Keewaytinook Internet High School

What Keewaytinook Internet High School does

Keewaytinook Internet High School (KiHS) is an asynchronous online high school founded in 1999 at the request of Keewaytinook Okimakanak (Northern Chiefs Tribal Council) to deliver Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) programming to First Nation communities in Northern Ontario. Students in 16 partner communities across Northwestern Ontario access 80+ ministry-inspected courses spanning grades 9-12 across all academic streams (applied, academic, workplace, college, and university preparation), including culturally relevant offerings such as Cree, Oji-Cree, and Ojibway language courses and Indigenous-focused electives (NAC1O, NBE3U/C). The technology is built on the Moodle learning management system (hosted at education.knet.ca), with each partner community operating a physical KiHS classroom staffed by local mentor teachers and assistants who provide in-person support for online learners.

The school operates as a publicly funded educational institution, with no tuition charged to eligible students. Revenue derives from the Ontario Ministry of Education (curriculum approval and per-pupil funding) and Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (federal funding), supplemented by grants from IndSpire and the Paul Martin Foundation. The school is part of a broader Keewaytinook Okimakanak ecosystem that includes KNet (technology infrastructure), KOBE (educational governance), KORI (research), KO Health, and KO eHealth Telemedicine, providing institutional depth and shared services. Additional partnerships with Cisco (networking), Cisco Networking Academy (technology training), Confederation College, and Lakehead University support post-secondary pathways for graduates.

KiHS maintains a small administrative footprint of 9 employees with offices in Balmertown (headquarters) and Thunder Bay (principal and guidance counselling). The go-to-market is community-led, with enrollment driven through 16 First Nation community partnerships rather than direct consumer marketing. Lead teachers and administrative staff are listed publicly (Principal Debbie McDougall, Adult Education/Co-op Lead Lorne Goring, Student Success Coordinator Linda Johnson, Guidance Counsellor Thomas Choong), reflecting a lean, mission-driven operational model.

Name

Keewaytinook Internet High School

Legal name

Keewaytinook Internet High School

Website

https://kihs.knet.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Keewaytinook Internet High School is an asynchronous online high school serving 16 First Nation communities in Northern Ontario, enabling students to earn an Ontario Secondary School Diploma through 80+ ministry-inspected courses while remaining in their home communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Secondary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Full-Time Virtual K–12 Schools (Statewide/Cyber Charters & District Programs) (EDAJADAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Private/Independent Online K–12 Schools (EDAJADAC)

Keywords

• Online secondary education
• Distance learning high school
• Indigenous education services
• OSSD diploma program
• Asynchronous online courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Balmertown

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Public Education Funding: KiHS operates as a publicly funded secondary education program under the Ontario Ministry of Education. The school is supported by Keewaytinook Okimakanak and receives funding from Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Keewaytinook Internet High School (KiHS) is an asynchronous online secondary school that delivers 80+ Ontario-accredited high school courses (grades 9–12) to First Nation students living in remote Northern Ontario communities. Students complete coursework online through the Moodle platform while also attending a local KiHS classroom staffed by a community mentor teacher, and earn the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD). The school is operated by Keewaytinook Okimakanak and is publicly funded with no tuition for eligible students.

Product overview

Keewaytinook Internet High School (KiHS) is a single, unified asynchronous online high school program designed specifically for First Nation communities in Northern Ontario. The platform offers 80+ Ontario-accredited courses spanning grades 9-12 across all academic streams (locally developed, applied, academic, workplace preparation, college, and university preparation). The core offering is the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) program, which students complete while remaining in their home communities. Supporting modules include Cooperative Education for workplace experience, Native Language Programs (Cree, Oji-Cree, Ojibway), Indigenous-focused courses like Expressing Aboriginal Cultures and Understanding Contemporary First Nations/Métis/Inuit Voices, and adult education pathways. Course delivery uses Moodle as the integrated learning management system, with community-based classrooms supported by local mentor teachers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Keewaytinook Internet High School (KiHS) Program Asynchronous online secondary school program for grades 9–12, delivered via Moodle and supported by community classrooms with mentor teachers in 16 First Nation communities across Northern Ontario.
• Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) Program Diploma pathway enabling students to earn the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) through KiHS coursework completed in their home First Nation community.
• 80+ Ontario-Accredited High School Courses Catalog of 80+ Ontario-accredited high school courses available online to KiHS students across all academic streams, including Indigenous-focused and Native Language courses.
• Adult Education Program Separate program stream for mature students (typically 18+) seeking to complete their OSSD, delivered through the same Moodle online platform and community classroom model, with intake via the KiHS Adult Education Application.

Quantifiable outcome

• 25+ years of operation since 1999, serving multiple generations of students
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Keewaytinook OkimakanakcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMain supporter and parent organization. The Chiefs of KO originally requested the establishment of KiHS in 1999 to address the need for students to receive high school education without leaving home communities. KO is the Northern Chiefs Tribal Council representing member First Nations.
• KNet Service DeskcoreTechnology or IntegrationMain supporter providing technology infrastructure and service desk support essential for internet-based education delivery to remote communities.
• KOBE (Keewaytinook Okimakanak Board of Education)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister organization and main supporter providing educational governance and coordination for KiHS programs.
• Ontario Ministry of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvincial education ministry providing curriculum approval, OSSD accreditation, and regulatory oversight for KiHS courses.
• MoodlecoreTechnology or IntegrationOpen-source learning management system used as the primary platform for delivering KiHS online courses to students.
• Cisco Systems, Inc.supportingTechnology or IntegrationTechnology company providing networking equipment and infrastructure support for internet connectivity in remote First Nation communities.
• Cisco Networking AcademysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational program providing technology training and certification opportunities for KiHS students.
• Confederation CollegesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPost-secondary college in Thunder Bay providing pathways and potential credit transfers for KiHS graduates.
• Lakehead UniversitysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity in Thunder Bay providing academic pathways and potential credit transfers for KiHS graduates.
• KORI (Keewaytiinook Okimakanak Research Institute)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister organization providing research support and academic resources for KiHS programs.
• KO eHealth Telemedicine ServicessupportingTechnology or IntegrationSister organization providing telehealth technology infrastructure that complements KiHS connectivity in communities.
• KO HealthsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister organization within Keewaytinook Okimakanak providing health services coordination in partner communities.
• KO Centre of ExcellencesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister organization providing specialized training and excellence programs for KO communities.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights8 records

Broad incumbents

• Connections Academy: Pearson-affiliated operator of tuition-free online public schools across more than 30 U.S. states, serving K-12 students. Comparable broad-incumbent model for state-funded full-time online K-12 schools; relevant for benchmarking scale and curriculum design.
• Pearson Online Academy: Operated by Connections Academy under Pearson, offering accredited K-12 online programs globally. Broad incumbent in the online K-12 school space with extensive curriculum libraries and post-secondary pathways comparable to KiHS's offerings.
• EdisonLearning: U.S.-based education services company operating online and blended K-12 learning programs, including partnerships with school districts. Comparable as a broader incumbent in online K-12 delivery, though focused on U.S. districts rather than tribal/Indigenous communities.
• Stride (formerly K12 Inc.): Largest publicly listed K-12 online learning provider in North America, operating full-time virtual schools and supplemental programs across multiple U.S. states. Represents the scaled version of the online K-12 school model that KiHS operates at a small, specialized scale.

Others

• Indspire: National Indigenous-led charity providing bursaries, scholarships, and programming to support Indigenous student success. Listed as a KiHS financial partner; broadly comparable as an Indigenous education ecosystem enabler, though focused on post-secondary funding rather than K-12 delivery.
• Martin Family Initiative: Canadian foundation advancing Indigenous education through school partnership programs and targeted grant funding. Comparable as an Indigenous education system-level enabler; listed as a KiHS financial partner through the Paul Martin Foundation.
• First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC): BC-based organization advocating for First Nations education jurisdiction and supporting First Nations schools in curriculum development. Comparable as an Indigenous education systems coordination body, though not a direct online school operator.

Direct peers

• Virtual High School: Online high school in Ontario offering Ontario Secondary School courses asynchronously. Directly comparable to KiHS in delivery model (asynchronous online high school with Ontario credit offerings), though serves mainstream students through fee-based enrollment.
• Ontario Virtual School (OVS): Ontario-credentialed private online high school offering OSSD-eligible courses to students across Ontario. Most direct peer to KiHS in terms of modality (full-time online K-12) and credentialing (OSSD), though serves a fee-paying mainstream student base rather than publicly funded Indigenous communities.

Regional players

• Contact North | Contact Nord: Ontario-funded organization supporting online and distance education access across rural and remote Ontario, including Indigenous communities. Comparable in Ontario regional focus and commitment to remote learner access, though as an access broker rather than a school operator.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/KeewaytinookIHS
• Facebookfacebook.com/keewaytinookihs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/keewaytinook-internet-high-school

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Keewaytinook Internet High School