Sutherland School is about:
Creating a Respectful and Peaceful School
Our students are very respectful. This leads to a peaceful school climate. Visitors to our school will frequently notice students demonstrating respectful mannerisms, greeting adults in our building and being courteous. As well, our building conveys a sense of warmth, generosity and enthusiasm as children, parents and staff are eager to smile and make all those who enter our school feel welcome.
Student Academic Success/Pride
We are committed to providing a safe, positive learning environment for our students. Our motto, Working Hard to Be Our Best!, suggests an important element of education. It reflects the effort we encourage each of our students to put into his or her learning.
We take pride in working hard to motivate each student to do his or her best. Our Staff is also dedicated to doing their best. Working together with students and parents, we strive to ensure that each individual student has the opportunity to develop to their full potential.
Community Engagement/Forging Strong Bonds
We believe in strong communication between the home and the school. Classroom newsletters, phone calls, home visits and meeting and greeting parents within our building are ways that teachers communicate with families.
Our School Community Council and "Friends of Sutherland School" are very involved in what happens at Sutherland School. Our "Friends of Sutherland School" group is currently raising funds for a new school playground. We have raised almost $90,000 with support from donors including a provincial government community grant, St. Paul's Church, and our school division. We hope to raise more funds in the future. We want to begin construction by the spring of 2012. We hope the new playground and newer landscaping development will complement our Centennial celebration planned for the 2012-2013 school year! Our parents are engaged in curricular matters. They help develop our school planning document which directs our learning priorities and improves student learning.
Early Childhood Education
We promote a solid foundation to early learning through our Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten programming. We have proudly implemented the Emilio Reggio Philosophy which encompasses a natural aspect of children at play and environmental learning.
At Sutherland School, children are seen as capable learners who construct their learning rather than have constant instruction. Their learning environment becomes an additional teacher.
Through our partnership with the YMCA, Sutherland School is able to provide a Before and After School Daycare in our building beginning at 7:30 a.m., ending at 6:00 p.m.
Technology and Innovation
We offer an array of technological programming. Our newest technological developments are incorporated into our PRIME Math programming (i.e., Professional Resources and Instruction for Mathematics Educators), and into our Resource Programming that has seen two new laptops and new electronic white boards integrated into four classrooms. We have digital projectors installed in all classrooms, as well as 40 new Dell laptops and a completely updated computer lab in our Learning Resource Centre. We often post students power-point productions on our newest television screen.
Diversity and Cultural Responsiveness
We boast a diverse student population representing approximately 15 different cultural groups. Our students, regardless of their cultural status, say they feel respected in our school. We ensure that every child feels accepted, loved and cared for. We aim to ensure that every child feels a good sense of cultural and familial belonging within our school climate.
Sutherland School has established a community cultural partnership with the Saskatoon Misbah School (a Saskatoon Public Schools' associate school), where we strive to involve their student body with ours so our students can learn from each other.
We celebrate diversity with an annual Multi-Cultural Fair which is held either in the spring or fall. The Saskatoon Misbah School celebrates this event with us through our exciting partnership. At the fair students research different cultures and create cultural displays that represent our school. Entertainment is also provided. We take pride in honouring all who enter our school community and teach not only the mandated Aboriginal Education curriculum, but include the teaching of the impact of residential schools on our First Nations and Métis peoples and the Treaties of Saskatchewan and Canada. This important education is taught to students in the middle-years grades.
Green Values
Our students and staff members share a strong desire to lessen our carbon footprint. We monitor our schools energy and water usage with the aim of reducing our consumption. Our school has been recognized for environmentally-friendly student projects, such as The Little Green Thumbs Project and Saskatoon Public Schools' Destination Conservation Program.
Opportunities for Student Leadership
Our student leadership team provides students with opportunities to develop leadership skills by initiating and working on activities and special events for our student population.
Valuing the Arts
Our school implemented a more refined and exciting Arts Education Program in the 2010-2011 school year. Students in Kindergarten to Grade 8 thoroughly enjoy Music, Visual Art, Dance and Drama. They take pride in their skill development in all strands. Students also enjoy a great BAND program offered to them in Grades 6, 7 and 8.
Character Education
Character education is embedded in our teaching. Students frequently revisit character virtues with their teachers and at school-wide assemblies.
Supporting all Learners
Sutherland School is engaged in a phenomenal mathematical intervention program called PRIME (Professional Resources and Instruction for Mathematics Educators). Implemented in Grades 2 to 8, this program offers unique instruction targeting provincial curriculum mathematical standards, and reaches students who may have experienced a gap in their learning. Students learn at their level, and then move on to the next instructional level and/or strategy. This process helps them understand and reinforce the regular mathematical requirements for each grade. Also equally important, our enriched students are challenged consistently with Mathematical inquiry and skills based on the the outcomes of the Saskatchewan curriculum.
We have adopted and implemented Literacy for Life learning strategies so all students are engaged in reading, writing, processing, and representing literary concepts. Strategies such as the Picture Word Inductive Model (PWIM), Read to Succeed, Just Read, Literacy Inquiry Strategies, Classroom Libraries, and SNOOK (an early morning book read to our students in the Learning Resource Centre with a snack), are continuously incorporated into our learning program and school plan.
We have 1.5 Resource Teachers. They work cooperatively with classroom teachers to support students learning and improve students academic, personal, and social behaviours.
We offer ongoing and constant enrichment to those students who excel at the curriculum standards.
Offering Options
We offer a variety of extracurricular programs before school, at noon, or after school. These include team sports for middle years students, such as Cross-Country Running, School Track Team, Volleyball, Basketball and Floor Hockey.
Students are also welcome to participate in a range of noon-hour clubs, including the Krafty Kids Club, the Student Leadership Club and the Zoo Club. These extra options are offered at different times throughout the year, thereby appealing to diverse student interests.