CO-CURRICULAR HANDBOOK
www.westislandcollege.ab.ca
7410 Blackfoot Trail SE Calgary, AB
Tel: 403.255.5300
2019 - 2020 1
Join an inclusive community of enthusiastic learners. At WIC, the heart of our vision involves each student in unparalleled and diverse learning opportunities. You are encouraged to follow your passions, expand your creativity, and take on new challenges. You cherish the authentic relationships you make with other students and your teachers. You enhance WIC’s culture of caring, commitment, and community. You belong here just the way you are, in a place where discovery is achieved alongside your friends, family and the greater WIC community.
Participate in captivating, relevant and rigorous curriculum. We are committed to preparing you for post-secondary studies through your six years of school, not only through our academic courses and timetabling but through our physical environment and student supports. We seek to inspire you each day to learn something new, grow a little further, take the time to play a little longer, all in a place where you belong. Whether you are learning a new song in band, understanding how to converse in French or Spanish, or biking the trails of Kananaskis during Outdoor Education, you will be captivated and challenged to explore your strengths, not only to prepare you for your future, but to inspire you for the rest of your life.
Feel camaraderie through teamwork. Whether you’re on the court or in the stands, on the stage or in the audience, you will experience the collective pride we feel for our WIC teams. As a WIC student you will have equal opportunities to participate in athletics where you will be challenged to acknowledge your successes and your failures. You may take the lead role in the Drama production, you may pick up an instrument and learn to play, but all of this doesn’t happen alone; at WIC, teamwork is key. You are invited to be part of a team. Along the way you learn the value of working together to achieve a common goal. You will eat, laugh, win, and fail with your teammates. Your relationships will be strengthened by sharing these intimate and dynamic experiences.
Be inspired by progressive thinking through innovation. From our International Studies program and authentic student leadership opportunities to Outdoor Education and WIC’s Business and Health Sciences Institutes, you go beyond your comfort zone and discover what hands-on learning means. You engage in off-site shadowing through the Business Institute. You investigate food pigments in candy, learn how to tape an ankle and see first-hand how students in post-secondary operate through the Health Sciences program. Whatever you decide, we know that discovering your full potential won’t be easy but it will certainly be worth it!
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Connect your passion to purpose. Your desires in life are different from your peers’; we recognize this. You have your own passions. We encourage you to stand out and reach for the top. Your time at WIC not only builds a strong knowledge base but inspires you to continue to learn, play, grow and belong for the rest of your life. West Island College’s extensive co-curricular program has something to offer everyone. According to the Conference Board of Canada, there are three main areas of employability skills: academic preparedness, teamwork skills and personal management skills. Specifically designed to prepare our students for a fulfilling life, our Co-curricular program has been designed to provide students with ample opportunities to develop their personal, team and leadership skills. Our popular outdoor education trips is just one example where students learn to respect not only the environment around them but the diversities of their group. In these settings, students learn through new and dynamic experiences. Outdoor education activities are offered to all students in Grades 7 to 12 at various times throughout the school year. WIC also has numerous athletic, creative, and intellectual activities. All activities are lead by qualified teachers or outside personnel, and take place both at the school and at other venues. The majority of the activities run in the morning, at lunchtime or after school, however, some do extend into the evenings and weekends.
Head of Athletics and Experiential Leadership Todd Larsen toddlarsen@mywic.ca 403.255.5300 ext.290
Outdoor Education Trip
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Outdoor Education Trip
Outdoor Education The philosophy of Outdoor Experiential Education is apparent in its name: education via experience. Rather than learning through textbooks, lectures, or classroom simulations, experiential education aims to advance learning by directly involving students in new and dynamic opportunities. Experiential learning challenges students to make decisions and develop and apply their leadership skills. The goals for the West Island College Outdoor Education Program are that students will develop: an interest in outdoor living, travel and general recreation; the attitudes and knowledge required to participate in outdoor activities; and lifelong skills in leadership, teamwork, resiliency and decision making. September is a busy month for outdoor education. All of our senior students are involved in at least one preparation day, followed by three days of experiential learning. The objectives of these trips are to build upon the foundational skills learned in the lower grades, to foster leadership and team building, and for students to enjoy being one with nature. In Grade 10, all students participate in a custom developed program at Camp Chief Hector that immerses students in a large variety of activities. Thereafter, in Grades 11 and 12, students are able to select from a wide variety of exciting adventures, which include: alpine hiking, scuba diving, canoeing, mountaineering, sailing, mountain biking, and day trips. In the late winter, the Grade 9s spend two nights and three days in Kananaskis Country learning how to cross country ski and developing an understanding of managing their winter environment. By the end of the trip, the students are all at least comfortable on the skis, and often have humorous tales of their adventures in the winter wilderness. Later in the spring, the Grade 8 students are involved in a preparation day followed by two days in Kananaskis Country. Whilst in the mountains, they spend one day hiking and examining the environment, and one day rock climbing under the supervision of University of Calgary climbing guides. A favourite part of the trip for many is the overnight camping experience where their preparation and skills are put to the test. In June, Grade 7 students have the opportunity to enjoy a fun and challenging day trip to a local location.
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WIC Field Hockey Team
Interscholastic Sports Athletics at West Island College are an integral and valued part of the school culture. Athletic competition plays a vital role in developing one’s physical, intellectual, social and emotional well-being, and WIC takes pride in exceptional student participation rates. Furthermore, the coaching staff is passionate about helping the athletes to develop a lifelong love of physical activity during their journeys to individual excellence. WIC offers a wide variety of athletic opportunities from Grade 7 through to Grade 12. Interscholastic teams start at the end of August with golf and volleyball and finish in June with soccer, field hockey and rugby. Teams are competitive and try-outs are held at all levels. All teams have both practices and games, and some many teams also participate in outside tournaments. Practices are held at the school or a nearby field in the morning before school, or after school. Games and tournaments are played both at home and away. The Grade 7 boys and Grade 7 girls teams are open for tryouts for Grade 7 students only. The Grade 7/8 boys and Grade 7/8 girls teams are open for tryouts to any Grade 7 or 8 students. The main objectives of these teams are participation and skill development. Junior 8/9 boys and Junior 8/9 girls teams are open for tryouts to any Grade 8 or 9 students. These teams spend a lot of time on skill development and court strategies. The level of play becomes more competitive as the students progress through the grades. The competitive senior teams are open to players from Grades 10 through 12. Teams often have the opportunity to participate in a competitive high school league and a variety of outside tournaments.
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Please find below a list of all the interscholastic teams offered throughout the year, in order according to season: TERM
INTERSCHOLASTIC TEAMS
TEAMS
I
Cross Country
ü
Senior Golf
ü
Gr 7 Girls Volleyball
ü
Gr 7 Boys Volleyball
ü
7/8 Girls Volleyball
ü
7/8 Boys Volleyball
ü
8/9 Girls Volleyball
ü
8/9 Boys Volleyball
ü
Sr. Girls Volleyball
ü
JV Girls Volleyball
ü
Sr. Boys Volleyball
ü
II
Gr 7 Girls Basketball
ü
Gr 7 Boys Basketball
ü
7/8 Girls Basketball
ü
7/8 Boys Basketball
ü
8/9 Girls Basketball
ü
8/9 Boys Basketball
ü
Sr. Girls Basketball
ü
JV Boys Basketball
ü
Sr. Boys Basketball
ü
III
IV
Jr. Badminton
ü
Sr. Badminton
ü
Rugby [M]
ü
ü
Track & Field
ü
ü
7/8 Soccer
ü
8/9 Soccer
ü
Field Hockey [F]
ü
Notes: * Students should listen at Morning Assembly for announcements regarding start dates and times. Information will also be made available on WIC TV. ** Some sports may run into an additional term depending on league schedules.
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Club/Activity West Island College aims to develop the student as a whole, not just academically. As such, our students are encouraged to get involved in one aspect or another of student life. Participation in one or more of our many teams and clubs is not only personally fulfilling, but it also allows our students to get the requisite credit for the Head of School’s List: each student is required to participate in a minimum of one school activity per term in order to receive credit. Whether a student likes to be in the forefront of action or behind the scenes, WIC’s vast array of clubs has something for everyone. The clubs are all open to both genders, although they may vary in terms of their target age groups. The majority of the clubs take place over the lunch hour, but many involve after school or evening commitments as well. Read our club descriptions below for more detailed information.
CLUB/ACTIVITY LIST *Please note that new clubs are frequently added Book Club
Gardening Club
Roots and Shoots
Business Case Club
Global Awarness Club
Slam Poetry Club
Club des ambassadrices et ambassadeurs de I’mmersion Francaise
Grade 7 Beginner Jazz Band
Speech Club
Grade 8 Jazz Band
Students’ Council
Common Ground
Grad Commitee
Table Tennis
Creative Writing Club
International Studies Meetings
Yearbook Club
Debate Club
Jr. Choir
Discover Club
Model United Nations
Drama Club
Newspaper Club
Engineering Club
Peer Support
FAME
Photography Club
Fictional Literature Society
Radio WIC Robotics Club
WIC Club Fair
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Be Bold. Be Brave. Be Ready. Own Your Future
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