At the core of McNair Secondary School’s culture is “sense of belonging.” Our approach to having students feel like they “belong” is multifaceted and dynamic. At McNair, belonging is about physical spaces, embracing our identity, community, and connection so that students can be successful and thrive academically, emotionally, psychologically, and socially.

In surveying students at McNair, we looked at their social well-being and sense of belonging by assessing the quality and number of meaningful relationships youth have with their peers, staff, and the community.

Peer Belonging:

• 47% felt a high sense of belonging
• 24% felt a medium sense of belonging
• 29% felt a low sense of belonging

Supportive Adults

• 22% felt a high sense that there was an adult that cares about them at McNair
• 24% felt a medium sense that there was an adult that cares about them at McNair
• 29% felt a low sense that there was an adult that cares about them at McNair

Community Belonging:

• 37% felt a high sense of community belonging
• 48% felt a high sense of community belonging
• 15% felt a high sense of community belonging

Loneliness:

• 19% felt a high sense of being “left out” at McNair
• 32% felt a medium sense of being “left out” at McNair
• 48% felt a low sense of being “left out” at McNair

If belonging is a fundamental human quest, essential to our well-being and sense of purpose, the results of McNair Students’ “peer belonging” and “community belonging” are concerning. McNair is below the provincial average on both “peer belonging” and “community belonging.” McNair students are also higher than the provincial average on feeling “lonely” at school with more than 50% of students feeling a sense on high or medium loneliness while at McNair. Furthermore, 29% of McNair students felt that there wasn’t an adult that cared about them at McNair.

Upon reflection, these important findings, have given us new direction. We embrace the complexity of belonging, fostering inclusive communities, and cultivating empathy and understanding.

Overall, educators at McNair are making greater efforts to intertwine a student’s sense of identity in school culture by celebrating important dates, cultural events,  etc. This fall we recognized National Day for Truth and Reconciliation by having 3 viewings of The Secret Path by Gordon Downie.  Next year we are planning to have a school wide assembly to commemerate Truth and Reconciliation day.  We also celebrated cultural events, such as Diwali, which had not be celebrated at the McNair since before COVID. As we move forward, we look to build on these celebrations with a 2024 year-end celebration that brings the diversity of our school community to the forefront. 

We have also emphasized the importance of participating in school life by joining clubs and teams, the goal of strengthening a student’s individuality, while developing a supportive community of peers and adults. In grade 8 and 9, students will be required to participate in 5 hours of club activity and 5 hours community service as a part of the Careers 8 and 9 program. This year we have more than 40 student-led and teacher-sponsored clubs.

As a school, we have embarked upon a “Marlin Strong” theme for the 2024-2025 school. This campaign is to encourage students and staff to embrace their authentic self with pride and showing their strength in the classroom, on the playing fields, and in the community. At “Gradfest,” the kickoff event for the grad year, all our current grade 12 students donned ‘Marlin Strong” t-shirts and bonded with their graduating class. During our grade 8 day, all students received “Marlin Strong” bags as they built and strengthened relationships with their classmates, classmates that they will go to school with for the next 5 years.

As we move forward, we continue to work on embracing our identity, community, and connection at McNair. We have more school-wide, large-scale celebrations planned for the 2024 school year.  These are opportunities to increase our sense of belonging and ensure that ever student feels like their supported and cared for at McNair Secondary School.