Education

Big Valley School serves approximately 84 students from the Village of Big Valley and the surrounding area, offering instruction to students from ECS to grade nine. Students range in age from 5 – 15 years of age.

The original east wing of the school was constructed in 1957. The west wing, housing 4 classrooms, music room, administration area and staff room, was constructed in 1984. In 1993, a major upgrade of the gymnasium was undertaken. A new cushioned floor was installed and covered with tongue-and-groove hardwood. The old stage was taken out and this area became our physical education storage area. A mezzanine for spectactor viewing was built on top of this storage area. During the summer of 1996, two classrooms in the 1957 wing were gutted to construct a computer lab and library. In the summer and fall of 1997, major renovations were undertaken on the four existing classrooms in the east wing. New ceiling, flooring, lights, doors and shelving units were installed and all walls were painted. During the summer of 1998, all flooring was replaced in the 1984 wing, extensive painting was done both inside and out and old windows were replaced. During the summer of 1999, our playground was upgraded. The existing equipment (swings, slide, etc.) was moved to new locations and painted. A $22,000 multi-station unit was purchased and installed. Twelve-inch ties now enclose all playground equipment and the entire play area is covered with pea gravel. The playground upgrade was initiatiated by our Student Advisory Council. They applied for the grants, ordered all of the material and organized the work parties for the various aspects of the installation. Thank you and congratulations on doing an excellent job with this project! During the summer of 2000, concrete work was completed at the front of the school and the boys’ and girls’ locker rooms were painted. In the summer of 2005, the computer room was moved, the office was renovated and moved to the front of the building, the gym walls were touched up, the mezzaine was painted and the outside of the building was painted. The old offices are now resource rooms and the sick room was converted into janitor storage. We now have a wheelchair accessible bathroom and a new resource room in the elementary wing.