Language learning | German » Welcome to the Calgary German Language School Society

Source: http://www.doksinet WILLKOMMEN! WELCOME! to the Calgary German Language School Society http://www.germanlanguageschoolcalgarycom info@germanlanguageschoolcalgary.com 3940 - 73 Street NW, Calgary, AB T3B 2L9 Parent/Guardian Handbook Source: http://www.doksinet Table of Contents Message from the Principal About our School - beginnings, what we offer, financial contributors, School Board, Parent Committee, new programs General Info & Policies - registration, refunds/withdrawing, volunteer cheques, police checks, volunteering, class times, parking, pick up and drop off, absences and lates, parent teacher interviews, report cards, seasonal/footwear, snack break, library use, newsletter Code of Conduct - expectations for parents/guardians and students Student Examinations - overview of exam levels with basic descriptions of language level abilities: A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2, DSD (Sprachdiplom) I & II Student Opportunities & Benefits - library use, choir, study

overseas, high school credits, field trips Celebrations & “Get Togethers” - school events, AGEC events Useful Web Links & Resources - list of website addresses & email addresses * Please see our website for the current School Calendar, Registration Forms (including Media Release and FOIP Release), and copy of our School’s Society Bylaws.* Source: http://www.doksinet Message from the Principal Dear Students, Parents and Guardians of the Calgary German Language School Society, Welcome to our new students and welcome back to another exciting year of German language and culture learning! Our school will continue to run out of the CBE school building at Bowcroft School. Please find useful information about our school in this Handbook. A special THANK YOU to Christine Henke for donating all her time to write this Handbook. My name is Frank Moeller. I am the principal of this wonderful school. The best way to contact me is by email at moellerfr2@gmail.com I will

endeavour to get back to you as soon as possible. Our school staff and volunteers are looking forward to working together in what is hopefully a year of growth and wonderful learning experiences. To ensure students’ learning success, we are continuing our work on creating a respectful, safe, collaborative, and caring school environment that welcomes all students, staff, and parents or guardians. We will need everyone’s help to provide this preferred environment. Source: http://www.doksinet Besides our Preschool, K-12, and adult programs we will now offer a children’s choir. Registration for the choir is required Please find more information about the choir in the newsletter. We look forward to working together with all of you. Again, welcome to our school, Frank Moeller Principal Calgary German Language School Society Source: http://www.doksinet About Our School The Calgary German Language School Society, formerly known as the Language School of the German Canadian Club

Calgary, was founded in 1956 in Calgary through the efforts of the German Canadian Club Calgary. We‘ve had some different locations over time, and have now been operating out of Bowcroft Elementary School for a number of years. The school is registered with SAHLA and Alberta Education as a private Heritage Language School. We offer German language education to students of all ages (3+) and ability levels, and welcome adult learners as well! The classes for adults and Grade 7 to 12 youth are held on Tuesday nights, while the Preschool and Kindergarten to Grade 6 students attend on Saturday mornings. Through our school students can earn high school credits and prepare for the Language Diploma I & II (Sprachdiplom), as well as take the General German Language Certificate examinations (Zentrale Deutschpruefung). The school is registered in Alberta as a not for profit Society that is managed by a volunteer Board of Directors. Parent involvement and support is vital to the School’s

direction and success, as it is parents who fill most of the positions on our Board. Financial support is received from organizations such as AGEC (Association for German Education in Calgary), SAHLA (Southern Alberta Heritage Language Association), GCAA (German Canadian Association of Alberta), as well as the German Government by way of grants. Additionally, our Parent Committee may organize fundraising opportunities to support initiatives like special events and social activities (see Celebrations and Get Togethers), as well as student enrichment (ie: special art projects). Source: http://www.doksinet About Our School (cont.) The School Board holds two General Meetings (AGMs) per school year, typically one in October and one in May. Parents are encouraged to come to these meetings to participate in discussions about the school’s direction, to hear financial updates and budget forecasts, to be involved in planning, and to assist with volunteering. The Parent Committee holds

meetings at least twice a year (as needed) to facilitate planning for events and other undertakings such as the Fall Welcome, Christmas Concert, Spring Celebration, and Year End Celebration. Notices of meetings are communicated to families via email Our school is constantly growing and we are excited to be adding additional programs! New for 2017/2018 we are offering registration for a choir group (Deutscher Kinderchor) that will meet on Saturdays from 12:15 pm to 1:15 pm. There is an additional cost for this and info can be obtained by emailing: programs@germanlanguageschoolcalgary.com We are looking into the possibility of offering after-kindergarten care at Bowcroft School for 5 years olds, from the hours of 11:30 am to 3:30 pm. We will post an update when we have more information, but do appreciate feedback in the meantime if you or someone you know would be interested in this type of program. Source: http://www.doksinet General Info & Policies Registration: This can be done

in person at a designated registration event, or online through the school’s website. Registration is ongoing throughout the year A registration table will be set up on the first day of school while preregistration occurs in May for the following school year. Forms to be filled out: Registration form, Media Release, FOIP Release Payments to be made: Tuition fees, Volunteer Cheque Please have available: Child’s Alberta Student ID number Refunds / Withdrawing from Classes: Policy as outlined in the School’s Society Bylaws: Child Student Within 30 days of start date Refunded in full 30 to 60 days from start date 50% Refund Over 60 days from start date No Refund Adult Student Within 3 classes including first class Full Refund After third class - No Refund In all cases the registration fee is non-refundable. Admissions that occur after December of the school year will have their tuition pro-rated, and the same refund rules will apply as stated above. Volunteer Cheques: At time

of registration a separate volunteer cheque must be submitted, post dated for June 1st of the following year. In the event that the volunteer commitment is not completed during the school year, the volunteer cheque will be cashed. The amount required for the volunteer cheque will be listed on your Registration Form. Source: http://www.doksinet General Info & Policies (cont.) Police Checks/Volunteering in the Classroom: A current and valid Police check must be submitted in order to volunteer in the classroom. These are the same type of Police checks that are required by CBE schools for all parents wishing to volunteer in their child’s full time school for classroom activities or field trips. Volunteering - General: Volunteer opportunities will be communicated throughout the school year from the School Board and the Parent Committee. Some examples of past volunteer duties have included: taking on a Board or Parent Committee position, snack duty coverage, assisting at AGEC

functions, being involved in the planning and execution of special functions and events, and volunteering in the classroom (by teachers’ request only). Class Times: Preschool (must be potty trained) - Saturdays 9:15 am to 12:00 pm Kindergarten to Grade 6 - Saturdays 9:15 am to 12:15 pm Grade 7 to 12 - Tuesday nights 6:15 pm to 9:00 pm Adult Classes - Tuesday nights 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm Parking: In the Bowcroft School parking lot. Some street parking is available. Please respect all traffic laws and local signage Pick up and Drop off: Doors to the school are locked while classes are in session, but will remain accessible from outside for 15 minutes after classes start, and are unlocked again 15 minutes before classes finish. Please be on time to drop off and pick up your children. Source: http://www.doksinet General Info & Policies (cont.) Absences and Lates: Please notify your child’s teacher of any projected absences in advance. If your student is ill and will not be

attending class you may send an email to the general email for the school: info@germanlanguageschoolcalgary.com or preferably to your classroom teacher directly. If you are arriving late, the doors to the school may be locked. Please use the buzzer outside to have someone come and open the door for you. Parent Teacher Interviews / Report Cards: Scheduled parent/teacher interviews occur once a year, usually in April. Notice of this and a sign up schedule will be communicated to parents through the classroom teacher. Report cards are distributed twice a year for most grades. Any parent/guardian needing to speak to their child’s teacher outside of the scheduled interviews should coordinate this through their teacher. Seasonal and Footwear: Students should always have indoor shoes, preferably runners, for in class and use of the gymnasium. This is also important in case emergency procedures need to be followed! Outdoor shoes should be left downstairs when there is inclement weather.

Accompanying family members are also asked to remove dirty or wet/muddy footwear at the downstairs entrance upon arriving at the school. Recess is held outdoors when weather and temperature allows. Children should come prepared to potentially spend time outdoors regardless of season. Source: http://www.doksinet General Info & Policies (cont.) Snack Break: Snacks are available for purchase during break time on Tuesday nights and Saturday mornings. Typically there are juices, water, granola bars, chips, and some other variety available, costing between 50 cents and one dollar each. This is a cash system so please have change available Saturday students generally have German style baked pretzels available to them for purchase as well. You are more than welcome to bring your own snacks for break, but please keep in consideration potential allergens when choosing food items or sending snacks for special classroom activities. “Snack Duty” sign up will be sent out at the beginning

of the school year. It is a great volunteer opportunity, and coverage for this duty on Saturdays from 10:30 am to 11:00 am is needed throughout the school year. Library Use: A library of German books is available upstairs in Room 10, free of charge for members, students and their families to sign out. There is a wide variety of books available (reference, children’s, comics, novels) covering many age groups and reading levels. The books need to be signed out in a register and returned on time. We are currently working on a project to computerize this system and streamline the borrowing and returning process. Note that there will be a charge for unreturned books at the end of the year. Newsletter: Production and distribution of a new school newsletter will be facilitated for the 2017/2018 school year. Communication will be sent to families to advise when the newsletter is available and where it can be found. Source: http://www.doksinet Code of Conduct The Calgary German Language

School Society is registered in the Province of Alberta as a private Heritage Language School, therefore the Alberta Education principles are followed with regards to the School Act and Education Act. Below are highlights of our expectations for parents/guardians and students. Parent/Guardian Responsibilities: To act as a partner in education and take an active role in their child’s educational success. To ensure that their conduct contributes to a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environment. To cooperate and collaborate with school staff to support the delivery of specialized supports and services to the student. To encourage, foster and advance collaborative, positive and respectful relationships with teachers, principals and other school staff, and to positively engage in the child’s school community. Student Responsibilities: To attend school regularly and punctually, complete assigned homework, and be ready to learn and engage in their education. To ensure that

their conduct contributes to a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environment, respecting the diversity and rights of others in the school. To comply with the rules and policies of the school and be accountable for their conduct. To positively contribute to their school community. Source: http://www.doksinet Student Examinations Students are challenged with Language Level Examinations throughout their enrolment in the school. Since we teach students of all German language ability, these examinations may occur at different grades or ages for some students than for others. Examinations cover four different categories of language ability: Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening Exams are administered in spring - usually starting in March and completed before the end of April. The teachers will allow practice tests for certain levels in order to prepare the students for the actual exams. Results are typically not known until the fall after they have been processed by the

overseeing authority in Germany, so certificates are sometimes awarded to the students at the annual Christmas Concert in December. If results are known sooner the certificates may be awarded in time for the end of the school year. Below are basic descriptions of the language ability requirements for the various certificate level examinations. Grade estimations are approximate A1 - “Breakthrough” level: Grade 2/3/4 - can be attempted multiple times. Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases. Can introduce him/herself and others and can ask and answer questions about personal details. Can interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help. A2 - “Waystage" level: Grade 5/6/7 - can be attempted multiple times. Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance. Can communicate simple and routine tasks requiring a direct exchange of information

on familiar and routine matters. Can describe in simple terms personal aspects and matters of immediate need. Source: http://www.doksinet Student Examinations (cont.) B1 - “Vantage” level: Grade 8/9 Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. Can deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken, as well as produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of their personal interest. B2 - “Threshold” level: Grade 10 Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialization. Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity and produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects. C1 - “Operational Proficiency” level: Grade 11 Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognize implicit meaning. Can express

him/herself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. Can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic, and professional purposes. C2 - “Mastery” level: Can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read. Can summarize information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation. Can express him/herself spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer meanings even in the most complex situations. Source: http://www.doksinet Student Examinations (cont.) Sprachdiplom 1 (DSD – I) corresponds to Level B1 of the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) Provides proof of German language proficiency required for admission to preparatory courses at “Studienkollegien” in Germany Provides advantages when applying to study in Germany. Sprachdiplom 2 (DSD – II) corresponds to Levels B2 and C1 of the CEFR (Common European Framework of

Reference for Languages) Provides proof of German language proficiency required for admission to institutions of higher education in Germany. A pdf with general info on all levels can be found using the following link: http://www.bvabundde/SharedDocs/Downloads/EN/ZfA/zfa flyer dsdpdf? blob=publicationFile&v=4 For detailed information on what language ability is described by each level please see the in-depth chart located at this web address: http://www.linguadiversacouk/id36htm Source: http://www.doksinet Student Opportunities & Benefits Library Use - The school has a library of German books for all ages that can be signed out and returned on the days that the students have class. Parents/guardians may also utilize this library for their family if they wish during the school year. Note that there will be a charge for unreturned books at the end of the year. Choir - Students can sign up for a choir group that will meet and practice regularly on Saturdays as well as

perform at a variety of venues. (Please note there are additional costs associated with this activity.) Study Overseas - Upon completion of internationally recognized higher level examinations students may be eligible to further their studies in German speaking countries within the EU. The Sprachdiplom is recognized in German speaking countries for entry into college or university. Highschool Credits - German classes qualify towards Alberta high school credits in German 10, 20, and 30. (minimum attendance hours required) Students can gain 3 credits per year for three years. Field Trips - On occasion the school may plan field trips for the K - 6 students that involve parent/guardian participation. There may be student trips to German speaking countries planned for the future. Scholarship - Future plans involve the school establishing a scholarship fund or bursary for students who have achieved high academic success in their German language examinations. Source: http://www.doksinet

Celebrations &“Get Togethers” We have many opportunities for parents/guardians, teachers, and students to get together and celebrate throughout the year: - A “meet and greet” for the parents/guardians is held soon after the start of a new school year, usually around the end of September. - The Christmas concert and potluck luncheon is held in December. - The spring celebration or “Easterfest” is generally planned for sometime in April. - The year end barbecue in June is for all school families to enjoy and wind up the school year with great food and fun activities! Anyone wanting to get more involved in planning current or new activities is encouraged to join our Parent Committee! The school also encourages and supports participation in events that are hosted by AGEC, such as: - Oktoberfest celebration (end of September) St. Martin Parade (November) German movie screenings (monthly) Buecherklatsch (twice a year) Fasching/Karneval celebration (February) Source:

http://www.doksinet Useful Links & Resources Calgary German Language School Society http://www.germanlanguageschoolcalgarycom/indexhtml https://www.facebookcom/LanguageSchoolOfTheGCC?ref=hl email: info@germanlanguageschoolcalgary.com CGLSS Choir: programs@germanlanguageschoolcalgary.com AGEC - Association for German Education Calgary: http://www.germaneducationcalgaryca SAHLA - Southern Alberta Heritage Language Association: http://sahla.ca GCAA - German Canadian Association of Alberta: http://www.gcaaca Source: http://www.doksinet Useful Links & Resources (cont.) German Canadian Club of Calgary: https://www.facebookcom/CalgaryGermans/ The Austrian-Canadian Society and Cultural Centre Calgary: http://www.austrianclubca Swiss Cultural Society (Swiss Club of Calgary) http://www.swissclubscalgarycom Goethe Institute: https://www.goethede/ins/ca/en/indexhtml Common European Framework Reference for Languages: http://www.linguadiversacouk/id36htm Bundesverwaltungsamt: (info on

exams, studying overseas) http://www.bvabundde/DE/Organisation/Abteilungen/Abteilung ZfA/ Auslandsschularbeit/DSD/Vergleichsarbeiten/node.html