Calgary’s Best High Schools
Previously we looked at Calgary’s best elementary schools, because the quality of local schools is so often the make-or-break factor when buying a new house. So today we’re continuing with a rundown of Calgary’s best high schools. And here they are!
Community: Aspen Woods, SW Calgary
School district: Webber Academy Foundation
Webber Academy was on our list of Calgary’s best elementary schools (take a moment and go here to see why it’s been in the news lately). But its high school scores even higher than the elementary; a full 10 /10 making it Alberta’s best high school (joint with Rundle College, below, and Edmonton’s Old Scona).
They’re non-denominational, which means they accept students of all faiths but adamantly exclude religion from their schooling, and really focus on equal opportunities and respect.
Community: St. Andrews Heights, NW Calgary
School district: Rundle College Society
Here’s another school that featured on our best elementary schools list. But Rundle’s high school comes in with full marks—Alberta’s joint best high school. Rundle Academy, running alongside the College, is an entire school program for children with learning disabilities. In both the Academy and College, small class sizes are their calling card.
They do take admissions in every grade (though of course the most high school spaces are available for grades 7 and 10).
Community: Fairview, SE Calgary
School district: West Island College Society of Alberta
There are two West Island Collages, one in Calgary and the other in, you guessed it, West Island, Montreal. The Calgary school is split into two campuses, for grades 7 to 9 and grades 10 to 12. They’re all about prepping for uni, and follow the university semester system. Students can earn credits and advanced placement for university. And they’re about to launch an online learning platform to make the classroom available 24-7.
4. Western Canada Senior High School
Community: Lower Mount Royal, SW Calgary
School district: Calgary School District No. 19
The most centrally located school in Calgary, Western Canada Senior High is a historic school on 17th Ave. The original school dates back to 1903, when it was an exclusive private boys’ school. It’s now a public co-ed and part of the Calgary Board of Education. It’s one of the few schools in Calgary offering French immersion (alongside an English program) and the International Baccalaureate qualification—a boom for international families or those likely to move abroad.
5. Westmount Charter School, Mid-High Campus
Community: University Heights, NW Calgary
School district: Westmount Charter School Society
Up by UofC, Westmount is a K-12 school specifically for “gifted learners.” So they only take kids who have shown an outstanding level of aptitude or competence. They have pretty specific criteria (see more here) and some great resources for parents struggling to help their little Einsteins.
We’ve looked at Calgary’s top five elementary and high schools, but our city is home to many great places to learn. Out of the entire province, six of the top ten schools are here in Calgary.
So work with your realtor to pinpoint the communities most likely to get your little ‘uns (or slightly bigger ‘uns) into the best school. At Virtuo we have a personality matching algorithm that’ll find you the best realtor for a house hunt that takes schooling into consideration. So get in touch!
