Calgary private schools dominate rankings
Posted Mar 13, 2011 7:56 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The annual rankings of Alberta elementary schools by the Fraser Institute continue to be the domain of private schools.
Three Calgary academies share the first-place rating in the province: Webber Academy, Sunalta School and Clearwater Academy. With Master’s Academy ranked 5th in the province, Calgary schools dominate four of the top five spots in the rankings.
The Calgary French and International School finished 8th in the Fraser Institute survey, giving Calgary schools five of the top 10 spots.
Strathcona-Tweedsmuir of Okotoks was Number 12.
According to the Calgary Herald, Calgary’s Catholic schools generally score better than public schools. And, Calgary schools tend to get higher ratings than their counterparts in Edmonton.
An $80-thousand fund-raising effort over two years by parents of Calgary’s Ecole St. Pius X apparently helped to improve that school’s ranking.
The money was put towards smart boards, giant, touch-sensitive computer screens that have rendered chalkboards obsolete and even whiteboards relics.
The smart boards appeal to a generation raised on video games and computer technology.
In the words of 8 year old McAuley Stuce: “I like using the smart board because it’s fun to use and pretty cool.”
Ecole St. Pius has jumped in the Fraser Institute rankings from 102nd place to 23rd provincially.
