Red Lake-Madsen Public School has achieved a perfect score of 10 in the Fraser Institute’s recent assessment of Ontario elementary schools, marking the highest score in Northwestern Ontario. This accolade reflects significant improvements in educational practices within the school, as noted by Christy Radbourne, the education director of the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board (KPDSB).
The score is derived from results of the provincial Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) testing, which evaluates students in Grade 3 and Grade 6 in reading, writing, and mathematics. Following Red Lake-Madsen’s exemplary performance, New Prospect Public School in Dryden secured second place in the region with a score of 7.5.
Innovative Teaching Practices Contribute to Success
Radbourne attributes the school’s success primarily to “some practice changes” in teaching methodologies, emphasizing a strong focus on literacy and numeracy. “We do account for Red Lake’s success — and all of our other schools’ successes, and the board’s success this year, and the increases in EQAO scores — to just some practice changes we’ve done and our focus on literacy,” she stated. She further elaborated on the importance of both the “science of reading” and the “science of mathematics” as pivotal elements contributing to the positive outcomes.
The KPDSB has implemented specific strategies for teaching “decoding skills” in reading. Radbourne explained that these strategies include “morphology,” which involves breaking down words into their component parts to enhance understanding. For example, she noted the difference between the words “tired” and “tiredness,” illustrating how the suffix “ness” modifies the meaning of the root word.
Commitment to Evidence-Based Practices
According to Radbourne, this approach has been instrumental in improving students’ reading comprehension. “Breaking words down into meaningful chunks helps a child develop reading comprehension,” she said. She emphasized the KPDSB’s commitment to ensuring all children are learning effectively, which is at the heart of their educational strategy.
Radbourne highlighted the significance of utilizing evidence-based practices, which are methods proven to have a positive impact on student outcomes. “That’s a real critical point for us: evidence-based practices,” she added, indicating a strategic commitment to continuous improvement in educational quality.
The success of Red Lake-Madsen Public School serves as a model for educational excellence, showcasing how targeted changes in teaching strategies can lead to significant advancements in student performance. The KPDSB remains focused on maintaining this trajectory of success across its schools, continually adapting and refining its approaches to meet the needs of its students.
