School Message
Hello to our Western families,
Connected to the message yesterday, we want to thank all of those who have already checked out and/or contributed to the Celebrate Western online auction. Any funds raised from this endeavor are greatly appreciated and are directed towards our Fine Arts, Athletics, and Club programming. Tax receipts for the 2026 school year will be available for any monetary donations, and provided by the Friends of Western.
A special thank you to Anita Khakh, from the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute, for speaking at our School Council event last Thursday evening about how AI is increasingly being used/seen in educational settings. She has provided some links to pass on to our broader school community, and I'd invite you to take a look through if you might be interested.
- Time Article
- UNESCO Framework for Students
- UNESCO Framework for Teachers
- Cheating with ChatGPT
- Wall Street Journal - How China is Using AI
- Learning Kit Access
Assistant principals are pulling attendance data for the month of February, and may be reaching out to have conversations with parents of students who have reached certain thresholds. Even if you don't receive contact from your child's AP, a reminder that there is a very strong correlation between regular/consistent attendance and success in school. Please pay attention to attendance data that appears daily in PowerSchool and, if you have concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to teachers/administrators directly. All contact information is available on our school website.
Each year, Alberta Education and the CBE ask parents to contribute their thoughts/opinions towards the Alberta Education and Childcare Assurance Survey. With this closing next Friday, we are asking more grade 10 parents to take a few minutes to complete this, as we just have a 9% response rate (right now). To complete the survey, please click here. Once at the website, enter the Random Access Code you would have received separately, and follow the online survey instructions. If you need a new code, please contact the school's external mailbox.
Thanks,
Darrin Whitbread
Principal | Western Canada High School
Upcoming Dates
- Friday, February 27th: Non-Instructional Day
- No school for students
Student Spotlight
Aylin A was selected to participate in this year’s Alberta Youth Choir residency and concert held in Edmonton last weekend. The residency brought together talented young singers from across the province for intensive rehearsals, musical training, and a final public performance at Winspear. Congratulations, Aylin!
Updates
Women’s
Ladies, are you looking for a fast-paced, exciting sport to try? Come try out for the WCHS Junior or Senior Women’s Field Hockey Team! Whether you’ve played before or have never picked up a stick, this is your chance to be part of an energetic, supportive team. Field hockey is all about speed, teamwork, and strategy—think soccer, but with sticks! Or hockey, but without skates! It’s a great way to build skills, make new friends, and challenge yourself in a fun, competitive environment.
No experience necessary – we’ll teach you everything you need to know.
Please fill out the interest form here: https://forms.gle/CLungmesfDBvxfnU7.You or you can also scan the QR code outside of Room 330 or Room 356, or on the posters around the school.
The information meeting will be at lunch in Room 356 on February 26th.
Tryouts will be the week of March 9th to March 13th at the Calgary Soccer Centre after school. Exact times will be given in the information meeting.
You MUST have a mouthguard for tryouts.
Dear cyclists,
Our Wheels of Western Bike Club will finally take off on Monday, March 9th, from 3:45 to 5:00 in the art room, #088. We will focus on getting older bikes ready for the upcoming main riding season. If you do have a bike that needs work, please bring it along. Hope to see you there!
Western Canada Robotics Teams Attending Provincials:
During this year’s VEX Robotics season, Western Canada teams competed in two major events: the early-season opener hosted by STEM Innovation Academy and Canada’s largest competition, Mecha Mayhem. We are proud to share that eight of our eleven teams have qualified for Provincials, taking place on February 28, also hosted by STEM Innovation Academy.
Since the start of the season, our teams have dedicated countless hours to designing, building, and coding their robots. Most of our members are new to VEX this year and began their season later than usual due to the strike, making their achievements even more impressive. Despite these challenges, students have committed 10-15 hours each week to refining their designs, testing strategies, and strengthening their teamwork. Their perseverance and determination are clearly reflected in their performance.
Our executive team, 3300A — David A, Oliver K, Jeannie Y, and Stella F, is currently ranked fourth for Skills in Alberta. They have demonstrated exceptional ability in both Driver and Autonomous Skills, earning impressive scores in each to secure their standing among the top teams.
We are incredibly proud of all eleven of our teams, whether or not they are advancing to Provincials. This has been one of Western’s most successful VEX seasons to date, showcasing not only technical skill but resilience, collaboration, and growth. We are excited to see how our teams continue to develop and where their hard work will take them next.
To see our teams at Provincial this weekend, you can see this link for the information to view in person, as well as the link to the live recording
Extended Absences
It is the school’s responsibility to ensure parent(s)/legal guardian(s) understand the impact that extended absences may have on their child’s education. When parents/guardians wish to remove their student from school for an extended period of time (longer than 3 days) for reasons other than illness or bereavement, we ask that an Extended Absence form, available in the main office, be completed and submitted.
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 or IPP communication.
Grad Fees – Now Due
Grad fees this year are $85, including GST. This fee has been added to your graduating student’s account and is now payable via your MyCBE account or in person at the Business Office.
A reminder that we ask ALL outstanding fees, from current and previous years, be paid in full prior to the end of the year. If you are experiencing financial difficulties, please see below how to apply for a central fee waiver. This waiver must be completed for a student to be considered for a school-based waiver of fees.
Centralized Fee Waiver
No child is ever denied access to an education in the Calgary Board of Education (CBE) because of an inability to pay. If you can't afford the fees, there are several ways to qualify for a central fee waiver.
Waiver applications for the current school year are found online through your MyCBE account and are available from the start of the school year until June 30. Please check out more information here.
Grad Gown Survey
There are many students in grade 12 who have not yet completed the grad gown survey. To avoid being allocated a gown that is too large or too small, please confirm your graduating grade 12 student has completed the survey on the graduation page of the school’s website: WCHS Graduation Information 2026. Your student will need to be logged into their Google account in their browser to access the form.
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
Course Selection Forms – URGENT ACTION REQUIRED
The deadline to complete Course Selection for the 2026/2027 school year has now passed. However, we will be keeping the MYCBE/PowerSchool portal open until 4 pm on Monday, March 2nd, to allow families one final opportunity to submit course requests.
All current Grade 10 and 11 students must complete the following immediately:
· Carefully complete the course selection form (if not already done).
· Return the completed form to the teacher who provided it.
· Log in to their MYCBE portal and enter their course selections online.
Links with detailed instructions and supporting documents are available on the WCHS website and were previously sent to Grade 10 and 11 families via School Messenger.
Please ensure that this is completed as soon as possible.
2026 Graduation List
The 2026 Graduation List will be posted outside the Guidance Office on Friday, March 6.
If students are expecting to see their student number on the list and do not, they are asked to please contact their guidance counselor as soon as possible.
HOT DOG DAYS!
Every Tuesday in March, students are invited to come to the theatre foyer at lunchtime to buy a hot dog lunch in support of the drama program. Hot dog, pop, and cookie are 5$.