ConnectEd Canada

We are pleased to announce that the Calgary Science School will once again host the annual ConnectEd Conference on May 24-26, 2013.

The conference will begin on Friday May 24, 2013 at the Calgary Science School on a "regular" school day. Attendees are encouraged to visit classrooms, observe lessons, and speak with teachers and students.

Saturday and Sunday will have scheduled discussion topics hosted at the school. As was the case last year, the sessions will be built around discussions and conversations hosted by a facilitator. The event will provide the time and space for all stakeholders to discuss emerging topics, share practice and build relationships that will extend beyond the three days.

Dialogue with Alberta Education

Dr. Garry McKinnon

The members of the Calgary Science School leadership team (Superintendent, Garry McKinnon; Principal, Darrell Lonsberry and Assistant Principals, Phil Butterfield and Scott Petronech) were invited to make a presentation to the Deputy Minister, Assistant Deputy Ministers and senior Alberta Education staff in Edmonton on October 15. The purpose of the dialogue session was to share some background information in regard to the Calgary Science School with a specific focus on exemplars in learning, teaching and leading relating to the Inspiring Education agenda. The Calgary Science School leadership team members invited Dr. Pamela Adams, professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Lethbridge to join them for the presentation. Dr. Adams is completing the second year of a two-year Naturalistic Inquiry research dealing with innovative practices to promote learner engagement, instructional leadership and professional learning.

The Calgary Science School: Our Story

Deirdre Bailey and Amy Park


The process of inquiry can seem "undefinable" at times, however, through the process of documentation, it becomes clearer and more tangible - for students, teachers, and parents.
Earlier this month as part of an Action Research project, we proposed to compile a comprehensive video that effectively identified who we are at the Calgary Science School, what we do, how we do it and why. Our schools Exemplary Learning and Teaching Frameworks were carefully woven throughout the video.  Footage from all grades and subject areas served as visual representation of who we are, what we do, how we do it, and why we do it.  We were able to make use of the numerous resources compiled by Neil Stephenson, Erin Couillard and others via the school's Connect blog, as well as some of our own artifacts and more recent interviews. Testimonials from staff, students, parents and visitors to our school were integrated with snippets from current research in the education field. The goal was to use student, parent and teacher voice to describe the work we do and to attempt to articulate what is most powerful about teaching and learning at CSS.

Field Experiences

54 University Education Students between October 22-23!

From October 22 to November 2, 2013 we will be hosting two cohorts of 14 Education Students from the University of Calgary. The program is titled "Life in Schools" and will give the students a week of observation, participation and reflections at two public schools in Calgary.

The purpose of the course is to have the students inquire into and document the lives and cultures of students, teachers and schools. At the end of the week the students will prepare a digital/visual presentation of what they experienced.

Connecting with Quotes in Fine Arts

Grade 8/9 Drama Quote project
Heather Drage Drama Specialist

The quote project was created to get students away from being literal and finding creative solutions for ideas and thoughts. Many quotes may be interpreted or represented in a variety of ways. The majority of the project was student based research, peer assistance and group collaboration. As the teacher I was certainly the facilitator and assisted in aiding the students away from the literal representation. I modeled many times to be creative…. Be unique.

Drama Connecting with Quotes from Calgary Science School on Vimeo.

Bringing Beavers Back to the Cross Conservation Area – Site Visit #2

Parent Guest Blogger Denise Kitagawa Click here to visit "Out and About with the GeoKs" 

Our first visit to the Cross Conservation Area Pine Creek watershed was back in June. Against a backdrop of tall, green grass and leafy trees, a multitude of insects, toads and birds blessed us with natural “music” over the course of the day.

Things were a lot quieter during our second visit to the site, which took place in late September just after the students (now in grade 8) returned to school from their 3-day/2-night fall Outdoor Ed camp. The students were less boisterous than usual. A couple of ducks landed on the pond and took off a short while later. But most of the sounds were from a tractor and a crew of volunteers hard at work stockpiling small, felled trees and large branches at various locations around the pond, measures aimed at giving the beaver family (mature male, mature female, a juvenile and two 2012 kits) a better chance of making it through their first winter at the Pine Creek pond.

Learning Coaches Networking Day

Originially printed in the Calgary Science School Spectrum
Chris Dittmann Communications Director

On August 31, 2012 the Calgary Science School hosted a networking/PD event for learning coaches, organized by CSS PD and Collaboration Coordinator Dan McWilliam. The purpose of the session was to bring together learning coaches and instructional leaders from a variety of schools and districts to discuss the role and explore best practices and skills as they strive to support enhanced teacher learning. We also hope to build a supportive network of learning leaders in Calgary and the surrounding area, who can develop materials, structures, and supports for the role.