Calmar Secondary Collegiate School

Open House Collegiate Presentation

Opening Fall 2025

What is a Collegiate Education?

A collegiate school offers specialized programming in a particular subject or field and provides all students with a clear pathway into post-secondary education and careers in their chosen field, whether in the skilled trades route or other pathways.

The primary focus of the Calmar Secondary Collegiate School will be to provide students the opportunity to complete their first period apprenticeship training and related work/registered apprenticeship program placements as part of their high school graduation. The school will continue to provide excellent academic programming as well as providing specialized programming for students in grades 7-12 for careers in the skilled trades (enhanced career explorations, work experience,first-period and/or registered apprenticeship programs). 

In the first year, the focus will be on carpentry, electrical,, and plumbing. Grade 12 students enrolled in the trades pathway will work on projects such as bunkies (small cabins under 108 sq. ft.) and eventually tiny houses, which will be marketed to local communities.

Calmar Secondary Collegiate School will continue to offer a full range of academic programming. Students who choose not to pursue the skilled trades pathway can take courses in business, finance, management,, and entrepreneurship; fine arts and design studies; sports; technology, and more. They will also play a central role in marketing the projects made in-house.

Construction on the new school addition is planned for Spring 2024, and the facility is expected to be complete in September 2025.

Collegiate education provides specialized career pathway programming in a particular career area or field, with increased student success in post-secondary education and careers in a chosen field.

• Trades Apprenticeship and Vocational Education Committee (TAVE) 2024

Critical Components of a Collegiate

• A specific career pathway of focus within a multi-year experience
• Delivery of purposeful career pathway programming through;
• • The use of CTF/CTS and other course delivery models
  • Dual credit programming with a post-secondary partner
  • Experiential learning opportunities and work experience within the industry
• Design of student supervision and coaching models that provide frequent, ongoing support for student success across their career pathway learning.

Calmar Secondary Collegiate Focus

• The initial focus will be on exposing students to the following three trades:
• • Electrical
  • Plumbing, Gasfitting, and Steamfitting (First Year Common)
  • Carpentry
• Note that these trades are based on what will be in demand in the Edmonton area as per the Alberta Occupational Outlook 2021 – 2030, created by the Alberta Government
• Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) placements in addition to in-school learning
• Focuses on other areas to be explored in the future

How Will We Get There?

First, We Need To Build

• To offer a trades-based program, we will be building an addition to the school as seen here
• Our facility will break ground in Spring 2024 and be completed around the same time the following year
• The program will open Fall of 2025

We Will Create Partnerships

• Part of the Collegiate model is the fostering of partnerships to support career pathways.
• These partnerships will be focused on several areas:
• • Postsecondary Institutions
  • Trades Organizations
  • Community organizations
  • Industry
• Through these partnerships we will be able to provide industry-standardinstruction, Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) placements for Collegiate participants, and Pre-employment training within a trade of choice.

We Will Create Pathways For Students

• It is imperative for both students and industry that students can achieve both a trade certification and strong academic programming.
• To this end, we will be creating a program that will allow students to access the Collegiate while achieving an Alberta High School Diploma at the same time.
• In some career pathways, this will mean accessing alternative programming/summer school courses.
• On the next slide, you can see an example pathway. That said, everyone’s personal pathway will be different.

We Will Support Students Across Black Gold

• Calmar will have a unique facility and at times students from other centers will be interested in attending. In this instance, Black Gold’s policy surrounding the School of Choice will be adhered to.
• We would like to recognize the importance of the home community to these students as well.
• To this end, we will create a pathway that can be followed at other schools leading to students only needing to attend Calmar for their pre-employment term (12 weeks) in their grade 12 year.

We Will Set Standards For The Program

• This will be a unique program and will require students to be prepared academically and personally to enter into a fast-paced learning environment.
• Academically, students must be able to be successful in courses that support their success in their pre-employment phase (1st-year apprenticeship training)  as well as the requirements of future employment and training.
• Personally, students will be expected to be students in good standing both at school and on RAP sites supported by their Collegiate placement.

What Will My Students Get Out Of This Program?

Students Will Receive

• An opportunity to complete first-year apprenticeship training in one of the aforementioned trades.
• Numerous micro-credentials related to industry. H2S, Confined Spaces, Fall Protection etc.
• RAP placement in preferred trade.
• Access to an indoor facility where larger builds can be completed throughout the school year. (Calmar site)
• Instruction by journeypeople. (Calmar site)

Questions

Feel free to contact:

• Justin Klaassen – Calmar Secondary School Principal
• • Phone – 780-985-3515
  • Email – [email protected]