 Publicly Funded

 Elected School Board

 Specific Educational
Mandate to teach
intellectually Gifted students.

Please see information regarding our Charter under “Explore Westmount”

 “Students are gifted when they demonstrate
outstanding levels of aptitude (exceptional
ability to reason and learn) or competence
(documented performance or achievement)
when compared to others of their age,
experience, and environment. Asynchronous
development, a critical aspect of giftedness,
combines advanced cognitive abilities and
heightened intensity to create inner
experiences and awareness that are
qualitatively atypical and require modifications
in teaching and counselling.”
Gifted students not only think differently
from most others, they also feel differently.

• Heightened sense of awareness

• Sensitivity to surroundings
• Highly aware of self and others
• Show concern for others and highly critical of self
• At times, out of step in the world

From this perspective, giftedness is not

equated only to high academic achievement.
Giftedness is how you are wired, not what you
produce.
 It is MOST IMPORTANT to ensure an
appropriate alignment between the needs
of gifted students and the school’s
program.

Westmount Charter School’s primary

objective IS NOT high achievement. We value
and encourage good marks, but our #1 priority is
best programming for intellectually gifted
learners, not high marks. If high marks is the
most important objective for you and your child,
please seriously consider this before applying.
To provide students who are gifted an authentic
educational experience that:

 Supports need, ability and potential

 Provides opportunities for inner growth
 Develops genuine relationships, and
 Is facilitated by empathetic, passionate,
creative educators whose ethical practice
develops lifelong learners.
Westmount Charter School’s inclusive student
population is highly diverse with up to 20%
requiring special education supports, on top
of their primary gifted needs. These supports
may include:

 Student Services Team: Counsellors, Learning

Strategists, Teaching and Learning Assistants
 Individualized Program Plans;
accommodations, modifications
 Assistive Technology
 Acceleration
 Enrichment
 Individualized and personalized programming
supporting each student’s unique profile
 Flexible programming in terms of the pace
and level of instruction
 Dual Enrollment
 Cross-Grade or Multi-Age Grouping
 Course or Grade Advancement
 Independent Study
 Seminars and Tutorials
• Elementary K - 4: 420 students
• Middle School 5 - 12: 880 students

Total population: 1300 students

*Typically, 4 classes per grade from K - Gr 8

Elementary Campus Mid-High Campus
728 32 Street NW 2215 Uxbridge Drive NW
Kindergarten to Grade 4 Grade 5 – Grade 12

•Students automatically move to •There is limited space is grade 5 only due to a

the mid high in Grade 5. They do class size increase between campuses.
not need to reapply once •There is extremely limited space for grade 6 – 8.
they’ve been accepted into •There is more availability in grade 9 and 10.
Westmount Charter School. •Please see Step #3 on the mid-high admission
pages for detailed information.
 Grade 5: 27
Grade 6: 27
Grade 7: 28
Grade 8: 28
Grade 9 is the beginning of High School and
scheduled as such

 Class sizes based on the previous 5 year average.

 Based on student need and complexity.
 can vary minimally from these numbers.
 complex learners may have the support of a TLA for part of
their day.
• $100 Registration Deposit only if space is offered.
• The $100 deposit is applied as a credit to 2024-2025
fees.
• Balance of fees are collected each October.
• Total instructional fees are $230 - $285 per year
depending on grade level.
• Option classes may charge additional fees.
• Based on 2022-2023 fee structure. Fees may change
for 2024-2025.
• Bussing fees are applied separately.

https://www.westmountcharter.com/parents/school-fees/
Under the School Act, charter schools are not obliged to
provide transportation. Nevertheless, we do.
• Fee based
• Partially Alberta Education paid
• Partially parent paid
• 12 bus routes
• Full time riders & part time riders*
• Must live 2.4 km or more from the school
• Expect bus rides averaging 60 – 75 minutes
• Visit Westmount Charter School Website for specifics

https://www.westmountcharter.com/transportation/part-time-busing
http://www.westmountcharter.com/pdfs/transportation_overview.pdf
 … it is critical that your child be described
as accurately as possible.

Inflating a child’s abilities may result in his/her placement in

a program with a pace and complexity that will be too
difficult to keep up with. This may be damaging to a child’s
self-concept and self-esteem.

Please note: Providing incomplete or inaccurate

information about a child may result in a recommendation
that the child be removed from the program.

https://www.westmountcharter.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/AP-300-Student-Selection-FINAL-Feb-17.pdf
STEP 1:
• Obtain Intelligence Testing (Psychological Assessment).
FAQ can be found on website in Step #2 on the Mid-
High Admissions pages.

NOTE: We do not offer assessments through Westmount Charter School.

• Westmount Charter School is looking for evidence that a

child’s scores meet the recommended criteria for Gifted
and Talented, which is a Full Scale IQ (FSIQ) score or
a General Abilities Index (GAI) score of 130 +/- 5.
Step 2 – Complete, sign and submit the online
application in PowerSchool Enrollment by
January 31, 2024 at 3:00 pm.

A complete application must include:

• Scanned copies of required documents:
• See next slide for list of required documents.
• Teacher Inventory of Learning Strengths (TILS)
 Our preference would be your child’s current homeroom teacher, a resource
teacher or guidance counselor who has recently worked with your child or an
administrator at your child’s current school. However, we understand that some
schools will not allow teachers or staff members to complete forms for external
schools. While your child will not be penalized if the teacher is not able to fill out the
form, you are also welcome to have a coach/piano teacher/tutor (someone other than
a relative who knows your child well) complete the form. If you are unable to have a
TILs completed, it will not impact your child’s application.
 Step 2
Application must also include supporting
documentation…

Scanned .PDF documents ready to upload:

• Psychological Assessment (3-5 years) (Required document)
• Birth Certificate (Required document)
• “WHY WESTMOUNT” for your child – Parents: What made you look into
Westmount for educational programming for your child? (Required document)
• Most recent report card – previous June final or current (Required document)
• Immigration Documentation, if applicable. Canadian Passport preferred, however
this may also include a Permanent Residency Card, Work Visa, Student Visa,
Permanent Landed Immigrant papers or a Canadian Citizenship Card.
• Any assessment documentation other than the Psychological Assessment i.e.
assessment to address social/emotional/behavioural concerns.
• An Individual Program Plan (IPP) associated with behavioral intervention funding,
Program Unit Funding (PUF), or any Severe Disabilities funding.
• Custody or Guardianship documentation if applicable.
STEP 3 – Receive notification of receipt of application via
email to the PRIMARY parent/guardian email
address as provided through the PowerSchool
Enrollment account.
**Please note:

Applications to Westmount are not on a “first-come-first-served” basis.

All applications received by January 31, 2024 will be carefully reviewed
at one time (by grade grouping) for consideration for admission to
Westmount Charter School.

Westmount Charter School consistently receives more

applications than it has spots for. Although your child may qualify
to attend Westmount they may be placed on a waiting list until the
end of September 2024, or have his or her application
discontinued.
STEP 4 – Receive Notification of Decision regarding
suitability to our program and whether or not
we will proceed with the application.

Timeline:

 January 31, 2024 – deadline to submit an application for grade 5 through 12.

 February 2024 – our current students are asked to re-register to secure their
space at Westmount. Available space (if any) for the 2024 – 2025 school year is
then determined.

 Early March 2024 – the Intake Committee (typically 5 members per grade)
thoroughly reviews each application to determine suitability for our program.

 Late March 2024 - The PowerSchool Enrollment account holder for each applicant
will be notified by email regarding the status of their applications and the
appropriate next steps.

 March 22 – April 8, 2024 – Spring Break at Westmount Charter School.

What does “suitability to the school’s
program” mean?

Determining “Suitability” is based on:

1) The results and recommendations of the

psychological assessment
• WISC, WAIS-IV, Stanford-Binet
2) Teacher Inventory of Learning Strengths (TILS) if
available
3) Other significant factors of student need indicated
in the application package
4) Review of application package by all members of
the Intake team (Typically 5 members for each
grade)
 STEP 5 – OFFER and Acceptance of Placement Offer

 An offer of placement will be sent separately by email to

the PRIMARY contact with instructions on how to proceed.

 Parents/guardians will have a specified deadline to accept

placement offers.

 If there is no response by the date listed on your offer

email, we will attempt one phone call and one reminder
email.

 If a placement spot is declined or there is still no response, we

will rescind our offer and move on to the next candidate on our
waitlist. A final email will be sent as confirmation.
 “When the number of students qualifying for admission to the school is
greater than the number of available positions, placement will be offered
to the students identified by the assessment process as demonstrating
characteristics of giftedness most appropriate to the school’s
program. Any other qualifying students will be eligible to be placed on
a list of qualified candidates.

Please note: being placed on a list of qualified candidates does not

guarantee eventual placement.

 We do not keep a waitlist from year to year. If we are unable to offer

your son or daughter a space at Westmount for the upcoming school
year, you will need to reapply for each school year with a completely
new application submission. Assessments are considered valid for 3 – 5
years.

 When the number of students applying for admission is less than the
number of available positions, those students shall be offered the
placement provided they meet the acceptance criteria of the
assessment process.”
Appeals of decisions made by the Intake Committee may be
requested if:

• an error has been made in recording information from the application;

• the application was processed in a way that is not consistent with the one described or
posted on the WCS website or Administrative Policy 300 – Student Selection;

• An appeal may result in information or processes being corrected. The correction may not
necessarily change the final decision of the Intake Committee.

Please note: We are not able to respond to appeals based on reasons other than those
listed above.

 Appeals must be received by email to the principal within 7 days of receipt of the
decision email being sent.
 Email responses to appeals will be sent to parents/guardians within one week of receiving
the Appeal request.
 Appeals of the principal’s decision may be made to the Superintendent.

https://www.westmountcharter.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/AP-300-Student-Selection-FINAL-June-21.pdf