Most schools in the province have been preparing annual school reports since 1996. They replace the annual principal’s report and include the school council report. They present key school information to parents and the public, and are an important school development tool.

The report should contain a school mission statement, general school description, attitude and student activity survey results, special distinctions, fundraising, financial information and a school council report. Approximately 50% of the report should comprise achievement and attainment data, analysis of this information and a plan for improvement. Each year the school report should note the progress made toward attainment of the goals set out in the previous year’s report.

A connection should be made between the achievement data and school development plans, both in assessing results of actions and in planning further action. Schools should not be judged on test scores or survey results alone, but rather on the measures they are taking to address identified problems.

Schools should keep the following points in mind in preparing reports:

• Test data should be meaningful. Comparisons should be made to past performance, standards, curriculum objectives, district and provincial scores and/or national norms. Although comparisons should not be made with past years if the school has undergone an amalgamation with another school, changes in population, zoning and/or grade configurations.
    
• Every family should receive a report and parents should be encouraged to read the report and become involved in school development.
    

• The report should be 8-12 pages long.

• Some information will be repeated from previous years. New information could be highlighted.

• The school report is not the same as a newsletter and should present the full range of pertinent information.

• Areas of success and progress toward attainment of stated goals should be noted and celebrated.
    

For more information contact David Murphy at davidmurphy@gov.nl.ca .