EducationMatters wishes our entire community of supporters, volunteers, students, and educators a happy, healthy 2020. We are excited to work alongside all of you to make this year a fantastic one for our students and schools!
By the close of 2019, EducationMatters had granted out more than $1 million to numerous programs and initiatives taking places in Calgary Board of Education (CBE) schools across the city. Here’s a sneak-peek of just 4 of the projects underway thanks to the generosity and support of our donors:
Field Trips
Thousands of students in our city miss out on field trips due to circumstances beyond their control, and EducationMatters is committed to ensuring that field trips are accessible to all students regardless of family situation, ability level, or financial need. In 2019, more than $60,000 in field trip grants will be disbursed to CBE schools in need of help to ensure that all their students have the opportunity to learn and grow both in the classroom and outside of it.
The benefits of field trips are well-documented, and with your help we are making sure that every student is provided opportunities to engage with the curriculum in different ways.
Accelerating Reading Research
Dr. Oakley School is one of CBE’s specialty programs for students with complex learning disabilities. The program focuses on literacy development for complex learners in Grades 3 to 9 through the creation of rich literacy learning experiences, and is perfectly positioned to lead CBE in best practices for literacy support and development. EducationMatters is excited to support a new research initiative at Dr. Oakley that has the potential to impact students across all of CBE’s schools. Dr. Oakley ‘s team will be studying Structured Literacy, undergoing professional development, and conducting a pilot study with current Oakley students to assess if it is a viable instruction model to accelerate reading progress in CBE students. We’re really excited to see the outcome!
Design the Shift: Innovation Incubator
The ConocoPhillips Innovation Incubator is designed to build teachers’ design thinking capabilities, so they are better able to provide innovative learning experiences for students. The Incubator has been active for several years now and 2020 will see the addition of 10 new schools to its roster alongside veteran schools who’s educators will provide valuable leadership and insight to the new cohort.
Professional development for educators is a fantastic way to have impact on students across the city – our teachers are able to take their newfound knowledge and enthusiasm back to their classrooms and colleagues to inspire, innovate, and educate from a different mindset.
Adapted Learning Program (ALP) – Woodshop
Lord Beaverbrook High is set to be the site for a new ALP Woodworking class that provides appropriate learning opportunities for special needs students, leadership development for typical students, and benefits the community through their work. Through an EducationMatters grant plus a matching grant from Willow Park Charity Golf Classic, the woodshop will see ALP students create benches, bird houses, and cabinets (among others) for community spaces while neurotypical construction students take the role of teaching assistants and mentors in the class. This ‘reverse inclusion’ special needs class has the potential to impact construction pedagogy across CBE high schools, and we’re looking forward to seeing the results of this exciting new program.
Watch this space for updates on these, plus even more initiatives over the coming year. 2020 is shaping up to be an exciting one thanks to the investment of our donors, the innovation of our educators, and the sheer potential of our more than 120,000 future leaders attending our schools. A happy new year, indeed!