7+(
APRIL 2010 • ISSUE 8 • VOL . 7
THE CALGARY SCIENCE SCHOOL
Principal’s Message Spring Break is upon us and I can’t think of a group of people more deserving of a break than the staff and students at CSS. With the Science Fair in early February, report cards and student-led conferences in March, and the resumption of field trips as the weather has warmed up, everyone in the school has been tremendously busy. I marvel at the incredible work that our students and teachers undertake day in and day out – the building is always bustling with the energy of learning and discovery! One of the more significant events in the past two weeks for many of our students was the Calgary Youth Science Fair. Our students have always earned tremendous success at the fair and this year is no different. The results are published later in this Spectrum, but I wanted to make it clear how proud I am as the Principal of our students. We even have one student who has been invited to participate in the National Science Fair! Congratulations to all participants and thank
you to the parents and teachers for the amazing support. There is another group of people I would like to recognize for their commitment and dedication. Our school council has undertaken a very ambitious plan to contribute to the operation of the school in the coming years. Their plan involves greater involvement of parents in everything from direct volunteering in the classroom to working on traffic and pedestrian safety measures near the school. As well, we are hoping to provide parents an even greater voice in the planning and reporting documents the school sends to Alberta Education. I very much appreciate the ambition of the council and I continue to enjoy working with them to improve the school environment and quality of education at CSS. If you would like more information about the plan, you are all invited to attend the May school council meeting, or you can contact Leann Meronek, chair of the school council. One of the changes to the operation of the council has to do with volun-
teering. A subcommittee of the council that presently call themselves the CSS Parent Volunteer Development Committee, has done an incredible job of coordinating volunteers for teachers for a variety of activities including working directly in the classroom with the teacher and students, to organizing a work bee in the art room, to arranging for parents to help maintain the science lab. Of course, each volunteer must undergo the volunteer screening process. At a recent Board of Directors meeting the volunteer screening policy was changed so that parents are no longer required to annually undergo a police security check, but that it would now be required at roughly three year intervals. The details of the amended policy can be found on our website, in the publications section, then in the policy manual section under policy #4.07 – volunteers. A short article summarizing the changes appears elsewhere in this edition of the Spectrum. Have a wonderful Spring Break! Darrell Lonsberry
1