Photos
See further information lower on this page about Photos.
Grade 10
Monday, August 28 from 8:45 a.m. - 3:15 p.m.
Grade 11 and 12
Tuesday, August 29 from 8:45 a.m. - 3:15 p.m.
August 31– September 9 Welcome Back
Before School Start - Forms, Photos, Yearbooks, Optional Tours and Computer Log In
Given we support over two thousand students, it is essential that students take advantage of these before-school orientation days. Students should enter the school from the back parking lot under the “Redhawk” awning. Parents are asked to please wait in the car.
Friday August 25: Main Gym |
Grade 10 students and grade 11 and 12 students that are new to Western |
Students are asked to please use their last name to determine their recommended drop-in appointment time: |
A – G: 9:00 – 11:00 AM |
H – O: 11:00 – 1:00 PM |
P – Z: 1:00 – 3:00 PM |
Optional School Tours
- Students Council and members of our Clubs will provide optional tours. Grade 11 and 12 students new to WCHS are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity.
School Wifi, Computer and Network Access for Students New to the CBE:
- As part of our Orientation days, students new to the CBE will validate their computer log-in credentials for WCHS. If your child attends a CBE school at the end of Grade 9, they will not need to complete this step. At this time, new CBE students will receive orientation for frequently used CBE applications (D2L, MyCBE etc).
Please note: students must log into a WCHS computer and validate their credentials before they are able to remotely access CBE applications, such as MyCBE from home.
The tours option will closed at noon on Monday August 21st if they are full. Interested students will be contacted by Mr. Fuhr. (If you missed signing up, our Grade 10s will have time to find classes on August 31st. Grade 11 and 12 students will have the option of engaging in independent tours on August 31st after their homeroom.)
If you are a student that is NEW to the CBE, and can't access your MyCBE account, please see Mr. Smith in Room 181 (located close to the Main Gym, up a ramp - internal signs will help to direct students) anytime from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm on Friday August 25. Students can attach two devices to the CBE Wifi. Most students attach their phones, but many also attach a laptop. Feel free to bring that along if you think you may be using it at school at any point during the year.
Yearbooks
Yearbooks are arriving this summer! Ms. Savoie, Mr. Ellis and Mr. Cale will be working with Leadership students to have a table set up for Grade 11, 12 and graduated students to pick up their pre-paid 2022-23 yearbooks from the Main Gym on August 25th. All fees must be paid in full to receive the yearbook please.
Forms
Students are asked to pre-fill out the following forms for drop off.
For your information:
- School District Use of Personal Information
- General Media Coverage notice
- Acceptable Use Policy for 2022-23
Please sign and return:
- Consent for CBE Use of Student Information - Online
- Consent for Use of Student Information by News Media and Outside Groups (Third Party)
- Acceptable Use Form for 2022-23
- Annual Authorization for Athletic Tryout: If your child plans on trying out for sports, they will provide one form per team (it is very challenging for our coaches to track one form for every sport your child would like to try out for; thank-you for your understanding)
Optional:
- Student Health Plan
- Student Health Emergency Response
Accessing Forms
We are pleased to announce that the Demographic Verification form (formerly called the Student Demographic Verification Form – SDVF), Citizenship Information Update, and Annual Authorization form are available for families to fill out in SchoolEngage for the start of the 2023-24 school year. The Annual Authorization form combines the following pdf/paper forms in SchoolEngage: School District Use of Personal Information; Consent for CBE Use of Student Information; Consent for Use of Student Information by News Media and Outside Groups (Third Party). If you are able to access your SchoolEngage account, you will not need to submit these twice.
For all other forms needed for drop-off from the above list, please see the link below:
https://cbe.ab.ca/registration/forms-you-need/Pages/default.aspx
Photos
Students must have their photo taken in order to obtain a student ID card which is needed to access various services in the school (Library access, to write a test in the Test Centre, identification for final exams, etc.). Students also get their photos taken for the yearbook free of charge. Students who wear a hat or a hoodie on their head will be asked to remove them; thank-you for your understanding and compliance.
Lifetouch: New Access for Online photos
Great news! There is a new way for families to access their photos online.
After much safety and security testing, Lifetouch is pleased to announce that it has developed a way for families to access their child’s photo online using their Student ID Number. Students will be sent home with a form on picture day with general information. Proofs are online only and ordered packages will be shipped directly to your home.
It’s just so easy! · Go to mylifetouch.ca
- Click on “Student ID”
- Enter in your school's city, province, and school name
- Then click the blue button “Continue”
- Enter in your child's full name, student CBE ID number and the relationship to student
- Then click on the blue button “Find Student”
- Once the image of your student comes up, you can click on the blue button “Yes this is my student”
- From here you can go onto order from one of our many photo package offerings
If you have any questions about this ordering process, please contact Lifetouch Customer Care Line on 1.866.457.8212
First Day of Classes
Our first day for students is Thursday August 31st . On the first day, we will have a staggered entry as follows:
| 8:45 – 2:00 PM: |
Grade 10 Welcome including a Hot Dog BBQ |
2:00 – 3:20 PM: |
Grade 11 and 12 Welcome |
Friday September 1: Grade 10, 11 and 12 students will follow their regular Friday schedule.
School Start & End Times
Our bell times are located at this link https://school.cbe.ab.ca/school/westerncanada/about-us/contact/pages/default.aspx?rf=d7135213-1eb9-4798-8a77-ad6067baa411
School Supplies
School supply lists are distributed by teachers during the first week of September. As a preliminary shopping list, we encourage students to purchase a binder that can help to support four classes a semester (8 classes for the school year), loose leaf paper, dividers, pens, and pencils.
School Calendar
View our School Calendar for upcoming events and dates. See the CBE website for system calendars.
How to Register
If you have just moved into Calgary, and live in area, please use this 'Registration Information'
Please visit our How to Register page for all registration details. Please note that the registration process is completed online, but schools can assist with any questions.
The process can take up to an hour. You will need proof of your child’s citizenship (birth certificate, passport), proof of residency, and a selfie with the parent showing proof of address.
Lockers
Students will be assigned lockers through their period 1 teacher in the week of September 5 – 8. Students do not have to sign out a locker if they do not intend to use one. Due to capacity issues, Grade 10s are typically assigned with 3 students to a locker while Grade 11 and 12s share a locker with another student.
Who Can Help Me?
On Friday June 30, the Main Office and Business Office will close and reopen on Thursday August 24th at 9:00 AM. During the summer months, the WCHS phone system will be checked periodically.
Please NOTE: Students will be able to see their timetables through the MyCBE app or MyCBE online on August 23. Students new to the CBE will not be able to see their timetables until they sign into a computer at WCHS on August 25.
Course Change Requests
Course Change Requests: Should you wish to request a change in your timetable a form link will be posted to the school website starting on Tuesday August 22nd. You will be able to request two changes to your timetable but no guarantee will be made that we can accommodate the requests.
- Priority for timetable changes in August and September will be for students:
- who attended and passed summer school courses
- who failed courses in June.
- with partial/incomplete timetables.
- with unbalanced core subjects between semesters:
- for example, students should not have Sports Performance and PE in the same semester
- students should not have Math, Science, ELA and Social Studies in one semester; ideally there are two/semester.
- Grade 12 students are expected to have at least 6 classes; grade 11s, 7 classes; and, grade 10s, 8 classes
Please Note:
- Universities do not require students to have specific courses in Semester 1.
- The last date to submit a Course Change Request is Friday September 8th.
- We WILL NOT BE MAKING timetable changes based on a student’s preference for a teacher.
Some electives (Robotics, Computer Science, Foods) have been oversubscribed. Students impacted will be contacted by their counselor. It is impossible for us to accommodate 100% of student requests for these choices due to facility constraints.
Note: only students with ‘See counselor” on their timetable will be seen the first week of school. If timetable changes are possible, they will be processed and reflected in your timetable in PowerSchool. If class sizes or conflicts do not permit a change, it will NOT be made. We will NOT be contacting you due to the volume of requests. We appreciate your understanding.
To facilitate the number of changes, counsellors will not be making any appointments until Monday September 12 when we will see students who want Online Courses with CBE Learn.
Students are free to sign up for online courses through Vista Virtual, or another online learning forum, on their own. However, Alberta Education does not allow a student to take a course at WCHS and an online course at the same time. Students will be flagged through the provincial monitoring system. Thank-you for your understanding.
The Nest Program
The transition from junior high to senior high can present many challenges, especially in a school as large and complex as Western Canada. The NEST program offers students additional supports in order to ease their move into such a busy high school setting with the intention of increasing the likelihood of academic success and, ultimately, high school graduation. Academic supports include, but are not necessarily limited to:
- Extra help
- Organization of binders, backpacks, etc.
- Tutorials on D2L, Power School, their CBE Google account, etc.
- Opportunities to get caught up on missed work or make up missed exams, quizzes, etc.
- Access to a scribe/reader for exams
Although NEST supports are primarily academic, students needing assistance with school supplies, snacks and/or lunches (including access to the Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids program) are encouraged to come to room 152. Additionally, the NEST room can accommodate students who need a safe space or familiar adult to connect with.
Jessie Meier will be introducing herself to your student in early September so that they are aware of the supports offered by the NEST program. Students, their teachers and their families are encouraged to connect with Ms. Meier (jlmeier@cbe.ab.ca) often in order to ensure success at Western Canada High School.
Student Parking
PARKING (Gr. 11 & 12 students only)
Parking & Drop-Off
Ensuring our students get to school safely is everyone’s responsibility. Please be mindful of crosswalks, parking rules and speed limits when you are near our school, especially during the morning drop-off and afternoon dismissal times. Parents should not be idling their cars in the fire lanes in the back student parking lots. Drop-off and pick-up should be on the side streets and not in our parking lot.
Student Parking
Student parking on school property is available on a very limited basis and at a first come first served basis (only available for grade 11 and 12 students). All student vehicles parked on school property MUST display a current Western Canada High School parking permit, available in mid September with a payment. Students must have paid all outstanding school fees and fill out the appropriate parking application form that will be available in the main office. The parking pass fee will be applied to the school fees in PowerSchool and can be paid in the business office with credit or debit card.
Students with a parking pass must park in the un-numbered stalls and have the pass displayed on the rear-view mirror.
Students are not permitted to park in any:
Staff parking lots (northeast, northwest, southwest – all gated)
Visitor or Handicapped parking stalls
Stalls in the compound lot adjacent to the parking ramp and bus cages in the southeast corner of the school.
Vehicles on school property are parked at the owner’s risk. The CBE and Western Canada High School assume no responsibility for the vehicles and/or their contents.
Students should also pay attention to parking restrictions posted on streets in the area. Many areas near the school are permit-only or limited time parking.
Parking violations by a current tag holders may result in cancellation of your tag and revoked parking privileges on-site. A refund will not be issued. Students who park on school property without a displayed permit or in a numbered stall will be ticketed and/or towed without notice.
Parking passes are issued by administration to students and are non-transferable. If you get a different vehicle, please update all the information with the Main Office.
The parking pass must be displayed on the rear-view mirror of your parked car. Students who park in the school parking lot without a visible parking pass are subject to ticketing from the Calgary Parking Authority. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure the parking pass is displayed in the car that is being driven. The school will not be intervening with Parking Authority if a ticket is issued.
Athletic Updates
More information on our Athletics page.
Annual Authorization for Athletic Tryout: If your hild plans on trying out for sports, they will provide one form per team (it is very challenging for our coaches to share and track one form among every sport your child would like to try out for; thank-you for your understanding)
Golf Organizational Meeting
Mandatory Golf information meeting will be August 31st at 12:00 pm in the AUX gym. Please email Ms. Smith if you have any questions over the summer at ajsmith@cbe.ab.ca.
Girls Soccer
All students interested in playing girls soccer for Western Canada need to attend the team tryouts. CSHSAA only supports Senior Girls Soccer and we are a division 1 school. Therefore, all students wanting to try out for the team will trying out for the Senior, Division 1 Girls Soccer team.
All athletes will need to have proper gym strip, shoes and shin pads as well as the completed ‘Annual Authorization for Athletic Tryout’ form to be eligible to participate. Tryout forms are available online or outside the science office, room 180. Please complete the form and bring it to the first practice Tuesday August 29th. No form – No tryout.
Girls Soccer team tryout schedule
- Tuesday August 29th, 12:00 – 2:00 pm, main field.
- Wednesday August 30th, 12:00 – 2:00 pm, main field.
- Tuesday September 5th, 8:00 am, main field.
- Wednesday September 6th, 8:00 am, main field.
- Thursday September 7th, 8:00 am, main field.
- Friday September 15th, 10:30 am – 4:00 pm Kick-Off Tournament.
Go Redhawks!
Senior Girls Head Coach
Larry Guilloux
Science Department
lfguilloux@cbe.ab.ca
Football
- Fall Football try-outs for 2023
- Football Starts Aug 25 (12 to 2pm) Aug 28 (4 to 6pm)
- (Tour, equipment, lockers, and classroom sessions)
- Combine testing will be complete outside
- First Full Practices will be Aug 29 & 30
- 9 to 10am – strength and cardio (cleats/shirt/shorts)
- 10:30 to 11:30am stations (11:45 to 12:30 – class RM.)
- 4 to 6pm full gear –skill and drills
- For any additional information, please contact:
- Football Coach – Mr. Sokolan sdsokolan@cbe.ab.ca or cell 403-519-5182
- Football Coach - Mr. Locey ttlocey@cbe.ab.ca
Cross Country Team 2023
Coaches Barbet and Freeman are excited to start running with you right away in September! We will have a meeting of all interested runners on Friday September 1st at 1:30. We want to inspire everyone interested to pick up running as a mental health strategy as well as an awesome sport with great people and sometimes excellent weather. Western has always had a huge team of runners and it is a great way to get fit and make friends. The longest distance is 6 km for senior boys and the shortest race distance is 4 km for junior runners. EVERYONE on the team earns points for the school at cities, so we want every interested runner, from the never ever run, to the elite athlete. Mark your calendar, since the season starts September 5, 2023.
Our meeting schedule is:
(this was updated from the tentative schedule on August 17)
- Wednesday September 20
2023 Canmore Park
- Wednesday September 27, 2023 North Glenmore Park
- Wednesday October 4, 2023 St Mary’s University
- Wednesday October 11, 2023 St Mary’s University. This is the only meet that
has athletes missing school for the afternoon.
- The top 10 runners at this meet will qualify for provincials to be held in the North Central Region on Saturday
October 21 in Trochu Alberta
You do not have to be a speedy runner to join the team. We welcome all abilities and encourage everyone to come out and discover the joy of running with our outstanding team!
Coach Barbet (adbarbet@cbe.ab.ca) and Coach Freeman (drgfreeman@cbe.ab.ca)
Redhawks Volleyball 2023
All grade 10 students interested in playing volleyball for Western Canada should attend the junior team tryouts. All grade 11 and 12 students will initially attend the try out for the senior teams. All athletes will need to have proper gym strip and the completed ‘Annual authorization for athletic tryout’ form to be eligible to participate (link on website). Please complete the form and bring it to your first meeting/tryout. We look forward to an amazing season!
Junior Girls Volleyball Team tryout
- Thursday August 31 – organizational meeting in room 101 from 1:25 pm – 1:45 pm
- Friday September 1 – tryout#1 - 7:00 am – 8:30 am (main gym) and tryout #2 - 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm (aux gym)
Junior Boys Volleyball Team tryout
- Thursday August 31 – organizational meeting in room 176 from 1:25 pm – 1:45 pm
- Friday September 1 – tryout 1:45 pm – 3:00 pm in the main gym
Senior Girls Volleyball Team tryout
- Wednesday August 30 – tryout 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm in the main gym (full)
- Thursday August 31 – tryout 3:30 pm -5:30 pm in the aux gym
- Friday September 1 – tryout 6:45 am – 8:30 am in the aux gym
Senior Boys Volleyball Team tryout
- Wednesday August 30 – tryout 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm in the aux gym
- Thursday August 31 – tryout 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm in the main gym (full)
- Friday September 1 – tryout 1:45 pm – 3:15 pm in the main gym
Go Redhawks!
- Senior Boys - B. LaBerge – bwlaberge@cbe.ab.ca
- Senior Girls - D. Faulconer – dlfaulconer@cbe.ab.ca
- Junior Boys - J. Ma – jyma@cbe.ab.ca
- Junior Girls - K. Peciulis – kdpeciulis@cbe.ab.ca
French Immersion, International and Classic Languages Newsletter
First and foremost, we want to extend a warm thank you to two of our colleagues from the French Immersion program who retired at the end of June: Mme Caroline Godin-Fortin (French Language Arts) and M. Marc Fortin (Mathématiques). Both Caroline and Marc had a positive influence in the lives of their students for 32 years. Caroline, for ten years with the RockyView School district followed by 22 years with the CBE and Marc, for Rockyview for five years and 27 years for the CBE. Their expertise, their passion and love for their subject areas have been unquestionable. They will be missed mentors for our students and as colleagues and professionals for teachers at Western.
In September, in the International Languages Department, we will welcome Marie-Hélène Robin, Mireille Haug, and Amy Lofting.
We will welcome representatives from Alberta’s French-speaking university – la Faculté / le Campus Saint-Jean – in early and late October. They will speak to our students about the advantages of smaller class sizes at the University of Alberta and the large variety of programs available to them should they choose to take some of their first-year courses through them.
French Immersion Certificate
Students who complete the French Immersion Program are presented with a certificate and special ceremony in their grade twelve year. We held our annual presentation of the Certificate of Competency in French Immersion on Wednesday, May 31st, 2023. We are pleased to provide this celebration for our students who obtain 45 to 53 of their high school credits in French Immersion. Students with 30 to 40 credits are also acknowledged. This past year 190 students were recognized. What an accomplishment!
International Languages Certificate
Fifty-four students were awarded this past year with the International Languages Certificate for having completed the 30, 31 or 35 level of Spanish and a 30 or 31 level in French as a Second Language or the 30 level of French Language Arts. We began recognizing this accomplishment in 2008 when the United Nations proclaimed that year as the Year of International Languages.
Japanese Language and Culture
We were happy to include Japanese Language and Culture levels 10 and 20 as a language option at Western for the 2023-2024 school year.
Field Experiences
Spain: Srta. Silvia Cebrecos Sebastián will lead a group of students to Spain in October. Mme Ghira will accompany her to gain experience prior to organizing a trip to France for students studying French next year.
Japanese: Ms. Debbie Graham will be leading a group of 37 students from Calgary to Japan for a 14-day field experience. Students who are participating are from different schools around the city as well as from Western. This experience will be offered again in 2026.
France: We are in the initial planning stages of an international exchange with two schools from France. This would take place in April for our students. The students from France would be here in February.
International education: Alberta Education-sponsored student exchanges provide opportunities for students who have completed the 20 level of various languages. Here is the link for information and applications:
https://www.alberta.ca/student-and-educator-exchange-programs.aspx
Spanish: Two of our students participated in the Spanish exchange this past year. Rishi and Aisha hosted a student from Spain in semester 1 and they travelled to Spain, living with their respective partners’ family during semester 2.
Extra-curricular Experiences
As we welcome the return of students in grades 11 and 12 and new 10 students to Western in the fall we would encourage your child to get involved in co-curricular / extended program activities where they might use international languages skills in a real setting: Franco-Western, Speech and Debate, writing articles in French and/or Spanish and/or Japanese for the online publication the “Western Wire” or joining the Spanish “chatroom” one lunch hour per week.
Franco-Western
This club meets once a week and each has its own mission and activities. The participation this past year was amazing for the game board groups. Students had the opportunity to learn more about the culture by playing Quebecopoly and Mille Bornes. This coming year, we anticipate leadership opportunities for Franco-Western members along the lines of the grade 10 French Immersion assembly, the Remembrance Day ceremony, la Semaine de la Francophonie and the Languages Symposium to be held in April.
In order to promote the use of French in a diversionary way and through OLEP funding, we hosted several improvisation sessions last year. The club organizes La Semaine de la Francophonie, a week dedicated to French culture that last year included La Cabane à sucre, des pains au chocolat, des tartes au sucre, and plenty of French music! What a great opportunity to speak and learn French!
Spanish Chatroom
This informal association will be student-directed providing an opportunity for students to eat lunch together and speak Spanish in an informal setting.
Challenge Exams
FLA, FSL and Spanish teachers provide the opportunity for students to write challenge exams at the 10 and 20 level. The marks from these exams may be used for overall averages in applications for bursaries and scholarships. The 30-level challenge exams are now being conducted centrally for students from all over the city in many different languages. That information will be published on the schools WCHS Student News D2L shell as well as in the principal’s weekly message once the dates, the information document and the application forms have been updated.
DELF
Grade 12 FLA students will be provided the information regarding the opportunity to take the international accreditation exams should they choose to do so. M. Bernier will be looking after registration and practice sessions for this exam. The information is provided once the dates for these exams have been published.
The Fine and Performing Arts Summer Newsletter
What you need to know about The Fine and Performing Arts Program at Western Canada High School as an incoming Grade 10 Student
Dear Grade 10 Students/Parents,
You are about to embark on an incredible three years at Western Canada High School full of many great opportunities and experiences. Annually, we see 50% of Western Canada High School’s total student population enrolled in a Fine and Performing Arts Course. We have a full slate of opportunities to choose from in each of the disciplines, which include: Band/Band IB, Choir, Dance, Drama, and Visual Art/Visual Art IB. It is important to note that all of our Fine and Performing Arts offerings are scheduled classes for credit. Courses take place during the school day, before school and after school. Please see the details below by discipline on the opportunities available.
Band
Western’s Band Program has long been nationally recognized and is the largest program in Calgary with an average annual enrollment of 300 students in the Band Program. Each year, the Grade 10 Concert Band goes to Band Camp and performs a Winter and Year End Concert, which are both held at the world class Jack Singer Concert Hall. The Grade 10 Concert Band also participates in local and provincial festivals, while being featured as a performance ensemble at various WCHS events. This ensemble leads to our senior ensembles in grades 11 and 12. The grade 11 and grade 12 ensembles tour annually within Canada and Internationally. The Band Program at Western provides a great opportunity for new grade 10 students to meet many other students and develop a great sense of community within the school.
Band Registration Information
The Grade 10 Concert Band is open to all students who have taken band in junior high OR students that have spent at least one year studying their instrument privately. If you already have a full academic schedule, it is STILL POSSIBLE to be in Band. You should enroll in the Grade 10 Concert Band (Instrumental Music 10 5cr_cohort a), a full year 5-credit course. The class meets on Tuesday and Friday mornings: Tuesdays from 7:00-8:30am and Fridays from 7:00-9:00am.
If you do not have a full academic schedule, you should enroll in Band 10 (Instrumental Music 10_5cr) which is the day block band, and Band 15AM (Band 15_5cr). Band 15AM serves as your course enrollment for the Grade 10 Concert Band, which is the full year morning course.
New offering: Music IB!
For the upcoming 2023-2024 school year, we are excited to be launching Music IB for Band Students for the very first time! Band 10 Cohort IB is specifically designed to create course accessibility for all partial or full IB students with instrumental music experience who have taken band in junior high OR have spent at least one year studying their instrument privately. Adding an arts elective creates a well-rounded course balance for students pursing the partial or full IB path. If you are interested in this course path, you should enroll in Band 10 Cohort IB (Instrumental Music 10 5cr_cohort b) AND Band 15AM Cohort IB (Band 15 5cr_cohort b).
Students enrolled in the Band 10 Cohort IB day block class must also be enrolled in Band 15AM Cohort IB (Gr.10 Concert Band) for an additional 5-credits. Band 10 Cohort IB is the day class that runs in the first semester only. Band 15AM Cohort IB is the co-requisite and runs for the full year in the AM block. If you choose not to enroll in the Music IB stream, it is still important to note that as a partial or full IB student, your enrollment in the Band Program will support the achievement of CAS outcomes for each of your three years.
If you are interested in enrolling in the Band Program at Western at any grade level, or have any questions about your enrollment in Band, please be sure to contact Mr. Hagan at behagan@cbe.ab.ca.
Check out our YouTube @WesternCanadaHighSchoolBand and our Instagram @Western.Band to get a glimpse of the amazing experience that awaits you in the Western Band Program.
Further Information
We look forward to a great year ahead. If you have any questions that we haven’t addressed here, please contact the school.
For further information visit our CBE back-to-school information page.
