River Program

What is the River Program?

The River Alternative Secondary School Program (River ASSP) is a partnership between the Limestone District School Board and the Kingston Native Centre and Language Nest, with generous support from the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres.

This program provides a safe, inclusive, and differentiated learning environment for self-identified Indigenous youth ages 15–21 in Grades 10–12. By combining culture, academics, and access to mental health and social supports, River creates a personal learning experience where students are encouraged and uplifted while working toward their academic and personal goals as a community.

Core Features of the River Program

• Students work toward their Ontario Secondary School Diploma by completing four integrated credits each semester.
• Coursework is designed through Indigenous pedagogies, culturally sustainable instructional strategies, and holistic assessment practices.
• Learning is hands-on, land-based, cross-curricular, and culturally connected.
• Individual Education Plans (IEPs) are valued and respected; students learn at their own pace in a quiet and comfortable environment that supports their unique needs and interests.
• Cultural programming is central, with daily opportunities for smudging, drumming, survival skills, creating, and traditional knowledge sharing guided by the Elder-in-Residence, Deb St. Amant, and local Knowledge Keepers.
• Flexible scheduling (9:00 am–2:00 pm, Monday to Friday) that considers students’ family responsibilities and part-time employment.
• Life skills and employment readiness opportunities such as First Aid/CPR, driver’s education, food handling, and co-op placements.

Who is a Candidate for the River Program?

The River Program is designed to support self-identified Indigenous students in Grades 10–12 who would benefit from a culturally grounded and land-based learning environment. Ideal candidates for the program include:

• Self-identified Indigenous students, including First Nations (Status or Non-Status), Métis, and Inuit students;
• Students seeking a secondary program that honours their culture, identity, and ways of knowing;
• Students who may benefit from trauma-informed, relationship-based, and community-connected education;
• Students who would thrive in a smaller, inclusive, and supportive learning environment that offers flexibility and individualized learning plans.

What Supports are Offered in the Program?

River students have access to a wide range of supports and services, including:

• An adolescent care worker, trauma-informed counsellor, and addictions counsellor;
• Nutrition and hygiene “take-what-you-need” station;
• Cultural programming including art, music, ceremony, and traditional teachings;
• Free public transit passes;
• Access to public and sexual health clinics and education;
• Support in obtaining government ID (e.g., Social Insurance Numbers, Status cards);
• Experiential learning opportunities such as co-op, dual credits, and School-Within-a-College (SWAC).

Contact Us

If you are interested in learning more about the application process for the River Alternative Secondary School Program, please contact:

Liv Rondeau, Vice-Principal of Indigenous Education