THE SPECTRUM CONNECT CHARTER SCHOOL

SEPTEMBER 2018

IN THIS ISSUE

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Principal’s Message

Superintendent’s Message

School Council’s Message

Health & Safety Zone

Ralph Klein Park Trip

Glenmore Reservoir Boating Trip

Connect in Pictures

Stay Connected

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THIS MONTH’S MESSAGE

Education is not the learning of the facts, but the training of the mind to think.

ALBERT EINSTEIN

PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE Welcome to the 2018-19 school year! Before school started on August 20, our staff took part in two high energy planning days to develop learning experiences around the theme of our 2018/2019 school year: Relationships and Inquiry. Establishing and sustaining trusting relationships within our school community is an important element in creating a disposition of inquiry that welcomes new ideas, encourages creativity and curiosity, and celebrates diversity. As we open our doors to the new students arriving at Connect, and get reacquainted with those returning, we see in your children the spirit of inquiry that is the bedrock of our school. Inquiry-based education is flourishing at Connect, supported by the hands-on work of experiential, place-based education. Foundational skills of literacy and numeracy are essential building blocks required for inquiry to thrive, and our teachers are committed to ensuring students acquire the knowledge and skills that will equip them to explore ideas and concepts in more detail through the inquiry process. Outdoor Education Our fall outdoor education program is in full swing with the grade 7s, followed by the grade 6s, heading to Camp Sweet. Camp Sweet has been a cornerstone of the outdoor ed program at Connect since 2002. At Camp Sweet, students have a safe space to develop trusting relationships with peers and their teachers; and cultivate resilience, independence, and confidence in their abilities to solve problems and overcome challenges. We are extremely fortunate to have continued access to Camp Sweet now and in the years to come. Please check the school calendar at https://www.connectcharter.ca/Calendars/calendar_of_events.asp for a complete listing of all outdoor ed trips, physical education activities, and all other school events. Volunteering The success of our educational program at Connect depends to a great degree on the spirit of volunteerism within our parent community. Providing students with outdoor ed and field experiences that enhance and enrich their learning requires additional supervision and support that largely comes from the gift of time and energy from parents. On behalf of our staff, administration, and students, I extend a sincere thank you to every parent who has helped us out since school has started. Your generosity of spirit with tasks like splitting wood, pulling weeds, setting up tents, flipping pancakes, and repairing the greenhouse – to name but a few - is unparalleled, and it is this spirit that allows Connect to provide a wealth of experiences for our students. Of course, we recognize that volunteers are rewarded by spending time with their children and peers, learning more about the school, spending time with their child’s teachers, and learning all about our school. If you would like to learn more about volunteer opportunities at Connect, please visit https://docs.google.com/document/d/19zHLkbVnvX0ZqTgEyYsoUiZvPPEYAp-roR1I-R87pyA/edit?usp=sharing for complete instructions on registration. The volunteer committee may be reached by email at volunteer@connectcharter.ca. Learning Management Systems If you have more than one child in the school, you may encounter multiple Learning Management Systems (LMS) being used by teachers to share student work and achievement. The reality of these systems is that there is no ‘one size fits all’ program that addresses the needs for all subjects, all teachers, or all learners. As a result, there are a variety of systems in use at Connect, including See Saw, Power School, Fresh Grade, and Edmodo. You may also need to access Google docs or other share sites as well. Knowing how to access these platforms is important for keeping on top of your child’s progress at our school. Please contact your child’s teacher for a specific subject if you have any questions or experience challenges accessing the LMS or your child’s profile. The Year Ahead… We have implemented several changes at Connect this year, including a 6-day timetable, a return of Wednesday Fun Lunch, two terms (instead of three) for Phys Ed, Electives, and PVA, and digital reporting for those same subjects. All core subjects will run on three terms with scheduled parent-teacher conferences October 4-5, Term 1 student-led conferences on November 22-23, and Term 2 student-led conferences on March 14-15. Report cards will be issued at the end of each term as in past years. We are looking forward to a dynamic year of inquiry-focused, experiential learning, and continuing to develop strong relationships as we work to prepare our students as extraordinary citizens. Dr. Phil Butterfield

SUPERINTENDENT’S MESSAGE Dear Parents, It is with pleasure and excitement that I welcome you and your children to the 2018-2019 Connect Charter School year. I am honored to be joining this community and look forward to meeting everyone. Our staff have been working diligently in preparation for the arrival of the students. Those of you who have children that have attended our school in the past likely understand the unique, rich experience we strive to offer. For those of you joining the school for the first time, I welcome you and look forward to meeting you and your children. The Connect Charter School is truly a special place. As we begin the new school year, I invite you to visit our school webpage http://connectcharter.ca/ and to speak with your child’s teacher. We are very proud of the programming we are able to offer and hope that students take advantage of the wide variety of activities at school. We are committed to our vision of preparing our students as extraordinary citizens and look forward to working with you in partnership to achieve this. Our Board joins me and our entire staff in extending best wishes to you for a productive, safe school year filled with opportunity, engagement and growth. Together we will inspire our children to become lifelong learners. Yours in education, Chris Gilmour SCHOOL COUNCIL MESSAGE There is nothing cooler than achieving super-volunteer-star status, am I right? What a great turnout at the volunteer orientation and council meeting. Wonderful to see all these enthusiastic new faces, many of whom were interested in learning more about our committees! We know that most of our opportunities are during the school day, and that can be tough. But committees provide an amazing opportunity for you to strut your stuff, without having to take time off work. The Parent Society only meets 4 times a year, in the evening, for instance. And the Volunteer Committee is completely virtual! If you've been wondering how you can contribute in a way that makes a real difference, well let me swoop in and present to you: our committee sign up form. For all the committees - come and try out a meeting and see what the school is all about - you'll meet some friendly new folks and earn a new brag-worthy mention on your resume. Ps. Filling out the form isn't the same as a legally binding contract. If you have even an inkling of interest, jot your name down and the committee head will be in touch with more info. Then you can decide if it's a match made in heaven (hint: it totally is). Sign up here: https://goo.gl/forms/W7mO49yMt8wszfCR2

HEALTH AND SAFETY ZONE

THE GRADE 5 TRIP TO THE CONSTRUCTED WETLANDS RALPH KLEIN PARK

On August 31st the grade 5 classes were escorted down to Ralph Klein Park to kick start the new school year and their wetlands unit. Ralph Klein Park is the first park to be named for a former mayor during his lifetime. Ralph Klein served as Calgary’s 32nd mayor and Alberta’s 12th premier. The park was first under construction in 2009 to then have the dedication ceremony take place on July 19, 2010. Surrounded by the Rocky Mountain views and by vast prairies, Ralph Klein Park is considered Canada’s largest man- made Wetland. The park was constructed specifically to improve storm water quality before it enters the bow river system. When talking to some of the teachers who led this trip, Mrs. Piper says “The students learned the importance of wetlands and all were involved in pond dipping.” She explains enthusiastically. “This trip allowed them to have the interactive and enjoyable experience of catching and observing invertebrates that make up the wetlands.”

She describes it as a great day for their first field trip experience as fifth graders. “Overall the trip was well conducted and an enjoyable time for everyone.” The park included a fun playground and many safe leisure walking paths for the students. Allowing them all to witness the nice views of the pond area and the landscapes. Thank you again to all parent volunteers who made the trip possible.

Here is what Kate, a grade 5 student wrote about this trip

On August 31st our grade 5 class went on a trip to Ralph Klein park. The park is considered a constructed man-made wetland owned by the city of Calgary. We learned how wetlands act like sponges by holding flood waters and keep rivers at normal levels. By taking a trip to the park we were able to observe the wide range of animal diversity that takes place. Going to Ralph Klein Park improved our learning and overall understanding on wetlands. Thanks to this trip we learned about the living creatures inside them and the important role they all play in our ecosystem. A highlight from our trip was when we were given fish nets and buckets and we allowed to catch invertebrates. We would then examine them in ice cube trays with magnify glasses.

A DAY OF BOATING GLENMORE RESERVOIR

The Calgary Canoe Club, located on the Glenmore Reservoir has a number of different styles and types of boats based on disciplines. The school is fortunate enough to have been able to bring the majority of all the students on this trip. One of the Connect Physical Education teachers that led the trip was Miss Haigh. She explained they split the students by grades. The grade 4 & 5’s all went on the dragon boats, a long boat which can fit 16 kids at a time. She explained there were 3 boats available that allowed them to take 50 kids from those grades out on the water.

She then explains how the grade 6 and 8’s went canoeing in groups, while the grade 7 and 9’s went kayaking. With the Canoe Club being so close to the school the teachers were able to efficiently and safely walk the students over to the reservoir. Taking advantage of the nice last bit of summer weather while it’s still present.

Here is what Brandon, a Grade 9 student wrote about this trip:

When we arrived at the Glenmore Reservoir we were given lifejackets and a run down on water safety by the kayak instructor who worked at the Canoe Club. Since we are in grade 9 we were all given our own individual kayak to use. My favorite part of the trip was interacting with my classmates in an outdoor environment and that we were allowed to play kayak games, such as tag and ultimate frisbee. Our kayak trip involved paddling close to the canoe club in circles, but when everyone got better and more comfortable we went out farther towards heritage park. It was a lot of fun but difficult to keep the kayak steady at times, I really didn’t want to tip my kayak into the water because we were just wearing our regular school clothes. It was a lot of fun and would definitely want to do again in the summer.

GRADE 5 AT RALPH KLEIN PARK & ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTRE

FALL CAMP

SEPTEMBER CALENDER OF EVENTS