Reaching for the future: How Calgary Academy’s innovative programs help students succeed

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From its very inception, Calgary Academy operated in a forward-thinking way, innovating and learning while paving a bright future for both students and the school itself.

In the process, the school created to help students with learning challenges has also led the way for educators and learners around the world by sharing knowledge and expertise.

In 40 years, it has transformed into a beacon for all K-12 learners.

“We’ve moved light years ahead to the point where we firmly believe all children can be successful in learning, we can drive high levels of engagement in the learning process, and where they graduate as very confident and capable young adults,” says Dr. Greg Bass, president and chief executive officer.

Grade 11 student Keltie Patterson is a shining example of the kind of capable student the school helps to develop. An articulate, confident young woman, Patterson says the school has helped her with emotional regulation and stress tolerance.

“I’m always stressed out about anything and everything, so to have those supports is truly incredible. Teachers have helped me dive into my goals and find strategies to learn to better cope,” says Patterson, a co-chair of CASE, Calgary Academy’s student council group.

She recently returned from a school altruism trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands where she helped work with local students on school improvements. She hopes to continue helping others around the world after completing her post-secondary studies, where she has her eyes set on studies in biology and medicine.

Calgary Academy doesn’t just help students prepare for higher learning, it works closely with post-secondary schools. It partners with Mount Royal University, the University of Calgary’s Werklund School of Education and the University of Lethbridge on research while supporting student teachers. The school also has an ongoing collaboration with SAIT to provide additional opportunities for CA students to expand their learning.

Flexibility is another attribute of the school, highlighted by its innovative new Blended+ program, which gives Grades 9-12 students a learning experience that disrupts and differs from a traditional school schedule. It’s about unpacking time differently, Bass says.

Blended+ allows students to be on campus part of the time, to work synchronously online with their class some of the time, or to work on their own and engage in co-curricular field trips to augment learning. The program, a first of its kind in North America, has garnered rave reviews, Bass says.

“We see it as a growth track for education at large, not just for us.”

The school’s newest strategic plan will pave the way for them to become a beacon of learner-centred education, including adding rich online content and using technology as an accelerator.

Calgary Academy’s non-profit arm, Headwater Learning Solutions, also connects a network of educators with partners and communities to drive educational change, including doing outreach work with Indigenous and other communities.

“The biggest challenge for educators is also the greatest opportunity, which is that we’re not preparing students for a particular career or point in time anymore,” Bass says.

Instead, CA develops various competencies in learners starting in kindergarten, including collaboration and creativity, to adapt, adjust and become the leaders for the future.

To learn more about Calgary Academy, visit calgaryacademy.com.

This story was created by Content Works, Postmedia’s commercial content division, on behalf of Calgary Academy.