Ontario’s Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) announced the results of its annual province-wide tests in Grades 3, 6 and 9 yesterday. This year’s provincial report profiles 18 schools that exemplify the many successful learning environments in publicly funded schools in Ontario.

“The profiles confirm that student learning is a shared responsibility,” says Marguerite Jackson, chief executive officer of EQAO. “EQAO is privileged to celebrate and share these school stories and commends the efforts of Ontario educators, parents and members of the public who are working together to ensure that each and every student is a successful learner.”

With respect to the Grade 3 & 6 EQAO Provincial Assessment Results for May 2005, students at the Sudbury Catholic District School Board continue to demonstrate steady and sustainable gains. “When reviewing the EQAO achievement demonstrated by our Grade 3 and 6 students over time, we see improvements made in small but solid increments,” stated Rossella Bagnato, Academic Superintendent of Education for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board. “We must now analyze critically the data that EQAO provides to us along with our school collected data and use the information to inform instructional decisions we make for our students,” concluded Bagnato.

Working as teams, the Board’s principals and teachers have developed professional learning communities that collaborate in all aspects of planning and instruction with the ultimate focus on improving student learning across the whole school. Paula Peroni, Chair of the Sudbury Catholic School Board sees this student focus initiative as the key to the success in the latest test results. “Across the system we have begun the ongoing tracking of individual student achievement in literacy and offer an early intervention reading program for those students who struggle with learning to read along with making assistive technology available through the implementation of wireless laptops for students with special needs,” noted Peroni. “Using the key concepts from Professor Michael Fullan’s research, as a Board we will move ahead slowly, with a purpose, while creating a culture of learning for both students and staff.”

Students in the Sudbury Catholic Board’s Secondary Schools scored equally well in the Grade 9 Provincial Math tests in 2004–2005. Board results indicate that students maintained their scores from last year in the academic program and increased their scores in the applied program. Zandra Zubac, Director of Education for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board introduced the Learning With Laptops One to One Grade 9 Mathematics program in the Board’s four secondary schools last year. “In the second semester of 2005, we embarked upon a process of building a Professional Learning Community with our Grade 9 Math teachers by establishing and maintaining partnerships with companies such as Apple Canada,” stated Zubac. “These kinds of partnerships not only develop resources for our students but also play a vital role in improving student achievement as witnessed in the latest Grade 9 Provincial test results.”