Graduation

Graduation

Graduating Class of 2026

The culmination of twelve years of education is a special time in the lives of students, parents, and staff. We recognize this is an important passage and an occasion to be marked with two formal ceremonies. Direct Grad inquiries to Kelsey Harding. Important links (e.g.) grad gown ordering, grad photo bookings, and valedictorian application forms are posted in the date timeline found below.

At the start of semester two we publish a detailed newsletter containing specifics about both the Grad Ceremony and Banquet & Dance. In addition, ongoing communications to our grade twelve graduands occurs across various platforms. They are:

School Graduation webpage
Student Announcement D2L Shell
Internal TV displays
Morning Announcements in Block 2
Principal's Weekly Newsletter to Parents

Overview

The first event is the Western Canada High School Grad 2026 closing exercises. This event celebrates the academic achievement of students and the completion of twelve years of schooling. This ceremony and celebration is part of the grad fee.

The second event is a formal Banquet & Dance held at the Hyatt Regency for students and limited number of guests. Due to decreased capacity of this venue there will be a ticket restriction for eligible grads.

The cost per Banquet Ticket TBD.

1. Graduation Ceremony 2026 Newsletter [PDF]

Summary

Date: Friday, 29 May 2026 (Confirmed)
Place: WinSport, 88 Canada Olympic Road SW, Calgary
Time: 9 am - 11:30 am (To be Confirmed)
No tickets for this event, grads are asked to limit guests to up to 4 people due to venue size
No school on 29 May for all WCHS students.

2. Graduation Banquet 2026 Newsletter [PDF]

Summary

Date: Friday, 29 May 2026 (Confirmed)
Place: Hyatt Regency, Friday, 29 May 2026, Calgary
Times (To be Confirmed)
- 5:30 pm: Doors Open
- 6:15 pm: You should be in the banquet hall by this time
- 6:30 - 7:00 pm: Program (the doors are closed - no admittance)
- 7:00 pm: Doors reopen, and dinner is served.
- 8:30 - 10:30 pm: Dance
Ticket costs are $140 per ticket and are restricted to 3 per graduate. Extra tickets can be requested prior to Airl 17th, 2026.
Parking is limited at the Hyatt Regency. Guests are encouraged to carpool, Uber, or take public transit to the event
To ensure you are ready for the new process and timeline, it is important that all outstanding school fees and the grad fee is paid via Parent Portal (or if you are over 18, through student account). The grad fee (Approx. $80 including GST) is only added to the accounts of eligible Grads when the grad list is posted outside the Student Services office in March. This fee is charged and payable to all eligible grads regardless of attendance at the ceremony.

Key Dates & Information

29 Aug - 30 Nov: Complete the Grad Gown Survey (Please sign in to your CBE student Gmail to access the survey)
6 - 22 Nov: Grad Photos take place at Western - book online with Prestige portraits. [PDF]
If you missed Grad Photos at the school, check out this option.
31 Jan: Grad Ceremony Newsletter and Banquet & Dance Newsletter published
3 Feb: Valedictorian application forms due (please see Resources for requirements)
7 Feb: Class Historian applications accepted (please see Resources section for requirements)
21 Feb: Grad Speaking Roles, beyond Valedictorian, due (please see Resources for requirements)
25 Feb: Grad Buffet Menu and Table Planning Form posted
3 March: Extra banquet tickets request form opens at 8 am. The default ticket limit is 5.
19 March: Grad List posted outside Student Services
1 - 13 April: Grad Fees & Student Fees payable through MyCBE Parent portal
- Students who are 18+ will need to create an adult account to pay fees
- Look under "optional fee" when in the fee portal
9 April: "All Things Grad" Parent Council Meeting - Virtual Town Hall
11 April: Last day to make name corrections to the grad list with Student Services.
13 April: Last Day to get fees paid on Parent / Student Portal to avoid problems buying grad tickets
April 20 - 27: Banquet Ticket Sales 8 am11 pm April 20, 2026 - 11pm April 27, 2026 - [Instructions PDF] This is the ONLY opportunity to buy tickets
28 April - 1 May: Table planning forms submitted to the main office for Ms. Irwin (Form should be legible).
20 May: Grad Rehearsal [PPT], 2:00 - 3:20 pm (Period 3 - Block 4) - Grad Gowns & Banquet Tickets distributed
29 May: Graduation Ceremony at WinSport (Confirmed)
29 May: Graduation Banquet & Dance at BMO Centre (Confirmed)

Participation:

To be eligible to take part in the graduation ceremonies and the banquet and dance, grade 12 students must be registered in a program of courses that will enable them to complete the minimum requirements for an Alberta High School Diploma by the end of June 2026. Students who do not have the possibility of completing these courses, or who leave school during the year without completing the requirements, will not be eligible to participate in the graduation activities.

The Graduation List:

A graduation list will be posted outside the Guidance Office in March. Students are asked to check for errors or omissions and report them to the Guidance Secretary, Ms. Schwartz, in the Counseling Office by 10 April 2025. Students should not assume they meet the requirements to participate in the graduation activities simply because they are registered in grade 12. The completed list will be the basis for the ticket distribution, program information, and the grad composite.

Grad Fees:

A Grad Fee will be collected from each eligible graduate. Please log into your MyCBE / PowerSchool account at Parent PowerSchool Account to make payments or view your transactions. See the optional fees section.

Payments cannot be made from a student account (unless they are over 18 years of age).

If you have any questions regarding your MyCBE account or payment, please contact the Business Manager, Mr. Shabbir Lakhani at shlakhani@cbe.ab.ca
All fees must be paid in full prior to the purchase of grad banquet tickets and receiving grad attire.
Graduation activities are fully funded by our families - we appreciate your understanding. Link to Parent PowerSchool Account provided above.

Grad Gowns:

Ms. Karen Adams (Math) collects sizing information via the grad gown survey. The survey closes 30 November 2026. Changes can always be made if needed by contacting Ms. Karen Adams (Math).

** IMPORTANT --To access the survey STUDENTS must be signed into their CBE student Gmail. It will not work otherwise. ***

Lifetouch:

A professional photographer will take two photos during the ceremony to capture the 'crossing the stage' moment of students. A complimentary photo is provided to families. Parents may order additional copies for this momentous milestone. Lifetouch will use the e-mail address supplied during Grad Photos.

Organizer Contact Information

Please be advised that specific details about the Graduation Ceremony and Banquet will be released as they become available on the website. This is our primary communication tool.

Administrator Liaison & General Communications