Admissions FAQs

As families explore the Admissions process, certain questions come up frequently. To streamline your experience, we have compiled answers to the inquiries we receive most often. This section provides clarity on requirements, timelines, and next steps. For additional guidance, please contact our Admissions team.

WHAT MAKES CLEAR WATER ACADEMY UNIQUE FROM OTHER CATHOLIC SCHOOLS IN CALGARY?

At Clear Water Academy, we don’t just teach—we walk alongside our students. Through the four dimensions of Integral Formation, we combine rigorous academics, faith formation and leadership development to prepare each student for university. Class sizes are intentionally small, our faculty know students by name and by their unique gifts, and our Catholic identity is bold, joyful, and lived daily. For more information please visit Why Clear Water Academy.

DO YOU OFFER TUITION PAYMENT PLANS OR FLEXIBLE PAYMENT OPTIONS?

DO YOU OFFER FINANCIAL AID?

IS TUITION ELIGIBLE FOR A CHARITABLE DONATION RECEIPT?

CAN MY CHILD REPEAT A GRADE IF I BELIEVE THEY ARE NOT READY TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT LEVEL?

Clear Water Academy follows the Alberta Grade Placement Policy, which determines a student’s grade based on their year of birth. This means that students born in the same calendar year are placed in the same grade level. For this reason, grade repetition is not offered. We invite you to review our full Grade Placement Policy and age placement chart here. If you have any questions please contact our Admissions team.

WHAT ARE THE ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND WHAT DOCUMENTS DO I NEED TO SUBMIT?

To submit an application, please create an Admissions Account and provide the following required documents:

• Application photo

• Birth certificate and valid immigration documents

• Catholic Baptismal Certificate (required for Roman Catholic families)

• Copy of the most recent report card

• Student Evaluation Form (Junior Kindergarten to Grade 1 or Grades 2 to 12, as applicable)

• Non-refundable application fee, payable via Plastiq.

Clear Water Academy welcomes mission-aligned non-Catholic students when space allows, while priority is given to Catholic applicants.

ARE RELIGION CLASSES MANDATORY FOR ALL STUDENTS?

All students are expected to participate in religion classes and be fully immersed in the Catholic life of the school as part of their spiritual formation. Catholic teaching, scripture, and tradition are integrated into school life to support our mission of forming Christian leaders who will transform society. Students participate in daily prayer and attend weekly Mass. They also take part in Eucharistic adoration and celebrate Catholic feasts such as Christmas and Easter. For more information about the Catholic faith expectations for both students and families click HERE.

CAN WE SCHEDULE A SCHOOL TOUR BEFORE ENROLLING OUR CHILD?

WHAT CAN PARENTS EXPECT AT THE OPEN HOUSE?

ARE THERE ENTRANCE ASSESSMENTS OR READINESS EVALUATIONS FOR NEW STUDENTS?

Yes, Clear Water Academy administers admission assessments to evaluate each student’s readiness for our program. For all applicants from Junior Kindergarten through Grade 12, we consider academic skills, appropriate behaviour, and social-emotional development to ensure students are able to thrive in our structured academic environment.

Junior Kindergarten: Approximately 30–40 minutes. During this time, we observe the child's behaviour, ability to focus, how well they follow directions during guided tasks, how they transition between activities, and their communication skills.

Kindergarten–Grade 1: Approximately 45–60 minutes. The assessment focuses on early literacy, numeracy, and fine motor skills.

Grades 2–12: Approximately 2–4 hours. Parents drop off their child and will be contacted when the assessment is nearly complete. The assessment focuses on reading comprehension, writing, and mathematics.

At Clear Water Academy, we are dedicated to helping each student succeed and flourish. To uphold this standard, we have set minimum requirements that reliably predict success in our program. Our entrance assessment helps confirm that admitted students are well positioned to thrive within our school community.

DOES CWA PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES OR UNIQUE LEARNING NEEDS?

Clear Water Academy does not have the resources or specialized support required to provide programming for students with Learning Disabilities or for those on Individual Program Plans (IPPs) or Learning Support Plans (LSPs). As a private school with high academic standards, we want to ensure our students experience success in both their learning and formation, and we recognize that students with unique learning needs may require levels of support beyond what we are able to provide.

DOES YOUR SCHOOL ACCEPT APPLICATIONS TO ENTER MID-YEAR?

Our Academic Programs

About CWA

Clear Water Academy is a dynamic, authentically Catholic school community with engaged students and supportive parents. Our faculty are committed to upholding high standards of academic excellence and character formation. We seek dedicated, talented, and qualified educators who embrace teaching as a vocation and are motivated to be part of a rich educational environment that implements our model of Integral Formation.