The Unity Pathways School Division (UPSD) and its schools are narrative settings created for The Belonging Project. The stories within this ecosystem are inspired by real experiences in education and community life, thoughtfully fictionalized to protect privacy and illuminate inclusive practice.
The Unity Pathways School Division (UPSD) and its schools are narrative settings created for The Belonging Project. The stories within this ecosystem are inspired by real experiences in education and community life, thoughtfully fictionalized to protect privacy and illuminate inclusive practice.
â–¶ Story: Horizon Outreach School: Supporting Students at the Margins
At the edge of Summit Grove Secondary’s vibrant campus lies Horizon Outreach School, a small, specialized program designed for high school students facing significant barriers to traditional learning. Many Horizon students are navigating challenges such as anxiety, substance use recovery, trauma, caregiving responsibilities, or interrupted schooling. For these students, school has historically been a place of disconnection, where attendance and compliance are valued more than belonging and voice.
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But Horizon is not isolated. It shares both a physical campus and a shared vision with Summit Grove. Students from Horizon are supported to access select courses, particularly in English Language Arts, at Summit Grove, bringing with them their strengths, stories, and needs. In turn, ELA teachers at Summit Grove partner closely with Horizon staff to co-develop plans that honour each student’s journey while still upholding high expectations for engagement and learning.
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This story follows a growing collaboration between outreach educators and high school ELA teachers who began asking new questions: What would it take for students to see themselves in the texts they read and the words they write? How can we honour voice when voice has long been silenced by systems? And how do we design for regulation and trust in a subject rooted in communication?
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Together, these educators build a bridge, not just between schools, but between compassion and rigour, autonomy and accountability, support and empowerment. It’s a story about shifting culture, redesigning access, and making room for students to re-enter learning with dignity.
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Prologue - Out of Reach ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )
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Chapter 1 - Unseen and Unready ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )
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Chapter 2 - Space to Breathe ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )
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Chapter 3 - Relationships Before Rigor ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )
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Chapter 4 - Whole-Hearted Learning ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )
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Epilogue - We See Them Now ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )
â–¶ Story: Project-Based Pathways
Project-Based Pathways
Horizon Outreach School serves students in Grades 10–12 who have become disengaged from traditional schooling. Many learners have experienced interruptions in their education due to mental health challenges, caregiving responsibilities, or systemic exclusion. At Harmony, teachers are given the freedom to think differently and they use that freedom to reimagine what learning can look like when student voice drives the process.
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The shift begins quietly. Instead of pre-designed units, teachers begin asking students: What do you want to learn? What do you want to create? Who do you want to become? Students are invited to co-plan projects that reflect their interests, values, and lived experiences. For many, it’s the first time school has asked those kinds of questions and the first time they feel their voice truly matters.
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Teachers scaffold the process with timelines, visual planning tools, and co-created rubrics. Students explore topics ranging from social justice to animal care, music production to parenting support apps. They choose how to present their work. Some record podcasts, others create community installations or host virtual interviews. As autonomy increases, so does confidence.
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Eventually, students begin to take on leadership roles, mentoring peers, co-designing classroom protocols, and leading exhibitions. The learning environment shifts from one of compliance to one of contribution. Staff at Harmony realize they’re no longer just teaching content. They’re witnessing young people reimagining their relationship with school, and with themselves.
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Prologue - Learning on the Edges ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )
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Chapter 1 - Invitation to Design ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )
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Chapter 2 - Rethinking Rubrics ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )
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Chapter 3 - Audience and Impact ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )
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Chapter 4 - Leading the Process ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )
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Epilogue - A New Kind of Engagement ( 📖 Read | 🎧 Listen | 🎬 Watch )