Patrick Airlie School is located in the southeast community of Forest Lawn. Currently, students from Patrick Airlie School move on to Ernest Morrow School for Grades 7 to 9 and then to Forest Lawn High School.

The school was built in 1957 and is situated on 2.8696 acres. The school is a two-storey structure. There are 10 classrooms as well as a full library computer lab, gymnasium, staff room, and an office area. The stage area off the gym has been converted to a conference room and workroom area. There is a creative playground area, designated areas for soccer, baseball, basketball, as well as paved compound areas for such activities as skipping, hopscotch, and four square. A bright new mural by Calgary artist Dean Stanton located on the school's south wall is a beacon for the community.

Who Was Patrick Airlie?

The school was named after Patrick Airlie. He was born in Longford, Ireland, in 1889 and came to the Albert Park district in 1911. Mr. Airlie, with others, was instrumental in organizing the first community association and the first library in the Forest Lawn district. He served on the Bow River School District Board for 37 years and was chairman of that board for many years. Patrick Airlie School was built on the old site of the Bow River School and was named to honor the many years Mr. Airlie devoted to education in the district. The Airlie family continues to be involved in the school to this day.

School Mission

To develop and empower responsible lifelong learning through encounters that sponsor deep and meaningful learning in a child-centered, supportive school community.

School Philosophy

• Meaningful experiences. Patrick Airlie is a community of learners where parents, teachers and students are given opportunities for authentic experiences which will invite them to a life world beyond the classroom walls. With students always the forefront of our work, learners will be given opportunities to practice life skills that will enable them to creatively engage with the academic disciplines, build positive relationships with peers, teachers and new content material, assume responsibility and ownership for their actions; have respect for individual differences; and work with others in a meaningful way.
• Lifelong learners. Patrick Airlie is a cooperative community dedicated to fostering a sense of importance in each of our members. Our community will instill a desire for building knowledge through a commitment to programs that focus on self-motivation, individuality, and diversity. The learner will develop integrity by realizing their voice is an important one.
• Supportive community. The supportive community of Patrick Airlie School includes students, parents, teachers, and businesses bound together by common purpose, beliefs, and expectations. Our supportive community is committed to collegiality, cooperation, and collaboration as we prepare learners for global citizenship.
• Learner centered. In a learner-centered school, we recognize the importance of the parents and teachers working together with the students to address their personal interests and learning needs and to prepare them to make a contribution to society.
• Responsibility. At Patrick Airlie School, responsibility is seen as a shared endeavour amongst all stakeholders: the school staff, the students, the parents, and the greater community. It will be an environment where teachers who are informed and current in curriculum create opportunities in which parents and students can begin to accept increased leadership and responsibility for learning. Students will demonstrate increasing growth in self-discipline and become more responsible for their own learning. We will continue to encourage our parents and our community to accept ownership for having students ready to learn and provide authentic experiences for our learners.