Curious about our students experiences in and out of the classroom, we conducted a scan of our students a month into the current school year.  We asked students:

In the first month of school, what has been positive?
In the first month of school, what has been challenging?
Do you feel connected to the school?
Who have you connected with in this first month?
What learning opportunities would you like to see?

And this is what the students had to say:

• Sense of belonging (relationships, friendships) is really important to students
• Course work, homework, school routines have been challenging
• 25% of students do not feel connected to the school (in a class of 30, that is 7 students)
• Students have made connections with teachers the most.
• Students are interested in experiential learning - field trips in particular
• Students are seeking out more school-wide activities...opportunities to connect with the school community

Based on these findings, we will continue to provide opportunities and experiences in and out of the classroom to support students' development of their sense of connection, belonging, and positive personal and cultural identity.  We believe that our focus and work on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) will help to foster a safe, supportive and inclusive community that is vital to students' learning and success.