School Message
Hello to our Western families,
A reminder that fall break is still taking place, and CBE schools will be closed from Monday-Wednesday, November 10-12th. We look forward to welcoming students back on Thursday, November 13th. With Remembrance Day falling during those days, we certainly encourage students/families to pause on Tuesday to remember the sacrifices of our veterans who fought to preserve democracy across many global conflicts over the years.
Following up on last week’s message, we can now confirm that diploma exams in January are officially cancelled for grade 12 students across the province. To add back some missed instructional time, semester one classes will continue longer in January until either Friday, January 23rd or Monday, January 26th (still waiting on verification) and there will also not be final exams for grade 10 & 11 students. Connected to this, assessment weightings will be adjusted to eliminate final exams from calculation. Teachers will be updating their course outlines to reflect this change, and these will soon be available to review in teachers’ individual D2L shells.
Congratulations to James Chow, who is a long-time Computing Science teacher here at Western. It was recently announced that James is one of the winners of the 2025 Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching - Teaching Excellence in STEM. This is a significant career accomplishment for James, recognizing the many years of great work he has done at our school for our students and the mentorship provided to other Computing Science teachers across the city (and far and wide). James and his family will have the opportunity to go to Ottawa later this year to receive his honour directly from the Prime Minister.
We are finding out as the weeks go on that there is an increased need for financial support for many of our Western Canada students. In any given classroom, there may be learners that do not have warm winter clothing and cannot afford basic necessities like food, school supplies, and hygiene items. If you might be willing to help support these students in a practical way, please refer to our Amazon wish list of most-commonly requested items.
Finally, we will be hosting our IB Information Night on Monday, November 24th from 6:30-8:00 pm. While we recognize that this might not directly apply to all within our current parent community, you may be acquaintances interested in knowing the date/time. More details are available on our school website.
Take care.
Darrin Whitbread
Principal | Western Canada High School
Upcoming Dates
- Monday, November 10th - Wednesday, November 12th
- Fall Break (No School)
- Thursday, November 13th
- Grad Photos Begin (By Appointment)
- Friday, November 28th
- Parent-Teacher Conferences 9 AM-1:30 PM (Online)
Student Spotlight
Shout out to the backstage crew of Chicago! Their leadership during our tech week has been inspiring for everyone!
Congratulations to Aaron Z. who won gold at the provincial selections along with his partner in the sport of ice dancing. Well done, Aaron!
Updates
The CBE collaborates with post-secondary institutions, industry partners, and community organizations to offer a wide range of unique opportunities for students. These opportunities range from practical, hands-on learning experiences - to programs that allow students to participate in post-secondary learning with the support of a supervising CBE teacher.
Selected Programs Include:
- Anatomy & Physiology (SAIT)
- Culinary Arts
- Electrical Trades
- Finishing Trades
- Tourism & Marketing (SAIT)
- ICT Networks & Hardware (SAIT)
- Justice Studies (BVC)
- Pipe Trades
- *new* Programme d’education (UofA-CSJ) - for French Immersion students (online)
- Sheet Metal Trades
- Solving Technology Problems II
- Transportation Trades
- Veterinary Practice: The Team Connection
- Visual Effects & 3D Animation
For a complete list of opportunities, deadlines for application, and instructions on how to apply, go toUnique Pathways & Off-campus Education
The application package is online and has been extended to November 24 to Mr. Smith in the Tech Centre. (Mr. Smith is away 19-20)
For questions and to book an appointment to submit your application to Mr. Smith, click the following link:
Off-Campus Bookings with Mr. Smith
Fall Drama Production
Exciting news! Tickets are available for the much-anticipated Fall Production of Chicago! Tickets are on sale to the general school community starting next week, at lunch in the theatre foyer, and at the door before each show. Tickets are $20, cash only. The show is on November 26, 27, 28th at 7 pm sharp in the theatre at WCHS.
2025-2026 Yearbook: Call for Photos
Do you have clear, high-quality photos that you have taken of your students at school events? Upload them to this QR code to help out with the culmination of our yearbook this year! All photos will be reviewed and potentially used as part of our yearbook.
Purchase the 2025-26 Yearbook online
Yearbook sales have begun, and NOW is the BEST time to purchase your yearbook for the 2025-26 school year! If you order BEFORE December 31st, 2025, you will have the opportunity to pay BEFORE the price rises; currently set at $55.00, you don’t want to miss out on this deal! Use the link below or the QR code to order your yearbook NOW!
Jostens - 2025-26 Yearbook
Association News
Reminder that student associations have resumed and meetings are on Tuesdays after school from 3:40 – 5:00. See Ms. Wesolowsky in Room 208 during tutorials if you need more information.
Out of Province Post Secondary Fair
November 19
Join us between 12-2 pm in the cafeteria. Over 45 out-of-province schools will be in attendance to answer questions about admissions, programs, awards/scholarships, and campus life.
Attendance
To report your child’s absence, please call 403-228-5363, option 1 or email westerncanada@cbe.ab.ca. When providing an update, please include: The student’s full name (spell the last name slowly and clearly if leaving a voicemail). The reason for the absence. The timeframe of the absence. Please note: Attendance updates may take longer during transit delays, winter weather, or other events affecting attendance, as the school manages records for approximately 2,250 students. Updates may take up to one school day. To avoid delays, please do not leave multiple messages unless correcting a previous one. Thank you for your patience and understanding!
Subscribe to Stay Informed
Due to Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL), you need to subscribe online if you want to receive email or text messages on “commercial” school topics such as the Weekly Update.
MyCBE Accounts
Parents, legal guardians, and independent students will need to create a MyCBE account to complete required forms, pay fees etc. To create an account, please see the MyCBE Support page HERE. If you are experiencing difficulties in creating your account, please see Ms. Hanley in the main office.
STUDENT SERVICES
Upcoming University Visits at Western:
- November 13: St. Francis Xavier at lunch in the main foyer.
- November 17: University of Ottawa at lunch in the main foyer.
Scholarships- November 2025 Update:
The Queen’s Chancellor Scholarship
Applicants to Queens University can be eligible to win the Chancellor’s Scholarship ($48,000) to meet the criteria students must demonstrate: Superior academic abilities, creative and original thinking & proven leadership qualities.
Up to 3 Nominees from WCHS!
If you meet the criteria and would like to apply, please send a copy of your résumé and a 1-page essay demonstrating your creative/original thinking and your leadership qualities to Mme Plante (maplante@cbe.ab.ca) by December 1st, 2025.
The Schulich Leader Scholarship
A Schulich Leader is a student who has been
selected by one of 20 partner universities to receive $120,000 or $100,000 to pursue an undergraduate degree in STEM. In addition to this large financial award,
they join an elite network and benefit from student enrichment opportunities throughout the year. Schulich Leaders are entrepreneurial-minded and exemplify
academic excellence AND leadership, creativity, and charisma, with strong consideration for financial need. Our Schulich Leaders are pursuing careers in technology, engineering, entrepreneurship and business enterprise, and applied scientific research.
For information: Schulich Leader Scholarships
For nomination, please send the following to Mme Plante (maplante@cbe.ab.ca) by January 20th, 2026
- An essay on how you are entrepreneurial-minded, demonstrate leadership and creativity, and meet the requirements for the Schulich Leader Scholarship
- A copy of your résumé
Extension of Course Withdraw Date:
Students now have until November 27 to drop a course from semester 1.
IB Exam Registration and Fee Payments:
May 2026 IB exam registrations for the official IB exams are open until Nov. 8 on this Google Form: May 2026 IB Exam Registration. Don’t forget about Chinese IB 30 or Spanish 31, 35, Math 35, Physics 35, Bio 35, and Math 35 that only occur in the second semester! The IB fees for the registrations completed before October 6th are still being updated, so please check PowerSchool next week if you’ve already received an IB exam confirmation. Questions or concerns or late registrations can be directed to Ms. Rivers serivers@cbe.ab.ca.
Language Challenge Exams
The Language Course Challenge Exam, scheduled for this Saturday, has been postponed. November 29th will now be the new date for Part 1, and December 13th is the date for Part 2. Students who registered for the Fall sitting of the Language Challenge Exam can expect to receive communication from the CBE languages team in the coming days via email, regarding dates and times for the Fall exam sitting. For any further questions, please feel free to reach out to Mrs. Irwin in guidance at jairwin@cbe.ab.ca
Western Dance Programme
If you love to dance or would like to learn, Dance 15, in second semester, is where it’s at! Ms. Price creates a welcoming community where all skill levels are welcome and seen. The Dance Programme offers a variety of opportunities to grow as an artist or leader and to develop skills and techniques from a variety of dance genres. Speak with Ms. Price in the Dance Studio or your Guidance Counsellor for more information!
More details on the dual-credit university-level course being offered to French Immersion students
French Dual-Credit Course with Campus Saint-Jean
We are pleased to offer a unique opportunity for French immersion students to earn high school credits and university credits while completing a course! For more information, please follow this link for the course description:
Dual Credit – Programme D’Education
U of A Course - EDUF 245 (Programme d’éducation) - Intro to Teaching
- Online – Wednesdays from 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm online
- Open to French immersion Grade 12 and 11 students who have completed FLA-20, or with a recommendation from a teacher
- 3 University Credits – 5 High School Credits
- Starts end of January 2026
School Council - Annual General Meeting!
Please join the WCHS School Council for the General School Council and Annual General Meeting on Thursday, November 20, 2025, at 6:30 PM. This will be an in-person meeting.
The local elected School Board Trustee for Wards 8 & 9, Susan Vukadinovic, will be present. This will be an opportunity to ask questions and share feedback with the school trustee.
All parents and guardians are invited and are welcome to attend.
This meeting will include nominations and elections for Executive Positions.
To learn more about the various opportunities available on the executive team, please visit our website (link below). There, you’ll also find a brief survey to let us know if you are interested in an elected position.
Thank you for considering this opportunity to get involved and help strengthen our school community.
University of Calgary – Careers in Statistics
The University of Calgary is excited to host Florence Nightingale Day on Saturday, November 29th,, for grade 10 and 11 students. The event aims to introduce high school students to the world of statistics and data science. Students will:
- Learn about careers in statistics
- Hear from university students and professionals
- Participate in games and hands-on activities
- Explore what it’s like to study statistics at the university level
The registration link can be found here: https://discover.ucalgary.ca/register/undergrad_FlorenceNightingale