CONNECTIONS CALGARY CATHOLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT MONTHLY NEWS BOARD OF TRUSTEES YEAR-END MESSAGE

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1 CONNECTIONS CALGARY CATHOLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT MONTHLY NEWS June 2015 CALGARY CATHOLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT 1000 Fifth Avenue SW Calgary, Alberta T2P 4T BOARD OF TRUSTEES YEAR-END MESSAGE As the Board of Trustees elected by the citizens of Calgary to oversee and direct the operation of our school district, we are dedicated to the success of each of our more than 55,000 students who attend our 105 schools. We take pride in ensuring the policies and programs set by the Board are instrumental in establishing an environment for the faith formation and continuous academic success of our students. This past school year has seen its share of challenges and successes. Subsequent to the PC government announcing a very challenging budget on March 26, which included the unprecedented decision to not fund school boards for enrolment growth, they called an election for May 5. This early election call resulted in Albertans voting in a majority NDP government. Premier Notley has extended the May 31 deadline for school boards to submit their operating budgets to June 30. With this extended timeline, and the recent appointment of the Honourable David Eggen as Minister of Education, we are optimistic that a new budget will be passed that will include funding for student enrolment growth. We look forward to working with the Minister of Education and Premier Notley s team and are encouraged that her government will work to provide stable, predictable funding to school boards and further that they will deal with growing enrolment in the K 12 system. However, until we receive confirmation that funding will be increased we will be required to proceed with the challenging budget details announced March 26. We will continue to work with all of our partners in advocating for our students to ensure they receive an optimal education now and in the future. Central to our continued success as a district is providing students safe and comfortable school facilities in which to learn. As a result of continued advocacy, we currently have ten new schools in development. Additionally, we have received modernization funding for St. Francis High School. New school construction in communities where there is an identified need remains a priority for the Board of Trustees, as does ensuring that existing facilities receive crucial maintenance and modernizations to provide appropriate learning facilities for students. Having access to current information and input from stakeholders is vital to the district s success. There were seven Parent and Trustee Forum sessions held this past year school year that addressed topics related to student success and building resiliency. Information gained at these forums is extremely valuable in informing decision-making during the year. The Board of Trustees continues to represent the district along with other provincial school jurisdictions as members of the Alberta School Boards Association and Alberta 1

2 Catholic School Trustees Association. We publish a widely distributed Metro School Board Group Newsletter quarterly to inform our publics on education matters; these newsletters are a collaboration between Calgary Board of Education, Calgary Catholic School District, Edmonton Catholic Schools and Edmonton Public Schools. The board also met on numerous occasions with the Minister of Education and MLAs to continue advocating for funding and support of programs to meet the needs of the children in our care. Trustees play an important leadership role provincially and locally representing the district and working to improve the education system in our province. On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I would like to recognize the contribution of our students, parents, teachers, school administrators and support staff who make it possible for our district to achieve positive results. Your Board of Trustees will continue to work collaboratively with local and provincial government to advocate for the children and families we serve. We wish all of our staff and families a wonderful summer and we will look forward to welcoming you back in the fall as we anticipate both the opportunities and possibilities that await our students and our district. Sincerely, Linda Wellman Chair, Board of Trustees CHIEF SUPERINTENDENT S YEAR-END MESSAGE As the school year comes to a close, we are able to look back with pride on the many accomplishments of the students and staff of the Calgary Catholic School District. It s been an inspiring year and the success of our district is the result of collaboration between staff, trustees, parents and our community partners to support the students in our care. Supporting the relationship between teaching and learning and developing the full potential of our students remains our goal at Calgary Catholic. This year, our district continued to evolve and expand programs and processes to be increasingly responsive to the children and families in our care. CCSD saw a significant increase in enrolment this past year and opened its doors to 52,399 students; an increase of 1,352 students or 2.65 per cent. This trend is forecasted to climb in coming years. Meeting the accommodation needs of our growing student population is an ongoing priority for Calgary Catholic. The province s commitment to funding new schools this year that topped our priority list for capital projects will allow us some breathing room to continue to be able to sustain the areas that are most critical to improving teaching and learning at our schools. 2

3 To receive input from the communities we serve, our district continued with our public consultation process known as Help Plan Our Future (HPOF). It is an exciting time as we have many new school projects in the works and the HPOF sessions gave parents, staff and trustees the opportunity to strategically work together. Public meetings were held in December 2014 and January, April and May 2015 during which CCSD asked communities to look at our overall program and accommodation planning, establish boundaries for new schools, inform communities of school plans and provide feedback. Engagement with our CCSD school communities will continue through the next phases of development. We re confident that the Help Plan Our Future process provides us with decisions in the best interest of all students. We will continue to work with the government and all our stakeholders to ensure CCSD has adequate facility space to accommodate unprecedented enrolment growth, while nurturing academic excellence in a faith-filled environment Provincial Achievement Tests (PAT) and diploma examination results this year proved that we have a lot to celebrate in terms of how well our students performed. Calgary Catholic exceeded provincial results by 2.4 per cent at the acceptable standard, and 1.7 per cent at the standard of excellence in the overall PAT summary comparison to the province. Our accountability pillar results, which use provincial test scores as one measure of success, showed 81 per cent of CCSD students completed high school; a result that is 6.1 per cent above the provincial average. The results also showed 69.5 per cent of CCSD students go on to attend post-secondary schools, which is 10.3 per cent higher than the provincial average. These results are testament to the passion and dedication our staff has to providing our students with excellent educational experiences in a rich, faith-filled environment. Examining and reflecting on how we can build on and enhance our past achievements will help to ensure students have the skills and knowledge to be successful in our rapidly evolving environment. The work we do at Calgary Catholic allows us to come together to be inspired in our faith and has provided us with opportunities to make positive differences in our own lives and beyond. Guided by our faith theme of Love Kindness, the second part of our three-year faith theme from Micah 6:8, students and staff were inspired to answer the call of kindness and came up with creative campaigns, initiatives and school projects spreading God s love through prayer and service to others. Providing focus to our work, our theme has served as the template for our actions. Since the 2015 Provincial Budget was released in March 2015, we ve been working hard to determine the impacts to our district. With a new government elected there is uncertainty and speculation about the direction of Alberta and the effect it will have on our school districts; we remain hopeful and understand that it will take time for the details of any changes to come down to the operational level. Because we need to guarantee stability for our classrooms in September, we will proceed with our present budget plan. If changes are announced, we will make modifications. The collaboration and shared responsibility in preparing this budget has been outstanding and we appreciate your patience at this critical time. 3

4 We acknowledge the ongoing support of our trustees, staff, parents and community partners, and thank you for your positive impact on Catholic education and for all that you do to support the students in our care. Our Catholic faith is an integral part of our district and I want to thank Bishop Frederick Henry for his spiritual guidance and his ongoing support. I also want to acknowledge and thank our Alberta Teachers Association, Unifor, and Canadian Union of Public Employees employee groups for their commitment and leadership. Creating learning environments where all students have the opportunity to reach their full potential is a top priority at CCSD; we remain committed to providing the best education for the students and families we serve. As we look ahead, we will put plans in place to ensure we re prepared to meet the challenges and opportunities that await us in the fall. Our aim is to inform, engage and celebrate with our students, staff and families, guided by shepherd leadership, relationship building, transparency and shared responsibility. We have a lot to be proud of at Calgary Catholic and we will continue to work to make a difference in the lives of each and every one of our students it s who we are and it s what we do! Sincerely, Gary Strother Chief Superintendent CCSD OFFERS SUMMER SCHOOL AND DIPLOMA EXAMINATION COURSES Calgary Catholic School District offers high school courses during the month of July to any student born after September 1st, 1994, including students completing Grade 9 in June Students can take up to eight credits in summer school that can include one direct-instruction course and/or a combination of online courses. Online registration for summer school courses is currently ongoing and classes begin on Monday, July 6. Diploma exam preparation courses provide students with critical insights into the diploma test-taking process and review specific curriculum that may appear on a diploma exam. The courses will run in June. Small class sizes are guaranteed and teachers have extensive experience with both teaching and preparing students for diploma exams. For more information and to register please visit under Students, Academic Services or phone

5 LEGACY HIGH SCHOOL INFORMATION FAIR Please join us for an Information Fair as we take another step closer to opening our new Calgary Catholic high school in the community of Legacy. Date: June 3, 2015 Time: 7 8:30 p.m. Location: St. Sebastian School (65 Chaparral Drive SE) At this meeting, we will be sharing the most current information on the school site and development and giving participants an opportunity to visit a variety of booths that will be hosted by district personnel. For more information, please visit under Parents, Help Plan our Future. SEVENTH ANNUAL CALGARY CATHOLIC RUN & WALK THIS FALL! The 2015 Calgary Catholic School District Run & Walk will be held on September 19, The event is an opportunity to come together with a focus on community, health and fitness, while raising funds for the Calgary Catholic Education Foundation, the Calgary Catholic Immigration Society and the Alberta Children s Hospital Foundation. Participants can register for either a 6 km or 10 km run or a 6 km walk as well as enter their preschool children in a Little Legs race. The event starts at Glenmore Athletic Park at 9 a.m. Activities include a warm-up before the race as well as entertainment, refreshments and snacks following the event. This is an open event. We welcome all Calgary runners and walkers to register. Online registration opens June 1, For more information, please visit under News & Events. CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR CSL AWARD RECIPIENTS We are pleased to recognize the following Calgary Catholic school leaders that have been selected as recipients of the Distinguished Leadership Award presented by the Council for School Leadership of the Alberta Teachers Association: Tony Dal Cin, Principal, St. Basil School Kirk Linton, Vice Principal, Holy Spirit School Eamonn Rutledge, Principal, Msgr. J.S. Smith School The CSL award program annually recognizes outstanding school leaders who have succeeded in providing high-quality learning opportunities for students. 5

6 CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AWARDS FINALIST We wish to congratulate Father Lacombe High School teacher Nancy Krar for being selected as a finalist in the 2015 Excellence in Teaching Awards. Nancy was selected as a finalist out of over 290 nominees from across Alberta. Since 1989, the Excellence in Teaching Awards Program has recognized the innovative and outstanding teaching that takes place every day in classrooms across Alberta. CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR EDWIN PARR NOMINEES Nominees for the Edwin Parr Teacher Award are first-year teachers who have displayed outstanding skills and performance during their initial year of teaching. We hope that the passion and enthusiasm that they bring to the profession will stay with them throughout their careers! We wish to congratulate the following nominees: Antonia Acordunencei - St. Pius X School, Chase DiTosto - St. Ambrose School, Crystal Messenger - Father Scollen School, Hugues Audet - Father Lacombe High School, Jeannette Piddington - St. Pius X School, Jessica Desautels - Bishop McNally High School, Kathleen Serquina - St. Rose of Lima School, Kayla Van Spronsen - St. Martha School, Marielle Castelo - Our Lady of Wisdom School, Nicola Elfner - Blessed Mother Teresa School, Patrick Williams - Monsignor E.L. Doyle School, Sara Hawco - St. Francis High School, Saraboth Boon - St. Thomas More School, Stephanie McCusker - Father Scollen School, Victor Carvalho - Father Lacombe High School. Have a safe and happy summer! We ll see you in the fall! 6