Year in Review 2024-25: Enhancing Student Sense of Belonging

Our school focus at Maple Lane centres on creating a school environment where diversity is celebrated and students have a high sense of belonging. This goal was chosen based on the following evidence:

• Student Learning Survey (2023/24 – Gr. 4 and 7): revealed that although most students have a positive sense of belonging, 15% viewed their belonging negatively
• MDI Survey (2022/23 – Gr. 5): indicated student sense of belonging was slightly below the district average
• Anecdotal Reports from Staff: indicated student sense of belonging for some students needs to be strengthened and that more work needs to be done in the area of equity, diversity and inclusion

Our actions in 2024/25:

• Formed an equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) committee with broad representation on staff
• Engaged in professional learning with Destine Lord (Anti-Racism Consultant) through Pro-D sessions, lunchtime meetings and ongoing consultation; topics included common language, micro-aggressions and inclusive celebrations
• Cultural celebrations and observances were highlighted through our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Bulletin Board and morning announcements; students became comfortable with recommending celebrations that should be included
• Held a Culture Day, organized by the student council, in which students could represent their culture through clothing, food or music; flags were displayed throughout the school and students requested additional flags to be included
• Launched the Connections Club for students of all ages to gather to create and play; specific social skills were taught to facilitate social engagement
• Conducted a belonging survey with grade 3 – 7 students to establish baseline data to guide next steps

Recent Evidence:

MDI Survey (Winter 2025 – Gr. 5)

This survey indicates a sense of belonging above district average among grade 5 students. This is a positive change from the cohort of grade 5 students from 2022/23 who indicated a sense of belonging below the district average. It is important to note that 3% of students felt they had a negative sense of belonging at school.

Student Belonging Survey (Spring 2025 – Gr. 3-7)

This survey sampled a broader range of students in the school. Two key categories, “Feel Belonging” and “Feel Welcome," are above the district average for positive sentiment. Roughly 6% viewed their sense of belonging as negative and less than 3% had a negative response to feeling welcome.

Next Steps (2025-26)

The results of the most recent MDI survey and the Student Belonging Survey show positive trends with student sense of belonging that we will continue to nurture in 2025/26. Although Maple Lane students report a collective sense of belonging higher than district average, it is essential to recognize that some students report a low sense of belonging. A goal for next year will be to dig deeper into the question of belonging to determine who does not feel like they belong and for what reason. We will continue to work closely with the staff and gather information from our students to enhance the sense of belonging of all students.