Watson Lake Secondary School

Welcome to the Home of the Bears

Get in touch
Three women are looking at a wall of mounted signs and plaques in an outdoor setting with trees and dirt ground. The signs include street names, state names, and various messages. The woman on the left has long dark hair and is wearing a light purple jacket and light-colored pants. The woman on the right has long dark hair and is wearing a gray hoodie and black pants. The third woman, who is partly visible, is pointing at the signs.
A white tent set up in a dense forest with tall trees. The sun is shining brightly through the branches, creating lens flare. There is a picnic table with a glittery tablecloth and a wire grill on the ground nearby. The scene suggests a camping or outdoor gathering.
A wooden sign for Watson Lake Secondary School with a mascot image of a bear and the text 'Home of the Watson Lake Bears,' decorated with balloons in black, red, and white, and surrounded by flowers and trees.
The Liard First Nation KASKA logo.

We respectfully acknowledge that we live, play, and work on the Territory of the Liard First Nation.

“Our ancestors were here a long time before us, and we will be here to pass on what we know to our children and our children’s children. We are Kaska, we are strong, and we will continue to survive and endure on this land which we call home.”

- Former WLSS Teacher, Linda McDonald

School Growth Plan

  • Icon of an open book with three stylized human figures above, all within a circular teal background.

    Literacy

    Many WLSS Learners arrive with significant gaps in their literacy skill development.

    These challenges become exacerbated in Grade 10, when Learners begin earning high school graduation credits.

    We support literacy skills development through a rewards program, and professional development for our Learning Assistance Teacher and Educational Assistants.

  • A stylized dragon head with an orange background and white details, including fangs and rings.

    Whole Child

    Many Learners at WLSS struggle with mental health and wellness.

    To address the issues, we have prioritized a healthy food program, weekly in-person nurse visits, and trauma-informed practices for all staff.

  • A teal circular icon with white silhouettes of four people holding hands above a mountain and a flag on a hill.

    Land and Language

    As an FNSB school working in partnership with Liard First Nation Education, our mandate is to provide all WLSS Learners with land-based learning activities, culturally inclusive and locally relevant learning experiences, and the opportunity to learn the Kaska language.

  • A yellow circular logo with white stylized human figures and leaves arranged in a ring.

    Numeracy

    Gaps in numeracy skills mean Learners will struggle as they work towards their Dogwood Diploma.

    As with literacy, we will prioritize professional development for our staff and Educators working with Learners who may struggle.

Read WLSS's School Growth Plan
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School Calendar

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Watson Lake Secondary School

WLSS Calendar

A word from our Principal

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At Watson Lake Secondary School, Learners, families, friends, and visitors are made to feel welcome and encouraged to be their authentic selves.

Welcome to Watson Lake Secondary School (WLSS), located on the Territory of the Liard First Nation and the Kaska Dena people. At WLSS, Learners, families, friends, and visitors are made to feel welcome and are encouraged to be their authentic selves.

Here, we value safety, respect, kindness, responsibility, communication and co-operation. We work together as a team, with Learners, families, and community members to nurture the growth and development of the Whole Child: academically, socially, emotionally, and culturally.

Our goal is to create a positive learning environment where all members of the school community can thrive within a framework of high standards and layers of support. Overall, we want WLSS Learners to feel empowered, prepared, and capable of contributing to their community, and walking the pathway of life with purpose and direction, knowing they are the centre of a strong circle of support.

Ryan Hewgill

Principal, Watson Lake Secondary School

A photo of Ryan Hewgill.

What makes FNSB schools different

Accountability 

We take the words of past reports and the wisdom of our communities seriously. The Auditor General Reports of 2009 and 2019, the Joint Education Action Plan (JEAP), and the various reports from the Yukon Child and Youth Advocate (YCAO) have given us a clear map with checkpoints to ensure the needs of our Learners are met and our communities are heard and empowered. An overarching theme of these reports is accountability. You cannot have accountability without objective data and transparency. 

Through our Yukon First Nation values, we have built all aspects of FNSB around this, especially how our schools operate and support our Learners' education. Everything from our school growth plans, to teacher evaluations, academic assessments, and the development of new data measures for cultural connection and belonging, FNSB is ensuring we are accountable to our Learners, families, First Nations, communities, and the public. 

Together with local First Nations

We are changing what education looks like at Watson Lake Secondary School because local First Nation citizens are involved and leading everything from staffing and budgets to school rules and programming. Our school is a part of the community, not separate from it. Our Leadership Team includes education leaders from Liard First Nation, and our localized governance model of Community Committees, made up of citizens and families, enables our community to genuinely share the delivery of public education.

High Expectations, High Support

Watson Lake Secondary School follows the BC Curriculum, and we work with Liard First Nation to integrate local knowledge, histories, languages, and cultures with high academic rigour. We know true learning engages minds by reflecting lived experiences and fostering a sense of belonging. Our community should maintain high expectations of our Learners, and the Educators and School Teams entrusted to teach them. In reciprocity, all Learners, Educators, and families are supported through a localized First Nations approach, which is strengths-based and wraps around the whole person, not only one aspect.

Inclusive of all

All Learners, Educators, and families are welcome at Watson Lake Secondary School. Every decision we make holds our Learners and families at the centre. We provide education grounded in reconciliation. A Yukon First Nations model puts the whole Learner first through a strengths-based and community-centred approach. We all hold the privilege and the responsibility to learn about and from the people, teachings, and languages of this land.

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