SCHOOL STORY

With deep gratitude and respect, the students and staff of Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith Elementary School 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).

The school is in south-east Vancouver with a large outdoor play area with views of the North Shore mountains to the north and past the Fraser River to the south. The school was built in 1955 with an addition in 1958. The building underwent seismic upgrades and was reopened in 2018 and is now wheelchair accessible.

Kingsford-Smith Elementary has 13 divisions with students from kindergarten to grade 7 and has approximately 300 students and 35 staff. Students at Kingsford-Smith come from a variety of cultures and bring with them many experiences to share with the community. Many students at Kingsford-Smith have a first language other than English and are learning English together with the support of our staff.

Students’ educational needs are supported in the classroom by their teachers, and outside the classroom by resource teachers. We have an area counsellor and access to an educational psychologist. We have a dedicated group of support workers who help several of our students with special needs.

Upper intermediate students may choose to participate in a variety of before and after school athletic programs, and there is a comprehensive physical education program taught by a specialist teacher for all grades. Every student has weekly access to our school library and is invited to join a schoolwide home reading program.

Our Kingsford-Smith mission statement states that our school is committed to support engaged learners, caring communities, and an inclusive school environment. As a school we are working on the second year of our school goal of belonging. Students and staff are practicing caring for themselves, others and this place.