Limestone District School
Board
Choices at Seven
Challenge Program
Information Night
Calvin Park
Our presentation will begin at
7:00
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
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
LEAP Program
• This program allows students to study all
subjects in the Ontario curriculum through
an integrated approach that emphasizes artsbased 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
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.
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.
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
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)
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
MATH
• 50-60 minutes of uninterrupted daily
instruction
• Follows a problem-solving approach
• Focus on critical thinking skills and reallife applications
• Utilizes a variety of assessment
strategies
• Incorporates hands-on learning and
technological applications
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
Transportation
• All transportation decisions are made by
Tri-Board Student Transportation Services.
Telephone: 613.354.1981
Toll Free: 1.866.569.6638
Email: info@triboard.on.ca
• 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.
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
Registration
deadline for
students accepted
May 2
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
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.
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
Questions
Please direct all questions to the
Choices at Seven Registrar at 613544-6925, Ext. 394 or email:
choicesatseven@limestone.on.ca
Development of the Whole
Child
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Strong Academics
Interpersonal skills
Community and School Involvement
Healthy Living and Positive Self-Image