Applying for Busing in the 2025-2026 School Year
ALL new students or students who have a new busing address must complete and submit a busing application.
ALL Urban (town) students and Cross Boundary students must re-apply every year.
Please note that with the opening of Iron Ridge Secondary Campus in Blackfalds in September 2024, the boundaries of Lacombe and Blackfalds Schools have changed. If you are unsure of which boundary you fall in for schooling please contact the Transportation Services Department.
The Minister of Education has announced additional changes to busing eligibility.
DEADLINE FOR REGISTERING IS JUNE 1, 2025!
A $100.00 Late Application Fee will be applied to applications received after the deadline.
Again, this upcoming school year, WCPS will be implementing the new distance criteria where we have capacity. On December 17th, the Minister of Education announced that it has changed the eligibility distance.
- WCPS will be adhering to Alberta Education’s latest distances to be eligible for free busing.
- K-6 students’ home to school distance of 1.6 kilometers or greater, this is an increase from the 1.0 kilometers used for the 2024-2025 school year; while
- 7-12 students' home to school distance will remain the same at 2.0 kilometers or greater.
These changes will impact urban riders in Lacombe, Blackfalds and Ponoka. If you are unsure if the changes will affect you but are interested in busing, please apply with the option of cancelling your application at a later date.
Students returning to in-class learning in September MUST register for busing.
All students who were not attending in-school classes or who were not riding the bus during the 2025-2026 school year were removed from the transportation system and therefore must register to ride in September for the 2025-2026 school year.
Registration Deadline for the 2025-2026 School Year is JUNE 1, 2025!
A $100.00 Late Application Fee will be applied to applications received after the deadline.
All Wolf Creek student busing registrations (for new or current students who now require transportation) must be submitted through the Parent Portal or School Engage. If you do not have an account, please contact your child's school to arrange this. We have provided two links that contain instructions to assist you as you work through this new process.
STAR students must use the STAR busing registration link and a unique email address not used for a Wolf Creek student/busing registration.
Registration Instructions - Current Wolf Creek Students
Registration Instructions- New Students to Wolf Creek
STAR Catholic families wanting to request busing for St. Augustine School or Father Lacombe School please follow this link to register for busing.
STAR Catholic Student Busing Registration
Instructions for STAR Students
Please register early and don't leave this until the last minute as some User Pay (town) routes fill up very quickly! Once full, a Waitlist will be created for that bus route.
All applications for September are held until the late spring until the Board of Trustees has determined the busing fees for the fall. You will not receive notification from the Transportation Department until your application is being processed.
Applications are processed in the order that they are received as well as based on eligibility criteria.
Bus Registration - What You Need to Know
ALL Urban (town) busing students and Cross Boundary busing students must re-register every year.
CURRENT Wolf Creek Students (STAR Catholic Students please use the STAR links).
Please use the Parent Portal or SchoolEngage to submit your busing application. Please ensure you are selecting the form for the school year you are registering for.
If you have a new address you must change your address with the school prior to completing the form - this step is critical.
Applications during the school year can take 5-7 school days to process.
If you are unsure of which school your child should be attending please contact WCPS Transportation Services Department with your complete address information.
*** Incomplete or inaccurate information on the forms will result in a delay in the processing of an application. ***
* Rural (country) students only register if they are new to WCPS or have moved within WCPS or are from school divisions that have busing arrangements with WCPS (i.e. STAR Catholic Schools etc.) Rural cross boundary students must re-apply each year.
* Urban (town) students who live in Lacombe, Blackfalds and Ponoka MUST re-register for busing each year, this includes STAR Catholic students and cross boundary students. A small number of town students will be eligible for busing in Rimbey in 2025-2026.
* Any students who are returning from at home or virtual learning must notify the Transportation department that they require busing again.
* User Pay Fees are assessed to all students who live in an urban area and live less than the Alberta Education mandated distance from their designated school which is based on a student's grade level. Approved students will have fees applied in the Rycor Student Fee system - early applicants can qualify for an installment plan. Once approved for user pay busing, parents will receive email instructions on how to make a full payment or set up an installment plan. Failure to keep fees current can result in students being denied busing. Cross boundary students will be assigned an application fee (depending on the distance from their designated school, user pay fees may also be applied).
2025-2026 USER PAY TRANSPORTATION RATES:
- Kindergarten Students: $287.50 / student
- Grades 1 to 12: $575.00 / student
- Family Maximum: $1150.00 (3 or more students)
- Cross Boundary Application Fee: $250.00
A $100.00 Late Application Fee will be applied to applications received after the June 1, 2025 deadline for registrations for the 2025-2026 school year. Late Application fees must be paid prior to an application being processed.
* Waiting Lists are active in some urban user pay areas if the bus serving that area is full. User pay applicants will be placed on a bus if it is determined that there is space available.
* Distances are calculated in an Alberta Education approved routing software based on Alberta Education criteria.
* Cross Boundary students will need to re-apply each year and will have a cross boundary form applied to them when the busing form is completed and submitted. The cross boundary form must also be completed and submitted. A cross boundary application fee will be applied and must be paid prior to the application being considered. User Pay fees could also be applied if the student lives less than the eligible distance based on Alberta Education regulations from their designated school.
* STAR Catholic parents must create an account in SchoolEngage and apply for busing using the Catholic Student Bus Application Form for the appropriate year. The email for the account must be unique and not have previously been used for a Wolf Creek student/busing application.
* Approved busing applications will be processed and the parent and student information will be passed along to a bus driver. The driver will make contact with the family to inform them of the stop location and times.
* Drivers are not permitted to transport students who are not on their route list or to make changes to student bus stops without permission. No guest riders!
MOVING?
If you move during the school year and need a change in your busing:
1. Please contact the school and update your address information with them.
2. Email the Transportation Services Department at transportation@wolfcreek.ab.ca and include your child's name, your new physical address and the effective date. Also indicate if you still require busing or would like to cancel busing. If your child is not currently on a bus, you must complete a bus application through SchoolEngage.
If you live in a user pay area and your new home is outside of the user pay area you may qualify for a pro-rated refund of busing fees (dependent on when you notify us).
If you move within a user pay area, we must first determine if there is room on a bus. Having a seat on a bus does not guarantee a seat on another bus. User pay busing seats are limited.
Do you have questions regarding which school catchment area your new address is in? Please email us at transportation@wolfcreek.ab.ca or phone us at 403-785-0726.
Bus Status
Wolf Creek Public Schools desires to keep parents, students, teachers and school administrators informed of changes to the status of busing on any given school day. Notification will be provided on the Bus Status webpage when there are changes to the regular operating times of any of the Wolf Creek buses that transport our students. Please check the Bus Status webpage for bus cancellations or delays. Also available to parents, students and school staff is the Bus Status App. Please download it to your mobile device and subscribe to your bus or buses to get notifications through your smart phone.
Wolf Creek Public Schools will continue to announce any district-wide busing cancellations due to inclement weather, fog, or poor road conditions using Wolf Creek Public Schools' communication practice.