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Monday 8:30am - 4pm Tuesday 8:30am - 4pm Wednesday 8:30am - 4pm Thursday 8:30am - 4pm

The Whole School

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Slocan, BC
The Whole School

Founded in May 1973, The Whole School, located in Winlaw, is B.C's oldest non-affiliated, independent, alternative elementary school, following BC Curriculum.

The Whole School cultivates a respectful environment and encourages each child’s unlimited abilities. Building confidence and self-esteem are at the root of all our activities. We believe helping children to recognize their own potential is essential to fostering leadership, confidence, self-esteem and a life long love of learning. The Whole School uses student-centered, experiential approaches to support academic skills in core curriculum subjects. Creative arts are integrated into all subjects, and students enjoy a variety of artistic forms which they use to demonstrate their learning. At the Whole School we believe daily exposure to drama, music, movement and handiwork keep the child’s natural wonder and imagination active. We teach in multi-aged classes as we believe this setting allows children to develop academically, socially and emotionally at their own pace without pressure of living up to grade level standards. Students feel safe and supported while accomplishing skills and knowledge at their level. Thematic units span all the classrooms in the school, allowing the children to come together, collaborate, and build on each other’s understandings. Bio-regionalism and community building are an important part of the school curriculum. The Whole School draws upon mentors from the community that offer exploration into many different areas such as fiber arts, clay, woodworking, cooking, dance and regional history. These activities help the students to develop a deep sense of appreciation for their community: its history, ethnic groupings as well as cultural and spiritual values.

09/23/2026

🧈 WOW — our Foothills Butter is officially SOLD OUT! 🎉

A huge thank you to everyone who has ordered and supported our Holiday Meat Fundraiser! 💚

Don’t worry!....you can still order turkeys, chickens, and apples for the holidays. 🦃🍎

📧 Order at: [email protected]
Orders but be made before October 2nd.

📅PICK-UP: October 8th - 3:30pm-6pm @ The Whole School

Thank you for supporting The Whole School and our wonderful PAC! ❤️

🦃🍎 THE WHOLE SCHOOL HOLIDAY MEAT FUNDRAISER IS HERE! 🎄📧 PLACE YOUR ORDER: wssc.tws@gmail.com📅ORDER DEADLINE: October 2nd...

09/16/2026

🦃🍎 THE WHOLE SCHOOL HOLIDAY MEAT FUNDRAISER IS HERE! 🎄

📧 PLACE YOUR ORDER: [email protected]
📅ORDER DEADLINE: October 2nd
📅 PICK-UP: October 8th at The Whole School
⏰ Pick-up time will be announced at a later date.

Stock up for Thanksgiving AND Christmas! This is our only meat fundraiser of the year, so don’t forget to order enough for both holidays!

🍗 Chickens — $6.00/lb
🦃 Turkeys — $6.00/lb
🍎 Ambrosia Apples — $2.25/lb or $45 for a 20-lb box
🧈 Foothills Butter — $7.00/lb while supplies last

💵 Payment: Cash or cheque at pick-up. E-transfer is also available but must be completed at pick-up, so please bring your phone.

This fundraiser is proudly organized by our Whole School Support Committee (PAC). 💚 A huge THANK YOU to our PAC members for all the time and effort they put into supporting our students, families, and school community!

Great food. Brighter holidays. Support our school! 🍂❤️🎄

09/10/2026

🌿 Meet The Whole School Team! 🌿

We are so excited to welcome our families back and introduce the wonderful team supporting our students this year!

One of the things that makes The Whole School so special is the amount of care and support we are able to surround our students with. As a small school, having a strong team means our children can truly be seen, known, encouraged, and supported throughout their school day.

This year, we are thrilled to welcome new Teachers and new Educational Assistants to our team, alongside our returning staff. Each person brings their own experience, creativity, strengths, and passion for working with children, and we are excited to see what they bring to our classrooms and school community.

Our small size allows us to work closely together, build meaningful relationships with our students, and provide the individualized support that helps children grow—not only academically, but socially, emotionally, creatively, and as confident members of their community.

There is so much to look forward to this year: new ideas, new adventures, outdoor learning, creativity, connection, laughter, and plenty of opportunities to learn and grow together.

💚 Here’s to an amazing year ahead at The Whole School! We are grateful for this team and incredibly excited to see where the year takes us.

09/02/2026

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🌲 MORE THAN CHILDCARE — A GREAT START & FINISH TO THEIR DAY! 🌲

Before & After School Care is coming to The Whole School for 2026–27! 💚

We know that balancing work, school schedules and family life isn’t always easy. Our new program is designed to give families more support while giving children a place they’ll actually be excited to come to.

Imagine starting the school day with a little movement, mindfulness and connection — and ending it with friends, creativity, games, enrichment and time to simply have fun.

Our program will include:

✨ Enrichment Activities — games, chess, projects and opportunities to explore new interests
🎨 Creative Arts — imagination, music, art and hands-on creativity
🌿 Movement & Mindfulness — yoga, movement, breathing, outdoor play and activities that help children regulate and recharge
💛 Connection & Belonging — a welcoming environment where children can relax, build friendships and feel part of their school community

☀️ BEFORE SCHOOL

Monday–Thursday | 7:30–8:30 a.m.
And the best part? Morning care is FREE for registered Whole School students!

🌙 AFTER SCHOOL

Monday–Thursday | 3:30–5:30 p.m.
$15 per child/day

✨DROP-INS
Monday-Thursday
$20 per child/day

Our goal is simple: to create a program that makes life a little easier for parents while giving children more of what they need — connection, creativity, movement, play and belonging.

Registration is now open for the 2026–27 school year. Spaces will be limited, so families interested in using the program are encouraged to get in touch.

📍 The Whole School | 5614 Highway 6, Winlaw, BC
📞 250-226-7737
🌐 wholeschool.ca

A little more support for parents. A whole lot more opportunity for kids. 🌲

08/31/2026

🌲 REGISTRATION IS OPEN! 🌲

Small Classes. Big Impact.

Looking for a school where your child is known, supported, challenged, and encouraged to be exactly who they are?

At The Whole School in Winlaw, education is about so much more than sitting at a desk. Our small, community-based K–7 school creates space for children to build confidence, curiosity, creativity, resilience, meaningful relationships, and a genuine love of learning.

With small class sizes and multi-age learning, teachers have the opportunity to really know their students and support their individual strengths and needs.

🌿 Outdoor Leadership & Land Stewardship — hands-on learning rooted in nature, conservation, leadership and connection to our beautiful Slocan Valley
💛 Social-Emotional Learning — helping children build confidence, self-awareness, empathy and emotional skills
🤝 Restorative Practices — building relationships, responsibility, communication and community
🎨 Creative & Experiential Learning — because some of the most powerful learning happens through doing, exploring, creating and discovering
🌱 Community Connection — learning alongside local organizations, knowledge holders and the incredible people and places around us
☀️ Before & After School Care Program — making school life a little easier for working families while giving children even more opportunities for connection, creativity, movement and fun

At The Whole School, we believe children thrive when they feel like they belong.

If you're searching for something a little different for your child — a smaller school with a big heart, strong community and whole-child approach to education — we'd love to meet your family.

✨ Registration is now open for the 2026–2027 school year.

📍 The Whole School | Winlaw, BC
📞 250-226-7737
🌐 wholeschool.ca

Come discover what a small school can make possible. 💚

06/29/2026

**We're Looking for New Board Members!**

Our school in Winlaw is looking for dedicated community members to join our Board of Directors.

If you're passionate about supporting students, helping shape the future of our school, and making a positive impact in our community, we'd love to hear from you! No previous board experience is required—just a willingness to contribute your time, ideas, and skills.

Board members work together to help guide the school's direction, support its mission, and ensure it continues to thrive.

If you're interested or would like to learn more about what's involved, please send us a message or contact the school.

Please help us spread the word by sharing this post. Thank you for supporting our school community!

For more info, email [email protected]

05/20/2026

🌿🐝 Our Pollinator Pathways Project is Complete! 🦋🌸

What started as a dream to turn our berm into a living classroom and sanctuary for pollinators has now blossomed into something truly beautiful. Today, we are proud to share that the signs are up, the pathways are blooming, and the vision has come to life at the Whole School.

This project is so much more than flowers and plants. It is a space where children can connect with the land, learn about biodiversity, observe native pollinators in action, and understand their role as future stewards of the Earth. Every flower planted, every mushroom discovered, every bee and butterfly welcomed here is a reminder that small acts of care can create lasting change.

We are deeply grateful to the incredible funders, volunteers, families, and community members who believed in this vision and helped make it possible. Your support has created a vibrant outdoor learning environment that will inspire curiosity, environmental stewardship, and wonder for years to come.

May this pathway continue to grow wild, beautiful, and full of life — just like the children who learn here every day. 🌱✨

05/12/2026

🌸 THE WHOLE SCHOOL SPRING MARKET 🌸
Celebrate Spring • Support Local • Build Community

The Whole School invites the entire Slocan Valley community to our annual Spring Market Fundraiser — a joyful day filled with local vendors, delicious food, family fun, and community connection!

📅 Saturday, May 23rd
🕙 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
📍 5614 Highway 6, Winlaw, BC
🎟️ FREE Admission

Come enjoy a vibrant community market featuring:

🌱 Huge Plant Sale
🛍️ Yard Sale
🎨 Face Painting
🎈 Kids Activities
🧁 Homemade Baked Goods
🌭 Barbecue & Hot Dogs
🍋 Cold Drinks & Popsicles
🧺 Local Vendor Tables
🎟️ 50/50 Draw
…and so much more!

This special event helps support programs and learning opportunities at The Whole School, a small independent school dedicated to creativity, environmental stewardship, inclusivity, and hands-on learning in the Slocan Valley.

Bring your family, invite your friends, and spend the day celebrating spring while supporting local students and community initiatives.

💚 Shop Local. Support Education. Celebrate Community.

05/11/2026

🌟 WE’RE HIRING: Before & After School Care Program Coordinator/Supervisor
📍 The Whole School – Winlaw, BC

Are you passionate about children, community, creativity, and building meaningful connections? The Whole School is looking for a warm, organized, and enthusiastic individual to lead our brand-new Before & After School Care Program for Kindergarten–Grade 7 students.

This is more than childcare — it’s an opportunity to help create a calm, nurturing, and inspiring environment where children can thrive before and after the school day.

✨ Program Hours:
🕢 Monday–Thursday
• After School Program: 3:30–5:30pm
• Working Hours: 3:15–6:00pm for prep and clean up

✨ We are looking for someone who:
• Loves working with children in a relationship-based environment
• Can create engaging activities and meaningful routines
• Brings creativity, patience, leadership, and initiative
• Values emotional wellbeing, inclusion, and community connection
• Is organized, dependable, and able to supervise safely
• Enjoys outdoor play, arts, mindfulness, games, movement, and enrichment activities

✨ Responsibilities Include:
• Supervising students before and after school
• Planning daily enrichment activities
• Supporting emotional regulation and positive social interactions
• Maintaining a safe and welcoming environment
• Communicating with families and school staff
• Assisting with program organization and sign-in/sign-out procedures
• Clean-up at end of day

✨ Qualifications Preferred:
• Experience working with children
• Valid First Aid Certification and CPR
• Criminal Record Check
• ECE, Education Assistant, Child & Youth Care, Teaching, or related experience is an asset

💛 We offer a supportive school community, beautiful rural setting, and the opportunity to help shape a meaningful new program from the ground up.

📧 Send resume and cover letter to:
[email protected]

📍 The Whole School
5614 Highway 6, Winlaw, BC

Come help us create something special for children and families in our community.

05/04/2026

✨ NEW Before & After School Program (Families Enrolled at The Whole School):
🕢 Morning Care: 7:30–8:30 AM
🕞 After School Care: 3:30–5:30 PM
📅 Monday–Thursday

This isn’t just childcare — it’s a calm, enriching extension of your child’s day.

💛 Your child will experience:
• Mindfulness & emotional regulation to start and end the day grounded
• Creative arts, music & hands-on enrichment
• Yoga, movement & outdoor play
• Chess, games & curiosity-driven learning
• A warm, connected environment where they feel seen and supported

🌱 Why families are choosing The Whole School:
• Small, multi-age classrooms
• Strong sense of belonging and community
• Whole-child approach (academic, social, emotional)
• Free hot lunch program
• Outdoor leadership opportunities
• Meaningful family involvement

🔥 Registration for 2026–2027 is NOW OPEN — and programs are filling quickly.

If you’ve been waiting for the right fit for your child… this is it.

👉 Secure your child’s spot today
📞 250-226-7737
🌐 wholeschool.ca
📍 5614 Highway 6, Winlaw, BC

Give your child a school day that feels inspiring, balanced, and connected — from start to finish.

Address

5614 Highway 6
Slocan, BC
V0G2J0

Opening Hours

Monday	8:30am - 4pm
Tuesday	8:30am - 4pm
Wednesday	8:30am - 4pm
Thursday	8:30am - 4pm

Website

http://www.wholeschool.ca/

Alerts

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