A New Focus on Reading

Changing Results For Young Readers
http://changingresultsforyoungreaders.bclibraries.ca/index.htm

Reading for Families (BC Government website, Education Section)
http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/topic.page?id=2468D3F9C0BD4AA08B8B79F26BC08191&title=Reading for Families

District Literacy Plans
http://www.readnowbc.ca/communities/district_literacy_plans.php

National Reading Plan for Canada
http://nationalreadingcampaign.ca/wp-content/uploads/NationalReadingPlan-E.pdf

Provinces urged to appoint Superintendents of Learning
http://blogs.vancouversun.com/2012/08/01/provinces-urged-to-appoint-superintendents-of-reading/

Every Child, Every Day (article by Richard Allington and Rachael Gabriel)
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/mar12/vol69/num06/Every-Child,-Every-Day.aspx

Taming the Wild Text (article by Pam Allyn)
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/mar12/vol69/num06/Taming-the-Wild-Text.aspx

Catching Readers Up Before They Fail (article by Carol Canady & Robert Canady)
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/jun12/vol69/num09/Catching-Readers-Up-Before-They-Fail.aspx

Ontario, Ministry of Education: What Works? Research into Practice (article)
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/inspire/research/contentLiteracy.pdf

Public Library Resources: Summer reading club, learning commons
http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/pls/

Decoda Literacy Solutions
http://decoda.ca/

International Reading Association
http://www.reading.org/General/Default.aspx

Strange... But True? Summer Reading Club
http://www.kidssrc.ca/

Summer literacy camps make big gains in aboriginal communities
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/summer-literacy-camps-make-big-gains-in-aboriginal-communities/article4515765

Graduation Requirements and Transitions to Post Secondary or Work

BC Ministry of Education Program Guide for Graduation Transitions
Graduation Transitions is a required element of the Graduation Program. Graduation Transitions is intended to help prepare students for a successful transition to life after secondary school. This Program Guide sets out the requirements for the successful completion of Graduation Transitions.
http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/irp/pdfs/health_career_education/2008gradproguide.pdf

BC Ministry of Advanced Education Student Transitions Project
The Student Transitions Project links data about students in the B.C. public post-secondary education system with information from their years in kindergarten to Grade 12. This information helps to plan and manage programs effectively to ensure student success in higher education. 
http://www.aved.gov.bc.ca/student_transitions/

Premier’s Technology Council Report: A Vision for 21st Century Education (December 2010)
This report presents a vision for a 21st Century K-12 education system that aligns with Ministry efforts on Personalized Learning.
http://www.gov.bc.ca/premier/attachments/PTC_vision%20for_education.pdf

The BC Jobs Plan
British Columbia holds a distinct competitive advantage in the global marketplace. To seize this opportunity, we need your input. The BC Jobs Plan brings together your ideas to build B.C.’s economic plan.
http://www.bcjobsplan.ca/

Scholarships and Awards

Overview of BC's Provincial Awards and Scholarship Programs (PDF, 440KB)

BC Ministry of Education Handbook of Procedures for the Graduation Program (2011-2012)
Chapter 6 provides information about awards and scholarships.
http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/exams/handbook/1112/handbook_of_procedures.pdf

BC Ministry of Education Awards information page
http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/awards/

BC Ministry of Education: Graduation Program 2004 Scholarships and Awards
http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/policy/policies/graduation_program_2004.htm

Research Supporting Later Start Times

University of Minnesota Researchworks: Later Start Times for High School Students
http://www.cehd.umn.edu/research/highlights/Sleep/default.html

Scientific American: Later School Start Time Leads to Better Students
http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=later-school-start-time-leads-to-be-10-07-05

Psychology Today: Do Later School Start Times Really Help High School Students?
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/sleepless-in-america/201102/do-later-school-start-times-really-help-high-school-students

Science Daily: Delayed School Start Time Associated with Improvements in Adolescent Behaviors
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100705190532.htm

Medscape Medical News: Delayed School Start Times May Improve Adolescent Behaviors, Health
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/724771

Summer Learning Loss

Canadian Council on Learning: Summer Learning Loss
http://www.ccl-cca.ca/ccl/Reports/LessonsInLearning/LinL20080612SummerLearningLoss.html

The Effects of Summer Vacation on Achievement Test Scores: A Narrative and Meta-Analytic Review
http://rer.sagepub.com/content/66/3/227.abstract

Summer Break Can Lead to Learning Losses for Kids
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home2/51978292-183/summer-students-kids-reading.html.csp

Flexibility and Choice

New School Calendar Regulation (PDF)

Balanced Calendar Proposed for BC School District:
http://blogs.vancouversun.com/2012/02/03/balanced-calendar-proposed-for-b-c-school-district/

Rethinking the standard school schedule
http://davidwees.com/content/rethinking-standard-school-schedule

North Okanagan Schools Partner for Cabinetmaker Program:
http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/community/138607499.html

Parents Camp Out Overnight to Register Kids for Nature Kindergarten:
http://www.timescolonist.com/travel/Parents+camp+overnight+steps+register+kids+nature+kindergarten/6111146/story.html

The School of Opportunities – Towards Every Learner’s Full Potential:
www.oph.fi/download/134584_the_school_of_opportunities.pdf

Bring Your Own Technology & Thinking About Equity:
http://cultureofyes.ca/2012/01/26/bring-your-own-technology-and-thinking-about-equity/

What is... What Will Be Obsolete in… Second Grade?
http://www.techlearning.com/blogs/35692

21st Century Competencies

Partnership for 21st Century Skills: Framework for 21st Century Learning
This Framework presents a holistic view of 21st century teaching and learning that combines a discrete focus on 21st century student outcomes with innovative support systems to help students master the multi-dimensional abilities required of them in the 21st century.

Premier’s Technology Council: A Vision for 21st Century Education, December 2010
According to this report, traditional skills like literacy, numeracy, and critical thinking need to be applied in different ways and supplemented with new skills and attributes in order for students to become full participants in a knowledge-based society.

Government of Alberta: 21st Century Learning
Alberta Education has proposed a set of competencies for learning in the 21st century that will provide students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that will help them become engaged thinkers and ethical citizens with an entrepreneurial spirit.

Thinking About Leadership: 21st Century Skills
Tom Grant, Superintendent of the Coquitlam School Board, recently posted a list of the skills (competencies) that several leading authorities believe students will need to have in order to be successful in the 21st century.

Assessment and Teaching of 21st Century Skills
The Assessment and Teaching of 21st-Century Skills (ATC21S) is a research project that proposes ways of assessing 21st-century skills and encourages teaching and adopting those skills in the classroom.