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Khalsa School Calgary Educational Foundation Combined Three Year Education Plan 2012 – 2015 and Annual Education Results Report 2011-2012

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Combined Three Year Education Plan 2012 – 2015

and Annual Education Results Report 2011-2012

Khalsa School Calgary

www.khalsaschoolcalgary.com

Table of Contents

Message form the Board Chair 3

Message form the School Principal 5

Chapter 1 Introduction to Khalsa School Calgary 6

Board of Directors

Staff

Accountability Statement

Khalsa School Calgary Foundation Statements

Khalsa School Profile

Chapter 2 11

Highlights and Accomplishments

Chapter 3 14

Trends and Issues

Chapter 4 18

Keeping Our Community Informed

Timelines and Communication

Chapter 5 20

Accountability Pillar Overall Summary

Provincial Goals, Related Outcomes, Performance Measures

and Strategies

Chapter 6 27

Khalsa School Calgary Goals

Chapter 7 32

Financial & Capital Highlights





Message from the Board Chair

Mr. Sukhvinder Singh Molhotra

The Board of Directors for Khalsa School

Calgary considers the educational planning

fundamental to improving the quality of our

educational system. Our combined Annual

Education Results Report 2011-2012 and

Three Year Education Plan 2012-2015 not

only honours our obligation to the Minister

of Education and the community we serve, it

also demonstrates authentic reflection of our teaching and learning community, our commitment

to continuous quality improvement and advances our mission that:

“Khalsa School Calgary is an educational institution that aspires for academic excellence

by maintaining a spiritual environment which instills the highest standard of moral

and humanitarian values.”

On behalf of our Board, I acknowledge and congratulate our staff, our students and our parents

for their accomplishments over the past year. Khalsa School Calgary takes pride in its tradition

of excellence while maintaining a spiritual environment. We also thank our staff for their

unwavering commitment to our students and in championing our mission, values and principles.

It has been a pleasure to serve in such a dynamic environment with highly motivated staff,

inspirational students, and an encouraging parent community.

The 2011-2012 school year was one of opportunity, challenge, growth and cause for celebration

within our school community. We completed the addition of 14 new classrooms and saw the

school expand to include Grade 10. In addition, we added a new gymnasium that is expected to

be completed early in 2013. The positive impact of our learning environment and the success of

our students are evidenced throughout our Accountability Pillar Overall Summary which remains

strong in all areas. We are exceedingly proudly proud of our students’ success and achievement.

We also note some opportunities for quality improvement in our learning system. Specifically,

our satisfaction levels have declined in the measure categories of Safe and Caring and

Citizenship. In addition, the Standard of Excellence for Mathematics 6 has declined and our

Acceptable Standard in English LA 9 is below the provincial average.





We will continue to focus on our fiscal responsibility so that the school can be a very effective,

efficient, and integral part of our community. With the massive growth the school has

undergone, now is the time to proactively manage sustainability and recalibrate our academic

excellence. We also encourage our students to showcase their Khalsa values in day-to-day

activities both in and out of school.

As we look to the future, we are firmly committed to celebrating our successes, revitalizing our

school culture to highlight our moral values and Khalsa attitude and strive for excellence in all

aspects of our teaching and learning organization.





Message from the Principal

Beverly Hammond

We are pleased to submit the combined Three Year

Education Plan for 2012-2015 and the Annual Education

Results Report for 2011-2012.

Khlasa School Calgary takes pride in its tradition of excellence and past accomplishments. As a

relatively young educational enterprise, we acknowledge and celebrate our considerable growth

and expansion over the past five years and embrace the challenge of continuous quality

improvement to shape our future.

The past several years has seen a focus on growth and expansion at Khalsa School Calgary. Our

student population has increased from 52 students five years ago to 440 students in the 2012-

2013 school year. We have accommodated this growth through the addition of a new

gymnasium and the addition of 14 additional classrooms last year. With growth as one indicator

of success Khalsa School Calgary has thrived and provided an educational setting desired by

parents. We also have much to be proud of with regard to the Accountability Pillar Overall

Summary and the academic success of our students as indicated by the Provincial Achievement

Tests Results. Such successes do not occur by chance. Khalsa School Calgary is fortunate to

have the commitment and support of a diverse and talented staff and of an engaged community

including our Board, parents, community members and the Gurdwara.

While we celebrate and acknowledge our incredible success we also recognize that there are

some areas which warrant our attention for improvement. The satisfaction levels that indicate

Khalsa School Calgary provides for a safe and caring environment and that students model the

characteristics of active citizenship have declined. In addition, we note that our standard of

excellence for Mathematics 6 has declined (slightly) and the Acceptable Standard for English LA

9 is below the provincial average.

Our three year education plan provides a deliberate and focused strategy to revitalize the core

pillars and unique features of Khalsa School Calgary. We are committed to building a “Culture

of Excellence” in our school that encompasses Academics, Sikhism, Professionalism, Character

Development & Citizenship. There is a sense amongst staff, the Board and a number of parents

that we must [now] manage our growth so that we may stabilize our environment, revitalize our

commitment to our mission, values and goals and refocus our efforts on quality in all areas of our

daily work.

The overwhelming successes of Khalsa School Calgary will serve as a catalyst for our desire to

strengthen and improve upon our core and unique school attributes. We applaud our success and

are optimistic about our future achievements. We look to the future with promise and

anticipation, confident that our renewed commitment to excellence will enable us to triumph

over tomorrow’s challenges for the benefit of our students, our parents, and our community.





Chapter One

Introduction to Khalsa School Calgary

Our Board of Directors

Khalsa School Calgary Educational Foundation is supported and governed by a seven member

volunteer Board of Directors. Three members of the Board are elected by members of the Foundation

and four members are appointed by the Dashmesh Culture Centre. Board members serve a two-year

term.

The Board serves as champions of Mission, Vision and Values of Khalsa School Calgary. They are

passionate about providing exceptional leadership as we “preserve the past and prepare for the

future”. They also play a pivotal and crucial role in enhancing communication and building bridges

between the school and the home, the community and the Gurdwara.

The Board of Directors provides service and support to Khalsa School Calgary through a number of

committees including:

Education Committee

Finance Committee

Fundraising Committee

Through governance, leadership and service, the Board ensures the continued improvement, success,

and prosperity of Khalsa School Calgary.

Board Members

Mr. Sukvinder Singh Malhotra, Board Chairman

Dr. Inderjit Singh Chohan

Mr. Amandeep Singh Gill

Mr. Anuraj Singh Grewal

Mr. Avtar Singh Klair

Mr. Nirvair Singh Minhas

Mr. Gurcharan Singh Nijjer





Our Staff

KA Mrs. Tanveer Kaur Mrs. Amarjit Dhaliwal (TA)

KB Ms. Mandeep Parhar Mrs. Kuljeet Bansal (TA)

1A Mrs. Sabrine Hundal

1B Ms. Renee Harper Mrs. Jaspreet Gill (TA)

1C Ms. Sonja Konrad Mrs. Kulwinder Gosal (TA)

Punjabi-1 Mrs. Ravinder Kaur Chatha Mrs. Parminder Khera

2A Ms. Sara Rendell Mrs. Ekta Chohan (TA)

2B Mrs. Navinder Kaur

2C Ms. Happy Gill

3A Ms. Shanon Sidhu Mrs. Rita Dua (TA)

3B Ms. Carlin de Jonge

Library Mrs. Rupinder Kaur Sandhu

Computer Mrs. Rekha Choudhary

Punjabi-2 Mrs. Satinder Kaur Mrs. Dalbir Sekhon

4A Mrs.Karamjit Seran

4B Ms. Tahira N. Karim

5A Mr. Daniel VanDrunen

5B Mrs. Prabhjeet Aulakh Mrs. Rinkpaul Sangra

Resource Support Teacher 6A Ms. Jaspreet Kaur

6B Mr. Jonathan Van Huis Mrs. Nicole Bruins

Student ServicesCoordinator 7A Ms. Sarah Dhura

7B Ms. Jasmine Sidhu

8A Ms. Gillian Mackay

8B Mrs. Marion Brunen

9A Mr. John Ward

10A Ms. Hannah Slomp

Keertan Mr. Amritpal Singh and Mr. Parvinder Dhaliwal

Caretaker Mr. Manjeet Singh

Maintenance Mr. Kulwant Singh

Administration

Ms. Beverly Hammond, Principal

Mr. Clinton Weening, Vice Principal

Mr. Sarwant Singh, Business Manager

Mrs. Dawinder Kaur Randev, Administrative Support

Mrs. Harjit Kaur Dhanjal Administrative Support





Accountability Statement

The Annual Education Results Report for the 2012-2013 school year and the

Education Plan for the three years commencing September 1, 2012 for

Khalsa School Educational Foundation was prepared under the direction of the

Board in accordance with its responsibilities under the Private Schools

Regulation and the Education Grants Regulation.

This document was developed in the context of the provincial government’s business

and fiscal plans. The Board has used the results reported in the document, to

the best of its abilities, to develop the Education Plan and is committed to

implementing the strategies contained within the Education Plan to improve student

learning and results.

The Board approved this combined Annual Education Results Report for the 2011/2012

school year and the three-year Education Plan for 2012 –2015 on

Sunday, December 09, 2012.





Khalsa School Profile

Khalsa School Calgary was founded in 2007 by the Dashmesh Culture Centre to provide

excellence in education while providing an environment rich in Sikh culture, values, beliefs,

traditions and principles. The school opened on September 4, 2007 with fifty-six students in

grades K-4, six certificated teachers and three other staff.

Today the school boasts a student population of 422 students in grades K-10, 29 certificated

teachers and 16 other staff members. The original facility has undergone many upgrades since

the school’s inception with the most recent being the addition of 14 classrooms (September

2012) and a new gymnasium (January 2013).

Khalsa School Calgary is a Sikh faith based school that is directly supported by the Gurdwara,

and by our faith community. In all matters of faith, we take our direction from our Board and the

Gurdwara. As a Sikh School we respect the beliefs, values and practices of all other religions,

and we welcome all students and families who wish to join us. We have a number of unique

attributes of which the staff, students and community are very proud. The three fundamental

pillars of academic excellence, character development and a “Khalsa Attitude” underpin our

teaching and learning community.

Our structured approach to learning supports academic growth as well as spiritual growth. Daily

prayer, daily homework, demanding lessons and high expectations are the contributing factors

that motivate student success and achievement. It allows students to strive for excellence and

reach their full potential, improving their self-image and imbuing them with confidence and

pride of the Sikh religion. We encourage our students to think independently and to become life-

long learners.

We believe that the concern for others, tolerance, appreciation and respect for others are valued

assets in this world. Our students learn to treat others with respect, courtesy and fairness. We

strive to demonstrate the value of sharing, unselfishness and the way we treat each other not only

in school but in our daily lives and in our community.

We strive to instill students with well-developed character traits, and teach them to act:

responsibly, truthfully and as one who can be trusted. They are also guided to accept

responsibility for their own actions. Our character development program is founded in the

Seven Habits of Highly Effective People (Stephen R. Covey)

Other unique attributes include:

Enhanced curriculum to reflect the school’s core values, principles and goals.

Enhancement of our student’s and staff’s insight and understanding of Sikh faith, beliefs,

culture and language is a pillar of our teaching and learning environment.

Recognition and celebration of both Canadian and Sikh holidays and traditions

Promotion of a philosophy of Care, Love, Respect and Humility in the critical life

processes of “living, loving, learning, leading and laughing”





Punjabi Language and Gurmat Studies

Keertan

Monthly performances at the Gurdwara

Foundation Statements

OUR MISSION

Khalsa School Calgary is an educational institution that aspires for academic excellence by

maintaining a spiritual environment which instills the highest standard of moral and

humanitarian values.

OUR CORE VALUES

MEDITATE (NAAM JAPO)

Achieving and sustaining a positive outlook of the creator through a balance between the

mind, body and soul.

HONEST LIVING (KIRT KARO)

Earning your livelihood through honest means and hard work.

SHARING (VANDD SHAKO)

Volunteering your time, knowledge and earnings with those in need.

OUR GOALS

Support students to construct their own knowledge by discovering, exploring and problem

solving.

Identify the needs of each child and foster their abilities to help them reach their potential.

Provide them with the tools, confidence and the encouragement they need to succeed in

this ever-changing world.

Sustain a high quality education and standard for students.

Utilize today's technology to build a foundation to exceed tomorrow's expectations.

Inspire students' to follow the Guru's teachings and to stay connected to their Sikh heritage.

Strengthen the links between family, education and communities.





Chapter Two

Highlights and Accomplishments

2011 – 2012

We acknowledge that our quest for excellence and continuous improvement is on-going part of

who we are and what we do. However, along this path we must take time to reflect and applaud

our accomplishments so that they may be used as the catalyst for continued success and

prosperity.

The level of success and achievement experienced by Khalsa School Calgary since its inception

in 2007 does not occur by chance but rather, by deliberate focus and purposeful intent. It is

through the commitment, determination and sense of teamwork shared by staff, parents and the

community that Khalsa School Calgary continues to thrive and succeed.

Khalsa School Calgary has much of which to be proud! Throughout the 2011 – 2012 there were

many successes, accomplishments and cause for celebration.

Highlights include:

Academic Success and Achievement

Khalsa School Calgary continues to provide an exceptional teaching and learning environment.

Our students are provided many opportunities to thrive and succeed as well as connect with their

Sikh faith, values and principals and live a “Khalsa Attitude”.

We are particularly proud of the accomplishments of our staff and students in what can be

described as a challenging environment given the degree of growth and expansion the school has

experienced in recent years and particularly in the past year. As evidenced by our Accountability

Pillar Overall Summary and the Provincial Achievement Tests Results, Khalsa School Calgary

continues its quest for excellence in a manner of which we can all be proud.

Our success contributes to our confidence and optimism as we address, in a meaningful way, the

areas that warrant our attention for improvement.

Parental Involvement and Community

Khalsa School Calgary has been fortunate to have an exceptional level of parental and

community support and volunteerism including the support and guidance of the Gurdwara. In

essence, the school is an essential element within the Sikh community. There is willingness as

well as a sense of responsibility and service to support and encourage our students in every

aspect of their education.





Khalsa School Calgary is also supported financially by parents, the Gurdwara and the

community. The recent addition of 14 new classrooms and the new gymnasium would not have

been possible without the generous contributions and supports of our parents, our community

and the Gurdwara.

Growth and Expansion

The completion of the construction of 14 new classrooms and the new gymnasium (January

2013) is testament to the success of Khalsa School Calgary. Our growth is indicative of the need

within our community of access to an exceptional educational program while also providing an

environment founded in Sikh values, principles and beliefs.

Punjabi Language, Gurmat Studies and Keertan

The Punjabi, Gurmat and Keertan programs continue to improve and flourish. The heightened

success of these programs may be attributed, in part, to dedicated classroom space, the purchase

of additional resources, a concerted effort to provide leadership and program planning and an

increased awareness and appreciation from all staff that these programs are an inherent part of

our teaching and learning environment and one of the pillars of the mission of Khalsa School

Calgary.

Our daily religious assemblies, Sikh celebrations, and Gurdwara performances are well received

and supported by parents and the community. We welcome and appreciate the positive feedback

that we have received from students, parents and the community.

Physical Education and Athletics

In our commitment to excellence in both physical education and athletics, we hired a full time

physical education specialist/athletics director for Grades 4-10. We have created an athletics

philosophy in which we believe the attributes of good character and the habits and skills

developed in sports are interdependent and together, positively impact all other aspects of our

student’s lives.

We have made a conscious effort to provide our students with as many opportunities as possible

including cross-country skiing, volleyball, wrestling, basketball, badminton and track and field.

It is our hope to expand the opportunities offered in the future as well as to provide lunchtime

intramurals so that all students have an opportunity to participate in team sports.

We commend our students for their sportsmanship and ambassadorship which has been noted by

other schools during games and tournaments. We are proud of our students’ participation,

performance and demonstration of school pride.





Alberta Initiative for School Improvement (Cycle 4 - 2009 – 2012) * – SuccessMaker

SuccessMaker is an instructional software that provides Grades K - 8 school learners with

adaptive, personalized paths for mastery of essential reading and math concepts and delivers

outcome based data to inform professional practice. For Khalsa School Calgary, SuccessMaker

has provided a number of benefits including:

Enhanced Digital Literacy – With technology as an integral part of our educational

system, SuccessMaker enables the engagement of students in a new way as well as to

allow students every opportunity to demonstrate mastery of literacy goals

ESL Learners and Working with Families- supported the learning needs of students and

their families for whom English is a Second Language as they develop literacy skills in

English

Balanced Literacy – SuccessMaker was used as a tool to support our Balanced Literacy

Initiative

Access – On Line, Anytime, Anywhere – SuccessMaker is accessible to our students

from anywhere in the world. This is an important tool for our students and families as

many travel overseas for extended periods of time

SuccessMaker will continue to be used as a tool to support and enhance student success at

Khlasa School Calgary. It is an expectation that students will also access SuccessMaker when

they away from school.

Alberta Initiative for School Improvement (Cycle 5 - 2012 - 2015) – 21st Century Learning:

Engaging Students Beyond the Core Curriculum

Khalsa School Calgary has identified the need to engage students socially and academically in an

educational enterprise which goes beyond the core curricular outcomes to become a

transformational undertaking which leads to an internalized sense of personal responsibility

toward spiritual, social, cultural, global and environmental issues. This initiative clearly aligns

with our need to increase the level of commitment to Sikh based practices, values and principles

and character development. In many respects the AISI 2012-2015 Cycle will see Khalsa School

Calgary looking to the past to impact the future as we re-vitalize the delivery of the Seven Habits

of Highly Effective People in the first year of this cycle. In conjunction with enhanced character

development, we will endeavor to enhance the sense of resiliency for students as well as clearly

living our core value of SHARING (VANDD SHAKO) - Volunteering your time, knowledge

and earnings with those in need. Consequently, we anticipate increased work with community

agencies such as the Mustard Seed, Food Banks, Homeless Shelters and Calgary Youth Corps.

AISI Project Final Report (APFR) can be found at:

http://www.khalsaschoolcalgary.ca/files/aisi_2011-12_final_project_report.pdf

http://www.khalsaschoolcalgary.ca/files/aisi_2011-12_final_project_report.pdf





Chapter Three

Issues, Trends and

Future Challenges

Champions of the Mission, Values and Principles

The greatest challenge facing Khalsa School Calgary is to ensure that the mission, vision and

values of our school are evident in our daily school life and is, fundamentally, a part of who we

are and how we do things. We must not only emulate our mission and philosophy in all things

but also work towards it enhancement. This can occur only through deliberate and conscious

choice and effort to go beyond the ordinary and embrace a culture of excellence. Our journey

along this path is on-going and impacts every aspect of our school including our success and

accomplishments and our challenges and opportunities for growth.

Excellence in Sikhism and Excellence in Education

Khalsa School Calgary was founded on the premise of providing academic excellence while

maintaining a spiritual environment. We must strive for excellence in all aspects of our school

and build an understanding and expectation amongst all students and staff that our journey to

academic excellence occurs in concert with and is defined in terms of excellence in Sikh values

and beliefs.

We must ensure that there is continuous quality improvement of our educational services while

embracing the exceptional focus and effort necessary to fulfill and enhance our mission to

“Preserve the Past and Prepare for the Future”. The challenge to advance the concept of a Sikh

faith school that provides excellence in education without losing sight and focus of its core

community and faith values will be on-going. We need to continue to provide opportunities for

our staff and students to excel educationally and spiritually.

Assimilation and Assuming Leadership

There is a tendency for Sikh children born and raised in Canada to lose touch with their

language, culture and, most importantly, their faith. Khalsa School Calgary was established, in

cooperation with the Gurdwara and the Sikh community, to provide for a spiritual environment

while providing excellence in education as a means to mitigate the degeneration of language,

culture and faith, as families face the issues and challenges of educating their children as a

religious and cultural minority within a larger community.

With the trend towards assimilation and degeneration of language, faith and culture comes the

challenge of ensuring that Sikhs of all ages become a vibrant part of the greater society, while





maintaining the distinctive richness of Sikh language, culture and creed. It is essential that an

understanding of these challenges be instilled in our youth so that they embrace and advance

their Sikh heritage. The school must continue to provide opportunities for leadership

development so that students have the knowledge, skills, attributes and confidence to be positive

roles models in their community and beyond.

Growth and Expansion

The greatest challenge facing Khalsa School Calgary is to ensure that the vision and philosophy

that was established at the inception of the School is maintained and enhanced.

The school has grown exponentially since its inception in 2007. To have grown, in five short

years, from a school of just 56 students in 2007 to 422 students in 2012 is testament to the

success of the school and its service to the community. Such accelerated growth, however, does

not come without challenges and opportunity costs that must now be considered should the

school continue to expand at this time.

Considerations for continued growth and expansion must include:

Quality of Programs for High School & High School Facilities– the ability of the

school to offer the depth and breadth of programming and uphold its mission of academic

excellence is severely compromised by both the small number of high school students

(i.e. lack critical mass) and the lack of appropriate high school facilities (i.e. CTS

facilities, senior high laboratory facilities, library etc.).

An exceptional high school program offers academic programing as well as depth and

breadth of programming in other areas to enhance the richness of the high school

experience in order to prepare students to become contributing members of their

community and of society in general. We must also prepare students for their lives and

careers as adults as well as for post-secondary education. Our ability to meet these needs

are compromised by a small student population at the 10-12 level. In addition, our

physical plant cannot accommodate the addition of two more grade levels without

expansion of classroom space. We would also need to include in our expansion plan

specialized space required for high school students.

Quality of Programs K-9 - the feedback received from staff and the Board as well as my

own perceptions indicate that Khalsa School must re-focus on academic excellence as

well a renewed commitment to Sikhism and character education (i.e. Seven Habits). It is

believed that a primary focus on growth and expansion i.e. “Quantity” has contributed to

diminished focus in other crucial aspects of Khalsa School i.e. “Quality” .





Key Points

Critical Mass – create wait list, proceed when economies of scale enable Khalsa School to fulfill

its commitment of excellence at the 10-12 level.

Depth & Breadth of Programing – high school students require a depth and breadth of

programming that can only be offered with sufficient numbers and sufficient, appropriate space

Physical Plant Limitations – Classroom space as well as specialty areas. Such an expansions

requires advance planning.

Quality of Programming – Khalsa School’s focus on academic excellence and Sikhism must be

firmly embedded in K-9 before we can hope to firmly embed these clear pillars of our mission

statement in 10-12

Given the considerations noted the Board has approved K-9 as the educational program offered

at Khalsa School Calgary for the 2013 – 2014 school year and potentially beyond.

The Board has also determined that the development of a high school program and school

expansion be considered pursuant to the following conditions:

The mission statement is firmly embedded within the culture of the school (K-9) as

evidenced by the Accountability Pillar Summary, Performance on PAT’s

Strategic, Purposeful Growth Plan that includes:

o Realistic Enrolment projections (critical mass)

o Program Plan for 10-12 (includes goals and outcomes relative to the Khalsa

School Experience, what will we offer and why)

o Capital cost impact of expansion and specialized areas required for high school

programs

o Fundraising Plan to offset expense of facility expansion and upgrade

With such accelerated growth and expansion, other challenges present themselves. Over the

course of the next year, the school faces the challenge of revitalization of the unique core

features of the school including:

Character Development through the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

Ensuring small class sizes (~ 18)

Leadership and service opportunities for all students within and outside the school

In addition, it is imperative that administrative procedures are now developed that guide the day

to day operational reality of the school. When such procedures are captured in writing, have

been developed with input, are understood and communicated, a sense of clear and consistent

expectations (and consequences) are embedded within the school.





Financial Health

During the past year a considerable capital expansion occurred at Khlasa School that included 14

additional classrooms and a new gymnasium. The cost of this capital expansion must be

considered in the budgeting process as there will be lease expenditures to the Gurdwara to repay

the capital investment. In addition, expenses have also been impacted by the replacement of a

new heating unit in the north wing of the building (~$50,000.00). The growth in student

population and staff, along with an aging building, places additional pressures on the operational

budget in terms of resources, materials, staffing costs, furniture and equipment, maintenance etc.

Such considerations will impact the school’s overall budget. In addition, there will be a need to

fundraise major capital dollars should the school expand to include grades 10 – 12.

Staff Recruitment, Retention and Attrition

It is the teacher who has the most significant impact on student achievement and success. With

more than thirteen new teachers for the 2012 – 2013 school year, there is a sense that we must

work towards a lower rate of attrition for teachers and stabilize our teaching environment. The

instability of the teaching environment has contributed to a sense of lack of security and

decreased morale amongst teachers especially for our new teachers. It is imperative that clear

and consistent teacher evaluation processes be articulated with clear timelines in order to

mitigate teacher angst regarding employment security. Teachers need to focus on teaching and

learning.





Chapter Four

Keeping Our Community Informed

Timelines and Communication

Maintaining the high quality of education provided

by Khalsa School Calgary requires healthy

partnerships between the school, the home and the

community; partnerships that are founded in trust,

credibility, shared vision and values. It is our goal

to ensure that we are building bridges with our

parents and community that will enhance the success and achievement of our students.

Through an effective communication strategy we can:

Enhance parent and community understanding of our school,

expectations and educational programs

Build accountability and confidence in our learning organization

Promote effective, positive relationships

Build credibility and trust

Promote increased parent and community involvement and engagement

Be sensitive to parent and community attitudes and perceptions

Provide timely and comprehensive information

An effective communication strategy will enable us to harness the ideas, energy and talents of

the people in our community to positively impact our teaching and learning environment and to

continue to improve the quality of education provided to the students we serve.

In response to our school goal:

To strengthen the links between Family, School, Gurdwara and Community

We are committed to increase:

Accountability – keeping our parents, community and the Gurdwara informed regarding our

actions and results in meeting our educational goals and achieving student success

Recognition and Celebration – keeping our parents, community and the Gurdwara informed

regarding the accomplishments/successes of our school, staff and students

Relationships – enhancing relationships that at geared at supporting and improving education

within our learning community





Transparency, Consistency and Clarity – establishing and maintaining open, honest, proactive

and interactive communication with our parents, the community and the Gurdwara

Our combined Annual Education Results Report and Three Year Education Plan shall be:

Posted on the Khalsa School Calgary Website – www.khalsaschoolcalgary.ca

Distributed to all staff

Distributed to Board Members

Distributed to the Parent Advisory Council

Available in “print copy” for parents and the public through the school office. Parents will

be notified by newsletter on December 7, 2012 that the report is available at the office and on

the website.

Sent in “electronic copy” to John Blevins, Alberta Education, Senior Education Manager

Parent Involvement

Khalsa School Calgary is fortunate to have the unwavering support of parents, the community

and the Gurdwara. The degree of volunteerism and support for special events and major school

initiatives is exceptional for events occurring both within the school and in the community,

particularly at the Gurdwara.

The extraordinary level of support has contributed to the success, prosperity and growth of the

school since its inception. There is a clear sense that Khalsa School Calgary is a cornerstone

within the Sikh community. Our students are supported and encouraged to strive for success in

every aspect of their education. Similarly, our staff are supported and respected in their

professional endeavors to ensure that our students thrive and succeed.

In the future, we will work towards enhancing our level of parent involvement and volunteerism

on a more regular basis so that high parent engagement becomes a part of our daily life at Khlasa

School Calgary.

http://www.khalsaschoolcalgary.ca/





Chapter Five

Accountability Pillar Overall Summary Combined 2012 Accountability Pillar Overall Summary

Measure Category

Measure

Category Evaluation

Measure Khalsa School Calgary Alberta Measure Evaluation

Current Result

Prev Year

Result

Prev 3 Year

Average Current Result

Prev Year

Result

Prev 3 Year

Average Achievement Improvement Overall

Safe and Caring Schools Acceptable Safe and Caring 87.9 90.2 94.0 88.6 88.1 87.5 High Declined Acceptable

Student Learning Opportunities n/a

Program of Studies 74.4 70.5 72.7 80.7 80.9 80.6 Intermediate Maintained Acceptable

Education Quality 94.0 94.5 94.8 89.4 89.4 89.3 Very High Maintained Excellent Drop Out Rate n/a n/a n/a 3.2 4.2 4.4 n/a n/a n/a High School Completion Rate (3 yr)

n/a n/a n/a 74.1 72.6 71.6 n/a n/a n/a

Student Learning Achievement (Grades K-9)

Good PAT: Acceptable 81.9 91.5 85.2 79.1 79.3 78.9 Intermediate Maintained Acceptable

PAT: Excellence 23.6 22.5 19.8 20.9 19.6 19.1 Very High Maintained Excellent

Student Learning Achievement (Grades 10-12)

n/a

Diploma:

Acceptable n/a n/a n/a 83.5 82.6 83.5 n/a n/a n/a

Diploma: Excellence n/a n/a n/a 18.6 18.7 18.7 n/a n/a n/a

Diploma Exam Participation Rate (4+ Exams)

n/a n/a n/a 56.2 54.9 53.9 n/a n/a n/a

Rutherford Scholarship Eligibility Rate (Revised)

n/a n/a n/a 61.5 59.6 58.0 n/a n/a n/a

Preparation for Lifelong Learning, World of Work, Citizenship

n/a

Transition Rate (6 yr) n/a n/a n/a 58.4 59.3 59.5 n/a n/a n/a

Work Preparation 86.4 83.3 81.1 79.7 80.1 79.9 Very High Maintained Excellent Citizenship 85.6 88.6 91.3 82.5 81.9 81.2 Very High Declined Good

Parental Involvement Excellent Parental

Involvement 89.3 89.1 86.9 79.7 79.9 80.0 Very High Maintained Excellent

Continuous Improvement Excellent School

Improvement 86.9 71.2 80.7 80.0 80.1 79.8 Very High Improved Excellent

Khalsa School Calgary is proud of its tradition of excellence as evidenced by the Accountability

Pillar Overall Summary. Of particular note is that such achievement has occurred in an

environment of exponential growth and expansion. We acknowledge the dedication and

contributions of our staff and commend our students for their success and achievement. We also

acknowledge that we have work to do and embrace the challenge of growth and improvement to

shape our future. As a school that strives for excellence in all areas we must not only focus on





those areas in which we have declined but also in those areas in which we have yet to achieve

excellence. In many respects, our exponential growth, while an indicator of success has

contributed to many challenges within our school and is a contributing factor to those areas in

need of improvement. Stabilization of our teaching and learning environment and a

revitalization of our commitment to excellence in education, Sikhism and character development

is anticipated to have a positive impact in all areas of our Accountability Pillar Overall Summary

results. We are optimistic about the future and confident of our ability to continue to grow and

excel.

Provincial Goals, Related Outcomes, Performance Measures and

Strategies

Goal One: Success for Every Student

Outcome: Students demonstrate proficiency in literacy and numeracy.

Performance Measure Results (in percentages) Target¹ Evaluation Targets²

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2012 Achievement Improvement Overall 2013 2014 2015 Overall percentage of students in Grades 3, 6 and 9 who achieved the acceptable standard on Provincial Achievement Tests (overall cohort results).

90.9 83.3 80.8 91.5 81.9 Intermediate Maintained Acceptable 83 85 87

Overall percentage of students in Grades 3, 6 and 9 who achieved the standard of excellence on Provincial Achievement Tests (overall cohort results).

72.7 23.3 13.5 22.5 23.6 Very High Maintained Excellent 25 27 30

Comment on Results We are very proud of our students’ success and achievement in these areas and must celebrate such accomplishments. We also note that our results have declined significantly since our inception. Contributing factors may be exponential growth, increased class sizes, teacher attrition and admission protocols. In addition, we are challenged in meeting the needs of special education students. We must recognize the strengths reflected in these results while we also strive for excellence and commit to continuous improvement.

Strategies Review admission guidelines and ensure they are implemented consistently, with appropriate grade level placement of accepted

students

Review and establish class size guidelines, particularly in core subject areas, to maximize student learning experience

Minimize teacher attrition through clear evaluation and contract renewal procedures

Ensure that appropriate resources are in place to support students with special needs once they are accepted

Actively dissuade extended absences from school and communicate clear expectations for work during such absences

Increase use of Success Maker

Enhance communication strategies with parents and ensure that parents and students understand the learner outcomes in every subject and every grade

Enhance communication strategies with parents and ensure that parents and students understand assessment practises both “for” and “of” learning

Continue with parent-student-teacher goal setting conferences at beginning of school year

Continue “Balanced Literacy”

Investigate early intervention strategies for Division 1 students struggling with literacy and numeracy

Investigate parallel scheduling for mathematics and language arts (i.e. ability groupings)





Outcome: Students develop competencies for success as engaged thinkers and ethical citizens with an entrepreneurial spirit.

Performance Measure Results (in percentages) Target Evaluation Targets

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2012 Achievement Improvement Overall 2013 2014 2015 Percentage of teachers, parents and students who are satisfied that students model the characteristics of active citizenship.

n/a 93.4 91.7 88.6 85.6 Very High Declined Good 87 89 91

Percentage of teachers and parents who agree that students are taught attitudes and behaviours that will make them successful at work when they finish school.

n/a 74.4 85.4 83.3 86.4 Very High Maintained Excellent 88 90 92

Comment on Results Khalsa School Calgary prides itself on the pillars of Sikh faith and close bonds between the school, the family and the community. It is our philosophy of Care, Love and Respect that must guide our daily practice. While our very high levels of satisfaction should be congratulated, we must also acknowledge that we have declined with regard to active citizenship. We believe that our exponential growth has contributed to our ability to remain focused on our core pillars of character development and “Khalsa Attitude”.

Strategies

Revitalize our character development program and ensure K-9 implementation (i.e. Seven Habits of Happy Children, The Leader in Me, Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens and Seven Habits of Highly Effective People)

Provide opportunities for student service, leadership development and civic responsibility in the school and in the larger community (local, national and global)

Ensure that formal recognition exists for students who demonstrate excellence in sportsmanship, kindness, citizenship, volunteerism and modelling of core Sikh values

Provide opportunities for student led initiatives (i.e. student government or student council)

Incorporate a focus on “Sikh Citizenship” and in the global community





Outcome: Students develop competencies for success as engaged thinkers and ethical citizens with an entrepreneurial spirit. (continued)


2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2012 Achievement Improvement Overall 2013 2014 2015 Percentage of teacher and parent satisfaction that students demonstrate the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for lifelong learning.

n/a 75.3 56.8 75.0 75.9 n/a n/a n/a 77 79 80

Comment on Results As a K-10 school, this measure is not required. However, Khalsa School Calgary has only had Grade 10 for the 2012-2013 school year and will offer a K-9 program in the 2013-2014 school year. The level of satisfaction in this area has been maintained over time. We need to focus some effort in improvement of this measure.

Strategies

Continue to educate parents regarding the potential negative impact on student learning of extended school absences

Develop a “transition plan” to support Grade 9 students in their transition from Khalsa School to high school, including guidance to high school program selection

Provide opportunities for Grade 9 students to explore career choice and planning

Connect Grade 9 students with former Khalsa School Students

Integrate the knowledge, skills and attributes for life-long learning into all subject areas





Goal Two: High Quality Education through Collaboration and Innovation

Outcome: Effective learning and teaching within caring, respectful, safe and healthy environments.


2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2012 Achievement Improvement Overall 2013 2014 2015 Percentage of teachers, parents and students satisfied with the opportunity for students to receive a broad program of studies including fine arts, career, technology, and health and physical education.

n/a 73.4 74.4 70.5 74.4 Intermediate Maintained Acceptable 76 78 80

Percentage of teachers, parents and students satisfied with the overall quality of basic education.


Percentage of teacher, parent and student agreement that: students are safe at school, are learning the importance of caring for others, are learning respect for others and are treated fairly in school.

n/a 97.5 94.2 90.2 87.9 High Declined Acceptable 89 91 93

Comment on Results Broad Program of Studies – This is an area in need of improvement. We constantly struggle to determine options that are meaningful for students, offer a breadth and depth of programming and align with our core Sikh values. It is essential that every student experiences an exceptional academic program augmented by meaningful options that enhance their educational journey. Strategies

Analyze the options offered to students and the “talent pool” of staff with a view to maximizing learning opportunities for students relative to staff strengths

Provide choice to students with regards to option classes

Provide students with opportunities for career choice and exploration (i.e. Career Day, Professional for a Day etc.)

Enhance communication with parents to broaden their understanding of the Program of Studies beyond the core curriculum and the value of options in the arts (visual, performing and practical), technology and health and physical education.

Increase opportunities for parents and the community to visit the school and classrooms (i.e. celebrations, performances, assemblies, science fair, etc.).

Quality of Education – We are very proud of the satisfaction levels of the quality of basic education offered to students. We have established firm practices of daily homework and clear expectations of academic success and achievement. The challenge will be to maintain excellence in the quality of basic education while ensuring excellence in augmenting the basic educational program. Safe and Caring Environment We are concerned that our level of satisfaction has declined with regard to a safe and caring environment. There may be a number of contributing factors including exponential growth, dilution and inconsistent implementation of the character education program; high degree of teacher attrition, lack of clear and consistent expectations and consequences for student behaviour and a lack of clearly defined procedures for school emergencies. Strategies

Revitalize the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People and its educational satellite programs for school wide implementation (note: this is the focus of our AISI project for the next three years)

Ensure all staff receive training in the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by the 2013-2014 school year

Develop and implement clear and consistent expectations for student conduct (school, playground and busses) including consequences for inappropriate behaviour





Ensure appropriate safety procedures are in place and practiced regularly (i.e. fire, lock down, intruder, visitors, etc.)

Continue to high-light Anti-Bullying messages in classes and assemblies.

Increase presence of adult supervision in hallways and washrooms during breaks

Provide anti-bullying development for teachers

Review and revise traffic flow to increase safety of students for bus loading and unloading

Outcome: The education system demonstrates leadership and collaboration.


2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2012 Achievement Improvement Overall 2013 2014 2015 Percentage of teachers and parents satisfied with parental involvement in decisions about their child's education.


Percentage of teachers, parents and students indicating that their school and schools in their jurisdiction have improved or stayed the same the last three years.

n/a 83.3 87.6 71.2 86.9 Very High Improved Excellent 88 90 92

Comment on Results We are pleased with the level of satisfaction indicated in these results. The challenge will be to maintain or increase the satisfaction levels over time.

Strategies

Provide opportunities for authentic input from staff into decisions that impact their work such as budget, AERR/Three Year Education Plan, Procedures etc.

Continue to engage, educate and increase involvement of our parents and community in the school

Improve communication with parents and the community in all aspects of school life

Continue to invite and encourage parents and community members to attend school events and celebrations

Offer a “Parent Education Series” on key educational topics





Goal Three: Success for First Nations, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) Students

Outcome: FNMI students are engaged in learning.

Key elements of our “Khalsa Attitude” is a sense of “love, care, respect and inclusion” for all

peoples regardless of race, religion, color, creed or gender. It is through this value of tolerance

and inclusion that our students and staff learn and grow in their ability to understand and support

the needs of all people.

We ensure that diversity is valued throughout our school. Our resources (balanced literacy,

curriculum materials) and our Alberta Curriculum are rife with opportunities for exploring our

FMNI peoples, cultures and traditions.

Students at Khlasa School Calgary are provided with many opportunities in their classes to

celebrate diversity especially since so many of us come from very different backgrounds. In

addition, inclusion and tolerance is fostered through fieldtrips and athletics.

In the future, a school-wide celebration of diversity may warrant consideration.





Chapter Six

Khalsa School Calgary Goals

In our quest for excellence in all aspect of our educational enterprise and service to our students,

parents and our community, Khalsa School Calgary is committed not only to accountability with

respect to the provincial goals but also with respect to our own school goals.

These goals also provide us with opportunities to celebrate our successes and identify areas in

which we need to plan for improvement.

1. Support students to construct their own knowledge by discovering,

exploring and problem solving.

Comments

Overall we are pleased with the cognitive growth of our students. As evidenced in the Provincial

Achievement Test results our students perform well and we have much to celebrate. We are

fortunate to have an exceptionally talented and dedicated staff who believe that our students can

achieve excellence in all aspects of their education.

Strategies

Continue with Balanced Literacy

Continue with Math Focus

Increase the use of tools such as Inquiry Based Learning, hands-on learning,

manipulatives, etc.

Instill a sense of independence and resiliency in students (i.e. it is OK to make mistakes)

Increase opportunities for students to develop independent learning skills

Increase accessibility to resources that specifically support teaching and learning this type

of skill development





2. Identify the needs of each child and foster their abilities to help them reach

their potential.

Comments

Students are provided many forms of support from teachers and teaching assistants both during

and after school hours. Parents are kept well informed of their child’s successes, progress and

areas in need of improvement. There is a considerable amount of TA support provided in the

school with at least one TA per division and full time TA’s in several classes.

With the exponential growth that the school has experienced, there has been a significant

increase in the number of students requiring specialized support and IPP’s. We have noted that

10% of our student population is currently on IPP’s. In addition, we note that many students

require ESL support given that the first language spoken at home is not English.

Strategies

Continue with TA support in classrooms

Provide opportunities for enrichment and challenge including academic challenges

Investigate parallel scheduling for mathematics and literacy (i.e. ability grouping)

Continue to utilize differentiated instruction practices

3. Provide them with the tools, confidence and the encouragement they need

to succeed in this ever-changing world.

Comments

Positive reinforcement, encouragement, acknowledgement and celebration of success and

achievement are all means of building students’ confidence. We also maintain small class sizes.

Strategies

Continue recognition assemblies

Continue year end awards and recognition

Re-vitalize focus on character development

Increases opportunities for healthy competitions (athletics, academics)

Provide leadership and service opportunities for students





4. Sustain a high quality education and standard for students.

Comments

Khalsa School Calgary is extremely proud of the successes and achievements of its student as

well as the satisfaction levels of staff, students and parents regarding the quality of education

provided. We also recognize that with the accelerated growth we have experienced, we may

now need to re-stabilize our teaching and learning environment and re-focus on the distinct

pillars of Khalsa School.

We recognize that the time has come when there must be formalized processes and procedures

with clear and consistent expectations across a number of domains. Over the course of the next

year we will be in the process of revitalizing our character development program (Seven Habits

of Highly Effective People/Leader in Me), and focusing our efforts on building and sustaining a

culture of excellence in all things.

Examples include:

Standards for Student Behaviour

Uniform Standards

Standards for Emergency Drills

Admission Standards

Character and Leadership Development

Teacher Growth, Supervision and Evaluation

Professional Development

Student Awards and Recognition

5. Utilize today's technology to build a foundation to exceed tomorrow's

expectations.

Comments

Khalsa School Calgary is fortunate to be able to provide access to technology as a tool to support

and enhance student learning. All classrooms are equipped with SMART Boards and we have

digital learning available to students in the form of SuccessMaker. The challenge remains to stay





abreast of the advances in technology to support teaching and learning and ensuring that teachers

are provided appropriate support.

Strategies

Continue to provide in-service for teachers with SMART Board technology and

SuccessMaker

Enhance utilization of SMART Board technology to support student learning and

increase student engagement

Continue to expand number of computers in classrooms (i.e. increased access for

students)

Continue to explore current technology trends and tools to support student learning

6. Inspire students' to follow the Guru's teachings and to stay connected to

their Sikh heritage.

Comments

Khalsa School Calgary is committed to maintaining a faith based environment. We offer

Punjabi, Keertan and Gurmat classes to all students. Our day begins with Morning Prayer and

assembly and as a school we recognize and celebrate both Sikh and Canadian holidays and

celebrations.

In addition, we plan to have a Vice-Principal whose responsibility will be to ensure that the

Sikhism pillar of our school community flourishes. This Vice-Principal will take direction from

the Board and the Gurdwara regarding the Guru’s teachings and Sikh heritage.

Strategies

Provide students with opportunities to practice and demonstrate the core values of

Sikhism

Continue to provide opportunities for students to attend and perform at the Gurdwara

Augment the Punjabi, Keertan and Gurmat programs with differentiated instruction tools

such as seminars, guest speakers, visual and technological resources

Challenge students to connect the tenets of Sikhism to the global community





7. Strengthen the links between family, education and communities.

Comments

Our parents and community feel very welcome at Khalsa School Calgary and we encourage and

invite active involvement in our school. We are very fortunate to have incredible support from

our parents, community and Gurdwara in all aspects our students’ education and are grateful for

the high number of parents and families that attend special events and celebrations.

Strategies

Continue on-going communication through agendas and division newsletters; encourage

use of the website including classroom websites

Ensure that important notices go home in both English and Punjabi

Increase parent volunteerism on a regular basis (i.e. in the classroom, regular school day)

Investigate offering of a Parent Education Series

Continue with Student/Parent/Teacher Goal Setting Conferences





Chapter Seven

Financial and Capital Highlights

Summary of Financial Results

Financial Summary (Source: 2012 AFS)

Revenue

Alberta Education 56.7%

Tutition Fees 34.4%

Non-Instructional Fees 4.3%

Other (SGF, Sales, Donations) 2.4%





Financial Summary Highlights

Operating Surplus at year end is $12,721.00. However, the Accumulated Operating

Deficit (AOD) is $561,901.00 (i.e. 18% of total expenses).

An AOD Elimination Plan has been developed commencing with the 2012/2013 school

year based on a student enrolment of 430 students and an annual fundraising goal of

$100,000.

Staffing Levels are anticipated at +2 for certificated staff and status-quo for non-

certificated staff.

Expenses

Cetificated Salaries & Benefits47.3%

Non-Cetificated Salaries &Benefits 21.9%

Services, Contracts & Supplies28.9%

Other (SGF) 1.9%





Budget Summary

Revenue

Alberta Education 53%

Tuition Fees 13%

Non-Instructional (O&M, Trans.Etc.) 19%

Gifts & Donations 2%

School Generated Funds 1%

Amortization (CapitalAllocations) 3%

Other 9%

Expenses

Certificated Salary and Benefits44%

Non-Certficated Salary andBenefits 22%

Services, Contracts and Supplies23%

Capital and Debt Services 10%

School Generated Funds 1%





Budget Summary and Highlights

Actual Student Enrolment of 403 vs. projected enrolment of 417

Khalsa School Calgary Educational Foundation uses Generally Acceptable Accounting

Principles (GAP). All aspects of budget management and accountability are externally

audited by the accounting firm of Myers, Norris, and Penny.

Khlasa School Calgary is a Level 2 Private School and receives 70% of the per pupil

allocation from Alberta Education

Khalsa School Calgary has maintained its tuitions fees without increase over the past

year. The school continues to offer a family tuition scale to enable larger families to

attend and maintains the possibility of reduced or waived tuition fees for low income

families.

Tuition Fees will be slightly increased in the 2013-2014 school year (~3%).

Khalsa School will offer a K-9 educational program for the foreseeable future. With the

stabilization of our enrolment, our anticipated revenue will also stabilize with increases

as per funding increases. The funding received from Alberta Education for 2012 – 2013

is anticipated to be approximately 2.360,000.00.

Khalsa School Calgary Educational Foundation is committed to living within its means

and working within a well balanced budget.

The Audited Financial Statements as well as additional budget information can be obtained by

contacting Ms. Beverly Hammond, Principal at 403-293-7712 or Mr. Sarwant Singh, Business

Manager at 403-293-7712.

Capital Highlights

With the decision to focus on stabilization of the school and the offering of a Grade K – 9

educational program for the 2013-2014 school year, extensive capital projects are not anticipated

in the foreseeable future. The addition of fourteen new classrooms was completed for the

beginning of the 2012-2013 school year and the new gymnasium is anticipated to be completed

in January 2013.

A new heating system was installed in the north wing in November 2012. This was an

unplanned and unanticipated capital expenditure of ~50,000.00. Given that our facility is aging,

we anticipate a number of maintenance and repair projects over the next one to two years.

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