School Fees

As a Wetaskiwin Regional Public Schools parent, you have access to pay school fees online. Our fee management and online payment system is an easy and secure way to pay school fees from the comfort of your home or office.  In an effort to reduce time, money and paper waste, parents can avoid the long lines of school start-up and pay their children’s school fees as well as many other fees through a secure online website that is accessed through your Powerschool account. 

If you are a parent who has multiple children at multiple schools, they will all appear together under your online payment parent account.  With a few simple mouse clicks, parents can view assessed fees, any outstanding balances, and pay for all of their children in a single transaction. Payments can be made by Visa, MasterCard, Visa Debit & Mastercard Debit.

What do I need to make payments online?

You will need access to your Powerschool Parent account.  If you do not have a Powerschool account, please contact your school to assist you in setting one up.

When can I use the Online Payment System?

Parents of children at all Wetaskiwin Regional Public Schools can pay for fees online at any time once schools have assessed fees for the current year or as programs/activities are added.

What are the costs associated with using the Online Payment System?

When using the Wetaskiwin Online Payments System, parents will not be charged any convenience or transaction fees. They will only be charged for the cost of student fees.

What types of fees can I pay for online?

• Program/Course Fees
• Field Trips
• Activity/Athletic Fees
• Hot Lunch Fees

What can a parent do with the online payment system?

• Pay selected school fees
• Make fee payments for all students in your family at one time
• View your payment history
• View all your upcoming fee payments in one place
• Print payment receipts
• Print student account statements

What are the benefits of using the online payment system?

• Accepts credit card
• Provides a convenient and secure transaction
• Available 24 hours a day
• Convenience of paying multiple fees in one place
• Accessible from anywhere there is an Internet connection
• Saves school office staff the time of manually keying payments into accounting and student fee information systems
• Streamlines fee management and collection processes for parents and the district
• Provides better fee reporting at the school and district level

Wetaskiwin Regional Public Schools does not store or keep your credit information. All fee transactions paid online are processed by a third party (Moneris).

 

If you have difficulties with your Powerschool account: Please contact your child's school

For additional inquiries please email: schoolfees@wrps11.ca

Wetaskiwin Regional Public Schools have eliminated basic school fees. However, not all fees have been eliminated.  Fees still apply to some students under certain circumstances.

NOTE:  This information applies to school-based fees.  For information on Transportation Fees and eligibility, refer to Transportation Services.   Ineligible passengers, whose parents/guardians wish to access bus services provided by WRPS are required to pay a transportation fee and complete Form 16-1 Application for Transportation.

What School Fees have been eliminated?

Under Bill 1, schools can no longer charge fees for basic instruction classroom supplies such as textbooks, workbooks, photocopying, paper, etc.

Have all School Fees been eliminated?

No.  Schools are still allowed to charge fees within the following categories:

Optional Course Fees:  Fees for additional materials and supplies associated with optional or elective courses.  Examples include band/music, fine arts, CTS, etc.

Alternative Program Fees:  Fees charged for programs, as described under Section 21(4) of the School Act, which emphasize a particular language (not French), culture, religion or subject matter or use a particular teaching philosophy.  Examples include distance education programs, Green Certificate, international student fees, etc.

Activity Fees:  Fees for transportation, admission, accommodation, presentations and other charges associated with curriculum-based activities and field trips.

Extra-curricular Fees:  Fees for club/student unions, sports teams, intramurals and other programs designed to broaden students’ scholastic experience.  These include fees for materials and activities associated with these clubs, teams and programs; an example would be travel and competition for successful athletics or arts teams/students.

Non-Curricular Travel Fees:  Fees for costs associated with both domestic and international travel related to optional non-curricular activities.

Fees for Non-Curricular Goods and Services: Examples include fees or deposits charged for locks, yearbooks, agendas, grad ceremonies, parent council, etc.

Other fees that enhance education:  Fees for additional student supports not covered by the categories above.  Examples include diploma prep courses, tutoring, summer school, etc.

Are these school fees new?

No.  In most cases schools have historically charged fees of this nature.  Under Bill 1, schools are required to account more specifically for fees charged and the related costs incurred.

How much are these school fees?

Each school also has its own Fee Schedule that lists the maximum per-student fees within the categories listed above.  

The Fee Schedule lists the maximum fee that may be charged, which schools estimated by factoring in the broadest possible scenarios, to ensure that schools do not have to limit potential opportunities for students:  For example:

Sports fees listed in the fee schedule incorporate: 

• potential tournaments, travel and possible overnight trips
• potential for teams requiring travel to Zone and Provincial championships 

Field trip fees listed in the Fee Schedule are estimates; once admission, transportation and other costs are determined, the fee may be adjusted (decreased).  The school can only charge a fee that is sufficient to cover the cost of the trip.

Each school determines actual fees, based on the actual costs specifically associated with each course, program or activity.  As well, actual fees may be further adjusted due to:

• Revenue generated through fundraising
• Grants and donations received
• Other adjustments to associated costs.

How do I know what my child’s school fees are?

Schools may choose to inform parents of small fees (such as those charged for activities, field trips and extracurricular) through permission forms, sign-up sheets, emails, etc.

Larger fees, particularly course and program fees will be added to students’ accounts as applicable. 

If fees are further adjusted due to fundraising, grants, etc., they will be adjusted within each student’s account.

NOTE:  Fees are only charged to applicable students.   If a student does not participate in a particular course, program or activity, no fee is charged. 

When are school fees due?

Fees are due and payable at the time of registration or upon receipt of their invoice. Parents have a number of different payment options, including online payments (full or partial), cash or cheque.  The administration at each school is responsible for the collection of all fees. Refer to Administrative Procedure 505 Student Fees for more information. If fees are still not paid following correspondence from schools and Central Administration, unpaid school fees may be forwarded to a collection agency.

For activity/extra-curricular fees, payment is due upon registration and/or participation in the activity or event, unless otherwise authorized by the school principal.

How do I pay school fees?

School fees applied to student accounts can be paid online through your Powerschool account, at the school by cash or cheque, or at Wetaskiwin Regional Public Schools Division office.

Note:  Any fees paid by cheque that are returned  NSF will result in fee charges being added back to the student account and bank charges applied to the invoice.

What if I can’t pay my child’s school fees?

To the greatest extent possible, students will not be denied educational opportunities or activities due to financial hardship.  Parents may request waiving of fees by completing Form 505-2 Waiver of Fees Application.

In special circumstances arrangements can be made to have the fees waived.  If an applicant qualifies to have their fees waived they must complete 505-2 Waiver of Fees Application Form and submit it to the Director of Business Services for approval.

Are school fees refundable?

Under Bill 1, schools are required to keep detailed records of revenues and expenses for all fees collected.  If the actual revenue collected exceeds the actual cost by more than $10 of the fee paid per participant, fees may be refunded. 

In other situations – for example, if a student did not participate in an activity for which they paid a fee, a parent may submit a written request to the school principal for a refund.

Lock Fees, Student Union Fees or Parent Council fees will not be refunded unless the student withdraws from the school within the first month. 

Program/Course fees (options) will be refunded in full within the first 1-2 weeks if the student withdraws from the course (depending on course schedules).  No refunds will be issued after the 2-week grace period of the course commencing.

All refunds or student fee adjustments will be issued upon the approval of the Administrator.

NOTE:  No refunds will be issued for amounts of less than $10.00. Credit balances of under $10.00 can be transferred to another family member within WRPS or can be left on the student's account and applied to the next school year.  

 

Alder Flats School Fees

Buck Mountain School Fees

Centennial School Fees

Clear Vista School Fees

Falun School Fees

Griffiths Scott School Fees

Lakedell School Fees

Norwood School Fees

Parkdale School Fees

Pigeon Lake School Fees

Pipestone School Fees

Queen Elizabeth School Fees

Wetaskiwin Composite High School Fees

Wetaskiwin Outreach Fees

Winfield School Fees

 

WRPS Fee Waiver

To the greatest extent possible, students will not be denied educational opportunities or activities due to financial hardship.  In special circumstances arrangements can be made to have the fees waived.  If an applicant qualifies to have their fees waived, they must complete Form 505-2 Waiver of Fees Application and submit it to the Director of Business Services for approval.

 

WRPS Education Plus Fund

We realize that there can be financial barriers preventing students from participating in Extra/co-curricular school activities.  That is why WRPS has established the Education Plus Fund.  The fund is used only for students who, for financial reasons would be otherwise unable to participate in extra curricular activities.  The school, on behalf of the applicant must complete Form 501-1 Education Plus Fund Request Form and submit to the Director of Business Services for approval.