K-6 Program

Personalized Learning

At our school, we personalize learning for each student, in partnership with the student, all teachers, parents and the greater school community. Empathy, flexibility, and student “choice, voice and challenge” are at the heart of all we do to support each student.

As an accredited school, we meet and exceed the Alberta Program of Studies (curriculum), but we also prioritize the development of Changemaker competencies: knowledge, mindset, skills and wellbeing. Our classes often combine several grades (multi-age classrooms) in order to provide our students with the opportunity to collaborate with—and be challenged by—a variety of peers. Sometimes students are grouped at a similar level, ability and pace while other times students are grouped for diversity and mentorship opportunities.

We also have a Spanish Second Language Program for Grade 2+!

Kindergarten at Calgary Changemaker School

We offer options for our Senior & Junior Kindergarten programs:

For September 2023, students who were born in 2018 may join our Senior Kindergarten Program
- Senior Kindergarten is 8:30am-3:30pm
  - 5 days per week: Mon-Fri

Students who were born in 2018 or 2019 may join our part-time Junior or Senior Kindergarten Program.
- Part-Time Kindergarten is 8:30am-3:30pm
  - 3 full days per week: Mon/Tue/Thur

Students must be able to independently use the washroom.

Changemaker Kindergarten programs connect daily outdoor nature play with learning inspired by both the Reggio Emilia approach and our own unique approach to learning.

Our primary goal for Kindergarten students is to nurture a lifelong love of learning. Research overwhelmingly shows that playful learning experiences lay the foundations for brain development and essential 21st century skills. Play-based classrooms are highly social and active and teachers use the interests of students and their natural curiosity as the driver for instruction.

Kindergarten students are offered joyful academic challenges that are appropriate for their age and ability and which develop a strong foundation in literacy and numeracy.

Senior Kindergarten students also have opportunities to participate in many of the co-curricular classes and field trips that our older students participate in.

Take a Look

See a day in the life of a CCMS student or take a Virtual Tour

EMERGENT CURRICULUM

We believe the basic knowledge and skills found in the curriculum are just the starting point. Teachers often curate their programming around student interests and passions and students make choices about what direction activities and projects might take – the sky is the limit! Then, both individually and in small groups, students use teachers as their “guides on the side” to discuss, interpret, and promote deeper observation, exploration, and practice.

PROJECT-BASED LEARNING

Research supports our belief that learning through meaningful, hands-on project work improves long-term retention, promotes engagement and deeper understanding.

Our human-centred design-thinking projects offer our students the ability to apply foundational knowledge and skills in a meaningful way. By integrating multiple subjects and focusing on real-world issues, our students gain valuable problem-solving, empathy, critical thinking and communication skills. Projects may be inspired from ideas generated during play, they may stem from a topic the teacher introduces, or they may be related to projects and questions posed by one or more students.

Assessment & Portfolios

The Calgary Changemaker School uses a variety of assessment tools to help support and develop each student as a unique learner. With an overall focus on student strengths and opportunities for growth, we use narrative report cards, learning showcases, and digital portfolios to share student learning with the school community.