School Message
Hello to our Western families,
After a particularly cold week, we want to acknowledge the efforts made by all to get to school despite the extra challenges posed by the weather/traffic. It’s hard to complain after the warmer weeks prior, but an ongoing reminder to ensure that students are dressed well for the season, as things can obviously change suddenly in Calgary.
On behalf of Friends of Western, a reminder that our Celebrate Western online action is about to launch, running from February 22 to March 1. As our school relies on the extra funds generated from this yearly initiative, we encourage our families to check out the site to consider bidding on an item, contributing towards some equipment we’re looking to purchase, or just making a taxable donation to the school in general. Please visit https://can.givergy.com/CW2026/?controller=home starting on Sunday to support.
It is Pink Shirt Day on Wednesday, February 25th. As per some broader messaging coming out from our Board, we will be encouraging our students to wear a pink shirt that day to help spread kindness, tolerance, and a sense of belonging at Western and in our broader community.
We will also be recognizing Black History Month next week, showing some videos within the school that have been created by members of our Black Students’ Association with themes celebrating cultural joy, hopes for the future of the BSA at the school, and people they look up to.
Finally, a reminder that registration has started for next year and will run until March 15th. With a decrease in our anticipated numbers, we want to alleviate any concerns around spots. Feeder schools will automatically be designating students to Western based on appropriate addresses, with counselors already arranging visits. Expressions of Interest for IB programming are currently being submitted. Any general questions around registration can be directed to our main office.
Thanks,
Darrin Whitbread
Principal | Western Canada High School
Upcoming Dates
- Friday, February 27th: Non-Instructional Day
- No school for students
Student Spotlight
The Drama Program would like to send a shout out to Drama Exec Co-Chairs Alec H and Aadyaa P for all their hard work organizing three different social events this year (Fall Fancy, Winter Wonderball, and the Pink Pony Club Social) that served the entire Fine Arts community, providing opportunities for the emerging artists in the school to meet, celebrate each other, and find ways to colloborate
Updates
Student Services
Course Selection Forms
Last week, Grade 10 and 11 students were given course selection forms by their teachers. Students are asked to:
- Carefully complete the course selection form.
- Return the completed form to the teacher who provided it.
- Log in to their MYCBE portal and enter their course selections online.
The MYCBE portal will be open for course entry from February 11 to February 26. All course selections must be entered by February 26.
Links with more detailed instructions and documents on how to select next year's courses can be found on the WCHS Website and were sent out in a school messenger last week to Grade 10 and 11 Families.
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.
Parent Council – Speaker Series
The Western Canada High School Parent Council would like to invite all parents and staff to our quarterly meeting and speaker series at 6:30 pm on Feb 19th in the Library or online. We have invited Anita Khakh, a specialist in AI and Education, to speak to parents and staff. Anita's Bio is below. Anita will be presenting to us online from Edmonton. We will have coffee and treats available for the in-person participants, and we will send out a link closer to the date for the "on-the-go participants".
Anita Khakh is the K–12 Education Advisor on the Training team at the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (Amii). At Amii, Anita supports educators and school boards in building AI literacy and capacity. She designs and delivers professional development sessions, collaborates with school divisions to support AI-related initiatives, and develops practical, classroom-ready resources that help educators introduce artificial intelligence concepts to students in meaningful and accessible ways. Amii is one of the world's foremost AI research institutes, which nowadays make them an O.G. in AI.
Staff Appreciation
Dear WCHS Families,
On behalf of the Western Canada High School Staff Appreciation committee in partnership with the School Council Executive, thank you so much for your contribution to our Staff Appreciation initiatives in December 2025.
We were touched by the generosity of our Western Canada community, and the staff were so appreciative of everyone’s efforts. Many staff expressed how they looked forward to this event and how much it means to them, both in terms of practical support (no need to get up earlier to pack lunch!) and as your heartfelt sign of recognition. We are truly grateful for your many donations of delicious food and drinks. Cash contributions also far exceeded our expectations.
Because of you, we were able to provide the entire staff with tasty breakfasts for five days, delicious lunches for four days, and festive snacks and beverages throughout. Everything from baked goods, home-made chocolates, and fresh salads to hot breakfasts and lunches, and so much more!
We look forward to the end-of-year Staff Appreciation event this spring that is made possible because of your many contributions.
Thank you for your generosity and your support of our amazing staff at Western Canada High School.
Wishing you a wonderful 2026.
Sincerely,
Amina Jomaa & Kim Anthony
Co-Chairs, Staff Appreciation
Track and Field
Interested in joining track and field? Come to the meeting on Monday, March 2nd, at lunch in the dance studio. No experience necessary.
Field Hockey Team Tryouts – No Experience Needed!
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.
So grab your sneakers, bring a water bottle, and come see what field hockey is all about! Wearing shin pads and soccer socks is encouraged if you own them.
For more information about the senior team, contact Mrs. Reierson at aareierson@cbe.ab.ca or stop by Room 356. For more information about the junior team, contact Ms. Savoie at brsavoie@cbe.ab.ca or stop by room 330.
See you on the field!
DELF – French Language Accreditation
Students in grade 12 FLA 30 classes should have seen this on their D2L shell.
Students who are not enrolled in French Immersion, but who speak French and wish to enroll to do the B2 level exams, may register using the registration form below.
Please note that the deadline for registration is Thursday, March 5th.
Bonjour à tous et toutes,
Les élèves peuvent commencer à s'inscrire pour le DELF B2 - le 13 avril, 2026
Voici le lien à partager avec les élèves:
DELF B2 - avril 2026 | DELF B2 - April 2026 – Fill in form
La date limite est le jeudi, 5 mars.
Bonjour à tous et toutes,
Les élèves peuvent commencer à s'inscrire pour le DELF B2 - le 13 avril, 2026
Voici le lien à partager avec les élèves: DELF B2 - avril 2026 | DELF B2 - April 2026 – Fill in form
La date limite est le jeudi 5 mars.
Semester 2 Peer Tutor and Tutee Sign-up
We are looking for an English 30 peer tutor and are still building up our bank of tutors for other subjects. Thank you to the over 150 students who were involved in the peer tutoring program in the first semester! If you are looking to become a tutor or continue being a tutor, please fill out the Google Form link. If you anticipate needing help in any of your second-semester courses, please fill out the same Google Form link. We will email the tutor & tutee as soon as we have established a compatible connection, but any questions can be directed to serivers@cbe.ab.ca. https://forms.gle/iqM8huu2C29zBVQ18
Do you love DANCE?
If the answer is YES, you don’t want to miss this:
CENTRE STAGE 2026
IT’S BACK! The fabulous dance production of Centre Stage is coming up. If you are interested in being a part of Centre Stage this year, auditions will be held Monday, March 16; Tuesday, March 17 & Wednesday, March 18 in the Dance Studio (room090). All students are welcome to audition. Pieces must be of high quality and performance-ready. Please visit the Dance Studio to pick up an audition form and to sign up for an audition time. If you have any questions, please see Ms. Price.