

Rundle Academy December 2016
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A Message from our Principal As we enter into the holiday break we look forward to the opportunity to spend some much needed quality time with family and friends. One of my favourite holiday traditions over the years has been to watch the movie Home Alone with my family. At one time, this tradition involved my parents and I cuddled together in the living room watching a VHS recording of the movie, reciting famous lines and laughing together. Now, as I have a child of my own, the tradition has been rekindled in our living room, much in the same flavour as years past, only now the movie is on DVD and the television is a flat screen and not a gigantic box.
Mr. Van der Meer
Recently, I read a blog post from Today’s Parent, that put forward a few life lessons that Home Alone can teach us. Some of these resonated with me as an educator and as a result, I wanted to share my reflections in the hopes they also have meaning to each of you: • There is no such thing as too many Head Counts: We have a very important duty of care regarding the students at Rundle Academy, one we take very seriously. Looking back at the amount of experiential learning opportunities we offer our students, their safety and well-being are the most important factors in any of these undertakings. This consideration is the reason we are able to offer the experiences we currently do. • Kids are Smarter than we Think: The mission of Rundle College states that we will, “help students discover their potential, challenge them to attain their best and celebrate with them when we do”. One of the greatest things about Rundle Academy is that we seek to help students discover their abilities and provide them the tools to experience the success that we all know they are capable of each and every day. • Sometimes kids like to be alone: Independence is an important part of a student’s growth and development. Beyond helping students find success, we are consistently focused on building and developing advocacy skills that our students can take with them in their journey after Rundle Academy. • Forgiveness is always possible: Growing up typically translates to making mistakes. These mistakes vary in significance and weight, but all serve to help us make better choices and decisions moving forward. I am proud to be part of a school that stresses empathy and understanding. I believe these qualities help to allow our students to fail forward and feel safe in a space where mistakes can happen because they make us better. • 25 years can pass in the blink of an eye: While this is more of a nostalgic piece as the movie has now reached its 26th year, as we head into the holiday break, let us cherish the time we have together because it is worth appreciating.
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A Message from Ms. Jordan With the holiday season upon us, decorations are being hung, travel plans are being made, gifts are being purchased, and we are all looking forward to a much needed break to spend time with family and friends. This time of year is also when Rundle Academy interviews prospective students and their parents for admission in September 2018. For many families, the notification of admission into Rundle Academy is a gift of sorts as the student will now receive a supportive and caring learning environment that removes barriers and enables students to find success.
Ms. Jordan
During the admission interview process, families receive a special tour of our school that is provided by our student Ambassadors. I take great pride that the first introduction to Rundle Academy is student led. While parents often show great excitement in the interview, their children may be anxious and nervous. However, the instant the smiling, energetic, and pride-filled Ambassadors walk into the room, the anxiety vanishes. By and large, these tours are student driven as Ambassadors are encouraged to share their own experiences on these tours. They represent themselves as shining examples of what it means to be a Rundle Academy student and the success of these tours is a direct result of the confidence they have developed within our program. The Ambassador’s enthusiasm is infectious and is the reason why at the end of the tour even the shyest of interviewees return to ask me when they can show up for their first day of class. My overwhelming pride in the Academy is mirrored in our seventy Ambassadors. I strongly believe our students’ passion for our school comes from all the enriching experiences they have experienced, and the hard work and dedication of our teachers. I am so thankful for our students, our staff, and the passion in our building. I hope that at this special time in the year, you are all as thankful as I am that we get to experience the magic of Rundle Academy together, and to watch the dreams of our students come true. I wish you and your family Happy Holidays. May it be filled with love, happiness, and laughter.
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Director’s Cut In the month of November, elementary students participated in Director’s Cut, a stop-motion animation project that visits Rundle. Both Grade ⅘’s and 6’s were able to complete projects centered around our core values, with the ⅘’s working through lego movies and Grade 6’s working on claymation. Students learned the ins and outs of making stop-motion movies, wrote a script and created characters to use in their movie. They then used iMovie to add sounds, music and dialogue, as well as a title page and credit screens. Movies will be shown on the big screen in the spring!
Ms. Thompson
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Telus Spark Grade 4 & 7 This past fall Grade 4 and 7 students collaborated on their annual trip to Telus Science Spark. The Grade 7 students worked well with their Grade 4 colleagues and were able to work through all of the activities in partner groups and small teams. Some of the highlights were learning how motors work, building the tallest wooden structures, using kinetic energy to light a bulb to lying down on a bed of nails! During the afternoon students branched off into their appropriate curriculum activities on hydrology. The staff at Telus Spark provided excellent instruction and we will be back next year!
Mr. Mellor
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Mr. Carr
Royal Tyrrell Museum, Grade 4 In November, the grade 4 classes embarked on the long journey to the Badlands of Alberta to visit the spectacular Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller. The students had been studying the beginnings of the province, including the first discoveries of dinosaurs by the First Nations and Joseph B. Tyrrell. As they wandered through the museum, “Team Carpitza” were captivated by all of the different types of fossils, including trilobites, sea creatures, and some colossal dinosaur skeletons. Afterwards, the boys and girls went on a hike around the Badlands, where they explored various landforms and plant life, and could imagine how different the landscape in the area was millions of years ago. Overall, it was an incredible trip, and a terrific chance to experience another region, and see first-hand how important the Royal Tyrrell Museum, and its discoveries, are for Alberta’s heritage!
Ms. Kapitza
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Telus Spark, Grade 5 On Tuesday, November 22, 2016, the grade five students had the pleasure of visiting the TELUS Spark Science Centre to participate in a program called Sparking Circuits as an introduction to the Electricity & Magnetism unit in Science. Students explored the world of electricity by working to make different types of circuits come to life using a variety of components. We also watched a movie entitled Robots which looked at how scientists continue to make advancements in the area of robotics and artificial intelligence. What a fantastic way to begin a new unit of study!
Mr. Bucher
Ms. Briggs
Ms. Petropoulos
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Telus Spark, Grade 6 On Monday, November 17th, Grade 6 students went on a field trip to Telus Spark. The purpose of the trip was to introduce and explore the properties of air. Students started with a brainstorm on different things that air can do, which led to the identification of its properties. Students then worked together to create Rube Goldberg machines to prove that different properties exist. The day concluded with some open exploring and time to play in the outdoor playground.
Mr. Locking
Ms. Thompson
Ms. Falkenberg
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Military Museum On November 3rd, Rundle Academy junior high students had a chance to demonstrate the CORE value of respect during our annual Military Museum trip. This year, students had a chance to cycle through a variety of activities related to historical perspectives, remembrance, and societal impacts of war.
Ms. Adams
Students were able to hear about, and examine a variety of artifacts from World War I to present day military-issued items. They also got a tour of the recently opened Cold War exhibit. The most impactful part of this tour was the replica bomb shelter many families would have had access to during the 1950s and 1960s. Students were quick to exclaim staying in a space that small with their whole family for a week would be terrible! Finally, students had a chance to hear about the destruction caused by landmines around the globe and appreciate that they live in a place free of such items of destruction. The teachers were very impressed with the level of maturity students showed on this trip as well as the reflections by students leading into Remembrance Day.
Mr. Palmer
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Outdoor Education Outdoor Environmental Education
Mr. Palmer
The Junior High Outdoor Education Class has had a very busy semester. We started the year learning about common outdoor rope work, and recently returned from our Alford Lake camping trip. We started the trip off with lessons on the Three-Minute Fire, emergency shelters, animal awareness and signal fires. Dinner was a smorgasbord of culinary delights. Each group of students participated in the Iron Chef contest and we had dinners ranging from hot dogs to gourmet vegetarian spaghetti! A wildlife identification lesson with the staff from Alford lake was the last session of a very long day. Thursday morning we participated in archery lessons and in the afternoon, individual groups were sent off in isolation to “survive” with a basic emergency shelter, flint and steel, and 6 matches. All groups survived and had an entertaining afternoon building their home away from home. We ended our day with a huge bonfire. Tales of adventure were told as we feasted on marshmallows while looking at the beautiful star filled sky! Congratulations OEE students on a very successful camp. Our outings continue as we refine our climbing techniques at the U of C, Mount Royal University and the Calgary Climbing centre through December. The snowshoeing trip is set for the 5th of January 2016!
Mr. Mellor
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Grade 8, Zoo Field Trip  
On Wednesday October 19th, our Grade 8 Science classes went on a field trip to the Calgary Zoo. We got to explore fresh and salt water systems. We did water quality tests from the Bow River and compared them to our drinking water. We also got to see firsthand, the zoo’s filtration system for their animals. We toured the Canadian Wilds and connected the relationship between water quality and living organisms. All of the animals in the Canadian Wilds section were out and about, and students where fortunate enough to observe even the shiest of creatures.
Ms. Schaffner
Mr. Mellor
Ms. Scott
Grade 8 students posing in front of the Whooping Crane enclosure in the Canadian Wilds sections.
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Vertigo Theatre Trip On November 23, all students in grades 7, 8 and 9 attended a live theatre production of Agatha Christie’s The Hollow, directed by Jan Alexandra Smith, at Vertigo Theatre. Usually the school only takes the grade 8 and 9 students; however, this year it was decided that all students would benefit from going. The play offered students the chance to see live theatre with high quality actors performing their craft and the performance did not disappoint. Students were treated to the mystery genre by being held captivated at the edge of their seats as they tried to solve the mystery of who committed the crime.
Mr. Wolf
This play was also a great tie in to the Grade 9 Tales With A Twist unit and the Grade 8 Mystery and Suspense unit. Students were able to reflect on the elements of suspense in the story and apply it to their understanding, which translated into their own narrative writing. “I like that it was a good story and had a good plot line. I like the aspect of the mystery which relates to our Tales with a Twist Unit.” Leah S., Grade 9 student. “I would give the play a 10 out of 10. It was super exciting and suspenseful. I even recommended this play to my family.” Kayden B. Grade 7 student.
For more information, please visit the following website: http://www.vertigotheatre.com/resources/
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The Nutcracker On December 15th our elementary students performed in the Nutcracker, a musical based on Tchaikovsky’s ballet. This production allowed students to shine in a variety of ways with students singing, playing instruments, acting and dancing. The Christmas production is always a great opportunity for our community to come together, and I would like to give a special thank you to the PAC for organizing the social afterward. To watch the video of the production click here. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B050MCgHhTXJdHZ2bzEtWmNfVHM/view?usp=sharing
Ms. Schaffner
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Kids Helping Kids Thank you to all of the parents and students in our school community who donated warm winter clothing for Calgary's vulnerable population. A group of students from Kids Helping Kids delivered the clothing (in costume!) on Halloween. The generosity of our community is so heartwarming to witness!
Ms. Kapitza
Ms. Whiting
Congratulations to Amy H. (grade 11) who has designed our logo for the 2016-17 Kids Helping Kids group.
Ms. Speidel
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Kids Helping Kids Poinsettia Fundraiser/CUPS Shopping Trip Thank you to all the families and staff that supported our Holiday Poinsettia fundraiser! With your help and generosity Kids Helping Kids raised close to $1800, which will help support the families of CUPS (Calgary Urban Project Society). In the New Year, the Kids Helping Kids group will investigate ways to support Villages of Hope – Africa, which is a Canadian charitable organization bringing hope to children in need throughout Africa.
Ms. Kapitza
On Dec. 11th Ms. Kapitza & Ms. Briggs took a group of amazing students to buy much needed supplies and toys for families in need. The students worked very hard calculating totals and keeping track of the money they could spend. In total, the group spent just over $2 000 on toiletries, baby necessities, household items and toys. This opportunity would not have happened without all the support from the poinsettia fundraiser. Thank you!
Ms. Whiting
Ms. Speidel Rundle Academy Adopt-A-Family Through the support of Kids Helping Kids, Rundle Academy adopted three deserving families through Hull Services. There were three Christmas trees set up with tags listing the requested gifts for each family. Thank you to all the families that have generously taken tags and helped to make this holiday season a more happy time with these families. On Dec. 15th Ms. Kapitza and Ms. Whiting took a group of students to deliver these gifts to the adopted families. It was an amazing experience to be able to bring light and holiday cheer to the less fortunate!
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Kids Helping Kids WeDay! This year Ms. Whiting, and Ms. Kapitza were able to take 27 lucky and well deserving students to attend this year’s ‘We Day’ celebrations at the Scotiabank Saddledome. The day is set out to encourage and celebrate the actions young people make to change the world. The day was filled with many amazing performances from Canadian artists, motivational speeches from some of Canada’s most inspirational leaders, and a strong message of hope for change and making the world a better place.
Ms. Kapitza
Ms. Whiting
Operation Shoebox!
Ms. Speidel
On November 30th, Ms. Kapitza, Ms. Whiting and Mrs. Speidel took a group of 15 amazing students to the warehouse of Operation Christmas Child for their annual volunteer shift to sort and pack shoe boxes filled with gifts for deserving children all over the world! This year the boxes from the Calgary processing centre were being sent to children in Guatemala, the Ukraine and different countries in Africa that have been affected by the ebola crisis. In the 2 shifts, this amazing group packed over 8500 shoeboxes.
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Peer Support Peer Support Students involved in Peer Support were busy planning and putting on Anti-Bullying Week in November. From making hot chocolate and tea for students to handing out kind messages, kindness, smiles, and high fives were all around. Each day students focused on a different theme that pertained to bullying, along with a fact about the impact bullying has on their generation. Peer support students spent a lunch hour mingling with Junior High students, which they hope to do again in the near future!
Ms. Staniloff
In the coming weeks, peer support students will be actively planning relaxation activities during exam break. These relaxation activities hope to decrease anxious thoughts and behaviours, while empowering them to do well.
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Student Services Winter break is almost here, and this time of year causes us to think about how we will spend the holidays. Family traditions play a significant role in family life. There are many benefits of creating and maintaining family traditions. Traditions help family members understand the value of togetherness, define family identities, and create a sense of belonging. Time spent together on family traditions establishes relationships that are deeper and more meaningful. This heightens connectivity and creates stronger bonds between family members. Investing time in family traditions may also lead to increased communication amongst family members. This aids in establishing a culture of openness, which is crucial for children and teens.
Ms. Staniloff
Traditions do not have to be a massive undertaking (although those are fun too!). Activities as simple as reading a particular story every year, taking a family photo to add to a holiday album, or preparing particular foods can become a meaningful act of family togetherness. I wish you and yours a very happy and healthy holiday season, and I hope that you will continue your special family traditions‌and maybe create a few new ones as well!
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Elf the Musical Rundle Academy Performing Arts Our winter musical production was a fun musical based on the beloved holiday film. Buddy the Elf has left the north pole in search of his real family and true identity, but has to contend with people who lack Christmas spirit and a dad who’s on the naughty list! With catchy tunes and an amusing collection of characters, we put together a fun and heartwarming holiday show.
Ms. Prest
A special congratulations goes to Lucy G. and William B. who won the Rising Star and Shining Star Awards as voted on by their own cast and crew! A big thank you to everyone who came to watch our performances. See you in the new year!
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Lego Club Lego Club Elementary students have had the opportunity to create and build with lego for the first part of the school year. From an airplane challenge where students had a limited number of pieces to build an airplane, to creating our very own Christmas town, a number of students in grade four to six have enjoyed some creative time before school. The Lego club will continue until mid-January, where students may explore the wonderful possibilities, developing their imagination and creativity with lego.
Ms. Teh
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Maker Club Maker Club A small, but dedicated, group of Rundle Academy makers have been hard at work this semester. Students have had the opportunity to explore and expand their knowledge of 3D printing, Photoshop, electrical circuits, sewing and design.
Ms. Scott
The maker club will continue in the new year and we are excited to announce that our Lego Mindstorms have arrived! These Lego robots will provide students with the opportunity to investigate robotics and coding. Students in grades 7-12 are welcome to join us on our robotics journey.
Ms. Adams
Ms. Teh
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Belly Baseball Intramurals Belly Baseball Intramurals On Tuesday November 22, the Grizzlies heavily outnumbered their opponents, the Mountain lions, and climbed their way back up to the top of the Rundle Academy intramural mountain with a 9-6 Belly baseball victory! Congratulations on the big win!
Mr. Paz
Ms. Whiting
Ms. Defoy
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Volleyball Intramurals Volleyball Intramurals We are happy to announce that the junior high volleyball intramurals champions of 2016 were crowned! After an entertaining and back and forth affair, the Grizzlies went on a serving run of 8 uncontested serves to claw back and win 32-27. Congratulations to the Grizzlies, as this was their first volleyball win in several years.
Mr. Paz
Ms. Whiting
Ms. Defoy
From left to right: Logan R., Sawyer F., Aaron C., Ben W., Bella C., and Adam K.
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Team Sports Option Team Sports Option Sometimes in Team sports option we have to adjust so that we might share our physical spaces. Here are some examples of Team Sports using alternative spaces and equipment during our option.
Mr. Paz
Mr. Rasch
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JH Physical Education Junior High Physical Education The first week of December saw Rundle Academy junior high Phys. Ed welcome an outside instructor to lead us through the dance unit. Miss Nicole came to us from SoundCreations and took our students through elements of hip hop and African dance. Her high energy was contagious and the students really enjoyed trying something new!
Mr. Paz
Mr. Rasch
Ms. Whiting
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Sr. Boys Volleyball Sr. Boys Volleyball
Mr. Waterbury
The Sr. Boys Volleyball team had a tremendous finish to their season. After having a disappointing playoff run, the boys continued to work hard, and had a tremendous showing at the Provincial Playdowns. This resulted in a birth in the ASAA Volleyball Provincials in Bow Island, Alberta. Seventeen of the boys joined the trip, and we had our best Provincial showing ever, finishing one game away from the medal round. A special congratulations goes out to the grade 12s, who played their last High School volleyball games ever in Bow Island: Nick L., Dominic P., Alex P., and Quintin M. The program will miss you, but the future is bright with the leaders that emerged from grades 10 and 11 this year. Thank you all for a fantastic volleyball season, and make sure you all have a fantastic Holiday season!
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Sr. Girls Volleyball Sr. Girls Volleyball
Ms. Thomson
In early November the Senior Girls Volleyball team earned second place in the ISAA 1A league after a nail-biting finish against Chinook Winds. But the season was not over there as we earned a birth in the our first ever ASAA Volleyball Provincial experience hosted in Bow Island, Alberta. While the outcome of tournament was not as hoped, the team showed tremendous grit in the face of tough competition. We walked away from this experience with a greater understanding of ourselves as players, as a team and how we can pull together under tremendous pressure. There are great things are in store for next season, but we will miss the leadership and skill of our Grade 12 players - Georgia B., Aia D., Lara S., Sneh Y., and Lara Z.. A huge thank you to all players, parents, teachers and community members for all your support this season - it was a long one, but well worth it.
Ms. Speidel
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Rockies Wrestling ROCKIES WRESTLING This week Rundle Academy hosted the CISAA Jr. and Sr. High Wrestling Championships. It’s a proud moment for the school as so many staff and students help organize an incredible event. It was a great end for a successful season. Our Jr. High team came 2nd to Rundle College and our Sr. High team finished 4th in our 2A league results.
Mr. Mellor
This year’s program included Elementary to High school athletes who competed in Calgary’s local meets and tournaments. Some incredible medal performances were earned at the University of Calgary Dino’s Jr. Olympics for Jr. High and the High School has competed in the Lethbridge Gold and Green tournament, Crescent Heights Cowboy Invitational and Bishop Caroll Rookie Tournament. Some season highlights was the team meeting gold medallist Erica Wiebe and having Brett the Hitman Hart attend our tournament. The team is saluted for their hard work, dedication, and fortitude over the course of a brief but intense season. They should also be commended for their teamwork, politeness and gratitude for volunteers, officials and coaches. They have all represented themselves well within the wrestling community and are true ambassadors of Rundle Academy!
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Elementary Honour Roll
90% – 100% EXCELLENCE Grade 4 Gabriel B. Chaz G. Natalie S.
Grade 5 Emerson P. Mack S. Max V.
Grade 6 Murray S.
85% - 89% GOLD Grade 4 Ivy E.
Grade 5 Mason H. Katharine K.
Grade 6 Noah C. Nicholas D. Danika M. Gabrielle S.
80% - 84% SILVER Grade 4 Elliot C. Alexander J. Joseph H. Sam M. Augusta T. Zara D.
Grade 5 Lyla d. Mason M. Will R. Annika S. Quinn S. Hayden W.
Grade 6 Rachael C. Jack H. Joseph H. Ella P. Aidan S. Amelia V.
75% - 79% BRONZE Grade 4 Lola B. Gracyn K. Rian M. Ruby P.
Grade 5 Darren L. Munro M.
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Grade 6 Carter K. Colton M. Ethan N.
Junior High Honour Roll 90% – 100% EXCELLENCE Grade 7 Sasha T. Ellie M. Kaden H. Owen B. Jonathan B.
Grade 8 Aaron C. Henry K. Amanda P. Liam P. Jill S.
85% - 89% GOLD Grade 7 Avery B. Tyler C. Mathew D. Jaeda H. Asha M. Nicholas R. Sam S. Alexsa Z.
Grade 8 Elizabeth H. Logan R. Tess S. Chloe S. Antonio T. Ben W.
Grade 9 Sawyer F. Liam M. Tom S. Leah S.
80% - 84% SILVER Grade 7 Lev M. Jordan L. Kate H. Lucy G. Kaity B. Aidan B.
Grade 8 Chloe B. Cameron G. Danielle K. Tylar K. Rhys P. Marco P. Charlotte W.
Grade 9 Zander C. Nick D. Will d. Blake E. Carson E. Sarah H. JP J. Locklyn W.
75% - 79% BRONZE Grade 7 Kayden B. Ainsley L. Braelyn R. Rohan S.
Grade 8 Juan A. Shea C. Trinity D. Malcolm K. Jaylah L. James M. Jessie S.
Grade 9 Isabella C. Charlie D. Jaxon D. Lily D. Morgan E. Soleil H. Isabella L. Andreas M. Mary M. Jaxson R. Amy V. Elli W.
Senior High Honour Roll 90% – 100% EXCELLENCE Grade 10
Grade 11
Grade 12
Miles F. Nicole M. Elisabeth N. David S.
Amy H.
Ciaran B. Amedeo C. Dominic P. Georgia N.
85% - 89% GOLD Grade 10
Grade 11
Grade 12
Emma B. Taya C. Ian H. Benjamin T. Samuel T. Kai Y.
Jakson P. Nathan R.
William B. Jennelle H. Teagan S.
80% - 84% SILVER
Grade 10
Grade 11
Grade 12
Thrissa B. Carter G. Benjamin M. Isaac N.
Lachlan G. Penn P. Isaac T.
Sepp K. Teanna M. Emily S.
75% - 79% BRONZE
Grade 10
Grade 11
Ari B. Joel C. Dustin F. Jonathon E. Jared E. Ryker E. Jared H. Sophia J. Nathan L. Anthony M. Theodore M. Owen M. Curtis S.
Rowan B. Bram B. Mark B. Keegan J. Benjamin K. Cassandra P. Phoenix S. Paul U. Trevor W.
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Grade 12
Nicholas L. Sarah R. Aia D.
October JH/Elementary GRIT
Sophie T. (grade 7) To learn about grit and determination we can turn to two great scientific minds; Thomas Edison and Sophie. Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, and forever changed how we see and live in our world. What is incredible about this achievement is not that he invented the light bulb, but that he was successful after 1 000 failed attempts. Mr. Edison famously said "Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time". Sophie, like Thomas Edison, is always willing to try one more time. She maintains a positive attitude, is open to trying new strategies, willingly does extra practice and attends extra help.
Amelia V. (grade 6) Amelia is a kind, caring student who has settled well into the Grade 6 routine. This can be hard to do....there is high expectations, lots of work, and learning how to ask for help and identify what you need to be successful. As the past few months have gone by, Amelia has truly started to come out of her shell. She is raising her hand more in class, taking risks with her learning, and working tremendously hard in areas that may not come easy. She is kind to all her peers, always offers her help and cooperative when working with her teachers. As we all have our challenges to face, it's hard sometimes to keep a positive outlook and persevere. I've been extremely proud of Amelia as she works hard to do her best and face those challenges head on.
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October Elementary/JH Awards   Grade 4 Citizenship: Ivy E. Ivy is an extremely positive member of the Rundle Academy community. At all times, in class and on the playground, she shows compassion, kindness, and respect towards those around her. When faced with friendship challenges, she approaches every instance with a gentle, responsible attitude, and ensures that each person is satisfied, and treated with the fairness that he or she deserves. Ivy is a terrific citizen of our school. Grade 5 Citizenship: Annika S. Annika consistently is the type of person who embodies what it means to be a citizen of Rundle Academy. She is one of the most welcoming, friendly and positive and always has a smile on her face. We are lucky to have her as one of the first points of contact that prospective students meet on tours in her role as an Ambassador. Annika also enjoys interacting with her peers and helping to plan social and community activities as a class representative on Student Council. Grade 6 Citizenship: Aidan S. Aidan demonstrates great citizenship qualities by displaying kindness and respect to his fellow classmates and teachers. He is often seen with a smile across his face and is inclusive of all peers within the classroom, at recess, and on the volleyball court. His friendly and positive personality is inspiring for others. Grade 7 Citizenship: Tyler C. Tyler is well deserving to be recognized for his citizenship at Rundle Academy. He is a committed student council member who has shown great leadership in his first year of junior high. Tyler leads by example, showing up to all meetings and contributes not only great ideas, but a work ethic to get things done. Grade 8 Citizenship: Liam P. As financial prefect for the junior high, Liam has shown great leadership over the monetary side of student council. He is a committed member of the prefect team, attending meetings, and helping ideas along. The time spent making sure the junior high is a fun and fiscally responsible place is why Liam is receiving this award. Grade 9 Citizenship: Isabella C. Isabella has been putting in some unbelievable extra time with regards to making Rundle Academy a better place. She has taken her new student council role seriously and is an active member during her meetings and helping to make the start of her grade 9 year the best in Junior High. On the volleyball court, she has taken a quiet leadership role, modelling what good practice and dedication means to the younger athletes.
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October Elementary/JH Awards Grade 4 Extra Curricular: Ruby P. So far this year Ruby has become a Rundle Academy Ambassador, joined the Recycling Club and volunteered to be a Grade 4 Representative for Student Council. She has taken her role as a Rundle Academy Ambassador very seriously by being a role model for her fellow students and classmates. She is enthusiastic about her responsibilities in the Recycling Club helping make our world a cleaner place to live. She also takes pride in sharing information about upcoming Student Council events with her peers as well. Grade 5 Extra Curricular: Katie K. Katie is an enthusiastic ambassador, a member of student council, and is actively involved outside of school. She is a leader as as girl guide, and also takes dance lessons. Katie is a model of school leadership with her positive and friendly personality, her genuine smile and laughter, and naturally caring attitude. Grade 6 Extra Curricular: Dylan F. Dylan is a student that takes part in almost every extracurricular activity that is offered to grade 6 students. Currently, she is a part of the Ambassador program, Kids Help Kids, TEDx, Volleyball and she is a student class representative. Dylan displays role model qualities in whatever she is taking part in by giving 110%. She is already keen to be a part of upcoming activities such as wrestling and basketball. Grade 7 Extra Curricular: Jordan L. Jordan has taken her new love for volleyball to extreme heights. She is a dedicated member, always at practice and always wanting to learn more. During games, she’s itching to get on the court and make a difference. We can’t wait to see what the last half of the season means for Jordan; we’re predicting a strong finish. Grade 8 Extra Curricular: Shea C. Shea has become an integral part of the 8/9 volleyball team; improving each practice and showing what dedication to skill development looks like. In games, she has become a “go to” playmaker as she has gained the court sense to predict where the ball is going and where is it should go to, next. Grade 9 Extra Curricular: Will d. Will has taken his extra curricular very seriously this fall. On the volleyball court, he has helped his team during some absences and has supported Mr. Burla and Mr. Rasch with positioning and play development planning. He motivates his squad and helps them get the job done. He has also taken an active role within student council and is helping to make Grade 9 a great year for for his peers.
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December GRIT Awards Katharine K. (grade 5) It takes a special person to dig down deep not only strive for self improvement but academic improvement as well. Katharine defines grit: the tenacious spirit to rise above challenge and continuously give 110% not matter what. Being gritty may also mean getting your hands dirty so-to-speak, and Katharine is no stranger to hard work. She’s been improving on her assessments, she puts in a great effort in all she does, and really understands what it takes to succeed in our classroom. I’m very proud of you, Katharine. Juan (grade 8) If you googled the phrase "works hard", Juan's picture would be the number one image that shows up. Despite an increase in difficulty of curriculum, and the occasional hurdle, Juan continues to show grit in all he does. He regularly seeks out extra help to support his understanding and is making gains using visualization to support comprehension. Juan, your teachers are so proud of the efforts you put into your academics and feel you deserve this recognition. Congratulations Juan.
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December Elementary/JH Awards Grade 4 Citizenship: Alex J. Alex comes to class each morning happy and ready to learn. He greets his teachers and classmates with a warm ‘good morning’. This year Alex has become very taken by our Roots of Empathy program. He enjoys his visits with Baby Aaron and even bought him a Christmas present. When speaking about people who are less fortunate than us Alex was very insightful and thoughtful with his ideas how to help. Grade 5 Citizenship: Katie K. Katie is one of those people that gives her time to others whether it’s helping her classmates, her teachers, or the organizations that she is a part of: Brownies, tae-kwon-do, singing lessons, and being a wonderful Ambassador at school. She has an awareness of the larger world around her and this enlivens her experience at school. She brings positivity to the people around her, and her warm accepting character make her the ideal recipient for the citizenship award. Grade 6 Citizenship: - Gabrielle S. Gabby is a bright and happy presence in our class. She is kind and caring towards everyone and has a positive attitude in and out of the classroom. She is not only supportive of her classmates, but also proud of them for their own achievements. She balances her responsibilities and does her best to communicate conflicts with teachers and coaches. She exemplifies what it means to be a leader in our Grade 6 group, whether it’s starring in our elementary production, working hard in class time to complete her work, or doing her best to be kind to others. Grade 7 Citizenship: - Kaden H. Kaden is an intense athlete who participates in intramurals, and is the only grade 7 on the 8/9 boys basketball team this season. Athletics are not Kaden’s only area of strength; Kaden is a serious student who is currently sitting at “Excellence” on the honour roll. He is also a member of student council and is a photographer for the yearbook. Grade 8 Citizenship: Antonio T. During the past month Rundle Academy collected food items for the Veterans. The school did a fantastic job bringing in so many items. Antonio was persistent and felt very passionate about this cause. He rallied everyone in the class and brought in around 200 items himself. This shows strong leadership and caring. For his thoughtfulness and leadership skills, Antonio is presented with the citizenship award. Grade 9 Citizenship: Soleil H. Soleil has been an incredible all round citizen this year. She is absolutely giving her all in class, on the court and on the mat. Her great attitude is infectious and she supports and encourages those around her. She demonstrates many leadership qualities and is a great citizen of Rundle Academy. She was recognized as the Outstanding CISAA Female wrestler in a recent tournament and was the MVP of wrestling for all of the CISAA.
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December Elementary/JH Awards Grade 4 Extra Curricular: Joseph H. Joseph has become a Rundle Academy Ambassador this year and loves this responsibility. Recently, when he was to do his first tour for a visiting student Joseph was asked if he would like a grade 5 mentor to help him. His response was, “I got this, Ms. Kapitza!” Not long after that, Joseph was overheard saying he can’t wait until the afternoon when he can do some ‘ambassading’! Grade 5 Extra Curricular: Mason M. Mason is an active member of the Rundle community. His role as an ambassador shows his character and communication skills where he greets each guest that enters our school with enthusiasm. Mason is also part of the Ted X club where he is developing his ideas and writing. Outside of school he takes part in cross country ski racing and choir. Mason is an active student who enjoys participating in many different activities with his peers. Grade 6 Extra Curricular: Danika M. The grade six extracurricular award goes to Danika. She has displayed involvement by joining Kids Helping Kids, wrestling and the basketball team. Danika comes to practice eager to participate and to learn new skills. She is a positive role model to her peers by displaying and modelling our CORE values at the school. Grade 7 Extra Curricular: Lev M. Lev has shown a great deal of dedication to his learning beyond the classroom by participating in the school musical, being a part of school teams such as volleyball and basketball, being an active participant in house challenges as well as through his membership with Kids helping Kids. Lev has utilized his knowledge and determination to make a positive contribution to the school culture. Grade 8 Extra Curricular: Rhys P. Rhys has been amazing on the wrestling mat this year. He showed great tenacity from match to match in our recent CISAA Year End Tournament. When you are losing a match, there comes a moment where you can persevere and continue wrestling and get up and do it again your next match, or you can pack it in. Rhys keeps going and understands the importance of perseverance. Throw in the dedication he’s shown in volleyball and now basketball and this is why he’s an extra curricular award recipient. Grade 9 Extra Curricular: Amy V. We would like to express congratulations to Amy on her role in Elf, The Musical. Amy is a dedicated actress who devoted a lot of time and energy practicing for her role. She balanced her time between classes, homework and the play. During the play, she gave a stunning performance, both singing and acting. Her passion for acting in very evident and we know that she will have much success with it in the future.
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October High School Awards Grade 10 Extracurricular: Elisabeth N Elisabeth is a student who models commitment. Every extracurricular activity that she participates in, she does so wholeheartedly. For 7:00 am volleyball practice, Elisabeth can be found in the gym, ready to go at 6:50 - eager to help set the nets up, and start warming up. She supports her teammates both on and off the court and can be counted on to cheer others on along the sidelines. She has been an essential member of Kids Helping Kids since grade 7, and her positivity and willingness to help others is evident in everything that she does. Grade 11 Extracurricular: Rowan B. This award is being given to Rowan because she has taken her teachers seriously and has “gotten herself involved”. Rowan has become so dedicated to our program that she is willing to help out with teams, with students and with teachers. Rowan will referee volleyball games, keep score when needed and helps out with planning everts with student council. She plays on the volleyball team, has found she enjoys Cheerleading more than she thought, and is finding her voice in the drama production. She also finds time to care about her fellow students by becoming a peer tutor and working with peer support. Grade 12 Extracurricular: Georgia B. Georgia can be counted on to be a positive influence on the Senior Girls Volleyball team each and every day. She is a skilled player who is always willing to warm up with whoever needs a partner, cheer along the sidelines when she isn’t playing, and she encourages her teammates, genuinely celebrating their success with them. Georgia has modelled commitment to her team from the beginning of the season. Despite working as a swim instructor outside of school and balancing her academics alongside the volleyball team, she is keen to attend every practice and game that she can, regardless of whether or not her injuries that she’s managing prevent her from playing. Grade 10 Citizenship: Emma B. Emma is a dedicated student and is an extremely positive role model to her peers. She is a strong contributor to the vibrancy of Rundle Academy and makes connections with the entire school community. She is actively involved in all aspects of her school life and takes her responsibility as a student very seriously. She has a great presence at the school, and should be acknowledged her for her strong citizenship. Grade 11 Citizenship: Lachlan G. Lachlan is being recognized for his citizenship in the classroom and in the school community. In art class he consistently models a positive outlook, he has excellent focus and quietly encourages others to take risks. Furthermore, he demonstrates interest in learning and strives for understanding and excellence. Lachlan is also Ambassador and recently led an insightful conversation with a large group of our touring parents regarding what it is like to be a student at Rundle Academy. Lachlan has also volunteered in the WEE Reads program, reading to a couple of kindergarten students at Altadore Elementary school once a week. Grade 12 Citizenship Award: Ciaran B. Ciaran truly embodies Rundle’s core values in everything he does at the school. He exemplifies what it means to be a positive citizen in our community and has impressed his teachers with the amount of leadership and volunteerism he has been involved with. From Buddies, to Wee Reads, to student council Ciaran has gone the extra mile. Beyond the school Ciaran has demonstrated these qualities through volunteerism in the greater community at the Calgary Drop In Centre.
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December High School Awards Grade 10 Citizenship: Sophia J. Sophia is one of only 3 Grade 10 students playing on the senior high basketball team. She played in her first games during our tournament in Foremost. With only six players at the tournament, we asked Sophia to play a lot of minutes. She jumped right in and helped the team by playing good defence. Although she was nervous, she gave her absolute best. On and off the court, Sophia conducted herself in a manner that was respectful and left her coaches very proud. It is a pleasure to present Sophia with a citizenship award. Grade 11 Citizenship: Jackson G. Jackson has been an outstanding member of Peer Support this year. He has not only expressed his ideas and put forth an active effort in all of the activities Peer Support has put on, he has demonstrated leadership skills through building a Bullying Presentation for the Elementary classes. Jackson is a wonderful role model for other students and someone who his peers can always rely on. His positive nature is contagious and is always looking for additional ways to support the Rundle Community. Jackson embodies the values that Peer Support is striving to achieve and I have no doubt that he will further develop his leadership skills in the future. Grade 12 Citizenship: Sarah R. Time and again, Sarah has shown herself to be an integral member of our Rundle Community. As Senior Financial Prefect, Sarah is always available to support student council and serves as a leader to the executive and general members alike. Sarah has had the opportunity to speak directly to parents considering Rundle Academy for their child. She speaks eloquently about her success within our school, her learning style, and her plans for post secondary. Grade 10 Extracurricular: Theodore M. Theodore has dedicated a great deal of time and effort toward the sport of wrestling. Wrestling is not easy as many people would agree, and it is also very tough to join the sport in High School as Theodore has done. Theodore is a great listener and has proved to be very coachable. He continues to improve and is bound to have an excellent season. Stay tuned for some great results from him this year. Grade 11 Extracurricular: Amy H. Amy is an impressive young lady due to the fact that she is not simply satisfied with her successes in the classroom. On stage, in the performing arts production, you might be surprised to see quiet Amy singing loud and portraying a brash character, but you shouldn't be! She works diligently in and outside of class, consistently pushing herself to be better. She embodies the spirit of our program through taking advantage of opportunities to improve herself while always supporting her peers. Grade 12 Extracurricular: Quintin M. Quintin has stepped up to be the leader of the basketball team in his grade 12 year. He provides advice, tips, and direction on how to execute plays and drills properly. He motivates his teammates during 17's and encourages them to try harder during practice. Aside from being a very talented player, he has also been a great motivator and role model for the entire team.
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October/December High School GRIT   Grit: Monique B. Monique can: Calculate the angle of impact of a projectile launched off a building in Physics. Calculate the amount of butane necessary to warm an aluminum pot of Water in Chemistry. Solve for all 4 inflection points of a quintic polynomial with combined transformations in Math. All simultaneously in one day. Not to mention that she also finds time to contribute to the Drama play and can be found all over the school. True grit has always been about what you do when faced with a challenge. Do you back down or do you get gritty? Monique has struggled and has even admitted to a rare tear or two shed after hours of work. But she always bounces back. She doesn’t let the Math take her down and she is always ready to laugh (even at herself) and let her positive spirit shine. Monique is True Grit. Grit: Phoenix S., Quintin M., Cole B., Ryan H., Brice O., Sneh Y. Narcissism, Classical Liberalism, the constraints of conventions, environmental destruction and poverty, survival in the face of adversity, mitochondrial implants, rehabilitation inside American prisons, 1930s Ireland: these challenging topics are the lens through which this semester's Writing Enrichment class developed, refined and expanded their writing skills. It was almost never easy; each of these six grade 11 and 12 students were pushed to communicate more effectively than ever before, and they met the challenge. They read university level academic journal articles, wrote literature reviews, cited their references - tasks they had never been faced with before, and they were successful. They engaged in source analysis, personal, critical and analytical response to texts, persuasive writing, and visual reflection, and every time out, each of these students challenged themselves to do better than the time before. Their hard word served to create a bond in our classroom; together we were focused, frustrated, successful, and celebratory. As a teacher, I could not be any prouder of their accomplishments. I am so fortunate to get to work with this incredible group of students; their grit inspires me every day. Congratulations to Phoenix, Cole, Ryan, Brice, Quintin and Sneh!
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Alumni Profile   How Our Alumni Continue to Move Mountains Alumna Kristina Florendine ‘08
After leaving Rundle Academy, I enrolled in the Mount Royal Broadcast Journalism Program and graduated in 2011. In the following years I worked at many local television and radio stations, X92.9, City TV, Golden West Radio and AMP radio 90.3. Ms. Cawthorpe
Over the past three years I have travelled to London, Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Hurghada, (Egypt), Costa Rica, and Volograd (Stalingrad). In October, I completed the golf season managing a Banquet Hall at The Springbank Links Golf Course, where I organized weddings and golf tournaments. In the new year, I have an opportunity to work in London, England on an Ancestry Visa card. What I loved about Rundle Academy? I miss the small class sizes, teachers and the students. During my time at the Academy I formed so many life long memories and friends.
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