Sir John Franklin School is the north campus for the Arts-Centred Learning (ACL) alternative program. It is located in the northeast community of Mayland Heights and and serves Grade 5-9 students in Northwest and Northeast Calgary. The school's enrollment includes students residing in many communities north of the Bow River. Charter busing is provided for candidates that have qualified for the program.
In addition to the ACL program Sir John Franklin School is home to CSSI, TASC, and LEAD system classes. We are a diverse school, seeking inclusion and connection within and between our programs wherever possible.
About the School
Sir John Franklin School was built in 1965 and is situated on 11.79 acres. Extensive renovations were completed during the 2006-07 school year and included new flooring, lighting and the refurbishment of the drama, dance and band rooms. Sir John Franklin School features:
- PC Computer Lab with 30 Workstations
- 4 class sets of laptops.
- Learning Commons
- Gym and Stage Area with Stage Lighting
- Art Lab with a Vented Kiln
- Dance Studio
- Construction Workshop
- Foods and Fashion Lab
- Cafeteria
- Drama room
Our Mascot – The Firebird
The Firebird is an independent and courageous mythical creature noted for helping others in need. The Firebird emerges from fire to assist other people and create a positive community. This mascot embodies the goals of academic excellence and constant participation. Using the creative processes of art, athletics, dance, drama and music, the Firebird also represents the virtues of courage, compassion, fairness, respect and responsibility. At Sir John Franklin students are expected to model the powerful qualities of the Firebird. Therefore, students should demonstrate a desire to work to the best of their ability and help build a positive community. Be the best you can be!
Who Was Sir John Franklin?
The school was named after John Franklin, a British naval officer and Arctic explorer. He was born in Spilsby, England on April 16, 1786. He led three expeditions in search of the North West Passage and was knighted in 1829 for his explorations of the Arctic Coast and MacKenzie River. Sir John Franklin's expedition in 1845 met with disaster. Evidence found in 1854 indicated that part of his expedition had perished, with the ships trapped in ice. Records proving Franklin's discovery of the North West Passage and establishing the date of his death were found in a cairn at Point Victory in 1859. In 1983, the University of Alberta found evidence that the remaining crew members had succumbed to scurvy and starvation.
Sir John Franklin School at a Glance
- The Arts-Centred Learning program is supported and enhanced by the Arts-Centred Learning Resource fee. This fee provides students the opportunity to view live-arts performances, participate in artist-in-residencies and supplies arts-based learning materials.
- Artists in Residence support student learning. Students have the opportunity to work with art, dance and drama-based residencies throughout the year.
- The complementary program includes band, photography, construction, dance, drama, drawing, fashion, foods, music, outdoor education, multimedia, painting, and sculpting. (subject to change).
- Extracurricular activities include athletic, dramatic, and cultural opportunities for all students. The athletics program is a full participant in the Calgary Junior High School Athletics. In an addition there is a school wide performance in the spring each year.
- The Teaching of Attitude, Social and Communication Skills (TASC) class provides educational programming for students in grades 7-12 who have been diagnosed with moderate to severe developmental disabilities. The Communication, Sensory and Social Interaction (CSSI) program is students who have moderate to severe cognitive disabilities and often engage in socially inappropriate behaviours. Most of the students in this program have been diagnosed within the autism spectrum.
Our School's Commitment to Truth and Reconciliation
We are committed to acknowledging and supporting the implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission 94 Calls to Action specific to education. Our school, along with all CBE schools, made a Truth and Reconciliation Commitment to Action, on June 21, we renewed our commitment.
View Our Truth and Reconciliation Commitment | 2024-2025
School Development Plan
Each year, our school prepares a development plan with input from teachers, school staff, students and parents. We review many sources of data, including report cards, provincial achievement test results and school surveys. Based on this information, we create our plan identifying targeted areas for growth. Our school development plan is not meant to represent all of the work that takes place in our school, but rather it focuses on specific areas for improvement.
View Our School Development Plan | 2024-2025
School Improvement Results Report
Our school also prepares a results plan, which looks at our previous school year. It shows our students’ achievement and progress in meeting the goals and outcomes as set out by the CBE and Alberta Education, outlines some of the highlights of our school development plan and gives an overview of our school. You can look on the CBE website for system-wide results.