Our School

A. E. Cross – The School

You are part of a vibrant and exciting school community that provides opportunities for approximately 500 students in Grades 7, 8 and 9. Our school offers Regular, Spanish Bilingual and the Paced Learning Program (PLP). As a student at AEC, you will be part of a safe and caring community whose teachers are there to support and encourage you.

You will have many different teachers during your junior high experience. We have 26 very knowledgeable and experienced teachers, as well as numerous support staff working hard to support you! All our staff work extremely hard at providing a balanced program encouraging you to explore and grow. Your teachers believe that the school exists for you, the students of our community; this is your school. We hope to generate a feeling of pride and ownership in our students and parent community. We want students to enjoy coming to school and to appreciate learning.

Get involved and enjoy the many activities that are available to you!

Alfred Ernest Cross

Alfred Ernest Cross was born in Montreal in 1861 and was educated in England. He moved to Calgary in 1884 to fulfil his dream of becoming a rancher. After working on other ranches for a time, he was able to purchase his own land and herd of cattle. The A7 ranch was born.

A. E. Cross helped to organize the first agricultural fair in Calgary in 1887. While recovering from a bronco-busting injury, he moved to Calgary. In 1896, he helped to form the Western Stock Growers' Association to deal with the common problems faced by cattlemen. Then in 1899, Cross married Helen Rothney Macleod, the daughter of Colonel James Macleod of the N.W.M.P. The next year he was elected to the Legislative Assembly.

Alfred Ernest Cross is one of the "Big Four" who, in 1912, financed the first Calgary Stampede! Alfred Ernest Cross died in Montreal in 1932. We are proud to be associated with this quiet man who always kept his word. He maintained that "a man should be judged by the results of his labor, not the noise he makes while going about them."

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​​​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 TRC Commitment to Action. On June 21, we renewed our commitment, which can be found under Resources.​​

Acknowledging the Land

We would like to acknowledge the traditional territories and oral practices of the Blackfoot Nations, which includes the Siksika, the Piikani and the Kainai. We also acknowledge the Tsuut’ina and Stoney Nakoda First Nations, the Métis Nation, and all people who make their homes in the Treaty 7 region of Southern Alberta.​​

​​​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.​​​

​​​​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​.
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