What targeted actions did we take to address our school's learning focus?

As part of our school-wide focus on fostering a culture of belonging, care, and positive relationships, we implemented the Eagle Feather Bulletin Board. Staff intentionally recognized students who demonstrated our core values by showing care for self, others, and place. Each recognized action was acknowledged with a feather that was added to a collective school eagle display. Student announcers also celebrated some feathers each morning on the morning announcements.  This visible recognition strategy was implemented consistently across the school to reinforce positive behaviours and strengthen students' sense of connection to the school community.

What gap or problem were these actions intended to address? Why was this particular strategy/action chosen?

As mentioned in a previous post, we only had 75% of students share they felt a sense of belonging at McKinney last school year. When going through this data, school staff identified a need to increase opportunities for students to receive timely, meaningful recognition for behaviours that contribute to a positive and inclusive learning environment. The strategy was selected to make positive behaviours visible, reinforce shared expectations, and promote a collective sense of responsibility for creating a safe, caring, and welcoming school community. The visual and collaborative nature of the display also encouraged students to see themselves as active contributors to our school's culture. It has been proudly displayed all school year long in the hallway leading up to the school office. 

What does the evidence tell us so far?

The evidence demonstrates strong implementation and engagement across the school. Throughout the initiative, students earned enough feathers to fill the Eagle Feather Bulletin Board, reflecting a high frequency of recognized acts of care for self, others, and place. Staff consistently participated in acknowledging positive behaviours, and students demonstrated enthusiasm and pride in contributing to the collective display. Students were excited to see new feathers posted daily and looked forward to hearing them shared on the announcements.

To what extent are the actions making a difference?

The consistent recognition of positive behaviours has supported a culture where acts of kindness, responsibility, and respect are celebrated and made visible. We are looking forward to the results from our next student belonging survey to see if the quantitative data supports the positive stories we have heard thus far. 

How will we move forward accordingly?

We will continue to affirm this practice as an effective strategy for promoting belonging and positive school culture. We will continue to monitor school climate data, student voice, and staff observations to determine how this strategy contributes to our broader goals of enhancing belonging, engagement, and well-being for all learners.