With deep gratitude and respect, we are honoured to be learning and unlearning on the ancestral and unceded lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) & səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation).

Sir Alexander Mackenzie Elementary is in an urban, culturally varied community. The student enrollment for the current 2023-2024 school year is 416 students. Mackenzie has a diverse student population with many different languages being spoken. Mackenzie has a District Life Skills Class, District Gifted Enrichment Centre, Strong Start Program, as well as the YMCA before and after-school care on site. Mackenzie’s staff consists of over 60 staff members. We have two buildings with the beautiful heritage older building being built in 1930 and the lower ‘West Wing’ opened in 2002. We are all Mackenzie, and we continue to highlight inclusivity at our school site. One of the school goals over the past few years has been to focus on Social Emotional Learning practices to increase the sense of belonging within the school population, while also focusing on increasing grit and resilience. We felt this was an important goal to focus on for students, especially over Covid times. We work together with a team approach throughout our staff which includes Administration, Office staff, Teachers, Student Support Assistants, Supervision Aids, Engineers, and District Itinerant staff.

Students in our catchment area continue to enter Kindergarten with some vulnerability as reported in both the Early Developmental Inventory (EDI) and the Middle Years Development Instrument (MDI). These areas of vulnerability include social, emotional, physical, language, and communication domains. Mackenzie utilizes a Resource Team Model that successfully reduces these identified vulnerability rates for many students, especially those with more needs. ELL students also receive excellent support in English Language acquisition through collaborative efforts of the Classroom and Resource Teachers.

Sir Alexander Mackenzie is a member of the John Oliver Community School Teams. We offer many opportunities to demonstrate leadership within the school through a variety of monitors and helpers, announcements, School Spirit Club, and assembly leaders.

Mackenzie’s Strong Start Program is a Ministry of Education initiative that promotes the integration of three and four-year-old children into the school community with the inclusion of parents as active participants in the daily morning sessions. The Mackenzie staff have several committees and student clubs in place that meet regularly to discuss direction, needs, and cooperative teaching practices such as: platooning, team teaching, resource support, curriculum planning, and assessment practices. The School Based Team (SBT) also meets regularly to discuss the learning needs of individual students who have been referred by classroom teachers.

Mackenzie Elementary has been fortunate to have established strong partnerships with parents. Mackenzie’s Parent Advisory Council (PAC) is supportive and actively works with the school, benefiting all students, staff, and parent/guardian population. Mackenzie also has strong ties to the Community Links Team through John Oliver Secondary, Little Mountain Neighbourhood House, and other agencies offering numerous opportunities for students. With many parents involved in volunteering in school activities and with PAC endeavours, the varied groups all contribute to the bright Mackenzie mosaic with families viewing the school as a positive and integral part of the community.