Buffalo Bay Academy
Profile
Location
At Kapawe’no First Nation our Buffalo Bay Academy is Grades 7-12 school, situated in the proximity of Kapawe’no First Nation within its ancestral lands along the sacred shores of Buffalo Bay, in Grouard. Here, the land itself serves as a classroom, connecting our students to their ancestral roots.
Knowledge Ever Increasing
Mission: To advance higher education rooted in Knowledge Ever Increasing with ancestral wisdom, harmonizing tradition with academics.
Vision: To be a center for excellence where tradition and innovation converge, equipping graduates to contribute locally and globally.
Educational Philosophy
“Where tradition fuels the future, we create a distinct path to wisdom and growth.” This philosophy is now also backed by the latest research in cognitive science and educational psychology, leading to ever-increasing knowledge and understanding.
Who We Are
Buffalo Bay Academy continues to be an autonomous school. We offer technology-enhanced classrooms to support both traditional and new methods of teaching, offering students in Grades 7-12 a unique blend of the Nêhiyawak way of learning. This blend incorporates Arts, Music, Sports, and LAW teachings through full accreditation by Alberta and our Elder Knowledge Keepers.
Unique Features
-
Customized Curriculum: Now featuring blended online courses to enable personalized pacing and greater subject exploration.
-
Cultural Affinity: Expanded to include new programs in indigenous botany, astronomy, and seasonal rites and ceremonies.
Governance
While operating under the Kapawe’no First Nation’s Governance Codes, our expanded virtual learning environment also allows for a more diversified student body, maintaining our autonomy to serve even more effectively.
Flexible Learning
The four-day school week from November to April remains, now enriched by virtual extensions to engage students in additional cultural and educational pursuits during their extended weekends.
Online Presence
Our dedicated website and social media pages, which will be made available shortly, are designed to be interactive platforms where students can access cultural archives and advanced academic resources.
Curriculum at Buffalo Bay Academy
Buffalo Bay Academy is fully accredited by Alberta Education and follows their standards for instructional time. We offer a minimum of 950 instructional hours for Grades 7-9 and 1,000 hours for Grades 10-12, consistent with Alberta Education standards and Kapawe’no First Nation School Authority requirements. To enrich these hours, we’ve incorporated flexible, additional online modules that can be accessed during extended weekends or evenings.
This maintains our alignment with Alberta’s rigorous educational standards while offering our unique blend of traditional and innovative learning experiences.
Core Academic Programs
The core subjects now feature adaptive learning technology to provide a highly personalized educational experience, deeply integrated with Nehiyawak teachings.
Innovative Curriculum Elements
-
Four Pillars Focus: Arts, Music, Sports, and LAW academies offer certification courses and internship opportunities to students, fully integrating these pillars into daily learning.
-
Virtual Reality (VR) Learning: Virtual field trips to sacred sites and augmented traditional storytelling are integrated into the curriculum, preserving tradition in a new form.
-
Traditional Knowledge Keepers: In addition to in-person teachings, there are also live-streamed sessions where Elders and experts provide real-time learning experiences.
Flexible Schedule
During the winter months, Buffalo Bay Academy is launching an online cultural exchange program where students can engage with other indigenous communities globally during their extended weekends.
Contact Us
Our newly updated website at www.kfnlearning.com now offers virtual tours and webinars. Also, visit our expanded social media presence on Facebook at Buffalo Bay Academy for more enriching content.
High School Courses we offer this semester:
(Core Classes)
Alberta High School Diploma: 100 credits
(All 5 Credit courses unless designated differently)
(Knowledge and Employability)
Alberta High School Certificate: 80 Credits
(All 5 Credit Courses)
Secondary Courses (All 1 Credit Course)
