Literacy and numeracy are two of the division’s main priorities to ensuring that every student will be successful. To do this, the division uses Collaborative Response to assess where individual students’ strengths and areas of growth are in these two areas.

Local assessments are used in all of Peace River School Division’s (PRSD) schools to support students’ learning needs and achievement.  Teachers use these powerful tools to determine how students learn and to develop personalized instructional activities. Strategic use of local assessments also helps to improve student performance on Provincial Achievement Tests (PATs) and Diploma Exams. These assessments include:

RCAT = Reading Comprehension Assessment Tool

MIPI = Math Intervention/Programming Instrument

NCAT = Numeracy Common Assessment Tool

F & P BAS = Fountas & Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System 1 and 2

The local assessments listed above help teachers to determine their students’ level of knowledge and skills in the core areas of Literacy and Numeracy.  These assessments will tell a teacher if there are any learning gaps with key concepts in Literacy and Numeracy.  This information can be used to provide targeted lessons and useful accommodations to help the student learn important skills in reading, writing and mathematics.  The assessments are done at the beginning of the year and then again later in the year to assess progress.  The frequency that these assessments are administered allows teachers and educational assistants to give targeted interventions and accommodations immediately after the assessment is completed.   

Learning loss has become a concern of mine, due to the circumstances our schools have endured over the past two years. Attendance during those years has been an issue for our students’ education, and we need students in schools on a consistent basis so that they are taught all they need to know from the program of studies.

All schools within PRSD have school teams made up of Teachers, Educational Assistants, I-Coaches, and Principals.  These teams make up our School Division’s Collaborative Response to meeting your child(ren)’s needs.  These school teams receive support from Program Coordinators, the Learning Services Department, and even me! 

Local assessments are powerful tools in contributing to our mission to ensure every child is literate and numerate. In this time of learning loss, it is critical that we know exactly what our students need and how we can support them.

To further explore the power of local assessments, I encourage you to read PRSD’s Three-Year Education Plan for 2021-2024.  We look forward to continuing to collaborate with all parents in achieving our collective goal of success for all students.

Adam Murray

Superintendent of Schools