Schools of Excellence Programs

Building on its strong and successful agricultural heritage, the Altario school community developed a unique program to further foster the understanding of agriculture and its essential role for all humanity. In addition to completing the standard Alberta Curriculum, students actively participate in running the school farm and its retail arm by assuming various leadership roles and overseeing production. Students are provided with numerous opportunities to actively explore and gain an understanding of not only the diversity of agriculture, but also its significance.

Students will have the opportunity to participate in, and receive credit for, numerous agriculture and related CTS courses.

The J.C. Charyk Hockey Academy was created in 2008 on the tenets of Hockey Canada. The program itself has gone on to develop its own program which best suits our students and their hockey realities. Students are not only building their on ice skills, but they are growing their on and off ice leadership abilities and developing solid athletic character. Students are able to enter the hockey academy in junior high and, as students progress, take on more leadership and instructional roles.

Spending time outdoors is encouraged as a way to clear your mind and recharge your body. The Outdoor Experiences programming at J.C.Charyk Hanna School offers students an opportunity to learn the whys and hows of the natural world and develop skills which will allow them to safely engage in outdoor activities and exploration. Hands on learning and practical experiences are key to the program. The highlight of the program is a camping experience in the foothills west of Caroline, Alberta. Successful first year students have the opportunity to obtain their hunter education certification, enabling them to participate in sport hunting.

The trades and technology areas of the Career and Technology curriculum are deeply embedded in the student culture at J.C.Charyk Hanna School. Dating back to the 1960’s, industrial arts has been offered in Hanna, but the programs and activities available to today's students look much different. Robotics, advanced welding processes, computer programming and fine woodworking are all eagerly experienced by students. Former students have taken their experiences at JCC, followed them and gone on to become journeyman trades people, engineers and self-sufficient farmers and ranchers.

The Neutral Hills Baseball Academy strives to promote & foster character development and academic achievement by giving student athletes the opportunity to learn, develop, and improve as both baseball players on the field and students in the classroom. Students spend the three quarters of their day working in class on their academic load, followed by training and practice at the division's state of the art training facility. Weekends see the Wranglers competing with other baseball teams across the province.