At Imagine High in Chilliwack BC, there are no bells, most of the subjects are integrated, and the teachers work in teams.

In 2019, Brooke Haller and Janet Carrol – two BC principals – were given the assignment of their dreams. Kirk Savage, a Superintendent at Chilliwack School District told them to take a year, look at schools all over North America, and design the best, most innovative high school they could imagine. Chilliwack had the building, they had the students, they just needed a totally new kind of high school. 

Imagine High Integrated Arts and Technology Secondary School is the result. 

Opened in 2021, the school blends arts, technology, and interdisciplinary learning so that students develop critical skills like collaboration, creativity, and problem-solving—essential for success in today’s and tomorrow’s fast-changing world.  All the work is student-centered, and it’s not just project-based, it’s product-based which leading expert on globalization and technology in education Dr. Young Zhao, describes as learning where students “create works that matter” and identify “problems that are worth solving.”

No bells, integrated subjects, and team teaching 

At Imagine High, learning is hands-on and flexible. Instead of rigid 45-minute classes, students participate in two 70-minute learning blocks, allowing for deep engagement with projects and concepts. Classrooms are called “learning communities”, where 50-60 students work with a team of three teachers—one for humanities, one for math/science, and one for inclusive design. This structure ensures that learning is adaptable and accessible for all students.

The school features cutting-edge facilities to support its approach, including a digital recording studio, makerspace, and culinary lab. Students explore topics through real-world applications, using arts and technology to demonstrate their learning.

The creativity that can be harnessed when you just allow kids some voice, some choice, some opportunities to really connect with their interests and the learning being authentic is pretty stunning.

– Janet Carrol, Program Director 

Assessment & Growth

Imagine High moves beyond traditional exams, focusing on competency-based assessment. Students receive formative feedback throughout their projects, with checkpoints to track progress. Report cards include written comments, self-assessments, and competency evaluations alongside traditional grades. This approach helps students understand their strengths and areas for growth. 

What kinds of policies support this kind of school?  

In 2015, K to 12 education in BC underwent a seismic shift – moving to a focus on intellectual, personal, and social skills within three overall core competencies: thinking, communication, and personal and social. To complement the competencies, all learning is based on a “Know-Do-Understand” model.  

 “The Core Competencies are sets of intellectual, personal, and social and emotional proficiencies that all students need in order to engage in deep, lifelong learning. Along with literacy and numeracy foundations, they are central to British Columbia’s K-12 curriculum and assessment system and directly support students in their growth as educated citizens.” 

-BC Ministry of Education 

The province’s focus on core competencies is markedly different from the rest of Canada and the shift has supported innovation across the province, allowing schools more freedom to design their own approaches to learning.   

The educators at Imagine High say they couldn’t have created the school without the expansive provincial framework/vision which allowed them the flexibility and freedom to try new things; to be creative and innovative.  

Imagine High is viewed by the Chilliwack school district as an incubation site for new ideas.  

Does Imagine High only work for some students? 

All students are welcome to attend Imagine High, regardless of their learning needs. The only criterion is that the student wants to come to the school.

The school conducts what they call “empathy interviews” with all students and their families before they join the school. These empathy interviews help the school administrators to understand what the student’s interests are, what they liked and disliked about school, and what their hopes, fears and dreams are prior to coming to the school. This information allows the school to set things up in advance, so the school is ready to help students succeed when they arrive.

One significant difference at Imagine High is its “push-in” approach. Instead of the traditional model where students with different learning needs are pulled out of class for extra support from a special education teacher, Imagine High’s push-in approach means that inclusive design teachers are embedded in the classroom, and work with the classroom teachers to make sure that the work they’re planning is accessible to all the different types of learners.  In this model, the teaching team has time to plan lessons together thoughtfully so that all students have ways to connect with the lesson and demonstrate their learning – thus creating space for diverse strengths and identities. 

For the inclusive design teacher, being a part of a larger inclusive design team, and being connected with only two learning communities a year means that they can manage their workload, instead of being spread over an entire school and having to touch base with 20-30 teachers. 

Preparing for the Future 

By integrating disciplines and encouraging authentic, project-based or product-based learning, Imagine High equips students with transferable skills for post-secondary education and careers. Whether designing multimedia projects, developing tech solutions, or engaging in community-driven initiatives, students are empowered to take ownership of their learning. 

A lot of the school community here rides on respect, like mutual respect, not just students respecting teachers, but the teachers also respect the students. And that really reflects itself in the positivity and happiness of our student body.

– Jasper, Imagine High student 

As education evolves, Imagine High stands as a model for how schools can nurture curiosity, adaptability, and innovation, ensuring students are ready for the challenges of tomorrow. 

More information here.