Dr. Martha Cohen School opened its doors on March 13, 2017 to serve the communities of New Brighton and Copperfield.
We are the Chimeras - Our mantra is Community Empowered Greatness. We believe that all children can learn and that it is our role to find ways to ensure their success.
It is the nature of (people) man to rise to greatness, if greatness is expected of (them) him.
- John Steinbeck
We believe education is a shared responsibility and that home and school must work together in order for children to be successful. Our commitment is to our students and their families. We we will always try to do our best when it comes to the development of your children.
About Chimeras
When we began looking for a name and colours from our students and their families, we were hopeful for something unique.
We definitely have a unique and powerful name, and once you know what a Chimera is, you will understand our fascination with it!
The Chimera (/kᵻˈmɪərə/ or /kaɪˈmɪərə/, also Chimaera (Chimæra); Greek: Χίμαιρα, Chímaira) was, according to Greek mythology, a monstrous fire-breathing hybrid creature of Lycia in Asia Minor, composed of the parts of more than one animal. It is usually depicted as a lion, with the head of a goat arising from its back, and a tail that might end with a snake's head.[1] It was one of the offspring of Typhon and Echidna and a sibling of such monsters as Cerberus and the Lernaean Hydra.
The term chimera has come to describe any mythical or fictional animal with parts taken from various animals, or to describe anything composed of very disparate parts, or perceived as wildly imaginative, implausible or dazzling.
Who Was Dr. Martha Cohen?
Dr. Martha Cohen (b. 1920 – d. 2015) was born and educated in Calgary, Alberta. She was a graduate of the CBE, received a B.Ed. from the University of Alberta and a diploma in Social Work from the University of Toronto. She was a community builder and philanthropist, considered to be one of Calgary’s most prominent citizens and a woman who played a major part in transforming Calgary into a vibrant metropolitan centre. She served as Chair of Mount Royal College, Vice-Chair of Old Sun College in Gleichen, was a driving force for the Calgary Centre for Performing Arts, and she started Jewish Family Services. She was the recipient of many recognitions and awards, including the Order of Canada in 1975, the Alberta Order of Excellence, an honorary doctorate from the University of Calgary, and the CBE Distinguished Alumni Award in 2006. The Harry & Martha Cohen Foundation is a private family foundation that provides grants primarily to Calgary-based charities.
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 | 2025-2026
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 Dr. Matha Cohen School Development Plan 2025 26
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.