Hidden Valley Elementary School
Whitehorse, YT
Hidden Valley Elementary School is a Kindergarten to grade 7 school located in Whitehorse, YT.
Together with parents and community, Staff at Hidden Valley are committed to a focus on student achievement, and to the development of young people who are respectful, responsible and caring.
Details
Population of Whitehorse
28,201 (2021)
Languages Spoken
Southern Tutchone
English
Grades
Kindergarten - Grade 7
About Hidden Valley Elementary School
Vision, Mission and Values
Hidden Valley Elementary school is the northernmost school in Whitehorse, Yukon. It is located in the Ibex Valley, nestled at the confluence of the Takhini and Yukon rivers, surrounded by the great Boreal forest and all of its inhabitants. Kwata kets'adan ku, which refers to "Bush School" in southern tutchone, and encompasses the place-based outdoor learning that Hidden Valley Elementary teachers strive to create.
Kwata kets'adan ku is a public school program at Hidden Valley Elementary that offers students hands-on and experiential learning using nature as a co-teacher, classroom and curriculum lens. Child centred and place based learning that uses inquiry, play, and projects are foundational components of the program, while continuing to honour Yukon First Nations Ways of Knowing and Doing and Yukon & B.C curriculum as its guide for primary and intermediate education. This program aims to grow students who are lifelong learners with strong connections to self, community, and the natural world.
Path in Nature
Hidden Valley scaffolds outdoor learning beginning in kindergarten and progressing up to grade 7. This means that Kindergarten students will learn basic outdoor activities, such as packing a backpack to go for a walk and spending time outside learning to respect and work with one another and the environment while in close proximity to the school. With each sequential grade the learning expectations outside will increase, along with the complexity of the activities and excursions. The goal is that each year students will build upon previous outdoor skills and knowledge so that by the time they get to grade 7, they are confident and comfortable being outside and learning when they partake in multi-night excursions!
Through a gradual grade specific scaffolding of goals, our aim is to foster students skills, confidence, and knowledge of the natural environment, while engaging respectfully in place based learning. We aim to develop students ability to problem solve, work as a team, and gain an understanding of self and community.
