Our Lady of the Rockies High School
| Bishop Grandin High School | |
|---|---|
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| Location | |
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Calgary , Alberta Canada | |
| Information | |
| School type | Catholic High School |
| Founded | 1965 |
| School board | Calgary Catholic School District |
| Grades | 10, 11, 12 |
| Language | English, French |
| Colour(s) | Red and White |
| Team name | Grandin Ghosts |
Bishop Grandin High School is operated by the Calgary Catholic School District. It is a composite high school and one of the largest in Calgary, serving just over 1800 students in the communities of south Calgary, Alberta. It is located at 111 Haddon Road SW Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2V 2Y2.
The program offerings include all of the academic disciplines, an Advanced Placement (A.P.) program, extensive art, drama, choir and music programs including an elite marching band, an Extended French program, an Integrated Occupation program, a Registered Apprentice program, International Languages, an Active Life Skills physical education program, and an extensive Career and Technology Studies program. Bishop Grandin is also noted for competitive sports teams.
Academics
General Academics Bishop Grandin offers a variety of choices in academics with strong English, Sciences, Social Studies and Mathematics departments. Diploma examination results are among the highest in the Calgary Catholic School District and the City of Calgary and rank above the provincial average.[1] Bishop Grandin also features extensive Physical Education, Fine Arts and Languages departments.
Advanced Placement The Advanced Placement Program (AP) is a co-operative educational endeavour between secondary schools and colleges and universities. AP courses allow high school students to experience University level academic learning in addition to the Alberta Education curriculum.[2] Bishop Grandin offers AP courses in the Social Studies, Science, English, Mathematics, Extended French, and Fine Arts departments.
The school is a member of the Action for Bright Children Society.[3]
Performing Arts
Marching Ghosts
The Bishop Grandin Marching Ghosts is the only Elite High School marching show band in Calgary and all of western Canada. Beginning with humble origins, the program has grown significantly since it was founded in 1986 by Elmer Riegel. The marching ghosts now support a band size of over 100 musicians. The Marching Ghosts perform all over the world and are internationally recognized. Some of the places they have performed include, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, USA, and all over Canada. The Marching Ghosts won their first Showbands Live title in 2010 with their "Nightfall" show and recently they've gotten their second Showbands Live title in 2014 with their "Ocean" show. The Marching Ghosts have also won the title of "Best Senior Band" in the 2007, 2009 and 2010 annual Stampede parade; They've also won "Best Canadian Band" and "Best overall Band" in the years of 2007 and 2009. The Marching Ghosts are committed to making every student realize his/her full potential.
Bishop Grandin Choir
The Bishop Grandin Choir, directed by Melissa Townley-Smith, performs all across Canada and throughout the United States. At the Heritage Festival in New York City on April 27, 2013 the Junior, Senior, and Ensemble choir received top honors and gold awards while competing against some of the best choir groups on the continent. Students wishing to enroll in Bishop Grandin's elite choir must register in Choral Music.
Drama
The Bishop Grandin Drama program, directed by Cynthia Stratulat, hosts two major performances every year that draw a large audiences. The program provides an opportunity for students to develop performances skills that they will use for the rest of their lives. Students interested in the Drama program should enroll in Drama 10, 20, or 30 and audition for the semi-annual plays.
Extracurricular Activities
Best Buddies
Best Buddies is a national charitable organization that focuses on student friendships with people with intellectual disabilities. Those participating in the program feel it is important to give students with intellectual disabilities the chance to participate in friendship experiences. Students with disabilities often miss out on activities regular people take for granted. Those who become a part of the program often find that they develop strong and lasting friendships with the students that they help. This program is an overall rewarding experience and is an integral component of the Bishop Grandin's Christian message.
Speech and Debate
Speech and Debate at Bishop Grandin provide students an opportunity to develop and enhance their oratory abilities as well as their argumentation structure. The speech club, run by Linda Macgillivray, meets during lunch hour and after school for practice and competes against other schools in Calgary. There are many speech categories in which students can participate. The categories include original oratory, impromptu, monologue, duet acting, poetry, and prose. The highlights of the competition season are the regionals and provincial championships that occur in March. The debate team meets during lunch much like the speech team. The debate team is run by Frederick Audet. Similar to speech the culmination of the debate program occurs during the regional and provincial competitions in March.
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Biology AP at Bamfield -
Marching Ghosts -
Show Choir
See also
- Vital-Justin Grandin - Story of Bishop Grandin