WESTMOUNT CHARTER SCHOOLOur Vision and Purpose
Vision:
Westmount Charter School, "as a partner in the best learning system in the world", will be recognized as the centre for excellence in gifted education.
Our Purpose:
To provide qualitatively differentiated educational programming for Kindergarten through Grade 12 students who are gifted (The Charter, 1998).
Our Philosophy:
Because our school is based on the understanding of the multiple intelligences, we must teach in a differentiated manner which means that all students work from the same Alberta curriculum outcomes but the manner in which they choose to demonstrate their understanding can vary widely.
We work from the latest research concerning how the brain learns, thus our school culture reflects this research, especially regarding the importance of relationships and the time required to build understanding rather than memorization.
Our aim is to work with the diversity that comes to us, provide a learning environment that allows and encourages each of our students to develop his potential. Decisions are rooted in the question what is best for the student.
Giftedness:
Westmount Charter School defines Giftedness in this way: "Students are gifted when they perform, or show potential for performing, remarkably high levels of accomplishment in learning rate, depth of knowledge, and reasoning and problem-solving abilities when compared to others of their age, experience, and environment." For more information about Westmount's innovative approach toward gifted education, click here.
Another Definition of Giftedness
"Giftedness is 'asynchronous development' in which advanced cognitive abilities and heightened intensity combine to create inner experiences and awareness that are qualitatively different from the norm. This asynchrony increases with higher intellectual capacity. The uniqueness of the gifted renders them particularly vulnerable and requires modifications in parenting, teaching and counseling in order for them to develop optimally."
- the Columbus Group (1991, in Morelock, 1992).
Our beliefs:
-We provide opportunities to optimize potential
-We differentiate learning
-We foster respect within a safe environment
-Staff is committed to continuous, meaningful learning
-We build community while celebrating individuality.
Our mandate is to provide an excellent, publicly-funded program for Gifted Learners, in a congregated setting, from elementary grades to grade 12.
Since we honour the Multiple Intelligences and the extraordinary variety of ways in which students express their giftedness, we use a variety of tools in the qualification process prior to registration. All applicants provide a significant amount of written information: self/parent assessment, academic records, and professional references/recommendations. If there are psychological-educational assessments in place, those are requested. In addition, students from grades 1 to 8 will come to the school for a day of testing and observation. Students from grade 9 to 12 will engage in an intake interview process in addition to the written information that they submit.
Our largest intake group is at the grade one level where there are 68 spaces each year. Since our high school program is still young, there will typically be a significant number of openings in grades 10, 11 and 12; the openings at any of the other grades (2-9) usually ranges around 10 per grade level. In addition, we offer a popular Kindergarten program, but please be advised: admission to Kindergarten, which does not include admission testing, does not guarantee acceptance into the grade 1-12 educational program.
What we offer
- Small class sizes
- Differentiated programming based on Alberta Education Curriculum that allows students to proceed at their own rate provided they have understood the concepts of the entire curriculum at their present level
- An emphasis on developing the Whole Child
- An emphasis on teaching students how to learn
- An emphasis on understanding concepts
- A caring learning environment that honours differences
- Qualified and dedicated staff
- A growing extracurricular program
- School bussing
- A teaching staff that models life long learning
- The opportunity to stay at the same school from the beginning of elementary grades to high school graduation
- An established program, now in its thirteenth year of educating gifted learners.
Click here for more information about how to choose a program for your gifted child, and Westmount's program philosophy
Our Program
To learn more about our kindergarten, click here.
To learn more about our elementary grades (gr 1-5), click here.
To learn more about our middle school (gr 6-8), click here.
To learn more about our high school (gr 9-12), click here.
For an overview of our application/admission procedures, click here.
Would you like to visit Westmount or correspond with us? click here!
Our School Day
Elementary
K-5 classes begin at 8:30 AM and end at 3:15 PM.
Gr 1-5 recess is from 10:05-10:20 AM and from 1:40-1:55 PM.
Gr 1-5 lunch (in classrooms) is from 11:40 AM to 12:20 PM, including a recess time.
Kindergarten classes have separate recess times for most of the year, gradually integrating into the regular recess times as the year progresses.
Mid-High
Gr 6-12 classes begin at 8:30 AM and end at 3:17 PM.
Gr 6-12 lunch (in the cafeteria) is from 11:27 AM -12:20 PM. Food service, provided by a private vendor, is generally available in the cafeteria from Monday-Thursday.
Students arriving late to classes will need to pick up a late slip from the Office.
Staff are available to supervise students from 8:15 AM-3:30 PM only.
In order to promote student security, all visitors to the school, including Westmount parents, are required to sign in at the office to receive a visitor's badge. Parents picking up their children at day's end are asked to wait in the designated parent area, in the north-east corner of the main floor.
To respect the needs of children with life-threatening food allergies, Westmount students are to refrain from bringing foods containing nuts or nut products to school.
Our Teachers
We are proud of our teachers! Click here for a full list of our teaching staff.
Our History of Innovation
Charter Schools have the responsibility of providing and sharing innovative educational practices. Click here for a brief history of our program, and some of the innovations along the way!
Westmount's fee structure
Westmount Charter School is a publicly funded institution. We cannot and do not charge tuition! Like most public schools, however, Westmount charges modest instructional resource fees, and some Middle School and High School courses carry additional fees. To learn more, click here.
About Charter SchoolsAlberta's Charter public schools are autonomous public schools of choice which provide education in an innovative way. Each charter school is designed to implement innovations in the organization and delivery of education, which results in improvements in student learning. To learn more, click here.
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