Garden Valley School Division

Garden Valley Collegiate is committed to providing opportunities for students to develop the skills to thrive both within and beyond high school.  

After gathering data locally (Chamber of Commerce, Alumni) and through academic research, it was determined that the Global Competencies provide all students with the necessary skills.

These competencies, which include character, communication, creativity, citizenship, critical thinking, and collaboration, help our students prepare for what lies ahead. 

The day at Prairie Dale School starts off on the right foot as students come in from the cold and enjoy a light breakfast, thanks to the “Toast Masters.”  This group, made up of several staff members, supports the school’s nutrition program. In addition to toast, students can enjoy a variety of healthy foods during “Fruit Fridays.”

Throughout the school, it’s clear that wellness is a priority. The school offers ample support for students' physical and mental well-being, from regulation rooms to extra support spaces designed to help students thrive.

It seems obvious that students are thinking in school, but what happens when students are learning, but not really thinking? Peter Liljedahl, author and researcher behind the philosophy he calls “Building Thinking Classrooms,” explains, “Thinking is a necessary precursor to learning, and if students are not thinking, they are not learning.”