Mission

To transform teaching and learning by increasing student engagement through community, funder, and educational partnerships.

Vision

Each student experiences personalized learning within a connected community.

Campus Calgary/Open Minds is an innovative curriculum-based program that moves the classroom into the community for an entire week.  

The experience is a catalyst for learning activities that occur throughout the year.  Classroom teachers work closely with community experts to custom design a week that meets individual needs. The program length, the deep thinking about first-hand experiences that go beyond curricular lines and the time to reflect, help take learning to new heights.

The Campus Calgary/Open Minds experience truly opens the minds of students, giving them a clearer idea of the role they play in the world around them.  They become an informed and involved member of their community.  Once back in the classroom, students apply their understandings beyond their local setting to national and global communities.

Key Eleme​nts

• Teachers as designers, in collaboration with site coordinators and educational coordinator, co-constructing learning
• Work alongside experts
• Engage in hands on activities and experiential learning
• Slow down and go beyond the obvious
• Explore, discover, reflect and share
• Build strong relationships
• Inspire ownership and stewardship
• Maintain high standards for quality learning experiences for all students
• Inquiry driven interdisciplinary approach
• Develop action and awareness
• Personalized learning opportunities to meet individual needs

Annual Report

Partnership Diagram

 

In the Campus Calgary/Open Minds model, funding partners, community sites and education institutions collectively share the responsibility and privilege of ensuring that the philosophical tenants of the program are upheld.  These groups are inextricably linked such that if one group wants to make a change, the ripples of that change are felt by the others.  Open communication between all members of the collaboration is essential and annual Face to Face meetings ensure the rich relationships.

Campus Calgary / Open Minds Advisors: Trish Savill (community), Chris Lough (Community Chair), Sanimar Sarpal (CBE), Jennifer Meredith (CBE, Education Chair), Natasha McKay (CBE), Leanne Courchesne (Cenovus Energy), Selina Kruchten (CCSD), Sydney Smith (CBE, CCOM Executive Sponsor), Allison Schulz (Calgary Foundation), Andrea Holowka (CCSD, CCOM Executive Sponsor), Jacqueline Harris (Chevron Canada Resources), and Frank McClernon (CCSD).

Implementing the Open Minds Education Concept in Your Community Guide

Starting a new site

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