School Learning Focus (2026/27)

At City Centre Elementary, our core focus is to create an inclusive learning community where every student experiences a strong sense of belonging while building a strong foundation in literacy (reading and writing) and numeracy.

Evidence-Informed Rationale (WHY)

As a brand-new school community welcoming over 200 students from various catchment areas, our immediate priority is establishing a safe, inclusive, and welcoming learning environment. Research consistently demonstrates that a strong sense of school belonging is a prerequisite for academic success.

Concurrently, because we lack historical data, a thorough initial scanning phase is required during the fall term. This blended focus on social-emotional connection and diagnostic assessment ensures we can accurately map out student needs and establish meaningful growth trajectories.

Priority Learners

Our priority learners for this opening year encompass our entire initial student population, with particular attention given to:

• Students transitioning from multiple different school cultures into our new community.
• Early primary learners establishing their first routines in a school setting.
• Learners demonstrating vulnerability in social-emotional well-being or school connectedness during the transition.

Baseline Data

As City Centre is a newly established school, formal baseline data does not yet exist. The primary objective of the fall 2026 term is to collect and record this initial data. We will actively establish our baseline using:

• School-wide reading fluency and comprehension assessments.
• Age-appropriate diagnostic math and numeracy assessments.
• Provincial writing standards to evaluate initial written expression.
• Student voice surveys regarding feelings of safety, welcome, and belonging.

Action Statement (HOW)

To advance this focus, the educators and staff at City Centre will:

• Implement school-wide, standardized assessments in literacy and numeracy within the first six weeks.
• Engage in collaborative professional development to analyze baseline data and design targeted, differentiated interventions.
• Intentionally design inclusive classroom environments and community-building structures (e.g., morning meetings, collaborative code of conduct creation) throughout the summer and fall to foster immediate belonging.

Intended Impact (SO WHAT)

We expect to see a school culture where students feel safe, valued, and connected to their new peers and staff. Academically, learners will receive precise, targeted instruction tailored to their point of need, preventing the learning disruptions often associated with transitioning to a new school.

Evidence of Impact (HOW WE WILL KNOW)

We will measure our success through:

• The completion and documentation of a comprehensive school-wide literacy and numeracy data matrix by late autumn.
• Qualitative data from autumn and winter student/family check-ins demonstrating high levels of perceived belonging and safety.
• Measurable growth from the initial autumn benchmarks to the mid-year and spring follow-up assessments.

Alignment Statement

This plan directly aligns with the Richmond School District Strategic Priorities by prioritizing Strategic Priority 1: Inspired Learners (through rigorous, evidence-informed literacy and numeracy instruction) and Strategic Priority 2: Equity and Inclusion (by systematically ensuring safe, welcoming, and connected learning environments for a brand-new community).