VSB School Calendar Finalized for 2017-2018

Do you want to get a jump on making vacation plans for Spring Break next year? The Vancouver School Board 2017-2018 school calendar has been approved and finalized. 
Note the late start to Winter Break for the year ahead which runs Dec 25th with return back to school on January 8th. 
The full VSB calendar can be found at the following link: https://www.vsb.bc.ca/sites/default/files/VSBSchoolCalendar2017-2018d.pdf

Snow Advisory and School Closures

Vancouver School Board has procedures that are followed in situations where heavy snowfall might be affecting schools.

All schools in the Vancouver School Board will remain open if at all possible during snow events. Any district-wide closure will be decided by 7:00 a.m. at the latest. Details of district-wide or individual school closures will be announced through the media and the district website: www.vsb.bc.ca

Please note that no announcement will be made stating that schools are open. Only closures and delayed openings will be announced.

Information about school closures will be sent to Metro Vancouver radio and television stations. Please check the following stations for school closure information :

Radio	Television
CBC AM 690 or 88.1 FM	Global BC
CKNW AM 980	CBC TV
News AM 1130	CTV BC
Fairchild AM 1470	City TV

link to full VSB Snow event info

Winter Break Proposed Amended Dates and 2017-2018 Draft School Calendar

At this week's Vancouver School Board Committee 1 meeting, the proposed non-instructional days for 2017-18 were presented, as was an amendment to the Winter Break dates for next school year. These recommended dates will be officially voted on at the Board Meeting on February 27^th. It is anticipated that the Board will approve the dates as proposed, so families and staff can plan accordingly.

 The draft calendar for 2017-18 is available at: link to draft calendar
the full report is available at: 

http://www.vsb.bc.ca/sites/default/files/17Feb01_op_commIII_item%201.pdf

 For Winter Break, the proposed amended dates are:

Last day of school before the break: December 22

First day back to school after the break: January 8

If you would like to provide feedback on the proposed non-instructional dates and the amendment to the Winter Break, it can be sent to calendar@vsb.bc.ca until February 24^th

VSB Snow Event Notification

Vancouver School Board has procedures that are followed in situations where heavy snowfall might be affecting schools.

All schools in the Vancouver School Board will remain open if at all possible during snow events. Any district-wide closure will be decided by 7:00 a.m. at the latest. Details of district-wide or individual school closures will be announced through the media and the district website: www.vsb.bc.ca

Please note that no announcement will be made stating that schools are open. Only closures and delayed openings will be announced.

Information about school closures will be sent to Metro Vancouver radio and television stations. Please check the following stations for school closure information :

Radio	Television
CBC AM 690 or 88.1 FM	Global BC
CKNW AM 980	CBC TV
News AM 1130	CTV BC
Fairchild AM 1470	City TV

link to full VSB Snow event info

Dr. A.R. Lord Elementary will not be considered for closure

Welcome Neighbours! KidStart

The Vancouver School Board outbuilding located at Nootka and East Georgia has been leased to house youth based programs managed by PLEA Community Services.  Programs will include KidStart and Genesis and they have been busy moving in over the last couple of weeks.

Dr. A.R. Lord Elementary Families are sending you a huge welcome to our wonderful neighbourhood community! 

For more information:  http://www.plea.ca/updates-events and
http://www.plea.ca/our-services/youth-outreach.  

Long Range Facilities Plan Survey

The Vancouver School Board (VSB) is seeking your input on a Long Range Facilities Plan.  

What is a Long Range Facilities Plan or LRFP?  

• The Long Range Facilities Plan (LRFP) is a roadmap to manage, upgrade and maintain Vancouver’s schools to 2030.
• The LRFP will guide activities like building new schools, the seismic upgrading of current schools, moving students while their schools are being upgraded and possible school closures.
• View the Interim Plan  in detail.
• View Frequently Asked Questions  that will help you fill out this survey.

Why take this survey? 

• There are elements of the plan that may affect you, whether you are a student, parent or resident of Vancouver. 
• The Vancouver School Board will submit a final plan to the Ministry of Education by June 2016.
• Your input will help staff and elected trustees as they shape and finalize the plan.

Link to Survey

Public Input on School Facilities - VSB

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B76jizFK4xHsOUpwb0Jqcldscm1vOGdBci1uQ05xM3ZRS1Rn/view?usp=sharing

Art with the East Side Program Students

Grade 3/4 students from A.R. Lord had the chance to view and learn about art from older students at the next door East Side Program School. They started off the visit with a workshop making painted book markers. They then got a tour of the art drawings and paintings exhibit that were created by grade 9/10 students.
This collaboration creates a leadership opportunity for these teens as part of their curriculum which includes fine arts and community building. The younger kids had a wonderful time and also practiced their hand at creating art.

Quick Survey on VSB Strategic Plan

Did you know? The Vancouver School Board is now updating its Strategic Plan, as part of its ongoing efforts to meet the needs of our unique district and ensure student achievement and well-being.

The new strategic plan will provide a clear framework for action over the next 5 years, but to update the plan effectively, we need your input!

Over the next 6 months, a wide range of students, families, teachers, staff and stakeholders will share their ideas for the future of our District. Key questions include:

• How can we make sure that all students have equal access to quality education?
• How can we engage our students to reach their full potential?
• What role should our schools play in their communities?
• How do we set priorities and use resources most efficiently?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1tWow4vKUQ&feature=youtu.be

Vancouver School Board’s New Strategic Plan Process Underway

From: Paul Godfrey
Sent: Thursday, January 28, 2016 8:23 AM
Subject: Vancouver School Board’s New Strategic Plan Process Underway

The Vancouver School Board is pleased to announce VSB2021, a highly collaborative process to develop a new Strategic Plan for the school district. The updated plan will provide a clear framework for action over the next 5 years, and we need your input to get it right!

 

The VSB2021 project focuses on the District’s core goals of teaching and learning to support student achievement and well-being. It differs from the Long-Range Facilities Plan, which will be a framework for district facilities over the next 15 years.

 

School district staff will lead the VSB2021 project with support from Modus Planning, Design & Engagement Inc., a local firm specializing in engagement-rich planning.  The project team will work closely with teachers, support staff, administrators, students, parents and community members to create a bold new vision and action-oriented plan. A Stakeholder Advisory Group with representatives from a broad range of stakeholders including all employee groups, parents and students has also been formed to guide the process and ensure broad participation.

 

Over the next six months, the VSB2021 process will offer many opportunities for people to learn more, attend events, and provide meaningful input. Diverse voices and perspectives will be gathered to ensure the plan represents a wide range of interests.

Initial activities to ensure broad participation include:

·         A high-profile webpage with project information and newsletter sign-up - www.vsb.bc.ca/VSB2021

·         A 2 minute animated video to explain the project and some of the questions to be addressed

·         A fun and interactive Ideas Fair, taking place at Prince of Wales Secondary School on February 18^th from 4 – 7pm (Please note: drop-in format).

·         An online questionnaire available on the project webpage until February 21^st - fluidsurveys.com/s/VSB2021/

Remember, the best way to get involved is to sign up to the VSB2021 project mailing list at www.vsb.bc.ca/VSB2021.  You can always visit this website to learn more about the project, find out about upcoming engagement activities, and review input summaries.

 

For more information, please contact:

Paul Godfrey, Project Manager

(604) 713-5097

Paul Godfrey
Education Coordinator, Office of the Superintendent
Vancouver School Board
1580 West Broadwaye: pgodfrey@vsb.bc.ca | p: 604-713-5097 | f: 604-713-5412

Inspection of Schools after Recent Earthquake

Students Practice Emergency Drills

After the recent 4.3 magnitude earthquake that occurred on Dec 29th, 2015 - the Vancouver School District conducted visual inspections of the interior and exterior of school buildings and structures. For more information, see their recent announcement:  http://www.vsb.bc.ca/earthquake
Seismic stability of many of the aging schools continues to be a concern for parents. A comprehensive assessment was carried out in 2012.  Details of the assessment and status of project can be found at: http://www.vsb.bc.ca/seismic-information

VSB Resources for Families

Everyone in your family plays an important role in the success of our students. Find out how you can get involved with your child's school, access community services & other helpful info http://www.vsb.bc.ca/families

Important VSB Announcement - 2 Additional Pro D Days

For Parents,

As you may know, a new comprehensive curriculum for the K-12 system is being developed in BC. This work has been years in the making with teachers, administrators and the Ministry of Education involved in its development. At the present time, the curriculum for students in Grades K-9 is being piloted throughout the province. New curriculum for students in Grades 10-12 will be available for piloting in September 2016.

Earlier this fall the Ministry of Education and the British Columbia Teachers’ Federation (BCTF) announced a plan to support the ongoing implementation of the new curriculum. As part of this plan, districts have been asked to add  two days of curriculum implementation time during the 2015-2016 school year. This time will be provided for teachers to continue to familiarize themselves with the new curriculum and to plan for its full implementation in the coming years.

In Vancouver, the following two days have been selected as our local non-instructional days for curriculum implementation:

Friday, March 4 and Friday April 15

Schools will not be in session for students on these two days.  

We are pleased that teachers have been given this additional time to spend on this important work to serve your children better as we transition to the new curriculum.

Please contact your principal if you have any questions.

Nancy Brennan Associate Superintendent Vancouver School District 1580 West Broadway, Vancouver BC V6J 5K8 e: nbrennan@vsb.bc.ca

Dr. A.R. Lord - Organics Collection and Diversion Program

Did you know that organics make up over 1/2 of all waste collected regularly for Vancouver School Board?  Dr. A.R. Lord now has an organic waste collection bin and has adopted the districts organics diversion program.  All students and staff will segregate this waste for compliance with Metro Vancouver's ban on organics from landfills.

http://www.vsb.bc.ca/district-news/new-school-year-new-waste-bins

Vancouver School Board - Combined Split Classrooms

A.R. Lord elementary school has a few split classrooms this year.  According to the VSB website:

What is a combined class?
A combined or split class refers to a class that is made up of students from two or more grades. Combined classes occur most frequently in elementary schools and are the combination of students in two different grades with one teacher teaching both curricula.

For example, a school might have a grade 2/grade 3 class combination. It is important to know that students in combined classes are not held back to the level of the younger children nor are the children in the lower grade expected to do work beyond their abilities. 

Why do Schools create combined classes?
When school staff look to organize their students, that is to place the students in their classes with teachers, they have to balance the educational needs of their students with the staffing they receive from Human Resources as well as with legislated contractual considerations.

A school calculates enrolment. This is then verified by the Human Resources division of the Vancouver Board of Education. Based on this figure, teaching staff (both enrolling and nonenrolling) is allocated. The Principal, working with the Staff Committee of the school, then constructs classes based on these factors and the educational interests of each student.

How do Schools decide which students to place in combined classes?
For both combined and non-combined classrooms they strive to ensure all students are placed in appropriately balanced classrooms, school staff (teachers, and Principals use such criteria as age, range of ability, special learning needs, gender, social groupings, and support staff recommendation.

Will the teacher teach the entire curriculum to both grades?
The School Act, which governs British Columbia schools, stipulates that all teachers, including teachers of split classes, must teach the prescribed curriculum. Therefore the teacher is obligated to teach the entire curriculum to both grades. Teaching strategies that address diversity, meet individual needs, and satisfy Ministry requirements with respect to content and processes of learning work well in both combined and single grade classrooms.

How can I support my child in a combined class?
Parents can support their children in the same ways they would if they were in a single grade class. Staying interested and concerned about school work and activities, monitoring a child’s homework and keeping in touch with the teacher and attending the school whenever possible are ways the parents can support the child’s learning. If you have concerns about your child’s learning, you should speak to the classroom teacher. A survey of literature on combined classes, published in 2001 and available on the internet (ERIC Identifier ED 448935) states:

“Advantages for multi-age students have been shown to increase the longer students remain in multi-age classrooms. Students in multi-age classrooms demonstrate more positive attitudes toward school, greater leadership skills, greater self-esteem, and increased pro-social and fewer aggressive behaviours, compared to peers in traditional graded classrooms.

Statistical analysis demonstrated that students from multi-age classrooms achieved greater academic outcomes in relation to their abilities and demonstrated greater increases in academic achievement than students of the same and higher abilities from singleage classrooms when all classrooms employed developmentally appropriate teaching practices.”

http://www.vsb.bc.ca/combined-split-classes

VSB Field closures and Watering

Why are some school fields closed during the summer?
See news update from the VSB: https://www.vsb.bc.ca/district-news/school-fields-during-summer

Also check out the innovative irrigation water conservation program: http://www.vsb.bc.ca/district-news/innovative-irrigation-control-saves-vsb-water-money-and-time

Information on EY Special Advisors Report on the Vancouver Board of Education

VSB Media Release: 
http://go.vsb.bc.ca/schools/blogs/lord/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?ID=48

And for more information:  See the EY Executive Report Summary: EY report_june_2015_exec_summary.pdf

Sharing Plants, Growing Gardens, and Shaping Minds!

Seedling plants were delivered by Matthew of the Environmental Youth Alliance and given to families and students to help them kick start their own gardens this spring.

Teaching about gardens in elementary schools continues to gain momentum. Did you know that over 2/3 of Vancouver School Board schools have a garden? The VSB recognizes that importance of school food gardens in education and has a School Food Garden Policy:  http://www.vsb.bc.ca/district-policy/io-garden-policy

The VSB also is participating in a 5 year project with UBC called:  Think&EatGreen@School.  The project is looking at all aspects of school food systems including the growing of food, the food that we purchase, school nutrition school garden design, making curriculum connections and much more. We encourage you to visit their website to see what resources are available on school gardens  http://thinkeatgreen.ca/

VSB Summer School Program Preview

Students have the opportunity to practice a skill or learn something new this summer with the Vancouver School Board Programs.  Language Arts, Math, Art, Music, Science, Technology, Physical Education and so much more!

Elementary students are limited to one ministry funded course for their current grade level.  Registration opens in early May but here is a sneak peak of the programs available: https://summer.vsb.bc.ca/Pages/default.aspx