The school was named after Paul Kane, a painter known for his paintings of western Canadian First Nations people.

PKHS has sports programs including basketball, rugby, volleyball, and football.

[2] The school's previous building was announced to be replaced by the Alberta Government as part of their 2018 budget.

[7] The school was named after Paul Kane, a painter who had once been commissioned by the Hudson Bay Company to paint pictures of the life of the aboriginal people in the Canadian West.

The concept was used both to reduce heat transfer from outside, and to prevent the distraction of the school's students.

Some rooms had removable partitions that teachers could use to join classrooms, causing complaints of noise from the students.

The new location opened its doors in 1973, with students reportedly having "lugged their desks across the field" only to resume classes shortly after.

[7][12] In March 2018 the Alberta government announced it would be replacing Paul Kane High School as part of Budget 2018.

[15][16] Paul Kane has produced a number of notable alumni, many of whom are known for their achievements in athletics.