ADVANCED PLACEMENT

Christ the Redeemer Catholic Schools is working toward introducing Advanced Placement courses in Grade 10 English and Mathematics at several of our high schools beginning in the 2008/2009 school year. Currently, we plan to offer it at Notre Dame Collegiate in High River and St. Anthony’s School in Drumheller. In the next three years, we also hope to see the program accessed by students at Our Lady of the Snows in Canmore and Holy Cross in Strathmore. We plan to do this using videoconferencing. By using videoconferencing, we can connect some of our most capable learners who are located in high schools all around our Division. In addition, our online school, St. Paul’s Academy (under the umbrella of the Centre For Learning @ Home), will be offering the Advanced Placement program in grade 12 English next year. Students from any of our traditional schools will have access to this course as well. AP gives students an opportunity to take college-level courses and exams while still in high school. There are 33 courses in 19 subject areas, offered by 13,000 secondary schools around the world. In 2000, 1.2 million exams were taken by 750,000 students. Students enjoy the challenge of taking AP courses with enthusiastic classmates and teachers; high school faculty find that AP courses enhance their students' confidence and academic interest as well as their school's reputation; and university faculty report that AP students are far better prepared for serious academic work. AP provides highly motivated students the opportunity to try university-level work in high school, and to gain valuable skills and study habits for university. For students receiving a qualifying grade on the AP Exam, there are thousands of colleges and universities worldwide that will give credit or advanced placement for their efforts including the three major universities in Alberta. Most of the major universities across Canada also give credit or advanced placement for AP. The hard work really does pay off in the form of AP awards, time and money saved in college, the chance to challenge students by studying a subject in depth, and more. For more information on the Advanced Placement Program, visit AP Central. Detailed i nformation on AP in Canada can be accessed at AP Canada.

DRUG RESISTANCE INTEGRATED VIRTUES EDUCATION

his program for Grade 5 students, developed by Christ the Redeemer Catholic Schools, uses the metaphor of driving as the common thread throughout the fourteen (14) lessons. This program meets 10 of the outcomes for the Alberta Learning Health and Life Skills Curriculum. There are also curricular links to religion and language arts. Students learn the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to make good decisions about substance use and to become responsible drivers on the road of life. Emphasizing that good character is essential to making sound moral judgments, t he cardinal virtues of prudence, temperance, justice and fortitude are an integral part of the program. Thirteen (13) of the lessons are delivered by the teacher and a law enforcement officer is invited as a guest speaker for one lesson. Respecting the role of parents as the primary educators of their children there is a parent workshop on drug awareness and a booklet connecting home and school called “Driving it Home” with content summaries of the school lessons and conversation starters and activity ideas for parents and child to share together.

KNOWLEDGE AND EMPLOYABILITY

Christ the Redeemer Catholic Schools currently offer Knowledge and Employability courses at Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Academy in Canmore and St. Anthony’s School in Drumheller. The Knowledge and Employability courses are designed for students who meet the criteria and learn best through experiences that integrate essential and employability skills in occupational contexts. The courses provide students opportunities to enter into employment or continue their education.

EARLY INTERVENTION

Each school in our Division has an Early Intervention Program supervised by a qualified teacher. The goal of this program is to identify and assist students with lower than acceptable literacy skills. This program is available to our grades 1 and 2 students who are experiencing difficulty in reading. Students are identified through teacher recommendation and observation. Information for Parents: Most young children come to school eager and ready to learn.This means they catch on quickly, learn to read and steadily build their skills. These children become confident learners, ready to take on new challenges and learn new skills and ideas. But for some children, learning to read does not come easily. Some may not have successful early experiences with reading .Others may have learning difficulties that make learning to read a challenge. This program provides the support so that your child can achieve success.

FRENCH IMMERSION

Christ the Redeemer School Division offers Late French Immersion, beginning in grade 7, in the Okotoks community at both St. Mary's and Good Shepherd Schools. The Late French Immersion program will be offered initially from grades 7 - 9. In the future, should numbers warrant, the French Immersion program will be offered at the senior high school level. French is the language of instruction in the four core subject areas: Francais, Math, Social Studies, and Science. Religion, Physical Education, Music and options will be taught in English. Immersion students will remain with their own class for the core subjects, but will mix with English stream s tudents for the option courses. All students are still required to take Language Arts in grades 7,8, and 9. This program is designed for students of non-French speaking families who wish to become functionally bilingual by the time they graduate from high school. Besides helping students gain a better understanding of a new culture and its traditions, Late French Immersion will give students the ability to communicate when traveling in French-speaking countries as well as an advantage i n pursuing various post-secondary and career opportunities. Students who are motivated to learn French and who enjoy a challenge will benefit from this opportunity for personal growth and enrichment!