Lord Tweedsmuir is located in the Cloverdale/Clayton area, on the shared, unceded traditional territories of the Kwantlen, Katzie, Semiahmoo and Tsawwassen First Nations. Our school is one of the largest in the district, with a population of approximately 1750 students and 150 staff. A third of our families speak a language other than English at home which reflects the diversity of the community we serve.
We want our learners to have the fullest school experience possible and provide a wide range of both curricular and extracurricular offerings, including an extensive Athletics program, professional teaching kitchen and Culinary Arts program, district Connections (alternate) program, district Automotive Service Technician Program, Youth Explore Trades Skills program, Fine and Performing Arts program, as well as other clubs and activities such as Student Council, GSA (Gay Straight Alliance), Student Library Council, Mindfulness Club, Ad Astra Club, Mathematics Homework Help Club, and many more. We are known for our vibrant school spirit ("Panther Pride") and our students are proud to represent Lord Tweedsmuir at our various academic, athletic, performative and cultural events. Lord Tweedsmuir is conveniently situated near several community hubs, including the Cloverdale Fairgrounds (which hosts the Cloverdale Rodeo each year), Cloverdale Recreation Centre and Arena, Cloverdale Youth Park (including skate park) and the Museum of Surrey, and is accessible by public transit.
Students being able to successfully transition from one grade level to the next is an important indicator of overall student achievement. At Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary, our learners have historically completed successful transitions above the average Surrey School District rates.
Beginning with the grade 8 to grade 9 transition, nearly all (99-100%) of Lord Tweedsmuir students successfully made this transition between year 2015 to 2020. This rate is on par with or higher than both the district and provincial rates.
This trend was sustained for students transitioning from grade 9 to grade 10, with the percentage of Lord Tweedsmuir students successfully transitioning to grade 10 exceeding district and provincial rates each year since the 2015/2016 school year.
The percentage of Lord Tweedsmuir students who successfully transitioned between grade 11 and grade 12 had remained relatively stable and continued to exceed district and provincial averages with 98% of students successfully transitioning in the 2019/2020 academic year. Since 2015, Lord Tweedsmuir students have graduated from school at a higher rate than the general Grade 12 student population in Surrey.
Then, as the end of the 2019/2020 school year approached, our learners were faced with challenges and adversity that no one could have foreseen during the global pandemic. Although formal data on the impact of the pandemic on student transitions has yet to be released, we know from preliminary evidence that the pandemic has deeply affected our learners' mental health, social and emotional development and academic growth. This evidence has surfaced through observations and dialogue between students and school staff as well as through evidence of learning gathered in classrooms. These factors all have an indirect and direct impact on the transition of students as they move from one grade level to the next and as such, was chosen to be a focus area for Lord Tweedsmuir's Student Learning Plan.
Our focus is on supporting grade-to-grade transitions for students who require extra assistance and encouragement to stay engaged in school through the development of a Transitions program. More specifically, we are targeting support towards a small cohort of students in grades 9 - 11. The plan is to apply direct, intentional support to each learner in the cohort through positive connection with an adult, with the goal being for each student to demonstrate growth in school connectedness and engagement. Our intention is that this will in turn lead to successful emotional, academic, and social growth from grade to grade, and thus, increasing the rate of successful student transitions.
Some of the things the students in the Transitions program will be working on include:
Furthermore, additional support available through the Transitions program may include, but is not limited to: homework help, additional communication with families, goal-setting, and having another trusted adult who is able to advocate for the student.
The Transitions program comes with a dedicated teacher to support the learner. This teacher, in collaboration with classroom teachers, school counsellors, administrators, youth care workers, and other support staff, support learners with their social, emotional, and academic needs to find success in school.
Some other information about the Transitions program at Lord Tweedsmuir:
Students are identified for the Transitions program through consultation between members of the Lord Tweedsmuir Student Support Team, and these decisions are based on feedback and evidence collected from teachers and other school staff. This team includes counsellors, administrators, youth care workers, and SafeSchools liaisons.
Throughout the year, we have been gathering quantitative data in the form of attendance and grades. There has also been an opportunity for student feedback through interviews and student surveys. Once the year ends and all courses have been completed, we will compare the quantitative information of the targeted cohort. This data along with student feedback will guide our decision making in continuous quality improvement of our Transitions program. Our aim is to continue with direct, targeted, intentional support of the identified cohort if they still require the interventions in September 2022. Our team will also look to identify other students who could use this same support and include them in the cohort.
Below are excerpts taken directly from the most recent student survey :
What has been the most helpful part of working in Transitions?
"being able to talk to an adult about how I feel about school and what i think is good for me"
"letting my emotions out and having someone there to help me go through it"
"Being able to express my problems academically and emotionally...Having someone to talk to makes me feel safer and comfortable at school"
"Help with school, and being able to rant and get my emotions out without lashing out"
Indicators of a Successful Program