Assignment+2

=Assignment 2: Community Analysis and Report =

Let's start with a prezi I made of L.A. Matheson!

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The week I started at L.A. Matheson Secondary, I noticed the atmosphere was different. This school has something I have yet to see elsewhere. There is a dedicated student body led by amazing teachers who go out of their way to create a warm and welcoming environment for the students. It was Christmas time when I took over the previous T-L’s position. This was the beginning of my experience. Every morning I went to school, I noticed it becoming more and more festive until one day, I entered from the main entrance and it blew me away! There were Christmas trees lining the hallway end to end and snowflakes dangling from the ceiling. The teacher who leads this team told me that she dedicates all her time to making the school look amazing for the students because it is an inner city school. A lot of the students do not have much at home and school is where they spend most of their time. She feels that decorating the school gives them a sense of belonging – a community. This is only the beginning of what happens at this school. Every season brings a reason to celebrate. Here are some pictures of the different events we hold:





=Community Analysis: =



L.A. Matheson Secondary School is located at 9484 122 Street, Surrey, BC V3V 4M1. It belongs to the largest growing district in the province. According to the School Report found on the BC Ministry of Education website, in the 2011/2012 school year, there are 1389 students in total, of which 80 are Aboriginal, 127 are ELL, 86 are Special Needs:



Surrey has been continuously growing over the years and it attracts the most new comers in BC. Just in 2011, Surrey has expanded by 2.4% (Grundlingh, 2011). More specifically, L.A. Matheson Secondary is a part of the Surrey-Whalley area. The District Profile shows that Whalley itself had an immigrant population of 19,720, which constitutes 38% of the total area population (2006). Due to the high immigrant population, the school has a wide range of ethnicity. 45.6% of the students speak Punjabi at home. In fact, the school provides Punjabi classes due to the high demand for the course.

 There is a multicultural club at the school and one of the largest celebrations they promote is Vaisakhi. Here is a link to the 2008 school information site where you can find photos of the students celebrating Vaisakhi. It is quite an event.

The school has a vast range of athletics, clubs and initiatives like 'student of the month', Matheson Idol and Diggin' the Roots' to support the school community. The Surrey School District website also has a detailed list of district programs and initiatives available at L.A. Matheson. There have been many graduates from the school who have become famous like the lead singer from Hedley, Jacob Hoggard. The School Plan shows that L.A. Matheson is an inner city school. This distinction is based on the fact that 20% of the families living in the area are low income and 19% are single parent families (2011). The statistics closely match those of the District Profile. The combination of low income and high immigrant population affects the community of the school. For these reasons, as stated earlier, the school has many programs to support the climate and culture of the school.

In fact, the Mission Statement is:

L.A. Matheson provides a safe, cooperative, and supportive environment to promote social, intellectual and creative growth for staff, students and parents. This environment fosters healthy, productive, responsible citizens of the global community. From the mission statement we can see that the school's vision is to help students find their way in life to become socially responsible citizens. Through all the different programs the school offers, they have the means to support the diversity of the school community to achieve such goals.

Curriculum Links:
Our goal is to help students grow to become responsible citizens of the global community. From the Prezi, we have seen the creative aspect of the students in their search for social awareness and cultural expression. For Sciences, there is not as much support for growth and accountability. The number of students taking Biology 12 remains more or less consistent. In 2010-2011, there were 105 students. The marks for Biology 12 seem to have dropped from the previous year. Looking at the school report of that year, 51% of the students taking Biology 12 scored a C+ or higher, which is 14% lower than the previous year. Even the District Profile shows very few people living in Surrey-Whalley work in the health science industry. It ranks 7 out of the top 8 occupations. The top three jobs are in clerical, sales, and transporting equipment. <span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">As mentioned in assignment 1, Biology 12 is high in content with lots of material to cover in very little time. The students may take the course for interest but quickly become overwhelmed by the details. Now with the Grade 12 provincial exams removed, students have less pressure to study as much since the course mark is based on the class only.

<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Due to budget reasons, the school still uses an outdated textbook, Inquiry into Life, from 2002. The biology teachers have also created note packages that condense the material into booklets for the students. Most of the coursework is based on these booklets.

<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">There are several co-op programs in the school that provide students with the opportunities to be placed in the community related to their interest and studies. Currently there are five available:


 * <span style="background-color: #f0eff0; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Univers; font-size: 12px;">Grade 11: Humanities 11
 * <span style="background-color: #f0eff0; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Univers; font-size: 12px;">Math 11 PC/Chemistry 11
 * <span style="background-color: #f0eff0; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Univers; font-size: 12px;">Grade 12: Culinary Arts 12
 * <span style="background-color: #f0eff0; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Univers; font-size: 12px;">Info Tech 11/12
 * <span style="background-color: #f0eff0; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Univers; font-size: 12px;">Work Experience 12

<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">None of them are specifically for Biology but there is the general Work Experience where they can be placed in a health related job. There should be a co-op program combined with Biology as a option. This would be a potential partner for future placements in the community fostering better relationships between work force and curricula related to Biology.

<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">In terms of the collection being used in the library, other than videos, the Biology teacher seldom collaborates with the T-L. There have been instances where the Biology 12 class goes to the library to review content via websites provided by their teacher. This is a baby step for them. There are two teachers teaching Biology 12. Both are experts in their areas and are curious to what the library can offer.

<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Biology 12 pertains to cell biology and body systems or human biology. The print collection for these units is large and varied. There has been additional books added to each subject category recently from the PLOs since it can be applied to the junior levels. The online databases are well equipped for the topics they cover, such as the online World Book Encyclopedia, Ebsco, and Thomson Gale. The webpath express from the Destiny online catalogue provides many related websites. Finally, Learn360 and Discovery Education have a wide selection of video clips that can be used to support the content.

<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">L.A. Matheson also has a weekly PLC time fit into the schedule for teachers to collaborate. This is a great time for teachers to form committees and work together to improve student learning. This would be a good time to collaborate with the Biology teachers to create meaningful lessons and projects to further help the students understand the concepts of cell and human biology. The library can provide the support and resources for the students to learn about their topics and discover their relationships. Also, with the technology aspect involved, they can take steps to create tools to help them with the concepts and teach each other.

<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">The Scheduling of the library at L.A. Matheson is flexible. Teachers book class times with the T-L when they want to come into the library. The calendar is available online via Outlook but teachers are only allowed to view the calendar for open spaces. Confirmation with bookings requires actual contact with the T-L. The reason for this is to initiate conversation between the teacher and the T-L. Instead of just booking the library like a computer lab, it is a meeting to talk about the reason behind the booking so that the necessary resources can be located and any possible collaboration can be initiated. The teachers are usually very open to ideas and request to have the T-L teach the students research and literacy skills. The flexible scheduling has the advantages listed by Bishop:


 * //<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Students have access to resources at the time of need or interest. //
 * //<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">[Library] visits and the teaching of information literacy skills are related to classroom activities and assignments. //
 * //<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">The [T-L] has time to collaborate with classroom teachers, thus improving communication - the [T-L] becomes familiar with the curriculum and the teachers learn what resources are available in the [library]. //
 * //<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Students become more independent users of resources and gain information literacy skills for lifelong learning //

<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">(2007, p.26) <span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">In addition, English classes often ask for book exchange time. Every two weeks, classes come into the library to find a new novel to read or renew the one they currently have. This partially eliminates the disadvantage of students not visiting the library as often to check out materials. However, as noted in Bishop, the issue of "problem students" being sent to the library and lack of time for administrative duties still hold true. <span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">The library offers many general services that range from printing assignments to giving orientations to classes on how to use the online library catalogue. The services provided are meant to facilitate the needs of the students and teachers. The T-L at L.A. Matheson is also the Literacy Coordinator who is in charge of the RAD Committee, Developing Readers Committee, and Fast ForWord Program. <span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left;">RAD36 <span style="color: #808080; display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left;">is an exam given to Grade 8 students twice a year, once in September and once in May. They are meant to assess the reading comprehension levels at the beginning of the year and at the end of the year to see if any improvements were made. The Humanities 8 classes implement the test and a team of teachers get together to mark them. The results are reported to the district to compare with the other students in the district.

<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Developing Readers was first developed by the Surrey School District 36 to complement RAD36. The Developing Readers Committee at the school is made up of a group of teachers who utilize the different strategies provided in the binder to help students take better notes and understand content easier. They choose a strategy per month and host a Lunch Bites session to introduce one strategy to interested teachers who wish to learn how to use it in the classroom. <span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left;">Fast ForWord <span style="color: #808080; display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left;">is a computer program created to help students with their literacy skills. Through a series of games, students develop better reading and comprehension. There are 10 licences available at the school so the students are carefully chosen to participate. Those who are chosen are taken out of their regular class time to complete the program within 6-12 weeks in the library. Their progress is monitored by the T-L online.

=<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Potential Partners/Community Resources: =

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<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Medical Clinics
<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">In order to entice the student population with Biology 12, there should be more up to date information tied to their topics. Here is a map of the school area with all the related health/medical businesses. They are all possible candidates to bring into the classroom and library. There are libraries in the district who have weekly 'Meet an Expert' workshops where students get to talk to experts in their profession. Many of the members in the community surrounding L.A. Matheson are medical clinics. The content would be even more significant if the students get to talk to Doctors about the different body systems. They would see how the information is necessary and important in the real world. <span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Surrey Memorial Hospital

<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">With the Surrey Memorial Hospital being fairly close to the school, there could be opportunities for the students to shadow nurses, medical technicians and doctors. If not, even having the opportunity for them to tour the hospital and talk to the patients would give them an idea of what treatments are like. This way the students would better appreciate the material they study when they see an actual connection. In addition, Surrey Memorial offers a wide variety of volunteer services:


 * ==Volunteer at Surrey Memorial Hospital== ||  || [[image:http://www.fraserhealth.ca/media/templateElements/articleelement/1022//printIcon.jpg link="http://www.fraserhealth.ca/about_us/get-involved/volunteer/surrey_memorial_hospital"]] || [[image:http://www.fraserhealth.ca/media/templateElements/articleelement/1022/emailIcon.jpg link="http://www.fraserhealth.ca/about_us/get-involved/volunteer/surrey_memorial_hospital"]] || [[image:http://www.fraserhealth.ca/media/templateElements/articleelement/1022/shareIcon.jpg width="16" height="29" caption="Bookmark and Share" link="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&pub=xa-4a5e110264122203"]] ||

<span class="h2_16pxBlue">Opportunities
 * "A Place to Grow" Child Care Centre
 * Auxiliary Programs: Bingo, Gift Shops, Lottery Booth, Magazine Service, Notions Cart, and Penny Savers’ Thrift Shop
 * Cardiology
 * Child & Youth Services (Pediatrics)
 * Communication & Public Affairs
 * Diabetes Education
 * Emergency Department
 * Intensive Care Unit
 * Medical Library
 * Musician
 * Palliative Care
 * Patient Resource Depot
 * Pet Visitation
 * Rehabilitation Services
 * Seniors’ Programs – Acute Care
 * Volunteer Resources
 * Welcome & Wayfinding
 * Youth Summer Program
 * You’ve Got Mail Service

<span style="color: #808080; display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left;">Surrey City Centre Public Library <span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 11px;">The closest public library in the area is the City Centre Public Library and it just opened in September 2011. It is located about 10-15 minutes from the school. media type="youtube" key="UUVMOXnGujw" height="315" width="560"

<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">This is a great community resource because of the services they provide! Now that the new library has adopted the Learning Commons approach, it makes it more inviting for students to go and work in groups. There are many resources students can utilize including the homework centre where they can get help live online. Like the school, the Surrey public libraries have many online resources that students can use for research purposes. The library also hosts career fairs and have employers from different sectors come and talk about their field. This can become a collaboration with the library to provide speakers for the school as well. The programs and services are vast and helpful for the students.

<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">SFU Surrey Campus
<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">The SFU Surrey campus is in the same vicinity as the city centre library. It is convenient for students to use the facilities in the area especially since SFU is affiliated with L.A. Matheson. We are the location of the SFU Surrey Counselling Clinic. The campus also offers programs for people in the community. They have summer camps for students in all different subject areas and even one for sciences. Currently they have a Science AL!VE camp for Grades 2 to 9. The highschool level students would take part in the FAS Tech Camp where they focus on building robots! This is a possible partnership for developing a Biology camp in this section.

<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">In saying so, they do have a Mini-University camp for kids to experience Biological Sciences as one of their options. They have university student leaders who will show them what post secondary life will be like on campus while teaching them about marine life, forests and land creatures. A human biology aspect would benefit the senior students especially if they plan ongoing to SFU Sciences.

<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">There are many other camps offered on the campus that would help students in technology, leadership and certifications.

=<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Conclusion =

<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">The Surrey-Whalley area encompasses a dynamic group of residents. The socioeconomic status of the area creates a need to implement special initiatives to help students build a sense of community and belonging. The main focus of the school is to foster responsible and productive citizens. The students of L.A. Matheson are leaders in their community. They have been recognized for their dedication to


 * <span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">cleaning up their neighbourhood park
 * <span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">creating Public Service Announcement videos and anthologies of their poetry and prose
 * <span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">fundraising and donating to charities

<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">In terms of the Biology 12 curriculum, there are resources of various forms from the library ranging from print to online databases/streaming videos. The PLC time makes time for the biology teachers and the T-L to work together and create meaningful lessons. The main focus is to provide opportunities for students to think critically and discover the different functions and purposes of the body systems. This way, they retain the information better and understand its significance. The process would include using different tech tools to create presentations and posters representing their knowledge. In addition, the Developing Readers Committee can further help the students by providing the teacher with strategies to use in class.

<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">The community resources listed would enhance the Biology 12 classes by providing real life connections. Guest speakers from medical clinics in the surrounding neighbourhood would give insight to the use of Biology 12. Volunteer opportunities at Surrey Memorial Hospital would help them develop a sense of community and awareness in the field. The additional resources provided by the public library and SFU Surrey campus would support the learning.

<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Overall, the Community Analysis and Report gives a good general overview of the current conditions of the school and the potential partners within the community. This information will be useful for the T-L to pursue these affiliations in the future.

=<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">References =

<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">2006 Census: Provincial Electoral Districts (Surrey-Whalley). (2009). //BC Stats//. Retrieved June 1, 2012, from http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/StatisticsBySubject/Census/2006Census/ProvincialElectoralDistricts.aspx

<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Bishop, K., & Orden, P. (2007). //The collection program in schools: concepts, practices, and information sources// (4th ed.). Westport, Conn.: Libraries Unlimited.

<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Career Center. (2010). //<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">LA Matheson Secondary School //<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">. Retrieved May 27, 2012, from <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">[]

<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Priorities For Student Learning. (2011). //L.A. Matheson School Plan//.

<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">School Report (L.A. Matheson Secondary School). (2011). //BC// //Ministry of Education//. Retrieved Jun 1, 2012, from <span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">@http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/reporting/school_data_summary.php

<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">SFU Public Affairs and Media Relations - SFU, Surrey School District to open counselling centre. (2009, January 30). //SFU - Simon Fraser University//. Retrieved May 31, 2012, from @http://www.sfu.ca/archive-pamr/media_releases/media_releases_archives/media_01300901.html

<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Summer Camps - Camps Home. (2012, May 3). //<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;"> SFU - Simon Fraser University //<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">. Retrieved June 4, 2012, from @http://www.sfu.ca/camps/summercamps.html

<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Teen Central. (2010). //Surrey Libraries//. Retrieved May 31, 2012, from @http://www.surreylibraries.ca/default.aspx