Empowering indigenous identity to become a community of global thinkers
Set in the beautiful Okanagan Valley of British Columbia Canada, Senpaqcin School is a small independent, First Nations school on-reserve open to all. We provide quality education for children between the ages of 4 and 12 years old. Our School belongs to the Nk’mip people who are one of 7 Bands within the traditional lands of the Okanagan Nation. We are proud to be the first on-reserve authorized Primary Years International Baccalaureate World Organization (IBO) School in the North Americas. We believe that being part of IBO will help shift the stereotypes that exist within the country regarding First Nations education and that indigenous knowledge can be shared globally.
Our school is built on the foundation of indigenous knowledge (nqilxcn) and the identity of the sqilxw people (Okanagan First Nations). Our mission is to explore our interconnectedness to the land locally and globally with a focus on stainability of the tmxwulʔxʷ (Earth). Our students participate in annual on the land learning engagements that align with the sqilxw cultural calendar. Through these hands-on learning experiences and the cultural captikwl stories, students compare the traditional beliefs and values of the Okanagan Nation and find similarities to other cultures around the world – past and present.
The Okanagan Valley is known for its agricultural land use. Our school is fortunate to have a 100 square metres of fenced garden space where the students are able to participate in a variety of learning experiences including planting, harvesting, and gathering of eggs for our lunch and breakfast programs. Students are able to have experiences that connect indigenous ways of knowing to current farming practices like planting using the ‘Three Sisters’ way of companion planting.
Our second language is the nsyilxcen (Okanagan) which is the traditional language of the people. Much of the culture is embedded within the language. Many of the elders believe that if the language dies, a large piece of the culture will die with it. We are at a critical tipping point for ensuring that this language is not lost for future generations.
Mission
Senpaq’cin is built on sqilxw culture, beliefs and values. We nurture relationships to self, others and the land to inspire global learners and ensure a bright future for all..
Vision
We will create a school of excellence which empowers cultural identity and inspires life-long learning.
Motto
Senpaq’cin C.A.R.E.S. Culture Acceptance Respect Excellence Safety
International Baccalaureate (IB)
There are many important terms that you and your child will be learning over the course of their experience in the Primary Years Programme. To help you better understand the new vocabulary and concepts, please click on the link below for more information.
Exhibition
In the final year of the Primary Years Program (PYP), all IB students must participate in a concluding project known as the Exhibition. This culminating activity allows students to apply all the knowledge and skills they have learned while being a part of an IB school. This project revolves around a central idea in which students will engage in a student-driven, transdisciplinary unit of inquiry in which they inquire, research, and offer solutions (student action) to current, real-life problems.
Programme of Inquiry (POI)
The International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program is constructed using a transdisciplinary framework. Students learn the mandated BC Curriculum content areas (knowledge) through 6 main Inquiry Units which are themed under the headings: Who We Are, Where We Are in Time and Place, How We Express Ourselves, How We Organize, How the World Works and Sharing the Planet. Each unit is carefully constructed using the 5 essential elements of the PYP programme. For a closer look at Senpacqin’s POI, click on the link below.