The Calgary Classical Academy (CCA) is taking education in a new direction by being Canada’s first ever non-denominational classical education charter school. .“The classical movement has been growing in the United States, and we’re really the first of our kind in Canada,” said CCA principal Colleen Parks in an interview. .“It was an opportunity as a principal that I couldn’t overlook.” .Classical education involves students studying classic works of literature, philosophy, history, and art. This curriculum is done through the trivium progression, moving through the stages of grammar, logic, and rhetoric. .Parks said the curriculum "is about celebrating the past while recognizing we are standing on the shoulders of giants." She added the school is devoted to truth seeking. .Former Alberta United Conservative Party candidate Caylan Ford (Calgary-Mountain View) is the CCA’s founder. Parks said it was a lengthy process setting the school up, as it had to be built from scratch. .CCA assistant principal Douglas Mansfield said he is familiar with classical education, as he holds a drama degree and his speciality is in Shakespearean and Greek plays. .“I believe the purpose of education is to raise good people,” said Mansfield. .“Whatever they choose as a career path, if they’re good people, they’ll be good at their career.”.Mansfield said staff spent plenty of time working to make the school excellent. He described his staff as “passionate educators and passionate about reform in education.” .The CCA spent the summer setting up its governance, intaking students, and hiring teachers. It has its own curriculum, which follows the Alberta government’s guidelines with enhancements. .Parks said the CCA is one of a few schools in Calgary teaching Singapore math. Singapore math is a teaching method based on the national mathematics curriculum in Singapore, where students learn to solve problems in concrete, pictorial, and abstract ways. .While the gym curriculum includes playing sports, she said it goes further by talking about the virtues people learn through them; physical arts such as dance, yoga, and martial arts; and outdoor education. The school has classes in studio arts, international languages, and food sciences. .Mansfield said he is proud of the school’s history curriculum, which goes through four eras. He said he knows these history classes have been effective because students are talking about the Visigoths and the fall of Rome on the playground. .Its model has been so distinct prominent Canadian psychologist and author Dr. Jordan Peterson said it was great. .“Good work Alberta,” said Peterson. .The Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) has opposed the CCA because it is a charter school. .“Alberta’s public education system does not need charter schools as pilots or incubators of educational research,” said the ATA. .“Given the international accolades for our novel ability to innovate and improve across the public education system in Alberta, what is the problem these charter schools will allegedly fix?” .The ATA said charter schools such as the CCA should not be isolated from the public education system. It said new charter schools should be integrated with it. .Parents from every quadrant of Calgary, Airdrie, De Winton, and Strathmore are sending their children. There are about 300 students ranging from kindergarten to Grade 6 attending it..Parks said parents keep coming to her to thank her for setting up the CCA. These parents were looking for a more traditional approach and a virtuous education for their children, and they said they have found it. .The CCA will offer education for upper grades in three to five years. She said it “is about moral and intellectual excellence.” .“We’re talking about human formation and having humans who can grow up to live the good life,” she said. .“We are not a utilitarian education.”
The Calgary Classical Academy (CCA) is taking education in a new direction by being Canada’s first ever non-denominational classical education charter school. .“The classical movement has been growing in the United States, and we’re really the first of our kind in Canada,” said CCA principal Colleen Parks in an interview. .“It was an opportunity as a principal that I couldn’t overlook.” .Classical education involves students studying classic works of literature, philosophy, history, and art. This curriculum is done through the trivium progression, moving through the stages of grammar, logic, and rhetoric. .Parks said the curriculum "is about celebrating the past while recognizing we are standing on the shoulders of giants." She added the school is devoted to truth seeking. .Former Alberta United Conservative Party candidate Caylan Ford (Calgary-Mountain View) is the CCA’s founder. Parks said it was a lengthy process setting the school up, as it had to be built from scratch. .CCA assistant principal Douglas Mansfield said he is familiar with classical education, as he holds a drama degree and his speciality is in Shakespearean and Greek plays. .“I believe the purpose of education is to raise good people,” said Mansfield. .“Whatever they choose as a career path, if they’re good people, they’ll be good at their career.”.Mansfield said staff spent plenty of time working to make the school excellent. He described his staff as “passionate educators and passionate about reform in education.” .The CCA spent the summer setting up its governance, intaking students, and hiring teachers. It has its own curriculum, which follows the Alberta government’s guidelines with enhancements. .Parks said the CCA is one of a few schools in Calgary teaching Singapore math. Singapore math is a teaching method based on the national mathematics curriculum in Singapore, where students learn to solve problems in concrete, pictorial, and abstract ways. .While the gym curriculum includes playing sports, she said it goes further by talking about the virtues people learn through them; physical arts such as dance, yoga, and martial arts; and outdoor education. The school has classes in studio arts, international languages, and food sciences. .Mansfield said he is proud of the school’s history curriculum, which goes through four eras. He said he knows these history classes have been effective because students are talking about the Visigoths and the fall of Rome on the playground. .Its model has been so distinct prominent Canadian psychologist and author Dr. Jordan Peterson said it was great. .“Good work Alberta,” said Peterson. .The Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) has opposed the CCA because it is a charter school. .“Alberta’s public education system does not need charter schools as pilots or incubators of educational research,” said the ATA. .“Given the international accolades for our novel ability to innovate and improve across the public education system in Alberta, what is the problem these charter schools will allegedly fix?” .The ATA said charter schools such as the CCA should not be isolated from the public education system. It said new charter schools should be integrated with it. .Parents from every quadrant of Calgary, Airdrie, De Winton, and Strathmore are sending their children. There are about 300 students ranging from kindergarten to Grade 6 attending it..Parks said parents keep coming to her to thank her for setting up the CCA. These parents were looking for a more traditional approach and a virtuous education for their children, and they said they have found it. .The CCA will offer education for upper grades in three to five years. She said it “is about moral and intellectual excellence.” .“We’re talking about human formation and having humans who can grow up to live the good life,” she said. .“We are not a utilitarian education.”
