June NEWS
Chief Superintendent’s Year-End Message
Our journey together this year has been one of success, growth and inspiration. The
2015–2016 school year has seen our classrooms and school communities demonstrate
excellence in teaching and learning, which has contributed to the success of our
students. Achieving our priority of academic excellence demands the dedication,
commitment and collaborative relationships that are the trademark of the Calgary
Catholic School District (CCSD). The authentic, effective relationships that we
nurture between our parishes, staff, parents, students and trustees are essential as we
create opportunities and meet challenges.
Through collaboration, we have received valuable input and seen an increase in
attendance in our Parent/Trustee Forums this year. These forums help us to explore
and develop strategies via guest speakers and presentations to help create healthy
learning environments. A focus at the forums this year was student wellness and
resilience; this has been an important topic for many years at Calgary Catholic. Our coordinated, strength-based
approach involving the whole school community aims to create a vibrant culture of student wellness in all our schools
to help support the students in our care.
Our academic theme, “Success for all Students,” stems from our belief that all students can be successful. We know
that students learn in different ways and at different rates, and our goal as a district, is to support them in every way
possible throughout their educational journey. Calgary Catholic exceeded Provincial Achievement Tests results by 2.3
per cent at the acceptable standard and 1.3 per cent at the standard of excellence in the overall summary comparison
to the province. Our Diploma Exam test results exceeded provincial resultws by 0.9 per cent at the acceptable
standard, and 0.1 per cent at the standard of excellence in the overall summary comparison to the province.
Our accountability pillar results, which use provincial test scores as one measure of success, showed 83.4 per cent
of CCSD students completed high school; an increase of 1.6 per cent over last year and a result that is 7 per cent
above the provincial average. The results also showed 68.9 per cent of CCSD students go on to attend post-secondary
schools, which is 9.1 per cent higher than provincial rates. The provincial test results are a source of pride for CCSD
and reflects the hard work and the commitment of our students, parents, teachers and staff. Examining and reflecting
on how we can build on and enhance our past achievements will help to ensure students have the skills and knowledge
to be successful in our rapidly evolving environment.
It is important each year to reflect on how we can streamline processes to be more efficient at operating while
enhancing transparency. A lot of work has gone into creating our new Administrative Procedures Manual, which
replaces regulations and modernizes our processes. This manual is available in its entirety on our website and is
searchable.
Our district continued to evolve and expand programs and its processes to be increasingly responsive to the children
and families in our care. CCSD saw an increase in enrollment in 2015-2016 and ended the year with over 54,000
students. Growth in our schools is forecasted to continue to climb in coming years in Calgary and surrounding areas.
To accommodate this growth, we are working to provide new schools where they are needed most. We currently
have 10 new schools in various stages of development planned for the communities of Aspen Woods, Auburn Bay,
Cranston, Evanston, Mahogany, New Brighton, Sherwood, Silverado, Skyview Ranch and Legacy. Between fall and late
fall 2016, we will be opening four new Catholic schools:
Auburn Bay (K–9): Prince of Peace School
Cranston (K–6): Our Lady of the Rosary School
Evanston (K–9): Our Lady of Grace School
New Brighton (K–6): St. Marguerite School
The process of building a new school brings parents, students, the community and Calgary Catholic together.
Planning, designing and building a new school is one of the most rewarding responsibilities we undertake at the
district; it’s truly a collaborative team effort. Ensuring CCSD has room to accommodate our enrolment growth while
nurturing academic excellence in a faith-filled environment continues to be a priority.
Faith themes inspire us to make positive differences in our own lives and beyond; they provide us with an opportunity
to reflect and grow as individuals and to look for ways to put others before ourselves. Our three-year exploration of
“Do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with God,” from Micah 6:8, served as the template for our actions and
provided an anchor point to guide our spiritual direction.
We witnessed countless examples of our schools ‘Walking Humbly with God’ through unique fundraising efforts,
large-scale donation collections or volunteering their time and talent. I have been amazed at the way our schools, staff
and students have embraced these themes but what was most remarkable was how staff and students pulled together
to help citizens in Northern Alberta. Our “Walk Humbly with Fort Mac” fundraising campaign in May 2016 saw
students and staff enthusiastically raise over $155,000. The district-wide response to the Fort McMurray fire showcased
our school communities doing justice, loving kindness and walking humbly with God. As we explore our new faith
theme for the 2016-2017 school year, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36), we know our students
will continue to inspire us to be better and grow in compassion and service for one another.
I want to acknowledge the leadership of the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA), UNIFOR and Canadian Union of
Public Employees (CUPE) employee groups for their commitment and leadership; and I would like to thank Bishop
Frederick Henry for his spiritual guidance and the ongoing support he provides to our district.
With a new school year on the horizon, we look forward to the challenges and opportunities that await us. We will work
together with you and your children to help them continue to grow to be engaged thinkers; to be inspired by acts of
kindness; and to succeed in their educational journey—it’s who we are and what we do.
Sincerely,
Gary Strother
Chief Superintendent
Board of Trustees’ Year-End Message
Every new school year is filled with excitement and
opportunities to grow and develop as individuals
and as a community. This year has proven to be
another exceptional year where we have come
together as humble servants in the shared goal of
success for all students.
Our district is guided by shepherd leadership and
this year’s faith theme of “Walk Humbly with God”
has brought great presence and understanding of
what it is to lead with humility. As trustees, our role
is to lead with inclusion; to understand the needs of our community; to be informed in our decision making; and to
serve all of our stakeholders.
Critical to our success is understanding the needs of the public which we serve. This year, an extensive public
engagement was facilitated through a ThoughtExchange online survey. Over 10,000 unique individuals participated,
providing over 18,000 thoughts with over 600,000 stars applied to prioritize these ideas. This information will be
used to inform decisions on budget, strategic direction and many other areas in the new school year; it is through
community input and views that we are able to better understand the needs in our district.
Building positive, collaborative relationships with our provincial and municipal government is key to our ability
to effectively advocate for the needs of our students. Over the past several months, the board has been building a
strong relationship with the NDP government, the Education Ministry and all of the MLAs in the Calgary Catholic
School District (CCSD). The Board, working on behalf of the district and the community, was involved in important
conversations around funding, infrastructure, meeting the needs of complex learners and legislation.
Partnerships with educational partners are also a key component of being able to effectively advocate for students
and education. At the provincial level, the Board continues to work with the Alberta School Boards Association
(ASBA), which represents the 61 boards in the province to define and support provincial advocacy priorities. The
Alberta Catholic School Trustees Association (ACSTA), represents 24 Catholic school boards and is an important
partner in enhancing and promoting Catholic education in Alberta. Our priority is to ensure that our students
have the best possible educational opportunities, and advocacy with the government and educational partners is an
essential component to achieving this.
In our role as governors for CCSD, the Board of Trustees are committed to continuous improvement. In October
2015, the Board made a motion to review and revise our policies using the G-TEC Model; Governing through
Engagement and Collaboration. Over the course of many months of discussions, collaboration and hard work, we
were proud to unveil our new Board Policy Handbook in April 2016, which replaced our previous policies. The
process of reviewing and revising Board Policies and the work of administration to adapt these into Administrative
Procedures has renewed and strengthened the foundation of the district. It is through
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Sincerely,
Cheryl Low
Chair, Board of Trustees
Congratulations to the 2016
Edwin Parr Nominees!
Nominees for the Edwin Parr Teacher Award are firstyear teachers who have displayed outstanding skills and
performance. The Calgary Catholic School District wishes to
congratulate: Lindsay Anderson – St. Martha School, Julie
Blank – St. Thomas More School, Angelina Ferrise – Father
Scollen School, Mark Gamez - Bishop McNally High School,
Sara Brooke Koscielnuk – Mother Mary Greene School, Amy
Lyttle - Our Lady Queen of Peace School, Megan MacLellan
– Father Scollen School, Jamie McAndrews – Our Lady of
Peace School, Nadine Nahas – St. Rose of Lima School,
Edwige Nguemaleu Djeuga – St. Rose of Lima School,
Antonio Oliverio – St. Jerome School, Anna Ross – Holy Family School. Calgary Catholic is excited and proud that
these wonderful nominees are part of their district. Special congratulations to CCSD nominee Julie Blank who was
selected to represent Zone 5 for the ASBA.
Summer Holidays 2016
The last day of classes for all Calgary Catholic students is June 28, 2016. Students on the regular school calendar will
return to class on Thursday, September 1, 2016. Students on the year-round school calendar will return to class on
Wednesday, August 3, 2016.
Have a safe and happy summer! We’ll see you in the fall!
Registration is ongoing at Calgary Catholic schools.
For more information visit your local school
or call 403-500-2000.