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MARCH 2011 • ISSUE 7 • VOL . 8
THE CALGARY SCIENCE SCHOOL
Principal’s Message Spring Break – two of our favourite words. In the past few weeks students have participated in the Calgary Youth Science Fair, regional debate finals, the Calgary Alternative Athletic Association basketball final tournament, and have made several presentations to parents and community groups regarding our community garden project, just to name a few events. Later in this Spectrum you will read about the successes of our students in each of these ventures. I am very proud of our students’ accomplishments and that they represented our school community with such integrity, poise and respect. We all definitely deserve a break!
In addition to the student activities I have mentioned, there was a group of parents who were busy in a flurry of activity a week ago during our trimester 2 studentled conferences. We had a committed and intrepid group of parent volunteers handing out the Balzac Meat orders, braving the cold to ensure that the process was smooth and without complication. I want to again thank the parent volunteers who took on the responsibility of organizing that fundraiser and in handing out the orders for two and a half hours that night. Your efforts are very much appreciated and resulted in a significant amount of money raised.
While we are all resting and relaxing over Spring Break, there will be a number of people in the school doing some construction related to the brick work that has been slated to be done this year. Yes, work is beginning on the repairs to the brickwork. Unfortunately, the exterior work will not start until the summer, so we will have to continue to deal with the security fencing around the school that has been up for months now. Lastly, I will be hosting another Dialogue with Darrell on Friday, April 15th at 9am in the staff room and all parents are welcome to attend. I hope you enjoy your break and find it restful and rejuvenating. Darrell Lonsberry
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APRIL 2011
IN THIS ISSUE
Pr i n c i p a l ’s M e s s a g e. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .....1
G rade 4 S cience Fair.......................12
S c h o o l Co u n c i l Ne w s. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ....3
Reason for the B eat.......................14
Responsibilities of Th e B o a rd of D i re c to r s. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ....4
HANDS & Star EcoWorks.................16
B o a rd o f D i re c to r s H i g h l i g ht s. . . . . . ....6 C S S O w n s a Cu b e Va n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ....7 Bussing.................................8 Co m m u n i t y G a rd e n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...10 E xe m p l a r y Te a c h i n g a n d Le a r n i ng Fra m e wo r k . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...11
Music Notes.................................18 Phys Ed. and Athletics Update.................20 CSS Featured Ar tists......................22 April 2011 Calendar......................26 May 2011 Calendar.......................27 Robot G ames................................28 THE
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SCHOOL COUNCIL NEWS
Our last meeting began with a special presentation on the Community Garden project. Simrat S. and Connor S., both from 7.3, gave a presentation on the work their class has been doing on this joint project between the Calgary Science School and the Lakeview Community Association. Parents in attendance immediately saw the connections this project has to math, science and service learning at the school, particularly for our students in grades 4, 7 and 9. Students have priced out the materials needed to construct and prepare the gardening beds and parent volunteers are needed to help with pre-build activities the week of April 4th and the actual garden bed construction on April 16th. If you can help out, please email lakeviewcommunity.garden@gmail.com. Thanks to committee members Tanya Stogre, Jaime Groeller, Kim Brundrie, Amy Lonsberry, Carolyn Armstrong and Karen Cuthbertson for their tremendous support of the Community Garden project. For more information please see page 10.
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It was great to see some of our grade 8 and 9 students out at the March student-led conferences, sharing their ideas for improving student health at CSS. We heard from some members of the student-led health initiative at our December meeting, and they were clearly following through on their idea to involve CSS families in this initiative. If you didn’t have a chance to visit their display and pick up a copy of the latest edition of the Canada Food Guide, visit http:// www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/index-eng.php to view the Canada Food Guide online, download a PDF or request a print copy.
In May, you can expect to hear about our Annual Parent Survey. Responses to the 2011 survey will be used to provide feedback to CSS administration and to help School Council set its priorities for the 2011/12 school year.
Other recent School Council-related activity: •
On March 17, many CSS families picked up their second (and last) Balzac Meats order for the current school year. Under the terrific leadership of Karen Morrison and Carolynn Vodden, this fundraiser netted another $8,400 which will go to “wish list” items jointly agreed upon between CSS administration and the Fundraising Committee. Thanks to all of the student and parent volunteers who came out the evening of March 17 to load all the meat into all of our vehicles.
Traffic safety pylons are set up at various locations around the school grounds, raising awareness of traffic rules that some of us tend to short-cut when we’re in a hurry. Thank you to all the members of the Traffic Safety Committee for taking steps to improve safety for our students, particularly in crosswalk areas.
One of our goals for April is to establish a committee to organize a parent social. The timing for the social will likely be some time in the fall. Because the Calgary Science School draws students from across the city, organized events provide a valuable opportunity for parents to meet and socialize. If you are interested in helping to organize this event, please come out to a half-hour kickoff meeting at 8:30 am on Friday, April 15th in the staff room. The meeting will last no longer than 30 minutes. If you’d like to help with the event but can’t make the meeting, please send an email to council.css@gmail. com.
Our next School Council meeting will be held in the Anne Tingle Library, starting at 7 pm on Wednesday, May 4. The meeting will begin with a student debate on the following topic: Be it resolved that the Calgary Science School should participate in casino fundraisers. A detailed agenda for the balance of the meeting will be circulated in late April. As always, if there’s a topic you would like to see addressed, please send an email to council.css@gmail.com.
Wishing you all a most enjoyable spring break! Denise Kitagawa on behalf of your Calgary Science School Council
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RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE
BOARD OF D Ms. Lori Wilhelm-Einsporn (Board Chair and Chair of the Governance Committee) Mr. Harold Lemieux (Board Vice Chair) Mr. Dave Robinson (Board Past Chair) Ms. Cheryl Lemieux (Chair of the Finance Committee) Dr. Torben Bech-Hansen (Chair of the External Collaboration Committee) Ms. Lorraine Chan; Ms. Catherine Cook (Chair of the Fund Development Committee) Ms. Stephanie Davis; Mr. Tim Edwards (Chair of the Facilities Committee) Dr. Sharon Friesen; Ms. Teri Henderson; Ms. Lindsay Hogan; Ms. Debra Pylypiw (Chair of the School Operations Committee) Mr. Dale Ronsky; Mr. Tom Short (Chair of the Communications Committee) Dr. Norm Vaughan I thought it may be helpful to parents to understand the functions of the Board of Directors and an overview of the responsibilities of each subcommittee currently operating within the Board of Directors. The Board is very proactive, with each member passionate about education and the success of the Calgary Science School to provide exemplary teaching and exemplary learning. The Calgary Science School Society is governed by the Board of Directors. The Board is accountable to the members of the Society and to the Minister of Education in Alberta. The Board of Directors, governed by its by-laws, is required to set general policy in compliance with the School Act. The roles of the Board include guidance, stewardship and decision making, formulating policy, making rules and regulations, communicating vision, management of school resources and assets of the society, hiring and terminations, establishment of salaries and benefits, appointment of officers, the auditor and members of the Board committees. Incoming Board members are elected by the existing Board of Directors for a three-year term, except for parent directors who are elected for one-year terms. No director can serve for more than three consecutive terms other than the Board Chair who is eligible to serve for one additional year. The by-laws require that the Board be comprised of a minimum of three
parents of children attending the school to a maximum of one third of the voting members. The Board cannot exceed twenty-one members. The Calgary Science School Board currently consists of fifteen members; five parents and ten individuals who are not affiliated with the School. The majority of the Board members have a field of expertise such as science and technology, accounting, business, law, education, government relations and public relations.
The Board maintains various committees which per form the activities required for the effective and efficient functioning of the Society. The Committees currently operating include:
a) the Governance Committee, which monitors the compliance of the Calgary Science School with respect to the Societies Act, the By-laws and the Charter Agreement with Alberta;
b) the Communications Committee, which oversees the communication of the mission and vision of the Calgary Science School and its activities with its stakeholders, students, parents, government, and general public; c) the Finance Committee, which reviews the finances of the Society and provides recommendations to the Board with regard to financial matters; THE
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DIRECTORS d) the School Operations Committee, which works
with the school leadership team and provides advice and guidance on operational and policy issues;
e)
the External Collaboration Committee, which was formed to enhance and promote the development of the Calgary Science School as a centre of research, innovation and excellence in teaching and learning. The Committee facilitates collaboration with a variety of stakeholders to develop research-focused relationships that enhance teaching and learning practices.
f)
the Fund Development Committee, which was established to generate funds to enhance and support the development of the Calgary Science School as a centre of research and innovation in teaching and student learning and,
g)
the Facility Committee, which oversees the facility, its maintenance and renovations to ensure its compliance with safety standards, promote energy efficiency and provide the best possible physical climate for learning.
Our Board meets monthly. This month a number of items were reviewed and discussed including: The budget presented by the Minister of Education. In presenting the budget for 2011-2012, the Minister described it as a challenge for school boards. Although there is a 4.4% increase in the basic school grant (which equates to about $164,000 here at CSS), to cover teacher salary increases associated with the agreement between the Province and the Alberta Teachers Association, there is also a reduction of approximately the same amount of money associated with the elimination of the class size grant ($85,000), a reduction in the Alberta Initiative for School Improvement grant ($42,000) and the Relative Cost of Purchasing Goods and Services grant ($35,000). The net effect is no increase in budgeted funding yet there are increasing costs such as busing and salary incre-
ments which must be addressed. There was no increase in Alberta Education grants for transportation even though diesel costs have increased significantly. The Board of Directors and staff will be faced with the challenge of taking cost saving measures, while maintaining existing programs and not negatively impact the quality of the educational experience provided to Calgary Science School students. The leadership team will be deliberating over the next few months as to how to best manage the funding of required programs and school costs prior to submitting the school budget to Alberta Education by the deadline date of May 31, 2011. This Budget will be approved by the Board of Directors before it is submitted. As registration for 2011-2012 is required shortly, certain decisions had to be made in respect to setting student fees for enrichment, lunchroom, busing and laptop insurance. The Finance Committee reviewed the student enrichment fees in detail, determining the costs covered and the amount required per child to subsidize these costs. The 2010 student enrichment fee covered 64% of the actual costs and the remainder was taken from school operation funding. Realizing the constraint of the current budget and likely future budgets, the Board of Directors agreed to the following fee structure:
• an increase in the student fee from $450 to $475/ student;
• an increase in the busing fee from $810 to $830/ student for on-time registrations;
There is no change in the lunch room fee or the laptop insurance fee.
Lori Wilhelm-Einsporn Chair of the Board
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HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS COMMITTEE REPORTS
The presentation of the new CSS logo by the student whose creative imagination must be recognized. The letters C, S, S, provide an illustration of the road of learning that our students, teachers and parents travel. The logo symbolizes our mission of bringing learning to life and life to learning. The Board of Director’s congratulates and appreciates the time taken by Sameeksha (Maggie) C. of 6.3 in creating a new logo for C.S.S. The Board of Director’s presented her with a trophy in recognition of her achievement. Thank you Maggie. We would also like to thank Mrs. Armstrong, Ms. Stogre, Simrat S. and Connor S. from 7.3 for presenting the Community Garden initiative. It is an amazing idea that brings together the Lakeview community and the Calgary Science School. The classes that worked out the required materials, costing and design of the garden must be congratulated. The Governance Committee, together with the Leadership team, is preparing a Strategic Plan which supports the vision and mission of the Calgary Science School which highlights the strong commitment to research, innovation and providing leadership as a charter school in pursuit of the Alberta Education vision for transforming education in Alberta. The Fund Development Committee presented an overall report of where we are and where we need to get to in respect to Fund Development. The Committee is currently looking at the expertise required to make CSS’s fund development a success. We have also debated the need for fund development and the types of fund development which would or would not be acceptable.
Maggie C. (6.3) and Rheana Fehr April. It is currently operating but being loaded with information for parents, students and stakeholders of the Calgary Science School. The Communications Committee will also be meeting with the Fund Development Committee to prepare a plan for rolling out the Fund Development initiatives.
The Strategic Plan will provide focus for all projects being reviewed by the School that require funding. If anyone has a Fund Development background, please contact Catherine Cook at Catherine.Cook@shaw.ca.
The School Operations Committee presented the Transportation Budget for 2011-2012. This committee together with the Transportation Committee are currently planning the “expected” routes for next year. Thank you to all dedicated parents for keeping our transportation system operating at such efficiency.
The Communications Committee have been very busy with the Leadership Team finalizing the new website design. We hope to unveil this new website in late
The Board would also like to acknowledge the exemplary teaching and exemplary learning experiences that have occurred this month at the school: THE
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•
The students through the mentorship of Mr. Scott and Ms.Groeller have been exploring a big question relating to the potential for a renaissance in Calgary. Teams of students prepared displays highlighting their views based on extensive research of the Renaissance related to various themes such as: education; the arts; theology and government. They invited outside experts with a rich background related to the relevant themes to join them in a dialogue and sharing of ideas through what proved to be a very exciting, stimulating forum. Commendations are extended to the grade 8 humanities teachers and the students for their excellent work and to the outside experts, who through their involvement, enriched the learning experience and gave it authenticity.
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The grade 9 team has begun their Challenge –based Learning Project on ethical food choices. The students are deeply engaged in a multitude of explorations based on their interests. They have connected with experts, been on field trips and have been working in a substantially modified schedule to accomplish all that they need to for the project.
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The fine arts team has also been active, with Mr. Bolen and our beginner band competing at the Kiwanis Music Festival on Friday, March 11. Our one hundred grade 6’s and nine grade 7 students have been preparing for months and sounded great.
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Commendations are extended to the grade 4 to 9 students for their outstanding Science Fair Inquiries and to their teachers who provided guidance and support to the students as they explored significant scientific topics. The exceptional quality of the inquiries was noted by the judges and individuals who had an opportunity to view the student inquiries at the grade 5 to 9 Science Fair and the special showcase for grade 4 students who are not eligible to formally participate in the Calgary Youth Science Fair. Good luck to the 45 students who will be representing the Calgary Science School at the Calgary Youth Science Fair.
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A school assembly was held on March 1 to introduce the 16 Descriptors of Exemplary Learning in the Calgary Science School and to celebrate exemplars of student work and leadership related to the descriptors. Every classroom in the school has a laminated poster of the descriptors of exemplary teaching and exemplary learning and these displays will be referred to on an ongoing basis.
Lori Wilhelm-Einsporn Chair of the Board
CSS
Owns a Cube Van
The school recently purchased a 16 foot cube van to support our outdoor education program. We have been spending a few thousand dollars each year on the rental of a cube van for storing all of the outdoor education equipment we require for camps. The purchase will save us money in the long run and will provide for additional storage for our equipment. We now need somewhere to store the van. We are reluctant to store it at the school due to a lack of adequate parking and the likelihood that the vehicle would eventually be vandalized if left for a long period of time (our school gets tagged by spray paint about once a month in the warmer months and a shiney white van would be a tempting target).
Do you live on an acreage and have room to store our cube van? Please contact Mr. Lonsberry if you are able to help out with this. Thank you.
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Bussing: Hearing from the
Students and a Driver
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We asked the
students: Do you like bussing and why?
Yes I do! Our driver is really nice, and gets us to school on time almost all of the time.
What do you do on the bus? I mostly talk to all my friends.
What is the nicest thing about bussing? I met my best friend on the bus. Emma (6.3)
Do you like bussing and why?
Yes I like bussing. It is really safe, comfortable, and makes me feel close to other people.
What do you do on the bus? I read a lot and talk to my friends.
What is the nicest thing about bussing? Our driver sometimes gives us candy. Anonymous (6.4)
“Bussing is an important part of CSS. Most of our students arrive to school by bus. I know that if it was not for bussing, my parents would have never considered placing me at CSS. I like bussing because I met my first and now best friend on the bus. Our bus driver is always very friendly and sometimes even gives us treats. I also enjoy having her children on the bus. They are so cute, friendly and sometimes do and say funny things. Most of the kids on our route stay the same each year. The Grade 9’s leave and new Grade 4’s join us. At the end of the year, most of us know one another. While we are on the bus, kids do various things like talking, reading, playing handheld games, studying and doing homework. I am thankful for bussing because I love going to CSS!” Reuben K. (6.2)
Meet Dale: Driver Route 2
I completed my Southland and Class 2 drivers training in August 2007 and started driving the bus in September of 2007. CSS Route 2 was my first (and has been my only) route, which makes this my fourth year driving for CSS 2. My firstborn (Kaleb) was just 10 months old when I started driving the bus and my husband and I were planning on at least one more child. When I was nearing the end of my maternity leave with Kaleb I began to panic at the thought of placing him in child care outside the home and returning to work full time. We crunched some family income financial numbers and decided that driving the bus and raising my children myself was a better fit for us than paying somebody else to look after them while I worked. I have returned to my same route year after year because I adore the kids on my route and appreciate how the faculty at CSS treats it’s drivers, as a vital part of their day to day function. Mr. Lonsberry (and in the past Mr. Sweet) has expressed his gratitude to us time and again for getting CSS students to school safely and on time every day.
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CSS/L CA
COMMUNITY
GARDEN
The Calgary Science School (CSS) and the Lakeview Community Association (LCA) are collaborating to build a community garden beside the Lakeview Community Center. The initial building of the garden is being funded by a grant from the Alberta Healthy School Community Wellness Fund, and is being generously matched by a donation from CSS. In addition, the City of Calgary has provided an in-kind donation. A joint committee of representatives including CSS teachers and parents, LCA members, and the Lakeview community residents have been working, along with students at CSS, to plan the garden.
We need your help with the construction of the garden. April 16, 2011 is the first planned build date with April 30 and May 7, 2011 as backup dates if the weather is uncooperative. Here are some opportunities for participation:
Pre-build – Week of April 4, 2011 • volunteers for pre-cutting the wood for the boxes • tools required (measuring tapes, drills, and a power saw)
Build - April 16, 2011 (weather permitting) • v olunteers for construction of the boxes, filling the boxes with soil • t ools required (drills, wheelbarrows, shovels, rakes)
“BBQ Social for Volunteers” - April 16, 2011 (weather permitting) •
volunteers required for organizing (beforehand) and facilitating (on the day)
For more information, please contact the committee via email:
Lakeviewcommunitygarden@gmail.com
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Exemplary
Teaching
Learning & Framework Dr. Shelley Robinson
The Calgar y Science School embarked on an initiative to respond to the question posed at the school professional development retreat in August, 2011: What does exemplar y teaching look like at the Calgar y Science School? With input from the staff throughout subsequent professional development days, the leadership team began to synthesize some of the common attributes of exemplar y teaching and learning into an action model. What has resulted is a solid framework with sixteen descriptors that capture the essence of what we do at the Calgar y Science School to build excellence in teaching and learning.
The model looks at “who we are; what we do; how we do it; and why we do it � as a means of examining our own practice. The products that have resulted have been transposed into a teacher and corresponding student framework that we post visibly in ever y classroom in the school. As well, we have created suppor t documents that afford our teachers the oppor tunity to reflect on their own practice with these descriptors in mind, and for students to provide feedback around these learning constructs. We are excited to know all of the possibilities that a reflective framework, such as this, is affording our staff as a professional community.
Please click on the link below to view the document: http://www.calgaryscienceschool.com/publications/plans/2011%2003%2016%20Exemplary%20Teaching.pdf
We are looking for parent volunteers to join the parent band committee. If you are interested in joining, we welcome you to attend our next meeting held on April 26, 2011 at 8:30 AM at CSS. Please email: Carolynn Vodden at voddens@shaw.ca for more information or to confirm your attendance.
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Grade 4 Science Fair
My Experience at Science Fair
The trifold is the most important part of the project, because it shows the work that has been done and how it has been done. It’s important to have your procedure ,handy because if you are without it you won’t get marked on creativity. Creativity is the most important parts of science fair.
By Guru N. (4.3)
Science fair is a competition for students to show experiments in forms such as reports, trifolds, models and presentations. Science fair allows students in grade schools and high schools to compete in science activities.
Science fair is judged on:
Creativity: • Demonstrating originality in your topic choice • Demonstrating originality in each phase of project development.
Skills: • Conducting an experiment, which is successful. • Collecting, documenting and presenting the data. • Possessing knowledge about project equipment.
Interview with Mr. Butterfield
We do the science fair to show parents, judges and other people what kids have been doing so far. Science fair is about working on inquiry and presentation skills.
Interview with Mrs. Barnes In most schools the grade 8 and 9 students judge the science fair. After the judges are done they go to the homeroom teacher for finalization of the marks. There are different prizes such as diplomas and medals.
Interview with a grade nine student An important thing about the science fair is you have to be enthusiastic about your topic. For example: if your favorite topic is space but your Science Fair topic is something you don’t like, you wouldn’t be so happy about your project.
Interview with Teagan grade 4 Teagan’s project is on hair wools. It is an experimental project. She explained to me the procedure of her project. She was very excited for her project. It required five months of efforts to complete her project. Science fair is to explore creativity and skills of all students. It increases the students’ knowledge of students in science. We use different procedures and materials for each project. THE
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Grade 4 Science Fair
Beautiful Brainiacs By Meagan 6.1
Titanium to Turbines at the Grade Four Science Fair By Daniel (6.2)
Who knew brainy could be so beautiful? On February 28, 2011, the grade 4’s held their annual Science Fair in the IAC. This Science Fair showcased the amazing projects the grade 4’s had worked so hard on this year. All 100 students were set up in the IAC or what we like to call during this time… the room of science. Many students were chatting with friends and looking around at other projects. These topics ranged from roses to hurricanes, bridges to hot chocolate to sports! These are just a few of the outstanding topics we saw. Brianna, a grade 4 participating in the Science Fair, explained that her favorite part by far was researching her topic. When asked if she was nervous about the judging, she replied confidently: “No!” While many were very nervous about the judging and how difficult it would be, another young grade 4 girl Nadine, said that, “Science Fair was very fun. My favorite part was the judging.” It was a beautiful day for fearless kids with a passion for science.
Originality was the focus at the Grade Four Science Fair on February 28th, 2011. Every trifold in the IAC from the tight corners, to the open spaces, showed a full understanding and a sense of originality. It is clear that every student reached their goal and not only managed to become an expert on their own topic, but they also put presentations together to educate others. The Grade Four Science Fair was excellent. One CSS student stated that the science projects were “interesting and creative.” I am sure everyone who attended the science fair agreed. The trifolds at the science fair came in many different sizes, but they all showed an equal amount of understanding. While some of the grade 4’s looked a bit nervous at judging time, they should all know how amazing their projects really were.
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WATER BOTTLE
MONSTER THE
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REASON FOR THE
BEAST Written by Danika V. (6.1) & Kirsten C. (6.2)
Why did we create this water bottle monster? All of us in the Outdoor and Environmental Education elective feel passionately about Canada’s massive use of water bottles. We feel that the distribution of water bottles needs to end. One of the best ways to create a movement is to educate others about
this very important issue. We believe that there is no reason to use this many water bottles, as it is not even cleaner than tap water and tap water costs much less. Creating so much waste with water bottles is harmful to the environment and impacts many different animals. Many water bottles end up in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which affects much sea life. Also, plastic water bottles require a lot of oil to produce them and that is a waste of our natural resources. Fuel is also used because the water bottles have to be transported to many factories before arriving at our stores. And why are we destroying our environment again? Right, for our own convenience and to get so-called “cleaner” water, when tap water is proved to be better in taste tests. Our elective has decided to raise awareness about this atrocious issue by building a water bottle monster. End the madness and stop buying plastic water bottles.
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HANDS & Star EcoWorks Written By: Amanda C & Ben K (5.4)
Karen Cuthbertson, mother of CSS 5.4 student Amanda, is the co-founder of HANDS (Helping Across Nepal Development Society) which is an organization that connects schools in Canada with small villages in Far West Nepal. An idea came up to let CSS grade 5 students build solar powered lights that were exact replicas to the ones that were sent to the region of Nepal which has very limited electricity. They brought their idea to 5.4 and got all the students involved in an activity, learning how these lights were made. We were shown a slide show about how hard life is in developing countries. We learned how helpful the solar powered lights that kids in another school had made and sent to Nepal were. These lights were given to students in remote villages that don’t have access to regular power. In these countries, light is very precious so the solar powered lights mean a lot to those people. After the slide show, we went to the gym and created the solar powered lights, and tested them to see how much power the solar panels created. We also did an activity on how the lights have changed from the first design to now, and we tried to find 10 differences between the two models. We also did an activity on how much more energy efficient LED lights are compared to regular lights. We looked at some of
the older lights that had been brought back from Nepal and how bad their condition was were. The programs created by HANDS benefits the students in Nepal by providing them with light and school supplies, and also allows both the students in Nepal and the students in Canada to learn about one another. For the students in Canada, this learning process really benefits them because they cover things that are in their curriculum in both Humanities and Science. In Humanities it covers Social Studies (global communities and Canadian communities) and in Science it teaches us about solar panels, circuits and lights for our electrical unit.
Karen Cuthbertson and Nicole Dunsdon of HANDS with Steve O’Gorman and Trevor Wise of STAR EcoWork s (The company that supplies the lights that are created by the Grade 5 students and brought to Nepal) THE
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COMMENTS FROM 5.4: “From the solar light, I learned that LED lights work better than regular lights and are more energy efficient. I found it interesting because I wanted to see what it is like in Asia” Ben C. 5.4 “I think the solar lights are genius because you can charge them with the sun. My favorite part about making the lights is that it is for a GREAT cause. Keep up the great work!” Victoria B. 5.4 “Making the Eco Lanterns was a great experience. Building them was amazing, and with all the wires and screws, it was certainly a challenge, but I enjoyed it. We learned as a class that these Lanterns were for Nepal since they don’t have available power.” Jon B. 5.4
“In this process I learned that making solar lights can help Nepal in a huge way. It can help them because most of the people have one tiny light in their whole house and their light travels from neighborhood to neighborhood. I really liked putting the actual solar lights together/making them work. Mine along with my friend had 22.00 volts” Kate L. 5.4 “Star EcoWorks is a company that cares. They build solar powered lights for people in Nepal. Building the lights and doing the tests was awesome.” Tate K. 5.4 “It was a great opportunity to learn about what Nepal needs and how we can help them, more outside of school. It was a great experience for me, it showed me even more of how much Nepal needs our help., It made me happy that we got the chance to help. I am looking forwards to helping them even more in the future.” Saadia A. 5.4
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The Gr. 6 & 7 Beginning Band at Kiwanis Music Festival Friday, March 11.
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“I was very impressed with how both bands performed and it was so impressive to see them perform in the Jubilee Auditorium and at the Kiwanis Festival which is one of the biggest music festivals of the world.” Mr. McKinnon
The Gr. 6&7 Beginning Band performed at the Kiwanis Music Festival Friday, March 11 and received a very good rating. Here is what the students & staff had to say:
Beginning Band Blows away Baffled Bystanders By Gr. 6 students Maitri P, Julia C and Brianna C On March 11, the grades 6 and 7 Beginning Bands amazed their parents and all who attended the Kiwanis Music Festival with our magnificent performance at the Jubilee Auditorium. Along with showcasing their music and months of hard work the students went on tours of both the Alberta College of Art and Design (ACAD) and the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT). After the SAIT and ACAD tours, we had lunch in the Jubilee Auditorium lobby. When everyone was finished, the volunteers took pictures of the band in our very professional looking white top and black pants. We performed two pieces entitled “Penguin Promenade”, and “Midnight Mission”. The adjudicators then provided commentary and gave us some very constructive feedback to improve our playing. It was a great experience for all and a great way for us to learn to perform like professionals. We were rated a very good performance by the adjudicator. Afterwards, Mr. Bolen was so nice that he presented all the beginning bands with a celebration afterwards of delicious cake. It is all part of an amazing experience that they will never forget.
Upcoming Events Intro to Band Meeting (in conjunction with Fort Steele meeting) April 14, 2011 6:00 PM
Band Committee Meeting April 26, 2011 8:30 AM
Calgary Youth Hand-bell Festival Tuesday, April 19, 2011 9:30AM – 11:30AM St. Sebastian School in the SE (Chaparral).
Grade 5 “Intro to Instruments” May 24, 2011
Alberta Band Association Provincial Festival of Bands Tuesday, May 17, 2011 3PM Red Deer College
Instrument Rentals & Parent Info Night May 25 & June 1, 2011
Fine Arts Extravaganza 2011 Thursday, June 9, 2011, 7PM CSS Gym
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and Athletics Update It has been a busy and diverse last few months for the Physical Education and Athletics Department. The Basketball teams have just concluded successful seasons which resulted in a League Championship for our Sr. Boys team coached by Mr. Kutcher. Congratulations gentlemen! Badminton has started up this past week and will continue after spring break until the end of April. Run Club continues to meet on Friday mornings at 7:45am and are looking forward to warmer weather after Spring Break. Our Physical Education program has recently been successfully supplemented by volunteers and contacts from the community and our wonderful parent volunteer committee. Sincere thanks to the Calgary Broomball Association for spending the first few days in February working with our school to introduce and promote the sport of Broomball. If students are interested in their Junior Development program, parents are encouraged to contact either Tyler Deans or Darren Korf, contact information provided on the Calgary Broomball website (www.calgarybroomball.com).
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Thanks also goes out to Connie Jakab of Mpact Dance (www.mpactdance.com) for teaching a hip hop and breakdancing unit, Suzanne Rea, longtime CSS parent, for teaching pilates, Nikki Jackson for introducing karate and Ben Spooner from Alive Fitness (www.alivepersonaltraining.com) for putting students through some intense kickboxing drills. CSS has also recently embarked on a new school-wide DPA initiative to increase use of our new spin bikes. In house teams, all students will participate in a virtual race across Canada, logging kilometres on the bikes as often as possible during DPA. Since kick-off, Yellow team is in the lead with over 316 km biked. Teams are currently beginning their ascent to Kamloops and some students are so keen to bike that they have started a Bike Club with their teachers, meeting at lunch or before school at 8:00 am. Keep up the good work kids.
CSS at Sport Chek’s Mother’s Day Road Race! CSS has officially entered a team in this year’s May 8th Sport Chek Mother’s Day Run/Walk benefitting the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Foothills Medical Centre, and Special Care Nurseries at Rockyview General Hospital and Peter Lougheed Centre. To enter as part of the CSS team, please use the link below, complete an entry form, select that you would like to enter as a Team Member, choose Calgary Science School and enter the password: 15045966
http://www.mdrunandwalk.com Family, extended family and friends are all invited to join the CSS team, please feel free to pass on the information above. Hope to see you there!
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CSS Featured Artists
Stephen C.
Stephen started drawing at a ver y young age. His family taught him the basics of drawing and perspective that he would use to advance his later art pieces. He has taken no professional art classes so he creates his work through improvised methods of painting and drawing techniques. Stephen’s favourite art mediums include oils, water-colour, and pencil. His favourite artwork consist of a variety of artists like De Vinci and Tom Thomson. His latest work is an oil painting that features a dutch windmill in a field of tulips. Stephens was recently invited to create a series of pencil drawings that were used to create the poster for the ATA’s Fine Arts Council Conference 2011. The poster featuring his work will be distributed to all schools in the province. THE 22
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CSS Featured Artists
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CSS Featured Artists
Robert.S As surprising as it may seem, the painting that you see is Robert’s first one. Ever. Robert has always taken an interest in painting, but when he had attempted to do one in the past, it usually did not end up well. It is also his first time with oil, and he likes it better than acrylic paint because it does not dry as quickly - in fact very slowly. If you left the painting over the weekend, it would still be wet. Robert is really enjoying painting so far, especially since he is doing a painting of a photographer that he considers his “goal” for photography. Robert has been into photography for about 3-4 years now and finally has his own camera. He was looking for inspiration when he discovered Michael Kenna’s work. He loved all of it and wanted to follow his style. Robert started painting while trying to replicate Kenna’s work, but after painting a little, had thought of some changes and additions, and soon (when he finishes) he believes that it will be different from the original. As for the wire sculpture, there is not much of a history behind it. Robert was looking for a project idea for independent art and had heard about people doing wire sculpture trees and it turning out to be interesting. The project turned out to be very time consuming and took up the whole first semester, Robert had not completely finished it because he had desperately wanted to do a painting and was not sure how much longer the wire sculpture would take to complete.
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CSS Featured Artists
Brandon B.
Brandon enjoys art and likes to paint both traditional landscapes and abstract art. Brandon also enjoys sculpture, more specifically working in wire to create figurative work. His favorite color is blue which often appears in the artwork he creates and he likes both cats and dogs. Brandon’s favorite subject in school is science and he plays hockey. His artistic influences include professional artists that work in similar medium, but for the most part he is inspired by the people around him that he THE cares about. www.calgaryscienceschool.com
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APRIL 2011 1
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Spring Break 3
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Spring Break 10
Day 2b
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Day 3b
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6.3 Calgary Police Interpretive Center field trip 9:00 - 12:00 PM 6.4 Calgary Police Interpretive Center field trip 2:00 - 3:00 PM
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Day 2a
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Class Photos
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DAY 3a
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Board Meeting 5:00 - 8:00 PM
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Day 1b
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Parent Band Committee Meeting 8:30 AM
Day 4b
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6.3 Calgary Police Interpretive Center field trip 9:00 - 12:00 PM 6.4 Calgary Police Interpretive Center field trip12:00 - 3:00 PM Southern History Tour Meeting Gr 4. 7:00 - 8:00pm
DAY 4a
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Study & Organizational Skills workshop for pre registered Gr 7-9 parents
Day 2b
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Day 5B
Day1a
Band Meeting (for gr.5 parents) 6:30 PM - gym.
Dialogue with Darrell 9:00 AM Staffroom
Fort Steele parent info meeting Gr 5/7 7:00 PM - gym
Peers on Patrol 1:00 -3:30 - Library
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DAY 5a
Gr 5 and Gr 9 vaccinations 9:00 - 12:00 PM
Day 3b
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Test Anxiety Workshop for pre-registered Gr 7-9 parents 6:30 - 8:30
Good Friday No Classes
Day 4b
CSS Girl Effect Meeting 1:00 - 3:30 PM
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Community Garden Build Day
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MAY 2011 1
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Day 5b
Day 1a
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School Council Meeting 7:00 - 8:30
Grade 4 Testing (TIMSS & PIRLS) 9:00 - 11:00 AM
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Day 5a
Day 1b
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Day 4a
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Day 3b
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Alternate Build Day for Community Garden
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Day 4b
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Ft. Steele 5.1 / 7.4 16
Day 5b
Gr. 4 History Tour #1
Day 1a
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Gr. 4 History Tour #2 Band Gr. 7-9 Red Deer Field Trip
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23 Victoria Day No Classes
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Ft. Steele 5.3 / 7.1
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Day 2b
Day 3a
Ft. Steele 5.2 / 7.3
Ft. Steele 5.4 / 7.2
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Day 2a
Day 3b
Day 4a
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Day 2a
Day 3a
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PD Day No Classes PAT Grade 6 ELA Part A 9:00 - 11:00 AM
DAY 5a
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PAT Grade 9 ELA Part A 9:00 - 11:00 AM
DAY 1b
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DAY 2b
Parent Band Committee Meeting 8:30 AM
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Day4b
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Grade 8 Circle Tour
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