New middle school provides modern learning for students

The first-ever middle school in Kelowna’s Okanagan Mission neighbourhood has opened to meet the needs of the community’s students.

“As students walk through the doors of a brand-new Canyon Falls Middle school, they are entering a learning environment that gives them the best chance to thrive under B.C.’s new curriculum,” said Rob Fleming, Minister of Education. “This is a great new facility that will benefit families in this community for decades to come, while also providing more space for students at other nearby schools.”

The new Canyon Falls Middle school is a modern facility for 750 students in grades 6 to 8 in southern Kelowna. It includes a neighbourhood learning centre that will be used by the Central Okanagan School District for child care and other community programs.

At Canyon Falls, students will be immersed in a 21st-century learning environment that includes learning commons, flexible classrooms and a new sports field.

The new school will be open to grades 6 and 7 students from Chute Lake, Anne McClymont and Dorothea Walker elementary schools this year, and will enrol Grade 8 students in 2020-21. This will allow Okanagan Mission Secondary to become a grades 9 to 12 school, and for elementary schools to move to a K-5 model, giving more students throughout the community additional space to learn.

“The new Canyon Falls Middle school fits well with our district’s vision of being a progressive leader in education,” said Moyra Baxter, chairperson, Board of Education for Central Okanagan Public Schools. “It helps us move forward with grade reconfiguration and offers modern learning spaces so we can continue to ensure each student has opportunities to succeed.”