’ individual learning needs by providing choices of how, when, and where learning takes place. We encourage an inquiry mindset where students can pursue personal interests, take on challenging projects, and become leaders of an equitable and inclusive learning environment.

Despite its small size, SEEC is comprised of a diversity of students who each carry with them a unique educational background. We believe that a holistic approach to education that values inclusion, trust, and safety is key to building students’ capacity to stretch their academic abilities and become dynamic young adults. With this firm foundation in place, SEEC aims to be a place where students can learn in diverse contexts, apply hands-on skills, and demonstrate conceptual understanding in ways that support the unique strengths of each individual learner.

Over the past year, the SEEC leadership team has come to understand the importance of quality partnerships in achieving its goals and the goals of the District’s and Indigenous . We believe that SEEC is better equipped to meet these goals when students engage with local partners who enrich their understanding and experience of place through the meaningful application of the curriculum.

GOAL STATEMENT

School Goal: To build community partnerships that enhance student success.

All SEEC students will engage with local and regional partners to build an understanding of environmental science and how it is practically used to solve real-world issues. Emphasis will be placed on the importance of braiding with Western science as a path towards a more socially and ecologically just education.

Connections To:

Curricular Competencies:

• Co-operatively design projects with local and/or global connections and applications.
• Apply , perspectives and knowledge, other ways of knowing, and local knowledge as sources of information.

Strategic Direction:

• Priority for Strategic Focus: Relationships and Belonging
• Outcomes/Actions: Create and maintain strong community partnerships/relations.

Framework for Enhancing Student Learning ():

• Facilitates communication and ongoing, meaningful collaboration with local First Nation(s) in respectful, collaborative action.

Indigenous Enhancement Agreement:

• Goal #1 – Belonging
• Goal #3 – Community

Drawing upon the District’s Indigenous , SEEC aims to ensure that all its learners feel a sense of belonging, can think critically about the power of knowledge and can use a diversity of skills and tools to learn effectively from and with community.

This will be achieved by exposing students to local and regional partners that are engaged in ongoing projects that demonstrate HOW environmental science and a commitment to the (UNDRIP) can contribute to meaningful change. SEEC will look to maintain ongoing community partnerships and develop new community partnerships with the following organizations:

Established Partnerships:

• (SIMRES)
• (Tula Foundation)

Potential Partnerships:

• (Salt Spring Island)
• University of Victoria |
• (SD#72 – Campbell River) 

These community partnerships align with the Priority for Strategic Focus: Truths, Reparation, and Restoration, by highlighting the importance of knowing the history and truths that have impacted these lands so that we can act towards healing and supporting Indigenous knowledge systems, land, language, and culture.

AREAS OF STRENGTH / GROWTH

SEEC takes great pride in its ability to provide its students with rich, hands-on learning experiences. Students complete their year at SEEC with a newfound appreciation for environmental science and a greater understanding of the complex histories that have shaped Coast Salish territory. Field-based experiences, such as clam garden restoration with Parks Canada and learning from researchers at the Hakai Institute on Calvert Island, give students the opportunity to see environmental science in action and to make connections between their education and future career-life goals.

While SEEC has built numerous partnerships that contribute to student success, we recognize that a stronger focus on Indigenous partnerships is needed to reflect its core values and meet the goals of the District’s Strategic Direction and Indigenous Enhancement Agreement. SEEC must acknowledge that Indigenous communities are often being asked to collaborate to meet such goals, which means that any partnership that is established must be reciprocal, sincere, and flexible with objectives. This is an essential area of growth that will inherently require the student experience to go beyond the shores of Saturna Island. Moving forward, SEEC could benefit from giving students a greater diversity of experiences that reflect the natural and cultural history within Coast Salish territory while maintaining strong community connections on Saturna Island.

Focusing Direction

PROCESS FOR REVIEWING / REVISING / DETERMINING

Our school goal is to engage everyone with a shared moral purpose through its community-driven focus. We want everyone involved in SEEC, including students, staff, and community members, to benefit from the shared vision of enhancing student success through quality partnerships. We believe that everyone can learn from gaining an awareness of Indigenous Knowledge and its role in maintaining the well-being of land, culture, and community. These actions will connect SEEC and the Saturna Island community to numerous initiatives, expanding our capacity in science education and our ability to share valuable insight and experiences with the 香港六合彩.

Classroom: At the classroom level, SEEC will develop a strategic and targeted plan to support all students in engaging fully with community partners. Students will be given an opportunity to become familiar with concepts and skills in the classroom before being asked to apply them during partner collaborations. Throughout the year, students will reflect on their growth in competency-based areas and discuss how community partnerships contribute to their learning goals.

School-Based Team (SBT): The school-based team will meet regularly to discuss how community partnerships are contributing to student success, how individual students' needs are being met, and how our focused direction might change or adjust. These meetings may involve community partners to ensure that meaningful learning is taking place, and our interests and objectives are aligned.

 Please see the section titled “Associated Actions” for information on our process to develop initial and continuous engagement towards our school goal.

PURPOSE / DATA RATIONALE

When considering student feedback in the spring of 2024, it was made apparent that the SEEC year is highlighted by hands-on learning experiences that involve community partners. 50% of SEEC students said that our field-based science partnerships provided them with new career-life aspirations, while 100% of SEEC students said that our field-based science partnerships highlighted their year of learning. This encouraging feedback indicates that current partnerships have had a positive impact on the student experience. However, moving forward, we would like to track how our current and future alliances impact student success and uphold the District’s Indigenous Enhancement Agreement. We want to represent diverse voices in our community partnerships better and ensure that our focus on environmental science celebrates the importance of Indigenous Knowledge.

• This year, 100% of SEEC students said that they would like to have more experiences “off-island” that enhance their understanding of environmental science and Indigenous Knowledge.
• One student reflected upon their experience restoring W?SÁNE? clam gardens by saying, “I have probably walked on so many beaches without realizing their Indigenous history. I want to learn more about these practices.”

ASSOCIATED ACTIONS

The following strategies will be put into action to achieve our school goals:

1. Building Community Partnerships:

• Identify Key Partners: Create a list of local and regional organizations, environmental groups, and First Nations communities that align with your goals. Consider entities like Parks Canada, local conservation groups, universities, and First Nation schools (see list above).
• Identify Common Interests: Identify areas of overlap between your school’s objectives and the interests of potential partners. Highlight how collaboration can address shared challenges or goals.
• Request Meeting: Establish regular communication with these partners to discuss potential collaboration opportunities and to build trust and mutual understanding.

2. Curriculum Integration:

• Co-Develop Curriculum: Work with Indigenous Knowledge Keepers and local scientists to co-develop a curriculum that integrates Indigenous perspectives and Western scientific approaches.
• Field-Based Learning: Design field trips and hands-on learning experiences that involve local ecosystems, allowing students to see real-world applications of environmental science.
• Interdisciplinary Projects: Create projects that require students to address social and environmental issues using both Indigenous Knowledge and Western science.

3. Community Engagement:

• Community Events: Host community events that showcase student projects and involve local partners, schools, and Indigenous communities.
• Guest Speakers: Invite local experts, including Indigenous Elders and environmental scientists, to speak to students about their work and perspectives.

4. Student Involvement:

• Student Research Projects: Encourage students to undertake research projects that involve local environmental issues, emphasizing the use of both Indigenous Knowledge and Western science.
• Student Leadership Opportunities: Provide students with opportunities to lead initiatives and present their findings to the community and partners.

5. Evaluation and Feedback:

• Ongoing Assessment: Continuously assess the effectiveness of your strategies through student and family feedback, partner input, and academic outcomes.
• Adapt and Improve: Be prepared to adapt our strategies based on feedback and changing circumstances to ensure they remain effective and relevant.

Collaborative Cultures 

ENGAGING STAKEHOLDERS (Students, Families, Community)

Parents/Families: We will continue to encourage conversations at home that focus on SEEC’s core themes: community integration, place-based learning, and environmental science, with an emphasis on student learning and curiosity. We will host a SEEC orientation/welcome event in September on Saturna Island that gives all students and families an opportunity to meet the school team and local community members. During this event, we will discuss ongoing and prospective partnerships and detail how they will enhance student learning. We will also send students and families home with a school survey that allows them to share their voice regarding the SEEC experience.

Parent Advisory Council (PAC): While SEEC does not have a formal PAC, we plan to continue working with families to include their voice in the SEEC experience.

Community: We are grateful to have the support of local community members, including Parks Canada, the Saturna Heritage Centre, the Saturna Island Marine Research and Education Society, the Women’s Service Club, and many others who play a crucial role in enriching the learning experience at SEEC. We will be in active communication with these partners to ensure that student experiences are aligned with school values, goals, and curriculum. We will also be in contact with organizations and schools throughout the 香港六合彩 with the intention of establishing new partnerships that extend the student experience beyond Saturna Island. This may include sharing our SEEC learning journey in the Pender Post, collaborating with GISS, and engaging with local conservancies on Galiano, Mayne, and Pender Islands.

 Student Voice: In developing our school goal, we relied upon anecdotal observations, conversations, and formal feedback from students. Moving forward, student feedback will be part of an ongoing process that helps shape the SEEC learning journey. We will be collecting student feedback throughout the year in the following ways:

• School experience surveys
• Class journal writing
• Core and curricular competency reflections
• Monthly “Student Stories” submitted to the Saturna Island Scribbler

Deeper Learning 

WHAT WILL STAFF NEED TO KNOW TO LEAD/PERFORM THIS WORK?

School Goal: To lead/perform this work in building community partnerships that enhance student success.

Staff will need to:

• Identify practical lessons and activities that increase student knowledge, skills, and understanding related to partnership collaborations.
• Understand each community partner’s story (values, goals, local/global impact etc.)
• Consider students’ strengths, stretches, and interests when planning learning activities.
• Understand and respect cultural protocol, sensitivities, and knowledge.
• Engage students in goal setting and learning through reflection.

WHAT SKILLS WILL WE FOSTER WITH STUDENTS FOR THEM TO EXPERIENCE SUCCESS?

School Goal: To be successful in building community partnerships that enhance student success.

We will need to foster the following skills and understandings:

• Effective communication strategies
• Effective documentation of learning (note taking, photography, voice memos etc.)
• Higher-order questioning (throughout learning process)
• Impacts of colonization on Indigenous ways of knowing and being
• Respecting diverse worldviews
• Principles of ecological processes
• Scientific inquiry (asking questions that promote curiosity, establish hypotheses, and build upon personal interests).
• Scientific field methods (conducting experiments, data collection, cultural protocols etc.)

These skills and understandings will be integrated into the curriculum as part of the core and curricular competencies, with an emphasis on the Strategic Direction’s Priority for Strategic Focus: An Ethic of Learning. Here, our focus will be on the Outcomes/Actions — Nurture/foster curious, critical, and creative learners so that every student is prepared for the world beyond PreK to 12.

APPROACH TO PROFESSIONAL LEARNING

Professional learning will be woven into our year at SEEC in multiple ways. Through ongoing conversations with our leadership team, our goal will be to engage in professional learning that prepares SEEC educators to better implement Indigenous pedagogy and the . As outlined in the Priority for Strategic Focus: Integrity & Responsibility, we will focus on opportunities to apply this learning in ways that promote culturally responsive environmental stewardship and leadership. Professional learning could take place in the following ways:

• Utilize district resources that support the application of Indigenous Knowledge to science education.
• Engage in professional development opportunities that build capacity to collaborate and learn with Indigenous communities.
• Network with organizations that are doing “the work” in the field of environmental science.
• Co-develop a curriculum that fosters the braiding of Indigenous Knowledge and Western Science.
• Connect with local school districts to share curriculum developments and learning opportunities.

Accountability 

HOW WILL WE KNOW WE ARE SUCCESSFUL?

We will use the following framework to measure our success in achieving our school goal:

1. Ongoing student feedback will provide insights into the value of community partnerships and future considerations.
2. Demonstrations of learning will be assessed to see how community partners enhanced students’ understanding of Indigenous Knowledge and Western science.
3. Ongoing input and feedback from community partners will aim to align interests and ensure student success.
4. Families will be provided with an opportunity to share how their child has connected their learning to their personal life through ongoing check-ins and surveys.

At SEEC, we hope that students will know that they have achieved the school goal through their ability to engage in meaningful discussions about their learning that demonstrate confidence, critical thinking, and curiosity. They will have evidence of this learning in the form of scientific data, group projects, artwork, journal entries, etc. Students will take pride in their evidence of learning and will be able to share it throughout the community as a way of celebrating their success.

At the beginning of the year, students will document their progress along a continuum of understanding related to specific curricular outcomes. These outcomes will align with our school goal by drawing upon competencies that highlight Indigenous Knowledge and Western science. This will allow students to track their learning throughout the year as their ability to KNOW, DO, and UNDERSTAND evolves.

 Once students have achieved the school goal, they will be able to demonstrate proficiency in the following areas (this is a sample of some of the targeted learning outcomes):

• UNDERSTAND: Humans can play a role in stewardship and restoration of ecosystems.
• KNOW: First People's knowledge and other traditional ecological knowledge in sustaining biodiversity.
• DO: Implement multiple strategies to solve problems in real-life, applied, and conceptual situations.