1. Limestone District School Board Choices at Seven
Challenge Program
Information Night
Calvin Park
Our presentation will begin at 7:00

2. About Calvin Park
Calvin Park Public School is unique in the province of Ontario
We are a middle school, grades 7 and 8 housed in a Secondary School: Loyalist Collegiate and Vocational Institute
Calvin Park is a school of approximately 400 students and consists of four distinct programs

3. Core Program
Provides strong programming of the Ontario Curriculum for our neighbourhood communities. Literacy and Numeracy are a focus as well as integrated studies across the curriculum
ATLAS
This program is designed to provide focused, structured learning opportunities for students who are of average to above average intelligence and who are experiencing significant difficulties with communication, organization and academic performance. This program utilizes state-of-the-art technology to facilitate learning

4. LEAP Program
This program allows students to study all subjects in the Ontario curriculum through an integrated approach that emphasizes arts-based activities and creative expression. LEAP is taught by teachers with backgrounds in the arts. Students learn using the arts as a focus and integrating them with other subjects

5. Challenge Program Gifted and Academic Enrichment Program
The Challenge Program is designed to meet the needs of academically advanced and formally identified gifted students who are seeking new learning challenges.
If you haven’t talked to any students currently in the Challenge Program, you may be worried that the workload and focus on academics may mean the end of everything fun at school. In Challenge we want to provide you with a wide variety of experiences. We want you to be confident and well rounded both in and outside the classroom. We want you to be excited about coming to school. You may be looking at several options for next year. Tonight, we are going to share our passion for fun, and our passion for learning. We hope it will be clear why we are so very proud of our students, our staff, our program and our school. (Stacey)

6. The Challenge Program provides enriched, multi-disciplinary curricular studies that are designed to engage students and allow them to apply their knowledge in real-life situations.
Experiential learning
Engaged, understand what they are learning, why they are learning it and have fun while doing it
When it’s fun, students want to learn
(Stacey)

7. The Challenge Program emphasizes:
Learning how to learn (metacognitive skills)
Higher order thinking skills (analysis, synthesis, and interpretation)
Leadership and collaboration
Proficiency with the tools of technology
Social responsibility and global awareness
Project based learning
The Challenge Program will prepare students for the future. We teach students how to learn and how to study. We not only teach curriculum content but teach students how to think, be meta-cognitive and get to know themselves as a learner. We provide assistance with organization and time management by encouraging the use of agendas, our school and classroom websites and various study strategies. We encourage both individual and team-based problem solving and look for opportunities for real life application whenever possible. (Stacey)

8. The Challenge Program Curriculum:
Is based on the Ontario Curriculum
Includes daily literacy and numeracy instruction
Allows for enrichment extensions
Is differentiated based on students’ strengths, needs, and interests
Meets the needs of all students in an inclusive environment
Embeds cross-curricular, integrated learning opportunities (science and technology, history and geography)
We use the same curriculum and assessment documents as other grade 7 classrooms but it is the structure and delivery of the program that differentiates us from other programs. We are able to extend our lessons beyond the minimum expectations in order to cater toward student interest which may mean moving more quickly or lingering a little longer in certain areas

9. LITERACY 100 minutes of uninterrupted daily instruction
Follows a comprehensive literacy framework (modeled, shared, guided, and independent reading and writing practice)
Utilizes a variety of assessment strategies
Focus on critical thinking skills with a strong media literacy component
(Seth)

10. MATH 50-60 minutes of uninterrupted daily instruction
Follows a problem-solving approach
Focus on critical thinking skills and real-life applications
Utilizes a variety of assessment strategies
Incorporates hands-on learning and technological applications
Kellie

11. FRENCH 200 minutes of Core French instruction per week
Differentiated instruction is provided to accommodate the needs of all learners
Many students entering the Challenge Program from a French Immersion program return to an Immersion stream in high school
Kellie

12. THE ARTS Includes Visual Arts, Drama, Dance, and Music
Integrated throughout other curriculum areas
All students participate in Instrumental Music
-Instruments may be rented by students
-Performance and showcase opportunities
Shakespeare Productions
One of the many highlights for our students is our ‘evening with Shakespeare.’ This year the students performed “Romeo and Juliet” and “A Winter’s Tale” and were involved in every aspect of it. From building and painting the sets to choosing music, promoting the play, creating programs and choosing costumes - our students were apart of everything! (Stacey)

13. HEALTHY MINDS, HEALTHY BODIES
Includes a minimum of 20 minutes of daily physical activity
Emphasis on healthy choices and life-long fitness (ex. Yoga, dance, fitness, sports, and proper nutrition)
Strong intramural and interschool athletics programs
Outdoor education opportunities
We want students to have fun now but also have the desire to maintain an active lifestyle when they become adults. Our emphasis is on team-building, cooperation and fun. We value and promote personal fitness through numerous activities such as circuit training, stability ball workouts, yoga, sport skills and a consistent DPA time block. Many extra-curricular opportunities are available to our students to become involved in - including athletic teams, groups and clubs. (Mike)

14. Enrichment Opportunities
These opportunities vary from year to year and may include:
Day and Overnight field trips
Science Fair and Historica Fair
Challenge for Change Symposium
Ski trips and Physical Education Excursions
Math and Writing Contests
Leadership Presentations
Our program evolves every year and changes based on opportunities that come up. Some other exciting adventures have included RKY Camp, kayaking, trips to Gould Lake and Quebec City. In the past, our students have competed at both the provincial and nationals fairs for Science and Historica Fair. (Mike)

15. Communication
The Challenge Program uses a variety of methods to facilitate the home-school partnership. These include:
School and class websites
School and classroom newsletters
First Class conferences
Phone calls
Provincial Progress and Achievement Report Cards
Parent/Guardian conferences
We believe strong communication is a key component to success. It is important for our students to plan ahead to meet deadlines and we provide support through the use of various tools such as help with agendas and the use of First Class and school and class websites. (Mike)

16. Students who achieve success in the Challenge Program are able to:
work at an paaccelerated ce
manage their time effectively
work well with others and independently
demonstrate self-motivation
problem solve creatively
be open-minded and take risks in their learning
The challenge programs tends to proceed quickly so students need to be diligent in completing polished work and meeting deadlines. Students should be able to maintain a level 3 standing overall and enjoy being a positive participant in all activities. We don’t expect our students to love everything but we do appreciate a willingness to try new things. We like to challenge our students to step/work outside their comfort zone to have new experiences and become more well-rounded. (Seth)

17. Program Boundaries
The Challenge Program is offered at three sites: Calvin Park Public School (Kingston Region), Loughborough Public School (Northern Region), and Odessa Public School (Western Region). Application to the Challenge Program is based on the location of your home. Students who are part of the KCVI, LCVI, QECVI, Bayridge, Frontenac and La Salle families of schools may apply to this site.
Seth

18. Transportation
All transportation decisions are made by Tri-Board Student Transportation Services.
Telephone: Toll Free:
Students must apply for busing and where routes and space exist, transportation may be provided.
Students may miss a portion of the day due to the timing of transportation.
Mike

19. Application Process Applications submitted online March 21
Challenge for a Day
April 14, 15, 16
Candidates contacted regarding the status of their application.
April 25
Kelie
Registration deadline for students accepted
May 2

20. Challenge for a Day At Challenge for a Day, students will:
Complete a math and language assessment based on grade 6 curriculum expectations
Give a brief, two minute presentation that allows them to share a personal artifact and skills that would help them succeed as a Challenge student
Be assessed on group and learning skills
Kellie

21. Grade 7 Applicants
There may be a limited number of spaces available in the program for students currently in Grade 7 to apply to join the program in Grade 8. Challenge for a Day assessments are based on Grade 7 expectations.
Mike

22. Application Status
The Choices Program Registrar will notify all applicants of their status. A waiting list for qualified students will be established by the Registrar. Students who are not accepted into the program for September 2014, may consider other opportunities such as:
Returning to their home school
Applying again for Grade 8
Applying to the Grade 9 Challenge Program at LCVI
Kellie

23. Questions
Please direct all questions to the Choices at Seven Registrar at , Ext. 394 or
Kellie

24. Development of the Whole Child
Strong Academics
Interpersonal skills
Community and School Involvement
Healthy Living and Positive Self-Image
From the information that you have heard so far, we hope you see that providing a well rounded program for your child is what is most important to us. We want our students to leave grade 8 confident not only in their skills but in the people they are.
Thank you for joining us these evening…please proceed to our classrooms upstairs to view some student work ….. (Stacey)