The Story of Prairie Sky School

Guiding Principles

We believe in children’s intrinsic ability and need to learn;

We foster children’s wonder and joy in the world around them;

We strive for education of the whole child (mind, body, spirit); We value individual expression and motivated learning;

We create a tolerant, inclusive and diverse learning culture;

We support cooperative learning and play;

We encourage learning through the natural environment;

We value community, sustainability, and social responsibility.

School History

Prairie Sky School was founded and incorporated in December 2008. Educator Kim Weiss brought together community members, homeschooling parents, and university education professors to develop a new vision for education in Regina. Following incorporation and many living room discussions, the group held its first public meeting on January 22nd, 2009, at the Cathedral Area Community Association centre, where 75 attendees shared their visions of school possibilities. 

With strong community interest, a keen volunteer spirit and a passionate Board of Directors, Prairie Sky School opened its doors to the first classroom of 12 students and one teacher in the basement of St. Mary’s Anglican Church on the corner of 15th Avenue and Montague Street. The school boasted a healthy lunch/cooking program, verma-composting, and many community supporters. By December 2009, another teacher was hired, and a part-time educational assistant joined the school the following month. By that time, enrolment had increased to 19 students. 

By September 2012, the school had grown to almost 30 students and had become a Qualified Independent School, receiving partial funding from the new QIS initiative created by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Education. In 2011 an Executive Director was hired to build the organization as a non-profit business. By August 2013, our first Principal was recruited to support and promote PSS learning/teaching and further develop our curricular and extra-curricular programs. 

Over the years since inception, much of the vision and founding elements of PSS have remained the same. There has been a great deal of evaluation and transition – the result of a natural evolution of ideas in a grassroots organization. Now, in Year 13, Prairie Sky School has evolved into a thriving Qualified Independent School with a concise Vision & Purpose that has been synthesized from the original values and approaches. We deliver the Saskatchewan Curriculum holistically through Art, Community, and Nature, and are pedagogically inspired by Waldorf and Reggio Emilia traditions.

We began as many good ideas do; a group of passionate, community-minded people gathered in a living room, sharing ideas of what is possible. It is in this spirit that we will continue to provide a truly holistic education alternative for local families.