REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY
2014-2015 School Year
STRATHCONA-TWEEDSMUIR SCHOOL (STS) IS MORE THAN A GREAT SCHOOL – STS INSPIRES JOURNEYS THAT LEAD OUR STUDENTS BEYOND ANYTHING THEY COULD HAVE IMAGINED.
MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD................4 MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL........................6 ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE ....................................................... 8 INTEGRATED PROGRAMMING .......................................... 12 GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE .............................................................. 16 TEACHING EXCELLENCE ........................................................ 20 COUNTRY CAMPUS .................................................................. 24 ALUMNI AND COMMUNITY ................................................ 28 FINANCE REPORT......................................................................... 32
1 REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY 2014-2015
TABLE OF CONTENTS
OUR VISION
OUR MISSION
A leading educator recognized nationally and internationally for delivering exceptional programs in a unique setting with an enduring sense of community.
To develop well-balanced students for a life of purpose by inspiring excellence in scholarship, leadership and character.
OUR CORE VALUES Integrity Kindness Respect Responsibility Safety Service
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Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School’s (STS) Repor t to the Community highlights snapshots of our achievements in relation to the areas that make STS unique and exceptional: academic performance, integrated programming, global perspective, teaching excellence, the country campus, and our alumni and community.
This repor t also celebrates how we live our School’s vision, mission and core values every day. This annual publication repor ts on the September 2014 to August 2015 school year and is distributed to parents, alumni, parents of alumni, faculty and staff. We hope you enjoy reading it and welcome your feedback.
MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD I have had the privilege of being the Chairman of the Board of Governors of Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School (STS) for just over one year. During that time we have seen significant progress made on an exciting new plan for the future of the School. The plan will allow STS teachers and students to broaden their educational experience and enhance the School’s mission of developing well balanced individuals who are equipped with the skills to succeed in our rapidly evolving world. The Board also oversees the strategic plan that was created more than five years ago, and as par t of an ongoing process, reviews the five pillars of that plan several times each year. It is impor tant to keep the plan up to date and adapted to the changing needs of our students. In addition, the Board meets with faculty and staff continuously to review key indicators of progress in relation to academic results, leadership and character, co-curricular par ticipation, enrollment, finance, and health and safety. In the past year the results of these consultations have been impressive. The Board has watched the School and its dedicated employees move mountains. STS has maintained its long-standing reputation as one of the leading independent schools in the country, and has made great strides towards implementing new research-based teaching methods and the first iterations of positioning STS as a Centre for Teaching Excellence. There are a few observations I would like to make as Chairman of the Board of Governors and as a parent with children who have graduated from the School. The first is that as I spend more time at the School, and more time interacting with the faculty and staff, I am struck by their exceptional competence and dedication. The countless hours of preparation, interaction with students and parents, and the time spent on less known, but often just as impor tant activities, such as time with regulators and accreditation agencies, boggle the mind. And the fact that 90% of the faculty and staff have donated to the Inspiring Possibilities campaign is truly inspirational. I cannot say enough about how for tunate we are to have these fine people in our children’s lives.
My second observation relates to the culture of the School. The School has created an open and caring culture that suppor ts our students’ learning and development in a way that develops individuals who can think for themselves. It is a central goal of this Board to continue to suppor t the development of this culture through the execution of our strategic plan, rejuvenation of the facilities, focus on encouraging economic diversity in our student body, and suppor t of the Centre for Teaching Excellence. A vital piece of this puzzle will be for the Board to underscore the impor tance of fostering a culture of philanthropy that is essential to the progress of the School. My final thought relates to our community. STS is more than the bricks and mor tar of the building, it is the sum of all the individuals that work in, learn from, suppor t and interact with it and each other. It is to all of you, as members of that community, that I would like to direct thanks. Thank you to the STS Board, which is growing this year with the addition of new Governors Jim Girgulis, Ron Laing and Afroza Nanji – welcome! Thanks as well to the STS Foundation, the entire School administration, and every employee, parent, alumnus, volunteer, and donor for your contributions to the School. It is through your generous suppor t that we create such an exceptional and unique place for our children to prepare for their future.
Scott Kirker Chair of the STS Board of Governors
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“ S TS is more than the bricks and mortar of the building, it is the sum of all the individuals that work in, learn from, support and interact with it and each other.� Scott Kirker, Chair of the STS Board of Governors
MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL As I contemplate the current position of Strathcona-Tweedsmuir along the continuum of time, I am reminded of the image of Janus, the ancient Roman god of beginnings and transitions. Janus is generally depicted as having two faces; one looking backward to the past and the other looking forward to the future. While I can cer tainly make no claim to deity status, my vision for the future of STS is strongly influenced by its history. As we thoughtfully plan the way forward, we are constantly guided by the strong values, traditions, mission and vision that have shaped the School and prepared its graduates so well over more than four decades. Simultaneously, we must consider those impor tant elements that define the present and frame the future, including the knowledge, skills and attributes that our students will need to thrive in an ever-changing world. Through this Janus-like approach of looking both backward and forward, we hope to provide an empowering and relevant education for our present and future students. As you peruse this year’s Repor t to the Community, you will see that we are striving to prepare our current students for a changing world by expanding their global perspective through international service, Model United Nations, Humanitarian Outreach Projects, and the international focus of the IB Programmes. At the same time, we are maintaining a strong focus on impor tant, traditional skills in numeracy, literacy, critical thinking, service, ar ts, languages, outdoor pursuits and public speaking, all set within a context of well-roundedness and in preparation for a life of purpose. Over the last five years, we have been guided by our strategic plan and its five key pillars, which include: integrated programming, global perspective, alumni and community, teaching excellence, and the future development of our unique country campus. More recently, we have launched our Inspiring Possibilities campaign, which arises from the strategic plan. This impor tant campaign invites the STS community to reinvest in modernized facilities that promote and enable
excellence in learning, position the School as a Centre for Teaching Excellence, and increase financial assistance through scholarships and bursaries that enable great students to attend, irrespective of their financial means. In the months ahead, we will be working diligently to raise the funds and complete the design work required to begin construction of new learning places in the spring of 2016. These will address the currently underserved design and spatial requirements of our excellent fine and performing ar ts programs and enable significant changes to instructional practices through more flexible and research-based elementary learning spaces. We look forward to the suppor t of our community in achieving the campaign’s goals. I hope that this Repor t to the Community provides an overview of impor tant student accomplishments as well as insights into a bright and inspiring future for STS. All of this is made possible by our dedicated Board of Governors, parent volunteers and members of POSTS, a committed and highly skilled faculty and staff, and the Senior Leadership Team, who provide strong direction and suppor t. I would like to thank all of these groups, as well as our alumni, for your unwavering suppor t.
Dr. William Jones Head of School
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“ As we thoughtfully plan the way forward, we are constantly guided by the strong values, traditions, mission and vision that have shaped the School and prepared its graduates so well over more than four decades.” Dr. William Jones, Head of School
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE At STS, we are always thinking about how best to prepare students for the future to ensure that they have the skills they will need to thrive in a rapidly changing and increasingly global world. Students today must understand how to filter, evaluate, synthesize, and interpret immense amounts of information. Also, careers are constantly evolving – young people need to develop the work ethic, and collaborative skills and tools to be able to adapt to new opportunities as they emerge.
To that end, STS is Alberta’s only full International Baccalaureate (IB) continuum independent school. Through the IB Programme, students are encouraged to become active and compassionate life-long learners, to develop their own cultural and national identity, and to broaden their intercultural understanding and respect. The IB continuum also prepares students for success in post-secondary studies. Elementary, Middle and Senior School students engage in and experience a challenging and dynamic learning environment where they acquire the knowledge, skills and attributes that will allow them to succeed.
9 REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY 2014-2015
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2015 GRADUATES
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE HIGHLIGHTS
We had 100% completion of the Grade 10 Middle Years Programme (MYP) Personal Projects. Two MYP Personal Project examples are: A student created a website which showcases volunteer oppor tunities available to students in Calgary. The website, CanVol.org, was created by Liam Waterous ’17, based on the inquiry question: “How can technology enhance relationship building?”.
Michael Spyker ’17 developed an app for iPhones that will enhance the battery life in your phone. His self-directed inquiry question was: “How can we enable people to use their technology to its fullest potential?”.
Grade 1 students developed their photography skills so that they could tour downtown Calgary in search of different perspectives on beauty. On a trip to Kananaskis Country, Grade 3 students developed an understanding of the impact of environmental forces on the land. A post-flood look at Elbow Falls and the Allen Bill Pond area was documented through photos and video. Once students returned to school, they recreated before and after scenes and shared their knowledge of the rock cycle within the models. Grade 4 classes examined remnants of Alber ta to explore the connections between ar tifacts and the identity of the people who live in a place. A trip to the Royal Tyrell Museum in Drumheller gave an exciting context to their knowledge of remnants which was later revealed through their writing in the genre of historical fiction. Grade 6 students discussed the question “How can we advocate for those without a voice?” as they explore the notion of power and democracy in our local and global communities. By understanding vulnerable groups of people, they are developing empathy and the skills to take action through advocacy and effective use of voice and power. The Diploma Programme (DP) Class of 2015 had 60 students registered, including 10 full Diploma Candidates, with a 100% success rate achieved for the four th straight year. 74% of the students in the Grade 12 class were registered in at least one IB course.
As STS students from Grade 5 and the Senior School cheer them on, a team of engineering students from the University of Calgary released a weather balloon loaded with data collection technology; par t of an international program to gather information about atmospheric dynamics and climate change processes.
DP Candidate essays representing a diverse cross-section of topics were of the highest academic quality. Sample topics include: “Medical advancements in the time of Cholera: An analysis of how the Egyptian Cholera outbreak in 1947 contributed to breakthrough developments in the global coordination and treatment of Cholera.” – Nary Gawdat ’15 “The effect of velocity on the Flow Regime and the Reynolds Number.” – Billy Hornaday ’15 “Discovering and accepting the absurd: How do various literary elements found in the poem, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, by T.S. Eliot and the novel, The Stranger, by Albert Camus showcase a progression in existential thought? ” – Ainsley McDougall ’15
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$825K Reported scholarships awarded or received (this is a self-reported, and historically under-reported statistic)
69 33
students attending 22 Canadian universities
different destination universities
Programs of Study Addictions Counseling, Agriculture, Economics, English Literature, Linguistics, Political Studies, Acting, Theatre, Visual Communications, Design, Business/Commerce, Engineering (Biomedical, Chemical, Civil, Computer, Electrical, Environmental, Mechanical, Software), Development Studies, Early Childhood, Elementary Education, International Studies, Journalism, Law, Maritime Officer, Mechatronics, Recreation and Spor t Management, Science Writing, Applied Biology, Biochemistry, Biological, Biomedical, Chemistry, Computer, Conservation, and Environmental Science, Exercise and Health Physiology, Forensics, Human Kinetics, Kinesiology, Medical, Petro-physics, Physics, Physiology, Psychology, Radiology, Zoology
2015 Provincial Achievement Test Results in Percentages English Language STS Arts 6 Province STS Mathematics 6 Province STS Science 6 Province STS Social Studies 6 Province English Language STS Arts 9 Province STS Mathematics 9 Province STS Science 9 Province STS Social Studies 9 Province 2015 Diploma Exam Course Results in Percentages English Language STS Arts 30-1 Province
Acceptable Standard
Standard of Excellence
94.5 82.8 94.5 73.3 94.5 76.4 94.5 69.8 97.3 75.6 93.2 65.3 98.6 74.1 97.3 65.1
45.5 19.5 36.4 14.1 70.9 25.3 52.7 18.1 52.1 14.4 45.2 18.0 47.9 22.9 45.2 19.8
Acceptable Standard
Standard of Excellence
100.0
49.3
86.5
11.5
Mathematics 30-1
STS
92.2
58.4
Province
76.2
31.7
Social Studies 30-1
STS
98.7
40.3
Province
87.1
16.2
STS
95.1
48.8
Province
85.9
33.0
STS
92.4
57.6
Province
82.2
34.2
STS
91.4
57.1
Province
83.9
35.8
Biology 30 Chemistry 30 Physics 30
REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY 2014-2015
Graduating Class of 2015 University Entrance Highlights:
INTEGRATED PROGRAMMING A cornerstone of an STS education is integrated programming – meaning that students benefit from a holistic, balanced education where curriculum is reinforced in a variety of learning environments. Our many co-curricular programs enhance our academic programming and support our mission. Students benefit from this well-rounded approach which reinforces concepts and removes silos so that learning can be applied in multiple ways. This gives them the tools to be able to solve ‘real world problems’, i.e. climate change is an economic, scientific, social, and political issue. Also, they learn critical skills that will benefit them throughout life, including public speaking. Most importantly – students are excited to go to school because they enjoy a wide-variety of engaging activities intended to enhance their love of learning, character development, and overall health and well-being.
REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY 2014-2015
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INTEGRATED PROGRAMMING HIGHLIGHTS
270 music compositions were created in Grades 7 – 9
70 Middle and Senior School students were involved in speech. 45 Middle and Senior School students participated in at least one debate tournament. More than 10 Elementary School clubs including Environment, Book, Spor ts, Science and Speech Club. Grade 6 leadership groups were in charge of Fun and Fitness, Public Relations, Special Events, and Recreation. 60 Senior School students par ticipated in Model United Nations (MUN).
100% of students in Grades 1 – 6 were involved in the Elementary School musical, Compose Yourself, 80 students were in the Middle School play, The Greek Mythology Olympiaganza, and 50 students performed in the Senior School musical, The Drowsy Chaperone.
90 co-curricular activities offered
Approximately 70% of Senior School students were involved in athletics. Choral and band students performed to more than 1,000 people throughout the year.
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Hosteling develops character and a sense of community while teaching about relationships with others, completing assigned jobs, sharing chores, helping others, and self-care. Learn how to make weather observations, keeping logbook, reflections, setting goals. Connection to science and history with focus on geographical elements, environmental awareness, and history of the area.
Grade 10 OE15 Rogaine: Students work together to navigate in the wilderness and learn valuable skills in planning, navigation, safety management, conflict resolution, and goal setting.
INTEGRATED PROGRAMMING IN ACTION IN OE
Grade 9 backpacking trip: Tie in to biodiversity unit related to tree coring, plant growth, growing seasons, and weather patterns. Learn about astronomy by studying constellations at night and discussing solar systems, stars, comets, and changes in human perception about space. Learn the chemistry of cooking by observing chemical and physical changes when cooking and following recipes.Â
REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY 2014-2015
Grade 7 cross-country ski week:
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE Whether in their own backyard, or on the other side of the world, STS students’ learning beyond the classroom is enriching. They explore and gain an understanding of other cultures and our natural environment. They pursue leadership opportunities, gaining a sense of independence, responsibility and confidence. They challenge themselves to be their best. They strive to be caring citizens. They endeavour to live with integrity and compassion. All members of the STS community – students, parents, teachers, staff and alumni – put the STS mission to ‘live a life of purpose’ in to action. Our students are inspired by those around them, and strive to experience and give back to their global community every day.
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Grade 7 students par ticipating in Connected Nor th project with a school in the Nor thwest Territories.
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE HIGHLIGHTS 100% of students par ticipate in community service. 70 Grade 11 students participated in the Agencies Program, a time-honoured tradition at STS, working with 11 community organizations. Senior boys basketball team played in and toured Hawaii. 90% of Grade 10 students met or exceeded a requirement to give 15 hours of service – totalling approximately 1,050 hours. STS alumni live around the globe. Three alumni receptions and Head’s Roundtable sessions were held in London, UK, Toronto and Vancouver. A total of 58 alumni attended these sessions to hear Dr. Jones share information on the future of education at STS and to socialize and reconnect with fellow alumni.
3
countries
4
schools
8
students
participating in students exchange
Students saw eight shows in seven nights and did workshops with Broadway artists on the New York drama trip. Senior Choir and Acapella went to Tudor Manor retirement home for a concer t and visited with the residents. Grade 7 students composed pentatonic scale music pieces, demonstrating how scales connect all cultures, highlighted by their performance of the Japanese piece Sakura. Four Senior School debaters competed in the prestigious Oxford Cup held in Montreal. A student-organized dress drive for El Salvador collected 27 dresses.
The field hockey team played in and toured Scotland.
STS placed 3rd out of 56 schools at the International Independent Schools Public Speaking Competition held at Renaissance College in Hong Kong, with Imaan Kherani ’16 returning to Hong Kong to win the World Championship in Interpretive Reading of Literature at the World’s Individual Public Speaking Championships.
The school community collected 326 filled backpacks for the Stephen’s Backpacks Winter Campaign. 14 students plus one alumna travelled to Costa Rica and 11 students travelled to Guatemala for Service Trips. 24 MUN students traveled to San Francisco for the Regional High School Model United Nations conference.
Middle School students gave a total of
2,028
hours of community service
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Grades 4 – 6 Humanitarian Outreach Projects (HOP) Club focused their 2014-2015 campaign on ‘food justice’ and demonstrated their service close to home. Six students travelled to India for the Round Square International Conference and a post-conference tour.
REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY 2014-2015
Grade 7 students kicked off the Connected North project at STS, connecting via satellite with a school in the Northwest Territories for classroom instruction, collaborative projects and cross-cultural exchange throughout the year. This inspired Alex Robins ’20, Rex Armor ’20, Zaki Lakhani ’20 and Matthew Schneider ‘20 to design an innovative school building to meet the needs of a small community in Canada’s North, which later earned them an Award of Excellence at the international SchoolsNEXT competition in San Diego, CA.
40 MUN students went to New York City to participate in the National High School Model United Nations and visited the UN General Assembly.
The first cohort of the Global Scholar Diploma students demonstrated a commitment to living actively, establishing positive, respectful relationships, providing service to others, and modelling ethical leadership and environmental sustainability. Special guests from our school community enlightened Grade 2 students with their personal stories of life in the Arctic, Atlantic Provinces and on the prairies. Personal histories help to make geography come alive.
At least seven students helped out at the DropIn Centre every month – Elementary School students alone helped to serve over 3,000 meals.
Graduating DP Candidates all achieved, or exceeded, the mandatory 150 hour community service hour requirement. A love for nature inspired the Grade 5 students to become ‘stewards of the land’ during a three day excursion to the Ann and Sandy Cross Conservation Area. These early experiences create lasting advocates that will ensure the future health of our environment.
TEACHING EXCELLENCE Our talented, caring teachers deliver well-rounded programming, giving all STS students the opportunity to flourish. They also connect with students through coaching opportunities, outdoor experiences, sharing service trip adventures and leadership of many other co-curricular programs.
A priority of the School continues to be attracting, developing and retaining exceptional faculty who will elevate teaching practice at STS and inspire excellence in the broader teaching community. In order to remain a leader within the independent school community both nationally and internationally it is essential to provide extraordinary learning opportunities. STS continues to invest in teachers and their ongoing development in order to advance our mission of excellence in scholarship and student learning. Professional development takes many forms but has a common thread – enriching our students’ learning experience.
REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY 2014-2015
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TEACHING EXCELLENCE HIGHLIGHTS
54
professional development sessions attended around the world by STS faculty
170 degrees held by 70 STS faculty – life-long learners
STS teachers shared their exper tise with their colleagues at a faculty-led PD session. Dale Roth hosted a clinic for coaches from STS and schools in Calgary, Okotoks, Strathmore and Brooks. The STS Critical Friends Group (CFG) protocols promote teaching collaboration through meaningful and efficient communication, problem solving and learning, which enhances student learning outcomes.
To put STS on the map locally, nationally and internationally as a Centre for Teaching Excellence, STS invested in: • hosting the Canadian Accredited Independent Schools’ (CAIS) Fall Leadership Institute 2014, welcoming school leaders and faculty from CAIS schools across Canada to focus on risk management • bringing other school’s faculty to band and choral workshops led by STS faculty, Brian Uzick and Heather Provencher • hosting 10 student teachers from University of Calgary, for an anthropological study of our school community called ‘Life in Schools’, and for two six week practicums
“T STS was proud to host our inaugural Exper ts in Education speaker series event, featuring Dr. John Medina, Brain Scientist and NY Times bestselling author of Brain Rules. The series will bring world-class educators and leading thinkers in the field of education to STS to work with STS faculty, and to share their exper tise with parents and the broader education professional community.
W N
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Craig Frehlich “Robotics in Education” Carnegie Mellon University
Bob Shaw “The American Association of Physics Teachers Conference” Washington, DC (half day session at NASA Goddard Space Flight Centre)
Season Prevost and Brigid Taylor “Investigations and Expressions, Summer Symposium” Bishop Strachan School
Janay Tesche and Michelle Melton, “Modeling with Mathematics” Stanford University
GORDON FREIGHT EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING GRANT RECIPIENT: Steven Mercer ’87 “Nicaragua Educator’s Course”, Nicaragua
David Milne-Ives “Pasco Scientific Summer Institute” Roseville, CA
Tina Kennedy “Universal Design for Learning: Reaching all Learners”, Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE)
The STS Mentorship Program, currently in its eighth year and recognized provincially, is a means of integrating new faculty into the STS community and constructively guiding their development both professionally and culturally.
REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY 2014-2015
STS CENTRE FOR TEACHING EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING GRANT RECIPIENTS:
OUR COUNTRY CAMPUS
STS continues to offer enriched learning opportunities on our 200 acre country campus, which acts as an outdoor extension of our indoor classrooms. Students enjoy hands-on learning, physical activity, fresh air, and natural beauty. No other school in our region can offer students these unique experiences – all without having to step foot off campus.
REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY 2014-2015
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COUNTRY CAMPUS HIGHLIGHTS Students and faculty alike enjoyed accessing our new outdoor classroom, Aspen Lodge – a beautiful natural setting for integrated learning in all seasons.
Science classes in all Divisions utilized our country campus by: • testing pond water, soil samples and vegetation • studying motion sensor camera footage to see local animals in our shared habitat • studying the changing seasons and geography of our landscape • exploring insects in their habitats Physical Education programs utilized and enjoyed our campus for canoeing on the pond, and running, hiking, biking or cross-country skiing on more than 10 km’s of trails.
Design class students launched hand-made rockets and enjoyed having the space to do so. Aspen Lodge became a Shakespearean stage for acting scenes and writing poetry. Ar t students were inspired to sketch wildlife and plants, creating beautiful projects using the natural landscape as their muse. The principles to leverage STS’ natural setting to optimize learning is a key focus of the design for the new facilities planned as part of the Inspiring Possibilities campaign.
• composting to study how worms break down organic material
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OUTDOOR LEARNING FACTS Hands-on outdoor learning has been shown to beneďŹ t students through increased student engagement, increased motivation, and higher levels of enthusiasm.
Childhood experiences in the outdoors are strong predictors of adult use and attitudes toward the outdoors.
Links have been made to the time that children spend outdoors to their healthy development and overall well-being. Students who participate in outdoor education programs achieve higher test scores.
REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY 2014-2015
STS provided a majestic backdrop to host cross country meets, athletic tournaments and exhibition games, and speech and debate tournaments.
ALUMNI AND COMMUNITY STS celebrates a strong and vibrant community of more than 672 students, 970 parents, 6,000 alumni, and 110 faculty and staff – all rooted in our more than 100-year history. Our community of parents are stead-fast partners in supporting STS students’ learning experience. They spend countless hours volunteering for school events, driving students to numerous activities, tournaments and games, cheering on the sidelines, and helping with homework in the evenings. The STS Alumni Association fosters a lifelong relationship with our ever-growing alumni community, keeping our school’s deep-rooted traditions alive, while providing opportunities to engage with each other and with the current students. We hold many parent and alumni events on the STS campus, in Calgary and across the globe. These events bring our community together – creating a welcoming space for current families, bringing students and successful alumni together for invaluable mentorship opportunities, and reconnecting old alumni friends. Also, our community as a whole is responisbile for raising essential funds. Last year we raised pledges and gifts totalling $20 million which will go towards enhancing our facilities, investing in our teachers continued development and ensuring that our school is accessible to worthy students (read more in the inserted campaign newsletter).
29 REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY 2014-2015
Young alumni celebrating at the 2015 Alumni Dinner.
ALUMNI AND COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS
$17,635
raised by the 2015 graduate students and parents for their Class bursary
The Inspiring Possibilities campaign was launched during Homecoming and Fall Fair 2015, with an amazing $20 million of the required $27 million goal already raised. More than 800 alumni and current families were in attendance.
More than 200 alumni, and retired faculty and staff enjoyed reconnecting at the 9th annual Alumni Dinner.
98%
class participation – a record since the inception of the program in 2006
The new “Celebrating Alumni Series” launched – alumni were given a VIP pass to experience each other’s businesses and skills. The first three events featured alumni offering an interactive culinary session, learning how to brew the perfect cup of coffee, and experiencing firsthand the secret of shucking oysters.
165 alumni volunteers were engaged as committee volunteers, speakers, mentors and judges
POSTS volunteers welcomed close to 100 new parents in the fall, and gave more than 7,700 volunteer hours in running programs like Tweeds and More and Lost and Found, organizing events to thank our bus drivers, staff and faculty, and hosting many socials to help build a sense of community at STS.
alumni attendees at 20 alumni events
30% parents, 50% faculty, and 2% alumni donated to STS. 200 parent volunteers signed up for more than 400 volunteer positions. Twenty-nine stories about STS alumni were covered in the media. 147 STS alumni-related stories have been posted on social media, and we totalled 940 fans on our Facebook page, and 567 Twitter, 322 LinkedIn and 253 Instagram followers.
The Young Alumni Committee was formed – providing advice to students and young alumni on a range of topics such as their STS experiences, university choices, mentoring and career paths.
We had 37 2nd and 3rd generation families with 70 children representing 11% of our student population – we are proud that our alumni are ‘coming home’ to give their children the same well-rounded education.
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858
REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY 2014-2015
Distinguished Alumni recipient, Chris Shopperly ’80 and retiring faculty member Helen Harper were honoured at the 9th Annual Alumni Dinner.
The following pages include excerpts from the Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School audited financial statements.
FINANCE REPORT
Revenue
Expenses
The primary revenue source for the School is tuition revenue of $13.3 million and other mandatory student fees of $780,000. Alber ta Education provides the School with $3.46 million. Contribution from the STS Foundation includes funds received for scholarships, bursaries and awards.
The primary expenses for the School are salaries and benefits, representing 62 percent of our total expenses followed by busing (7 percent), asset amor tization (7 percent), plant (5 percent), and academic program costs (5 percent). During this year, $533,860 was awarded for scholarships, bursaries and other student assistance.
Tuition and mandatory student fees
Salaries and benefits
Government grants
Administration and advancement
Busing fees
Busing
Amortization of deferred contribution
Academic
Donations
Buildings, grounds and maintenance
Miscellaneous Scholarships, bursaries and awards
Scholarships and financial aid
Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School is incorporated under the Societies Act of the Province of Alberta and is a registered Canadian charitable organization in accordance with the Income Tax Act.
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Statement of Revenue and Expenses for the year ended August 31, 2015
Unaudited
Unaudited
Assets
2015 $
2014 $
Current assets
Revenue
2015 $
2014 $
13,299,428
12,213,749
Government grants
3,464,279
3,037,854
1,287,575
1,226,492
Tuition fees
Cash and cash equivalents
5,201,033
3,653,517
Accounts receivable
1,274,802
793,227
Busing fees
428,051
411,753
Membership fees
476,000
381,500
98,968
113,961
Amortization of deferred contribution
385,050
323,022
7,002,854
4,972,458
6,256,744
5,720,747
Prepaid expenses Inventory
Capital assets
13,259,598 10,693,205
Liabilities
2015 $
2014 $
745,470
183,113
-
47,000
7,861,875
7,114,771
Sundry
365,003
203,910
Rental Equipment
304,405
293,846
Scholarship grants/bursaries/prizes and awards
181,503
181,105
Donations
81,508
55,168
Interest
33,343
28,967
19,878,094
17,945,613
2015 $
2014 $
Salaries and benefits
11,427,009
11,052,655
Current liabilities Accounts payable and accrued liabilities Student enrolment bonds Deferred revenue
Deferred contributions Employee future benefits
Net assets Internally restricted net assets invested in capital assets Deficit
Expenses
8,607,345
7,344,884
Amortization
1,346,089
1,253,970
2,548,290
2,686,033
Busing
1,323,232
1,260,114
1,972,100
1,908,600
Academic
965,233
903,960
13,127,735
11,939,517
Plant
878,797
960,208
Administration
780,496
734,112
Scholarship grants/bursaries/prizes and awards
533,860
467,793
Advancement
431,244
391,220
Information technology
392,059
407,886
Rent
350,000
350,000
18,428,019
17,781,918
1,450,075
163,695
2015 $
2014 $
3,747,618
3,034,714
-3,615,755
-4,281,026
131,863
-1,246,312
13,259,598 10,693,205
Excess of revenue over expenses
A copy of the complete STS audited financial statements can be obtained from the School’s Finance Office by calling 403-938-9124
REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY 2014-2015
Statement of Financial Position as at August 31, 2015
RR 2, Okotoks, Alberta, Canada Tel: 403-938-4431 www.sts.ab.ca What’s different about Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School? Everything.