Pathways to Learning: Structures

Safe, purposeful, and powerful learning environments include important STRUCTURES which enhance core competency development, while also enhancing important protective factors and reducing known risk factors for children. We will continue to explore outdoor learning spaces, flexible settings, pro-social groupings, and flexible scheduling for students and teachers. ‘Collaborative Models of Support’ will bring teachers together for purposeful dialogue using data to plan invisible interventions within the classroom.

Physical Learning Environments are pathways to co-created flexible spaces and organizational systems which allow for student choice and the sensory needs of all learners. Students access a variety of materials, intentional learning spaces, seating arrangements, furniture options, technology, and universal supports in order to have what they need when they need it. They are able to choose calm, sensory responsive spaces embedded within the classroom and school. Student curiosity and risk taking is enhanced through movement, hands on learning, and exploration. They grow their knowledge, sense of place, and application of learning by spending time outside in the natural environment.


Groupings are pathways to provide students with diverse, flexible, prosocial, and developmentally appropriate learning environments that combat status differences. Students broaden their perspective, learn from and mentor others, have increased voice and choice, and deepen their learning through heterogeneous groupings, including multi-age classes. Students approach their learning from a place of strength and experience cognitive and social growth, while proceeding at their own pace. Students experience enhanced protective factors and reduced risk factors.

Scheduling is a pathway to creating personalized, flexible, student-centered learning environments that begin with each student’s sense of belonging, choice, and requested supports. Students benefit from interdisciplinary approaches, peer and teacher mentorship, and a variety of spaces and groupings within the schedule. Longer chunks of time allow students to go deeper with their learning through exploration and inquiry, and to benefit from intentionally designed prosocial development.


Home and Community Partnerships are pathways which are essential for intergenerational connections and real world opportunities. A student’s understanding of one’s place within a broader context is enhanced by working with local community partners and protocols. Students focus on placed based learning to more deeply explore their identity and sense of self. Students access hands on experience and reflection by working with experts and elders. Local First Nation culture and language are embedded in all we do.


Resources and Equipment are pathways that ensure all students have the tools they need to meaningfully access, investigate, develop, produce, and archive evidence of their learning. Students use self-directed and seamlessly integrated learning tools, such as assistive technology and flexible seating to ensure accessibility without stigma and to guide other students to these universal supports as a beneficial means to their deeper learning.

District Programs are pathways designed to engage our community partners in corridor wide structures. Indigenous Education Programs will provide all students with opportunities for increased understandings and learning through local First Nation culture and language. District Student Leadership opportunities will provide broader context for student voice, input, and service. Career and Life Programs will be enhanced in order to support students in Trades and Apprenticeships, Dual Credit Programs, Work Experience placements and other Academies. Community Partner Tables of interdisciplinary teams will continue to guide our learning and work through data collection, collaboration, and planning. Early Learning Programs will continue to be developed to reduce vulnerability and assist our students through transitions from pre-school to school. As well, these programs will provide parent and family support through the early years.