Grades 6-8 at Westmount Charter School

• a place for ALL gifted learners: whether you're an expert on nature, or a musician, or a voracious reader, or a math-science whiz, there is room for you at Westmount
• an emphasis on understanding concepts, and the opportunity to "show what you know" in dozens of different ways
• small class sizes, great friends and dedicated teachers who get to know you!
• an emphasis on learning how to learn, and Individualized Program Plans to help you work on meaningful educational goals
• a caring learning environment that honours differences: it's cool to be who you are!
• clubs, school teams, lunchtime intramurals
• humanitarian trips and High School "Human Condition" courses
• "Project Earth", "Footprints" and "Innovations" integrated courses in grade seven
  
• easy access via Calgary Transit, School bus, or in your own vehicle
• opportunities to proceed at your own rate once you have understood the concepts of the entire curriculum at the present level
• full range of High School courses including Advanced Placement (AP) Courses
• Summerstock Theatre program
• no switching schools - stay at Westmount from K to 12
• readiness for post-secondary: check our grad/alumni information!

Our middle school/mid grades program places a strong emphasis on enriching and deepening student learning that demonstrates proven performance. We continue to stress the importance of community and citizenship, while celebrating student achievement and success.

Teachers assist students in formulating Individual Program Plans that guide students towards achieving meaningful educational goals.

Westmount has established an ambitious one-to-one laptop initiative at mid/high school: click here for details.

Fundamental to our program is the expectation that students direct their learning by organizing Alberta Education curriculum learner outcomes into relevant learning experiences and products that demonstrate their knowledge and understanding. Our continuously evolving program includes a wide variety of course selections such as:
-Art
-Band
-Choir
-Dance
-Drama
-English
-Environmental/Outdoor Education
-Ethics
-Footprints, Innovations or Project Earth integrated programs (available in grade 7)
-French
-Information Processing
-Math
-Physical Education and Athletics
-Science
-Social Studies
-Spanish
-World Music
(click on subject names for available links)

A Student Awards program was started in 2007-2008 by Student Council - application forms are available in the spring, on the Student Council bulletin board.

As part of Westmount's understanding of the world around us, a number of travel/learning opportunities are available to our students on a fee-for-service basis. In general, the trips are aimed at a particular grade, but in certain circumstances students in another grade (typically one grade higher than the rest of the group) may be included. These trips include the Westcoast Trip in Spring Break for grade 8 students. (For information about grade 9-12 trips, click here).

8 July 2010

Mid-Grades Links

Westmount's Provincial Achievement Test results.

As a publicly-funded program for gifted learners, we do not charge tuition. For a schedule of our school fees, click here.

Click here for more information about how to choose a program for your gifted child, and Westmount's program philosophy!

Mid-Grades School Day

Gr 6-12 classes begin at 8:30 AM and end at 3:17 PM. There are four instructional blocks, as follows:
1. 8:30 - 9:57
2. 10:00 - 11:27
3. 12:20 - 1:47
4. 1:50 - 3:17
Gr 6-12 lunch (in the cafeteria) is from 11:27 AM -12:15 PM. Mid-School students are not allowed to go to the cafeteria at any other time.
Grade 7-12 students are allowed to leave the campus at lunch time, but grade 6's are not. For some other lunch options at Westmount, click here.

Students arriving late to classes will need to pick up a late slip from the Office.

In order to promote student security, all visitors to the school, including Westmount parents, are required to obtain a Westmount photo ID badge, or sign in at the entrance to receive a visitor's badge. All students from grade 6-12 also have photo ID badges and lanyards, as part of Westmount's commitment to student safety and security. Staff are available to supervise students from 8:15 AM-4:00 PM only - parents are expected to make every effort to pick up students by 3:30 PM.

To respect the needs of students with life-threatening food allergies, Westmount students are to refrain from bringing foods containing nuts or nut products to school.