This year, our K2A students embarked on a meaningful, year-long inquiry project exploring the themes of belonging, inclusion, and appreciation. This Birthday Cupcake Project began with a simple question: Who gets a PTA birthday cupcake at NIS? 

Through interviews, surveys, and a deep dive into the NIS community, the children noticed that every NIS student and staff member enjoys a birthday cupcake in their birthday months. However, the outside contracted team members are not currently part of that celebration because they are not employed by NIS directly, and they celebrate their birthdays differently. With compassion and determination, K2A children planned, problem-solved and researched for months before visiting the Skyways Kitchen to make cupcakes as a heartfelt gesture to share the birthday celebration with these often-unseen members of our school community in the NIS way.

Joined by our School Director, Mr. Laurie McLellan, and the rest of the K2 children, they also made chocolate cookies and hot chocolate to mark the end of this inquiry project.

The bakery visit was a fantastic exercise in our learning strategy, which incorporates Student Voice and Student Choice, as well as Burst the Bubble. By travelling outside the classroom to see baking in action on an industrial scale, learning became even more tangible and inspiring. Such experiences reinforce that stepping into real-world settings helps our youngest students grow into confident, inquisitive learners.