As we conclude this school year, we'd like to reflect upon the actions we've taken and the evidence we've found in the process of our inquiry around flexible learning spaces.  In order to answer our School Story inquiry question, we have adhered to these three guiding principles:  the commitment to move from reaction to purpose, from isolation to collaboration and from compliance to engagement (Tony Wagner, Creating Innovators, The Global Achievement Gap).

This year, we were so fortunate to have had the support of the SD #38 Grounds Crew, who transformed our outdoor learning space into one that is truly functional, fun and conducive to learning.  The list of ways this has enhanced our school is long.  Students have important gross-motor skill-building opportunities on the logs and rocks at recess and lunch.  They have so enjoyed the Mud Kitchen - students big and small.  They have learned about the cultivation of a crop that the local rabbits won't eat and made a profit with their sale of garlic!  They gained food preparation skills in cooking up the garlic scapes with pasta, butter and tomatoes.  They have a space to sit and listen to one another.  They also connected with the Grounds Crew who came and worked with teachers, with the students, who played with them and read to them and demonstrated great problem-solving, creative and critical thinking skills. On the second last day of school, the Grounds Crew returned again to assemble our new Gaga Ball pit on the other side of the school.  Gaga Ball is a game played in an octagonal structure that promotes all kinds of physical literacy as well as social and emotional development.  Our grade 6 and 7 students enjoyed it so much at Camp Elphinstone, that we simply had to find a way to bring it to McNeely.  We feel that in our efforts to focus on this area, we have been purposeful, collaborative and really engaged teachers, support staff, students, the principal and vice-principal, and members of our Grounds Crew and their supervisors.  We are so grateful.

In another area, we were able to create a functional workshop complete with woodworking and other tools for hands on prototyping and creating.  This space has been used in so many ways: creating art, gifts for Mothers' and Fathers' Day, racing boats and cars, exploration of simple machines, planning and building of functional furniture.  It is definitely a space where we hope to invest some more professional development, so that more teachers feel confidence and competent using the room and its many amenities.  It took a dedicated teacher, collaboration with our Health and Safety Department, Facilities Department, and the ASAD Teacher Consultant to make this happen and we could not be more proud.  We have also begun teaching food handling/cooking skills with our students, we think because we have the confidence that they will be engaged, responsible and respectful.  

Thirdly, our Teacher Librarian has, in collaboration with classroom teachers, created a Learning Commons, AKA, the Learning Lounge, where students go to think, reflect, read, write, create, film, and process ideas into "reality." We think it is a very valuable space which also sends the message that information is not just in books, but within ourselves and in our connections with others.  Students are motivated to use technology (mainly iPads) in this space, to show their learning in different ways, through blogging, portfolio posts, different apps and, of course, using the green screen.  Everyone really enjoyed this calm, comfortable, pretty space.

Next year we will scan the school again to see if there might be a slight shift in the direction we take, the things to which we pay attention, the projects we take on, the learning we seek.  Thank you everyone for all of your support and faith in us as a learning community.