Parent Corner
Here you will find important and useful resources for CWAA parents. If you are searching for something that you cannot locate here, please do not hesitate to contact us at the office.
CWAA has an active inter-school athletic program, the Calgary Independent Schools Athletic Association (CISAA), which enables students to develop their athletic skills and experience healthy team participation.
Athletic teams participate in volleyball, soccer, basketball, badminton, flag football, floor hockey, track and field, and other team sports. To find out more about CWAA’s Athletics program please visit the Athletics page on our website.-
What school supplies do I need to purchase for my child?
- All student supply lists are posted on the Parents Corner section of our website.
- <span”>Should there be additional student supplies required for special projects, your child(ren)’s homeroom teachers will communicate with parents via email.</span”>
What happens on the first day of school?
- All parents (new and returning) are invited to a ‘Welcome Back’ assembly in the gymnasium at 8:45 a.m.
- A New Parent Orientation will follow the ‘Welcome Back’ assembly and will include a PowerSchool introduction.
- At noon, students will be dismissed to participate in a watermelon feast!
What are the parking lot procedures?
- One-way traffic only. Please follow signs in and out of CWAA
- Please do not park in front of school on the crosswalk.
- Please respect bus zones when dropping off and picking up. DO NOT park in bus zones between 8:15 – 8:45 a.m. and 3:00 – 3:30 p.m.
- Please yield to buses that are coming in and leaving CWAA. They have a large turning radius and require extra space to maneuver.
- All drivers are asked to drive slowly (15 km/h) and use extreme caution on the school property.
- Parents, please find a parking spot, then come and collect your child.
- Our parking lot is small and busy at pick-up and drop-off times, please patient and considerate at all times.
What do I do if my child is absent from or late to school?
- In the event of an absence, please fill out the “Report an Absence” form on the website before 8:30 a.m. For missed homework/classwork, please check PowerSchool or contact the teacher.
In the event that your child arrives after 8:30 a.m. they must check-in at the office. (All students leaving CWAA prior to 3:15 p.m. must sign out at the office.)
What are CWAA’s hours of operation?
- Our operational hours include Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and on Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Our school hours include Monday to Thursday from 8:20 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. and on Friday from 8:20 a.m. to 1:20 p.m.
- Elementary students who arrive after 8:00 a.m. are expected to be in a supervised homework room until they are dismissed to attend their homeroom classes. Secondary students who arrive after 8:00 a.m. are expected to remain in designated areas until school starts at 8:20 a.m. A first warning bell will ring at 8:15 a.m. with a regular class bell beginning at 8:20 a.m. for attendance and devotions. Students are expected to be seated in their desks ready for the morning announcements at 8:20 a.m.
- Parents are encouraged to pick their children up starting at 3:20 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. unless they are involved in an after-school program. Parents are asked to please respect these clear drop-off/pick-up times. After 3:45 p.m., school staff have many duties to attend to (e.g. extra-curricular coaching, tutoring, parent meetings, subject preparation, etc.) and cannot provide supervision.
How does CWAA communicate with parents?
- The Breeze: an important weekly newsletter containing information about upcoming events, outings and general school news.
- PowerSchool: on-line student information system used to provide real-time access to student progress and to update parents on the information they need to know.
- School Website: Our school website is https://cwaa.net.
- Email – CWAA encourages parents to regularly communicate with their children’ s teachers by email, telephone call or by setting up a mutually convenient meeting time.
- Paper Notices: Occasionally, CWAA will send a notice home with students as need dictates.
- Parent-Teacher conferences are offered in the Fall and in the Spring of each year.
- Parent Meetings: parents are welcome to meet with any staff member when a question arises about their child’s education.
What languages and options are offered at CWAA?
- At present we offer French to Grades 4 to Grades 7 and Spanish in Grade 10.
- Depending on student interest, the follow options are offered at CWAA:
- Fine Arts include: Drama, Art, Choir, Band
- Career and Technology Studies (CTS) include: Foods, Tourism, Fashions, Journalism, Yearbook, Fitness, Business
What extra-curricular activities are offered to CWAA students?
- Secondary students can choose from a variety of extracurricular sports: soccer, volleyball, basketball, badminton, track and field and floor hockey. Junior High athletic practices and games typically run on Tuesday and Thursday afternoon while Senior High athletic practices and games typically run on Monday and Wednesday afternoons.
- Secondary students can also participate in student council, yearbook committee, worship teams, mission trips and many others.
Does CWAA have childcare before/after school?
- CWAA provides elementary students with a “Homework Room” from 8:00 a.m. to 8:20 a.m. and from 3:20 to 3:45 p.m. Monday to Thursday and from 8:00 a.m. to 8:20 a.m. and from 1:20 to 1:45 p.m. on Friday. The Homework Room rotates through elementary classrooms on a weekly basis; a sign is posted at the entrances with the room designation. In the morning, students are expected to go directly to the Homework Room. While in the Homework Room (before or after school) students are to be reading quietly or working on assigned homework.
- CWAA offers fee-based Extracurricular Clubs (examples include Spanish, Sports, Art, Cooking, Science, etc.) Elementary extracurricular clubs run from 7:00 – 8:00 a.m. and 3:45 – 5:30 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Friday.
How much homework should my child have each night?
- Elementary students (Grades K – 6) can anticipate between 10-50 minutes of homework per day.
- Junior High students (Grades 7-9) can anticipate between 60-80 minutes of homework per day.
- Senior High students (Grades 10-12) can anticipate between 80-120 minutes of homework per day.
CWAA have a hot lunch program?
Occasionally CWAA will offer lunches for various fundraisers but CWAA does not have a regular hot lunch program. The Parent Advisory Council sponsored lunches typically occur about once per month.
Elementary recess & lunch clothing
- CWAA does not have a cafeteria; therefore all students are expected to eat their lunch in designated classrooms or spaces. Following lunch, elementary students are expected to go outside for a recess.
- Elementary recesses will normally be outside unless the weather is too severe (-25 °C or below – including wind chill) to permit safe outdoor activities.
- Parents are to ensure their children are suitably dressed for the weather.
When do report cards come home?
Report Cards – Elementary (K-6) report cards will be issued three times a year while Secondary (Grades 7- 12) report cards will be issued two times a year. Report card dates are listed on the school calendar.
What are the CWAA Uniform expectations?
All students have a uniform (see uniform policy on CWAA website for New Parents). Students are expected to be in full uniform at all times while at school. The formal dress uniform will be worn on Tuesday. Once per month, (usually the last Friday of the month,) students are allowed to wear ‘Casual’ clothes (non-uniform clothes) in exchange for a non-perishable food item. These items will be donated to our local food bank.
How do parents get involved at CWAA?
- The best way for parents to become involved is to join the Parent Advisory Council (PAC). These parents are the extension of the teachers and administration, and truly help ease the workload of running a very busy school.
- Become a parent volunteer! For a complete list of volunteer opportunities, please see our application package.
- For safety and security, we ask that all parent volunteers submit a Criminal Record Check, check-in at the front office and wear a volunteer nametag.
Are students allowed to drive to CWAA?
Yes! We welcome student drivers however, we expect students to:
- Park in designated areas.
- Drive slowly, use extreme caution on school property, and use vehicle in a responsible way!
- Not drive to school field trips.
- Submit copies of driver’s license, valid vehicle registration, and insurance to the school office.
Are students allowed cell phones, iPods/etc., computers in school?
- For security and privacy purposes cell phones are not allowed in the classroom. Students are asked to keep their cell phones in student lockers, turned OFF during school hours.
- In secondary, iPods/MP3 Player use will be up to the discretion of the individual teacher during work time only (never during instruction time). iPod touch users will not be given access to CWAA wireless infrastructure. Game consoles should not be brought to school under any circumstance.
- In elementary, students are asked to keep iPods/MP3 players and any electronics games at home.
- Computers may be used by students in the classroom however, they must be used for educational purposes only. Personal Laptop computers must be registered with the IT department to gain printer and network access.
- CWAA will not be responsible for lost or stolen personal electronic devices. Misuse of personal electronic equipment (non-academic purposes) will result in confiscation by the teacher.
What can parents expect from all CWAA Teachers? Teachers will…
- Post classroom guidelines & expectations (course outlines for secondary teachers) on PowerSchool
- Post daily homework assignments and due dates on class calendar.
- Update grades in PowerSchool every 2-3 weeks.
- Communicate student progress (specific concerns) regularly by email, phone call or in-person meeting.
- Be available to meet with parents (prior appointment needed).
- Respond to phone messages or emails within 2 school days.
What CWAA Teachers expect from all Parents! Parents will…
- Bring their child to school on-time (classes start at 8:20) – devotions are important start to the day.
- Provide a positive environment where their child can complete their homework each night.
- Inform the office if their child will be missing school.
- Send their child to school in uniform (weather-appropriate clothing).
- Send a healthy snack/lunch every day!
- If their child is sick, they will keep them at home to prevent the spread of illness.
- Contact the teacher directly by email, phone or appointment if a concern arises.
AdventistSchoolPay allows you to pay your child’s school tuition and expenses online. If you would like to make a donation to the school, you may also do that here by clicking on the payment icon to the left that leads to the payment processing website.
Powerschool allows you to check grades, attendance records, and status of assignments. You will need to create a profile. The required student information to add your child(ren) were issued at the beginning of the year. If you need help signing in, please contact the office.CWAA offers bus services to families within the Calgary city limits with some exceptions due to community access restrictions. School bus services are contracted out to local busing providers and are subject to additional costs separate from registration and tuition fees.
There are two policies related to busing that apply to CWAA and they can be found in the download section to the right. These policies outline the expectations and some operational procedures regarding the busing services provided.
Annual changes to bus routes incorporating new registrants are completed before the end of June and sent to all current and prospective bus families as a notification. CWAA and/or the busing contractor reserve the right to make changes to any route at any time as deemed necessary. New students coming to CWAA after bus routes have been set will be asked to choose an existing stop for their bus needs. We strive to ensure that our routes are not exceeding one hour travel time in duration, and if they do then stop optimization will need to be evaluated.
The safety of our students, driver, and parents are our priority when creating and optimizing routes. If you feel that your stop is a safety concern then please contact the office and we will consider other options.
Kindergarten School Start Supplies List Kindergarten Additional Supplies List Gr. 1 School Start Supplies List Gr. 2 School Start Supplies List Gr. 3 School Start Supplies List Gr. 4 School Start Supplies List Gr. 5 School Start Supplies List Gr. 6 School Start Supplies List Gr. 7-9 School Start Supplies List Gr. 10-12 School Start Supplies ListCWAA’s uniform sets the tone for a proper work attitude in the classroom, directing the student’s attention toward personal or academic achievement rather than fashion. Additionally, the CWAA uniform also allows the community at large to recognize our students as a group of young people who share a common educational goal. As such, all students are encouraged to feel pride in being members of CWAA and wear their uniform proudly.
CWAA has both a casual uniform and a formal uniform. The casual uniform is to be worn by all students Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The formal uniform is to be worn by all students on Tuesday for Chapel and other special occasions. Students are required to wear a school uniform during school hours, to and from school, all designated school field trips and/or related activities (unless special permission is granted by teacher) and at all public performances presented by the school.
Girls Elementary Uniform Order Form
Report a Late/Absence
Important Information
Normal Late/Absence
A student that is marked absent is responsible for any missed coursework presented by the teacher that day. Any missed quizzes and tests are subject to the rules and conduct outlined in the Student-Parent Handbook.
Extended Absences
An extended absence is determined if your child(ren) will be gone for two or more days. Please note that your child(ren)’s teacher(s) still needs to be contacted directly by you to make arrangements regarding the work that will need to be completed. Teachers require ample time to prepare and gather materials, so please let your teacher know as SOON as you know you child(ren) will be missing school.
Note: A confirmation email will be sent to parents confirming the Late/Absence reported.