Captivate 2021-2022 Community Impact Report

MISSION VISION

Learners are successful.

Learning is engaging and innovative.

Communi is nurtured and celebrated.

To learn more about our progress and our process, visit calgaryacademy.com/strategic-plan .

GOLF TOURNAMENT

Calgary Academy kicked off its 40th Anniversary celebrations with a September Golf Tournament at the Bearspaw Golf Club.

Past coaches, players, and a few local celebrities joined staff, parents, and CA supporters to help raise funds to support the purchase of a new Knights Bus, and continued fundraising for the Calgary Academy Parents Association bursary fund.

LEGACY MURAL

Local artist, Carl White, was commissioned to work with current students of Calgary Academy as an Artist in Residence. His work culminated in the creation of an Anniversary Mural.

ANNIVERSARY BOOK

An Anniversary Book was commisioned by the Board of Governors of Calgary Academy to formally document the establishment of Calgary Academy, the exciting early years, and the school’s evolution into the beacon of specialized education it is today. The book is available for sale at the Junior and Senior Front Desks.

REUNION

The Anniversary Reunion concluded a year’s worth of celebrations in May of 2022.

Taking place at Calgary Academy school, past and current students, families, staff, and friends were invited to to a homestyle reunion that featured a BBQ, food trucks, a petting zoo, and inflatable games. Individuals toured the school, visiting the newly-unveiled Legacy Mural, and celebrated 40 years of Calgary Academy.

LEGACY EVENT

Over 100 students, staff, parents, and guests who were connected to Calgary Academy during its first 15 years attended the special Legacy Event.

Many individuals reunited at the school’s present location for the first time–as CA didn’t move to its current location until the mid-1990s.

It was a wonderful evening of reconnection and friendship, and celebrating the bonds forged during each person’s time with CA.

JUNIOR DRAMA PRODUCTION

Bibbity, Bobbity, BAAM!, an original play written by CA educator, Charlotte Nixon, was the first production to hit the Black Box Theatre since 2019.

From December 6-10, 2021, students in Grades 5-8 dazzled audiences with the tale of Petal, AKA, the Fairy Godmother before she became famous.

Read more about the production using the QR code.

SENIOR DRAMA PRODUCTION

From May 2-6, 2022, Senior School students returned to the stage for the first in-person Senior production since 2019.

All Shook Up! is a jukebox musical that intertwined Elvis Presley and Shakespeare in a light-hearted musical love story. Take the music and rebellious ethos of Elvis Presley and add in a storyline based on Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, with just a dash of Romeo and Juliet for extra spice.

RETURN TO KNIGHTS ATHLETICS

Knights Athletics returned in 2021, and student turnout surpassed expectations.

In the spring, when public health measures were lifted, school spirit swept the hallways, and attendance at athletic events had never been higher.

CA’s teams played hard on the courts and fields, reestablishing their camaraderie, advancing their technical skills, and even winning a Tier 3 banner.

Scan the QR code to learn more.

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL STUDIES

Three groups of students traveled during Spring Break 2022 to make an international impact.

Two groups traveled to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, and a third group travelled to Morocco.

Established in 2005, CA’s International Travel Studies is an altruism-based travel program that teaches students to be global citizens.

Read more about the trips using the QR code.

INTERNATIONAL DRAMA ACCLAIM

CA Integrated Studies teacher and Theatre Director, Leeanne McLim, was appointed as the Alberta Chapter Director for the International Association for School Theatre.

Leeanne’s role is focused on building the Educational Theatre Association of Canada, bringing lifelong learning opportunities to students at CA and advancing theatre arts education.

SUPPORT FOR THOSE WHO NEED IT

The James Chaput Bursary Fund provided $309,622 in bursaries for the 2021-2022 school year, in addition to $56,292 of funds raised by the Calgary Academy Parents’ Association (CAPA) to support 42 students.

EXEMPLARY PRACTICE AND STUDENT SHOWCASE

Twice a year the Board of Directors recognizes staff and students for exemplary work, leadership, or contributions to the school community.

Grade 10 student Sascha was recognized for significant accomplishments on the national stage as a competitive snowboarder (you can read more about her on Page 14).

Yvette Schuler was honoured for her leadership and technical expertise in the area of finance, leading the modernization of many business processes.

Grade 10 students Sadie and Ivy were recognized for their sustainability project, and for MC-ing the Grade 10 Sustainability Summit.

Charlotte Nixon was honoured as an exceptional educator and contributions inside classrooms and across the school, notably supporting the Junior Drama Production.

BUILDER AWARD

Enormous congratulations go to longtime staff member, Lanny Donde, as the newest recipient of the Builder Award.

The Builder Award is not an annual award, but awarded when individual actions become a lasting component of Calgary Academy. Lanny Donde was recognized for growing several programs including Calgary Academy Ski and Snowboard Club (CASSC), CA Cycle, and the Outdoor Education program.

Yvette and Sascha Charlotte and Sadie/Ivy

DIG PINK 2021

After the cancellation of the tournament in 2020, Dig Pink returned with 20 teams coming together in-person to raise funds and awareness for the Alberta Cancer Foundation.

While no fans were permitted in the gyms due to public health measures, they followed the games via livestream.

The 2021 tournament raised over $12,000 through clothing sales, registration fees, and other volunteer-led activities.

LEGACY AWARD

Established in 2020, the Legacy Award is a student-created scholarship awarded to a graduate who exemplifies the qualities of the school’s REACH principles. The 2022 recipient was Kallen Velker. Funds were raised for this year’s recipient through the sale of Anniversary tote bags.

CLASS OF 2022

Calgary Academy celebrated 96 graduates during its 40th Anniversary year.

At the first fully in-person graduation ceremony since 2019, Valedictorian Matthew Medlicott spoke of the resilience in the group, who’s entire high school experience was impacted by COVID-19:

“We all overcame so much more than what was asked of us and I’m confident we can overcome any adversity we confront in our future.”

Program Spotlight

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: SASCHA

Grade 10 student Sascha balances Blended+ and competitive snowboarding.

The Blended+ program was a natural fit for Sascha, a nationally ranked snowboarder, allowing her to schedule her classes around her snowboarding competition and training schedule. Sascha was able to join classes remotely from across Canada and around the world.

Read more by scanning the QR code!

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: TAI

Grade 10 student Tai enjoys the flexibility of Blended+ while competing in dressage.

A self-motivarted student, Tai utilized the flexibility of the Blended+ program to access dressage coaches during the day, catching up on school classes in the early morning or the evening. The supportive community in the Blended+ classroom was also crucial for Tai, who built strong relationships with her classmates and teachers.

Read more by scanning the QR code!

LEARN YOUR WAY: THE FUTURE OF FLEXIBLE LEARNING.

The Blended+ program is an exciting new initiative launched by Calgary Academy during its 40th year. Envisioned as a program for student in Grades 9-12, the Blended+ program is a highly personalized, flexible student experience.

Unique program elements include:

EXPERIENTIAL OFF-CAMPUS LEARNING

As a class, students regularly engage in real-world, offcampus experiences that partner with our local and broader community. Field studies, service learning, and physical education experiences will occur throughout the city and province.

ENGAGING IN-PERSON LEARNING

Weekly in-person learning time as a class is leveraged to make the most of time together in highly engaging projects, labs, and activities.

FLEXIBLE ONLINE LEARNING

Blended+ is not an online learning program. But it does utilize the best of anywhere, anytime learning combined with high levels of teacher support and scheduled live direct instruction.

ADOPT A FAMILY/ COOL KIDS CARE

For over 20 years, the CA community has supported Closer to Home to bring altruism and our REACH principles to life, helping this important community organization. This was our most successful year ever.

The CA community helped raise almost $16,000 in funds for Closer to Home.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT

CA was the grateful recipient of a $5,000 donation from the Rotary Club of Calgary at Stampede Park.

These funds were used to purchase 150 individual whiteboards and markers for classrooms. These whiteboards support student collaboration by giving them an easy space to brainstorm, draw out ideas, and communicate their thinking.

ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT

Invico Capital Corporation, a Calgary-based investment fund management firm, supports the purchase of CA’s second Knights Bus.

The Knights Bus is used to help students experience off-campus learning excursions and to transport our student athletes to competitions around the city. Scan the QR code to learn more about this partnership.

DRAMA IMPROVEMENTS

In May of 2022, Garth and Jennifer Doll, long-standing CA parents of daughter Erin (’21), generously donated $5,000 to improve the Black Box Theatre’s drama equipment. This gift improves the annual Junior and Senior drama productions and gives CA students a taste of some technical equipment experience.

Garth and Jennifer were presented with Forever Tickets for all future drama productions as a thank you for their support!