1) "ERRINGTON CARES" ACRONYM FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY:

Recently our Social Responsibility Committee met with our staff and created an “Errington CARES” Acronym to help improve life and learning at our school.

As Eagles, we are:

Caring

Accountable

Respectful

Empathetic

Safe

… of ourselves, others, and the world around us.

We believe when people make choices that are Caring, Respectful, Accountable, Empathetic, and Safe, then daily life and learning becomes better for everyone here at Errington. We also believe that it is important to learn specifically what these actions mean… and how we can make these CARES choices in various circumstances and context while at school. We believe if that everyone learns to make these choices more often, then more if us will feel like we are connected to one another and that we belong to the Eagles team.

2) STUDENT CONNECTEDNESS AND BELONGING:

As stated previously within our School Story, our Learning Focus is “to improve student connectedness to themselves, to each other and to their community”. And our Inquiry Question is, “How can we better connect our students to their learning, to each other, to their school, and to their community?”

With these two purposes in mind, we surveyed 224 students Errington students from Kindergarten to Grade 7. Our students were asked the following “True or False” questions

• Here are the results of True and False questions - with the corresponding percentages, listed from highest to lowest, of students that responded with “true” to the following questions:

1. The adults at Errington CARE about me        = 96%
2. When I am at Errington, I feel that I belong    =  92%
3. If more people made “Errington CARES” choices more often, it would help me to feel that people care at Errington about me.         =  92%
4. If more people showed “Errington CARES” behaviours more often, it would help me to feel like I belong to the Eagles team.              = 91%
5. Other students at Errington CARE about me.  = 88%
6. It helps me with my learning when I feel like I belong. = 84%

(B) These students were also asked to indicate their sense of belonging in various school locations.

• Here are the percentages, listed from highest to lowest, of students who indicated they feel they belong in the following areas:

1. In the classroom = 96%
2. In the library = 93%
3. In the gym = 89%
4. On our playgrounds and fields = 88%
5. In our hallways = 75%
6. In our washrooms = 62%

ANECDOTAL COMMENTS FROM STUDENTS ABOUT THE WAY PEOPLE SHOW THEM THEY CARE:

Here’s a collated summary of student comments related to our CARES acronym: Being… Caring, Accountable, Respectful, Empathetic, and Safe:

1. Being Caring

• Comforting when you're sad or upset: “My friends comfort me when I’m feeling down,” “They help me when I’m sad,” “They help me when I’m stressed,” “When I feel bad, they care about me.”
• Being helpful in times of need: “They help me when I need it,” “They help me when I get hurt,” “They help me when I’m stuck on something,” “They help me when I’m injured,” “They help me when I need help with work.”
• Physical support: “When I fall on the ground, someone helps me up,” “When I get hurt, they ask if I’m okay,” “They help me when I get hurt,” “They comfort me when I’m hurt.”

2. Being Accountable

• Following through on promises and support: “They will help me if I ask them,” “They will keep me safe,” “They always help me when I need it,” “They support me,” “They help me when I ask for help.”
• Responsibility in actions: “They don’t hurt me,” “They don’t mind if I’m different,” “They don’t make fun of me,” “They don’t ignore me.”
• Ensuring well-being: “When people are being unsure, other people help,” “When I’m hurt, my friends bring me to the office,” “If I get hurt, my best friends will bring me to the office,” “When I’m down, they check in to see what’s wrong.”

3. Being Respectful

• Showing courtesy and respect in interactions: “They respect my opinion,” “They respect my boundaries,” “They respect my feelings,” “They use respectful language,” “They respect me.”
• Value for each other’s differences: “They don’t mind if I like different things than them,” “They don’t make fun of people,” “They don’t judge me.”
• Being inclusive and considerate: “They include me,” “They ask if I’m okay when I’m hurt,” “They say hi to me,” “They ask how I am,” “They invite me to join in.”

4. Being Empathetic

• Understanding and sharing feelings: “They listen to me when I speak,” “They make me feel better when I’m upset,” “They comfort me when I’m feeling down,” “They help me when I’m stressed or sad,” “They ask if I’m okay when I’m hurt.”
• Being patient and kind: “They talk to me patiently,” “They smile at me,” “They encourage me,” “They make me feel happy,” “They help me improve,” “They help me with my questions.”
• Feeling understood: “They listen to me,” “They make me feel like I belong,” “They understand me,” “They show empathy.”

5. Being Safe

• Physical and emotional safety: “They help me when I’m hurt,” “They stop me from getting injured,” “They care about me being safe,” “They make me feel safe,” “They keep me safe.”
• Protection and support: “When I fall, they ask if I’m okay,” “They help me if I’m lost,” “They stand up for me,” “They protect me,” “They help me when I’m lost.”
• Creating a safe environment: “They make me feel safe,” “My friends walk with me after school to ensure I’m not lonely,” “They play with me when I’m alone,” “They help me when I feel unsafe,” “Teachers and adults check in to make sure I’m okay.”

These categories provide a powerful snapshot from our students of how being caring is shown in different ways; with insights from our students the different actions and choices to show CARES behaviours that make a difference in their lives. Whether it’s offering help, showing empathy, ensuring safety, or respecting each other... our students have captured a lot of powerful behaviors that really contribute to a healthy, supportive and socially responsible learning environment.

STUDENT VOICE MATTERS:

We are very pleased to be able to include our students' perspective, insights and opinions on how we can improve daily life and learning at Errington. Our staff will be meeting soon to look closely at this survey data; to examine how their responses paint a picture of both the positive experiences as well as the challenges our students face while at school; and to build upon our strengths, and improve in our areas of need as a learning community. Stay tuned for more information on how we intend to use this valuable information to make Errington, which is a great school, an even better place to call home.