2010-2013 Education Plan and Results Report by Connect Charter School

The Calgary Science School 2010 - 2013

Education Plan

2009 - 2010

Annual Education Results Report

Table of Contents Letter from the Chair of the Board........................................................................................3 Accountability Statement........................................................................................................4 Accountability Pillar Overall Summary..................................................................................5 Communication.............................................................................................................6 Calgary Science School Education Plan Goals....................................................................9 School Demographics...............................................................................................................11 Profile of The Calgary Science School.......................................................................................12 Looking Back and Thinking Forward Education Plan Overview.............................................................................................13 Inquiry Based Learning...........................................................................................................14 Framework for Exemplary Teaching.....................................................................................15 Distributive Leadership Model..............................................................................................18 Calgary Science School Goals................................................................................................19 Provincial Goals.........................................................................................................................25 Provincial Achievement Test Results and Analysis............................................................30 Looking Back and Thinking Forward........................................................................................32 Humanities.................................................................................................32 Math/Science....................................................................................................34 Physical Education.......................................................................................................36 Music/Band........................................................................................37 Drama/Dance.............................................................................................39 Visual Arts......................................................................................................................40 Technology....................................................................................................41 Library..................................................................................................44 Student Services...........................................................................................................45 Professional Collaborative Outreach Initiative.......................................................46 Outdoor Education.......................................................................................................49 The Alberta Initiative for School Improvement.....................................................50 CSS Year 3 Galileo Research Report Findings....................................................................52 2009 - 2010 Financial Summary................................................................................................53 2010 - 2011 Budget....................................................................................................................54 Capital Plan 2010/11 - 2012/13.................................................................................................55 Parent Involvement Building Parent Capacity at CSS..................................................................................56 Parent Reflective Response........................................................................................58 Appendix A Teacher Inquiry Self Assessment............59 Appendix B Inquiry Rubric.............................................61 Appendix C Outdoor Education....................................65 Appendix D Teacher Collaboration Assessment Rubric.....................................67

Appendix E 1:1 Research Results - Year 3 Appendix F CSS 21st Century Schools Appendix G Outreach Events 2009 - 2010...........................68 Appendix H Data/Impact from the CSS Collaborative Outreach Initiative............73

Letter from the Chair of the Board of The Calgary Science School On behalf of the Board, administrators, teachers and staff of the Calgary Science School, I am very pleased to introduce to you the Calgary Science School Education Plan for 2010/2011 to 2012/2013 along with our school Annual Education Results Report (AERR) for 2009/2010.

knowledge base. The goals of all the teaching and administrative staff are to put educational best practices forward on several fronts. Firstly, the teachers share their professional practice as part of the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s enhanced professional development program. They are encouraged to create documents which we will ultimately make available publically on a newly revamped web site. There are plans to improve communication gateways for our three main stakeholder groups that include our students, our parent community and finally the greater educational community. We hope to encourage open two-way dialogue with teachers across the province, but anticipate that this type of work could have an even broader national or international appeal.

The Calgary Science School population has remained steady at 600 students since 2006. Although we have an extensive wait list to draw from, our focus remains to be the continuous improvement of our charter goals rather than the expansion of our charter population. Our commendable student results summarized in the AERR are a direct result of the high quality of teaching being delivered by the staff and administration of the Calgary Science School. An active and supportive parent community also has had positive impacts on student results. Our school councilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s role grows in size and scope every year to the net benefit of our students. Regular monthly school council meetings with staff of the school have led to many new initiatives supporting teaching efforts.

The CSS is grateful to the Government of Alberta for its continued support of Charter Schools. Alberta is a world leader in education because of the choice available in our public education system. The Calgary Science School is proud to be part of that choice and will continue to maintain our end of the bargain by sharing our innovation beyond the walls of the school.

This past year, we have taken significant steps to ensure our educational practices are being shared with the broader educational community. We hired a full time Outreach Coordinator who has worked closely with our humanities and math/science teaching pairs to share our growing

Dave Robinson

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Accountability Statement The Annual Education Results Report for the 2009-2010 school year and the Education Plan for the three years commencing September 1, 2010 for Calgary Science School was prepared under the direction of the Charter Board in accordance with its responsibilities under the School Act and the Government Organization Act. This document was developed in the context of the provincial government’s business and fiscal plans. The Charter Board has used the results reported in the document, to the best of its abilities, to develop the Education Plan and is committed to implementing the strategies contained within the Education Plan to improve student learning and results. The Charter Board approved this combined Annual Education Results Report for the 2009/2010 school year and the three-year Education Plan for 2010 – 2013 on November 23, 2010.

Foundation Statements Vision: The Calgary Science School will inspire passion and innovation within an active inquiry-based learning community by bringing learning to life and life to learning.

Mission: The Calgary Science School will provide its students the opportunity to experience inquiry-based learning within an environment of mutual respect. We will do so by using 1) technology; 2) outdoor education; 3) the sciences; and 4) authentic research experiences for staff and students to enhance learning in the middle school core and extra-curricular programs.

Principles: The Calgary Science School has been, and will continue to be, guided by the following principles.

• • • • • • • • •

Honesty Dedication Fairness High Ethical Standards Perseverance Accountability Continuous Improvement Service Academic Excellence

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Accountability Pillar Overall Summary

Measure Evaluation Reference Overall Summary

3-Year Plan - May 2010 le Summary

School: 0335 Calgary Science School

School

Improvement Table

For each jurisdiction, improvement evaluation consists of comparing the Current Year result for each measure with the previous three-yearthe average. A chi-square is usedwith to determine the significance of the improvement. This test tion consists of comparing Current Year resultstatistical for eachtest measure the previous three-year average. A chi-square statistical te takes into account size jurisdiction of the jurisdiction in the calculation make improvement evaluation fair across jurisdictions takes into account the sizethe of the in the calculation to maketoimprovement evaluation fair across jurisdictions of different of comparing the Current of different sizes.Year result for each measure with the previous three-year average. A chi-square statistical test is used to determ ccount the size of the jurisdiction in the calculation to make improvement evaluation fair across jurisdictions different sizes. errent 5 improvement evaluation levels based upon the chi-square result. Year result for each measure with the previous three-year average. A chi-square statistical test isofused to determine the

e jurisdiction in thebelow calculation to make improvement evaluation fairevaluation across jurisdictions of upon different sizes. The table shows the definition of result. the 5 improvement levels based the chi-square result. ment evaluation levels based upon the chi-square

Evaluation Category Chi-Square Range s based upon the chi-square result. Evaluation Category Chi-Square Range < previous 3-year average) Declined Significantly 3.84 + (current Accountability Pillar Overall Summary

Measure Evaluation Reference n Category Chi-Square Range 1.00 Declined Significantly 3.84 + (current < previous 3-year average) Declined - 3.83 (current < previous 3-year average)

3-YearDeclined Plan - May 2010 - 3.833-year (current < previous ignificantly 3.84 + (current <1.00 previous average) Maintained less than 1.00 3-year average)

School: 0335 Calgary Science School

Maintained less 1.00 3-year average) 1.00 - 3.83 (current < than previous Improved 1.00 - 3.83 (current > previous 3-year average) Improved 1.00 - 3.83 (current > previous 3-year average) lessimprovement than 1.00 For each jurisdiction, evaluation consists of comparing the Current Year result for each measure with the previous three-year average. Improvement Table

Improved Significantly

3.84 + (current > previous 3-year average)

A chi-square statistical test is used to determine the significance of the improvement. This test takes into account the size of the jurisdiction in the calculation to make improvement evaluation fair across jurisdictions of different sizes.

Improved 3.84 + (current > previous 3-year average) 1.00 Significantly - 3.83 (current > previous 3-year average)

The table below shows the definition of the 5 improvement evaluation levels based upon the chi-square result.

Significantly

3.84 + (current > previous 3-year average) Overall Evaluation Table Evaluation Category

Chi-Square Range

Declined Significantly

3.84 + (current < previous 3-year average)

Improved

1.00 - 3.83 (current > previous 3-year average)

overall and evaluation combines the Achievement Evaluation and the Improvement Evaluation. The below illusvement The Evaluation the Improvement Evaluation. The table illustrates howaverage) the Achievement and table Improvement evaluation Declined 1.00 -below 3.83 (current < previous 3-year uation and the Improvement Evaluation. The table below illustrates how the Achievement and Improvement evaluations are combined to g trates how the Achievement and Improvement evaluations are combined to get the overall evaluation. Maintained less than 1.00

Achievement ovement Evaluation. The table below illustrates howSignificantly the Achievement Improvement Improved 3.84 + (current and > previous 3-year average) evaluations are combined to get the Improvement

Overall Evaluation Table provement

Very High

Improved Significantly

High

Achievement Excellent

Achievement High

Intermediate

Good

Intermediate Low

Low

Very Low

Good

Acceptable

Acceptable Issue

Issue

Issue Concern Acceptable

Concern

Issue Concern

Concern

Concern Concern Concern

Concern

Very Low

Good

The overall evaluation combines the Achievement Evaluation and the Improvement Evaluation. The table below illustrates how the Achievement and Improvement evaluations are combined to get the

rovedoverall Significantly evaluation.

Excellent

roved

Excellent

ntained

lined

Very High

Very High Improved

High

Good

Intermediate Excellent Good

Good

Low Good Good

Excellent Maintained

GoodImprovement Excellent Good

Very High

Excellent Declined

GoodImproved

Excellent

Excellent Good Improved Significantly Good

Maintained

Excellent Good Declined Significantly Acceptable lined Significantly Declined Good

Acceptable Acceptable Issue

Declined Significantly Acceptable Issue

Category Evaluation Issue

CategoryAcceptable Evaluation

Good

Good Acceptable

Issue

Good

Very Low

Good High Good

Acceptable Excellent Good

Acceptable Good Acceptable Issue

Excellent Good

Acceptable

Good

Issue Issue Issue Acceptable Issue Issue

Acceptable

Concern

Good Achievement Acceptable

Acceptable Acceptable Issue

Intermediate

Low

Good

Issue

Issue Issue

Very Low

Good

Acceptable

Issue

Acceptable

Concern

Issue

Concern

Issue Concern

Concern

Issue Concern Issue

Issue

Concern

The category evaluation is an average of the Overall Evaluation of the measures that make up the category. For the purThe category evaluation is an average of the Overall Evaluation of the measures that make up the category. For the purpose of the calculation, consider an Overall Evaluation of Excellent to be 2, Good the calculation, an Overall Evaluation ofofExcellent to beto2,theGood to be 1,anAcceptable to bean 0,value. Issue be to be valuation ofAcceptable theofmeasures that make up the category. For the purpose ofvalues the calculation, Overall Evaluation of Excellent to bepose 1, to be 0,of Issue to be -1, consider and Concern to be -2. The simple average (mean) these rounded nearest integer produces the Category Evaluation This to is converted he Overall Evaluation the measures that make up the category. For the purpose ofconsider the calculation, consider Overall Evaluation back to a colour using the same scale above (e.g. 2=Excellent, 1=Good, 0=Intermediate, -1=Issue, -2=Concern). -1, and Concern to be -2. The simple average (mean) of these values rounded to the nearest integer produces the Category n to be -2. The simple average (mean) of these values rounded to the nearest integer produces the Category Evaluation value. This is co , and Concern to be -2. The simple average (mean) of these values rounded to the nearest integer produces the Category Evaluati xcellent, 1=Good, 0=Intermediate, -1=Issue, -2=Concern). value. This is 0=Intermediate, converted back to-1=Issue, a colour using the same scale above (e.g. 2=Excellent, 1=Good, 0=Intermediate, ve (e.g. Evaluation 2=Excellent, 1=Good, -2=Concern). sures that make up the category. For the purpose of the calculation, consider an Overall Evaluation of Excellent to be 2, Good -1=Issue, -2=Concern).

ple average (mean) of these values rounded to the nearest integer produces the Category Evaluation value. This is Report converted Report Generated: Apr 22, 2010 Version 1.0 =Intermediate, -1=Issue, Locked with Suppression for May-2=Concern). 2010 Data Current as of Mar 30, 2010

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Accountability Pillar Overall Summary Measure Evaluation Reference

Year Plan - May 2010 Pillar3-Overall Summary

School: 0335 Calgary Science School Reference

10 y Science School Achievement Evaluation

Achievement evaluation is based upon a comparison of Current Year data to a set of standards which remain consistent over time. The Standards are calculated by taking the 3 year average of baseline data for each measure across all school juon risdictions and calculating the 5th, 25th, 75th and 95th percentiles. Once calculated, these standards remain in place from ased upon a comparison of Current Year data to a set of standards which remain consistent over time. The Standards are calculated by taking the year to year to allow for consistent planning and evaluation. ure across all school jurisdictions and calculating the 5th, 25th, 75th and 95th percentiles. Once calculated, these standards remain in place from ouation. a set of standards which remain consistent over time. The Standards are calculated by taking the 3 year average of The table below shows the range of values defining the 5 achievement evaluation levels for each measure. ng theof5th, 25th, 75th the and595th percentiles. Oncelevels calculated, standards remain in place from year to year to allow for ange values defining achievement evaluation for eachthese measure. Measure

uation levels for each measure. Accountability Pillar Overall Summary Safe and Caring

Measure Evaluation Reference Very Low

Program of Studies

Low

3-Year Plan - May 2010 0.00 - 77.62 School: 0335 Calgary Science77.62 SchoolEducation Quality

81.05

Very Low

Low

Intermediate

High

Very High

0.00 - 77.62

77.62 - 81.05 81.05 - 84.50 84.50 - 88.03 88.03 - 100.00

0.00 - 66.31

66.31 - 72.65 72.65 - 78.43 78.43 - 81.59 81.59 - 100.00

0.00 - 80.94

80.94 - 84.23 84.23 - 87.23 87.23 - 89.60 89.60 - 100.00

Intermediate

High

Very High

81.05 - 84.50 84.50 - 88.03 88.03 - 100.00

- 66.31 Drop 0.00 Out Rate Achievement Evaluation

66.31 - 72.65

72.65 - 78.43 81.59 - 6.90 100.00 100.00 78.43 - 9.40 - 81.59 9.40 - 6.90 - 4.27

0.00 - 80.94

80.94 - 84.23

84.23 - 87.23

100.00 - 9.40

9.40 - 6.90

6.90 - 4.27

4.27 - 2.79

2.79 - 0.00

87.23 - 89.60 89.60 - 100.00

- 57.03 57.03 - 62.36 62.36 73.88 are73.88 - 81.79 81.79 100.00 Highevaluation School isCompletion Rate (3ofyr) Achievement based upon a comparison Current Year data to a set0.00 of standards which remain consistent over time. The -Standards calculated by taking the 3 year -average of baseline data for each measure across all school jurisdictions and calculating the 5th, 25th, 75th and 95th percentiles. Once calculated, these standards remain in place from year to year to allow for consistent planning and evaluation. 0.00 - 64.45 64.45 - 74.98 74.98 - 82.24 82.24 - 86.22 86.22 - 100.00 PAT: Acceptable

4.27 - 2.79

The table below shows the range of values defining the 5 achievement evaluation levels for each measure.

2.79 - 0.00

0.00 - Very 10.79 10.79 - 13.17 13.17 - 18.73 18.73 - 23.97 23.97 - 100.00 57.03 - 62.36 62.36 - 73.88 73.88 81.79 - 100.00 Measure Low - 81.79 Low Intermediate High Very High

PAT: 0.00 Excellence - 57.03

Safe and Caring Diploma: 0.00Acceptable - 64.45 64.45 - 74.98 Program of Studies Diploma: Excellence Education Quality

- 77.62 73.09 77.62 - 81.05 81.05 -82.54 84.50 84.50 - 88.03 87.99 88.03 - -100.00 0.00 -0.00 73.09 - 87.99 91.53 91.53 - 100.00 74.98 - 82.24 82.24 - 86.22 - 82.54 86.22 - 100.00 0.00 - 66.31

66.31 - 72.65

72.65 - 78.43 78.43 - 81.59 81.59 - 100.00

0.00 0.00 - 8.94 8.94 - 15.20 15.20 - 20.43 20.43 - 22.59 22.59 - 100.00 - 80.94 80.94 - 84.23 84.23 - 87.23 87.23 - 89.60 89.60 - 100.00

0.00 - 10.79

10.79 - 13.17

13.17 - 18.73

0.00 - 73.09

High School Completion Rate (3 yr)

73.09 - 82.54

82.54 - 87.99 0.00 87.99 91.53 100.00 - 57.03- 91.53 57.03 - 62.36 62.36 --73.88 73.88 - 81.79

Drop Out Rate Rate (4+ Exams) Diploma Exam Participation

18.73 - 23.97 23.97 - 100.00

- 9.40 31.10 9.40 - 6.90 6.90 -44.11 4.27 - 2.79 55.78 2.79 --0.00 0.00 100.00 - 31.10 - 44.11 -4.27 55.78 65.99 65.99 - 100.00 81.79 - 100.00

Rutherford Scholarship Eligibility Rate (Revised)

0.00 - 43.18

Transition Rate (6 yr)PAT: Excellence

- 10.79 39.80 10.79 - 13.17 13.17 -46.94 18.73 18.73 - 23.97 56.15 23.97 - -100.00 0.00 -0.00 39.80 - 46.94 - 56.15 68.34 68.34 - 100.00

0.00 - 8.94

Exams) Work0.00 - 31.10 Preparation e (Revised) 0.00 - 43.18 Citizenship

PAT: Acceptable

8.94 - 15.20

31.10 - 44.11

15.20 - 20.43

0.00 - 64.45

43.18 - 49.83 49.83 - 59.41 59.41 - 70.55 70.55 - 100.00 64.45 - 74.98

74.98 - 82.24 82.24 - 86.22 86.22 - 100.00

20.43 - 22.59 22.59 - 100.00

0.00 - 73.0944.11 - 55.78 55.78 0.00 - 66.92 0.00 - 8.94 43.18 - 49.83 49.83 - 59.41 59.41 0.00 -0.00 66.30 Diploma Exam Participation Rate (4+ Exams) - 31.10 Diploma: Acceptable Diploma: Excellence

73.09 - 82.54 82.54 --87.99 87.99 - 91.53 65.99 65.99 100.00

91.53 - 100.00

66.92 - 72.78 72.78 - 77.78 77.78 - 86.13 86.13 - 100.00 8.94 - 15.20

15.20 - 20.43 20.43 - 22.59 22.59 - 100.00

70.55 70.55 -55.78 100.00 66.30 - 71.63 - 77.50 81.08 81.08 - 100.00 31.10 - 44.11 44.11 -71.63 55.78 - 65.99 77.50 65.99 - -100.00

Rate (Revised) 0.00 - 43.18 43.18 - 49.83 49.83 - 59.41 59.41 - 70.55 70.55 - 100.00 0.00Involvement - 39.80 Rutherford 39.80 -Scholarship 46.94 Eligibility 46.94 - 56.15 68.34- 74.58 68.34 74.58 - 100.00 0.00 - 56.15 70.76 - 70.76 - 78.50 78.50 - 82.30 82.30 - 100.00 Parental Transition Rate (6 yr)

School Improvement 0.00 - 66.92 Work 66.92 - 72.78 Preparation

0.00 - 66.30

Notes:

Citizenship

66.30 - 71.63

Parental Involvement

0.00 - 39.80

39.80 - 46.94

46.94 - 56.15 56.15 - 68.34 68.34 - 100.00

0.00 - 66.30

66.30 - 71.63

71.63 - 77.50 77.50 - 81.08 81.08 - 100.00

0.00 -0.00 65.25 - 70.85 - 76.28 80.41 80.41 - 100.00 72.78 - 77.78 77.78 86.13 86.13 -77.78 100.00 - 66.92- 65.25 66.92 - 72.78 72.78 -70.85 77.78 - 86.13 76.28 86.13 - -100.00

71.63 - 77.50

77.50 - 81.08 81.08 - 100.00 70.76 - 74.58 74.58 - 78.50 78.50 - 82.30

0.00 - 70.76

82.30 - 100.00

Drop Out Rate: The range of values at each evaluation level is interpreted as " greater than or equal to" the "Low" value, and "less than" the "High" School Improvement - 65.25- 82.30 65.25 - 70.85 70.85 --76.28 76.28 - 80.41 80.41 - 100.00 0.00 - 70.76 70.76 - 74.58 74.58 - 78.50 0.00 78.50 82.30 100.00 greater than the "Low" value to except 100%. 1) For all measures Drop Out Rate: The range of values at each evaluation level is interpreted as “ greater than Notes:

As "Drop-out Rate" is-inverse toRate: most (i.e. Lower values "better"), the range of-to" values at value, eachvalues evaluation is interpreted as 1) Foror all measures except Drop Out The measures range of values at70.85 each evaluation level isare interpreted " greater or equal the "Low" and "less than" thelevel "High" value. For the Very High"grea equal to” the “Low” value, “less than” “High” value. For thethan Very High category, range from greater than 0.00 65.25 65.25 - and 70.85 -the 76.28 76.28 -as80.41 80.41 100.00 category, valuesFor range fromVery greaterHigh than the "Low" value values to 100%. range from 0% to less than or equal to the "High" value. he "High" value. the category, the “Low” value to 100%. 2) Drop Out Rate measure: As "Drop-out Rate" is inverse to most measures (i.e. Lower values are "better"), the range of values at each evaluation level is interpreted as "greater than" the "Low" value and "less than or equal the "High" value. For theAs Very“Drop-out High category, values from 0% to less or equal to the "High" value. 2) Drop Outto"Rate measure: Rate”range is inverse to than most measures (i.e. Lower values are “better”), the range of

aluation level is interpreted as " greater than or equal to" the "Low" value, and "less than" the "High" value. For the Very High

values at each evaluation level is interpreted as “greater than” the “Low” value and “less than or equal to” the “High” value. For the Very High category, values range from 0% to less than or equal to the “High” value.

s (i.e. Lower values are "better"), the range of values at each evaluation level is interpreted as "greater than" the "Low" value Report Generated: Apr 22, Report Version 1.0 lues range from 0% to2010 less than or equal to the "High" value.

2010 Locked with Suppression for May 2010 May 2010

Data Current as of Mar 30, 2010

Data C Back to Table of Contents

yr)

)

Accountability Pillar Overall Summary 3-Year Plan - May 2010

School: 0335 Calgary Science School Accountability Pillar Overall Summary 3-Year Plan - May 2010 School: 0335 Calgary Science School Calgary Science School Goal

Current Result

Measure Category

Prev Year Result

92.5

Goal 1: High-quality learning opportunities

80.5

96.2

Safe and Caring Schools

Prev 3 yr Average

92.4

Student Learning Opportunities

78.7

96.5

Alberta

Measure Category Evaluation

Current Result

Excellent

91.2 78.5

n/a

0.0 2.9 1.8 Excellent Accountability Pillar Overall Summary n/a Plan - May n/a n/a 3-Year 2010 School: 0335 Calgary Science School Student Learning Achievement 96.6 96.0 (Grades 96.4 n/a Goal 2: Excellence in 46.9 n/a n/a Goal 1: High-quality learning opportunities Goal 4: Highly responsive and responsible education system

n/a

10-12) Measure Category

39.5

Measure Category Evaluation

45.7

92.5

92.4

87.6 Program of Studies 86.9 80.5

78.7

78.5

96.2

96.5

95.4

Safe and Caring

Drop Out Rate 80.5

85.4

87.6

86.9

85.4

Very 80.5 High80.3

79.4

89.2

89.3

Very High Maintained

0.0

2.9

79.4

1.8

4.3

4.8

n/a

71.5

70.8

70.9

PAT: Acceptable

96.6

96.0

96.4

76.8

75.3

75.6

46.9

39.5

45.7

19.2

18.3

n/a

84.4

84.5

n/a

19.1

19.4

20.3

75.6

n/a

53.5 High53.3 Very

53.6

PAT: Excellence Diploma: Acceptable

71.5

Diploma: Excellence

Diploma Exam Participation Rate (4+ Exams) Measure

76.8

4.8 70.8 75.3

88.4 4.8

70.9

n/a

Calgary Science School

Rutherford 19.2 18.3 Scholarship Eligibility

18.3

Very High

Very High n/a

Alberta

Very High57.3

56.9 Current Result

Prev Year Result

56.7 Prev 3 Yr Average

n/a 92.5 93.0 80.5 90.1 96.2

n/a 92.4 90.3 78.7 87.0 96.5

20.3

n/a 91.2 90.3 78.5 86.4 95.4

59.8 87.6 79.9 80.5 81.4 89.2

59.2 86.9 79.6 80.3 80.3 89.3

58.7 85.4 78.9 79.4 78.3 88.4

n/a Excellent

Parental Involvement Drop Out Rate 0.0 53.5 53.3 87.6

85.9 2.9

53.6

87.0 1.8

80.0 4.3

Excellent

n/a 86.6

n/a 87.9

n/a 86.3

71.5 79.9

n/a

Rate (Revised)

Excellent

n/a

Continuous Improvement

84.4 Transition Rate (6 yr) 84.4 Safe and Caring Work Preparation Program of Studies Citizenship Education Quality

19.1

19.4

High School School Improvement Completion Rate (3 yr)

84.5

n/a n/a n/a

Maintained High Very High

n/a

89.3

High

Very High

88.4

High School Completion Rate (3 yr)

4.3

80.3

91.2

Achievement Improvement

Prev 3 Yr Average

n/a3 yr Prev Average

n/a

Current Prev Year Prev 3 YrPrev 3 yr Achievement Average Result Result Average

Prev Year Result

Measure Evaluation

n/aYear Prev Result

n/a

Student Learning Parental Involvement Opportunities

Alberta

n/a Current Result

n/a

Safe and Caring Preparation for Schools Lifelong Learning, World of Work, Citizenship

Current Prev Year Result Result

89.2

95.4

Measure Evaluation Calgary Science School

Education Quality

Student Learning Achievement (Grades K-9)

Goal student learning outcomes

Measure

Overall

Improvement

Overall

Maintained

Excellent

Maintained

Good

Maintained

Excellent

Improved

Good

Excellent

n/a

Very High

Maintained

Excellent

Very High

Maintained

Excellent

n/a

Maintained Improved n/a

n/a Maintained

Maintained n/a

Achievement

n/a n/a

Excellent Excellent

n/a

n/a Excellent

n/a n/a n/a

Measure Evaluation

Excellent

n/a Improvement

Very High Very High High Very High Very High

n/a Maintained Improved Maintained Improved Significantly Maintained

n/a

80.1 4.8

78.6 4.8

VeryHigh High Very n/a

Maintained Improved

70.8 79.4

70.9 77.6

n/aHigh Very

n/a Maintained

n/a

n/a Overall

n/a

n/a Excellent Excellent Good Excellent Excellent

n/a

Excellent Excellent n/a Excellent

Student Learning PAT: Acceptable 96.6 96.0 96.4 76.8 75.3 75.6 Very High Maintained Excellent Achievement (Grades Excellent PAT: Excellence 46.9 39.5 45.7 19.2 18.3 18.3 Very High Maintained Excellent K-9) 1) Student Learning Achievement: PAT Values reported are weighted averages of PAT Acceptable and PAT Excellence results. Courses included: ELA (Grades 3, 6, 9), Math (Grades 3, 6, 9), Science (Grades 6, 9), French Language Arts (Grades 6, 9), Français Diploma: Acceptable n/a n/a n/a 84.4 84.4 84.5 n/a n/a n/a (Grades 6, 9). Diploma: n/a Excellence n/aresults, weighted n/a by the number 19.1 of students 19.4 writing each 20.3 n/a n/a n/a 2) Student Learning Achievement: Diploma Exam Values reported are averages of DiplomaExcellence Acceptable and Diploma course. 3) Overall evaluations can only be calculated if both improvement and achievement evaluations are available. Diploma Exam Student Learning 4) Results for the ACOL measures are available in the detailed report; Measures" in the(4+ Table of Contents. Rate n/a n/a n/a 53.5 53.3 53.6 n/a n/a n/a Achievement (Grades n/a see "ACOLParticipation Goal 2: Excellence in 5) Data values have been suppressed 6. Suppression is marked with an asterisk (*). 10-12) where the number of students is less than Exams) student learning

Notes:

n/a

56.9

57.3

56.7

n/a

59.8

59.2

58.7

n/a

Notes:

90.3 90.3 79.9 78.9 Very High of PAT Acceptable Improved and PAT Excellence Excellent results. 1)93.0 Student Learning Achievement: PAT Values79.6 reported are weighted averages Rutherford Scholarship Eligibility n/a n/a n/a 56.9 57.3 56.7 n/a n/a n/a Improved Arts (Grades 6, 9), Français Courses included: ELA (Grades 3, 6, 9), Math (Grades 3, 6, 9),78.3 Science (Grades 6, 9), French Language Rate (Revised) 90.1 87.0 86.4 81.4 80.3 Very High Excellent Significantly Transition Rate (6 yr) n/a n/a n/a 59.8 59.2 58.7 n/a n/a n/a (Grades 6, 9).Preparation for

outcomes

87.6

Lifelong Learning, 85.9 World of Work, Citizenship

87.0

n/a

Work Preparation 80.0 Citizenship

80.1

78.6

93.0

90.3

90.1

87.0

86.4

79.9 High79.6 Very 81.4

80.3

78.9

Very High Maintained

78.3

Very High

Excellent Excellent

Improved

Improved Significantly

Excellent

2)86.6 Student Learning Achievement:79.9 Diploma Exam Values77.6 reported areVery averages of Diploma Acceptable and Excellent Diploma Excel87.9 Maintained Parental Involvement 86.3 Excellent Parental Involvement 79.4 87.6 85.9 87.0 80.0 High80.1 78.6 Very High Maintained Excellent lence results,Continuous weighted by the number of students writing each course. 3) Overall evaluations can only be calculated if both Excellent School Improvement 86.6 87.9 86.3 79.9 79.4 77.6 Very High Maintained Excellent Improvement improvement and achievement evaluations are available. 4) Results for the ACOL measures are available in the detailed report; Report Generated: Apr 22, 2010 Report Version 1.0 Notes: seewith “ACOL Measures” in the Table of Contents. 5) Data values have been suppressed where the number of students is ofless Locked Suppression for May 2010 Data Current as Mar than 30, 2010 1) Student Learning Achievement: PAT Values reported are weighted averages of PAT Acceptable and PAT Excellence results. Courses included: ELA (Grades 3, 6, 9), Math (Grades 3, 6, 9), Science (Grades 6, 9), French Language Arts (Grades 6, 9), Français and PAT results.isCourses included: ELAasterisk (Grades 3, 6, 9), Math (Grades 3, 6,29), Science (Grades 6, 9), French Language Arts (Grades 6, 9), Français (Grades 6, 9). 6.Excellence Suppression marked with an (*). Goal 4: Highly responsive and responsible education system

2) Student Learning Achievement: Diploma Exam Values reported are averages of Diploma Acceptable and Diploma Excellence results, weighted by the number of students writing each course. 3) Overall evaluations can only be calculated if both improvement and achievement evaluations are available.

ble and4)Diploma results, by the number of students Results for theExcellence ACOL measures are available weighted in the detailed report; see "ACOL Measures" in the Table ofwriting Contents. each course. 5) Data values have been suppressed where the number of students is less than 6. Suppression is marked with an asterisk (*). available. Table of Contents. marked with an asterisk (*).

Report Generated: Apr 22, 2010 Locked with Suppression for May 2010

Report Version 1.0 Data Current as of Mar 30, 2010

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Communication The Calgary Science School Board is committed to demonstrating accountability through clear communication with stakeholders. Student achievement information is regularly shared with the parent community through our monthly newsletter entitled The Spectrum. Our school website continues to improve communication among stakeholders as pertinent information such as handbooks, reports, upcoming events, and notifications are readily available. Websites created by teaching teams prove to be a very effective method of ensuring parents and students are fully aware of projects, assignments, and pending class activities. We communicate with our school community about accountability measures, charter outcomes and school plans in a variety of ways: Education Plan / Annual Education Results Report • Staff and parents are actively involved in the process of writing this report; a sub-committee of School Council has been convened to provide input and editing of the new hybrid planning and reporting document prior to Board approval. • Once approved, they are posted to our website and our newsletter will notify parents they are available on-line. An executive summary of the Education Plan / Annual Education Results Report will be available in both digital and paper formats early in 2011. Charter Outcomes, PAT and Accountability Pillar Results • The data is first shared with staff members. • The information is brought to a public Board meeting, then to a school council meeting. Subsequent to that, the information is published in the Spectrum, our school newsletter. Hard copies are also available in the school office. We welcome feedback with respect to this document. If you have comments or suggestions, please contact us: Calgary Science School 5915 Lewis Drive, SW Calgary, AB T3E 5Z4 P: 403.282.2890 F. 403.282.2896

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Calgary Science School Goals Education Plan Goals:

Charter Goals

Provincial Goals:

1. The Calgary Science School engages students in rel-

4. High Quality Learning Opportunities for all. 5. Excellence in student learning outcomes. 6. Success for First Nation, MĂŠtis and Inuit (FNMI)

evant inquiry-based experiences that honor the interdisciplinary nature of knowledge and understanding. Reciprocal learning between teachers and students will occur through the effective implementation of ubiquitous access to laptops in the One-to-One Computing Project initiated in 2006/2007, expanded 2007/2008, and implemented school wide in 2008/2009. Students will be authentically engaged in their learning.

students. Highly responsive and responsible jurisdiction.

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AISI Cycle 4 Goals

Humanities Goals

The school will work towards increasing student engagement and better understanding how to assess and report thinking in inquiry-based learning methodology in the areas of critical and creative thinking.

2010/2011 Undertake a lesson study model to address the following question: What constitutes exemplary student writing and how can we engage ALL students in that type of pursuit?

1. Teachers will incorporate and focus on designing

Math and Science Goals

collaboratively, with fellow teachers and/or their students, intellectually ambitious performance assessment tasks, as well as the tools (guidelines, rubrics, technologies, for providing feedback and assessment for learning. Teachers will find and develop student exemplars that demonstrate the expectations of the program while considering then clarifying the standards and scope and sequence of the graded programs in conjunction/relation with each other. These exemplars will consider the unique aspects of the student’s creative and critical thinking within the task requirements. Teachers will develop portfolio assessment programs (showcase, documentation and process oriented—digital or otherwise), which will include a variety of artifacts that provide evidence as to the progress of learners for support of reporting to students and parents.

2010/2011 Continue with the lesson study model from last year with the following foci: • Examine proportional representation and graphing at each grade level and develop a scope and sequence document accordingly • Present math problem/questions which address key competencies at each grade level • Examine student work generated from these problems/questions and explore gaps areas of understanding • Use these lesson artifacts to help examine assessment practice and how it informs reporting in terms of the report card rubric

Complementary Subject Goals 2010/2011

1. Continue with portfolio assessment and examine

Related Goals: • We will facilitate professional development to •

2. 3. 4.

achieve optimal student learning. We will establish strong professional learning communities (PLC’s) focused on improving student learning that include all educational stakeholders: parents, community leaders, educators, and students.

how to work with the rest of the school staff as effectively as possible to encourage this process. Network with other experts in the field. Implement the CSS Health Initiative. Develop a Foundations for the Arts Grant Plan for 2010/2011.

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School Demographics â&#x20AC;˘ The CSS is comprised of 600 students in Grades â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘

In Grades 4 to 6, there is additional teacher support in the fine arts, health and physical education. In Grades 7 to 9, there is additional teacher support in physical education, fine arts and complementary courses offered as trimestered electives that are collaboratively determined by the staff at the beginning of the year. The cultural diversity of our school community reflects that found within the city and provides strength and integrity to our programs.

4 to 9 who are drawn from all quadrants of the city of Calgary. The student ratio remains constant at approximately 1:2 (girls to boys), with four classes of 25 students at each grade. The staff consists of: 30 teachers (4 core subject teachers per grade, 3 fine arts specialists, 2 physical education teachers, 1 part time teacher librarian), 1 technology coordinator; 1 full time counselor; 1 full time PD/Outreach Coordinator; 4 office/library personnel; five caretaking staff (some part time); and 4 administrators (1 principal, 2 assistant principals, and 1 secretary treasurer.

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Profile of

The Calgary Science School Calgary Science School (CSS) students are engaged in real-world tasks that honor methods of inquiry central to the core disciplines of mathematics, science, and the humanities. Students are encouraged to actively explore their environments and are provided many opportunities for outdoor experiences through both day trips and multi-day camping adventures. A technology-rich environment allows students easy access to timely information, powerful tools to work through increasingly complex problems, and diverse options for communicating the results of their hands-on investigations. As students work through various problems, they are guided to develop communication and project management skills that will help them understand the impact of their actions on the world. Recognizing the need to expose students to a comprehensive and balanced educational program, CSS ensures that opportunities are present for involvement in co-curricular and extracurricular activities such as visual and performing arts and team sports. From musical theater and dance to competitive inter-school team sports and intramural games based on participation, CSS strives to provide a program that meets the needs of all students attending the school. School-wide implementation of the One-to-One Computing Project, which began in September 2008, reinforces the value we place on the effective and efficient use of technology in 21st Century teaching and learning. “Oneto-one computing simply means anytime, anywhere technology for every student” (cited by One-to-One Mobile Computing: Literature Review, Alberta Education, 2006).

The initiative involves a total of 600 laptops (300 new MacBook laptops) as well as the existing 300 hundred that were already in the school (100 three-year-old iBooks; and 200 two-year-old MacBooks). In total, the school houses an estimated 666 computers to help support an inquirybased approach to learning. The project emphasizes, however that this is not just about technology; rather, it is about learning. The real focus of the school is about authentic inquiry-based learning, and that the computer is only one tool –albeit a powerful one—to help students research, and create valuable learning opportunities. Although there was some financial support from the province for the initial project with its acquisition of the first 100 computers, the funding for this project is derived from within the Board approved budget. The school is also continuing to acquire ongoing technological support and peripherals (Smart Boards, etc.). CSS is leading the way in a very important educational endeavor, and will continue to consider projects and grants that will help to sustain this educational venture into the future. Like other Canadian counterparts the school is discovering that teacher practice changes with the use of technology. The innovative use of emerging technology will continue to be a driving force behind the success of the Calgary Science School. A significant portion of the CSS mandate focuses on sharing innovative teaching and learning strategies with educators and researchers from elsewhere in Alberta, across Canada, and around the world. It is this exchange of ideas through professional collaborative outreach, including teacher presentations outside the school as well as hosting visits and tours within the CSS campus that keeps us striving to remain on the leading edge of pedagogical progress.

“CSS makes learning fun. Teachers are always finding exciting ways to keep us captivated while teaching us.” Anonymous 12

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Looking Back and Thinking Forward: Education Plan Overview The past year has been very successful with many new initiatives to enhance our learning community. As well, also recognize the ongoing responsibilities of achieving the goals laid out in the school charter, education plan and AISI goals. The following are examples of what has happened over the school year, and some of the goals that we hope to achieve looking ahead into the next school year (the list in each area is not exhaustive):

Year at a Glance:

• We had an exciting cross-campus teaching cohort with • • • •

•

the Calgary Girls’ School led by the University of Calgary MT Program. Once again, we had successful outdoor education programs that have broadened to include the grade 4 Southern Alberta trip to Frank Slide and Fort McLeod. Galileo 1:1 Research project indicates some key successes and recommendations with our work with students using technology from 2008-2009 that we received in January 2010. The school made a concerted effort to collect and review goals as a whole as they pertain to the school charter, AISI and each curriculum team. The work of emotional intelligence for the staff and students of the school became a more important focus of our work. Staff participated in professional development days around this topic, and school wellness has been the thrust of our work with the addition of a new school counsellor. The school participated in CAT4 testing, along with provincial field tests to get a better sense of how the students were achieving in English Language Arts and mathematics fundamental skills, and to help inform the GLA process. The skills areas of weakness were identified and teaching strategies were put in place to address these topics. The professional development of the school took an intensive look at the teacher practice in the school with a focus on assessment in facilitated focus groups. Teachers brought examples of some of their teaching units to receive feedback from small groups to increase the effectiveness of these programs. (http://calgaryscienceschool.blogspot.com/2010/01/examining-student-work-introduction. html)

• With the addition of a professional collaboration out-

•

reach coordinator, the school expanded its professional development capacity internally, and made great strides in networking with other schools, institutions, companies, and researchers. The administrative team evaluated its own leadership capacity by taking in feedback from the staff through a school survey to assess the administrative team’s effectiveness using the seven leadership dimensions

from the Principal Quality Practice Guidelines.

• We have focused on fostering parent leadership capac-

ity within the school by developing a strategic parent council plan; with the inclusion of a parent involvement development committee; and the ongoing work of the parent survey committee to provide feedback to the stakeholders and school administration from its student family population.

Looking Ahead:

• We hope to continue to build research partnerships • • • •

•

with post-secondary institutions, in particular, the University of Calgary. The work of professional collaborative outreach continues to expand its reach through our External Collaboration Committee that will broaden the capacity of this role for the school. We will continue to broaden the work of AISI so that there are more opportunities to create digital portfolios, and as well, create or have more access to student exemplars and assessment tools and rubrics. We are building professional leadership capacity by embedding professional collaboration time into the timetable and school calendar. We are broadening the school curriculum to include the following programs: learning strategies for focused work on student skills fundamental to their work in inquiry-based programs; fine arts integration programs with an intentional look at how to build fine arts and other subject area integrated units; some time for service learning so that students are actively working to support their community; and as well, to have digital portfolio planning time with students. We hope to have a well-organized and coordinated parent involvement program through the facilitation of a parent volunteer committee as begun through the parent volunteer development committee this past school year. We are developing a framework for exemplary teaching, which will help guide our professional development.

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Inquiry-Based Learning… The Calgary Science School focuses on the way that students learn, and focuses on inquiry-based learning as its philosophical platform. “Inquiry is the dynamic process of being open to wonder and puzzlements and coming to know and understand the world” (Galileo Educational Network, 2004).

requires that students learn to work with facts, numbers and absolutes in a scientific methodology, depending on their course content and curriculum outcomes: 1) observation; 2) hypothesis; 3) experiment; 4) analysis (support or reject hypothesis); 5) new hypothesis; and 6) ongoing experimentation.

Inquiry-based learning is a process where students are involved in their learning, formulate questions, investigate widely and then build new understandings, meanings and knowledge. That knowledge is new to the students and may be used to answer a question, to develop a solution or to support a position or point of view. (Focus on Inquiry, 2004. (http://calgaryscienceschool.blogspot.com/2010/08/what-is-inquiry-

However, the science school also embraces a qualitative methodology that crosscuts disciplines and subject matters. Qualitative research is more interpretive, and, simply put, investigates the “why and how of decision making, not just what, where, and when” (Wikipedia, 2008). When students are participating in qualitative research they are typically 1) participating in the setting of their study; 2) using direct observation; 3) participating in some interview processes; 4) and analyzing documents and materials.

based-learning-student.html)

By learning in this fashion, students develop their critical (convergent) and creative (divergent) thinking skills. The inquiry-based learning model at the Calgary Science School encourages students to be both quantitative and qualitative student researchers, which involves both deductive and inductive reasoning. The science of learning

“Being a student at CSS helps me become a successful learner because we use inquiry based learning. We get to research the certain topics using our laptops. I like this because I can learn more about the subject than was asked about it and find additional details on it.” M.R (7.3)

More specifically, inquiry-based learning at CSS... …allows students to make authentic contributions. Children have so much to offer. They can do so much more than practicing for when they grow up or when they get to a higher grade. …involves students in real problems. Real problems go beyond realistic hypothetical scenarios.

They honor what children have to offer to their world and allow students to take ownership for problems that genuinely matter to them. Evaluation is based on success in the real world, and when students have ownership, they care about those results much more than they care about their marks.

… provides room for student choice. Accepting student choice can resemble many things in the classroom.

It allows them to choose the question; the methods used for problem solving; the manner of representing the solutions; and what they would like to do (if anything) about what they have discovered. If children are given opportunities to create their own successes and to make their own mistakes, they learn how to make responsible decisions.

… is interdisciplinary. Students do experiments in various classrooms because these skills help them to solve larger problems. They do research because they need real answers for real problems. They develop dramatic presentations, write essays, develop PowerPoint presentations, and debate because they have something to say and because they care that their message is heard and understood. They engage in the fine arts to consider the aesthetics of these and other types of representations (art, music, drama and dance). 14

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Framework for Exemplary Teaching A focus of our staff retreat on August 16th 2010, was to have our teachers consider the following question:

“What does exemplary teaching look like at the Calgary Science School?” Teachers brainstormed ideas with support documents such as the Teaching Quality Standard KSA’s, the Calgary Science School goals and our mandate as a charter school. Through this process, we also included school data from some of the measures that we worked with in preparation for the AERR and AISI reports 2010. We felt that it would be a fruitful discussion to have the teachers involved in reflecting on relevant feedback from our educational stakeholders and to consider the data in our collaborative school professional development planning. We referenced the following data or information: 1) Accountability Pillar Survey Results; 2) Calgary Science School Teacher, Student and Parent Surveys: 3) Assessment Quotient (AQ)

Survey 2009; 4) “What Did You Do In School Today?” findings; 5) Galileo Research Report 2010 findings on the Oneto-one work in technology and learner engagement; and 5) school report card data. Themes emerged that surfaced as important categories of consideration when looking at exemplary teaching. As a result, we created school descriptors below capturing the elements of exemplary teaching at CSS which we then categorized into 4 groups: Who we are, What we do. We extended these descriptors to include the student perspective plus a question for teachers’ self reflection. These questions are designed to promote professional development thinking for individual teachers and then for the staff as a whole. In reference to these school-developed descriptors, we want to ask, “What do these descriptors look like in practice?”; and “What would be some strategies for enhancing this work in our effort to achieve what we believe to be exemplary teaching?”

Who We Are: Relationships and School Culture Relationships:

• Teacher: We care for each other and foster a culture of mutual respect among students, staff, parents and other • •

members of the school community. Student: We care for each other and show respect for everyone in this school. Teacher Question: To what extent have you established positive, trusting, respectful relationships in the classroom and with the members of the school community in building a culture of mutual respect?

School Culture

• Teacher: We are a community of innovators and risk-takers. We make our school a great place to be and there is a strong sense that “we are all in this together”.

• Student: We are creative and willing to try new things. We make our school a great place to be and we feel that “we are all in this together”.

• Teacher Question: To what extent is innovation and risk-taking reflected in your teaching practice?

Student and Staff Wellness

• Teacher: We model and promote all facets of personal development (body, mind, heart and spirit). • Student: We develop our minds, bodies, feelings and creative spirit to learn and grow as a whole person. • Teacher Question: To what extent do you feel that you model and promote all facets of personal development (body, mind, heart and spirit)?

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Parents as Partners

• Teacher: We partner with parents and meaningfully involve them in the education of their children. • Student: We include our parents in our learning. • Teacher Question: To what extent do you partner with parents and meaningfully involve them in the education of their children?

Communication

• Teacher: We provide ongoing, varied and transparent communication with all members of the school community. In particular, we listen to and honour the student voice.

• Student: We are heard and respected for openly sharing our thoughts and ideas. • Teacher Question: To what extent do you listen to and honour the student voice?

What We Do: Exemplary Teaching Practices Inquiry-based Practice

• Teacher: We promote learning through a disposition of inquiry that connects learning to real life experiences • •

beyond the classroom. Student: We inquire and explore real-life questions that develop a better understanding of our world. Teacher Question: To what extent do you promote learning through a disposition of inquiry that connects learning to real life experiences beyond the classroom?

Technology Enhanced Learning and Teaching

• Teacher: We are intentional, authentic, and innovative in the use of technology to enhance learning and teaching in an inquiry-based learning environment.

• Student: We use technology to improve our learning and show in different ways what we can do. • Teacher Question: To what extent are you intentional, authentic, and innovative in your use of technology to enhance learning and teaching?

Meaningful Curriculum Implementation

• Teacher: We utilize a variety of teaching strategies to bring the Alberta curriculum to life by planning engaging and authentic learning experiences, within and across subject areas connecting to curriculum outcomes.

• Student: We enjoy our learning because it is real and interesting. • Teacher Question: To what extent do you utilize a variety of teaching strategies to bring the Alberta curriculum to life by planning engaging and authentic learning experiences, within and across subject areas?

Authentic Assessment

• Teacher: We foster excellence and promote success through a variety of assessment strategies designed to pro• •

vide meaningful, ongoing and timely feedback to teachers, students and parents. Student: We know what we need to learn and what we need to do to be our very best. Teacher Question: To what extent do you foster excellence and promote success through a variety of assessment strategies?

Environmental and Outdoor Education

• Teacher: We promote environmental and global awareness to inspire our students to become informed and active • •

citizens. Student: We understand the world outside of our classrooms and have opportunities to make a difference. Teacher Question: To what extent do you promote environmental and global awareness to inspire your students to become informed and active citizens?

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How We Do It: Community of Learners Collaboration

• Teacher: Teaching and learning are enhanced through formal and informal networks of collaboration within and • •

beyond our school. Student: We learn better by learning together. Teacher Question: To what extent do you enhance your teaching and learning practices through formal and informal networks of collaboration within and beyond our school?

Research Focus

• Teacher: Our classrooms are thriving places of active research where teachers and students learn together and • •

from each other. Our teaching practice informs and is informed by current educational practice and research. Student: We are all researchers working with new ideas. Teacher Questions: To what extent is your classroom a thriving place of active research where you and your students learn together and from each other? To what extent is your teaching practice informing and informed by current educational practice and research?

Leadership

• Teacher: As a community we benefit from a strong foundation of supportive, visionary, informed and trustworthy • •

leadership. Student: We are all leaders, sharing our talents and gifts to make a positive difference within the school and beyond. Teacher Question: To what extent do you contribute to the leadership of the school?

Professional Development

• Teacher: Teacher professional growth is fostered through the intentional allocation of time and resources leading responsive, progressive, meaningful, job-embedded and ongoing professional development.

• Student: We benefit from opportunities our teachers have to learn and grow. • Teacher Question: To what extent is your professional growth fostered through the intentional allocation of time and resources leading responsive, progressive, meaningful, job-embedded and ongoing professional development?

Why we do it: Learner Engagement and Success Student Success

• Teacher: We embrace the diversity of learning styles, interests and needs of our students, to develop confidence • •

and ensure every student achieves success. Student: We all learn in different ways and benefit from different teaching approaches that help us be successful and confident. Teacher Question: To what extent do you embrace the diversity of learning styles, interests and needs of your students, to develop confidence and ensure every student achieves success?

Engagement in Learning

• Teacher: We engage students in meaningful, authentic learning activities and foster a community where both teachers and students are passionate and enthusiastic about learning.

• Student: We are excited about learning and being part of a fun, learning community. • Teacher Question: To what extent do you engage students in meaningful, authentic learning activities and foster a community where both teachers and students are passionate and enthusiastic about learning?

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Distributed Leadership Model

Building Broad-based Leadership Capacity with Educators, Students and Parents

Looking Forward

The Calgary Science School endeavors to have a collaborative leadership approach in order to build its broad-based leadership model. There are various initiatives in the school to encourage multiple levels and types of leadership.

• With the facilitation of the school’s new super-

intendent, the administrative leadership team is spending time examining its effectiveness through the lens of the Principles of Quality Practice: Promoting Successful Leadership in Alberta (2009).

• The administrative leadership team is providing

more instructional leadership through the school’s “learning strategies” initiative and, as well, the “examining student work” program where teachers and the school’s leaders (administration, curriculum and other) will work together on unit plans of study to reflect upon them for their effectiveness in bringing about student understanding.

• The school professional collaborative outreach

coordinator is providing leadership to curriculum and grade teams while connecting these teachers internally as well as with external educational resources/teachers/specialists.

• The curriculum leaders are helping their respec-

tive curriculum teams to develop focused goals in order for the teachers to have continuity across the grade levels while considering the supporting pillars of the inquiry based learning model: 1) technology, 2) outdoor education, and 3) learner engagement. They are implementing a “lesson study” approach to examining their practice with support from external organizations such as the Galileo Centre for Leadership in Learning at the University of Calgary.

• The Teachers are networking through various

school goals to develop common planning and marking work together while further enhancing their curriculum goals, and as well their AISI assessment goals: 1) creating rigorous assessment tools; 2) compiling student exemplars; and 3) creating student portfolios with their students.

• Grade 8 students examined the work of 21st cen-

tury schools to try and determine what would be the ideal school for the 21st century learner (see Appendix F). As well, the school’s Grade 9 Leadership course, the Grade 9 Challenge Day and the Girls’ Leadership Initiative developed strategies to help encourage a school climate that is welcoming of new ideas and supports a culture of mutual respect for the school community.

• Parents contribute to the leadership of the

school through various means: Board, council exacutive, ad hoc committees, council committees, and various types of fund-raising initiatives. The parents have become more active in their work with the school and their involvement has strengthened the capacity of the school for innovative initiatives. They have also been part of this Education Plan and AERR process (see Parent Reflections).

“CSS makes me I better learner I fee,l through inquiry. I think that by teaching us to learn ourselves will greatly benefit us in the future.” A.I (7.4) 18

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Calgary Science School Goals GOAL 1

The Calgary Science School engages students in relevant inquiry-based experiences that honor the interdisciplinary nature of knowledge and understanding.

Outcome A Teachers foster inquiry-based learning in their classrooms.

Measure #1 Number of days of collaborative release time teachers spend per grade and per subject on Measure #1 - Number of days of collaborative release time teachers spend per grade and per subject on inquiry-based practice inquiry-based practice Grade # of days Subject Area # of days 4 9 of days of collaborative Math/Science 11.5 spend per grade and per subject on Measure #1 - Number release time teachers inquiry-based practice 5 3 Humanities 18 6 2 Phys. Ed. Grade # of days Subject Area #4 of days 47 94.5 Math/Science 11.5 Fine Arts 13 58 35.5 Humanities 18 69 25.5 Phys. Ed. 4 29.5 7TOTAL 4.5 Fine Arts 13 8Measure #2 - Percent 5.5 of teachers indicating they are advanced in each of the areas on the teacher 9inquiry self-assessment 5.5 rubric Most of the Time Often Total top 2 TOTAL 29.5 Percent of teachers indicating they are advanced in each of the areas on the teacher inquiry selfMeasure #2 - Percent of teachers indicating they are advancedcategories in each of the areas on the teacher assessment rubric 41.7% Authenticity 41.7% 83.4% inquiry self-assessment rubric Academic Rigour Most 44% of the Time Often 44% 88% top 2 Total categories Assessment for 28% 40% 68% Learning Authenticity 41.7% 41.7% 83.4% Connecting with 44% 0% 24% 24% Academic Rigour 44% 88% Expertise for Assessment 28% 40% 68% Life Skills 29.2% 50% 79.2% Learning Elaborated with 0% 20% 64% 84% Connecting 24% 24% Communication Expertise Compassion 40% 40% 80% Life Skills 29.2% 50% 79.2% Active 28% 56% 84% Elaborated 20% 64% 84% Exploration Communication Use of Digital 24% 48% 72% Compassion 40% 40% 80% Technologies Active 28% 56% 84% Exploration Measure #3 – Percent of teachers indicating Use of Digital 24% 48%that their collaborative 72% (release) time was highly effective at fostering inquiry-based learning in their classroom Technologies

Measure #2

Highly effective Measure #3 – Percent teachers indicating that their collaborative (release) time was highly effective at Measure # 3of36% Effective inquiry-based44% fostering learningthat in their classroom Percent of teachers indicating their collaborative (release) time was highly effective at fos tering inquiry-based learning in their classroom Highly effective 36% Effective 44% Highly Effective: 36% Effective: 44%

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Outcome B

Student learning is improved through regular involvement in relevant inquiry-based experiences. Measure #1 – level of authentic engagement of students Measure #1 – level of authentic engagement of students level of authentic engagement of students Disengaged Ritualistic Academically Disengaged Ritualistic Compliance Academically Engaged Compliance Engaged Math/Science 2.9% 17.9% 52.8% Math/Science Humanities 2.9% 4.4% 17.9% 20.3% 52.8% 50.4% Humanities 20.3% 50.4% Physical Education 4.4% 8.2% 33.8% Physical Fine ArtsEducation 5.9% 4.4% 8.2% 26.8% 33.8% 40.8% Fine Artsfrom 2009-2010 5.9% 26.8% 40.8% Results annual student survey. Results from 2009-2010 annual Results from 2009-2010 annual studentstudent survey. survey Disengaged Ritualistic Academically Disengaged Ritualistic Compliance Academically Engaged Math 0% Compliance 16.7% Engaged 58.3% Math 16.7% 58.3% Science 0% 8.3% 50% Science Arts Language 0% 8.3% 8.3%% 50% 83.3% Language Arts 8.3%% 83.3% Social Studies 0% 18.2% 36.4% Social Studies Physical Education 0% 18.2% 0% 36.4% 75% Physical Education 0% 0% 75% Music 33.3% 66.7% Music Band 0% 33.3% 50% 66.7% 50% Band 0% 50% 50% Art 0% 0% Art Dance 0% 50% 0% 0% Dance 50% 0% 0% Drama 0% 33.3% 66.7% Results from 2009-2010 teacher self assessment Drama from Results 2009-2010 0%teacher inquiryinquiry self33.3% assessment survey. 66.7%survey. Results from 2009-2010 teacher inquiry self assessment survey.

Measure #1

Intellectually Engaged Intellectually Engaged 26.5% 24.9% 26.5% 24.9% 53.7% 26.4% 53.7% 26.4% Intellectually Intellectually Engaged Engaged 25% 25% 41.7% 41.7% 8.3% 8.3% 45.5% 45.5% 25% 25% 0% 0% 0% 100% 100% 50% 50% 0% 0%

Outcome C

Students attain high standards of prescribed curriculum outcomes in a rich and challenging environment.

Measure #1 of student learning artifacts that demonstrate the highest level of Measure #1 - Percentage

Percentage of student learning artifacts that demonstrate the highest level of achievement achievement % of students achieving a 4 in % of students achieving math & science a 4 in humanities Grade 4 22.5% 18.5% Grade 5 21.5% 36% Grade 6 39% 50% Grade 7 50..5% 46% Grade 8 49% 42% Grade 9 42% 43.5% The knowledge and skills marks from the students’ term 3 report cards is representative of the level achievement of the students. The of knowledge and skills marks from the students’ term 3 report cards is representative of the level of Strategies: achievement of the students. • Continue to define the roles and responsibilities of the Professional Development Collaborative Outreach Coordinator position in assisting teachers to working with inquiry and technology integration • leverage AISI to allow release time for teacher collaboration • teachers and administrators utilize classroom observation tools to assist in measuring level of student engagement and degree of authenticity of tasks • teachers regularly meet in grade teams and share student artifacts to develop consistent understanding of excellence in inquiry • teachers utilize technology to collaborate with each other, with students, and with parents (e.g. wiki/blogs, google docs, other web 2.0 tools) • every PD/Planning day has a focus on student learning and development, not just teaching • work with external educational consultants to further our work with inquiry (e.g. Galileo Educational Network, The Thinking Consortium, Writers in Residence, Apple Canada, etc.)

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GOAL 2

Reciprocal learning between teachers and students will occur through the effective implementation of ubiquitous access to laptops in the One-to-One Computing Project initiated in 2006/2007, expanded in 2007/2008, and implemented school wide in 2008/2009.

Outcome A

In the context of the school’s vision for inquiry and technology, clear processes and procedures for implementing and sustaining the personalized learning initiative will be established to ensure a strong culture of use.

Measure #1

Number of release days used to address technology integration. Data Unavailable

Outcome B

As the personalized learning initiative continues to grow and expand, more intentional processes and protocols for teacher professional development that build a strong professional learning community as well as responsive personalized learning opportunities will be implemented.

Measure #1

The number and variety of breakout group sessions offered on PD days. Measure #1 - The number and variety of breakout offered ontoPDfocus days.more on Data Unavailable – structure and format for group our PDsessions days changed staff as a whole Datadevelopment Unavailable – structure and format for our PD days changed to focus more on staff development as a whole.

Measure # 2

Level of teacher collaboration (self assessment) Measure #2 – Level of teacher collaboration (self assessment) Beginning Developing Proficient Dialogue 10% 43.3% 46.7% Action 3.3% 43.3% 53.3% Evaluation 23.3% 53.3% 23.3% Results based on Teacher Collaboration Assessment Rubric – see a copy Results based on Teacher Collaboration Assessment appendix Rubric –for see appendix for a copy Measure #3 – Percentage Measure # 3 of teacher professional growth plans addressing technology integration

Outcome C

85% of teachers included technologygrowth as an explicit for improvement in their goals on their Percentage of teacher professional plansfocus addressing technology integration 85% of teachers included as an explicit focus for improvement in their teacher professional growth technology plans goals on their teacher professional growth plans

There will be greater use of online, collaborative knowledge building environments within the personalized learning initiative.

Measure # 1

Percentage students who use email weband/or 2.0 tools and communicate with Measure #1 of – Percentage of students whoand/or use email webto 2.0collaborate tools to collaborate and teachers and fellow students communicate with teachers and fellow students use online online tools such as wikis, blogs, google docs, flickr, or other web tools to 2.0 tools “I“Iuse tools such as wikis, blogs, google docs,youtube, flickr, youtube, or 2.0 other web tocommunicate communicate and/or collaborate with teachers and fellow students.” and/or collaborate with teachers and fellow students.” Very Often Very Often: 36% Often 35.6% 44% 36% Often: “How doyou youuse use interactive and collaborative spaces such as myspace.com, “How often often do interactive and collaborative InternetInternet spaces such as myspace.com, del.icio.us, or del.icio.us, or youtube?” youtube?” Almost every day A few times each Between Less than never week once/week and once/month once/month 45.2% 21.7% 11.9% 8.5% 12.7%

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Outcome D Feedback loops and processes will be established so that evidence-based decisions can continue to inform and drive the personalized learning initiative.

Measure # 1 Number managing their showcase Measureof#1students – Number of students managing theirportfolios showcase digitally. portfolios digitally. Very Often Often Neutral Not Often Not at all 22.1% 33.7% 22.8% 13.7% 7.8% Measure #1 – Number of students managing their showcase portfolios digitally. Very Often Often Neutral Noton Often at all Measure #2 –– Number Percentage of teachers indicating they are advanced the assessmentNot for learning area Measure #1 of students managing their showcase portfolios digitally. 22.1% 33.7% 22.8% 13.7% 7.8% of the teacher inquiry self assessment Very Often Often Neutral Not Often Not at all Percentage of teachers indicating they are advanced on the assessment for learning area of the “How frequently have you engaged your students to high-level tasks, as 22.1% 33.7% 22.8% in work that contributed 13.7% 7.8% teacher inquiry self assessment Measure #2the – Percentage of teachers indicating they are advanced on the assessment learning area defined by criteria in our inquiry rubric?” – (specifically the assessment for learningfor criterion) “How frequently have you engaged your students in work that contributed to high-level of the teacher inquiry self assessment Most of the Time Often About half the Occasionally Seldom Measure #2 – Percentage of teachers indicating they are advanced on the assessment for learning area tasks, defined by self the criteria ourstudents inquiryinrubric?” (specifically the assessment Time “How frequently have youassessment engagedin your work that–contributed to high-level tasks, asfor of the as teacher inquiry learning criterion) defined by the criteria in our inquiry rubric?” – (specifically the assessment for learning criterion) 28% frequently have40% 24% in work that contributed 4% 4%tasks, as “How you engaged your students to high-level Most of by thethe Time About half the the assessment Occasionally defined criteriaOften in our inquiry rubric?” – (specifically for learningSeldom criterion) Timethey Measure #3 Time – Percentage of students reporting opportunities to refine and improve Most of the Often About halfhave the multiple Occasionally Seldom 28% 40% 24% 4% 4% their work Time Very Often Often Neutral Not Often Not at all 28% 40% 24% 4% 4% Measure of students reporting they have multiple opportunities to refine 32.7% #3 – Percentage 43.5% 16.6% 4.5% 2.6%and improve their work Measure #3 – Percentage of students reporting they have multiple opportunities to refine and improve Percentage of students reporting they have multiple opportunities to refine and improve their work Very work Often Often Neutral Not Often Not at all their 32.7% 43.5% 16.6% 4.5%Often 2.6%at all Very Often Often Neutral Not Not 32.7% 43.5% 16.6% 4.5% 2.6%

Measure # 2

Measure # 3

Outcome E

Research on the impact of the personalized learning initiative will continue to be an ongoing part of the program.

Measure # 1 Effectiveness of the personalized learning initiative as measured by the Galileo Educational Network in their annual research report of the personalized learning initiative

Strategies: • continue to provide the support of an Educational Technologist to support teachers’ work with technology integration

• leverage AISI to allow release time for teacher collaboration • contract Galileo Educational Network to continue with the longitudinal study of our personalized learning initia• • • •

tive maintain a consistent focus for PD on assessment hold 2 staff retreats per year to focus on strengthening our collaborative culture develop digital portfolios for students structure PD/Planning Days to include grade level team collaboration time

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GOAL 3

Students will be authentically engaged in their learning.

Outcome A Students will participate in outdoor educational opportunities to further enhance and support the educational experiences in their classrooms.

Measure #1

Measureof #1field – Number of field trips per per grade Number trips per student perstudent grade each year each year Full or Half Day Trips Multi-day Trips Measure Grade 4 #1 – Number of field 3 trips per student per grade 2 – 32each days,year 23 nights (Southern Alberta History Tour) & 3 days, Full or Half Day Trips Multi-day Trips 2 nights (Camp Sweet) Grade 4 3 days,23nights nights(Camp (Southern Alberta History 5 2 2 –- 32days, Sweet) & 4 days, 3 Tour) &(Fort 3 days, 2 nights (Camp Sweet) nights Steele) Measure #1 – Number of field trips per student per grade each year 6 4 2 - 3 days, 2 nights (Camp Sweet) & 4 3 days, Days, 32 Grade 5 2 Full or Half Day Trips Multi-day Trips nights (Winter Camp) (Fort Steele) Grade 34 22 –- 32 days, days, 23 nights nights (Camp (Southern Alberta History Grade 46 Sweet) &3 7 5 4 Days, days, 32 Tour) & 3 days, 2 nights (Camp Sweet) nights (Fort (Winter Camp) Steele) Grade 5 2 2 3 days, 2 nights 8 3 2 - 3 days, 2 nights (Camp Grade 7 5 (Camp Sweet) Sweet) && 44 days, days, 33 nights (Fort Steele) nights (Northern Alberta Tour) (Fort Steele) Grade 43 2 -- 33 days, 2 nights (Camp Sweet) && 34 Days, Grade 68 (CampSweet) Sweet)& days,52 3nights 9 5 2 – 2days, days,21nights night (Camp 6 days, nights (Winter Camp) nights (Northern (Bamfield Marine Alberta SciencesTour) Centre) Grade 521 20 (Camp Sweet) Sweet) & & 64 days, days, 53 nights Partial79Grades or Grade 5 2 -–32days, days,21nights night (Camp nights (Fort Steele) Classes (e.g. electives or (Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre) Grade 8Grades 321 20 - 3 days, 2 nights (Camp Sweet) & 4 days, 3 fine arts groups) Partial or nights (Northern Alberta Tour) Classes (e.g. electives or Grade 9 5 – 2 days, 1 night (Camp Sweet) & 6 days, 5 nights fine arts groups) Measure #2 – Number of field trips addressing each of2 the curricular areas (Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre) Primary Curricular Area Number of Trips Partial Grades or trips addressing 21 trips each Number of#2field of theeach curricular areas. areas Measure – Number of field addressing of0 the curricular Addressed Classes (e.g. electives or Math/Science 23 Primary Curricular Area Number of Trips fine arts groups) Addressed Humanities 23 Math/Science 23 Physical Education 11 Measure #2 – Number of field trips addressing each of the curricular areas Humanities 23 Fine Arts 8 Primary Curricular Area Number of Trips Physical Education 11 Other (e.g. Health) 2 Addressed Fine 8 full, half, and multi-day field trips. Note:Arts above numbers include Math/Science 23 Other (e.g. Health) 2 Humanities 23 Note: above numbers include full, half,who andindicate multi-day field trips. Measure #3 – Percentage of students they understand the connection between their Note: above numbers include Physical Education 11 full, half, and multi-day field trips. outdoor education experiences to the classroom learning priorities (Alberta Education outcomes) Fine Arts 8 “I understand and see howofthe learning weindicate do in the classroom is connected to the learning do on Measure #3 – Percentage students who they understand the connection betweenwe their Other (e.g. Health) 2 experiences.”to the classroom learning priorities (Alberta Education outcomes) outdoor education experiences Note: above numbers include half, and field trips. “I understand thefull, learning we multi-day do in the classroom learning we do on Strongly Agreeand see howAgree Neutral is connected to the Disagree/Strongly Percentage of students who indicate they understand the connection between their outdoor outdoor education experiences.” Disagree education experiences toofthe classroom learningthey priorities (Alberta Education outcomes) Measure – Percentage students who indicate understand the connection between their 40.7% #3 43.6% 11.9% 3.8% Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree/Strongly outdoor education experiences to the classroom learning priorities (Alberta Education outcomes) Disagree understand and “I“Iunderstand andsee see how learning the classroom is connected to the how thethe learning we dowe in do thein classroom is connected to the learning welearning do on 40.7% 43.6% 11.9% 3.8% we do oneducation outdoor experiences.” education experiences.” outdoor Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree/Strongly Disagree 40.7% 43.6% 11.9% 3.8%

Measure #2

Measure # 3

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Outcome B

This authentic educational engagement (within and outside of the school) will promote collaborative connections (educationally and professionally) within the invested educational and research communities (students, parents, teachers, professional support and researchers).

Measure #1

Percentage students who indicatewho they frequently get feedback from experts to improve Measure #1of – Percentage of students indicate they frequently get feedback from experts to the quality ofthe their workof their work improve quality Measure #1 – Percentage of students who indicate they frequently get feedback from experts to Very Often Neutral Not Often Not at All improve the quality ofOften their work 9.5% 18.2% 27.5% 21.2% 23.7% Very Often Often Neutral Not Often Not at All 9.5%

18.2%

27.5%

21.2%

23.7%

Measure #2 – Percentage Measure # 2 of teachers who indicate they frequently access expertise ass part of the

inquiry Percentage teachers who indicatewho they frequently access expertise ass part ass of the Measureprocess #2of – Percentage of teachers indicate they frequently access expertise partinquiry of the process “How frequently have you engaged your students in work that contributed to high-level tasks, as inquiry process have you engaged your students in work that contributed to high-level “How frequently tasks, defined by the criteria in our inquiry rubric?” – (specifically the assessment for learning criterion) frequently have you engaged your students in work that contributed to high-levelfor tasks, as as“How defined by the criteria in our inquiry rubric?” (specifically the assessment learning criteMost of the Time About Half the the assessment Occasionally rion) defined by the criteriaOften in our inquiry rubric?” – (specifically for learningSeldom criterion) Time Most of the Time Often About Half the Occasionally Seldom 0% 24% 20% 52% 4% Time 0% 24% 20% 52% Measure #3 – Effectiveness of various forms of professional collaborative outreach

Measure #3 – Effectiveness Measure # 3 of various forms of professional collaborative outreach Effectiveness of various forms of professional collaborative outreach Number of Student Teachers at CSS Number of presentations (including webinars) given by CSS staff outside of CSS Number of school visits (including digitally through Skype) hosted by CSS Number of blog posts on CSS Outreach Blog (Connect!) Number of people directly contacted through CSS Outreach activities Number of hits on CSS on CSS Outreach Blog (Connect!) Number of schools/organizations working with CSS

14 (8 University of Calgary + 6 Mount Royal University) 40 (full list in Appendix G) 26 (full list in Appendix G) 88 Blog Posts Over 1300 10,000+ Visits 22,000+Page Views 31 (full list in Appendix H)

* Sample Feedback about CSS Collaborative Outreach Initiative (additional Feedback is found in Appendix H):

“This was one of the best PD experiences I have had the pleasure of attending. The Calgary Science School was so willing to share and collaborate with all the information and materials they have. Watching students work and collaborate with the technology was just mind boggling. It’s fantastic to find a school and staff members whose mandate it is to collaborate and share all their expertise and materials. The Calgary Science School has even offered to assist with our PD next year.” CBE teacher “It was extremely helpful to go into classrooms and see how technology and inquiry based learning was being utilized. This knowledge and experience gives me the ability to talk to classroom teachers in my cohort to discuss how they could implement these ideas into their own teaching practices while giving examples of how it can work.” AISI Learning Leader

Strategies: • Include the role of the Professional Development Collaborative Outreach Coordinator the responsibility for developing instruments to measure the impact of our professional collaborative outreach efforts

• retain the services of an outdoor education specialist to assist in planning and implementing outdoor education activities

• annually audit overnight educational excursions to assess effectiveness in meeting curricular outcomes • organize a parent conference for the Fall of each year • develop an annual parent survey to get feedback specific to CSS goals and objectives

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Provincial goals, outcomes, measures, strategies Goal Four:

High Quality Learning Opportunities

Outcome:

Schools environments are safe and caring. Results (in percentages)

Performance Measure

Evaluation

Targets²

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Achievement Improvement Overall

Percentage of teacher, parent and student agreement that: students are safe at school, are learning the importance of caring for others, are learning respect for others and are treated fairly in school.

90.1 91.0 90.1 92.4 92.5

Very High

Maintained

2011 2012 2013

Excellent

Breakdown of School Results 2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Overall

90.1

91.0

90.1

92.4

92.5

Teacher

96.8

97.2

95.0

96.0

96.4

Parent

94.3

92.3

92.2

94.6

95.3

Student

79.3

83.4

83.2

86.7

85.9

Outcome: The education system meets the needs of all K–12 students and supports our society and the economy. Results (in percentages)

Performance Measure

Evaluation

Targets

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Achievement Improvement Overall 2011 2012 2013 Percentage of teachers, parents and students satisfied with the opportunity for students to receive a broad 82.7 76.5 80.2 78.7 80.5 High Maintained Good program of studies including fine arts, career, technology, and health and physical education. Percentage of teachers, parents and students satisfied 95.0 95.4 94.4 96.5 96.2 Very High Maintained Excellent with the overall quality of basic education. Breakdown of School Results – satisfaction with the opportunity to receive a broad program of studies… 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Breakdown of School Results – satisfied with the overall quality of basic education 2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Overall

82.7

76.5

80.2

78.7

80.5

Overall

95.0

95.4

94.4

96.5

96.2

Teacher

93.4

88.7

93.7

85.9

86.1

Teacher

98.2

98.9

99.0

100.0

99.4

Parent

84.5

82.5

79.3

82.6

83.2

Parent

93.4

93.0

91.6

95.2

94.2

Student

70.1

58.2

67.6

67.5

72.2

Student

93.5

94.4

92.7

94.3

95.0

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Outcome:

Children and youth with at risk factors have their needs addressed through timely and effective programs and supports. Performance Measure Drop Out Rate - annual dropout rate of students aged 14 to 18

Results (in percentages)

Evaluation

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Achievement Improvement 2.7

2.5

0.0

2.9

0.0

Very High

Improved

Targets Overall 2011 2012 2013 Excellent

Outcome: High school completion rates are showing continual improvement. [No Data for High School Completion Rate]

Strategies: Diverse Program • Provide opportunities to recognize and celebrate the cultural diversity that exists within our school community (e.g. Peace Festival, Summer Solstice Celebration etc.) • Maintain Global Education program for all grade 9 students. • Continue to allow program choice by offering diverse electives in Grades 6 to 9. • Collect information from students’ surveys regarding student satisfaction with their access to equitable and diversified learning experiences at CSS. • Maintain a minimum gender ratio of 1:2, girls to boys Student Services • Utilize the guidance and student health and safety policies and procedures in addressing the needs of the school community. • Continue the development of a counseling and guidance program to address the needs of the school community. • Ensure that referrals are made to the Student Health Initiative when necessary and appropriate. • Student-led Health Committee formed to promote awareness of healthy living. Access to Services • Continue to make bursaries available to anyone with demonstrated need. • Adapt school and program to allow universal access to activities for students with medical or physical conditions. • Continue tracking numbers, gender and grade level of students participating in voluntary enrichment activities. • Ensure staff is informed of the processes regarding allocation and utilization of budget monies in order to provide high quality learning opportunities for all. Student Leadership • Actively seek student voice whenever appropriate; further develop processes to involve students in decisionmaking • Continue student leadership initiatives at all grades. • Maintain leadership program for all Grade 9 students. Information Technology • Continue to employ a full time educational technologist to help effectively utilize the state of the art technology in the school in support of student learning. • Implement 1:1 computing program school wide. • Explore the use of assistive and adaptive technologies. • Continue working with students and parents to engage in Internet safety related discussions.

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Goal Five:

Excellence in Student Learning Outcomes

Outcome:

Students demonstrate high standards in learner outcomes. Performance Measure Overall percentage of students in Grades 3, 6 and 9 who achieved the acceptable standard on provincial achievement tests. Overall percentage of students in Grades 3, 6 and 9 who achieved the standard of excellence on provincial achievement tests. Overall percentage of students who achieved the acceptable standard on diploma examinations. Overall percentage of students who achieved the standard of excellence on diploma examinations. Performance Measure Percentage of students writing four or more diploma exams within three years of entering Grade 10. Percentage of Grade 12 students eligible for a Rutherford Scholarship.

Results (in percentages)

Evaluation

Targets

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Achievement Improvement

Overall 2011 2012 2013

96.3 96.0 95.7 96.7 98.5

Very High

Improved

Excellent

47.3 52.5 38.4 49.2 45.5

Very High

Maintained

Excellent

n/a

Results (in percentages)

Evaluation

Targets

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Achievement Improvement Overall 2011 2012 2013 n/a

n/a

Notes: Aggregated PAT results are based upon a weighted average of percent meeting standards (Acceptable, Excellence). The weights are the number of students enrolled in each course. Courses included: English Language Arts (Grades 3, 6, 9), Science (Grades 6, 9), French Language Arts (Grades 6, 9), Franรงais (Grades 6, 9). The percentages achieving the acceptable standard include the percentages achieving the standard of excellence.

Outcome:

Students are well prepared for lifelong learning. [No Data for High School to Post-Secondary Transition Rate]

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Outcome:

Students are well prepared for employment Results (in percentages)

Performance Measure

Evaluation

Targets

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Achievement Improvement

Percentages of teachers and parents who agree that students are taught attitudes and behaviours that will make them successful at work when they finish school.

84.4 87.6 92.9 90.3 93.0

Very High

Overall 2011 2012 2013

Improved

Excellent

Breakdown of School Results 2006

2007

2008

2009

Overall

84.4

87.6

92.9

90.3

2010 93.0

Teacher

89.5

92.9

100.0

96.0

100.0

Parent

79.4

82.3

85.8

84.6

85.9

Outcome:

Students model the characteristics of active citizenship Results (in percentages)

Performance Measure

Evaluation

Targets

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Achievement Improvement

Percentages of teachers, parents and students who are satisfied that students model the characteristics of active citizenship.

85.8 87.2 85.1 87.0 90.1

Very High

Improved Significantly

Overall 2011 2012 2013 Excellent

Breakdown of School Results 2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Overall

85.8

87.2

85.1

87.0

90.1

Teacher

98.9

96.6

93.8

95.2

98.6

Parent

88.8

90.9

88.3

90.1

92.4

Student

69.7

74.2

73.2

75.9

79.3

Strategies:

See strategies from Goal 1

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Goal Six:

Success for First Nations, Metis, and Inuit (FNMI) Students

Outcome:

Key learning outcomes for FNMI students improve. [No Data for this Goal, we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have any self-declared FNMI students]

Strategies: continue the use of inquiry-based practice to meet individual studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; learning needs utilize computer assistive technologies to address students learning needs - provide professional development support for teachers regarding differentiated instruction

Goal Seven:

Highly Responsive and Responsible Jurisdiction

Outcome:

The jurisdiction demonstrates effective working relationships Results (in percentages)

Performance Measure

Evaluation

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Achievement Improvement

Percentage of teachers and parents satisfied with parental involvement in decisions about their child's education.

91.4 88.9 86.2 85.9 87.6

Very High

Maintained

Targets Overall 2011 2012 2013 Excellent

Breakdown of School Results 2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Overall

91.4

88.9

86.2

85.9

87.6

Teacher

100.0

99.3

96.9

93.5

94.3

Parent

82.8

78.5

75.6

78.3

81.0

Outcome:

The jurisdiction demonstrates leadership, innovation and continuous improvement. Performance Measure

Results (in percentages)

Evaluation

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Achievement Improvement

Percentages of teachers, parents and students indicating that their school and 86.3 88.5 82.4 87.9 86.6 schools in their jurisdiction have improved or stayed the same the last three years.

Very High

Maintained

Targets Overall 2011 2012 2013

Excellent

Breakdown of School Results 2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Overall

86.3

88.5

82.4

87.9

86.6

Teacher

84.2

89.7

80.0

87.0

79.2

Parent

90.9

90.0

84.4

89.8

93.3

Student

83.9

86.0

82.9

86.9

87.4

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Provincial Achievement Test Results and Analysis CSS Acceptable CSS Excellence

Province Acceptable Province Excellence

Grade 6 Math 100

100

99 87

Grade 6 Science

56 48

31 17

25 18

54 50

100

0 05/06

06/07

07/08

08/09

09/10

05/06

06/07

07/08

08/09

09/10

09/10 Math. PAT results are unavailable

Grade 6 LA 100 100

99 90

99 91

Grade 6 Social Studies 99 91

100

99 92

100

97 87

79 75

52 50

36 22

38 21

40 26

27 19

0 05/06

06/07

07/08

08/09

09/10

05/06

06/07

07/08

08/09

09/10

08/09 S.S. PAT results are unavailable

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Provincial Achievement Test Results and Analysis

Grade 9 Math 100

96 77

100

Grade 9 Science

60 53

25 20

39 22 15

0 05/06

06/07

07/08

08/09

09/10

05/06

06/07

07/08

08/09

09/10

09/10 Math. PAT results are unavailable

Grade 9 LA 100

98 88

100

Grade 9 Social Studies

75 56

50 50

100

39 16

37 17

55 43 22

0 05/06

06/07

07/08

08/09

09/10

05/06

06/07

07/08

08/09

09/10

08/09 S.S. PAT results are unavailable

OVERALL RESULTS 100

97 77

96 76

75 52 50

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Looking Back and Thinking forward : Humanities Overview: Students and teachers in humanities (blended ELA and social studies) collaborate to develop critical and empathic responses to important issues affecting local and global communities. As they engage with colleagues and others outside the school community, students develop experiences in diverse communications strategies that help them to appreciate diverse perspectives, as well as to communicate their ideas in compelling ways.

Snapshots of Canada in the 20th & 21st Century project, and a digital scrapbook timeline project called Conquest and Consequences. Blogs were used throughout the grades for self-evaluation and reflection during the learning process as well as with final products. Exploring different technologies and choosing the appropriate tools will continue to be a focus in humanities.

The “Appropriate Use of Digital Technologies” section of the Inquiry Rubric (see appendix B) was one of our foci this past year, with the one-to-one program increasing the opportunities for every grade to be engaged in the process of selecting appropriate technologies within inquiry projects. Grade 5 students worked on a very successful Canadian historical project titled Canada: Our Story. (http://

“Connecting with Experts”, another section of the Inquiry Rubric, was selected as a focus by the humanities team. The powerful Writer-in-Residence program with Lyle Weiss, which only grade 9’s experienced the previous year, expanded to include all grades this year, courtesy of an Alberta Foundation for the Arts grant. An expert from the community was brought in during the “Sustainable Communities Project” with grade 4 classes. This set the stage for a revised version of this project next year. (http://

calgaryscienceschool.blogspot.com/2010/02/historical-ditigal-storytelling. html)

calgaryscienceschool.blogspot.com/2010/01/grade-4-regions-project-outline.html)

Students in grade 4 developed their research and presentation skills and knowledge within two major projects, implemented in an integrated humanities and science activity. One had a science focus, and culminated with the CSS Science Fair in February; the other had a social studies focus, and was highlighted during the CSS Summer Solstice event in June. Grade 7 classes worked on a project called

A highlight of the goal to connect with experts was done effectively this year by bringing in Dr. Jackie Ottman, from the University of Calgary, an expert in Aboriginal Studies, who offered workshop sessions aimed at reflecting on, and expanding, teachers’ understanding of the perspectives of First Nations Peoples. The idea has been to impact and strengthen teachers’ understanding, which will

Looking Back:

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impact how the First Nations perspectives are taught in the Humanities classrooms. Effective collaboration, increased inquiry-focused learning, and appropriate use of technology in the grade 8 humanities classes, were all very successful this year, highlights of which were the Essence of Me project, and a Renaissance unit that examined the possibility of Calgary being a Renaissance city. The four grade 8 classes worked together on a final unit of inquiry, imagining what education should look like in the future. Experts were engaged with at least five different units, with more than twenty experts accessed during the Renaissance unit. (http:// calgaryscienceschool.blogspot.com/2010/03/grade-8-renaissance-debates.html)

Looking Forward:

The Humanities team is planning on continuing and building upon work already accomplished in the previous year. Specifically, in the area of “Connecting with Experts”, an author of Canadian historical fiction will be working with both grade 4 and 5 classes in the writing domain. Further work in this area also includes how to move forward from what was accomplished during our professional development planning day sessions with Dr. Ottmann, where we examined teachers’ understandings around First Nations perspectives. How can we be more deliberate in regards to First Nations’ perspectives embedded in the social studies outcomes, and how can we best bring this into the classroom? One of the goals agreed upon last year, i.e. a focus on student writing skills, will be revisited this year. There was little professional development time available to fully develop and implement a plan to focus on teaching strategies for the writing outcomes from the ELA Program of Studies. This may include further study of the “6 +1 Writing Traits” program some teachers already use in their classrooms, and/or the development of a bank of student exemplars for each grade level. A common language and methodology is recognized as a way to strengthen students’ writing skills in grades 4-9. Continued discussions around how to improve students strategies in reading and listening are also ongoing, some of which may be incorporated into the new schoolwide learning strategies program.

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Mathematics/Science Overview:

Looking Back:

The science and math team continue to be actively involved in the One-to-One project, as 2009-2010 was the first year that the project went school-wide. Increased access to technology provides a powerful tool through which to explore the scientific world. Our goal this year was to use this unprecedented access to technology to inquire into the various scientific concepts from grades 4 to 9 in innovative ways. Students responded by producing unique demonstrations of learning in projects such as the CSS: Food or Fuel, the WHERE Challenge and in schoolwide Science Fair event. (http://calgaryscienceschool.blogspot.

The One-to-One Program at CSS has allowed our students the ability to explore concepts on a much deeper level than would be otherwise possible. The use of Blogs and Wikis allow our teachers and students to give each other constant feedback throughout the various inquiry projects they undertake. Projects such as the QUEST Science Fair in grade 4 or the Biofuel: Food versus Fuel Project in grade 9.

Teaching math through inquiry was the focus throughout this year. To help us in this endeavor, we worked with the Galileo Education Network on a lesson study where we opened our classrooms to fellow staff members to help provide feedback on various classroom activities and approaches. Our work last year is now a foundation upon which we will continue to build and expand upon in the years to come.

The math and science team has continued to focus on offering our students real-world and authentic learning experiences as a way of enhancing the learning that is fostered within our classrooms. We have continued to utilize our outdoor education program to this end, whether it is the Southern Alberta Tour or Snowshoe Trip at grade 4, Fort Steele Historical Lab at Grade 5 and 7, Winter Camp at Grade 6, the Northern Alberta Tour at Grade 8 or the Bamfield Marine Science Centre at grade 9. These experiences are meant to help bring life to learning and learning to life, which is an integral part of our philosophy at CSS.

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We continued to host a school wide Science Fair aimed at involving more of our junior high students. These numbers have steadily increased and our students met with great success at the citywide level. Two of our grade 9 students were selected to represent Alberta at the National Jr. High Science Fair where they won several awards and scholarships for the project they called: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Stevia: a Sugar Substitute with Benefitsâ&#x20AC;?. The science and math team attended a wide range of professional development opportunities throughout the year ranging from the Calgary Regional Consortium workshops to the ATA Science and Global Education and Outdoor Education Council Conferences. As well, we continued to connect with experts from the University of Calgary, Mount Royal College, the Galileo Education Network and others in the Calgary community.

Throughout this past year, our math/science team has embarked upon a Lesson study that focused on proportional representation. This gave the staff at CSS the ability to undertake the very inquiry approach we ask our students to use, to help explore a concept that is essential to developing a strong numerical understanding in mathematics. This whole team approach to improving student understanding and learning is an essential part of life at CSS. Our lesson study created a strong professional learning community within the staff where we had the opportunity to examine student artifacts, look for evidence of strong understanding as well as identify common misconceptions or conceptual gaps on a grade specific basis. This was accomplished by video taping lessons and classrooms discussions, posting them on a Wiki and then presenting them to the group. By making our practice public in this manner, we had the opportunity to reflect on our own teaching style and practices and examine the impact it had on student learning. This process was an invaluable part of our professional development this year.

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Looking Forward: As we move forward, the math and science team will continue to offer our students an authentic and hands-on approach to learning math and science in real-world settings. We are continually looking for ways to use technology in our classrooms and labs to enhance the learning environment. The grade 8 team will continue to use simulations programs to facilitate their exploration of Simple Machines, (http://calgaryscienceschool.blogspot.com/2010/06/virtual-machines-finalprojects.html) the grade 5 and grade 9 teams will continue to use new Vernier probes to enhance their exploration of wetlands and environmental chemistry. (http://calgaryscienceschool. blogspot.com/2010/04/grade-5-science-in-wetlands.html) The math and science team will continue their lesson study with a focus on proportional and graphical representation. This cohesive approach to professional development helps facilitate

collaboration within the team, which is also very important to the staff at CSS. We will begin this process by examining our own curriculum for specific outcomes related to proportional thinking and begin to create a scope and sequence document for our math program from grade 4 through 9. We will then research and share possible word problems and questions to the team that we want to present to our classes. We will use these illustrative examples from each grade level in our team sharing sessions to look for evidence of strong understanding as well to develop a more cohesive understanding of our report card rubric, specifically in terms of math knowledge and skill, inquiry and communication.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;CSS has hands on experiments. The laptops are a great way of researching learning through in quiry has improved my marks because it gets me thinking about the real world.â&#x20AC;? Anonymous (7.3)

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“Physical Education gets you active and it’s a good break from other classes where you might be sitting.” Mitchell B.

Physical Education Overview: Physical education focuses on creating a holistic and lifelong learning program. Teachers and students work together to build self-confidence through various authentic inquiry-based practices that allow students to engage their minds and bodies in creative and critical learning experiences. Students also participate in field trips, offsite PE activities, tournaments, and dance performances to learn develop cooperative skills and strategies, and extend their learning beyond school walls.

Looking Back: The year started out with a new assessment rubric designed to reflect the core values of our program. The three concepts assessed are: enhancing and supporting community, contribution and responsibility (including portfolio contribution), and skill acquisition (improvement in skills and attitude toward learning). The focus was primarily on “do-it-daily” approach from the curriculum guide. (http://calgaryscienceschool.blogspot.com/2009/09/building-inquiry-intophysical.html)

Portfolios have been incorporated into our program to capture reflections on students’ daily activities, and to inspire students to improve along a continuum of healthy living. Portfolios provide an alternative method of report-

ing, and a motivation for daily healthy living. The off-site activities and field trips offer opportunities for inquirybased and life-long learning. Activities such as paddling, hiking, tennis, curling and biking are activities students can do throughout their lives. Our physical education program is designed to make each unit enjoyable while ensuring students learn the appropriate rules, techniques and strategies transferrable to outside school. (http://calgaryscienceschool.blogspot.com/2010/04/inquiry-assessment-and-technology-in.html)

Looking Forward: The focus for the next few years is to continue to create more inquiry-based units and increase the authenticity of students’ offsite experiences. We will continue to use portfolio assessment, as it significantly contributes to lifelong learning and love of sport. We also hope to bring in more role models to inspire and motivate the students in our physical education classes.

“I enjoyed having a variety of kids with various sport backgrounds all on one team.” Ross C. - Senior Basketball Team Back to Table of Contents

Fine Arts

Music/Band Overview: At CSS, music is a valued aspect of the studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; education. Students are offered a general music program, which incorporates inquiry-based learning using cutting edge music technology with instruments. Students develop musical skills, knowledge and appreciation. Instruments offer students opportunities to learn and explore musical abilities, while at the same time developing foundational music skills and music appreciation. Students are provided with numerous opportunities to perform throughout the year, including during events in school festivals, recitals, concerts, and field trips.

Looking Back: The music program continues to give all students an opportunity to display their talents. This may involve singing solo in the talent shows or in the choir, giving a small performance in front of the class, performing in the hand bell ensemble, or in the concert band in front of a huge audience. Students at CSS are always engaged in large inquiry-based projects and music is often included. Computer programs allow music to be studied and incorporated into student work. The One-to-One laptop program provides students the opportunity to compose original compositions, and even offers simple lessons for students with little or no musical experience.

The band program is evolving, with students expressing an interest in choosing it as an option. Students who are interested in instrumental music, want to develop their skills in all areas of music performance. Students with no extracurricular music lessons learn to play alongside students who have years of music lessons. They develop rehearsal skills and practice techniques designed to improve group performance. Portfolio assessment replaced report cards in the music program this year. Throughout the year, significant growth and learning has occurred for the fine arts teachers, as we explored how best to use technology as a tool for tracking and assessing student learning. With the implementation of digital portfolios, some significant challenges were addressed before finding success. Younger students, in particular, had difficulty in completing the class work and then reflecting on it in a digital format. Basic computer technology and the more sophisticated skills required for blog entries, presented big challenges for grade 4 students, and it required dedicated class time to support these students . We also had to fine tune the privacy settings and decide how to assess portfolios. Despite these challenges, digital portfolios have been successful. They provide a window into viewing not only the activities done in class, but also the individual learning journey each

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Looking Forward:

student has experienced. Process and product are both captured. The portfolios offer students a way to demonstrate a strong understanding of the concepts in the fine arts, while at the same time being able to express their own personalities and unique qualities. Students also strengthen and develop technology knowledge, skills and attitudes while they are involved in activities such as uploading videos, creating podcasts, and written compositions. The role of reflection in the creative learning process has been significantly improved over this past year. (http://calgaryscienceschool.blogspot.com/2010/08/

We are looking forward to the introduction of a compulsory grade 6 band program in the 2010-2011 school year. The success of the past yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s school band has inspired students to want to participate. We continue to use technology to assess students in music theory and performance, and this nurtures the artistic creativity between teacher and student. It is expected that a new course devoted to vocal technique and performance will raise an interest in singing for students in grades 8 and 9.

what-weve-learned-about-digital.html)

We hope to increase the collaboration between the core and fine arts teachers, which will enrich the crosscurricular activities. Digital portfolios will continue to be more effective in the future, as more classroom time will be devoted to their development. (http://calgaryscienceschool.blogspot.com/2010/09/sign-up-for-fine-arts-networking-day. html)

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Drama/Dance Overview: The drama and dance classes at CSS are supportive environments that guide students through the process of developing appreciation for the visual and performing arts. Throughout the fine arts programs, as students mature and refine their skills, they realize the focus of their interests, while they continue to participate in a variety of opportunities designed to increase their exposure in all fine arts areas. Students at CSS experience dance and drama in core and complementary courses, and often discover their “hidden talents” and abilities, which may even provide inspirations for future endeavors. Students acquire important transferable skills important in the development of well-rounded, balanced citizens capable of creative, critical-thinking, and the ability to communicate effectively through a variety of forms. The dance and drama curricula offer students engaging opportunities through which they acquire important communication skills, raise emotional awareness, and gain self-confidence.

Looking Back: The dance and drama program grew considerably in the 2009-2010 school year. In addition to the mandatory drama classes for all grades 4-6 students, drama was offered as a fine arts option to grades 7 and 8 students. In contrast to the trimester electives program, fine arts options are semester-long classes, allowing students more time to more fully, and individually inquire into the dramatic creative processes. Students explored improvisation, playmaking, shadow puppetry, movement, reader’s theatre, and radio plays. Grades 4-6 were given the opportunity to participate in an extracurricular performance called “Lunchbox Theatre.” Grades 7-9 students were offered the opportunity to explore the episodic playmaking experience during the production of “Yearbook” this spring.

nual Peace and Summer Solstice Festivals, the Indoor Activity Centre Grand Opening, and our two specific dance productions, “iConnect” and “Laser Dance, the Black-Light Show”. “iConnect”, performed in January, gave students an amazing venue in which to perform: the Lord Beaverbrook Theatre. Our school-based show, “Laser Dance, the Black-Light Show”, was tremendously successful with over 200 students involved. The dance and drama components of the fine arts program shared the same experiences, challenges and triumphs associated with the introduction of the digital portfolio assessment project introduced with the other fine arts classes.

Looking Forward: We look forward next year to further exploring the successes achieved this year. The challenges experienced in the digital portfolio process have been addressed and we hope to see further development of this excellent form of tracking and assessing student learning. As well, a new school-wide timetable offers opportunities for collaboration between core and fine arts teachers, with a goal of offering more integration of the fine arts into the core programs.

While still offering regular electives classes of dance 6/7and 8/9, another dance option was introduced this year, in which students in grade 7 and 8 could choose additional dance classes to have more time to develop their passion and skills for dance. Dance students have been very actively involved in school performances this year which include the school talent show “Lasers Got Talent”, our an-

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Visual Arts

Overview:

The visual arts program focuses on offering students in grades 4-7 opportunities to develop basic skills and competencies in a variety of traditional media, including painting, drawing, sculpture and printmaking. Students are challenged to think creatively and critically in this inquiry-based program, to expand upon the basic projects and create artwork that is expressive, well crafted and representative of themselves and their ideas as young artists. Grade 8 and 9 students are engaged in deeper inquiry-based learning through a program of independent art study. Students select an area(s) of interest and focus on building skills and developing knowledge in their chosen area. Students use computer technology to instill a sense of exploration, as a means of expression, and as a method of documentation and reflection of their artistic journey.

Looking Back:

Students at CSS engaged in a variety of visual art experiences in 2009 - 2010. Highlights of the year included grade 4 Mexican village watercolor paintings and clay pinch pot creatures (http://calgaryscienceschool.blogspot.com/2010/06/creating-clay-dragons. html); grade 5 calligraphy prints and perspective drawing;

grade 6 portrait drawings and clay teapots and grade 7 Morrisseau acrylic paintings and totem poles. Grades 8 and 9 students did some very impressive independent project artwork in a variety of media. Students developed and then tested their skills in silkscreen, painting, drawing, mono printing, collage, digital tablet drawing, origami sculpture, hand built

sculpture, wheel pottery and mixed media work. Students researched museum and gallery archives to learn about various artists and movements in art history, and then used this new information as inspiration for their own explorations. Potter Glenn Armstrong came to the school to work with grades 8 and 9 students on their clay wheel-throwing techniques. Students in grade 7 attended the Glenbow Museum to learn about the Haida-manga artist Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas. All of this work was showcased in a year end CSS Art Showcase.

Looking Forward:

The focus for next year in art will be to continue to create and develop more inquiry-based units/projects. Assessment will remain a major focus as we continue to build the digital portfolios. The goal for the teacher blog is to continue to develop project entries with specific guidelines, exemplars and rubrics for students to access. The continual building of the student digital portfolios will foster studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s artistic growth by capturing their art-making processes and personal learning reflections. (http://calgaryscienceschool.blogspot.com/2010/08/whatweve-learned-about-digital.html)

Providing more opportunities for students to experience art and art-related activities is another goal for next year. Bringing more artists into the classroom to work on specialized skills, and offering students offsite venues such as printmaking studios will engage students further in authentic learning.

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Technology Vision Technology will be used to seamlessly support Inquirybased learning at the Calgary Science School.

objectives relative to their teaching assignments. (Goal 2 of CSS School-Wide Goals)

Background

Maintenance

Technology is an integral part of the learning environment at CSS. We strive for innovation in order to be leaders in the effective implementation and integration of educational technology. Our continuing objective for the 2010/2011 school year is to provide everyone within the CSS school community with the necessary tools and assistance they require in order to support their individual goals and learning needs.

Looking Forward

Looking Back

Personalized Learning Initiative CSS initiated a grade six 1:1 project during the 2006/2007 school year. The project was expanded by another grade in 2007/2008 and implemented school wide in 2008/2009. Throughout this process, the Galileo Education Network has provided ongoing professional development for staff and has used qualitative and quantitative measures to evaluate all aspects of this project. This has included classroom visits and interviews with all stakeholders (admin, teachers, students and parents). We have been extremely pleased with the success of our Personalized Learning Initiative and our partnership with Galileo. Internal and external evaluations of this project have confirmed our belief that technology integration can be an effective tool to improve student education and enhance inquiry-based learning.

Professional Development The professional development component of this plan requires teachers to develop and demonstrate the necessary skills to implement and integrate technology according to Alberta Educationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s outlines. Teachers are encouraged and supported in their implementation of the curriculum objectives through their Teacher Professional Growth Plans and the professional development opportunities available to them. This supports teachers in developing the necessary foundational skills for implementing the curriculum

During the 2005/2006 school year, Office Solutions Inc. was contracted to develop and maintain the technology at CSS. They have done an extremely proficient job and we look forward to maintaining this relationship into the future.

Communication

One of the most important lessons learned from the first year of our Personalized Learning Initiative was the need for proactive and intentional feedback and ongoing communication among all individuals involved. School administration, teachers, students and parents all need a voice throughout the year. It is important to acknowledge that we are ahead of the curve compared to other schools looking to implement 1:1 projects and there are a limited number of resources that we can access to implement a technology integration project of this magnitude. We must work together successfully overcome obstacles and celebrate the opportunities that our discoveries will reveal.

Resolutions:

1. Review the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Acceptable Use Policy to ensure

2. 3. 4. 5.

that expectations and consequences for breaching these rules are inline with current trends and changes in technology usage. Development of a series of parent workshops in order to educate and support home users on the opportunities and possible concerns for home laptop use. Provide more PD opportunities for staff to promote efficient and appropriate use of technology for student learning. Ongoing staff meetings to discuss current opportunities relating to our 1:1 project. Continue our partnership with the Galileo Educational Network Association. Back to Table of Contents

Professional Development and Technology Integration

4. The study performed by the Galileo Education Net-

The Year 3 Review of the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Personalized Learning Initiative reflected the need to increase the technology assistance being provided to the teaching staff. Although the number of effective technology integration examples has increased over the past 4 years, a review of classroom projects showed that technology integration strategies are being under utilized. An analysis of classroom activities showed that in many cases, laptops were being used for lower level cognitive abilities. More ways need to be found to use technology to expand academic rigor and support inquiry-based learning at the Calgary Science School.

Resolutions:

1. Over half of the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Educational Technologistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

day is spent assisting students and staff with technical issues. Although this work is important, it means that there is little time left to work with staff to find ways to effectively integrate technology on a daily basis. More time will have to be invested in daily tech support in order to accommodate the demand for staff PD. This would allow for more classroom visits and availability when teachers are planning projects with Galileo or on their own. Although software and hardware tools alone will not increase inquiry-based learning, the year three study showed that it is necessary to expand on the ways that technology is being utilized at CSS. This will require us to enhance classroom activities with opportunities such as simulations, the development of statistical analysis and web-based collaboration. This will require us to invest more energy and resources into staff PD, software acquisition and peripherals such as probe-ware. The development of a wiki/blog server during the 2009/2010 school year has been a large success. Students are demonstrating their own learning by posting content and reflecting on their work. Medial literacy has been an important component of this process and needs to be expanded and encouraged. The development a Podcast Producer Server would complement this initiative.

work showed that there was a strong correlation between the grade level and the effective use of technology to support Inquiry-based learning. As students progressed through the grades, we saw greater benefits of technology integration. It will be necessary to study the products and projects conducted at the earlier grades (grades 4 and 5) to see if laptops are the most effective technology based tool to support inquiry-based learning.

Ever greening At this time, CSS computers are replaced every four years. In the past, all computers have been purchased. CSS began leasing machines in the 2008/2009 school year.

Resolutions:

1. Lease replacement laptops for all teachers who have used their original machines for four full years.

2. Update the Acceptable use Policy for teacher and stu3.

dent laptop usage to reflect new trends and technologies that are currently available. Expanded implementation of a school based insurance program that covers lost, stolen or damaged laptops to include all students as well as teachers receiving new laptops.

Website As more members of our school community obtain personal computers and have Internet access, the demands and expectations for our school website have grown. During the 2006/2007 school year, the CSS website was revamped to make it more user friendly and improve its aesthetics. With the development of this new website, we have enhanced the communication capabilities for all members of our CSS community. We have begun using the website to allow parents to pay school fees online.

Resolutions:

1. Expand the ability for parents to pay fees, submit information and register online.

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2. Train and support all staff to utilize the website as a 3. 4. 5. 6.

communication tool. Create a set of content standards for classroom websites. Utilize the expertise of the school’s communications committee coordinator to routinely update content. Examine the possibility of developing a new ‘skin’ to keep the website looking fresh and current. Examine the possibility of creating new components such as a web-based report card system that would allow students and parents to read online evaluations.

Innovative Tools and Software As technology changes and the PD of our staff increases, teachers are beginning to look for new tools and technology integration opportunities in order to enhance what is already occurring in the classroom. As the number of school-based laptops and peripherals has expanded, so have the number of individuals requiring personal assistance.

Resolution:

1. Review the potential of Podcast Producer in the class2. 3. 4. 5.

room. Provide teachers with more opportunities to ‘field test’ new and innovative technologies as they are released in the real-world. Allow teachers to take advantage of the video-conferencing opportunities we are beginning to set up in the school. Provide school-based blogs for classroom projects and discussions. Form a ‘Student Experts’ program so staff and students can get tech-based assistance during different times throughout the day.

“Our lap tops and technologic experiments are likely the most differentiating thing about this school. We have the opportunities to learn through the internet, and work on extracurricular work like Photoshop. Overall, this is the most phenomenal and learner friendly school I have ever attended.” T.E (7.3)

“I think learning is a lot better with the laptop program giving me more opportunities for research and presentations.” C.G (7.3)

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Library: Overview: The library is an instructional space within the school; it is an integral part of an inquiry-focused learning community. The space, collection and staff are there to support the school’s vision and mission. Flexibly scheduled and staffed by a qualified teacherlibrarian and library assistant, it is where students and teachers arrive as classes, large groups, partners and individuals, all engaged in a myriad of learning activities. The library’s collection is developed and maintained to support and enrich the inquiry-based learning focus of the school. The teacher-librarian focuses on planning with teachers, to purposefully integrate the skills, strategies and knowledge associated with the inquiry process into core inquiry projects.

Looking Back: At the end of the third year of the One-to-One computer project, the key focus has been framed as a question: what is the library’s response to this project? Is our library the collection and teaching activities- moving with the whole school towards the vision of a Learning Commons; a 21st Century place of learning? One assumption is that the ubiquitous access to computer technology changes students’ information search activities. Another is that the primary source(s) of information a student accesses first, have changed. What are these changes? Are there specific areas of instruction within to the inquiry process that need to be revised to support students who do most of their searches for information online? Are there implications for the library print collection? Do inquiry-based projects incorporate print sources of information? Should they? Students appear to do most of their research online, on laptops, in the classroom. That means student knowledge of, and skills related to, print information sources and how knowledge is categorized, organized and accessed is almost exclusively based in the online world, the Internet world of Google and Wikipedia. What are the implications for students’ information literacy development? These and other similar questions have been explored and developed in a blog within the Connect section of the school’s website.

Looking Forward: The plan is to develop a scope and sequence of inquiry process knowledge, skills and habits of mind for grades 4-9 based on the Alberta Education resource, Focus on Inquiry (2004), with revisions specific to the one-to-one computer project in our school. (Inquiry outcomes are developmental, and are also embedded in Program of Studies outcomes in all core programs.) This scope and sequence will provide a more effective structure for the integration of inquiry outcomes intentionally taught and assessed within inquiry learning projects throughout the grades. We will begin with the development of a grade 4-6 scope and sequence plan for this first year. Continuing to make the library space and services more open and supportive of whole class inquiry activities- students with laptops in the library as an option to remaining in the classroom during inquiry focused activities- should ensure a more authentic environment for developing information literacy skills that include both online and print resources. The collaborative work between teacher and teacher-librarian will also become more frequent and effective, and thus, further ensure student success during inquiry activities.

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Student Services Overview: After the 2008-2009 school year it became increasingly apparent that the role of counsellor would need to be filled in order to accommodate the needs of the school community. A full time school counsellor and the CSS Student Services Coordinator was brought on staff for the 2009-10 school year. The role of the school counsellor and student services coordinator is to work collaboratively with teachers, parents, students, community members and administration to meet the academic, social and emotional needs of out school population. The school counsellor, in coordination with teachers and school administration addressed counselling issues by approaching each student contact as a learning opportunity that shaped the development of the student services program at CSS. There continued to be a number of referrals for counselling service within the student services office as well as a family therapist or external psychologist which are a reflection of the continuing need for social and emotional support among our population. To further support families we offered parent workshops on topics of interest such as drug awareness, Internet safety, building resiliency, gaming and cyber bullying, which were all well attended. The FRIENDS for Life program was implemented in grades 4 and 5 as part of a pilot project with Alberta

Health Services as a preventive program to reduce anxiety and depression in children by providing them with coping strategies and problem solving skills. Students requiring educational and psychological assessments were referred to a chartered psychologist as required with feedback provided to teachers to assist with differentiating the learning process. The school counsellor also provided support for struggling students through assessment, learning strategies instruction and counselling services in collaboration with teachers and parents. Occupational therapy and speech-language assessment referrals continued to be processed by Renfrew Educational Services as an agent for the Calgary-Rocky View Student Health Partnership.

Looking Forward A major focus for next year will be to develop and implement a Learning Strategies program for all students at CSS to address specific learning needs in a classroom based setting. The goal of this program will be that all students achieve success at CSS. It is unreasonable for this goal to be achieved in one year and as such Learning Strategies will be in its implementation stage for the following school year.

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Professional Collaborative

Outreach Initiative Overview:

The Purpose of the Professional Collaborative Outreach Initiative (PCOI) is to fulfill the two elements of our charter mandate: (1) to be a site of innovation and (2) to add value back to the education community in Alberta. The PCOI has a role in supporting the first mandate by assisting with the professional development experiences of CSS staff. One of the key roles of the PCO Coordinator is to assist CSS teachers in the design of innovative practices, particularly around inquiry-based learning and technology integration. Toward the second mandate, the PCOI is striving to move beyond the ‘sharing’ level of group action and increase the possibilities for collaboration and reciprocal professional relationships with external educators, postsecondary institutions and organizations. The vision of CSS is to become a centre of educational innovation in the Province - a place where various stakeholders in education gather to develop professionally and experience innovative, research-based practices.

Documentation and Sharing of Inquiry-Based Learning: One of the key roles of the Outreach Coordinator is to capture, document and share examples of inquiry-based teaching from CSS classrooms. This year, a number of CSS projects have been documented, and shared, through the Outreach blog, school visits and Professional Development sessions outside of the school. This documentation includes capturing pictures and videos of projects, collecting student work and rubrics, and interviewing teachers about the nature of the work. An example of this documentation is the year-one video of the Digital Portfolio Project, where the Outreach Coordinator interviewed the 5 teachers and 2 administrators involved in the digital portfolios. All the documentation is made public in order to share our learning with the wider public.

• Outreach Blog: One of the new initiatives implement-

ed in 2009-2010 was the creation of a CSS Outreach Blog. The purpose of this website is to build a growing, online collection of strong inquiry-based exemplars from CSS. The blog continues to have new projects being added all the time, across all grade levels and subject areas. All staff have been presented with the opportunity to post content to the outreach blog, and a number of teachers have taken advantage of the offer. So far this year, the Outreach blog has 66 entries, most of which are examples of classroom projects, complete with project descriptions, assessment practices and student work exemplars. Since the beginning of the school year the blog has had 7000 visitors and 15,000 page views. In 2010-2011, the COI plans to continue publishing high-quality content to the blog, and to involve more CSS staff in the creation of content for the site. (http://calgaryscienceschool.blogspot.com)

Looking Back:

2009-2010 was a significant year for the PCOI, as it was the first year that CSS had a funded, full time Coordinator position for the POCI. 2009-2010 also saw the creation of an Outreach sub-committee as part of the CSS Board of Directors. In this first year of the new postition, the focus has been on establishing networks and building capacity for future years, as well as continuing the traditional forms of Outreach that CSS has participated in.

• Collaborative Planning: One of the roles of the Col-

laborative Outreach Coordinator is to support CSS staff in the design and implementation of strong, inquirybased teaching and learning. This year the Outreach Coordinator worked with all grade and subject areas at least one, helping to design projects and integrate technology and assessment into the learning experiences. Through the course of the year, the Outreach Coordinator was involved in projects including Sustainable Communities (grade 4), Water in the Wetlands (grade 5), Historical Object Study (grade 7), the Renaissance Project (Grade 8), and Virtual Goldberg Machines (grade 8). For 2010-2011, the goal of the Outreach Initiative is to include external teachers in the collaborative planning sessions of CSS teachers.

•

School Visits: CSS continued to host school visits this year, welcoming teachers and other stakeholders from a variety of school boards including: Calgary Board of Education, Calgary Catholic School Board, Rockyview School Board, New Zealand “Core-Ed” program, Master’s Academy, Mount Royal University and other charter schools within Calgary. This year we have begun tracking the impact of our Outreach Initiative through the use of online feedback surveys sent to visitors after their time at CSS. The responses have been very positive:

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Looking Forward:

As a school community, the Calgary Science School is committed to meeting and exceeding the provincial expectations placed upon Alberta Charter School to be sites of innovation and research within the provincial education system. This desire is in line with the desired direction for Charter Schools as stated by the Alberta Government. With this vision in mind, CSS is striving to explore a number of initiatives and programs that will move our school forward in light of the Provincial mandate for Charter Schools.

“Your visit has not only provided us with concrete ideas and excellent classroom examples, but has inspired us to continue the track we are on. His offer to connect and collaborate with our teachers will be invaluable. For me personally, the ideas Neil shared around using technology in your inquiry projects is incredibly helpful to our teachers. I have already shared your Task Assessment Rubric, and I look forward to sharing your ideas on Reflective PD – “Examining Student Work.” Implementation Coordinator, Canadian Rockies School Division.

However, this vision of moving toward greater levels of research, innovation and ‘outward’ focus need to be balanced with CSS’s own professional development and growth. At the outset of this document, we recognize that the teaching staff at CSS will continually be located at different places of their own experience and professional development. With that in mind, the framework and various approaches presented below need to viewed in light of the impact of this initiative on student learning. It is the overall vision of this Collaborative Outreach Initiative (COI) that this shift in mindset toward more collaborative work will be to the benefit of CSS students. We continue to look outward in order to better develop ourselves internally. Inquiry Salons: One element of the Collaborative Outreach Initiative is to offer a series of sustained workshops or 21st Century Salons around examples of strong teaching and learning that have been developed by CSS staff. These examples or “Inquiry Prototypes” are classroom-tested examples of how inquiry-based learning and ubiquitous access technology can be utilized to engage students in authentic, 21st Century Learning. These salons would take place during the early evening, be hosted at CSS, be regular in format (i.e., every second Wednesday for 8 weeks) and would range in number of sessions based on the particular topic.

“Your willingness to do a video conference with our class and answer some questions about inquiry-based learning really helped us to see the theory in practice. For a group of future teachers, it was inspiring to interact with a professional who is actively applying inquiry based learning in a school setting. It is also so helpful to see classroom examples of inquiry-based learning in action, across different grades and subject areas.” Student teacher at MRU

The unique strength of these Inquiry Salons is the ongoing relationship we offer with experienced teachers from an inquiry-based classroom. At these professional gatherings, CSS teachers will facilitate targeted discussions and planning sessions built around exemplary teaching from their own classrooms. The salon would be topical, developed around specific subjects (i.e., grade 7 Humanities) projects (i.e., the Biofuel Project) or classroom practices (i.e.,

“The Calgary Science School has been instrumental in assisting Bishop Carroll High School staff with their 1 to 1 Laptop Learning program. We met with CSS staff to help us look toward effective implementation of not only hardware infrastructure, but primarily the instructional focus in the use of digital technologies. Discussion with CSS staff helps provide a philosophical and pedagogical rationale for the implementation of digital technology within the school. Our staff visits to CSS enables us to observe digital learning in action and to see practical examples of instructional technology. And finally, presentations from staff at Calgary Science School has provided excellent Professional Development for our Faculty & Staff.” Vice Principal, Bishop Carroll High School

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Technology and Assessment). The sustained format of the salon allow for all participants to involved in the planning, implementation and analysis of the Inquiry Prototype. An online space (i.e., Google Docs, wikispaces, etc) can easily be set up to maintain discussion between the face-to-face meetings. We have consistently heard from visitors that there is something unique and powerful that comes from seeing the learning first hand at CSS. With that in mind, an extension of these Salons would be to have teachers from other schools visit CSS during the school day before the evening session. This would allow teachers to experience the reality of inquiry-based learning as it is played out in a day-today classrooms, and then discuss and de-brief with the CSS teacher during the evening salon. Scientist-in-Residence Program: The SIR is a program currently operating in Vancouver School District. Started by Dr. Paige Axelrood, the SIR program has a 10-year track record of proven impact on student interest and teacher development around hands-on science. The program is built around practicing scientists collaborating with classroom teachers to develop science units. These scientists then return later in the year, helping the delivery of the project at the classroom level. All the teaching materials developed by the program are made available to other teachers through the SIR website and potentially through the Connect blog and the CSS iTunes U page. The SIR has already secured consistent corporate funding in Vancouver. The program would also provide an opportunity for CSS to develop partnerships with corporations beyond the mere funding of the program as corporations (i.e., SNC Lavelin) provide the participating scientists for the program. There is also significant potential in extending the SIR program to involve a variety of guest experts and university connections. The SIR program in Vancouver has begun offering Hands-On Science sessions for teachers, facilitated by a professor from UBC. We could adopt and offer similar professional development seminars through CSS.

iTunes U: During the spring of 2010, CSS was approached by Apple Canada, in partnership with Alberta Learning, to create a page on Apple’s iTunes U website. This opportunity gives CSS another venue to share examples of the inquiry-based teaching and learning that occurs here. We have been asked to produce 10 pieces of digital media in preparation for the launch of the iTunes site, scheduled for late August 2010. We are excited about this opportunity, and have reworked some of the projects we have already documented, as well as created a number of new classroom videos for this site. We will continue to publish content to our iTunes page in the coming years. Partnership with the University of Calgary: As part of their newly revamped teacher preparation program, the University of Calgary is forging closer relationships with a select number of schools. In early June, 2010 we hosted Dr. Dennis Sumara, the recently appointed Dean of Education from the University of Calgary, and Dr. Sharon Friesen, Associate Dean, at CSS to experience the culture of our school firsthand. The purpose of the visit was to initiate discussion in support of a closer partnership between the Calgary Science School and Faculty of Education at the University of Calgary. Over the 10 years of the school, we have established a significant number of connections with the University through hosting student teachers (CSS teachers hosts anywhere from 8-12 student teachers a year) and participating in research studies (this year there are 7 academic research studies being conducted at CSS). However, while these connections are already in place and CSS is well known by the Faculty of Education, the intention of this visit was to explore the possibilities of an even closer relation where CSS would become a partner or lab school for the Faculty. The Dean subsequently wrote an opinion piece for the Calgary Herald (published on Thursday, June 17th) in response to a recent Alberta Education Report entitled “Inspiring Education.” In writing this response, the Dean made specific mention of the strength of learning that occurs at the Calgary Science School, and highlighted the clear connection between our school’s vision and the direction of teaching and learning in the province.

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“I really enjoy the outdoor education program and all the hands-on things we do in school. I admire that we are encouraged to become more active with all the programs available within the school.” H.D (7.3)

Outdoor Education Overview: Outdoor education excursions are an important supporting pillar of the inquiry-based learning program at CSS. Providing authentic links between theoretical knowledge and practical application, students are provided numerous opportunities in the course of the school year to establish the relevance of their learning to the ‘real world.’ In addition to a variety of day trips to the nearby Weaselhead Environment Area and Kananaskis Country, many outdoor education excursions are embedded in the program to provide scope and sequence from one year to the next, and support many of the Alberta Learning Program of Studies learning outcomes. Authentic educational opportunities that enrich the school experience for our students include the Southern Alberta History Tour for grade 4, the Fort Steele History Lab and Apprenticeship programs for grades 5 and 7 respectively, the grade 8 Circle Tour of Central Alberta, and the week long trip to the Bamfield Marine Sciences Center for grade 9.

Looking Back: The outdoor education programs at CSS continue to support the tenets of learning through inquiry by exposing students to real world applications of knowledge, skills,

and attributes acquired in the classroom. There is an increasing focus on designing outdoor educational experiences that integrate curricula from across disciplines, including visual and performing arts. The study of water quality emerged as an important activity for grades 5 and 8 as they examined various sources of drinking and ground water during outdoor experiences. Expansion of some Camp Sweet trips from 2 days-1 night to 3 days-2 nights afforded opportunities for students to use the camps as a center of operations and participate in off-site activities such as visiting Olds College and a daylong hike on the eastern slopes of the Rockies.

Looking Forward: Grade level teams are continuing to expand the outdoor programs for students at Camp Sweet in order to ensure a sequential progression of knowledge, skills, and attributes in grades 4 to 9. Camp Sweet excursions in the future will include using the site as a base camp for classes venturing out to explore regions such as agricultural venues, conduct water studies on surrounding rivers and lakes, and hike the Rocky Mountains to the west.

“As a student at Calgary Science School, I think That we learn in a way that others do not. We get to go on outdoor education field trips. We stay overnight and get to explore the out doors while having fun and learning. At our school we do a lot of hands on work that allows us to not just be shown, but to do things that we may be interested in doing in the future.” A.R (7.3(

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AISI

The Alberta Initiative for School Improvement The Alberta Initiative for School Improvement (AISI ) project in our school has focused on three distinct learning and teaching goals around this essential question: How will we gather and interpret evidence of student learning in an inquiry-based classroom? As well, we have two related goals around professional development and how we share our goals/work with the educational community and stakeholders. We have made significant progress with this school initiative this year, and have optimized this project funding. We will continue to build on the progress outlined in the goals below:

Goal One Developing intellectually ambitious performance assessment tasks and tools

• The staff continues to work with the inquiry rubric •

that we use across subject areas and in our own professional development (see Appendix B: Inquiry Rubric). The staff has continued to work collaboratively developing other supportive rubrics for their students to best target their learning goals, in particular, the digital portfolio rubric, writing assessment rubrics and research rubrics.

• The teachers have developed many opportunities for •

the students to co-develop rubrics in a collaborative fashion. Students have become more metacognitive in their reflections of their school work in their digital learning blogs or portfolios, as well as traditional journals. Student and peer evaluation is something that has become even more prevalent in teaching practice than it has been in previous years.

Goal Two Find and develop student exemplars that demonstrate the expectations and scope and sequence of the school programs

• We have offered some professional development •

workshops to start examining the value and the challenge of student exemplars. Focus groups discussed and shared their student work and grappled with the positive and challenging work of finding (and sometimes creating) good student exemplars that best encapsulate strong examples of the various standards of student performance for specific activities, while also staying true to realistic and provincial standards of the grade levels.

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• Exemplars have been sourced from external sites, but •

the major effort has been to collect “home grown” exemplars from the classes this year. In one professional development day, the dialogue amongst the staff (while sharing exemplars), was how important it is to pair strong exemplars with strong rubrics. Teachers are continuing to develop a repository of both.

Related Goal A Professional development to achieve optimal student learning

• We have recruited educational expertise (internal and •

Goal Three Digital portfolio assessment programs will showcase, document or indicate the process of student work

com/2010/08/deeper-focus-on-teacher-collaboration.html)

• We are building the resources to better support the

work of assessment by purchasing library and technology support resources/materials.

• Fine arts and physical education teachers have pi-

•

loted digital portfolios replacing report cards using Wiki blog technology. Their work has demonstrated the value of having students collect, reflect upon, and review the teacher feedback of their work. Multiple forms of work can be loaded into this digital environment (multi-media, text, audio, etc.). Other teachers across the curriculum have been experimenting with these ideas and are supportive of the work of the pilot group by offering class time for the students to compile their work. Professional development focusing on digital portfolio philosophy, the model, the rubrics and other has supported the work of these pilot teachers. Plans to build additional time into the timetable in the upcoming year will help to promote the growth of this portfolio work as a school.

external to the school) to facilitate professional development around the above goals. We have accommodated teachers with considerable professional time to work together collaboratively in multiple ways (curriculum teams, grade teams, focus groups and other). (http://calgaryscienceschool.blogspot.

Related Goal B Sharing work with the educational community

• We have created the role of Professional Collaborative

•

Outreach Coordinator who has been working with the staff to enhance and better understand the work of teachers in order to network beyond the school and find partners in learning on similar projects. Assessment has been one of the foci of his work this year. Parents have been asked to provide feedback about the AISI goals in a recent parent survey. Other measures are being used to ascertain the success of our school assessment program. We encourage parents to be involved in multiple ways, and as well, have created multiple ways to communicate with families (one-way, two-way, and interactive—live and virtual). With the development of a parent volunteer development committee we have been able to access the parent community in deeper and richer ways.

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CSS Year 3 Galileo Reseach Report Findings The year three findings from Galileo Educational Network’s Year Three research report on our Personalized Learning Project entitled Teaching and Learning in a One-to-One Personalized Computing Environment: Year Three: A Research Report on the Personalized Learning Initiative at Calgary Sciences School (Jacobsen, Saar and Driesen, 2010, ( see Appendix E: 1:1 Research Results - Year 3) was extremely positive in that it showed growth in several key areas.

• Communication – Administration fully supported

this project, allowing for open dialogue among all participants. Teachers were given the opportunity to work with peers and collaborate with others to share best practice and reflect on technology integration projects. Time was scheduled into PD and planning days to allow this to occur on an ongoing basis.

• Academic Rigor - Some teachers were using

the technology in ways that only supported lower-level thinking skills. The laptops in some classrooms were being under utilized. The tool was focused on media consumption instead of digital creation. Students were being asked to be passive consumers instead of active producers.

• Curriculum Support - There were more ex-

amples of inquiry-based projects that were supported with technology integration from Humanities classrooms and fewer that focused on Math and Science concepts. It was evident that more work needs to be done to support the math and science teachers at CSS.

• Inquiry-Based Learning – Year 3 showed more

Although some changes were made quickly, others could not be made until the 2010-2011 school year. This is addressed in the “Professional Development and Technology Integration” section of the 20102011 Technology Plan.

The report also included recommendations in order to strengthen the impact that technology is having on the education of the students at CSS. The findings from this report meant for the 2008/2009 school year, were shared with CSS in January 2010 which was six months into the next 2009/2010 school year and provided some challenges in order to quickly address some of the recommendations that were presented:

“The Calgary Science School has taught me a lot of different lessons that I would not have learned if I went to another school. We use laptops as our main source of learning instead of a pencil and paper. One of the things that I really enjoy about this school is that we learn from everything we do, I say this because every situation can be turned into a new experience. When we are writing papers or doing research or making new friends there is always something you can learn from or become better at. A better writer, reader, drawer, and become a better student.” J.K (7.3)

teachers were utilizing technology to support Inquiry within the classroom. There were richer and more rigorous examples than those seen in past years. It was apparent that more planning was occurring in order to find ways to effectively integrate technology into subject areas.

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2009 - 2010 Financial Summary The financial statements have been prepared by management in accordance with the Canadian Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and accounting policies consistent with those prescribed by Alberta Education for Alberta School jurisdictions.

Expenses Instructor salaries and benefits Other salaries and benefits Facilities Lease Enrichment Instructional expenses (non enrichment) School generated funds Professional development Board and system administration Technology (not inc. student laptops) Transportation Other Total expenses Net Revenue (Deficit)

Value $3,583,896 $198,121 $222,646 $257,403 $83,640 $153,875 $247,020 $324,433 $263,122 $502,541 $764,713 $157,950 $6,759,360

% of Total 53% 3% 3% 4% 1% 2% 4% 5% 4% 8% 11% 2% 100%

Value $3,162,187 $561,498 $223,127 $764,713 $370,690 $140,127 $263,122 $128,419 $119,945 $267,456 $539,542 $202,488 $6,743,314 $16,046

Total 47% 8% 4% 11% 5% 2% 4% 2% 2% 4% 8% 3% 100%

Additional Financial Information Further information regarding the budget may be obtained by contacting the school’s secretary-treasurer at 403-282-2890 (121), or from the School website at www.calgaryscienceschool.com/publications/default.asp

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2010/2011 Budget The budget is developed in a collaborative way, beginning with the teachers identifying the resources they need in order to provide an innovative, engaging program. Teachers provide their budgetary needs to their curriculum leaders, who work with school administration to put together the instructional side of the budget. School administration and secretary-treasurer putSchool together the rest of the budget, always mindful of the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s goals and priorities as ThetheCalgary Science outlined in the charter document. The finance committee of the Board provides feedback on the proposed budget, and 2010/11 Budget then recommends approval to the Board. The budget tells a story of the operation of our school; it reflects our priorities and enables us to provide the high quality education we do.

Revenue Provincial grant - base instructional Provincial grant - small board admin Provincial grant - transportation Provincial grant - class size initiative Provincial grant - AISI Provincial grant - Other School fee revenue - enrichment School fee revenue - transportation School generated funds Provincial grant - plant operations & maintenance Provincial grant - lease Other revenue Total Revenue Expenses Instructor salaries and benefits Other salaries and benefits Facilities Lease Enrichment Instructional expenses (non-enrichment) School generated funds Professional development Board and system administration Technology (not incl. student laptops) Transportation Other Total expenses Net Revenue (Deficit)

Additional Financial Information

Value 3,728,742 198,320 220,580 85,608 83,640 136,606 252,520 311,190 201,900 478,821 764,702 222,700 6,685,329

% of Total 56.0% 3.0% 3.0% 1.0% 1.0% 2.0% 4.0% 5.0% 3.0% 7.0% 11.0% 4.0% 100.0%

Value % of Total 3,295,171 48.0% 556,890 8.0% 174,900 3.0% 764,700 11.0% 351,900 5.0% 107,790 2.0% 271,400 4.0% 108,487 2.0% 133,800 2.0% 231,000 3.0% 544,377 8.0% 301,099 4.0% 6,841,514 100.0% -156,185

Further information regarding the financial summary may be obtained by contacting the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s secretary-treasurer at 403-282-2890 (121), or from the School website at www.calgaryscienceschool.com/publications/default.asp

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Capital Plan 2010/11 - 2012/13 Priority 1:

Update:

Lease $765,000 (annually)

We have engaged Johnson Controls to conduct a facility energy audit at the end of the 2009-2010 school year. Results are anticipated in the Fall of 2010 with an action plan based on those recommendations to follow. Some flooring upgrades have been implemented, though there are still large areas which require upgrading.

The Calgary Science School leases the Clem Gardner campus from the Calgary Board of Education.

Priority 2 -

Staff Room Renovation (Facility Modernization) $200,000

Priority 4

Install Shower and Change Facilities Appropriate for our Middle School Population $250,000

We plan to renovate this space to modernize it and turn it into a multi-purpose area, including a staff room, a small instructional space, and a meeting area. We plan to create a large open space by incorporating the current handicap washroom, eliminating walls and shifting the kitchen area. A new kitchen, new flooring, and new furniture will allow us to better utilize this space for staff, students and parents.

The Clem Gardner building lacks appropriate shower and change facilities appropriate for junior high students. The building was designed and built as an Elementary School and so lacks facilities for our older students to maintain proper hygiene, particularly after being engaged in provincially mandated daily high intensity physical activity.

Update: This project was completed in April of 2010 at a total cost of $114,000

Priority 5

Science Lab Upgrades $300,000

Priority 3

We intent to upgrade our science lab to a state of the art facility in keeping with our mandate for innovation and excellence in the teaching of science.

Upgrade Lighting and Flooring in Specific Areas (Facility Modernization) $180,000 Current lighting is old technology that is not energy efficient. Where possible (i.e. in those areas where replacement would not involve dealing with ceiling tiles containing asbestos) we plan to install new light ballasts, fixtures, and tubes. The use of motion sensing switches will be considered. Areas of flooring in the school are worn out. Tiles in some areas are lifting, carpet is worn out, and small repairs must be done in a number of areas to maintain the integrity of the flooring.

Priority 6

Pursue the Installation of Green Energy Sources $250,000 For both environmental as well as educational reasons, we intend to pursue the installation of green energy sources, possibly including solar, wind, and geothermal energy.

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Parent Involvement Building Parent Capacity at CSS The Calgary Science School (CSS) is carefully considering the following questions:

1. What can be deemed to be the essence of a home and 2.

school relationship that most effectively supports students and curriculum? How does the community build these school-home relationships to sustain ongoing parent involvement that ‘fits’ and feels right for everyone involved?

What has become most apparent to us as a middle school as we have been broadening our educational community leadership capacity (students, educators, parents, and other community members), is that it is important to build an “’inter-connected’ view of the home and school…[so that parents] see themselves as having an integral role, together with the school, in educating children” (HooverDempsey and Sandler, 1997, p. 15). It becomes vital to establish a consensus around appropriate roles, expectations and behaviors so that all members of the educational community feel successful and satisfied with their experiences with the school. Historically, CSS has been very good at fulfilling certain designated and important parent involvement functions in terms of indirect parent involvement through home/ school communication and peripheral school responsibilities as well as direct involvement through parent council and related committees, field trips, and special events. It is evolving into a place where parents are becoming even more involved in very valuable and authentic ways, such as school decision-making, educational planning, and more hands-on classroom involvement. What proves to be successful in building this climate of respect and responsibility is that CSS provides a place for parents where they can help in ways that are “meaningful and necessary…[and as well, where they feel] welcomed and invited into the school environment by both the educators and the students” (Robinson, 2003, p. 140). There is also tremendous power in the student-initiated welcome. This year, more than last year, CSS has more of a sense of parent efficacy; however, is still on this journey of optimizing, welcoming and appreciating the power of parents in the school.

By the very nature of being a charter school, the administration and staff have more contact with its board and council (and related committees) than are typical of other school divisions. With the help of the newly formed Parent Volunteer Development Committee (PVDC), CSS is better operationalizing some of the information that parents provide at registration time and in the spring parent survey around their expertise, experience, interest areas, and availability. The newly developed PVDC is generating ways to recruit parent support to help our school be an effectual, innovative and collaborative learning environment. Some examples of how parents support our school are the following: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Parent representative on CSS Board Grade 9 Graduation School council committee member Classroom support Accompany field trips (incl. overnight trips) Pandemic Planning Committee Sharing expertise in the classroom Science Fair Welcome Day activities (August) School musical Board meeting Terry Fox Run Annual General Meeting –School council School fine arts events Annual General Meeting – Board Staff appreciation lunch June year-end picnic Fun lunches School council meeting(s) Fundraising activities Transportation Committee CSS clothing coordinator Charter renewal committee

• • • • •

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Lost and found coordinator Parent information sessions Special committees Library Office support Scholastic Book grade coordinator Miscellaneous work bees Girls’ Leadership initiative Picture day Coordinate art club activities Boys’ Leadership initiative Band Parent Committee Field trip support/organization Parent Volunteer Development Committee member Traffic Safety Committee Parent Volunteer Development Committee Webmaster Grade parent representative Education Planning Focus Group Parent workshop and conference committee

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Burke (2001) concludes that schools should “…prepare volunteers with targeted training so that their efforts are effective and…prepare teachers to work well with volunteers” (p. 2). Teachers also want “very competent and educationally trained parent support if they are to be working with parents directly in their program” (Robinson, 2003, p. 142). Therefore, the administration and the PVDC are strategizing how to do this efficiently and effectively by reviewing successful parent involvement models used in other schools, and as well, considering our own unique educational community. The emphasis on building an open and welcoming school climate seems to be at the crux of developing work with parents at CSS. Brain research suggests that creating comfortable community climates involves establishing agreements about how to 1) behave as a group; 2) interact as a group; and 3) govern the day-to-day and week-to-week operation of the learning community (Parry and Gregory, 2003). Once these processes, which need to be collaboratively identified as they pertain to CSS, are in place, the matter of building comfortable and effective school-community partnerships can begin. It is an enormous educational shift to ask schools administrators and teachers to incorporate parental support (in various forms) into their programs, planning and communication. Traditionally, in many education systems parents have been kept at an arm’s length as parent-teacher roles were considered to be separate, and at times tenu-

ously inter-connected. Times are changing as the power of engaging the full educational community is surfacing in the research and around the province. However, true school-parent community collaboration takes facilitation and training, and requires a safe and caring collaborative climate. As a charter school, CSS has always valued parental involvement and support for the school. However, CSS is excited as a school community to explore further new research and opportunities to promote meaningful parental involvement in the education of their children and the work of our school.

References Burke, M. (2001). Recruiting and using volunteers in meaningful ways in secondary schools. The National Association of Secondary School Principals Bulletin, 85, 46-52. Hoover-Dempsey, K. & Sandler, M. (1997). Why do parents become involved in their children’s education. Review of Educational Research, 67, 3-42. Parry, T. & Gregory, G. (2003). Designing brain compatible learning. Glenview, IL: Pearson Education, Inc. Robinson, S. (2003). Dialogues with students, parents and educators about parent involvement at the secondary level. https://dspace.ucalgary.ca/handle/1880/42743

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Parent Reflective Response “I have volunteered to be one of the judges at the school-wide science fair for the last several years and I have been impressed, in many ways, with the students and their projects. Teachers at CSS invest time and energy teaching project management skills and provide lots of opportunities for the students to work in partners or small groups. These lessons are reflected in the quality projects: the students’ ideas, test procedures, analysis and presentations. Their level of engagement and excitement impresses me every year.”

This report outlines very well what parents experience through their involvement in the Calgary Science School community. It details the many ways the school engages the students in learning and accurately describes its goals and methods, but cannot completely convey the excitement students feel when working with the technology, enjoying outdoor education experiences or working on major projects. “The kids are enthusiastic about the tools they get to use everyday – especially their computers. Their skills seem to improve each year. At the Summer Solstice Celebration, I noticed big improvements from the grade 4 Canadian history iMovie projects to the grade 8 iMovie presentations on Japanese culture and history. The one-to-one MacBook program really makes a difference to inquiry-based learning and it helps prepare students for using technology in the workplace.”

The Calgary Science School also engages parents directly. Many parents get their names in early for the chance to volunteer for outdoor education trips. Over the past year there has been a noticeable increase in opportunities to volunteer directly in the classrooms. There is also an on-going commitment to parent education. Last year’s evening information sessions on “What Our Boys Need from School” and “Meeting the Needs of Girls at CSS” were especially well attended. The two parenting conferences were both excellent. The parents seemed particularly engaged at the October 2010 conference, which addressed how we can help our children become more independent.

“I have been impressed by the Fort Steele History Lab. I believe the kids find more interest when they are immersed in the history rather than just reading it in a book. To have a chance to pan for gold, make a nail like a blacksmith, or work with tin and leather as was done in the 1890s, is a wonderful opportunity.”

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Appendix a Teacher Inquiry Self Assessment Do you teach (circle one, please): Math/Science

Humanities

Physical Education or Fine Arts

Over the course of the year so far, how frequently have you engaged your students in work that contributed to high-level tasks (as defined by the criteria in our task assessment rubrics; summary on back)? 1: Seldom 2: Occasionally 3: About half of the time 4: Often 5: Most of the time a) Authenticity b) Academic Rigor c) Assessment For Learning d) Connecting With Experts e) Life Skills f) Elaborated Communication g) Compassion h) Active Exploration i) Appropriate Use of Digital Technologies

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4

5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

Please provide any anecdotal comments you would like about the work you did with inquiry this year. Include, if you wish, any feedback you have about the introduction of ubiquitous computing to CSS in 2008-2009.

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High-Level Inquiry Authenticity

Students are emotionally and intellectually engaged. Work is grounded in life and work beyond the school. Students have opportunities to innovate and specialize.

Academic Rigour

Students use methods of inquiry central to actual disciplines. Students consider evidence, point of view, and connections. Students make informed selections of tools, methods, and sources.

Connecting With Expertise

Students use relevant expertise (e.g. people, sample work) to develop criteria for and improve the quality of their own work.

Assessment For Learning

Students help develop criteria for high quality work. Students receive regular feedback (teacher, parent, peer). Students use feedback to improve work.

Elaborated Communication

Students support and challenge each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ideas. Students choose forms of expression appropriate to the task. Students share their work with a variety of audiences.

Life Skills

Students are involved in setting project-management goals. Students determine roles, facilitate discussions, and resolve conflict.

Compassion

The task provides opportunities for students to interact with and care about the impact of their understandings and actions on themselves, each other, people their local and global communities, and the natural world.

Active Exploration

Students make connections between direct experience and abstract concepts. Activity is directed toward a broader task or investigation.

Appropriate Use of Digital Technology

Technology is instrumental in accomplishing the task. Technology allows students to think differently. Students choose technologies appropriate to the task. Students use critical thinking to select relevant and reliable information from the vast resources available on the web.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think that being a student at CSS helps me become a successful learner because we use inquiry based learning. We get to research the certain topics using our lap tops. I like this because I can learn more about the subject and find additional details on it.â&#x20AC;? M.R (7.3)

Appendix B Inquiry Rubric Note: The use of high-level tasks does not assume that students will independently undertake complex tasks with

Authenticity

no assistance from the teacher. High-level tasks provide opportunities for students to acquire proficiencies, skills, and dispositions in context. Structured lessons and direct teaching are sometimes necessary to help students acquire the skills they need to accomplish a high-level task (e.g. The water scenario we analyzed at the retreat would likely require mini-lessons on how to sample water and on how to create a podcast; these become tools in the service of a broader investigation).

The task involves a contrived, teacherstructured problem framed directly from stated curriculum outcomes.

Students help define a relevant question, exploration, problem or issue for study that relates to the programs of study and to the world outside the school.

The scope of the task emanates from a question, problem or exploration that engages the students emotionally and intellectually and meets the objectives in the program of studies.

The task would likely not be tackled outside of a school setting.

The task is somewhat related to life and work outside the school.

An adult at work or in the community might actually tackle the question, problem or exploration posed by the inquiry task/s. It is grounded in life and work beyond the school (e.g. field work, labs, interviews, studio work, construction, etc.).

The task contains few steps, and no separate roles are assigned. Students work on the same task in the same way.

The teacher assigns separate tasks and roles.

The task provides opportunities for students to innovate and specialize as needed.

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The teacher tells students what to do and students have some choice in how to do it.

The task provides opportunities for students to use methods of inquiry central to actual disciplines to decide what to do and how to do it.

The task encourages students to find relationships between and among concepts.

The task provides opportunities for students to find relationships between and among concepts and to use critical thinking skills to develop innovative ideas and solutions. In particular, the task helps students develop habits of mind that consistently question: Evidence (How do we know?) Viewpoint (Who is speaking?) Pattern and connection (What causes what?) Supposition (How might things have been different?) Relevance (Who cares?)

The task allows limited choice among methods and resources to solve the problem.

The task provides opportunities for students to select from a variety of tools, technologies, methods, and sources (e.g. primary source documents, experimental results, artifacts) needed to solve the problem.

Assessment is conducted at logical midpoints in the process.

Regular feedback (formal and informal) informs the next steps of student work.

Students have little understanding of the criteria that is being used to evaluate their work.

The task provides opportunities for students to reflect on their learning using clear and predetermined criteria established by the teacher.

The task provides opportunities for students to reflect on their learning using clear criteria that they help to define.

The teacher is the only adult who assesses the work.

Teacher and self-assessment are used.

The task provides opportunities for feedback from within and beyond the classroom (self, teachers, peers, parents, others).

Academic Rigor

The teacher tells students what to do and how to do it.

The task encourages students to memorize and repeat facts. Students may lack understanding of what they are memorizing and why.

Assessment For Learning

The task requires the use of a single resource or prescribed method.

All assessment is done at the end of the study (i.e. summative).

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Connecting with Experts*

Students hear or read about relevant information only from the teacher, or resources provided by the teacher.

The task involves speakers or interviews with experts outside the classroom (e.g. one-shot visits, oneway presentations from expertstudent)

The task provides opportunities for students to collaborate with relevant experts in a variety of situations. Students use experts (or expert work) as mentors (or examples) for their own work.

The task is designed by the teacher in isolation (without expert input).

The task is designed by the teacher in consultation with an expert regarding the topic of inquiry (which may include reading a relevant book on a particular topic).

The task is designed and implemented by the teacher in collaboration with an expert who provides ongoing feedback to teacher and students. Feedback may occur in the form of rubric criteria based on expert work.

Life Skills

*“Experts” are those whose work and / or life experience give them relevant insight into a particular task or topic.

The teacher tells students how to organize and manage their time and materials.

The task provides little opportunity for teamwork.

The task provides few opportunities for students to determine roles, facilitate discussions, and resolve conflict.

The task provides opportunities for students to set their own projectmanagement goals.

The task provides opportunities for students to determine roles, facilitate discussions, and resolve conflict.

The task provides opportunities for students to share their ideas with each other. Opportunities to respond to each other’s ideas may be limited.

The task provides extended opportunities to support, challenge, and respond to each other’s ideas as they negotiate a collective understanding of relevant concepts. As they do so, they have opportunities to negotiate the flow of conversation within small and large group discussions.

The task dictates the form of expression that students may use. Students have little opportunity to reflect on how the selected medium enhances their message.

Students have limited opportunities to choose forms of expression and to reflect on what media would best communicate their message.

The task provides opportunities for students to choose forms of expression appropriate to the task (e.g. PowerPoint, iMovie, tableaux, mime, puppet show, readers’ theater, drum solo, interpretive dance, debate, etc.) and to reflect on the impact of their choices.

The task requires students to communicate what they are learning to a teacher audience (i.e. handing it in as an assignment).

The task requires students to communicate what they are learning with a classroom audience.

The task provides opportunities for students to communicate what they are learning with a variety of audiences.

Students have few opportunities to discuss their work with others. Elaborated Communication

The teacher sets project-management goals and allows students to selfmonitor within that framework.

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Compassion Active Exploration Appropriate Use of Digital Technologies

The task only requires students to adhere to clear rules of behavior that govern the way they interact with and treat one another.

The task requires students to help determine standards of behavior to govern the way they interact with and treat one another.

The task provides opportunities for students to develop a deeper understanding of themselves, each other, and they way they interact with and treat each other.

The task requires students to learn about people around the world.

The task requires students to consider the impact of their understandings and actions on people in their local and global communities.

The task provides opportunities for students to interact with and care about the impact of their understandings and actions on people in their local and global communities.

The task requires students to learn about the natural world.

The task requires students to consider the impact of their understandings and actions on the natural world.

The task provides opportunities for students to interact with and care about the impact of their understandings and actions on the natural world.

The task requires students to engage with abstract ideas for which they have no prior grounding in the physical world (e.g. memorizing a math formula)

The task provides opportunities for students to engage with concrete objects in the physical world, but there is little emphasis on developing deeper understandings of related concepts (abstract ideas).

“Activity-Mania”: The task requires students to participate in hands-on activity, but there is no connection to a broader understanding.

Activities that are related to a broader theme, but they do not directly contribute to the accomplishment of the larger task.

The task provides opportunities for students to make connections between the physical world and related concepts (abstract ideas).

“Purposeful Activity”: Activities are clearly designed to allow students to successfully accomplish a broader investigation.

Technology is used in a purposeful manner that demonstrates an appreciation of what the tool can do. The technology is instrumental in accomplishing the task.

Technology is used for the sake of using technology, not because it will enhance the inquiry. The technology is not needed to accomplish the task.

Technology has some relevance to the inquiry. The technology is somewhat needed to accomplish the task.

The major focus of the task is on developing skill and fluency with a single application (limited context).

The task provides opportunities for students to use technology to improve efficiency.

The task provides opportunities for students to use technology to improve efficiency and to think differently.

The teacher decides which technologies will be used.

Students and teachers collaboratively decide which technologies will be used.

The task provides opportunities for students to determine which technologies are most appropriate to the task.

The teacher selects web-based resources for the students.

The teacher selects web-based resources for the students, but also encourages the students to use search engines and begin to make appropriate choices about which sources to use for their research.

The task provides opportunities for students to use critical thinking skills to select relevant and reliable information from the vast resources available on the web (e.g. efficient use of search engines, critical analysis of websites, intellectual integrity, awareness of internet safety).

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Appendix C Outdoor Education Camp Sweet Location/proximity to school Activities Food/Menu Safety Curriculum Parent involvement Duration of daily activities Transportation to/from

Strongly agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

Don’t know

215 216 175 197 200 185 190 237

111 108 129 117 120 124 125 88

0 2 15 6 1 5 5 2

0 0 4 1 1 1 2 0

2 2 5 7 6 13 6 1

Strongly agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

Don’t know

111 140 110 119 132 119 124 143

63 38 61 57 44 50 47 31

3 0 3 0 1 3 4 0

1 0 0 1 0 0 1 1

2 2 4 3 2 7 4 2

Strongly agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

Don’t know

45 48 38 34 42 44 44 46

31 25 33 27 33 29 27 22

1 3 3 12 2 1 4 5

1 2 2 4 0 1 0 6

5 5 6 6 6 8 7 4

Fort Steele Location/proximity to school Activities Food/Menu Safety Curriculum Parent involvement Duration of daily activities Transportation to/from

Grade 8 Circle Tour Location/proximity to school Activities Food/Menu Safety Curriculum Parent involvement Duration of daily activities Transportation to/from

Response Count 328 328 328 328 328 328 328 328

Rank

Response Count 180 180 178 180 179 179 180 177

Rank

Response Count 83 83 82 83 83 83 82 83

Rank

4.64 4.63 4.42 4.51 4.55 4.42 4.50 4.71

4.56 4.74 4.53 4.60 4.70 4.53 4.59 4.76

4.33 4.31 4.16 3.95 4.27 4.20 4.23 4.20

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Outdoor Education Bamfield Location/proximity to school Activities Food/Menu Safety Curriculum Parent involvement Duration of daily activities Transportation to/from

Strongly agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

Don’t know

44 51 50 52 50 46 45 44

13 5 4 4 6 6 5 9

0 0 1 0 0 1 5 2

0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0

6 7 8 7 7 10 6 6

Strongly agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

Don’t know

64 63 52 56 58 57 57 63

22 22 33 29 28 26 28 23

1 2 1 1 1 4 2 1

0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0

5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

Strongly agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

Don’t know

54 58 43 51 57 53 50 54

33 27 34 31 29 30 33 30

1 1 6 0 0 0 1 2

0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0

4 5 6 7 5 8 7 4

Wintercamp Location/proximity to school Activities Food/Menu Safety Curriculum Parent involvement Duration of daily activities Transportation to/from

Grade 4 Circle Tour Location/proximity to school Activities Food/Menu Safety Curriculum Parent involvement Duration of daily activities Transportation to/from

Averages

Location/proximity to school Activities Food/Menu Safety Curriculum Parent involvement Duration of daily activities Transportation to/from

Response Count 63 63 63 63 63 63 63 61

Rank

Response Count 92 92 92 92 92 92 92 92

Rank

Response Count 92 91 90 89 91 91 91 90

Rank

4.41 4.48 4.40 4.49 4.46 4.24 4.29 4.39

4.52 4.50 4.37 4.41 4.46 4.41 4.43 4.51

4.45 4.46 4.19 4.34 4.46 4.32 4.31 4.44

4.48 4.52 4.34 4.38 4.48 4.35 4.39 4.50

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Appendix D TEACHER COLLABORATION ASSESSMENT RUBRIC

Action

Dialogue

Evaluation

Beginning Dialogue is often related to swapping curriculum ideas or strategies

Developing Dialogue is usually related to instructional practice and student performance

Tensions exist among team members, but are not discussed or resolved Unequal participation in dialogue

Professional tension exists but disagreements and/or conflicts are rare For the most part members participate equally, though some members may ‘hibernate’ or ‘dominate’

Team members take minimal action as a result of group decision-making.

The team occasionally makes decisions about what pedagogical practices they will initiate, maintain, develop and/or discontinue

Team decisions are minimally informed by group dialogue

Most team decisions are informed by group dialogue

Most team actions are unrelated to the improvement of instructional practice and the cultivation of student learning

Actions are generally related to instructional practice and student learning

Actions are directly related to the improvement of instructional practice and the cultivation of student learning

Team members do not share evaluative data about the merits of their instructional practices with one another

The team does not regularly collect and/or analyze qualitative and quantitative information about member teaching practices and student learning The team may rely more on “hearsay,” “anecdotes,” or “recollections” to evaluate the merit of their practices Evaluative information is usually shared publicly and forms the basis for dialogue and decision-making

The team regularly collects and analyzes qualitative and quantitative information about teaching practices and student learning, including peer observations The team uses student performance data to evaluate the merit of individual and collective pedagogical practices Evaluation data and findings are shared publicly and form the basis for team dialogue and decisionmaking

The team does not systematically collect or analyze information about instructional practices and student learning The team relies exclusively on “hearsay,” “anecdotes,” or “recollections” to form the basis of their dialogue and decisionmaking

Proficient Dialogue is focused on the structured examination and analysis of instructional practice and student work Professional tensions are resolved as soon as possible All members participate equally with no ‘hibernators’ or ‘dominators’

Team regularly makes decisions about what individual and collective pedagogical practices they will initiate, maintain, develop and/or discontinue All decisions are informed by team dialogue

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Appendix G Outreach Events 2009-2010 Type

External Teacher PD

Location

Calgary Science School

Emerge 2009

Edmonton

Apple Education Showcase

Saint Andews by the Sea, New Brunswick

External Teacher PD

Calgary Science School

Date

08/19/09

08/19/10

July 5-9, 2010 09/10/09

Length

Attendees

Details of Outeach Event

1.5

I worked with Lara MacNeil from the Edge School. Lara wanted a detailed overview of the Cigar Box Project/Grade 7 project ideas. I also coached Lara with some tech questions (Blogs, Glogster, RSS 1 feeds, etc).

1.5

Candace Saar (Galileo) and Jon Hoty-Hallet presented the Biofuel: Food vs Fuel project as an example of Inquiry in the Science classroom. Jon’s role was to explain the planning, implementation and 2 assessment of the project in terms teachers could easily relate to.

Scott and Neil both created booths for the Apple Education Showcase where 100 teachers from New Brunswick were invited to a trade-show presention of innovative teaching with Apple 50 products.

Neil Skyped with Pat Cook, a grade 6/7 teacher in New Brunswick. 1 Pat was interested in ways to incorporate tech into his classroom. Two principals from New Zealand, Lynne Huddleston and Debra Peck visited our school as part of a tour of Inquiry-Based schools. Neil spent three hours with the principals, introducing them to our guiding documents and showing examples of inquiry in various 2 classrooms.

School Visit

Calgary Science School

09/14/09

External Teacher PD

Calgary Science School

09/02/09

Neil gave a presentation on “Designing Inquiry” to the U of C stu20 dent teachers. 5 people watching online using Ustream.

School Visit

Calgary Science School

14 principals, super-Intendments and teachers from Red Deer visited our school, with the intention of starting a Science and 14 Technology focused school in Red Deer.

Two Grade 4 Science Teachers offered Hands-on Science Workshops for Calgary Science Network. For more info see: http://www.calgarysciencenetwork.ca/pdfs/workshop_flyers/ 46 SS2009%20elementary%20flyer.pdf

CSN

Forest Lawn High School

Mount Royal University

CSS

Alberta Social Studies Conference

Lake Louise Alberta

Social Studies Conference

Lake Louise, Alberta

Social Studies Conference Social Studies Conference

Lake Louise

09/28/09

09/30/09

10/02/09

10/16/18

10/17/09

MRU students are going to be student volunteers in CSS classrooms working 30 hours between now and December 1, 2009. These students will be observing and helping their partner teachers in a rudimentary way to learn the fundamentals of teaching at 6 an inquiry-based school.

Neil gave presentation on the Cigar Box Project. 25 people watched virtually using uStream. Also made strong outreach con40 nections: Kayak Magazine and Brian Burley

Tanya and Chris presented Historical Novel & iMovie project from 10 Grade 5.

1.5

Jennifer Woodard presented Canada: Your Story is Our Story. The focus of the presentation was how to build good assessment prac45 tices into inquiry based learning. The response was very positive.

Jennifer Woodard presented Your Dollar is Your Vote to Grade 10 Social Studies teachers. The focus of the presentation was creating 52 engaged global citizens. The response was very warm.

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Alberta Assessment Consortium

Edmonton

National Museum of Science and Technology Consultation

Delta Inn (Calgary)

Calgary Regional Consortium

Calgary Science School

10/30/31

11/01/09

11/02/10

1.5

Neil gave presentation on using technology to deepen formative assessment. 3 people in attendance who had seen me present before. Great comments afterward - “your session last year was an aha for me in regard to inquiry/technology/assessment” “I’ve brought your work to my school and my teachers have designed 30 similar work in different grade levels.”

Louis Cheng participated in consultation meeting about how science museums can best serve school’s changing models towards 20 inquiry and technology.

Neil offered a two-part dinner series on Technology and Inquiry. This session was at the Science School, and made use of the lap7 tops and network infastructure here.

Skype

Calgary Science School

10/15/09

Lorrie skyped with three teachers from Lethbridge who were interested in using her Grade 6 Tracing Project. The teachers had read Lorrie’s blog post on Connect, and had questions for her about the 3 details of the project.

Alberta Charter School Assocation

Calgary

10/23/09

Neil and Tammy served on the planning committee for the Calgary 0 Charter School Conference.

External Teacher PD

Calgary Science School

Neil Skyped with Garfield and Roland from the Critical Thinking Consortium, providing guidance as they planned an Inquiry and 2 Technology session for the Ontario Teachers Federation.

Governor General’s Award

Ottawa

School Visit

Calgary Science School

External Teacher PD

Calgary Science School

Canmore Citizenship Project

Canmore

11/02/09

Neil received the Governor General’s Award for Excellence in Teaching Canadian History. Neil was interviewed by the Canadian Museum of Civilization, and donated one of the student made Cigar Boxes to be included into the National Archives. Neil was also 100 featured in a number of newspapers and tv news shows.

11/18/21 na

11/23/09

Two teachers from Foundations for the Future Charter School came for a school visit, focusing on technology and inquiry based learning. Scott and Neil lead the visit, including a tour of the 2 school.

Scott skyped with two of the tech coordinators in the Sunshine Coast School Division. Scott shared advice on 1:1 and Snow Leop2 ard, based on the learning from our history with technology.

Dave Scott: The purpose of the project is to link the junior and high school social studies curriculum with active involvement in the community in a way that promotes citizenship. Specifically, I was acting as a facilitator to develop units that are pedagogically sound and have incorporated various elements such as assess6 ment for learning and critical thinking.

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Media Story

CBC News

Inquiry and Technology

St. Timothy’s School, Cochrane

External Teacher PD

Calgary Science School

12/07/09

9 Teachers from Westmount Charter School came in advance of starting a 1:1 program. Neil and Scott shared a number of lessons 9 from our 1:1 program, and guided a tour of the school.

External Teacher PD

CRC Office

11/25/09

Scott Petronech acted as consultant to Jean Hoeft at the CRC office 1 regarding the development of a 1:1 conference to be held in April.

School Visit Parent PD

Parent PD

CSS CSS

CSS

Expert Connection

Calgary Science School

External Teacher PD

Elizabeth Rummel School, Canmore

External Teacher PD

MRU Visits

University of Calgary

Calgary Science School

11/27/09

12/04/09

11/26/09 09/24/09

11/12/09

01/07/10

01/12/10

01/22/10

01/27/10

CBC ran a news story on the Calgary Science School, and Neil’s receiving of the GG award. http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/News/Lo0 cal_News/Calgary/ID=1344019280 (about the 21:00 mark)

2.5

Neil Stephenson, Phil Butterfield and Scott Petronech met with 3 teachers and 1 parent from the Canadian Rockies School Division to talk about Digital Portfolios and assessment of gifted students. Technology integration was one of the big components of our 4 discussion.

2.5

Scott Petronech presented to our parent community on the topic 35 of Internet Safety and related it to their child’s school laptop.

2.5

Scott Petronech: Introductory Mac laptop workshop for parents. Focus was showing parents the media literacy components of 22 Apple laptops. Parents learned how to use Apple’s iLife suite.

Chris Dittmann had Jill Foran, editor of Kayak Magazine in as as guest. Jill shared the basics of graphic design with the students, and provided example of how to make the students “penny book” 0 stories more professional and engaging.

Neil Stephenson spent the day at Elizabeth Rummel School in Canmore. Neil worked with two grade 1 teachers, 2 grade 4 teachers, their “Learning Leader” and school principal. We plan to continue 20 the relationship between our grade 4 teachers.

Neil Stephenson gave a presentation at the University of Calgary, in D. Michele Jacobsen’s “Designing Instructional Spaces” course. 20 There were 20 students in attendance.

Approx 150 MRU students attended 6 visits to CSS from Jan 26-28. These presentations included an introduction to the school, school tour and print materials about CSS and our inquiry-based learning 150 focus.

Scott Petronech had a Skype meeting with Warren Dale (an ADE from Los Angeles who teaches in an inner city school). They are looking at ways to initiate a 1:1 project and wanted to hear about our experiences. This meeting was set up by Gary Atkins (an ADE 3 and music specialist from Toronto).

2.5

Some of the High School staff at Bishop Carroll came to learn about our school’s 1:1 experiences. This included a classroom tour 27 and a discussion on the logistics of our 1:1 project.

External Teacher PD CSS

School Visit

CSS

01/20/10

01/25/10

Neil gave presentation on integrating inquiry and technology, focusing on the inquiry rubric and various examples of teacher 25 projects.

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External Teacher PD

Coast Plaza Hotel

01/26/10

Scott Petronech presented on our school’s technology experiences 30 and road to 1:1 learning. This event was put on by OSI.

External Teacher PD

Westmount Charter School

01/29/10

Scott Petronech offered Apple PD (iMovie) for Westmount’s staff as 16 they get ready to initiate a 1:1 project.

Neil Stephenson delivered a 2 hour workshop at Senator Patrick Burns Middle School. The presentation was on inquiry and technology, using the Cigar Box Project and other examples of strong inquiry work from CSS. About 20 in attendance, including a 20 number of AISI learning Leaders.

Neil Stephenson was part of a two day PD workshop at Westmount Charter School. Neil and John Maschak from Apple shared Garage18 band, iPhoto, Google Docs, Delicious, wikis and blogs.

A group of teachers/administrators from Tanbridge Academy came to learn about our school’s 1:1 experiences. They are looking to 5 initiate a 1:1 project next year.

CBE PD Day

Senator Patrick Burns

Westmount 1:1

Westmount Charter School

01/29/10

40205

School Visit

CSS

Professional Development Day

St Martin de Porres High School

02/16/10

Neil Stephenson gave two presentations at the PD day for “Area E Junior and Senior High Schools” (Rural Catholic District). The PD 30 took place at St Martin de Porres High School.

Presentation on Engaging Teaching

University of Calgary - Garry McKimmon’s Class

03/03/10

Neil Stephenson gave a presentation in Garry McKimmon’s Profes20 sional Seminar Class at the University of Calgary.

Two teachers (Sheryl Burrows and Betty Thies) from CBE (John Ware Junior High) came for school visit. They were introduced to the Galileo inquiry model, Google Docs, and visited two classrooms. They were very interested in doing collaborative planning 2 with Jenn and Jason through Google Docs.

School Visit

HPEC 2010

Calgary Science School

Red Deer

CTS Conference

Banff

School Visit

Calgary Science School

12/08/09

04/30/10

04/24/10

05/05/10

1.5

Tammy Olsen Presented on Inquiry and Technology at Regional Physical Education Conference. Tammy has since been contacted 5 by participants to

Scott Petronech presented on 2 Topics: Digital Portfolios - A Work in Progress: discussed our Fine Arts initiative this year and presented content on infrastructure, policies and lesson’s learned. Personalized Learning - Our Road to 1:1: shared info on our laptop initiative and the way things have evolved over 4 years. Time was 50 spent on infrastructure, policies and lesson’s learned.

Two visitors from Master’s Academy (Doreen Gray and Cindy Backstrom) came to see our PD model, and how we continue to 2 develop our teachers toward Inquiry-Based Learning.

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Skype Chat Teacher 2 Teacher Conference

PD Session

Calgary Science School

Bow Island, AB West Island College

March 1, March 17, 2010

03/18/10

03/19/10

Neil Stephenson gave two skype presentations to groups of Mount 25 Royal University Students about inquiry based learning.

Neil Stephenson gave two presentations at the Teacher2Teacher technology conference in Bow Island AB. Neil presented on designing inquiry-based learning, using the Cigar Box project and 20 other classrooms examples from CSS.

Neil Stephenson presented during a PD day at West Island College. The topic was designing inquiry, using a variety of classrooms 6 examples from CSS.

GEOEC

Canmore, AB

05/06/08

1.5

Dave Scott presented about Citizenship Education and Throughline Questions in Social Studies. Dave used the grade 8 Renais15 sance Project as a case study for the session.

GEOEC

Canmore, AB

05/06/08

1.5

Greg presented at the GEOEC conference on his grade 5 endan10 gered animal project.

School Visit

Calgary Science School

School Visit

CSS

AISI Learning Leader Visit

CSS

Social Studies Showcase

Red and White Club, Calgary

School Visit

Calgary Science School

04/15/10 March 4, May 10, 2010

05/20/10

05/26/10

06/07/10

We had a vice-principal from Al Madina Charter School come to talk to use about 1:1 and Google Docs. Al Madina will contact us in 1 the Fall when they require more follow and PD support.

Neil Stephenson participated as a guest presenter in two ISTE 30 webinars on PBL.

Scott Petronech and Neil Stephenson hosted 20 AISI learning lead20 ers from the Calgary Catholic Board.

6 CSS teachers presented at the Social Studies Showcase event at the Red and White club. Presentations on Digital storytelling, 150 Renaissance Project, Historical Thinking, and Global Education. We had three representatives from New Zealand’s National Professional Development Organziation (Core Ed) come and visit our school - on the recommendation of Sharon Friesen and Galileo. We spent the more discussing the vision and structure of CSS 3 with a school tour. CSS hosted a school tour for Dr. Dennis Sumara (Dean of Education) and Dr. Sharon Friesen (Associate Dean of Education). The purpose of the visit was to discussion the possibility of CSS becoming a research school as part of the Faculty of Educations new PACE program. Also in attendance were:

Dean’s Visit

Calgary Science School

06/10/10

Dr. Gary Andrews - Executive Director of Alberta Charter Schools Dr. Robert St. Onge – Alberta Education, Director Dr. Bonnie Sharpiro – University of Calgary, Faculty of Education 30 Joanne Steinmann - AISI Coordinator, University of Calgary

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Appendix H Data /impact from the CSS Collaborative Outreach Initiative During 2009/2010 the CSS Collaborative Outreach Initiative worked with: • Alberta Assessment Consortium (AAC) Conference • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

• Galileo Educational Network • International Society of Technology in Education

2010 Alberta Initiative for School Improvement (AISI) Conference 2010 Alberta Initiative for School Improvement (AISI) Learning Leaders Apple Education Canada ATA Global Environmental and Outdoor Education (GEOEC) Conference 2010 ATA Social Studies Conference 2009 ATA Social Studies Showcase Event Bishop Carroll High School, Calgary Calgary Regional Consortium Canada’s National History Society Central Alberta Regional Consortium Core Ed Professional Development, New Zealand Dean and Associate Dean of Education, University of Calgary Edge School, Calgary Elizabeth Rummel School, Calgary

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

(ISTE) John Ware Junior High, Calgary Master’s Academy, Calgary Mount Royal University National Museum of Science and Technology New Brunswick School Boards Office Solutions Incorporated Senator Patrick Burns Middle School, Calgary St Martin de Porres High School, Airdre St. Timothy’s School, Cochrane Tanbridge Academy, Calgary Teacher2Teacher Technology Conference, Bow Island, AB The Critical Thinking Consortium University of Calgary West Island College, Calgary Westmount Charter School, Calgary

Calgary Science School Pre-Service Teacher Mentoring University of Calgary: Year Two Student Teachers Calgary Science School Teacher Tanya Stogre Emily Brown Andrew Bolan Amy Peebles Jennifer Woodard Lisa Nelson and Erin Couillard Shashi Shergill Dean Schmeichel

University of Calgary Student Teacher Heather Miller Tanya McCallum Laine Wiens Kerry Martens Jaime Groeller Jason Cooper Natalie Humenjuk Gareth Melrose

Mount Royal University: Student Volunteers Calgary Science School Teacher Jacquie Moir Amy Peebles Chris Dittmann Greg Neil Kevin Sonico Carolyn Armstrong

Mount Royal University Student Keith McLarty Alexandra Rimmer Rachel Payette Louie Paccalagan George Belkie Rebecca Korasz

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Feedback about the CSS External Collaboration Initiative: ““The Calgary Science School has been instrumental in assisting Bishop Carroll High School staff with their 1 to 1 Laptop Learning program. Bishop Carroll will begin a 1 to 1 laptop program in the Fall of 2010. Our professional reading lead us to schools who have effectively integrated instructional technology into their schools such as the Calgary Science School. We met with CSS staff to help us look toward effective implementation of not only hardware infrastructure, but primarily the instructional focus in the use of digital technologies. Our professional collaboration with teaching colleagues at CSS is invaluable for the following reasons. Discussion with CSS staff helps provide a philosophical and pedagogical rationale for the implementation of digital technology within the school. Our staff visits to CSS enables us to observe digital learning in action and to see practical examples of instructional technology. And finally, presentations from staff at Calgary Science School has provided excellent Professional Development for our Faculty & Staff.” Vice Principal, Bishop Carroll High School “The experience was very practical and inspiring. I really appreciate how much student voice the CSS uses through technology and I hope to incorporate this into my practice.” CBE teacher “This PD has helped guide my teaching and the manner in which I wish my staff to approach teaching and learning.” Principal, Calgary Catholic “The results were very impressive, students wrote about how they had been very unsure and confused about the topic, but after speaking with Neil, they felt a lot more comfortable with the concept. For a group of future teachers, it was inspiring to interact with a school who is actively applying inquiry based learning in a school setting.” Mount Royal University student, Faculty of Education “It was a great PD workshop. It gave me lots of ideas as to how to incorporate more relevant projects into my social studies classes. The access to the Calgary Science School website is very useful.” Teacher, West Island College Private School

“This was an excellent, useful and relevant presentation. I found Neil to be practical and realistic. What he had to share was applicable to our reality in the classroom. I loved Neil’s attitude towards learning and inquiry based learning in particular. I love the idea of linking to other members and experts in the community.” Teacher, West Island College Private School “This was one of the best PD experiences I have had the pleasure of attending. Neil was so willing to share and collaborate with all the information and materials he has and he was willing to put us in touch with the teachers of his school to do the same. Watching students work and collaborate with the technology was just mind boggling. It’s fantastic to find a school and staff members whose mandate it is to collaborate and share all their expertise and materials. Neil was so willing to share his expertise and resources. The Calgary Science School has even offered to assist with our PD next year.” CBE teacher “I was impressed with the school generally; the tone, the student engagement, the sense of calm and order that imbued the school. I liked that in many ways it seemed like any other school, except with more and better technology - ie. it wasn’t ‘weird’. I enjoyed the fact that the teachers and leaders were so willing to share with us, too, and everybody in the building seemed happy to be there.” AISI Learning Leader “It was extremely helpful to go into classrooms and see how technology and inquiry based learning was being utilized. This knowledge and experience gives me the ability to talk to classroom teachers in my cohort to discuss how they could implement these ideas into their own teaching practices while giving examples of how it can work.” AISI Learning Leader “My time at CSS was extremely useful. Through classroom observations and discussion, I was able to see 21st Century teaching and learning in action. It will help me to prioritize my focus to be able to develop my “coaching” role with teachers in my designated schools. It made me solidify my understanding of “inquiry-based learning” as the key element in moving forward.” AISI Learning Leader

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“Recently I used your professional development questions on my own to help change my teaching practice as I am not feeling satisfied at the moment. Your questions and the work your school is doing to practice true inquiry at both a staff and student level is a model I would like to be part of implementing and so I share some of your posts with a couple of my colleagues and we talk about what we can do in small ways to make things happen. To do that I have to be more purposeful in my planning and more aware of the “open” spaces I am leaving for the kids to do the real work.” Teacher from Northhampton, NH, USA ““Student teachers react strongly and positively to Neil Stephenson’s presentations, and often cite his visit as one of the most memorable experiences in my Year 2 Seminars. Specifically, student teachers appreciate that Neil brings rich examples of student work, that he carefully describes the different tasks students have completed along with assessment methods and rubrics designed to give students feedback on the quality of their work. Neil helps student teachers to learn how they might negotiate authentic relationships with experts from across disciplines and beyond classroom walls to benefit student learning. Through Neil’s rich instructional plans and engaging methods of presentation, student teachers can appreciate the depth and sustained nature of innovative inquiry projects from the Calgary Science School, and begin to understand how they might design these kinds of learning experiences for their own students.” Dr. Michele Jacoben, Associate Professor, University of Calgary

“I would say that Galileo has been able to use samples of student work from the Calgary Science School to illustrate deep understanding of discipline concepts and ways of working, to educational stakeholders throughout the province. These work samples have provided strong images of what deep understanding looks like when teachers deliberately design inquiry-based tasks and assessment processes that sponsor authentic, academically rigorous learning outcomes. In working with teachers here in Alberta and elsewhere in Canada, the question we get asked most frequently is, “what does strong inquiry-based work look like?”. The examples that we direct teachers and principals to look at are those that have emerged from the Calgary Science School. These images of effective teaching practices have provided exemplars for principals to use in discussion with teachers as well as clear professional learning targets for the teachers themselves.” Candace Saar, Galileo Educational Network “I have had the privilege of associating with the Calgary Science School in a variety of venues, from hands-on multiple day workshops, to Internet based presentations, and finally in sessions with fellow teachers from across Canada. In each and every case the strong exemplars from the Calgary Science School bring a great deal of value to the discussions and sessions. The school’s examples are widely used in a large variety of jurisdictions in North America and is always enthusiastically implemented.” John Maschak, Apple Canada Professional Development Trainer

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