MOOSE JAW — New data show most Moose Jaw-area Catholic students in grades 1 to 3 are reading above grade level while most youths in grades 2 to 5 are above grade level in math.
A mid-year learning report presented during the Holy Trinity Catholic School Division’s April board meeting showed that:
- 77.1 per cent of Grade 1 students were reading at or above grade level compared to 55.2 per cent in the fall
- 63.2 per cent of Grade 2 youths were reading at or above grade level compared to 56.4 per cent in the fall
- 59.8 per cent of Grade 3 students were reading at or above grade level compared to 57.8 per cent in the fall
Meanwhile, for math, the data showed that:
- 93.8 per cent of Grade 2s were at or above grade level compared to roughly 87 per cent in the fall
- 92.6 per cent of Grade 3s were at or above grade level compared to roughly 72 per cent in the fall
- 86.7 per cent of Grade 4s were at or above grade level compared to about 55 per cent in the fall
- 77.7 per cent of Grade 5s were at or above grade level compared to roughly 48 per cent in the fall
- 55.1 per cent of Grade 6s were at or above grade level compared to about 36 per cent in the fall
- 61.4 per cent of Grade 7s were at or above grade level compared to roughly 28 per cent in the fall
- 53.3 per cent of Grade 8s were at or above grade level compared to about 36 per cent in the fall
The division plans to conduct one more assessment before June, with the board to receive that data around September.
Mark Selinger, supervisor of learning and technology, told the board that the Ministry of Education has been working to create a new assessment plan. Once that is launched, Holy Trinity will align its data collection efforts so there aren’t multiple data-collection activities happening in classrooms.
Holy Trinity conducts three annual reading benchmark tests on students in grades 1 to 3, while it uses a new universal screener tool to identify students at risk of not meeting the next benchmark, the supervisor noted. This tool does a better job of meeting students’ literacy needs than the previous one.
The previous tool was “more forgiving” of students who were “on the bubble” of being almost at grade level, while the screener reviews five areas and gives students more direction on where they can improve, said Selinger.
“I think that is a good thing … ,” he remarked, noting that there is still room for students to grow by June.
The division’s goal is that 80 per cent of students will be reading at grade level by the end of Grade 3, which means an interventionist supports students in that grade who are one to two levels below baseline before moving to help students in grades 2 and 1, Selinger added.
Meanwhile, it’s “not a surprise” that most students in grades 2 to 5 are above grade level in math while students in grades 5 to 8 require additional support, the learning supervisor said.
Holy Trinity uses a tool from the Greater Saskatoon Catholic School Division to screen students to determine whether they need help, although it’s difficult for students to be at level in every curricular outcome, he continued. Teachers value this tool since they can see the areas where their pupils need the most support.
Division administration is excited for the province’s new math benchmark tool so it can compare its students to others across Saskatchewan and know what additional supports it must provide, Selinger added. What the division already knows, though, is its high school students have higher math marks than the provincial average.
The next Holy Trinity board meeting is Monday, May 12.
