Calgary Academy

Last week, our Grade 9 graduation took place at ! This year’s class featured 93 incredible students, ready to officially transition to high school in September.
 
Grade 9 was a year of growing independence. From travelling to Vancouver and Edmonton, heading to Aspen for lunch, choosing option courses, and exploring extracurricular opportunities, students embraced new experiences and took ownership of their learning.
 
Celebrating at Heritage Park is always a highlight! Students enjoyed the park’s midway rides, followed by dinner, desserts, and an awards presentation recognizing their achievements.
 
“We are proud of the way our Grade 9 students have continued to persevere, grow, and engage with their learning through a year filled with new expectations, challenges, and opportunities.” — Mr. St-Laurent on behalf of the Grade 9 teachers
 
Congratulations to our Grade 9 graduates! 🎓🎉
 
 

That’s a wrap on the last day of classes. 🎉
 
It’s been a year full of learning, growth, and fun. While exams, graduation, and celebrations are still to come, we’re taking a moment to share a few photos from around the school and mark the day together.
 
Wishing our families a great start to summer. We’ll be back next week to celebrate grad.
 

This afternoon, Calgary Academy gathered in advance to recognize National Indigenous Peoples Day, observed each year on June 21. We were grateful to welcome Desi Rider and members of the Îyârhe (Stoney) Nakoda, Blackfoot, Cree, and Tsuut’ina nations for a community Round Dance, where students and staff took part in reflection, connection, and celebration.

"National Indigenous Peoples Day is an important opportunity for our school community to connect with local First Nations communities and learn about culture through song and dance. We are honoured to continue these connections, and we are thankful to Desi and all the singers and dancers who share their culture with us." – Mr. MacDonald

Thank you to everyone who reflected, danced, and helped us honour this important day ahead of June 21. 🧡

Our Kindergarten–Grade 5 recognition celebration was a wonderful day of learning, growth, and community!

Students took time to reflect on their accomplishments and proudly shared what they’ve learned throughout the year with family members. The day was filled with meaningful conversations, proud moments, and plenty of fun, including bouncy castles and a food truck.

Thank you to everyone who joined us in celebrating another incredible year of learning! 🌟

Last week, we celebrated another incredible year of Knights Athletics at our annual athletic awards! 🏆
 
While a few student-athletes were recognized with individual awards, the celebration was really about the dedication, teamwork, and sportsmanship that make Knights Athletics such an important part of our community. From players and coaches to referees and scorekeepers, every person who contributes to our athletic programs plays a role in making CA stronger.
 
We were also proud to recognize several staff members for their contributions. Congratulations to Mr. Greiner on receiving a Long Service Award, to Mr. Kaduhr and Mr. Waterbury for being recognized by School Sport Alberta, and to Ms. Marshall, who was named Coach of the Year.
 
Thank you to everyone who helped make this season a success. Go Knights! 💜
 

Four years ago, as a Grade 8 class, these students wrote letters to their future selves. Recently, as graduating Grade 12s, they opened them together.

What followed was a mix of laughter and shared memories from a year that meant a lot to this group, coming back from Covid and rebuilding a sense of connection in the classroom. Some remembered exactly what they wrote; others didn’t, but there was a lot of bonding about how different things feel now.

“When they wrote them, I kept telling them, ‘Don’t disappoint your Grade 12 self.’ Watching them read the letters now, they laughed, reflected, and shared memories of who they were and who they’ve become. That year, more than anything, we became a community, and you can still see those bonds today.” – Ms. Helman

It was a full day celebrating everything that makes this community special at our annual Fun Day, and a memorable sendoff for our Grade 12s on their last day of classes.
 
It kicked off with a REACH Assembly to celebrate student achievements and reveal house totals, followed by a morning of station and game rotations.
 
After the grad tunnel celebration and lunch, the field came alive with music performances and the popular Pie-A-Teacher event. 🥧
 
Thanks to everyone who made the day so joyful. Shoutout to Team Orange for earning the most points this year and claiming the House Cup. Grad tunnel photos will be shared later this month as we approach graduation. Stay tuned!
 
   

This year, 24 Senior School students took part in our first peer tutoring program. Students in Grades 10 to 12 supported peers in Grades 9 and 10 across literacy and numeracy.

“Students involved in the program consistently shared that the generous support of volunteer tutors, combined with the commitment of tutees, created meaningful opportunities for both personal and academic growth. As supervisors, it has been both rewarding and inspiring to see students collaborate, form meaningful connections across grade levels, and contribute to a strong culture of support.” – Ms. Kelly and Ms. Rogers

Thank you to our students for showing up for each other and making a difference! 💜

All year, Grade 12 students have been asking to take on their teachers in dodgeball, and yesterday they got their chance.
 
The students vs. teachers dodgeball game made its debut during Grade 12’s last week of classes, giving them one more way to celebrate their final days at CA. The game brought students together, filled the gym with energy, and created some unforgettable memories for our grads.
 
There were a lot of great moments, including one graduate going up against his own mom.
 
“The dodgeball game brought together a wide variety of students. It was nice to see so many students working together to defeat the teachers.” – Ms. Shaw
 
Students took the win, and the memory of this first game is one they will carry with them beyond graduation. 🎓
 

Learning how to support one another is an important part of student wellbeing. 18 students in Grades 9–12 spent a full day earning their Mental Health First Aid: Youth Supporting Peers certification with Action First Aid. They explored stigma, learned how to recognize when someone may be struggling, and built practical skills to support one another in moments that matter. We are also proud that 20 staff members completed Mental Health First Aid: Adults Supporting Youth training, with additional sessions in high demand.

“I am so proud of and appreciate these students in so many ways. They participated fully, maturely, were inquisitive, vulnerable, and attentive. At the end of the training, their appreciation for this opportunity was so genuine and fulsome, solidifying that in order to do the work to help our youth with the mental health crisis we are living, we must include youth as partners in mental health literacy and promotion.” — Ms. Mylonas

Mental health and wellbeing are a priority at Calgary Academy. This month, our community also participated in Hats On! for Mental Health, and students and staff in Grades 9–12 have completed the BeThere Certificate through Jack.org. Our focus on empathy continues through classroom discussions, circle meetings and daily interactions.

Thank you to Action First Aid for partnering with us in this important work! 💜