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School ProgramPrograms are offered for students at the elementary, junior and senior high school levels, that meet the Alberta Learning approved curriculum. Our 200 students range in age from 8 to 18 years old, and are in average class groupings of 12, with a teacher and teacher assistant in the classroom. Student groupings are based on ages and functioning levels, rather than grades. Curriculum Students are taught all areas of the curriculum. Special programs, which have proven highly successful with our population, are used to teach reading and math. As well, students receive science, social studies, physical education, information processing, and art. Our Affective Skill Development course builds in students an awareness of their personal strengths, areas of difficulty and coping strategies to deal appropriately with problem areas. Students are guided through personal goal setting and development of personal responsibility. Self-esteem is nurtured as students develop confidence and a sense of personal competence in the academics. Physical Education Athletics Athletics continues to take an increasing role in extracurricular activities at Foothills Academy. Many different intramural sports are played during lunchtime for students of all grades and abilities. Intramurals are popular activities allowing students to increase their participation outside of the classroom. The wide range of sports encourages the students to try new sports or practice the skills that they already have. Intramurals are very inclusive and have a positive influence on the children's self-esteem, attitude and overall fitness level. Our exciting school house system helps to generate participation and enjoyment through a variety of inter-house activities. Clubs and Teams We aim to participate within a number of the Calgary Independent Schools Athletic Association sports leagues and championships.
• CISAA golf championships • CISAA volleyball league • CISAA basketball (Jr and Sr) • CISAA badminton league • CISAA track and field Running club meets two times a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. During this time they train for cross-country races, road races and the track season. The focus of the club is to have fun and build up individuals' stamina within a social setting. Volleyball club is attended by students who want to play a little more competitively. Students enjoyed building up their skill level and learning the rules of the game during practice sessions. Enjoyment and participation were key elements in this club. Staff games against the school team assist with building school spirit and are always lots of fun! Basketball is a popular activity at Foothills Academy and we are hoping to enter a senior and junior team into the ISAA leagues again this year. Last year the junior high team had a wonderful season demonstrating enthusiasm, commitment and skill along with great sportsmanship and camaraderie. As with volleyball; staff vs. school challenge games are always fun and a super whole school event! Golf is a terrific individual sport and we regularly take a junior and senior team to the CISAA golf championships which take place in September every year. Badminton club is a successful and popular activity. It provides an excellent coaching environment for students to practice and further develop their skills. Many students take part in this activity and some qualify to represent Foothills Academy in the CISAA badminton championships which are usually held in the middle of April. Tennis club meets one night per week and students are coached in a variety of skills. They play on the nearby tennis courts down by the Bow River. Track and field has become a successful springtime activity at Foothills Academy. The past seasons were very successful for the students on the team. The CISAA track meets are always in May. We regularly gain medals in a variety of events and some students have qualified for city finals in the past. We are very proud of our young athletes and encourage lots of participation every year. Participation and enjoyment are key elements within all our sports clubs. All our students are invited and encouraged to become members of the variety of clubs we offer at Foothills Academy. Go Falcons Go!
High School Courses Students at the high school level earn course credits towards their high school diploma. The focus of the program is on academics, with the students selecting in addition one 5-credit CTS option for the year. Options may include art, outdoor education, web site design, mechanics, travel, drama and the like. Because all our courses are accredited, students may graduate from Foothills Academy with their high school diploma. Computer Many of the students we see have difficulties expressing their ideas in written form. This may be due to lack of organizational abilities, poor spelling and grammar and/or physical difficulty with the motor skills required to write legibly. Besides teaching students writing strategies, our students receive computer skill training, beginning with keyboarding skills and working towards proficiency with word processing, spreadsheet and database applications. A wide variety of CTS courses in Information Technology is offered. Use of assistive technology is a key component of our program. This includes text to speech, speech to text and mind mapping software. Students have the opportunity to do essays and reports on computer. In addition, software is available to support all areas of the curriculum. Computer Club is open over the lunch hour for students who choose to complete assignments and for those who particularly enjoy exploring the World Wide Web or playing computer games. The current ratio of students to student dedicated computes is 3 to 1. Library Our library program is an integral part of the school working in conjunction with the academic program to provide resources for students and staff. The collection is continually updated to encourage reading and learning by providing resources as well meeting the recreational reading needs of our students. Classes have scheduled library time for reading, storytelling and library instruction in addition to flexible booking as needed for research. We are equipped with several workstations available to students for independent catalog searching and internet research. Strategy Training Strategy training is emphasized throughout the students' day. Strategies focus on developing attention, homework skills, organizational skills, memorization and test-taking skills, note-taking skills, decoding, comprehension, writing, and math. Individual Program Plans An individual program plan is developed for each student, emphasizing areas of focus in academics, work and study skills and personal development. Strategies are outlined which concentrate on the areas of greatest need for each student. Students are assessed in our program at the beginning and end of each school year to provide information on student growth and determine the success of the strategies. |
