Community

At STS our volunteers play an active and vital role in not only helping make our School a success but also through fostering the strong sense of community and caring felt at the school. With the theme of this year's National Volunteer Week being "Empathy in Action" we are sharing some of the many ways that our volunteers, whose selfless dedication, awareness, caring, and commitment, help foster the incredible feeling of community present at STS.

Creating this art piece was truly eye opening for me. It was a remarkable hands-on experience, with many opportunities to reflect on the beauty of our campus and School buildings. It helped me visualize the School with a new perspective, and I hope it will help the STS community gain a new perspective of the School as well; hence the name “STS in Perspective”. 

Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School hosted its first Innovation Fair on Saturday, March 12, 2022. Roughly 200 people were in attendance to support, celebrate, and learn more about our Design, Technology, and Innovation programming which is truly second to none. Guests were struck by the degree of expertise of our students with design thinking, the design cycle and technological skills; the breadth and depth of the program, and the degree to which we involve and leverage industry partners in our projects.

Everyone loves cartoons, whether it be a cartoon strip like Calvin and Hobbes, a television show like the Simpsons, or even a new Disney/Pixar feature film, but what is the process of making a cartoon, and what goes on in the mind of the cartoonist as they are creating their cartoons? On Thursday, February 17, our Grade 9 students were joined by professional Editorial Cartoonist Fred Curatolo to find out.

Mayor Jyoti Gondek and local female councillors emerged in my sight, and as I gradually acknowledged their difficulties, obstacles, efforts, and excellence in leadership, it  carried over to my determination to become one of the 15 student councillors selected in the “She Governs” event.

On Friday February 11, STS held a virtual craft party, part of STS's 50th Anniversary celebrations. With February being a month of kindness, friendship, and love, students and families had the opportunity to attend this fun and interactive evening hosted by Ms. Forgay, STS teacher, and Mr. Uzick, Community Engagement Coordinator for the 50^th Anniversary of STS.

At Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School (STS), we seek to create an environment that encourages engaging and empowered learning, while prioritizing future-ready skills for our students. Through transformative spaces such as DaVinci Studios, Maker Spaces, and Innovations Studios, we can create programming that achieves this goal across all three divisions at STS.

“In the Enrollment office at STS, I see the profound impact of removing financial barriers for amazing students to attend our school first-hand. Our financial assistance program literally changes the lives of many incredible young people, and they in turn, add to our community in countless positive ways. With a focus on great kids attending STS, not on their ability to pay, we are attracting the brightest, and most innovative, creative and caring students in the region. That sets our school apart.”

Through the generous gifting of exceptional land and facilities by our community, Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School (STS) is well-positioned to be a global hub of teaching and learning excellence in a natural setting. Our grounds, pond, woods, trails and creek are all excellent schoolmasters, helping faculty to teach Spartans about how to live on the land we inhabit and how to steward that land for future generations.

Giving back to the community made me feel amazing, helpful, and all warm and fuzzy inside. Purchasing gifts and imagining seeing the smile on people’s faces when they receive them is an exceptional feeling. I encourage anyone to help their community in any way they can. When a community comes together, many small donations can go a long way.

When we got to the game, the kids were beyond excited to see a number of their STS friends in our section. We were greeted by Brian Uzick, Community Engagement Coordinator for 50^th Anniversary of STS and Brenda Thompson, Director Community Engagement, as well as a few other STS staff and faculty. When the game started the kids were screaming, dancing, and anxiously awaiting the time to start tossing.

On November 5, Grade 7 students took part in a special No Stone Left Alone ceremony to honour the sacrifice and service of Canada's military. Students placed poppies on headstones in the Field of Honour at the Okotoks Cemetery. Through this experience, students became deeply aware of the selflessness and bravery of those who served to defend our country and gave the ultimate sacrifice.

It all started with a phone call from our daughter Randi Hardy (Thorbjornsen) ’13 “Hey mom, we are coming up to see you in a couple of weeks”.  We were excited to see our out-of-town family, but in reality they were not making the drive from Lethbridge to see us, but to partake in the STS Beer Tasting & Unveiling of the STS Anniversary Beer event.

On a crisp November morning, my yoga mat tucked under my arm, I headed to Aspen Lodge after completing school drop-off.  When I opened the door to the cozy lodge I was warmed by the fireplace and welcomed into the room by Brian Uzick, Community Engagement Coordinator for the 50th Anniversary celebrations.  Several parents had already unrolled their mats and were chatting and settling in for a peaceful hour of movement and mindfulness.

It all started with a phone call from our daughter Randi Hardy (Thorbjornsen) ’13 “Hey mom, we are coming up to see you in a couple of weeks”.  We were excited to see our out of town family, but in reality they were not making the drive from Lethbridge to see us, but to partake in the STS Alumni Association Beer Tasting & Unveiling of the STS Anniversary Beer event.

"Fresh produce for all!" these words echoed in my head as I dug out carrots from the ground to add to the ever-growing pile of fresh veg next to me. My brother and I were among a group of 60 volunteers on CIVIC day helping to fulfill the mission of Grow Calgary to grow food and give it away to the hungry.

As I approached the path towards the observatory, I could smell the beautiful fall night with crisp leaves crunching under my feet and see soft lit candles (fake) leading everyone towards the fun evening ahead. As I walked down the path, I was greeted by Mrs. Grant-Watt, Head of School,  saying hello to all of those arriving.

What better way to catch up with both old and new friends alike than the excuse of a birthday party? On October 2, 48 STS community members attended the STS 50th anniversary event at McMahon Stadium. Fifty years is a good reason to sit front and center at a football home game on the Telus Patio.

STS is actively and empathetically exploring, designing, and developing different pedagogical approaches to learning about the legacy of Canada’s Residential Schools and Indigenous ways of knowing and being. STS faculty have been helping students make sense of Canada’s history and are pursuing opportunities to engage in practices that facilitate reconciliation within the school community.