Achievement and SIP

Measures of Student Achievement and Success

Nepean High School is recognized throughout its community for its tradition of academic excellence. Nepean has a multi-year strategic plan to increase awareness, education and understanding of youth mental health issues for students, staff and our community at large.

Our Music department is consistently recognized both provincially and nationally for its excellence. The department is proud of its successful outreach program, which sees Nepean’s vocal and instrumental music students invited to perform at numerous community events, as well as at elementary schools and seniors’ homes each year.

As an addition to our award-winning Drama production program, NHS students also participate in the popular “Cappies” initiative – a theatre critics and awards program. Student-written reviews of other local high school productions are published in the Ottawa Citizen and student critics vote for awards presented at a formal Gala at the end of each school year.

Our interscholastic teams are highly competitive each year, bringing home numerous NCSSAA championship trophies and going on to represent the National Capital Region in provincial (OFSAA) championships.

Immersion and Core French students participate annually in the Ottawa-Carleton Concourse de Français, and at all levels of the Parents for French Public-Speaking Contest. Spanish students participate in similar contests. Nepean is also participating in DELF French proficiency testing through the OCDSB. The CEFR is a common tool for the 49 countries of the council of Europe. It was developed to promote language learning, to facilitate educational and occupational mobility, and to support multilingualism and multiculturalism. Based on the common reference levels, countries develop measurement tools that are validated with the target population and then administered to learners. For example, France has developed the Diplôme d'études en langue française (DELF) for levels A1 through B2. Nepean students participate in French language proficiency using the DELF test each year. This year the test is being administered during late November.

Each year, Nepean students write Advanced Placement examinations, organized by the College Board of Canada. In 2011-12, Nepean students wrote a total of approximately 70 AP exams in Calculus AB, English Literature and Composition, European Language and French Language, Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Additionally, Nepean students have a number of opportunities to impact their own learning goals through participation in the CAT4, JVIS, Learning Styles Inventories, Career Cruising and academic contests in Math, Science and French.

Nepean also offers a thriving Co-operative education program which supports student achievement in a flexible and very effective way. Students continue to pursue academic credits while simultaneously gaining valuable workplace experience. This growing program has enabled NHS to build capacity with numerous corporate and public partners.

School Improvement Plans and Initiatives

Year after year, Nepean High School students score consistently above both Provincial and District levels for the Grade 10 Literacy Test. Staff is examining ways to help all students to continue to improve. The achievement of Nepean’s 3U Math students ranks as one of the best across the system, and staff in the Mathematics Department continue to explore strategies to assist students who are having difficulties. Specific activities related to school improvement include:

Further development and enhancement of our Website to ensure up-to-date, relevant information is available to our community. Staff receive training on software applications such as Markbook and Google Education Applications. We have introduced new ‘smart’ technologies to the school and provide exposure to and training on these tools, including Smartboards, and remote response systems. In 2012, the OCDSB installed a WiFi system within Nepean High School. The wireless system is intended to promote access to technology and information sharing at all times and to encourage the use of mobile devices such as laptops and tablets. During 2013 we will pilot several types of devices including tablets, chrome books, ultra-books, net-books and laptops to gather data and to assess which device will best serve Nepean students to promote learning and collaboration. All of our students have been provided with Nepean HS Google accounts and are able to access course work through Google Docs. Many teachers post class notes and assignments to Google Sites for each class/course. Students can easily access course notes from any location and subscribe to teacher calendars to stay up-to-date with course assignments.

At Nepean, we are committed to best practices, and work with staff to implement evolving assessment and evaluation practices through on-going professional development. Our staff is dedicated to meeting the needs of all students. We continue to upgrade and modernize our physical facility to serve our cohort of 21st century learners.

Nepean has embarked on a collaborative instruction initiative with teams of teachers to align learning across key curricular areas, including: English, Geography, French, Math, Science and Immersion courses in the grade 9 year.

Igniting the Spark is a program serving our grade 10 Applied Math students, pairing personal fitness and well-being with classroom instruction to increase academic performance and learning capacity. Our students benefit from the dedication of a team of dynamic teachers focused on mentoring the students throughout the year.

Igniting the Spark is a program serving our grade 10 Applied Math students, pairing personal fitness and well-being with classroom instruction to increase academic performance and learning capacity. Our students benefit from the dedication of a team of dynamic teachers focused on mentoring the students throughout the year.

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