The Alberta Teachers’ Association

Sharin Adams

Every Tuesday morning for the past 11 years, a group of six to nine seniors from Scarborough United Church arrive at Connaught Community School in Calgary to act as reading partners for our students as part of our Partners in Literacy Program. Throughout the morning, the seniors listen to children read and talk with them about their books, studies and new homes in Canada, all the while enriching students' lives by sharing their own interesting experiences. These partners in learning are an important part of our Connaught family and, along with other school, community, business and Calgary Board of Education connections, help us to meet the diverse and unique learning needs of our largely immigrant student population.

Connaught Community School, a beautiful three-storey sandstone structure in the heart of Calgary's inner city, has been meeting the educational needs of students in the Connaught/Beltline community since 1912. The school is named in honour of the Duke of Connaught, a former governor general of Canada. Now a Kindergarten to Grade 6 elementary school, Connaught has 145 students, 85 per cent of whom are English as a second language (ESL) learners. Our student population changes significantly during the school year, with new immigrant families continually moving into the Connaught community, as others, once established, relocate to other communities throughout Calgary. The diverse backgrounds, experiences and cultures of our students create a unique and culturally rich learning environment where students and their families speak a combined total of 29 different languages, including English.

At Connaught Community School, our obvious challenge is to effectively meet the many needs of our students, who span the spectrum in terms of learning readiness, knowledge of the English language, personal interests and life experiences. Our purpose is to create a school community where literacy is embedded in everything we do. This is accomplished through effective deployment of our small staff complement of 8.85 certificated teachers, which includes a full-time ESL specialist, a full-time reading recovery/early literacy specialist, a part-time music specialist in addition to a part-time non-certificated ESL educational assistant. In addition to the work of these dedicated staff members, we use differentiating instruction, real-world off-site learning experiences, and adult and student volunteers and business partners from throughout the community.

At Connaught School, we have a number of basic beliefs:

• Literacy is necessary for personal growth and is embedded in everything we do.
• Reading, writing and effective communication skills are essential for all children to be successful.
• Learning is the foundation of our school community, where children develop literacy, numeracy and an aesthetic appreciation of the world.
• Opportunities that encourage children to see themselves as readers, writers, mathematicians, scientists, technologists, artists and musicians are essential for children to realize their potential and make a contribution to each other and the world.
• A humane and rigorous education entails holding high expectations for learning and behaviour while honouring each child's potential.
• Building alliances with parents and creating partnerships with the larger community enhance learning.
• Thoughtful collaboration can help create a safe, caring and healthy environment for all members of our school community.
• Quality learning opportunities must be equitable for and accessible to all students.

Our school-development plan provides the impetus and strategies to create a school based on these beliefs. We share a collective responsibility to work collaboratively to achieve the following school renewal and development goals:

• To provide quality learning experiences that meet the needs of all students and enable them to succeed;
• To develop and use partnerships between the school, the Calgary Board of Education, families and the community to enhance and celebrate student learning; and
• To create a safe, caring and healthy learning environment that considers the diverse social, economic and cultural needs of our students.

Partnering to enhance and celebrate student learning

Following are some of the successful partnerships, alliances and connections within our professional learning community that help achieve these goals.

• We partner with the YMCA, which provides an extended day for Kindergarten students to help them develop English language skills. As well, the YMCA provides a free after-school ESL program.
• We have a unique and successful partnership with ConocoPhillips, which provides volunteers who come to the school during their work day to serve as readers and editors for our students and who also act as students' e-mail partners. As well, ConocoPhillips provides funding for students to participate in a variety of out-of-school activities such as swimming and the YMCA outdoor school. This partnership won the Mayor's Award for Partnership Excellence for "Excellence in Curriculum Enhancement and Development" in 1997 and again in 2000.
• This is the eleventh year that the Scarborough United Church Partners in Literacy (seniors) continue to volunteer their time to read to our students one morning each week.
• The Salvation Army Children's Village School (SACV) LINKS Program is a partnership between the Salvation Army, Rockyview Child and Family Services, the Calgary Board of Education and the Calgary Separate School Board. The SACV was created to meet the needs of children whose emotions, behaviours and family challenges make it difficult for them to be successful in their community schools. At Connaught School, we provide the opportunity and support for SACV students to practise their skills during visits to our classrooms and through part-time and full-time transitions. A Calgary Board of Education teacher and a childcare counsellor support this work and provide additional support for Connaught students.
• We partner with Smart Technologies, which provides us with three SmartBoards and technical. In return, we provide feedback on the technology.
• We continue our partnership with the Churchill Park Care Society, which provides a lunch program and a before- and after-school program at our school.
• Decidedly Jazz Danceworks (DJD) continues its residency, which was established in 1994, offering classes, performances and scholarships to our students. Students performed dances choreographed during the DJD fall 2002 residency at our winter celebration, held December 18, 2002.
• The Calgary Immigrant Women's Association (CIWA) has an office in our school. The CIWA provides a toy-lending library and a variety of workshops, services and supports for immigrant women and their families. Several of our parents volunteer their time in support of CIWA. CIWA also provides opportunities for our students and their families to participate in cultural activities at our school in celebration of events such as Chinese New Year and International Women's Day.

Other connections, programs:

• Student Health Initiative Partnership (SHIP)
• Galileo Institute
• Alexandra Community Health Centre
• Memorial Park Library
• Comprehensive School Health Initiative
• Artists-in-residence program
• Western Canada and Sir William Van Horne High Schools work experience programs
• Rundle College Kindergarten helpers
• Fish Creek Learning Naturally Program
• Community Kitchen Spins Around Program and Soup Program

Real-world learning experiences

At Connaught Community School, we provide students with opportunities to participate in a variety of off-site learning activities. These activities give students the chance to practise English while cultivating a sense of belonging and community in a real-world setting. This year, our students have participated in activities at Fish Creek Park, Blackfoot Farmers Market, City Hall, Police Interpretive Centre, Byblos Bakery, Spaceport, Children's Hospital, Millarville Farm, the fire hall, veterinary clinics, Glenbow Museum, Science Centre, YMCA outdoor schools, science fairs. Olivier's Candies, Leighton Arts Centre, Callebaut Chocolateries, Cheesecake Café, Eau Claire Y Swimming and Salvation Army Children's Villages.

Focus of inquiry in our professional learning community: critical questions and dialogue

At Connaught School, we strive for continuous improvement by challenging the thinking that guides our teaching practices. We welcome diverse points of view and encourage dialogue. We respect the rights of all members of our learning community to actively participate in the planning and decisions that affect teaching and learning. We ask and discuss the following questions:

• How do we promote a culture of reflection, inquiry and continuous improvement?
• How do we build time for the above into our yearly plan and daily work?
• How do we systematically gather and share information about student learning and school quality to inform our decision making?
• How do we meet the diverse needs of students who span the spectrum in terms of learning readiness, knowledge of English, personal interests, cultural background and vastly different experiences of the world?
• How do we ensure that our school environment is safe and promotes good health and active lifestyles?
• How do we maximize the use of human and material resources to improve student learning?
• How do we continue to effectively utilize the human and material resources available through partnerships and connections within the school, our families, the Calgary Board of Education and the community to improve student learning?

At Connaught Community School, we will continue to build our capacity to function as a professional learning community seeking to promote and nurture a variety of learning connections that help students learn. Through our thoughtful collaborative work, we can and do make a difference in the lives of our students.

Sharin Adams, who has had a long and varied 35-year career with the Calgary Board of Education, is presently the principal of Connaught Community School.