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Kelowna Outdoor HLC is an exciting new educational opportunity for families in the Okanagan!
We are currently accepting new students for the 2025/26 school year.
Please email me at Nygel.Metcalfe@sd71.bc.ca to be added to our waitlist, or if you would like to receive our newsletter.
Click HERE to view past issues of Field Notes, the Heartwood newsletter.
>> Inquiry-based Learning
>> Inquiry-based Learning
>> Outdoors Every Day
>> Outdoors Every Day
>> Free to enrol for BC residents
>> Free to enrol for BC residents
What is Heartwood?
What is Heartwood?
The Heartwood program is designed to create a rich, flexible and respectful learning environment where the teacher, parent and child are partners working together to develop and support their child’s education. Our teachers will build on and engage your child’s natural curiosity! Your child will experience learning at their own pace and through their personal passions.
Motivation is key to all learning. Heartwood focuses on each child’s interests, natural curiosity, imagination and joy of discovery in order to engage their deep attention. Our goal is to have each child’s developmental needs recognized, honoured and met.
We believe that strong relationships are essential to a child’s openness to learning. In these small group settings, teachers are able to develop close relationships with each child and guide the process of discovery. Parents have a unique opportunity to collaborate with teachers and contribute to the learning space and learning community. Teachers and parents work together to co-create each child’s learning plans and continue to communicate closely throughout the year, to share discoveries and interests, challenges, and successes.
As a publicly-funded program, Heartwood enrolment is free for residents of BC.
Each family is provided with a budget for learning resources which can include such things as music lessons, or access to sports opportunities.
Assessment is done through portfolio conferencing that present student learning - takes place 3 times each year, as required by the BC Ministry of Education.
Heartwood Pedagogy:
Heartwood Pedagogy:
Inquiry-Based Learning
Inquiry-Based Learning
Centering student voice and choice, letting passion and curiousity lead the way!
Outdoor
Engagement
Outdoor
Engagement
One full day of nature-based programming every week, including nature hikes, foraging field trips, orienteering, and other excursions.
Parent-Teacher Collaboration
Parent-Teacher Collaboration
We offer a supported personalized learning program for each family that allows parents to be involved with all aspects of their child’s education.
Community Partnership
Community Partnership
Connecting with the rich opportunities already present in our local community, from artists to educators, businesses to non-profit organizations.
Option A:
Face-to-Face (FTF)
Option A:
Face-to-Face (FTF)
FTF program is free and available to any families residing in BC
Hybrid model combines home-learning and face-to-face programming.
Small Cohort, with enrolment capped between 15 and 20 students.
Includes 1 day per week of in-person, teacher-led educational programming.
Focused on Inquiry-based learning and Outdoor engagement - outside every day.
Nature hikes, foraging field-trips, museum visits, orienteering excursions, and more!
Available to families in Kelowna and surrounding area.
Option B:
Learn At Home (OL)
Option B:
Learn At Home (OL)
OL program is free and available to any families residing in BC
Families can register with Heartwood for full-time Distributed Learning, and still take advantage of the support and expertise of a BC certified teacher.
As in the Hybrid program, Parents and Teachers collaborate to deliver robust inquiry-based learning.
Fully OL families are still eligible for the Student Learning Resource Fund, which can be allocated for such things as music lessons, or access to sports opportunities.
Assessment is done through portfolio conferencing that present student learning - takes place 3 times each year, as required by the BC Ministry of Education.
Meet your Expedition Leaders
(aka teachers...)
Meet your Expedition Leaders
(aka teachers...)
Nygel Metcalfe
Nygel Metcalfe
Nygel is a BC-certified teacher with a passion for unlocking the awesomeness in education through inquiry, adventure, and saying "yes" to new possibilities :)
Kelsie Balehowsky
Kelsie Balehowsky
Kelsie is a BC-certified teacher who is passionate about outdoor learning, art education, and inquiry- and process-based learning. She loves to spend time in nature with her family, whether it's outdoors camping, hiking, canoeing or snowshoeing.
Meet your Mentors
(aka lovely humans who share their skills with us)
Meet your Mentors
(aka lovely humans who share their skills with us)
Jordan Klassen
Jordan Klassen
Jordan is a BC-certified teacher who is passionate about being fully alive and present in every moment, and in cultivating a community and an environment that fosters learning without dimming the sparkle in our eyes!
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