Programme Planning for September 2012

Click here to see 2012-2013 program planning guide

January 16	New student registrations accepted and transfer forms distributed
January 16-27	Counsellors visit classrooms Grade 8-11
January 23	First day transfer forms can be accepted
January 30-Feb 3	Boyd staff visits elementary schools
Wednesday, February 1 6:30 pm 7:00 pm	Open house for students and parents Grade 7 Parents’ Meeting. Find out about our Grade 8 schedule, MYP and our Incentive Program.
Wednesday, February 8th 8:30 am	Parents’ Muffins and Tour – come on in for a bite and a tour. Walk through grade 8 classes while they’re in session to see the variety of activities happening at Hugh Boyd.
Wednesday, February 22 3:45pm	Meeting for Grade 7 students – non-feeder
Thursday, February 23rd 7:00pm	Programme Planning meeting for Gr. 8-11
Friday, February 24th 10:00 am	Incentive Applications due Math 8/9 Applications due Grade 8 Programme Planning sheets due
February 20-24	Students enter their course selections in computer lab
Tuesday, March 1st	Transfer deadline
May 1	Grade 7 students to Boyd for the day

The IB Middle Years Programme at Hugh Boyd Secondary School

The staff of Hugh Boyd has been working diligently on incorporating the MYP model since last year when we received this news:

“We are pleased to inform you that the application for candidacy for the Middle Years Programme at Hugh Boyd Secondary School has been accepted. Hugh Boyd Secondary School is recognized as an IB candidate school for the Middle Years Programme as of 1 September, 2011.”

Hugh Boyd Secondary School is a candidate school* for the Middle Years Programme. This school is pursuing authorization as an IB World School. These are schools that share a common philosophy—a commitment to high quality, challenging, international education that Hugh Boyd Secondary School believes is important for our students.

Boyd teachers are excited about the implementation of the IB Middle Years Programme in our grade 8 classes (grade 8 and 9 next year). As an IB candidate school, we are striving to have our students develop the qualities of the IB Learner Profile, which are to become: Inquirers, Knowledgeable, Thinkers, Communicators, Principled, Open-minded, Caring, Risk-takers, Balanced, and Reflective. Students have focused on these qualities introduced through activities at Grade 8 Camp in September, and have continued to do so in their classes.

We have also started incorporating the fundamental concept of international-mindedness in our school through school-wide activities. As well, students will be starting the Community and Service component of the programme. We are a “Me to We” school and the students have organized two food drives this year to support the local community. Students participated on November 30th in a Vow of Silence to raise funds for health care in Kenya.

Teachers have been meeting during collaboration time, team time and professional development days to align the curriculum and plan cross-curricular units to meet the requirements of the BC curriculum, to teach to the expectations of IB MYP, and to enrich our students’ understanding of their world

The aim of the IB program at Hugh Boyd Secondary is to develop internationally minded people who recognize their common humanity, their shared guardianship of the planet and their responsibility to help to create a better and more peaceful world. Click on the following link to see the IB Learner Profile

*Only schools authorized by the IB Organization can offer any of its three academic programmes: the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP), or the Diploma Programme (and in addition the IB Career-related Certificate). Candidate status gives no guarantee that authorization will be granted.

For further information about the IB and its programmes, visit http://www.ibo.org

Collaboration Time

Collaboration Day 1st Wednesday morning of each month.      School Starts at 9:55am

Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Common planning time for grade level, subject, or interdisciplinary teams has increasingly been considered a crucial part of school improvement. Research suggests that sufficient, scheduled and planning time is essential for educators to be effective. Collaborative teams, in which educators share planning time and a common group of students, have been correlated with higher student achievement, better school culture, more effective parent communication, and increased teacher motivation and job satisfaction.

Benefit to Students
Collaboration provides benefits for students. Collaboration improves parent-teacher communication and results in higher rates of student achievement because educators are planning together, they are presenting knowledge and developing skills consistently. What learn in Math will have in link to what they learn in Social Studies and Art. Students will benefit from the time, attention, skills and knowledge of several teachers planning together rather than just one.

Benefit to Teachers
Collaboration is beneficial for teachers. It prevents feelings of teacher isolation. Collaboration increases work satisfaction by facilitating close working relationships. Beginning teachers tend to benefit substantially when they are paired with experienced teachers who can relieve anxiety and nervousness by showing them the ropes. Teachers can build on the lessons, the knowledge and skills are acquiring in other classroom with other teachers because they have planned together.

Benefit to the School
Secondary schools benefit as well. Collaboration lessens the downtime associated with teacher turnover by pairing new and experienced teachers. It fosters an improved school culture and fosters a “professional learning community that schools aspire to achieve,” according to the Center on Innovation and Improvement. It substantially increases the quality of education provided by merging teacher ideas, concepts and innovations. Collaboration serves as a form of in-house, continuous training because it allows teachers the opportunity to learn from each other.