Calgary Science School 4133780 221353131 2008-06-24T04:04:15Z Ardo191 929888 rvv {{Infobox Education in Canada |name=Calgary Science School |image=New Calgary Science School 18.jpg |imagesize=300px |motto=It's never just an ordinary day! |motto_translation= |streetaddress=5915 Lewis Drive SW |city=[[Calgary]] |province=[[Alberta]] |postalcode= |schoolnumber= |schoolboard= |affiliation= |superintendent=Gordon Welch |trustee= |principal=Ron Sweet |viceprincipal=Darrell Lonsberry |administrator= |schooltype=[[Alberta charter schools|Charter]] |grades=4-9 |language=English |area= |mascot= |teamname=Lasers |colours= |founded= |enrollment=600 |enrollment_as_of=[[January 8]], [[2007]] |homepage=[http://calgaryscienceschool.com/ CSS] |bgcolor_section= AntiqueWhite |bgcolor_label= AntiqueWhite |bgcolor_value= AntiqueWhite |bgcolor_image= AntiqueWhite |bgcolor_address= AntiqueWhite }} The '''Calgary Science School''' (CSS) is a [[Canada|Canadian]] public [[Alberta charter schools|charter school]] in [[Calgary, Alberta|Calgary]], [[Alberta]]; which teaches grades four through nine. == Today == During the 2006 summer break, the school's storage was emptied, and turned into the art room, and the old art room was turned into a classroom. The drama room was also moved, into the old board room. At the time of writing, there are 100 students each in grades 4-9. Ten buses, owned and operated by Southland Bussing of [[Calgary]] service CSS, taking the majority of the kids to and from school every school day. They operate from the far north of [[Calgary]] to the far south. Some morning stop times are as early as 7:00 AM, and school starts at 8:45. One of the drivers is a World War 2 veteran, he retired in late 2006. [[Image:CSS Library.JPG|thumb|150px|The library at CSS]] As of October 26th, 2006, Phys-ed teacher Mr. Dean Tickles moved to New York and was replaced temporarily by a substitute, Mr. Stillwell. Dean Tickles was one of two CSS gym teachers. Many students enjoyed his supportive and fun classes. Mr. Stillwell left at the end of October and was replaced by another teacher, Dean Schmeichel. Currently, CSS has over 40 staff members, including janitorial staff, technical staff, office attendants, and those in charge of publications. Calgary Science School has a large ethnic and racial diversity throughout all 6 grades that it houses. The graduating class of 2004/2005 became the first group of students to move from grade 4-9 in CSS. == Technology == CSS maintains a 2-to-1 student to computer ratio, and it finished the transition from a [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] to a [[Mac]] base in the beginning of the 2006-2007 schoolyear. Due to an '''Emerging Technologies''' grant from [[Alberta]] Education, in the 2006-2007 as well as the current 2007-2008 school year, each and every grade 6 student received their own [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] [[MacBook]]. The laptop is theirs until grade 9 and they will then pay a $75, and keep the laptop until it is rendered useless, it breaks, or they get a new one. The laptops are complete with built in video camera, 1280x800 widescreen 13.3 inch glossy LCD screen, Apple's [[AirPort Extreme]], and up to 5 hours of battery life. The cost of 100 new laptops has been worked into the budget for CSS and every grade 6 student from the 2007-2008 schoolyear on will receive a laptop. [[Image:CSS G5s.JPG|thumb|150px|left|A lab of G5s at CSS]] Many CSS classes are equipped with [[interactive whiteboard|SMART]] board technology, and every classroom has a [[nec|NEC]] projector and a screen. Those classes with [[interactive whiteboard|SMART]] boards, use them for creative math and science debates/discussions. Recently, some more classrooms, as well as the music room were outfitted with the most recent smart board version. CSS also houses a lab of 26 [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] G5 desktops, another lab of 26 [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] [[eMac]] desktops, and 100 [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] [[iBook G4]]s on carts of 25 around the school. All teachers have been given Macintosh laptops when they started working at CSS, and depending on when they came, some teachers have [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] [[PowerBook G4]]s, and some, those who joined in the 2006-2007 school year, have [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] [[MacBook Pro]]s. == Teachers and Staff of the 2007-2008 School Year == === Office and Administration === *Kathy Babiuk (Receptionist) *Susan Miller (Office) *Nola Shewfelt (Administration Secretary) *Myra Penberthy (Secretary Treasurer) *Darrell Lonsberry (Assistant Principal) *Ron Sweet (Principal) *Gordon Welch (Superintendent) === Math/Science/Humanities === {| Valerie Barnes (4.1 & 4.2 Math/Sci) || Greg Neil (4.1 & 4.2 Humanities) |- | Cathy Kurio (4.3 & 4.4 Math/Sci) || Jacquie Moir (4.3 & 4.4 Humanities) |- | Chenoa Marcotte(5.1 & 5.2 Math/Sci.) || Chris Dittmann (5.1 & 5.2 Humanities) |- | Adrian Textor (5.3 & 5.4 Math/Sci.) || Tanya Stogre (5.3 & 5.4 Humanities) |- | Emily Brown (6.1 & 6.2 Math/Sci.) || Dan McWilliam (6.1 & 6.2 Humanities) |- | Jon Hoyt-Hallett (6.3 & 6.4 Math/Sci.) || Jen Wiebe (6.3 & 6.4 Humanities) |- | Carolyn Armstrong (7.1 & 7.2 Math/Sci.) || Mike Neufeld (7.1 & 7.2 Humaniti es) |- Gwen Fisher (7.3 & 7.4 Math/Sci) || Neil Stephenson (7.3 & 7.4 Humanities) |- | Kevin Sonico (8.1 & 8.2 Math/Sci) || Kris McNab (8.1 & 8.2 Humanities) |- | Jeff Krar (8.3 & 8.4 Math/Sci) || Amy Park (8.3 & 8.4 Humanities) |- | Scott Doehler (9.1 & 9.2 Math/Sci.)|| Jennifer Woodard (9.1 & 9.2 Humanities) |- | David Hogg (9.3 & 9.4 Math/Sci.) || Shashi Shergill (9.3 & 9.4 Humanities) |- | Tammy Olson (Phys Ed) || Dean Schmeichel (Phys Ed) |} === Extras === *Andrew Bolen (Music) *Cara Crant (Art) *Amy Peebles (Drama) === Other === *Donna Alden (Librarian) *Scott Petronech (Educational Technologist) *Phil Butterfield (Student Services,Counsellor & assistant principal) == School events == *'''Laserband:''' Groups of students or single students take a piece of music, and dance and lipsync for it. They try out for the show, and the best ones perform in front of the whole school and a panel of professional judges. Originally created for Dean Tickles 40th birthday in 2002 the tradition has carried on. *'''Laser Idol:''' Students use their stunning voices to sing just like in Canadian Idol, but the age requirement is between Grades 4 and 9, rather than between 16 and 28, just like on the show. Just like Laserband, the best singers are picked from the pack and put up on stage to perform for the school. *'''Peace Festival:''' Students enter the gym and circle to many different stations that have different meaning. Since CSS has many different races and religions within the walls, most of the stations represent just that. There are stations where you pinpoint on a world map where you're from, there is a station where you get your face painted, and one station in the 2006&ndash;2007 peace festival included fictional stories written by grade 8 students, that were designed to be realistic and show some of the problems street children in [[favela]]s in [[Brazil]] face every day. *'''Lego League:''' The Calgary Science School periodically participates in [[FIRST Lego League]], as they have since the 2003 edition, Mission Mars. Students are invited to participate either at lunch times or in electives. == Courses == From its first creation in 1999, Science Alberta School enforced a compulsory course known as SAS Quest. When the school was renamed as Calgary Science School, the program became Quest. The objective of this course was to familiarize students with everyday problems in the world and how to solve them. This program was removed in the 2004 school year. For electives (options) there is a choice between [[Rocketry]], Robotics (FIRST Lego Robotics)<small>See ''Lego League'' above</small>, Digital Film Making, Photography, 3-D Design and Modeling, Claymation, Film study, Book club, Outdoor Pursuits, French, Spanish, Dance and many others. Students in some classes have the option to do "Explorer Projects". They are able to pick any topic of their liking, and explore the question until answered. Students often have very wide ranges of subjects. Recently, the plant room was turned into a woodworking shop, and now for grades 6 through 9, there is an elective started by Mr. Scott Petronech called [[carbon dioxide|C02]]-powered Cars. Students carve and sand wooden cars, load them with C02 canisters, and race them. ==References== *Stephen, Cindy, "School shares peace message", ''[[Calgary Herald]]', [[December 16]], [[2004]]. pg. N.1.Fro. *Lewington, Nancy, "Alberta has 'best-kept secret' in schooling", ''The Spectator'' (Hamilton, Ontario). [[September 25]], [[2004]], pg. F.08. ==External links== {{Commons|Calgary Science School}} *[http://www.calgaryscienceschool.com/ Official site of Calgary Science School] {{coor title dms|51|00|01.04|N|114|08|08.49|W}} [[Category:Elementary schools in Calgary]] [[Category:Middle schools in Calgary]] [[Category:Charter schools in Canada]] [[Category:Educational institutions established in 1991]]