FFCA Home

Click here to view our full Charter document. See below for a few excerpts.

Alberta Education's Final Report on the 12-year review of our 15-year Charter.

Revised draft charter: FFCA Charter 2024 - Board Approved for GOA Submission.pdf

The FFCA Learner (For Whom We Are Intended)

FFCA is a K-12 school with eight campuses, offering a wide variety of learning experiences for a culturally diverse population across the City of Calgary and surrounding areas. The culture of FFCA is a relational one involving collaboration, engagement and acceptance of diversity across the school community. In delivering the Alberta Programs of Study through the lens of our Direct Instruction Framework, our distinct approaches foster the personal development of every child. FFCA's innovative approaches to teaching and learning allow our students to evolve from supported learners to independent thinkers who have internalized a deep understanding of character and leadership. FFCA‟s programs provide a positive effective learning experience for students while responding to the broad range of learning needs through the provision of appropriate learning interventions. These interventions provide additional resources and support for those students who are experiencing difficulties and are implemented outside the development of individualized program plans. For a review of how FFCA attends to the distinct needs of their learners, see Appendix E. Parents and students who choose FFCA as their school do so primarily because they support the distinctive approaches to instruction, the ethic of care, and focus on excellence and parental involvement that permeate our school culture.

Vision of an FFCA Graduate

With intentional thought given to the design of the learning experience at FFCA, graduates will leave us with core knowledge competencies, skills and abilities that are both essential and timeless. As creators of knowledge, students will have achieved the ability to think critically, care deeply and act ethically so that they can contribute to creating a world that cares and nurtures the diversity of cultures, celebrates personal contributions, and inspires others to reach their true potential. Proficient in their technological communications, FFCA leaders will be able to work independently or interdependently in a globalized society where partnerships and relationships strengthen the capacity to solve problems in collaborative ways. Possessing the attributes of lifelong learners, graduates will be reflective and self-aware as they continue to evolve as successful individuals guided by moral purpose. 

The FFCA Learning Experience

Directed by distinctive approaches to teaching and learning within a safe and caring culture, this charter school is committed to providing a successful learning experience that values the contributions of all partners. FFCA is a supportive learning community that cares about students‟ learning needs and their unique talents, and has a strong desire to see each student achieve personal excellence.

FFCA fosters strong, positive, respectful partnerships among students, staff, parents and community. These relationships are characterized by trust, integrity, openness and collaboration; and exist to support learning for all stakeholders. FFCA encourages leadership among all stakeholders through shared decision-making.

FFCA strives for excellence in:

• academic development and independent learning

• personal and character development

• the development of outstanding staff

We create a caring and optimal learning environment for students by:

• setting clearly-defined learning standards

• building students' belief in their ability to learn

• developing confidence through competence

• fostering positive thinking and providing encouragement

• optimizing learning time and student engagement

• tailoring class size and composition to reflect the learning needs of students

FFCA is "one school" on multiple campuses. We are coherent in our vision and unified in our practices, including the following:

• a common approach to instruction and classroom management

• common core character virtues K-12 (respect, responsibility, integrity, self-discipline and compassion)

• cross-campus grade level and subject area collaboration

• formal orientation, coaching and mentoring for teachers

• use of subject specialists (e.g. Art, PE, Music)

• parental commitment to a high level of involvement

• wearing of student uniforms

FFCA is purposeful and strategic in the selection and utilization of teaching methods and resources, including the following:

• Direct Instruction (explicit learning targets, continuous formative assessment, and sequential mastery learning)

• inquiry and cooperative learning

• the infusion of creative and critical thinking

• early literacy development (explicit phonics)

• integration of instructional technologies

• homework that promotes the attainment of student learning target