School Bus Registration Reminder for Next Year - Kindergarten to Grade 12 Students

This message is for families with students who will be in grades K to 12 in September 2025. Please note that the deadline for busing registration is June 1st.
Please read the following to determine if you need to register for busing or are eligible. If you are unsure if you need to register for busing please contact our office at transportation@wolfcreek.ab.ca or 403-785-0726.
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.
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, Ponoka and Rimbey. 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.
All students 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.
Registration Instructions - Current Wolf Creek Students
Registration Instructions - New Students to Wolf Creek
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
CURRENT Wolf Creek Students
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.
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. Rural cross boundary students must re-apply each year.
* 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.
* 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!
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.