What is CWAA’s cell phone policy?

• Our policy is guided by recent Alberta Government restrictions on cell phone use in the classroom which was established to prevent distractions, social media use, and cyberbullying.
• Students are encouraged to leave all personal cell phones and digital devices at home. 
• If a students chooses to bring their personal cell phone to the school, they are given a brief period in the morning to sign their device in with administration and the device will be distributed back to them at the after school dismissal bell.
• If a student is found to be using their cell phone or personal device on campus then it will be confiscated by administration for the remainder of the school day and returned to the student at the after school dismissal bell.
• Medical and learning instruction exceptions are available to those students with a genuine need and will be need to be approved by administration.

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.
•  Should there be additional student supplies required for special projects, your child(ren)’s homeroom teachers will communicate with parents via email.

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 at any time as we need them free for charter busing.
• 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. If possible, offset your drop-off  and pickup times for when the buses are not present. 

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 8:20 a.m. they must check-in at the office. (All students leaving CWAA prior to 3:20 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 4:30 p.m. and on Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Our school hours include Monday to Thursday from 8:20 a.m. to 3:20 p.m. and on Friday from 8:20 a.m. to 12:00 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 first-period class bell beginning at 8:20 a.m.. 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 from Grade 4 to Grade 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 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 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 – 8:15 a.m. and 3:45 – 5:15 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 7:00 a.m. – 8:15 a.m. and 12:25 p.m. – 2:15 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. There is a Secondary Interim Progress Report sent out after quarters Q1 and Q3. 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 stalls designated for staff and students (lower lot).
• 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 personal devices such as iPods/etc., computers in school?

• 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 being used for supplementary education purposes 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 and the device submitted to administration.

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 any concerns arise.