District News

Apr 27, 2012
Byng Arts Word Show Inspires -

This month, if you walked into Lord Byng’s art gallery you would be astounded. The small bright white space was jammed with dozens of pieces showcasing some incredibly creative mix-medium art. It’s all part of this year’s Word Show, a multimedia assignment that challenged students to take a poem and represent it with another artistic/creative medium. 

 
Apr 26, 2012
VSB and Government of Canada Explore Industry and Educational Partnership -

The Vancouver School Board is looking at joining forces with the federal government’s Sector Council to create a unique series of partnerships aimed at creating a wide range of enhanced programs and experiential learning opportunities that will develop skills, expand career awareness and facilitate informed decision-making for the district’s students.

 
Apr 26, 2012
Titanic Day at David Livingstone Elementary -

Students from David Livingstone Elementary got a crash course in Titanic history this month. The whole school was transformed (including the school gym, which was decked out completely) for the theme day as students and staff dressed their parts. Some Livingstone students were dressed to the nines as "first class passengers" while others wore more simple outfits of "third class passengers".

 
Apr 25, 2012
New Tupper 3D Printer Signals Technological Jump for School -

Tupper Secondary is on the cutting edge with the addition of a new three dimensional printer.

 
Apr 24, 2012
David Thompson Takes Home Top Prize in Global Science and Technology Competition -

David Thompson students Narae Kim, Jairah Alindogan and Yvonne Hao took top prize in the Grade 7 - 9 age group in this year's ExploraVision contest, the largest K-12 science and technology competition in the world.

 
Apr 24, 2012
Magee Student Research on Plastics Wins Regional BioGENEius Challenge -

Innovative research from Vancouver’s Miranda Wang and Jeanny Yao, Grade 12 students at Magee Secondary, may help solve the problem of dealing with household and industrial plastic waste. Their research won them first prize in the regional Sanofi BioGENEius Challenge Canada competition. Their work identified soil bacteria from the Fraser River estuary that can naturally break down phthalates, a fossil fuel-based additive found in some plastics.

 
Apr 23, 2012
Lord Byng Students Raise over $28,000 for children in Kenya -

After a year of planning and eight months of fundraising, Lord Byng Secondary School is pleased to announce that students raised over $28,000 towards the building of a boy's dormitory for the Mully Children’s Family (MCF), an orphanage in Ndalani, Kenya.

 
Apr 23, 2012
Oppenheimer Students Paint with Artist-in-Residence -

In early April, Oppenheimer Elementary Kindergarten and Grade 5 students got a unique opportunity to create some fantastic chalk paintings using chalk pastels and tempera paint. The painting sessions were coordinated by Artist in Residence Marta Robertson-Smyth. Robertson-Smyth had the students sketch out the symbiotic relationship between bees, flowers and plants with chalk pastels.

 
Apr 5, 2012
Britannia Girls Senior Basketball Team Triumphs -

This march, the Britannia Bruins senior girls basketball team clinched the 2012 AA Provincial Senior Girls Basketball title in Kamloops. 

 
Feb 27, 2012
Fleming Jump Rope for Heart a Blast -

This February was a busy time for many Vancouver schools. At Fleming Elementary, February 16 was marked by the annual Jump Rope for Heart. The event was fun times for the hundreds of students involved. 

 
Feb 14, 2012
Churchill Athletics Keeps Alumni Coming Back For More -

Community engagement is the name of the game on the gym floor at Churchill. Over the past seven years the school’s seen a growing number of alumni coming back to help their former teachers coach a number of athletic teams. Currently the Churchill athletics program is benefitting from around ten alumni students coming back to coach.

 
Nov 28, 2011
Results from 2011 Elementary Field Day -

It was a big day for elementary students across the district and now the results are in. This year 68 schools participated in the 2011 District Elementary Cross Country Championships.

 
Nov 22, 2011
Ann Hayes - Kitsilano Secondary Teacher, Runner, Kona Ironwoman -

The winds of Kona Island was blowing so hard, it was knocking riders right off their bikes. Kitsilano Secondary teacher Ann Hayes kept her head down and continued to pump hard. She was in the second leg of the Kona Iron Man, the ultimate Ironman challenge that brings together 1800 of the top triathlon athletes from around the world. 

 
Nov 16, 2011
False Creek Elementary Gets Sneak Peek of Grey Cup -

Students from False Creek Elementary got a chance to have a sneak peek of the Grey Cup as part of a BC Sports Hall of Fame sports presentation this week at Creekside Community Centre.

 
Oct 31, 2011
Students hit the Trails at Trout Lake for VSB Elementary Field Day -

A total of 2312 elementary school athletes participated in this year's Field Day at Trout Lake. Despite fear of rain, the sunshine broke through as the young runners hit the trails.

 
Feb 2, 2010
Celebration News Jan/Feb 2010 -

The purpose of this newsletter is to inform the Vancouver School Board community, students, parents and staff, about opportunities for students, resources for classrooms, as well as information to address challenges, during the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

 
Apr 27, 2012
Byng Arts Word Show Inspires -

This month, if you walked into Lord Byng’s art gallery you would be astounded. The small bright white space was jammed with dozens of pieces showcasing some incredibly creative mix-medium art. It’s all part of this year’s Word Show, a multimedia assignment that challenged students to take a poem and represent it with another artistic/creative medium. 

 
Apr 26, 2012
VSB and Government of Canada Explore Industry and Educational Partnership -

The Vancouver School Board is looking at joining forces with the federal government’s Sector Council to create a unique series of partnerships aimed at creating a wide range of enhanced programs and experiential learning opportunities that will develop skills, expand career awareness and facilitate informed decision-making for the district’s students.

 
Apr 24, 2012
David Thompson Takes Home Top Prize in Global Science and Technology Competition -

David Thompson students Narae Kim, Jairah Alindogan and Yvonne Hao took top prize in the Grade 7 - 9 age group in this year's ExploraVision contest, the largest K-12 science and technology competition in the world.

 
Apr 24, 2012
Magee Student Research on Plastics Wins Regional BioGENEius Challenge -

Innovative research from Vancouver’s Miranda Wang and Jeanny Yao, Grade 12 students at Magee Secondary, may help solve the problem of dealing with household and industrial plastic waste. Their research won them first prize in the regional Sanofi BioGENEius Challenge Canada competition. Their work identified soil bacteria from the Fraser River estuary that can naturally break down phthalates, a fossil fuel-based additive found in some plastics.

 
Apr 20, 2012
Help Influence the Future of Public Education in Vancouver -

 

These days the district faces big challenges and opportunities. To chart a way forward, in December of 2010, the Vancouver Board of Education decided to embark upon a district-wide analysis of our programs and facilities aimed at answering the big question: What programs and opportunities should we provide to our students now, and into the future?

 
Apr 19, 2012
Taking A Hike Off the Beaten Path -

Eleven years ago, a group of at-risk teens were encouraged to chart a new path for themselves, inside the classroom, in the great outdoors and within their own lives. For these 22 students, roadblocks such as addiction, abuse, criminal activity and depression were obscuring their outlooks on life. But a new program called ‘Take A Hike’ aimed to provide both purpose and positive encouragement. Today, it continues to motivate dozens of at-risk students each year.

 
Apr 18, 2012
The Downtown Classroom of City School -

When you refer to the ‘City of Vancouver’ you might envision a trip to the sandy beaches of the West End, traversing the seawall of Stanley Park, interpreting unique sculptures at the Vancouver Art Gallery or maybe taking in a few shows during the Vancouver Film Festival. Chances are, you probably wouldn’t think of the city as being the backdrop for a one-of-a-kind education experience.

 
Apr 17, 2012
The Great Debaters of U-Hill -

When Gary Xia and his team of U-Hill debaters walked into St. Georges School in December of last year for their second debate tournament of the season, they were taken aback by the posh interior of the school. Everyone was served cupcakes and juice and their opponents were decked out in spiffy matching team uniforms. It was an intimidating sight.

 
Apr 26, 2012
VSB and Government of Canada Explore Industry and Educational Partnership -

The Vancouver School Board is looking at joining forces with the federal government’s Sector Council to create a unique series of partnerships aimed at creating a wide range of enhanced programs and experiential learning opportunities that will develop skills, expand career awareness and facilitate informed decision-making for the district’s students.

 
Apr 20, 2012
Help Influence the Future of Public Education in Vancouver -

 

These days the district faces big challenges and opportunities. To chart a way forward, in December of 2010, the Vancouver Board of Education decided to embark upon a district-wide analysis of our programs and facilities aimed at answering the big question: What programs and opportunities should we provide to our students now, and into the future?

 
Mar 30, 2012
Our Future Sectoral Review Makes Significant Recommendations about Future of the VSB -

Vancouver School Board staff are calling for public input on a wide range of recommendations, which could significantly impact the future of public education in Vancouver.

 
Mar 27, 2012
Letter to BC Education Minister George Abbott from VSB Chair Patti Bacchus -

I am writing on behalf of the Vancouver Board of Education regarding Bill 22 (Education Improvement Act). On March 26, 2012, the Board passed a resolution directing me to write to you a letter outlining the Board’s objections to Bill 22 and to make that correspondence available to the public.

 
Mar 8, 2012
PwC Advises VSB on Potential Cost Savings and Revenue Sources -

At the November Finance and Legal Committee meeting, senior management noted the intention to undertake a Resource Allocation Review. The purpose of the review was to identify a strategic budget approach and possible budget proposals that could be considered as part of the 2012/2013 budget process. 

 
Mar 2, 2012
Video Message to Parents from Superintendent Steve Cardwell -

Superintendent Steve Cardwell speaks directly to parents about the upcoming strike in a short video.

 
Mar 1, 2012
Letter from Superintendent Steve Cardwell Regarding the Escalation of Job Action this Monday -

Click on your language of choice for translations of the letter: EnglishSpanishFilipinoPunjabiKoreanChinese (traditional),Chinese (simplified) or Vietnamese. Teachers have chosen to escalate the job action that has been in place since September. A recent ruling by the Labour Relations Board (LRB) allows teachers to withdraw services for up to three days in the first week of the strike, provided that they give two school days’ notice before striking. Since that ruling, the BC Teachers‘ Federation (BCTF) has given notice that it intends to strike for three days starting on Monday next week.

 
Feb 23, 2012
Compassion in Action Portal Launched -

Educators interested in incorporating some of the themes of compassion and acceptance implicit in Pink Shirt Day are encouraged to visit the district's new Compassion in Action portal.

 
Mar 30, 2012
Media Release: Our Future Sectoral Review Outlines Recommended Changes to District and Calls for Public Feedback -
Vancouver School Board staff are calling for public input on a wide range of recommendations, which could significantly impact the future of public education in Vancouver.
 
Mar 7, 2012
Media Release: PwC Advises VSB on Potential Cost Savings and Revenue Sources -
In the lead up to another challenging budget year, the VSB has asked for and received a report from PwC on recommendations on potential revenue sources and cost savings to help reduce the Board’s projected $8 - 8.5 million funding shortfall this year.
 
Dec 7, 2011
Media Release: Vancouver Report Cards will be Sent Home via Students, Not Mail -
The Vancouver School Board is committed to ensuring that costs are kept to a minimum following the Ministry of Education’s direction to all school districts earlier this month requiring them to generate and distribute report cards even though they will be without marks during the current teachers’ job action.
 
Apr 26, 2012
Titanic Day at David Livingstone Elementary -

Students from David Livingstone Elementary got a crash course in Titanic history this month. The whole school was transformed (including the school gym, which was decked out completely) for the theme day as students and staff dressed their parts. Some Livingstone students were dressed to the nines as "first class passengers" while others wore more simple outfits of "third class passengers".

 
Apr 23, 2012
Lord Byng Students Raise over $28,000 for children in Kenya -

After a year of planning and eight months of fundraising, Lord Byng Secondary School is pleased to announce that students raised over $28,000 towards the building of a boy's dormitory for the Mully Children’s Family (MCF), an orphanage in Ndalani, Kenya.

 
Apr 20, 2012
Help Influence the Future of Public Education in Vancouver -

 

These days the district faces big challenges and opportunities. To chart a way forward, in December of 2010, the Vancouver Board of Education decided to embark upon a district-wide analysis of our programs and facilities aimed at answering the big question: What programs and opportunities should we provide to our students now, and into the future?

 
Apr 20, 2012
District Secondary Students Get Lessons on Sustainability at CIRS/UBC -

Over 50 Students and staff from 12 secondary schools across Vancouver attended a Sustainability Workshop on April 13 at the Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability (CIRS), at the University of British Columbia. The students learned from UBC researchers about cutting-edge technologies and research and to see real-life applications of sustainability in action.

 
Apr 16, 2012
Earth Day Parade Planned for Sunday -

This Sunday, thousands of youth from across Vancouver and led by Windermere Secondary student leaders are expected to march up Commercial Drive as part of the Earth Day Vancouver Celebration.

 
Apr 4, 2012
Two Vancouver Students Receive Massive Scholarships for Community Leadership -

Two Vancouver School District students have been recognized on a national level through their community initiatives, pursuit of engagement and level of involvement. Each student will receive up to $70,000 from the TD Scholarship for Community Leadership awards program.

 
Apr 3, 2012
Lord Beaconsfield Evening of the Bands Draws Dozens of Musicians of All Ages -

This year Beaconsfield Elementary hosted the Evening of the Bands, a collaborative music concert featuring talent from over half a dozen schools and instructors from Capilano University. The evening featured special lessons from music tutors and band practice with students from all schools.

 
Apr 2, 2012
Compassion Transcends Generations -

 

It takes one simple act of compassion to make a monumental change in someone’s life. That was the key message for attendees of Tuesday night’s Compassion in Action: Intergenerational Forum with Karen Armstrong, author of Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life