Bishop Carroll High School is a Canadian Catholic high school that is part of the Calgary Catholic School District in Alberta. The school is named after Francis Patrick Carroll, the Bishop of Calgary from 1935 to 1966. The school welcomes students who are not Catholic but all pupils are expected to complete religious studies courses.
Bishop Carroll's athletic teams are nicknamed the Cardinals.
Curriculum
The school offers a unique program that allows students to work at their own pace in an individual environment. This self-directed learning is part of the constructivist model of student-centered learning advocated by member schools of the Canadian Coalition of Self-Directed Learning.[3]
The school is a member of the Action for Bright Children Society.[4]
History
Opened in 1971, Bishop Carroll High School was the first school in Canada to offer a program based on the CCSDL fundamental practices of personalized programming, flexible scheduling, continuous progress, mastery learning and a Teacher Advisory Program.[5] In 2011, Mount Royal University signed a Memorandum of Agreement with Bishop Carroll High School to build on a history of cooperation between the two institutions in order to enhance a working relationship that will increase educational opportunities for students.[6] The MOU allows discussions to commence between the parties to offer specific courses at the high school (dual credit courses). Bishop Carroll High School students beginning in 2013 got a head start on their University studies with the successful completion of Critical Reading and Writing, a university-level credit course offered jointly by Mount Royal University and Bishop Carroll High School. This course was the first of its kind, and is part of a plan of continuing cooperation between the University and Bishop Carroll High School in many disciplines. In 2015, this MRU-BCHS course became dual credit.[citation needed]
Student Services Department
Three full-time counsellors offer a Comprehensive School Counselling program, which meet the needs of student in three basic domains: academic development, career development, and personal/social development.[7] In 2014, Mount Royal University and partner school Bishop Carroll joined together to raise awareness about, and change the culture of, bullying. Who's Frank? is an initiative determined to change hearts and minds through the power of stories and inspire action against bullying.[8]
Fine arts and performing arts
Music department
The Bishop Carroll Music Society (BCMS) is an independently-run organization directed by parent volunteers and faculty from the department of music at the school; it funds, promotes, and supports the music program and all its members.[9] The music program consists of a Concert Choir, a Treble Choir & Auditioned Chamber Choir, Vocal Jazz Ensemble, Sassy Jazz Ensemble, four string orchestras (Beginner Strings, Intermezzo Strings, Cantabile Strings, and Virtuosi Strings), a Concert Band, Auditioned Touring Band, Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band, 1:00 Jazz band and 2:00 Jazz Bands and in 2014 added a Symphony Orchestra. This is the only high school in Calgary with an Orchestra. In December 2017, the Virtuosi Strings were invited to perform at The Midwest Clinic, an International Band and Orchestra Conference in Chicago, IL.[10]
Bishop Carroll was locked down for approximately 4 hours on December 12, 2008. No threat was found and students were released.[12][13]
2016 Lockdown
Bishop Carroll was locked down for approximately 2 hours on September 20, 2016. Once again, Police "found nothing out of the ordinary".[14] Certain sources claim that a "bomb threat"[14] was made to the school, while others say that the threat was "unspecified".[15] A very similar lockdown happened at Bishop Grandin at the same time, but "Police say the calls to the schools were unrelated".[15] No one was harmed, and all students were released.
John Kucera - Currently on the Canadian National Ski Team. Member of the 2006 Canadian Olympic Team. 2005/2006 National Super G Champion. 2005 National Downhill Champion. 2006 National GS Champion[23]
Alison Redford - Premier of Alberta and leader of Progressive Conservative Party of Alberta from 2011 to 2014.
Chris Renaud - Medal winning swimmer in the 1994 and 1998 Commonwealth Games. He also competed in the 2000 Olympics and has won multiple Canadian championships.[27]
Hayley Wickenheiser - Olympic gold medalist with the Canadian Women's National Hockey Team at the 2002, 2006 and 2010 Winter games.[31][32]
Ryan Yip - Professional Golf Player on the Canadian Tour. Played on Kent State Golf Team. Quarter-finalist in the 2005 U.S. Amateur.[33] Semi-finalist in the 2006 U.S. Amateur[34]
