Newsletter | June 2024

Welcome to the 2024-25 School Year

Important Dates

We follow the CBE instructional ​calendar. The calendar sets the common start and end days, non-instructional days, and holidays. For our school’s additional non-instructional days, late entries, early dismissal days, and events, see our school calendar page.​​

August 29– September 6 Welcome Back

Please see back to school info on the school website

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.

Optional School Tour

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 tour option will close at noon on Monday, August 19th 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 29th. Grade 11 and 12 students will have the opportunity in the afternoon that same day.

If you are a student that is NEW to the CBE, and can't access your MyCBE account, please see Ms. Rice in the library (located on the second floor, accessed from the stairwell at the main entrance) anytime from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm on Friday, August 23rd. 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.

• Tours: Mr. Fuhr – jgfuhr@cbe.ab.ca
• Computer Access: Ms. Rice – ehrice@cbe.ab.ca

Yearbooks

Yearbooks are arriving this summer! Ms. Cavallin and Mr. Ellis 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 2023-24 yearbooks from the library on August 23rd. All fees must be paid in full to receive the yearbook please.

Forms

Students are asked to complete the following forms online through SchoolEngage

For your information:

• Consent for CBE Use of Student Information - Online
• Consent for Use of Student Information by News Media and Outside Groups (Third Party)

Other Forms:

Annual Authorization for Athletic Tryout: If your child plans on trying out for sports, they will need to provide one form per team, which will be collected by the coaches before trying out for each sport. Students planning to attend our beginning-of-the-year tryouts will need to print off and bring the signed form on the first day of tryouts.

If your child has health concerns that the school should be made aware of, please consider submitting these forms:

• 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 your school's city, province, and school name
• Then click the blue button “Continue”
• Enter 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 order from one of our many photo package offerings

If you have any questions about this ordering process, please contact Lifetouch Customer Care Line at 1.866.457.8212

First Day of Classes

Our first day for students is Thursday, August 29^th. On the first day, we will have a staggered entry as follows:

Friday, August 30^th: Grade 10, 11 and 12 students will follow their regular Friday schedule with a French Immersion Assembly for Grade 10s during period 4.

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.

• Registering for School
• Find My School (to determine if you live in area)

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 28th, the Main Office and Business Office will close and reopen on Tuesday, August 20th at 9:00 AM. During the summer months, the WCHS phone system will be checked periodically.

• Principal: Darrin Whitbread
• A – G: Steve Wiebe (AP) (shwiebe@cbe.ab.ca) and Tamara McEachern tjmceachern@cbe.ab.ca (Counsellor)
• H – O: Kelsey Harding (knharding@cbe.ab.ca) (AP) and Marie-Andreanne Plante (Counsellor)
• P – Z: Maureen Scharf (AP) (mrscharf@cbe.ab.ca) and Albert Chieng (Counsellor)

Please NOTE: Students will be able to see their timetables through the MyCBE app or MyCBE online on August 20^th. Students new to the CBE will not be able to see their timetables until they sign into a computer at WCHS on August 20^th.

Athletic Updates

More information on our Athletics page.

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 share and track one form among every sport your child would like to try out for; thank you for your understanding) 

Fall Athletics Teams

Redhawks Girls Soccer 2024

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 be 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 you are able to attend. No form – No tryout.

Girls Soccer team tryout schedule

• Monday, August 26th, 12:00 – 2:00 pm, main field.
• Tuesday, August 27th, 12:00 – 2:00 pm, main field.
• Wednesday, August 28th, 12:00 – 2:00 pm, main field.
• Thursday, August 29th, 7:30 am, main field.

Go Redhawks!

Senior Girls Head Coach

Larry Guilloux
Science Department 
lfguilloux@cbe.ab.ca

Redhawks Volleyball 2024

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 tryout for the senior teams. All athletes will need to have a proper gym strip and the completed ‘Annual authorization for athletic tryout’ form to be eligible to participate (link on the website or at the information meeting). 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 29 – organizational meeting in room 101 immediately after school
• Friday, August 30 – 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 29 – organizational meeting in room 176 immediately after school
• Friday, August 30 – tryout #1 - 1:45 pm – 3:00 pm in the main gym

Senior Girls Volleyball Team Tryout

• Monday, Aug 26 – tryout 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm in the main gym (full)
• Tuesday, Aug 27 – tryout 3:00 pm -5:00 pm in the aux gym
• Wednesday, Aug 28 – tryout 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm in the main gym (full)
• Thursday, Aug 29 - tryout 3:00 pm -5:00 pm in the aux gym
• Friday, Aug 30 – tryout 6:45 am – 8:30 am in the main gym (full)

Senior Boys Volleyball Team Tryout

• Tuesday, Aug 27 – tryout 3:00 pm -5:00 pm in the main gym (full)
• Wednesday, Aug 28 – tryout 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm in the aux gym
• Thursday, Aug 29 - tryout 3:00 pm -5:00 pm in the main gym full)

Go Redhawks!

Senior Boys - B. LaBerge – bwlaberge@cbe.ab.ca

Senior Girls - I. Bradley – ilbradley@cbe.ab.ca

Junior Boys - J. Ma – jyma@cbe.ab.ca 

Junior Girls - K. Peciulis – kdpeciulis@cbe.ab.ca

Senior Girls - D. Faulconer – dlfaulconer@cbe.ab.ca

Cross Country Team 2024

Coaches Barbet and Freeman are excited to start running with you right away in September! We will have a meeting for all interested runners on Friday, August 30th at 1:30 in Dance Studio. 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 Tuesday, September 3rd.

Our tentative XC meet schedule is as follows:

• Wednesday, Sept 18, 2024 @ Canmore Park (during evening)
• Wednesday, Sept 25, 2024 @ North Glenmore Park (during evening)
• Wednesday, Oct 2, 2024 @ St. Mary’s (during evening)
• Wednesday, Oct 9, 2024, @ St. Mary’s City Championships Meet (during the school day)
• Saturday, Oct 19, 2024 ASAA Provincial Championships (location TBD)

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)

Football Team 2024

Fall Football try-outs for 2024

• Football Starts Aug 23 (12 to 2 pm)
• (Tour, equipment, lockers, and classroom sessions)
• Combine testing will be completed outside
• First Full Practices will be Aug 26, 27 & 28
• 9 to 10 am – strength and cardio (cleats/shirt/shorts)/SHRED
• 10:30 to 11:30 am stations (11:45 to 12:30 – class RM.)
• 4 to 6 pm full gear –skill and drills
• For any additional information, please contact:
• Senior Jamboree final cuts Aug 30 (4 to 6 pm)

Football Coach - Mr. Locey ttlocey@cbe.ab.ca 

Football Coach – Mr. Sokolan sdsokolan@cbe.ab.ca or cell 403-519-5182

French Immersion, International and Classic Languages Newsletter

French Immersion and International Languages Newsletter

In September, all the teachers currently in our department will be back to work with our students.  Mme Lofting and Mme Dale will be back in Social Studies.  We thank them for their work in FLA and in FSL in semester 2.

We will welcome representatives as well as the dean 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 29th, 2024. We are pleased to provide this celebration for our students who obtain 45 to 55 of their high school credits in French Immersion. Students with 30 to 40 credits are also acknowledged and receive an official letter from the CBE. This year, 200 students were recognized. What an accomplishment!  

International Languages Certificate 

Thirty-one students were awarded 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. One student included Chinese and another included Italian. We began recognizing this accomplishment in 2008 when the United Nations proclaimed that year as the Year of International Languages.  

French as a Second Language

NEW: For students who left French Immersion after grade 9 and who will be in grade 11 or 12 in September:

Should you wish to take one or two classes in French only prior to leaving high school to maintain and perfect what you have learned so far, there are a few spaces left in FR31IB/H.  If you are in in grade 11 or 12 and have done the FR30-9Y Challenge, you may take FR31IB/H in grade 11 or 12.  The “H” signifies “Honours” which means that you do not have to write the IB exam if you choose not to do so.  If you are interested in taking advantage of this opportunity you should contact Mme Bergerman, Learning Leader, at labergerman@cbe.ab.ca  If you are in grade 10, and have left French Immersion, options will be explained to you in the fall.

 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.  Next year, there will be a level 10 class and a combined 20/30 class.

Field Experiences 

Spain: Srta. Silvia Cebrecos Sebastián will be initiating the process lead a group of students to Spain in October of 2025.  Students who participate in the trip must be enrolled in Spanish classes.

Japanese: Ms. Debbie Graham lead a group of 37 students from Calgary to Japan for a 14-day field experience in the summer of 2023.  Students who participated were from different schools around the city as well as from Western.  This experience will be offered again in 2026. 

France:  The trip to France will take place in October.  Mme Ghira and her team of four teachers will accompany 41 students.  We expect to continue offering this opportunity to students every two years.

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: Eight of our students will participate in a student exchange next year.  Seven of them are going to Spain and one is going to Mexico.

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 as well as other projects. 

In order to promote the use of French in a diversionary way and through OLEP funding, and to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of French Immersion in the CBE, the club organized La Semaine de la Francophonie, a week dedicated to French culture that included the visit from one of our elementary feeder schools.  Students of that age are always impressed by the size of our school.  What a great opportunity it was for them 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 grade 12 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.  This year’s fall session will take place November 18^th.  Semester 1 FLA 30 students will be provided the information in class.  There will be a session for semester 2 students as well.  That date has not yet been established.

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.

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 share and track one form among every sport your child would like to try out for; thank you for your understanding) 

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.

​​​​​​Do You Have a MyCBE Account? Have You Added Your Child(ren) To the Account?

Parents / Legal Guardians / Independent Students who have not already done so, must create a MyCBE account and add their child(ren) to the account to:

• access your child’s program information (e.g., course assessments, daily attendance record, report card)
• view your child’s learning using Brightspace by D2L
• pay fees and request waivers
• register for transportation and lunch ​supervision
• book parent-teacher conferences
• submit online school forms (required for 2024-25 school year)

You will need your email address on file at the school as well as your child’s CBE ID, which can be found on the:

• SchoolEngage student profile, for families that registered their child using SchoolEngage. 
  Note | For a visual guide on how to find the CBE ID within SchoolEngage, refer to SchoolEngage CBE Student ID
• CBE Report Card, beside the child's name
• CBE ID card

MyCBE Account

For parents / legal guardians / independent students without a MyCBE account

1. Sign in at www.cbe.ab.ca/mycbe
2. Create the account; refer to MyCBE - Creating an Account
3. Add child(ren); refer to MyCBE - Adding Additional Students

For parents / legal guardians / independent students with a MyCBE account

1. Sign in at www.cbe.ab.ca/mycbe
2. Add child(ren); refer to MyCBE - Adding Additional Students​

Subscribe to School Messages

Most school messages are sent to parents through SchoolMessenger. It’s a mass communication tool that allows schools to easily and securely send email, phone, and text messages to parents/guardians, and independent students in a particular grade, class, school, or area. Messages are sent to the parent contacts on file at your school.​​

To ensure you receive important information from your child’s school and the Calgary Board of Education, subscribe to school messages.​

​​Fees and Waivers

School fees will be charged to families starting in October. Online fee payment is the simplest and most convenient way to pay school fees. Parents can use their online account to pay fees or apply for a waiver at: www.cbe.ab.ca/mycbe.

You can find more information on the CBE school fees and waivers​ page.​​​​​​​

​Further Inform​ation

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.​​​​​

and

Follow the CBE social media platforms to stay up-to-date on system news and announcements.

• Twitter – @yycbedu
• Instagram – @yycbedu
• Facebook – Calgary.CBE