"Heads Up -  Headmaster Update:  The Rundle Experience" March 3, 2015 Dear parents, February was an incredible month in our Rundle Schools. I hope this update can capture some of the experience! Coming Up: Rundle College is Hosting the Senior Varsity Girls Basketball Provincials This event is coming up quick.  If you have a moment, have a look at the excellent webpage that has been set up to highlight the event. If you have any questions about the event, please contact Laurel Adolphe at adolphe@rundle.ab.ca. Spring Break Travel Before this month is over, Rundle College & Academy students will set foot on 4 different continents, will have explored dozens of cities, and will have offered hundreds of hours in volunteer work.  We hope they all 'take pictures, leave footprints and make memories' while they are away! TEDx Event Our very own TED certified teacher, Karen Goepen-Wee, applied to host a TEDx event and her application has been accepted.  The date of the event is June 6th, it will be held at Rundle Academy, and the theme is Diversity=Us.  Stay posted for more details on the event! Uniform Store Goes Online We are still on track to have our online uniform store up and running for April 6th!  If you have any questions about the upcoming uniform store sale or the launch of the online store, please contact Mrs. Lisa Hansen (hansen@rundle.ab.ca). Gone By: In the coming months, I will frame this section with the key components of the 'Rundle Experience': Character, Arts, Athletics & Academics' Character Family Skate - A big thank you goes out to all Primary staff, parents, and students who took part in our family skate.  It was inspiring to see students having such a great time with one another on and off of the ice.  Another shout out goes to Rundle Academy's Kids Helping Kids who were sharing the experience with our youngest Rundle students!

Arts Mardi Gras 2015 - talk about a once in a lifetime experience!  This past month our Senior High Marching Band performed in New Orleans during Mardi Gras!  A highlight of the trip had to be marching in the Mardi Gras parade!  Congratulations goes out to all the staff who assisted in this spectacular event.

Athletics Summit Series - Teachers vs. Students - The annual event was held at the Westside Rec rink and did not disappoint.   It was great to see the student support from the stands and to see the comradery between the students and the staff on the ice.  This year's game ended in a lopsided victory: 17-5.  (I have intentionally left out who lost to save a little face.)

On a slightly indulgent note, I would like to send a big congratulations to the Rundle Academy 6/7/8 Boys Basketball Team who won their first banner last week.  I had the honour of coaching many of these boys two years ago and all I'll say is that they have come a long way together under the direction of their coach, Sheldon Locking.  Congratulations team, we are all very proud of your accomplishment.

Academics Diploma Exams, Science Fair, Reach for the Top & Women of Engineering - As you can see, I have struggled to keep this section to just one event.  We have had a spectacular month of academic achievement. Congratulations goes out to all our Academy and College teachers who helped our students prepare for their diploma exams.  As the results trickle in, we are left with the assurance that our academic program remains at the top of its game.

Beyond these standardized exams, we have had several authentic learning opportunities in our community - Science Fair, Reach for the Top and Women of Engineering to name a few.  I think the picture below says it all.  This is a shot of a student's notes upon the completion of a Reach for the Top tournament in High River.

Heads Up - Experience Rundle ​This past month I had two transformative learning experiences.  I was able to read Paul Tough's book, "How Children Succeed"  and I traveled to Boston and saw Sarah Lewis and Sunni Brown speak.  You will see an example of a 'doodle' note that was taken at the conference I attended this week.

I am not going to belabor either topic in this post because I suspect you will be hearing elements of both in upcoming speeches and blog posts. If  you want to learn a little more about the book, I do have two copies to give away.  I will put the copies in the mail to the first two parents who respond via e-mail. I'm looking forward to another great month of 'Rundle Experiences.' Sincerely, Jason B. Rogers

"Heads Up -
 Headmaster Update: 
What is success"
Experience Rundle

February 1, 2015

Dear parents,

Coming Up:

Uniform Store Goes Online!

Below you will find a letter detailing our upcoming change to the uniform store. In the spring, with the support of Top Marks Canada, we will have everything moved to an online store which will allow you to purchase your items online and have them delivered to your door within 3 working days. We will be closing our physical store in early spring. Watch your e-mail for a more detailed timeline of upcoming events. If you have any questions about this upcoming move, please contact Lisa Hansen at hansen@rundle.ab.ca.

We are Hosting the Senior Varsity Girls Basketball Provincials!

We are excited to be hosting teams from across the province this coming March. More information via e-mail will follow about this epic event.  

Many parents and community members have stepped up with generous donations to support this event, and for their efforts, I'd like to extend a big thank you to all who have provided their time and financial resources to make this a first-class Rundle experience for our student athletes.  

If you have any questions about the event, please contact Laurel Adolphe at
adolphe@rundle.ab.ca.

Early Out!

Please be advised that as of February 1st, all Rundle College Society schools will be having an early dismissal on Fridays. This dismissal will vary slightly depending on the campus and the grade. For more information, please contact your school's local administration. 

Gone By:

Parents, Parents, Parents - Thank You!

There are so many heart warming instances of parent collaborations and I wish I could share them all. Our parent body is constantly supporting with their ideas, time and resources - without this, the 'Rundle Experience' would not be what it is today! In particular, I would like to draw attention to two collaborations of note:

Primary Library Crew - this group of dedicated parents has literally logged 100's of hours to transform our modest, and somewhat disheveled space, into a space of grandeur, beauty and function. Thank you!

Medieval Moms - and I mean this in the nicest, most thankful way possible.  This group of dedicated parents supported our Grade 5 Medieval Feast. This event was an absolute highlight for our students, staff, and parents. Thank you!

Tea Time

Earlier this month we hosted a Grade 3 parent tea and talk. The aim of the event was to orient our current Grade 3 parents to our Rundle Elementary program. Never having been a part of a parent tea before, I came into the event with a healthy curiosity about what would transpire. In short, the event was a spectacular display of all things Rundle!  

I could spend this entire update sharing the wonderful inspiration that came from the conversations and presentations. However, in the interest of not belaboring a point via e-mail, I'll summarize by borrowing the words of one of the parents in attendance: 

"We love Rundle and Rundle clearly loves our kids. It's the care your teachers take to individualize the experience for my child that makes this place so special."

Over the past month I have had the opportunity to attend similar events at all our campuses, and without exception, this sentiment is alive and well everywhere.  

Exams

In many of our grades students are writing midterm exams or even the dreaded diploma exams. It has been inspiring to see students dedicating themselves to their studies. It has also been great to see teachers and parents working together to create a support network, setting our students up for success. I have observed parents attending speaker series and our schools providing events and offering strategies, including weekend study sessions, yoga, meditation and dodge ball, in an attempt to reduce the onset of exam stress. As a community, I believe we can feel as though we have done everything we can to set our students up for success on these exams.

Heads Up - Experience Rundle

​Earlier this month I was invited in to speak to our current Grade 9 Rundle College students on any topic I chose. What an opportunity! (to be fair, the administration asked me to talk about high school, but I have to admit I took some liberties). After some soul searching, I decided on the topic:

"What is your definition of success?"

The presentation was a bit presentation, a bit conversation and a bit entertainment. In essence, we took a little time to explore our futures and what a successful 'you' will look like in 1, 3, 10 and 30 years. To assist in the presentation, I leveraged a couple of resources that I think many parents might enjoy.

First we accepted Kid President 2015 challenge, and agreed to "Let's Make 2015 Awesome!"

From there, we delved into some of Thomas Friedman's thinking around the future of jobs and necessary skills for success.

Finally, we challenged ourselves to define what 'success' looks like to us.

As an unattended side effect of the presentation, in the days since I have received two videos from people:  

• The first one was shared by a Grade 9 student who went home and asked his parents what it means to be successful. Here was a video they found in response.  
   
• Lastly, a colleague shared this TED Video that I think sums the topic up nicely. (stay tuned - there may even be a TED event coming to Rundle this year...)

I wish you and your family all the success in 2015.

Sincerely,

Jason Rogers
Headmaster, Rundle College Society

"Attention to Excellence"

"Heads Up: Monthly Headmaster Update"

December 2014

Dear parents,

Our goal when we opened this year was to be, "Kinder Than Is Necessary" and I am happy to report that in the first 4 months of the school year, we have succeeded. Our parent, faculty, alumni and student communities have all found their unique ways to demonstrate kindness.

Primary (@RundlePrimary)- Our Primary and Elementary parents led the charge on our 2014 Rundle Social. As a group, they literally gave hundreds of hours to make this event a possibility. The 2014 Rundle Social did a spectacular job of supporting our upcoming school building project. Thank you for giving of your time and energy to make this project a reality.

Elementary (@RCElementary) - Just last week the administration demonstrated kindness by delivering cards and chocolates to our community neighbours. This unsuspecting act of kindness left many strangers with a better understanding of who we are at Rundle.

Junior High (@RundleJrSr) - Our students have completed hundreds of hours volunteering in our community! Beyond volunteering, the students and faculty have embraced the STAR initiative and we have seen real growth in the character of our students.

Senior High (@RundleJrSr) - Just yesterday, the CAUSE group reached out and delivered beautiful hand written cards to all our staff. This recognition really went a long way to acknowledging the hard work our staff members put in each and every day.

Academy (@RundleAcademy) - Earlier this week, some of our teachers and students from the Kids Helping Kids group delivered our 'Adopt a Family' presents. These small actions have forever changed the lives of these families. Notably, one young recipient was left with a renewed belief in Santa and the kindness of strangers.

​Alumni (@RundleAcAlumni) and (@RundleAlumni) - We have seen some amazing acts of kindness within our alumni community. We are proud to highlight two of our alumni who started the 'Sandwich for a Story' movement. Sam Sawchuk and Evan Beck's story can be found on this website; it's really worth a visit!

​For further inspiration, follow our schools and society (@RundleCollege) on Twitter. Each school can be found at the Twitter handles listed above. There have been literally 1000's of success stories shared already this year! 

Lastly, here is a thought provoking video that really speaks to making connections. The artist, Candy Chang, has really changed the emotional relationships between her close friends and complete strangers. Her work is very inspirational and epitomizes connection and kindness!

We would like to wish our entire community a holiday season that is filled with friends, family, fun and kindness.

My best,

Jason B. Rogers (@jasonbrogers)

"From the Car Seat to the Drivers Seat"
The road trip of a lifetime

December 3, 2014

Yesterday I received an e-mail from the CAIS Executive Director, Anne-Marie Kee and is simply stated:

Subject: Sometimes I forget you are a new head

"How are you?  Just wanted to check in..."

It was an exquisitely brief and kind communication.  These eight words really started me thinking, how were things going?

Instead of slowing down and reflecting too much, I opted to write whatever first came to mind - here is the response:

I am really well - Rundle is a spectacular place to be!  In fact, here's what happened just yesterday. 

After doing my weekly classroom visits in our Primary School, I was exiting through the boot room.  At this very moment, the kindergarten group were on their way in from recess.  One boy showed me his new snow pants, another girl showed me her pink touque with a huge pom pom and a third asked me if she could tell me something.  I responded, "Of course," and she quickly shot back, "I love you."  

From there I worked with administration, staff and students in all grades and divisions.  Nearly 10 hours later, as the day came to a close, I attended our Christmas Gala and had the opportunity to watch our students display their talents.  Their were acts of incredible singing, expressive acting, and several comedic interludes. One of the many highlights was a dance by one of Canada's young and high achieving ballerinas. 

As I drove from the Gala, I thought to myself and smiled, "Where else in the world do you have the opportunity to enjoy this range of experiences in just one day?"   

I'm not sure Anne-Marie was expecting the monologue she received.  However, I am happy she asked the question!  It gave me the opportunity to sit back and reflect on the many gifts that are given to us each and every day.  So I extend the same opportunity to you as I ask - "How are you - just wanted to check in...."

As we enter December and think about the blessings in our lives, I think it's worthwhile to reflect on our shared journey.  The opportunity to experience this trip from the car seat to the drivers seat with our students is one that we should not take for granted.  

Best of wishes in the coming days and I look forward to seeing many of you at the upcoming events that will celebrate the Rundle culture and the holiday season!

All the best,

Jason B. Rogers

"From Our Family To Yours"
What makes the Rundle Experience so unique?

November 14, 2014

With each passing week, I am in continual search of the answer to:

"What makes the Rundle Experience so unique?"

After plenty of reflection this week, I would choose to believe the answer is simply: family.

Over the past 7 days there were more than a few spectacular manifestations of the Rundle Family Experience and I'd love to briefly share a couple of them here.

Sandwich for a Story

Today I received a call from Evan Beck ('12).  Evan was calling me from Queens University, where he is currently studying Political Science, to speak about a project that he and Sam Sawchuk ('12) have been working on together.  This is not the kind of project you might expect a couple 20 year olds to be working on. The project of mention is called, "A Sandwich for a Story" and as nothing to do with university - it is best described as an empathy project.  A great overview of their work was recently captured on CTV News.  

When speaking with Evan, I had two questions for him: 1) What was the inspiration for this project/organization/action? 2) How can Rundle help their cause?  In summary, his response to the first question was that his father inspired him to instigate an empathy project.  He reflected on an experience he had in Victoria, BC one year over Christmas holidays.  When he was just 12 years old, his dad encouraged him and his sister to distribute sandwiches to people who were less fortunate they they were.  This small act of kindness and compassion has inspired Evan, and now Sam, to instigate their "Sandwich for a Story Project."

As for the answer to the second question - I've offered to buy Evan and Sam a 'sandwich for their story!'  When they arrive back in Calgary from their studies, we will get together and see we can create a synergy between their project and ours.

When thinking back to the theme of this week's blog, it is family that has created the conditions that allow them to go forward and make our world a better place.  We are proud to have Evan and Sam as members of our alumni family and look forward to seeing them back at Rundle on December 11th at our Volunteer Day.

Coming Together To Learn

If you've ever wondered what happens during those mysterious PD Days - here's some insight.  On November 10th we brought together all 150+ Rundle College Society employees and learned from each other.  We were graced with presentations on the latest in Brain Research by Ms. Mann, Critical Thinking by Mrs. Kim, Google Applications by Mrs. Armstrong and The Importance of Co-Curriculars by Mr. Domstad (to name only a few).  

Along with these spectacular presentations, we took a little bit of time to 'Know Your Neighbour' when Mr. Sylven gave his principal's inspiration.  Mr. Sylven artfully guided us through the principles of silo vs. system thinking.  These exercises are critical to our organization as we move closer to coming together at 17th Avenue.

Finally, we came together to do a craft, how 'family' of us! A big thank you goes out to our Fine Arts Department who assisted us in our cooperative painting project.

Can you guess what the finished product will be?

A Shared Family Experience

Without getting into too many details here, I was struck by our community's ability to come together in times of loss and celebration.  During this short week we have found time to remember those who have passed, we have celebrated a new citizen of Canada, we have welcomed new ones to the world and have toasted engagements (that's right, engagements is plural).  

It is these authentic moments and shared experiences, whether they are with our faculty, our alumni, students or families, that make Rundle really feel like it is a very special place to work, learn and live.  In fact, earlier this week someone asked me if I liked my job and without hesitation I responded with, 

"Rundle is the best place in the world to work and learn."

As it came out it felt so right, that I know it must be true.

Have a wonderful weekend, 

Jason B. Rogers
Headmaster, Rundle College Society

"A very impressive school" & "Rundle students are exceptional."
Dr. Kent MacDonald
President, St. FX University

November 7, 2014

Just over a week ago I joined all the other Headmasters from across the country at a conference in Ontario.  At this conference we discussed trends in education, strategic planning and the importance of mental health education in our schools.  Beyond these set topics of discussion, another subtopic and focus could be summed up by the question:

"What do we want for our students 20 years from now?"    

Taking the conversation beyond "Let's get our kids into the best universities," really allowed us to think big.  As a group of Canadian school leaders we came back to the fact that we want to graduate great citizens of moral character.  The conversations were affirming as they aligned closely with our school's focus of 'kindness,' 'trust' and 'connection.'  

Generally, when walking down the hallways of Rundle College Society schools we are faced with burgeoning young men and women who are developing the highest levels of respect and overall character.  It is our hope that what they learn in our hallways today, they will take with them and it will influence and help them develop into successful men and women who will ultimately change our world for the better.

I witnessed specific evidence of these renaissance learners twice today:

Remembrance Day

Today, I took in two separate Remembrance Day Ceremonies, one at the Academy and the other at the Jr. Sr. High.   Both ceremonies were heartfelt and touching.  What struck me most was our students' respect.  There were many moments of remembrance, sorrow and thanks shared by every person in the room.  

Upon the completion of the Jr. Sr. High ceremony,  one staff member circulated the following e-mail.

"I am so happy and lucky to be a part of a school and culture like Rundle College, I get to work with some of the most amazing students and teachers in this wonderful world. Thanks you from the bottom of my heart."

That about sums up how the ceremonies left us all feeling.

StFX President, Dr. Kent MacDonald's Visit

Only 30 minutes after the conclusion of the Remembrance Day Ceremonies, I was fortunate to be able to welcome Dr. Kent MacDonald to Rundle College.  He had come to speak to our Grade 11 and 12 students about what is so special about his program!  There is certainly a lot to celebrate at StFX, namely:

- Small Class Sizes
- Great Teaching Faculty
- Meaningful Connections
- Endless Opportunities to Get Involved
- A Focus on the Development of Student Leadership and Character

Remind you of anywhere else?

After his brilliant presentation, I had the opportunity to speak with him personally for a few moments.  As I always do with all guests, I asked him what his initial impression of our school were.  He simply said:

"Rundle is a very impressive school."

& 

"Rundle's students are clearly exceptional."

I couldn't agree more.

With that, I wish everybody in our community a wonderful long weekend.

All the best,

Jason B. Rogers

Experience Rundle
"Headmaster's Monthly Update"

Dear Rundle College Society Families,

Coming Up:

Remembrance Day Ceremonies

Each campus will be hosting a Remembrance Day Ceremony on November 7th. For more information on the timing and event specifics, please contact your school’s administrative assistant.  As a reminder, there will be no classes on November 10th (school wide PD) and November 11th (Remembrance Day).

AGM

Our Rundle College Society Annual General Meeting is taking place at the Elementary campus on November 26th at 7:00PM.  All Society Members are welcome to attend.

Gone By:

419

​Our sincere thanks goes out to our very own Will Ferguson. Mr. Ferguson visited Mrs. Kim's Grade 12 English class earlier this month, and gave a great lecture on his Giller Prize winning novel, 419.  After speaking to the group, he dropped by and gave us all the best compliment, saying (and now I am paraphrasing), "Your students asked better questions than most literary critics do!"  Wow!

Rundle Social

Speaking of WOW - a big thank you to all parents, staff, and community members that came out and contributed at the Rundle Social. Of the $1.5 million we still need to raise, we were able to raise over $270,000 that night!  Beyond the financial contributions, what I noticed was the great energy and community feel. It’s  that energy and community spirit  that  makes Rundle so special, and really no amount of money can buy that.

Celebration of Learning

I was sitting in my office at our Jr. Sr. High campus when I heard ​a shout ​from the Great Hall - "I just got a 94 in ​Bio!" After this rally cry came a resounding applause from all who could hear it!

On a second occasion early this month, I was invited to join the students, staff, and parents at the Primary campus for their Celebration of Learning meetings. My heart was filled ​when I saw the students proudly showing their parents all their accomplishments. One young man even offered me a picture he had drawn. 

Both of these elements are great examples of our community fulfilling our mission and "Celebrating with them when they do."

Field Tripping - Grade 5's to the Academy

In early October I was able to accompany an entire class of Grade 5 Rundle College students to Rundle Academy.  We spent an afternoon eating cookies, sipping juice and learning about learning (or metacognition as the Grade 5's came to know it). An absolute highlight of the trip was our Academy Ambassadors. They did a fantastic job of personifying self advocacy and helping others understand what it means to 'take the "dis"​ out of learning disability.'

Heads Up - Experience Rundle

Happy... more than a ​Pharrel Song. This video was sent to me by a board member last month and I thought it was worth sharing with our whole community. As stated in last month's Heads Up - we only learn from people we connect with. In my experience, we also learn best when we are free from too much negative stress and feel empowered to be happy. This TED talk provides some great strategies to bring that happiness to our lives. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Kind(er) than i​s necessary. On a related note, earlier this month we were all inspired by an Airdrie girl who truly demonstrated what it means to be 'Kinder than is necessary.'  For those of you who missed it, have a look at this article. I know this motivated me to 'pay it forward' and I hope it does the same thing for you as well. More than anything, I really appreciate the idea that there are many ways to deal with adversity, and to conquer it with kindness is never a bad idea!  Who knew the power those little sticky Post-it notes had!

Even closer to home is this article about two amazing Rundle Alumni who have started a project ​called 'A Sandwich for a Story.' If you read nothing else in this update - take a moment to read about Evan Beck ‘12 and Sam Sawchuk ’12 and the inspirational work they have undertaken!

Lastly on the Kindness theme - World Kindness Day is November 13th. On this day, I challenge our community to find a way to make someone else's day brighter!

Making it Stick

Speaking of sticking...years ago I read a book by Chip and Dan Heath titled, 'Made to Stick.'  I was inspired by the author's divergent insights on how to help create memories that last a lifetime. On a similar note, last month I stumbled upon this article on effective study strategies for students. This is a helpful read for all those parents and educators that are working on making any idea 'stick.' 

Have a wonderful November.

My best,

Jason Rogers

Headmaster, Rundle College Society
"Attention to Excellence"