High School | Programs | Calgary Board of Education

In high school, students explore new ideas, develop additional interests, build relationships, and pursue their goals. CBE high schools work together and with community partners to give students more flexibility in accessing a wide variety of programs, courses and learning experiences.

High School Information Guides

Academic Enrichment Programs

All CBE traditional high schools offer either AP or IB programming. Pl​ease check with your designated high school to see if their programming meets your needs.


  • Advanced Placement (AP) | | Students who take AP® can earn advanced credit or advanced standing at thousands of colleges and universities.

  • International Baccalaureate (IB) | Use Grades 11 and 12 for
    intensive university preparation and receive a year’s worth of academic credit upon entry to the University of Calgary (for IB Diploma students).

Arts Programs


  • Arts-Centred Learning (ACL) | students develop knowledge and understanding in a variety of topics and disciplines using arts-focused inquiry. This program will no longer be offered at high school starting in September 2022.​​

Locations | James Fowler High School and Lord Beaverbrook High School


  • Performing and Visual Arts Program | students develop skills, deepen knowledge, and discover their own voice through an enriched experience in one of the following disciplines:

    • Dance
    • Music | Band, Choral or strings
    • Theatre Arts
    • Visual Art/Advanced Placement Studio Art
    • Fashion Design
    • Media Design Arts 

Location | Central Memorial High School

Unique Settings


  • Alternative High School | provides a highly personalized and democratic learning environment for academically capable students who did not experience success in their designated high school or junior/middle school.

  • CBe-learn | offers a full range of
    online courses.

  • Discovering Choices | an
    Outreach Program where students work closely with their teachers, in a setting outside of a traditional high school, to set a flexible time table to achieve their educational goals. Students can also access personal and career counselling, conflict resolution, anger management techniques, time management and study skills, parenting skills and learning strategies. There are four Discovering Choices locations in Calgary.

  • Jack James High School | state-of-the-art, personalized learning community that emphasizes engaging, hands-​on, and practical opportunities.  Provides extensive support for students as they transition to the workplace or post-secondary.  Students are provided with a flexible learning environment that includes Knowledge and Employability (K&E) courses integrating essential employability skills while supporting student success and achievement. This is a school of choice for students across the city.

  • Louise Dean School | pregnant and parenting teens receive a specialized Grade 9 – 12 education program that offers a flexible schedule for maternity leaves, counselling or lifestyle challenges.

Chinook Learning Services


Chinook Learning Services is the Calgary Board of Education’s provider of in-person
High School Upgrading​ and completion. Students come to Chinook to:

  • ​​Complete a high school diploma.
  • Increase competitive average and / or deepen curricular understanding as a bridge to post-secondary.
  • Upgrade to a higher academic stream.
  • Learn in an inclusive, adult environment.​
Students who are still eligible to attend their home high school are not permitted to register with Chinook Learning Services for Fall or Winter semesters. Daytime courses are available to students 19 years of age or younger as of September 1 of the current school year. Evening courses are open to all adult learners.

Explore Career Possibilities


  • Career and Technology Studies | Students develop skills that can be applied in their lives and potentially to a future career. They can also explore and learn about an area of interest.
    CTS courses are offered at all CBE high schools. However, different high schools offer different courses.
  • CBE students can also take courses at the
    Career and Technology Centre at Lord Shaughnessy High School.

  • Unique Pathways and Off-campus Education | CBE partners with post-secondary institutions, industry partners and community organizations to offer a wide-range of unique opportunities for students. These range from practical, hands-on learning experiences in Exploratory programs to Dual Credit courses and programs that allow students to participate in post-secondary learning with the support of a supervising CBE teacher. These programs allow students to complete high school their own way, and set students up for future success by easing the transition to post-secondary learning and/or the workplace.

Resources to Help You with Career Planning


  • myBlueprint​ – An interactive education, career, pathways and life planner (7-12). The tool can help students to explore and build their high school course plan and inform their course choices.

  • Alis – Alberta careers, learning and employment information

  • ALIS CAREERinsite – A one-stop guide to career planning for Albertans. Create your career plan, get to know yourself with quizzes and exercises, explore options, get ready and take action.

  • Calgary Public Library – Job & Career Accelerator Library Card Required. An interactive career selection and job search system, including: occupation profiles, resume building, cover letter writing, interview skills and more.​

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