|
Imagine an elementary school nestled in Calgary’s North East which has a population of 74% coded as English as a second Language (ESL) students and where 39 different languages are spoken; a school which expanded from just over 200 students in its first year, seven years ago to over 635 students today.
Imagine a school with its mission and vision reading:
Celebrating the Colours of Our Earth:
Honouring Creativity and Diversity
Our path to diverse and significant learning
is through the Fine Arts.
Our Creative approaches to technology and literacy
support and celebrate the journey.
Imagine a school so rich in fine arts, technology and literacy extensions that every child no matter what degree of English proficiency has opportunities to express their knowledge.
For example in literacy:
Every student from kindergarten through grade 6 learns how to play chess
Every child from kindergarten through grade 6 is involved in the debating process
Every child in grades 5 & 6 is involved in the study and the acting experience of a Shakespeare or classical Greek play
For example in fine arts:
Every child from kindergarten through grade 6 learns to play djambe drums
Every student from kindergarten through grade 6 experiences classes in music, drama and creative movement
Every student starts the morning listening to classical music
For example in technology:
Students contribute to the showcasing of their work on our school website
Every student in the school has access to rich technologies such as digital cameras, interactive whiteboards, LCD projectors, and classroom scanners, printers and computers
Imagine a school council who supports the purchase of items that make these rich experiences possible for students such as djambe drums, a class set of guitars, stage lighting an electronic keyboard with composing
Imagine a school whose halls are lined with high quality beautiful student art and accompanying writing rich in expressive vocabulary and metaphoric language; a school with displays of theatre costumes courtesy of ATP; a school with the sounds of drums or guitars or voices reverberating throughout the halls.
Imagine a school where the impossible has been made possible for, and with, young people who Celebrate the Colours of our Earth.
|
