CBE and CSSD: how the two boards overlap in Calgary
Calgary has two publicly funded school boards operating across the city, and both are active throughout SW Calgary. Understanding the difference between them is the first step to making sense of school options in any neighbourhood.
The Calgary Board of Education (CBE) is the public secular board. It is the larger of the two, with schools in every part of the city, and it enrols families of every faith. Under CBE's rules, a student is a CBE resident only when at least one parent lives within CBE's boundary and at least one parent is not Roman Catholic, and schools that are full or running a lottery cannot take non-resident students. Kindergarten is different: any child whose parents live in Alberta can enrol where a school has space. CBE runs French Immersion, the IB programme at Western Canada High School, the Traditional Learning Centre at Glamorgan School, and a Montessori programme at Killarney School, among others.
The Calgary Catholic School District (CSSD) is publicly funded but faith-based. It follows the Catholic curriculum and integrates faith formation into daily school life. In the district's words, "The Alberta Education Act requires us to prioritize the enrolment of Catholic students who live inside a school's attendance area." It enrols non-Catholic students and students from outside the area when sufficient resources and facilities are available.
Both boards have schools throughout SW Calgary, and every address has designated schools with each of them, so a family can compare a CBE option with a CSSD one at the same grade.
The two boards operate independently: separate bussing contracts, separate registration systems, separate school-year calendars (though the start and end dates are usually close). If you are comparing a CBE school with a CSSD school, registration deadlines and bussing logistics are board-specific, so check each board's website for the current year's details.
Designated schools, school boundaries, and out-of-area enrolment
Every Calgary address has a designated school with each board at each level (elementary, junior high, high school). CBE sets it by your address and the programme you choose, and says it "may be in your community or a nearby area." Both boards publish attendance area maps and search tools by address.
A designated school is not a guaranteed seat. When a CBE regular programme school reaches capacity, CBE caps new registrations and names an overflow school. A family that moves in registers at the designated school, and if there is no room, the child is placed at the overflow school and added to a callback list. Check CBE's overflow and lottery lists for any school you are counting on.
A family new to CBE enrols at its designated regular programme school first. Moving to another school after that is a transfer request, which CBE approves only where there is space and resources, for one school year, with no transportation.
At CSSD, Catholic students who live inside a school's attendance area come first, and the district enrols non-Catholic students and students from outside the area when resources and space allow. It also says it cannot guarantee a non-Catholic student's advancement from one grade to the next at the same school.
Choice programmes: French Immersion, IB, Traditional Learning, Montessori
CBE's alternative programmes follow the Alberta curriculum with an emphasis on a language, subject or teaching approach. Every address has a designated school for each alternative programme, and families apply by expression of interest, separately from regular registration.
Early French Immersion runs from kindergarten to Grade 12, and Late French Immersion starts in Grade 7. Registration opens in early January. Where a programme has more interest than space, CBE runs a lottery in February, with priority based on where the child lives and whether a sibling attends the same school. A child who is not drawn attends their designated regular programme school. The yellow bus serves students at their designated French Immersion school who live outside the walk zone.
CBE runs its English IB programme at five high schools, including Western Canada High School, and a student takes it at the one that serves the CBE Area they live in. Joining takes a transfer request, made between February and mid-March for the following school year.
Glamorgan School runs CBE's Traditional Learning Centre (TLC) programme from kindergarten to Grade 9. It has no regular programme attendance area, so no address is designated to it for the regular programme. Families apply, and it runs a lottery when there is more interest than space. CBE offers TLC at several other schools too.
Killarney School runs a Montessori programme for kindergarten to Grade 6, and CBE also runs Montessori at Captain John Palliser and Lake Bonavista schools. Like other alternative programmes, it takes students by expression of interest, with a lottery when there is more interest than space. Your child's alternative programme school may not be your nearest one, which affects drop-off timing and bus routes.
Kindergarten registration windows and bussing
CBE kindergarten registration for the next school year begins in early January. CSSD's registration for 2026-27 opened on February 2, 2026. Both boards announce exact dates each year, so check the current year's announcement.
A child must turn five on or before December 31 to start kindergarten that September. Kindergarten is optional in Alberta, and a child who is five on September 1 can still start it, so families of children born late in the year can choose to wait a year.
Both boards set transportation eligibility by distance from the school: 1.6 km for kindergarten to Grade 6 and 2 km for Grades 7 to 12. CBE measures driving distance on the City's road network. CBE's 2026-27 yellow bus fee is $500 a year ($250 for kindergarten, which is one way). CSSD charges $450 for Grades 1 to 6, with a $900 family maximum. Registering in the standard window is still the safer plan, because a CBE school that fills up sends new registrations to its overflow school.
SW Calgary elementary directory
CBE
| School | Board | Grades | Address | Serves | Programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altadore School | CBE | K-6 | 4506 16 St SW, Calgary | Altadore , Marda Loop | Fine Arts focus |
| Battalion Park School | CBE | K-6 | 369 Sienna Park Dr SW, Calgary | Signal Hill | None |
| Dr. Roberta Bondar School | CBE | K-6 | 1580 Strathcona Dr SW, Calgary | Aspen Woods , Strathcona Park | None |
| Glamorgan School | CBE | K-9 | 50 Grafton Dr SW, Calgary | None listed | Traditional Learning Centre (alternative program) |
| Glenbrook School | CBE | K-6 | 4725 33 Ave SW, Calgary | Currie Barracks , Glamorgan , Glenbrook , Rutland Park , Richmond | None |
| Glendale School | CBE | K-6 | 2415 Kelwood Dr SW, Calgary | Glendale , Killarney , Rosscarrock , Richmond , Glenbrook | None |
| Griffith Woods School | CBE | K-9 | 7652 26 Ave SW, Calgary | Discovery Ridge , Springbank Hill | None |
| Jennie Elliott School | CBE | K-6 | 3031 Lindsay Dr SW, Calgary | Garrison Green , Lakeview , North Glenmore Park , Lincoln Park | None |
| Killarney School | CBE | K-6 | 3008 33 St SW, Calgary | None listed | Montessori (alternative program) |
| Olympic Heights School | CBE | K-6 | 875 Strathcona Dr SW, Calgary | Christie Park , Coach Hill , Patterson , Strathcona Park | None |
| Richmond School | CBE | K-6 | 2701 22 St SW, Calgary | Bankview , Marda Loop , Richmond | None |
| West Ridge School | CBE | 5-9 | 8903 Wentworth Ave SW, Calgary | West Springs , Cougar Ridge | None |
| West Springs School | CBE | K-4 | 8999 Wentworth Ave SW, Calgary | West Springs , Cougar Ridge | None |
| Wildwood School | CBE | K-6 | 120 45 St SW, Calgary | Wildwood , Spruce Cliff , Westgate , Rosscarrock , Shaganappi | None |
CSSD
| School | Board | Grades | Address | Serves | Programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guardian Angel School | CSSD | K-6 | 20 Aspen Hills Dr SW, Calgary | Aspen Woods , Springbank Hill , Strathcona Park | None |
| Holy Name School | CSSD | K-6 | 3011 35 St SW, Calgary | None listed | French Immersion (choice school) |
| John W. Costello School | CSSD | K-6 | 300 Strathcona Dr SW, Calgary | Christie Park , Coach Hill , Cougar Ridge , Discovery Ridge , Patterson , Strathcona Park | None |
| Sacred Heart School | CSSD | K-6 | 1312 15 St SW, Calgary | Bankview , Marda Loop , Richmond | None |
| St. Andrew School | CSSD | K-6 | 4331 41 Ave SW, Calgary | Glamorgan , Signal Hill , Rutland Park , Glenbrook | None |
| St. James School | CSSD | K-9 | 2227 58 Ave SW, Calgary | Garrison Green , Currie Barracks , Lakeview , North Glenmore Park , Altadore , Lincoln Park , Marda Loop | None |
| St. Joan of Arc School | CSSD | K-9 | 7970 Wentworth Dr SW, Calgary | West Springs | None |
| St. Michael School | CSSD | K-9 | 4511 8 Ave SW, Calgary | Rosscarrock , Shaganappi , Spruce Cliff , Westgate , Wildwood | None |
| St. Monica School | CSSD | K-9 | 235 18 Ave SW, Calgary | None listed | None |
| St. Thomas Aquinas School | CSSD | K-6 | 4540 26 Ave SW, Calgary | Glenbrook , Glendale , Killarney , Richmond , Rutland Park , Signal Hill | None |
SW Calgary junior-high directory
CBE
| School | Board | Grades | Address | Serves | Programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. E. Cross School | CBE | 7-9 | 3445 37 St SW, Calgary | Currie Barracks , Glamorgan , Glenbrook , Rutland Park , Signal Hill , Killarney , Glendale , Richmond | None |
| Bishop Pinkham School | CBE | 7-9 | 3304 63 Ave SW, Calgary | Lakeview , North Glenmore Park , Garrison Green , Lincoln Park | None |
| Glamorgan School | CBE | K-9 | 50 Grafton Dr SW, Calgary | None listed | Traditional Learning Centre (alternative program) |
| Griffith Woods School | CBE | K-9 | 7652 26 Ave SW, Calgary | Discovery Ridge , Springbank Hill | None |
| Mount Royal School | CBE | 7-9 | 2234 14 St SW, Calgary | Altadore , Bankview , Marda Loop , Richmond | None |
| Vincent Massey School | CBE | 7-9 | 939 45 St SW, Calgary | Aspen Woods , Christie Park , Coach Hill , Patterson , Rosscarrock , Shaganappi , Spruce Cliff , Strathcona Park , Westgate , Wildwood , Glendale , Killarney , Richmond | None |
| West Ridge School | CBE | 5-9 | 8903 Wentworth Ave SW, Calgary | West Springs , Cougar Ridge | None |
CSSD
| School | Board | Grades | Address | Serves | Programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Gregory School | CSSD | 7-9 | 5340 26 Ave SW, Calgary | Aspen Woods , Christie Park , Coach Hill , Cougar Ridge , Discovery Ridge , Glamorgan , Glenbrook , Glendale , Killarney , Patterson , Richmond , Rutland Park , Signal Hill , Springbank Hill , Strathcona Park | None |
| St. James School | CSSD | K-9 | 2227 58 Ave SW, Calgary | Garrison Green , Currie Barracks , Lakeview , North Glenmore Park , Altadore , Lincoln Park , Marda Loop | None |
| St. Joan of Arc School | CSSD | K-9 | 7970 Wentworth Dr SW, Calgary | West Springs | None |
| St. Michael School | CSSD | K-9 | 4511 8 Ave SW, Calgary | Rosscarrock , Shaganappi , Spruce Cliff , Westgate , Wildwood | None |
| St. Monica School | CSSD | K-9 | 235 18 Ave SW, Calgary | None listed | None |
SW Calgary high school directory
CBE
| School | Board | Grades | Address | Serves | Programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowness High School | CBE | 10-12 | 4627 77 St NW, Calgary | Coach Hill , Cougar Ridge , Patterson , Tuscany | None |
| Central Memorial High School | CBE | 10-12 | 5111 21 St SW, Calgary | Altadore , Marda Loop , Garrison Green , Killarney , Glendale , Glamorgan , Wildwood , Currie Barracks , Rutland Park , Lakeview , North Glenmore Park , Discovery Ridge , Lincoln Park , Richmond , Glenbrook , Spruce Cliff , Westgate , Rosscarrock , Shaganappi | Centre for Performing and Visual Arts |
| Ernest Manning High School | CBE | 10-12 | 20 Springborough Blvd SW, Calgary | Signal Hill , Aspen Woods , West Springs , Springbank Hill , Strathcona Park , Christie Park | None |
| Henry Wise Wood High School | CBE | 10-12 | 910 75 Ave SW, Calgary | Cedarbrae , Haysboro , Kelvin Grove , Kingsland , Oakridge , Woodbine , Palliser , Bayview , Pump Hill , Braeside | None |
| Western Canada High School | CBE | 10-12 | 641 17 Ave SW, Calgary | Bankview , Marda Loop , Britannia | IB (International Baccalaureate), French Immersion |
CSSD
| School | Board | Grades | Address | Serves | Programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bishop O'Byrne High School | CSSD | 10-12 | 333 Shawville Blvd SE, Calgary | Shawnessy , Somerset , Sundance , Bridlewood | None |
| St. Mary's High School | CSSD | 10-12 | 111 18 Ave SW, Calgary | Altadore , Marda Loop , Killarney , Garrison Green , Currie Barracks , Lakeview , North Glenmore Park , Rutland Park , Glendale , Glamorgan , Wildwood , Signal Hill , Aspen Woods , West Springs , Discovery Ridge , Springbank Hill , Strathcona Park , Christie Park , Coach Hill , Patterson , Richmond , Rosscarrock , Shaganappi , Spruce Cliff , Westgate , Glenbrook , Lincoln Park , Cougar Ridge | None |
Common questions
Can non-Catholic families enrol at CSSD schools?
Yes. In the district's words, "The Alberta Education Act requires us to prioritize the enrolment of Catholic students who live inside a school's attendance area." It enrols non-Catholic students and students from outside the area when sufficient resources and facilities are available. It also says it cannot guarantee that a non-Catholic student will advance from one grade to the next at the same school, and non-Catholic kindergarten students may need to re-register for Grade 1. If you are not Catholic and a CSSD school is part of your plan, call the school about space in your child's grade before you buy.
How strict are CBE school boundaries in practice?
Your designated school is set by your home address and the programme you choose, but it is not a guaranteed seat. When a regular programme school reaches capacity, CBE caps new registrations and names an overflow school, so a family moving in may be placed at the overflow school and added to a callback list. A family new to CBE enrols at its designated regular programme school first. Moving to another school after that is a transfer request, approved only where there is space and resources, for one school year, with no transportation provided. Confirm your designated school, check whether it is on CBE's overflow or lottery lists, and treat any other school as a second option.
How does the French Immersion lottery work?
CBE's Early French Immersion programme runs from kindergarten to Grade 12, and Late French Immersion starts in Grade 7. Every address has a designated school for each alternative programme, and families submit an expression of interest when they register. Registration opens in early January. Where a programme has more interest than space, CBE runs a lottery in February, with priority based on where the child lives and whether a sibling attends the same school. A child who is not drawn attends their designated regular programme school, and alternative programmes keep their waitlists until the last Friday in September. CBE's Find a School tool, with a French Immersion programme selected, shows which school serves your address.
Does buying a home within a school boundary guarantee a spot at that school?
Not always. For your designated regular programme school, a seat depends on space: when a CBE school is full, new registrations go to its overflow school, and CSSD gives priority to Catholic students in the attendance area. Alternative programmes such as French Immersion, TLC and Montessori take students by expression of interest and, where oversubscribed, by lottery. Buying near Glamorgan School, for example, does not put a child in its TLC programme. Before you buy, check the designated school's overflow and lottery status and call the school about your child's grade.
What is the difference between a "designated" and an "alternative" programme?
A designated school is the one CBE or CSSD assigns based on your home address. CBE's alternative programmes, such as Traditional Learning Centre, Montessori, French Immersion, Spanish Bilingual, Science and Arts-Centred, follow the Alberta curriculum with an emphasis on a language, subject or teaching approach. Every CBE address also has a designated school for each alternative programme, and families apply by expression of interest, with a lottery where there is more interest than space. CBE's yellow bus serves students attending their designated alternative programme school from outside the walk zone, from a shared stop, for the same annual fee as the regular programme.
How does out-of-area enrolment affect bussing eligibility?
CBE's yellow bus is for students attending their designated regular or alternative programme school who live outside the walk zone: 1.6 km for kindergarten to Grade 6 and 2 km for Grades 7 to 12, measured by driving distance on the City's road network. Calgary Transit serves eligible students in Grades 10 to 12 and some in Grades 6 to 9. CBE's 2026-27 bus fee is $500 a year. A child attending a school outside your area on a transfer gets no CBE transportation. CSSD buses Grades 1 to 6 living 1.6 km or more from school inside the school's attendance area for $450 a year, with a $900 family maximum, and gives Grades 7 to 12 living 2 km or more a $20 rebate on each monthly Calgary Transit pass. Students outside the attendance area are generally not eligible.
How do I find out which school a specific address is zoned for?
For CBE, use the Find a School tool at cbe.ab.ca/find-a-school: enter the full address, keep the programme on Regular, and check that the Home pin on the map lands on the house, because the tool does not show the address it matched. For CSSD, use the Advanced School Finder link on the district's Schools page, set the programme to Regular, and check that the popup shows the full street address. Both show the 2026-27 school year. If the school is a deciding factor, call it with the full street address before you make an offer.
Not sure which school boundary your short-list lands in?
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Related resources
- First-time buyer guide: for families buying their first Calgary home
- Calgary buyer's guide: the complete purchase walkthrough
- SW neighbourhood guides: community profiles for every major SW area