September Start Up Information For All Students:

Things You Need to Know about starting school at WAS in September

WAS has three campus locations throughout our school division:

• Cardston campus - Grades 1 - 12 (also main office & resource library)
• Magrath Campus - Grades 10 - 12 only
• Raymond Campus - Grades 1- 12
• We also have a teacher presence at Stirling School for grades 10 - 12 only, one day a week. 

 WAS has four different educational programs:

•  Grades 1 - 9 Personalized Education Partnership (PEP). 
• Grades 10 - 12 High School Outreach
• Grades 1 - 12 Shared Responsibility (SRP is ½ PEP + ½ Supervised Home Education)
• Grades K-12 Supervised Home Education. 
• Our Home Education (homeschooling) teacher/facilitator is based out of our Magrath campus (2 days a week) and travels to each of Cardston and Raymond campus locations 1 day a week each.

Start up Dates:

• School begins for the 2025 - 2026 school year on Tuesday September 2nd.
• At WAS our first week (Sept 2 - 5) is our “Orientation Week” so there are no ‘classes’ or tutorial sessions that week. Our first ‘classes’ begin the week of September 8th.
• Sept 2 - 5 student intake meetings
• Sept 4 PEP Parent Orientation Day (for parents of students in our grades 1 - 9 PEP or SRP programs) Westwind School Division Office (Cardston) lower level.
• Sept 11 (Thursday) PEP Field Trip to Writing on Stone (it will be an early start!)
• Sept 25 Annual School opening event at Waterton for families
• Oct 1 (Wednesday) Annual Parent Retreat (Location tbd in Raymond area). For parents of students in all of our programs.

September Registration Procedures:

• We accept registrations on a first come - first served basis until all our student slots have been fulfilled. Students will then be put on a wait list and then offered a spot if and when one arises. (Outreach students may be offered an opportunity to do independent study courses if all of our face to face spots are full.)
• Please note* A student is not considered fully registered in any WAS program until the registration has been approved by the Principal.

Steps:

• Complete a Westwind School Division online ‘new student registration’ or ‘returning student registration’ if not already completed. ** Please be sure all information is accurate and up to date as we use your phone and email address for communication and announcement purposes.
• Outreach students (gr. 10-12) must schedule an intake appointment with the appropriate teacher(s) to determine the appropriateness of our program, schedule courses and ‘class/tutorial/study’ times, as well as provide other WAS registration information. (Note: it is best if a parent can attend this meeting as well.) Please book an appointment with the appropriate teacher(s) at your WAS campus location in order to complete intake registration, course selection, and day & time scheduling.
  • Raymond / Stirling campus:  September Intake appointments for the 2025-2026 school year (email Laurie.toft@westwind.ab.ca for questions)
  • Magrath campus: September intake appointments for 2025-2026 school year (email chris.goble@westwind.ab.ac for questions)
  • Cardston campus: September intake appointments for the 2025-2026 school year (email cade.romeril@westwind.ab.ca for questions)

PEP Students:  (also SRP) (gr. 1-9)

• Parents of new students are to call the school and speak to our Administrative Assistant to schedule an information/intake meeting with the Principal and/or the appropriate grade level teacher. 403-653-1547 ext# 0
• Upon acceptance next steps will be explained and specific grade level information will be provided.
• Please note that the Principal will be in communication with the Principal of the student’s previous school to help determine program suitability, etc.
• If the parent is proposing to move the student from another WWSD school then the parent is to inform the administration of that school of the new plan.
• For returning students; teachers and staff will reach out with any new and pertinent start-up information.
• Note: In the case where we receive an online new student registration or returning student registration and no appointment has been made, our teacher will reach out to you and schedule a meeting.
• Please visit our website (was.westwind.ab.ca) regularly to see the Class Day Schedules, dates of field trips and activities as well as the Parent Orientation Meeting and the WAS Parent Retreat Day… and any other announcements.
• Curriculum Ordering and Pick up information:
  • Curriculum orders will be filled on  a first come first served basis.
  • Resource orders will be available starting October 2025.

Home Education Students: (also SRP)

• Parents of new students are to call the school and speak to our Administrative Assistant. She will take your pertinent student and contact information and provide it to our teacher/facilitator.
• Our teacher/facilitator will then contact the parent and provide access to the various required documentation that will need to be completed. He will answer questions and provide other information.
• The most immediate and important of these documents are the official ‘Intention to Home Educate’ form and the Student program plan for the year. There will be specific due dates for these documents, please comply strictly with those dates.
• **Please note that in order to access Home Education funding for the year the student must be registered in the Home Ed or SRP program by no later than September 29th 2025.