ISSUE 02
C A P T I VAT E
JAN 2018
SPECIAL THANKS Editor-in-Chief: Maureen Schwartz Copy: Lindsey Meredith Photography: Bob Tolsma, Bailee Wilson, various submissions
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A WORD FROM GREG
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BOARD UPDATE
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LEARNING INNOVATIONS
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ALUMNI FEATURES
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BUILDER SERIES - DEAN SAWATZKY
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CONTRIBUTORS SERIES
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BENEFITS
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ALUMNI ADVISORY BOARD
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SHARE YOUR STORY
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EVENT RECAP
If you haven’t already heard, we are thrilled to inform you that on August 14, 2017, Dr. Greg Bass assumed the role of President and CEO of Calgary Academy and Headwater Learning Group.
Dr. Bass has an extensive and intimate knowledge of education in Alberta stemming from his past as a former teacher, principal, and superintendent. He ultimately ascended to the Alberta Deputy Minister of Education role, using his passion for creating change to benefit the student school experience. Dr. Bass brings a great mix of leadership, enthusiasm and in-depth knowledge of education operations to our school, and we are excited to see his many initiatives take form in the coming months. You can read more about his background at calgaryacademy.com.
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A WORD FROM GREG Hello Calgary Academy Alumni! Over my first couple of months at this amazing learning organization, I have heard countless stories of success from you – past students, families, staff, and board members. Many of these stories were shared with extraordinary
enabling our various partners to contribute to the realization of our vision. Our potential is truly limitless, and I fully anticipate that this plan will mobilize all of us to contribute to the Great by Choice mantra of Jim Collins – we will plan, dedicate, and execute our way toward greatness!
emotion in relation to the many ways CA has positively
Lastly, I want all alumni to know how much value we place
changed your life. This is the legacy of CA that makes our
on our relationship moving forward. We have established
heart beat even stronger each and every day.
a stakeholder engagement working group that has been
As a 30-year educator and leader within our system in Alberta, I was moved by the work of this organization. Described to me as a school of need for the vast majority of our learners versus a school of choice, it was a rather easy decision to assume the role of leading us to become even better. My entire career has been spent trying to alter the trajectories of young lives toward greatness and becoming the CEO of CA is truly an honor to enable me to continue this work. An extraordinary organization doing amazing
empowered to develop strategies to build relationships and unlock the potential of all stakeholder groups. I anticipate that invitations to all alumni to engage with this group will be forthcoming soon. I encourage all alumni to engage in a manner that is meaningful to be a part of the exciting new journey we are about to begin. Together, we can build upon the excellence of CA to magnify impact on both current and future generations of students. I cannot think of a more worthwhile or important call to action than that!
work for youth is an easy sell for a leader passionate about
Thank you for all of your support and I look forward to
helping learners realize their full potential and form the
meeting as many of you as I can in the months ahead. In the
next generation of leaders in our society.
meantime, enjoy our second edition of Captivate!!
The years ahead will be full of excitement as we move to have an even greater impact. We have just launched our collaborative strategic planning process, inclusive of all staff and board directors and representation from our student population, parents, partners, and yes, alumni! This co-creation of our future will enable us to capture all of the amazing ideas from our passionate stakeholders with a laser-sharp focus on our students. The resulting plan will
DR. GREG BASS President & CEO
be our guide to take CA to the next level of impact while
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B O A R D U P D AT E G A R Y P U R C E L L It’s been an exciting period of change for Calgary Academy since the last edition of Captivate was published in May. As an organization, we’ve seen the retirement of two longstanding leaders, our President and our Board Chair, making way for new trailblazers and new initiatives. On September 1, 2017, Gary Purcell assumed the role of Chair of Calgary Academy’s Board of Directors.
... That’s my role here: to help us move forward
Gary first came to CA in 2005 as the parent of a struggling student. His son, Rob, was having trouble with reading, and those challenges were causing behaviour problems in school. After enrolling Rob at CA, Gary was thrilled to see him reading at grade level by Christmas. Rob continued to thrive, developing his self-confidence, and finding news areas in which to flourish, particularly in math and on the Knights Athletics teams. Year over year, Rob became a stronger student, and next year, he will graduate from Queen’s University with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Engineering, as one of the latest alumni success stories. While Rob may have graduated and left our school, Gary has stayed close. He reached out following Rob’s graduation to inquire about volunteering with the Board of Directors, wanting to give back to the school that in his words, saved his family. Joining the James Chaput Centre for Educational Research Applications in 2014, Gary worked as a major advocate for ongoing research and innovation in education, before transitioning to the Calgary Academy Society Board in 2016. He worked passionately on the Search Committee for our new President and CEO, and continues to serve as Chair of the Facility Enhancement Committee. Gary holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Alberta, and a Masters of Business Administration from Stanford Graduate School of Business. He’s worked in engineering and finance for over 35 years in the energy industry, and over the last ten years has become increasingly active on nonprofit and corporate boards. As someone with experience both on Boards of Directors and reporting to them, his skillsets and experience are well suited to CA today.
05 Editor’s Note: To read more about our outgoing Board Chair, Jim Gray, check out the Contributors Feature on page 29.
When asked if he’d been given any advice from the outgoing Board Chair, Mr. Jim Gray, who continues to hold a non-executive role on the
HELLO FROM MAUREEN,
Board of Directors, Gary shakes his head. “Jim isn’t big on giving direct advice. He sets high expectations and leads by example. My job, along with the board, is to keep building on all of the school’s successes of the past. That’s my role here: to help move us forward.” Gary is quick to point out that while change is inevitable, it can be all positive when coming from the rich place of a beloved community.
I didn’t know a whole lot about Calgary Academy a year and a half ago. In the year and a half since I started, I have had the privilege of meeting many of you and through you, I have learned a lot about Calgary Academy.
The changes that arise from a new Board Chair, particularly when succeeding a founder, are a natural part of any organization’s evolution.
As I write this, we are gearing up for Career Day. We are
A new person means a new skillset, and new ways of doing things.
starting to formalize our Alumni Advisory Board, which
“I’m really excited about the future. It’s hard to describe trying to follow
you can read more about on Page 32, and we are seeing
Jim Gray, for so many reasons. Who Jim is has shaped this school and
more engagement from our alumni connecting with
following him in a role is very difficult. We have to honour his legacy, so
more students. Together, we have started something
that we don’t let Jim Gray down.”
very exciting, and I can’t wait to watch it continue to
Or the students, who, at the end of the day, are what Calgary Academy
grow and evolve.
is all about. As a proud parent of an alumnus, the student experience remains central to Gary’s vision for the future.
We all have a common thread that connects us to CA.
When asked to give advice to other alumni, Gary smiles. “Your personal
Whether you are an alumnus, a staff member, teacher,
stories are so important to enhance the reputation of our school, so if
or a parent, we are all sharing our knowledge, resources
you believe you benefitted from being here, look for ways to give back – as a volunteer, as an advocate, as a coach. Just be a cheerleader for the school that has given so much to so many.”
and passion with our current students, to better their experience. I am proud of the work we have done so far, but I know we are just getting started. Please stay in touch!
MAUREEN SCHWARTZ Alumni Engagement Lead, Calgary Academy
L E A R N I N G I N N O VAT I O N S Thirty-seven years into a strong history forged by passionate educators and advocates, Calgary Academy finds itself in the midst of a modern renaissance. Defined as a revival in the world of art or learning, this renaissance sees the school adapting its practices to advance our understanding of a rapidly changing world. CA teachers, instructional design leaders, and the learning and instructional coaches are working hard to strengthen our best practices while embracing new opportunities. Fiercely defending the best teaching and learning practices that have stood the test of time, while simultaneously embracing innovation with an open mind isn’t easy, but the important work is made lighter by a team effort borne by every educator in the building.
Innovation doesn’t occur in a vacuum, and through diligence, collaborative work, and a student-first mentality, co-created projects are churning out of CA faster than you can say “Scorcher.” These initiatives are cause for excitement. Our students are experiencing the cumulative effect of a culture of innovation. One where robotics and art are combined in cutting edge new ways. Where the traditional notion of a “project” is upended and turned into a week-long, grade-wide immersive learning experience. It’s a time when math can be learned conceptually through a video game. Though these initiatives may seem high on “cool-factor” and low on traditional rigor, the opposite is true.
8 INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGNERS With a mandate to seamlessly integrate the best of 21st Century learning practices into the longstanding research-based structure of CA classrooms, the instructional design team is partnering with teachers across the school to advance student learning around critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and communication, as well as emerging literacies. “Partners in learning” can be a tricky. Teachers are the ones who know their students best, after all. But as in any profession, additional
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expertise and insight can create opportunities to do great work even better, and that’s how the instructional design team threads into the CA learning team. Composed of former CA teachers, the team knows our model well, and for several years they’ve undertaken full time applied research roles. Now, the fruits of those labours are directly impacting the student experience. The team is collaborating with teachers across every division at CA to add insight and advance instruction.
80 A driving force in the robotics and programmable technology movement at CA is the team of Charles Brodeur and Jenn Ferguson. Running a variety of new classes across grades 5 through 9, and including after-school robotics offerings, their work covers everything from coding languages and circuit construction, to piloting robots and debugging programs. Taking place in our new learning commons, the program integrates traditional and emerging literacies while also promoting collaboration. It’s a program designed with a “low floor, wide walls, and a high ceiling,” meaning it’s accessible to everyone, easy to progress through, and students can level-up to more and more complex learning experiences. It’s also an exciting application of 2-dimensional information into 3-dimensional objects, challenging students to think in new ways. The robotics movement is really about problem-solving. As Charles says, “robots do what the programmer tells them to do, not what the programmer thinks they tell them to do.” This provides an engaging opportunity for “Aha!” moments, while the students have to figure out what went wrong. It’s an inherently communal class, where the kids are loud and cheering when things go well, and put their heads together to troubleshoot code and circuits when things go awry. This complements the work of Graham Diehl, who has been running the multimedia program for several years, and has recently made exciting forays into the realm of 3-D design and printing with the students.
On the literacy front, Jodi Garagan is working with teachers in Grade 6 and across the junior high division on three projects – a visual literacy course offered to grades 7-9, a reading comprehension pilot with 10 volunteer teachers, and a humanities working group for grades 6 through 9. “It’s important that our team reaches as many teachers and students as possible,” Jodi says. “By working closely with so many CA teachers, our impact is amplified. Combined, these initiatives are reaching nearly 150 students.” The reading comprehension pilot, combined with the humanities working group, were chosen because they are research-backed initiatives that utilize a student-centered approach to learning. They also bring various teaching backgrounds together to target common improvements in teaching practice. With a spirit of cocreation driving each initiative, the team is poised to transform how reading comprehension is taught and assessed, and how the student experience can be enriched.
Jodi’s visual literacy course utilizes materials from the Jacob Burns Film Centre, a nonprofit education centre out of New York. In a world where students are inundated with real and altered images on a daily basis, the visual literacy course equips them with the skills to “read” and construct images and film similarly to how they read and construct text.
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Central to the Immersive Learning Experiences program is collaboration, and like the students, Kathryn doesn’t work alone. Each grade’s teachers contribute to the program development, the Integrated Studies team consults for support on unique final projects, and the alumni department serves as a key connection to outside expertise. Kathryn lights up. “The collaborative force of so many great people working to integrate their areas of specialty into the Immersives is incredible! As a teaching team, we leverage individuals and work with them so students have an engaging experience and can create an end product they are passionate about.”
Becca Bouchard, a Grade 8 teacher involved with the pilots is an advocate. “Pilot projects are exciting because you know it is the most current, cutting-edge material that the students have not seen. They are already looking at images and film with a more critical eye and using some of the language we have learned in class!” CA also launched a cooperative learning initiative this year, and Jodi is working alongside Kathryn Chase on the project. Cooperative learning is the instructional use of small groups so that students work together to maximize their own and each others’ learning. This paradigm shift is commonly referred to a transition from “(teacher as) sage on the stage, to guide on the side.” While they are not new, cooperative learning structures were chosen because of their positive implications for student achievement, because they are a high utility strategy for building a student-centered classroom culture, and because they are equally relevant for grade 2 students, grade 12 students, and even adult groups. Beyond CA, learning doesn’t happen in a controlled environment. Kathryn and Mary Bren are working with teachers in grades seven through twelve on the Immersive Learning Experiences program, where authentic experiences are based much more in the “real world.” Tasked with creating multi-sensory, inter-disciplinary activities that take place across a variety of learning environments, Immersives are engaging, kinesthetic experiences. For up to a week, the textbooks and regular class schedule are set aside, and students gain sustained exposure for deeper learning on a given theme.
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In January, another initiative will launch. Mary Bren is working closely with Mark Schuegraf’s grade 9 math students, who will participate in a multi-week pilot using a blended learning approach to see how highly engaging, individualized learning units can impact understanding in math. The project will utilize some elements of online learning, new forms of assessment, the measurement of soft skill development along with math literacy, and will create some opportunities for students to learn at their own pace. Mary’s passion and dedication shine through when she shares about the project. “It is our hope to provide fun, engaging activities to promote real-world applications of math, while also focusing on the development of key skills and dispositions.” Helmed by Jessica Richmond, Chief Innovation Officer, the instructional design team is impacting nearly every grade at Calgary Academy. The findings from their collective work are closely followed, and could open doors to new program and learning structures within and beyond the walls of CA.
LEARNING CENTRES Charged with applying innovative remediation practices to the students who have the biggest learning gaps in math, reading and writing, specialists in the Learning Centres to tailor a variety of programs to each student’s area of greatest need. When you visit any of the Learning Centres at Calgary Academy, it quickly becomes apparent that this is not your traditional learning environment. For one, it has the hum of activity, regardless of whether the students are working on their iPads, working on their personalized learning path with their own Learning Coach or collaborating in small groups. For another, there are more instructors than you’d normally see, with student-teacher ratios typically at a maximum of 5:1 for writing, to 4:1 for math, to 1:1 for reading. Initially borne from the research and pilot programs initiated by Calgary Academy researchers, the school fully integrated the remedial centres into its education model two years ago. Their impact on student outcomes was immediate and the model was quickly scaled up. Today, the Centres are composed of eight specially trained Learning Coaches in the Reading, Writing and Math Learning Centres, who utilize tailored educational programming to target students’ areas of greatest need. It can be challenging to meet the needs of every child in a classroom, and the Learning Centres is our solution. Through the Centres, we investigate and diagnose the unique puzzle of every child’s learning handprint, which gives us an opportunity to improve their performance and see smiles return to their faces. No other private school in Calgary has specialized remediation centres embedded into the heart of their program, collaborating and working in tandem with the child’s classroom teachers.
Learning Centres coaches collaborate with classroom teachers on each child’s Individual Program Plan, and often co-design what the learning path for each child looks like. The result is a seamless overlap between programming, and reinforced skill development. Based on the success of the Centres within the school, CA is now looking to scale up community program offerings.
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One of the most rewarding results of the Learning Centres is how students discover that there are endless ways of learning and knowing, and that in partnership with an invested, compassionate Learning Coach, they all can be very accomplished learners. - Dana Braunberger LEARNING STRATEGIES With her signature enthusiasm and spirit of invention, Kim has pulled from her 35-year education background to build a remedial experience for students, which weaves diverse educational programs and methodologies into a comprehensive experience known as Learning Strategies, which is shared with teachers at Calgary Academy. For students with learning disabilities, time is of the essence. Research indicates that the longer a difficulty exists, the harder it is to close the gap, and with children’s futures and confidence at stake, there’s no time to delay. Calgary Academy has created a remediation program called Learning Strategies that works in concert with the Learning Centres. REM, or LS, as it’s known by students, was designed after extensive research and consultations with CA teachers. Working in tandem with the Learning Centres and classroom teachers, students with the biggest learning needs go to the Centres for rapid remedial support. Classroom teachers then prioritize the needs of the remaining students based on their greatest learning needs. For one period every day, students receive personalized learning support that pulls from a broad compilation of teacher resources and knowledge. It may sound simple, but the reality is anything but. Closing learning gaps while teaching the Alberta curriculum is incredibly difficult to do. With no one type of “learning difficulty” that comes with a prescribed curriculum to target, CA teachers have to personalize every student’s remedial program. To do so requires a level of expertise in diagnosing what each child needs, identifying which program will help, teaching through direct instruction and finally monitoring progress to look for improvement. Developing that level of expertise takes time, and teachers are provided with ongoing professional development and the
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opportunity to collaborate with each other to share knowledge and expertise throughout the year. It’s a real partnership, and only made possible by a team of educators with diverse skills and training working together with a shared goal.
The administration team, which includes the principal, vice principals, the Learning Centres, and the Instructional Coach, collaboratively develop student IPP goals, and through a variety of assessments, we know the CA system is working. Most importantly, students are responding well to the increased focus on closing the gaps and seeing major growths in their learning, giving them the tools and confidence to tackle new goals.
Teaching isn’t just another job, it’s a passion, a calling, and a mission embraced by the team at Calgary Academy. Every day has the potential to change a child’s life, and while every day and every child is different, the commitment to providing an unparalleled learning experience is shared by everyone at the school. CA, like its students, will never stop learning, growing, and improving, and we can’t wait to share future updates on these initiatives with you.
Partnership involves cooperating to advance mutual interests, and there’s no interest more precious, and tangible, than student learning. With a team of specially trained learning experts augmenting the incredible daily instruction done by CA teachers, Calgary Academy has created an unparalleled learning ecosystem that all community members should be proud of.
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A L U M N I F E AT U R E At Calgary Academy, we know the definitions of success are as unique as our students. To that end, our goal is always to give students the tools they need to define their futures, for themselves, in their own ways – and that’s reflected here, in the Alumni Feature. From idle curiosity about what your former classmates are up to, to shock and awe at the outstanding and inspiring accomplishments they’ve achieved since they graduated, this section is about telling the unique stories and journeys our Alumni have experienced and in turn, celebrating and recognizing their efforts – both professional and personal. In this edition, we sat down with six alumni who exemplify innovation and entrepreneurship to hear how their stories evolved past CA, and to learn what’s next for them.
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KURT ENDERS 1993 In the age of Uber, are cab companies truly a thing of the past? If
As you might expect, altruism and a sense of community are
you’ve answered “yes”, you would be wrong. For over 40 years, The
close to a family business’s heart, especially when their leader was
Checker Transportation Group has been a thriving family business
impacted by the REACH principles. “We value working in and with
located in Calgary, AB. Started by his father, Al Enders, Checker is
our community, giving back to Calgarians is an honor, and showing
now led by Calgary Academy Alumnus, Kurt Enders.
support for each other is very important.” From supporting awareness
Kurt came to CA for grades 11 and 12 looking for an opportunity to thrive after struggling with the public school system. Immediately feeling welcomed and part of a supportive school community, Kurt found his stride and confidently graduated two years later. After
campaigns for non-profits such as M.A.D.D. and HomeFront Calgary, along with providing in-kind donations to organizations in need – Checker demonstrates their value of community and empowering a difference for the benefit of community.
post-secondary education, Kurt joined the family transportation
Today, The Checker Group is a one-stop-shop transportation
business where he started from “the bottom up, learning from first
company with over 900 taxis, a courier division, and more than 30
hand experience under the mentorship of his father.”
sedans and limos in operation. When asked to share advice with
After assuming the role of President 10 years ago, Checker has continue to experience steady growth under Kurt’s leadership. It’s been a busy decade; the company has faced a dramatic change in its industry with the advent of ride sharing companies, and Checker has responded with an app for iPhone and Androids. During this time, Checker has nearly doubled in size and expanded into other areas of the transportation business. The team has also grown during this time to approximately 1,500 drivers and 120 internal staff. Kurt acknowledges that through the team, “Checker is also supporting numerous Calgary families.” This responsibility is a strong motivator behind Checker’s innovative response to adapting for the future and managing for success.
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other alumni, Kurt smiles: “Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Invest in learning as a life long pursuit. I belong to a variety of professional organizations and recommend building a network of with business experts from different industries. You can learn from one another and learn from the trends impacting their business.”
Success stories come out of CA, because they’ve worked for it. CA kids understand the value of the REACH principals and the importance of integrating them into their lives.
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There’s just a close-knit community -type feeling with CA. 17
JASON HENINGER 2003 There are some stories that are so perfect, you won’t believe they
Jason realized he had found exactly what he was looking for without
aren’t fiction. Jason Heninger’s entrepreneurial story is one of those.
even knowing it. With no experience beyond the do-it-himself work
Jason came to Calgary Academy in Grade 7, struggling with reading, writing and math. “Without coming here, I wouldn’t have been able to graduate. With the problems I was having in the public system, I couldn’t keep up with the pace. Coming here and having smaller class sizes and the one-on-one experience with teachers definitely helped. Beyond that, the teachers made all the difference in my life.”
along his block, Jason and his wife decided to go into business for themselves. They pulled $1,200 from their savings account – their entire nest egg at the time – and used that money to buy the essentials. $500 for a truck. A used push mower for $89. $10 for a corn broom from Costco. The rest of the money they poured into marketing postcards, which they dropped off at some of the nicer neighbourhoods around the city.
After graduation, Jason enrolled in culinary arts through SAIT, thinking he would one day want to own his own restaurant. He quickly realized this would not be the career for him. Realizing he needed business experience before he could become a business owner, he went to work for a recruiting company in Calgary. Over
“For every 50 cards I dropped off, I got a call asking if we could take on property maintenance.” At first, they only accepted lawn care jobs, so Jason could continue to keep his job at the recruiting firm. Within 6 months, he had enough business to go into full-time landscaping.
the course of almost three years, he learned and worked his way up
Today, Heninger Landscaping has been in operation for over 10 years.
the company chain, going from recruiter to branch manager.
That original $1,200 budget hangs on the wall of Jason’s office, and that
The role allowed him and his wife to buy their first home, which was perfect inside, but needed quite a bit of landscaping on the outside.
used push mower hangs above reception, and staff look at it every day. Speaking of staff, while the exact numbers fluctuate with the seasons, on average they employ 40 staff members and have a network of
“We tried so hard to get a quote from a company, and none of
subcontractors that includes another CA alumnus’ company.
them would return our calls. Eventually, I figured it couldn’t be that hard to figure out how to lay sod and plant trees. It went well, and a neighbour asked if I could do his yard too. Eventually, I ended up doing 10 or 15 houses along the block and realized there might be something here for me.”
While the landscape maintenance business has evolved into a complete, one-stop shop that works exclusively with commercial properties today, there is one major exception: the first five residential clients are still with Heninger Landscaping, ten years later.
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H AY D E N M A C R A E 2 0 0 6 “There’s always a second chance with glass.” That statement sums
This past October, Hayden returned to CA as part of the grade 7
up Hayden MacRae’s passion for working with glass. His passion
program, where students explored “what is learning?” Students were
is one that emerged as a young boy experimenting with putting
enraptured by his art and the skill it takes to develop these intricate
pieces of glass in the family’s fire pit. It was always a surprise the
pieces. Hayden also spoke on another topic crucial to learning,
next morning to see what emerged from the ashes. Today, the
and one he’s passionate about: the role of failure in learning. “Art
combination of elements - heat, glass and oxygen – is what keeps
taught me how to fail. I’m glad every time I fail because I learn
him inspired. It’s an organic way of working. A piece is always
something each time. If I make a perfect piece and nothing goes
changing and what might appear at first as a mistake transforms
wrong, I’m lucky, but I don’t learn anything new. Every time I break a
into something else. Glass has a life of its own. He adds his skill, his
piece, I learn something new from it, and once you accept that, the
vision – blowing life into a piece.
concept of failure changes. It’s not the same as failing a test. It’s not
Hayden attended Calgary Academy for grades 4-11. It was when he was 13 that he was exposed to the art of glass blowing. Quickly showing a passion and an aptitude for it, he continued with private lessons for several years. After graduating high school in the states, he returned to Canada and started what was to become his craft. “For the first five years I heard a lot of comments like “when are you going to get a real job.” It was these sorts of comments that fueled Hayden’s drive to be successful. But success is rarely a straight path. There is no statement truer for Hayden. “You’ve got to be a little crazy to be a glass blower. Most artists go through struggles in their lives, and I worked through it. Now I enjoy making things that put a smile on people’s face. It’s something they can look at and smile.”
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something to fear. Failure is learning.” Hayden returned to CA in November to present at Career Day. Hayden’s art pieces can be seen in galleries across Alberta and British Columbia, including the Mountain Gallery: Banff Springs, Whistler, and Jasper Park Lodge, as well as Hambleton Gallery in Kelowna and Bluerock Gallery in Black Diamond.
EDITOR’S NOTE: You can view his larger pieces in galleries and his Instagram account @fascappleglass.
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The school definitely changed my life. I wouldn’t be where I am today without some of the studying techniques, like split page notes, that I never had before. Those little strategies helped me study in university. I felt prepared for whatever was next when I left CA. 21
A N D R E W M C M U R R AY 2 0 0 4 Engineer. Inventor. Volunteer. While CA provided him the foundation
on specially-designed devices that have broad applications within
to be successful, Andrew McMurray was able to use this momentum
the industry.
set by CA to get where he is today. After years of struggling at other schools, Andrew found that the smaller classes at CA were a natural fit. “Everyone accepted me at CA. I made friends that I could
And Andrew is just getting started. “I hope to continue to change the industry’s paradigm of exploration of hydrocarbons. I hope to one day do that within my own company.”
grow and develop with rather than be concerned about where I was fitting in. The like-minded kids just accepted me. The teachers and culture at CA made all the difference.”
When it came to his involvement with CA, volunteering came naturally. “I just wanted to give back to the school. I feel I got so much out of CA, that anything I can do to help, and will be valuable
After two years at Acadia University, he knew he wanted to focus on mechanical engeering. While at Dalhousie, he participated in the cooperative education program at Shell. “I consider every day at the
to the kids, is a priority for me. I wish I had the access back then that they do now to help kids access career development from former students who are just like them.”
office going to school. All the learning I did at Shell was the same as the learning I did while getting my degree. Shell and school were big training grounds for me, and my next role at STEP Energy Services was where I get to put everything I’ve learned to work and come up with new ideas.”
If his efforts so far are any indication, he’s succeeding. Last October, Andrew was able to to present to grades 11 and 12 students at CA’s first Alumni Lecture Series. The success of his presentation, led him to participate in CA’s first two Career Days. “The school definitely changed my life. I wouldn’t be where I am today without some
Today, Andrew is the General Manager for Darcy Partners, a group that provides external research and development for oil and gas companies. His work helps to accelerate the application of
of the studying techniques, like split page notes, that I never had before. Those little strategies helped me study in university. I felt prepared for whatever was next when I left CA.”
technology within the industry. He also has several patents pending
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J U S T I N WA R T H E 2 0 0 4 It can be hard to imagine how strategies and behaviours learned in
“I love helping people find their homes. As the single biggest
elementary school and junior high can continue to serve students
investment of their lives, it has to be right for them. Helping them
as adults. But often times, those foundational components to their
find what is best for them is thrilling.”
education are the trusted foundation they can rely on throughout their lives. For Justin Warthe, the tools and strategies he learned during his time at Calgary Academy, like split page notes and concept cards, continue to serve him today. His success is due also
With a clear goal in mind, Justin, again, put his head down and worked hard to receive his real estate license. For six years, he worked as an individual agent, learning the business and putting in 60-80 hour work weeks to keep ahead of the curve, and the competition.
to his ability to put his head down and work harder than everyone else to work through his struggles.
And it’s paid off for him. This year, Justin began developing a team of agents, and they’ve had an incredibly successful year. It’s a team
“For me, I really had to focus on my academics to get through high school. My work ethic came in to play, but if I didn’t have the
committed to working smarter and harder every day, and their goal is to become the #1 real estate team in Calgary.
strategies CA instilled in me, I would have been hopeless.” “I absolutely love teaching other people. I try to live my life through After graduation, Justin struggled with the post-secondary environment. He quickly opted to join the workforce. According
a perspective of giving back, and I love to teach others from the things I’ve learned, to help them climb to the top as well.”
to Justin, he grew up on construction sites, so it was only natural that his first role was working with on custom home construction sites, before beginning an apprenticeship with an electrician. Again,
When asked what advice he’d share with current students, he smiles. “If you’re willing to work your butt off, anything is achievable.”
he found himself hitting a wall that required advanced schooling. Justin found himself changing gears once again to begin working in sales. His first product was selling jeans at a menswear store downtown, and here, Justin found his stride. Before long, he had worked his way up into management and the sales bug was officially caught. Looking long term, Justin knew he needed to focus on selling products he was passionate about, and he returned to his first love: real estate.
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...if I didn’t have the strategies CA instilled in me, I would have been hopeless.
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As soon as there’s a barrier, my independence is gone. We should be removing those barriers so everyone can get in and feel included. 25
DA R BY YO U N G 2 0 0 0 One of the most exciting parts of being a school is seeing the
Today, she is a Principal Accessibility Strategist at Level Playing Field,
honours our students earn after they graduate. For Darby Young,
a consulting company she started to help mitigate the barriers
the list is growing quickly: winner of the 2016 Western Legacy Award
that she and her team face everyday by providing accessible
for Innovation by the Calgary Stampede, one of Calgary’s Top 20
design solutions. “We started in 2015, and celebrated our two-year
Compelling Calgarians, a member of the Premier’s Council on the
anniversary in November 2017. More and more people are getting
Status of Persons with Disabilities, one of the honourees for the She
to know us, and are reaching out to work with us. We’ve worked with
Who Dares Canada 150 project with YWCA Calgary, and recipient of
architects, designers, developers and property owners to review
The Kent Hehr Leadership Award.
accessibility and provide recommendations and solutions.” With a
Her honours surround her work on improving accessibility. For Darby, born with mild cerebral palsy and medically classified as quadriplegic,
growing list of clients from major Alberta development companies, awareness and community support keeps growing.
reducing barriers is critical to not just her independence, but also
Darby’s favourite line is “as soon as there’s a barrier, my independence
her ability to enjoy life to the fullest. She’s never been one to accept
is gone. We should be removing those barriers so everyone can get
there are some things she just can’t master, and that’s evidenced
in and feel included.”
by her years of history para-alpine ski racing across Canada and the United States.
Looking ahead, Darby has some big goals: “We definitely want to be the leading accessibility company in Canada. It was very scary
Previously as both a member and a co-chair on the City of
to start, but it’s been so worthwhile to see people believe in what
Calgary’s Advisory Committee on Accessibility (ACA), Darby has
we’re doing.”
considerable experience advocating for accessible design. Her work on the ACA focused on broad policy issues and advising Calgary’s city representatives on accessibility issues related to municipal properties, information, events and service.
EDITOR’S NOTE: You can learn more about Darby’s work at levelplayingfield.ca.
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BUILDER SERIES DEA N SAWATZKY ATHLET ICS At Calgary Academy, we have always had
time, Dean’s ideas were way ahead of the curve.
them feel like they are part of the community.
outstanding staff willing to go the extra distance
Physical Education at CA was never just about
In
for our students. We’ve also been fortunate to
six-minute runs and fitness tests.
immeasurably to the school through volunteering,
have an exceptional few who stand out even from their esteemed peers. We call these people the Builders. They are the people who come to CA and leave more than an enduring mark on our students; they leave a legacy for the entire organization. We are thrilled to continue this series with Mr. Dean Sawatzky who led the development of the Calgary Academy physical education program, the Knights Athletics Teams, and revived the Independent School Athletics Association (ISAA).
A lot can happen in 26 years. For Calgary Academy Athletics, it all began with the hiring of Mr. Dean Sawatzky. During his initial job interview, Dean was shocked and dismayed to learn that there was no athletics program and that gym class was more ‘movement’ than anything else – this was at a school already in its 10th year. As such, when offered a position at CA, he would only accept on the condition that he could change things.
In his first year, Dean worked to introduce a senior
curriculum now reflects this mentality, but at the
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contribute
fundraising, and events such as Dig Pink.
haven’t slowed down either. “It’s always evolving.
students and parents began to ask about new
There’s no endgame; we’re always looking at
sports. Fast forward 36 years and CA now has
things to improve. We’re always trying to learn
45 teams across grades 7-12 playing more than
new things, bringing in new ideas that will further
nine sports. CA families can thank the volunteer
enhance the program we have built.” Perhaps
coaches for that rapid growth, because as Dean
this is Dean’s most impressive trait, when being
states “the teams were only able to keep growing
interviewed for this story, he consistently stressed
because CA staff kept supporting the programs.”
that the development of the physical education
The next challenge was finding schools to play against. Initially, it began with playing against Division 4 teams from the CBE, but as those schools
and athletics programs, is completely a result of the hard work of those around him. Like athletics, this is a team effort.
drew from significantly larger student bodies, the
When asked what he is most proud of, Dean says
games weren’t evenly matched. With the success
all of it. “Where the program was and where it is
of the program, the next step was to build a
now. I’m proud of that. I’m proud of what we have
league. Dean turned his eye toward the Calgary
built. I have a million stories of the fun, awesome
Independent Schools’ Athletic Association. Here
things we do every day.”
CA played against other private schools, but the organization lacked structure and coordination. Dean, seeing an opportunity, became President of the CISAA so he could revive the organization; meeting each school’s unique athletics needs.
social skills through intentional activity. The
teams
For the Physical Education department, things
into what he terms ‘a proper physical education
on getting kids active, having fun and learning
athletic
added a volleyball team. After these introductions,
fostering its growth and increasing the focus on
a proper physical education program focused
the
boys’ basketball team, and the next year the school
In 1991, his work began with evolving gym class program.’ Dean believes and advocated that
addition,
Today, 280 students play on Knights athletics teams in the competitive or recreational leagues of the CISAA. That represents over 70% of eligible students, and it’s no question that donning a Knights jersey brings students closer to CA, making
Today, Dean has stepped back from the Athletics Director role. He continues to teach, coach, and maintains his position as President of the CISAA, as well as numerous other roles with athletic boards and associations. A tireless advocate, a longtime teacher, and a passionate coach, Dean has more than left his mark on the CA community. Thank you, Dean!
If you know anything about anything, kids connect with their schools through athletics. And through athletic teams they learn bonding, cooperation, leadership and social skills
Photo credit: Bailee Wilson, Grade 11 student.
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CONTRIBUTORS SERIES As our school continues to grow, it becomes more
our lasting success is the culmination of the efforts
important to reflect on where we came from,
of so many, including the wholly altruistic efforts
and the people who helped us get to where we
of our external contributors.
are today. It took the tireless efforts of so many to ensure our survival, particularly in the early days. This Contributors feature will showcase and recognize the ones outside our organization who committed their time, their talents and/or their financial support to the CA legacy. A school cannot exist or succeed on its own, and
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In our inaugural edition, we introduced you to our “Founding Four,” Jim Gray, Doug Rogan, George Perry and James Chaput, who were instrumental in the growth and success of our school. With each successive issue, we’ll be sharing an in-depth story on these four exceptional individuals. We begin with Jim Gray.
An Officer of the Order of Canada. A YMCA Fellowship of Honour.
Beyond Calgary Academy, Jim’s endeavours have spanned diverse
An Honourary Doctor of Laws recipient by the University of Calgary.
fields, including education locally and in developing countries,
Canada and Calgary Business Hall of Famer. A former Chairman of
multiple provincial health and wellness initiatives, and his newest
numerous boards. While he’s the recipient of some of Alberta and
project that celebrates seniors in the community. He encourages
Canada’s highest honours, those aren’t what people talk about when
alumni and community members to find projects that are close to
they talk about Jim Gray.
their hearts, and to get involved.
Instead, they talk about what kind of person he is. The innovative
Born in 1933 and educated at Ridley College and the University of
“2+2 can equal 5 or 6, if you approach a project the right way. It’s easy to write a cheque, but you also have to be generous with your time, interests, resources and relationships. You get so much more out of these things if you are heavily engaged in them.”
British Columbia, Jim began working in Calgary in the mid-1950s, and
At 84 years old, he’d have every reason to sit back and enjoy his hard-
remembers when oil traded for as low as $1.50/barrel. In 1973, he co-
earned retirement. Instead, he’s busy helming multiple projects
founded Canadian Hunter Exploration, a firm which grew to become
at the local and national level, continuing to serve on the Calgary
one of Canada’s largest natural gas companies.
Academy Board of Directors, and still finding the time to swim for an
businessman. The generous philanthropist. The founder of CA, and most importantly, the man who sees opportunities, and puts teams together to seize them, for the better of the community.
In 1981, after sending his son as far away as Denver for specialized
hour every morning at the YMCA.
schooling, Jim advocated to establish Calgary Academy, seeing a
While he has stepped down from the role of Chairman on the CA
need for a school that could provide the supports and resources to
Board, he’s still an active member, and is incredibly excited for the
students here in the city of Calgary and led the efforts to make it a
future of Calgary Academy: “I’m very hopeful about the combination
reality. We asked if back then, he ever thought about what the school
of Greg Bass and Gary Purcell, along with the board, teachers,
would look like 36 years later.
students, community. Our school is at a great moment of opportunity,
“I have a saying, ‘ready, fire, aim.’ Too many projects get over planned,
and I’m excited to watch the progress over the next 5, 10 years.”
and never materialize. I believe it’s important to pull the trigger early.
With the strong foundation Jim has helped Calgary Academy build,
After an idea is proven worthwhile, you have to get at it.
we know the future of our school is very bright.
“All we thought about was getting the school started – kids, teachers, facilities, and just getting CA going.”
Thank you, Jim!
The logic applies to life as well. “People make a mistake of thinking 5, 10, 20 years down the road at the beginning, and the barriers and hurdles from those early days seem to be quite insurmountable. But when you get closer, they are more digestible. You strengthen your position and get stronger every day, every year.”
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BENEFITS ALUMNI CARD
you would like to contact a particular alumnus:
Calgary Academy Alumni are eligible for an Alumni Card, which entitles them to discounts at a variety of local businesses. For more information on the card and a list of the businesses, simply email alumni@calgaryacademy.com.
Send us an email with your contact information (name, mailing address, phone number and email).
CAREER SERVICES
It then is up to the alumnus to take up contact with you, if she or he so desires.
Whether your next step is in the working world or postsecondary education, Calgary Academy provides resources to assist you. Students are always welcome back to access our Career Services. For more information, email btolsma@ calgaryacademy.com.
FINDING A CLASSMATE Calgary Academy is committed to protecting the privacy of any personal information that it has on its database. This includes not providing alumni information, including contact information, to any third-party. This means that the Alumni Office cannot directly help you in finding the address of other alumni, whether that be to support a trip you’re going on, selling a product or inviting them to your wedding. However, there is one way that the Alumni Office can help. If
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The Alumni Office will forward this information to the alumnus you are trying to reach, with a note saying that you would like to contact him/her.
SHARE YOUR STORY Our Calgary Academy alumni are committed to doing great things around the world. The Alumni Office wants to hear about them. Share your story by simply emailing alumni@ calgaryacademy.com. Please including your full name, date of graduation and telephone number along with your story.
ALUMNI ADVISORY BOARD Calgary Academy is pleased to introduce to the members of the Calgary Academy Alumni Advisory Board. The Advisory Board consists of seven individuals: five alumni, one staff member, and one representative from Alumni Engagement. This team will work within their mandate to identify opportunities to engage and strengthen the relationship that alumni have with the school and each other. They will also serve as the voice of CA’s large alumni body, and provide advice on behalf of alumni to CA when needed. These are your Advisory Board members! LOUISE KLADNIK (VESTERGAARD) ‘88 A member of the second graduation class at Calgary Academy, Louise went on to Mount Royal University in General Studies. She later realized she wanted to help students the way CA had helped her, and so in 1995 she returned to the school as a volunteer, and was later hired as an assistant. She worked for 10 years at CA, in both the classroom and the reading clinic. Today, she keeps busy raising her two daughters. KIM MCLEAN Kim has presented at conferences and worked with many schools, school boards and universities across North America. Topics include behavior management, reading and math remediation, executive functioning and home strategies for parents. Kim has been honored to have received the “National Educator of the Year” award from the Learning Disabilities Association of Canada. Currently Kim is part of the Selection Committee for the Prime Ministers Teaching Excellence Awards and will be one of the keynote speakers at the Atlantic Symposium on Learning Disabilities to be held in New Brunswick in the spring..
NICK PETRYK ‘12 Since graduating from Calgary Academy, Nick has found success as a public speaker. One of the first alumni to come back to present to CA students on his experiences, Nick is a co-founder in Youth Empowered for Success summer camps that operate out of Toronto and Vancouver. This year, he also founded the Nick Petryk scholarship for CA students. MAUREEN SCHWARTZ Maureen has been in the education environment for 20 years and in building relationships for more than 30 years. She chose to join Calgary Academy after working for the University of Lethbridge. Her position is to build a viable and sustainable alumni program that engages the CA Community as well-informed ambassadors thereby fostering alumni pride. DANIELLE SELF (REMILLARD) ‘95 Danielle is a 1994 graduate of Calgary Academy, and in 2017, her daughter crossed the CA stage as well. Today, Danielle works as an educational assistant with elementary-aged children helping them to find success in their learning, just as she and her daughter once did. TANIS TROTT ‘97 Tanis joined the CA community in grade 10, graduating two years later. She immediately began work with Flagworks, a company with which she would stay with for 17 years, working her way up through the company. She’s completed education with Dale Carnegie Sales Training as is a Toastmasters. Today, she owns a Clippers N Suds, a booming dog and cat grooming business.
ANDREW MCMURRAY ‘04 After graduating from Calgary Academy, Andrew completed a degree in Mechanical Engineering at Dalhousie University. Andrew’s recent technology focus has been on increasing production on new and old wells. Now with over a decade of experience in the oil and gas industry across virtually the entire upstream landscape, today Andrew’s focus is on identifying, developing, and accelerating new technology businesses.
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S H A R E YO U R S TO RY It is your turn to shine. Your classmates and former
SUMMER 2017 HARRY PIGOT (’09)
teachers want to hear about the amazing things
This summer, Harry headed to Nepal to begin a
you’re accomplishing. Share your story with us so
10-month volunteer educational project at Shree
we can celebrate your successes with you.
Mangal Dvip. His hope is to generate students’
Simply email alumni@calgaryacademy.com with your update. Please include your full name, date of graduation and telephone number along with your story. We can’t wait to hear from you!
SEPT 2017 ELIZABETH POMPU (BASSIE) (’12) Elizabeth’s poetry was published in the Fall in Freefall Magazine. She was also featured at a poetry reading by the magazine late September.
SEPT 2017 KRISTINE BOONE (‘09) Kristine is currently working toward her Ph.D. in Quantum Information at the University of Waterloo. She plans on working at Quantum, an American startup company, upon completion. Her undergrad was to create the quantum internet and she is now looking at how to diagnose errors in quantum systems.
SEPT 2017 JANA BRODKIN (‘11) Jana looks for ways to develop artistic practice for those artists with a disability. She currently displays her art work at various art shows in and around Calgary as well as Edmonton.
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interest in programming and electronics.
AUG 2017 KALEN PARK (’12) Kalen competed for Canada at the 2017 Summer Universiade games in August in Chinese Taipei. He played as fullback for the Canadian Men’s Soccer Team. Kalen is currently attending the University of New Brunswick.
EVENT RECAP NOV 10
On November 20, 2017, Calgary Academy was pleased to welcome back several extraordinary alumni to present their careers to our high school students as they begin planning their lives after graduation. Samuel Brawn 2015 - Able Seaman - Navy Ryan Champagne 2013 - Long Haul Driver - Bison Transport Graham Diehl 2001 - Educator - Calgary Academy Gregory Gray 2013 - Self Defense Instructor - Punch It Forward Jayne Hill 1998 - Nurse - Alberta Children’s Hospital Hayden McCrae 2009 - Fine Arts - Glass Blowing, Fascapple Glass Andrew McMurray 2004 - Engineer - Shell Exploration Christopher Munstermann 2000 - Acupuncturist Nick Petryk 2012 - Entrepreneur - Youth Empowered for Success Joining them from Calgary Academy were: Janet Lewis - Chef - Calgary Academy Vincent Van Hyfte - Information Technology - Calgary Academy 34
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Alumni Engagement Calgary Academy 1677 93 St SW Calgary, AB T3H 0R3 Email: alumni@calgaryacademy.com Tel: 403-686-6440 ext 339