We have few ceremonies that bind us as Canadians. Remembrance Day and National Indigenous Veterans Day are genuine community experiences. Earlier this month, school communities across the NVSD held ceremonies to honour and remember veterans and those who continue to serve Canada during times of war, conflict and peace.
While each ceremony was unique, all highlighted students’ artistic talents. Working together with staff and administrators, students lent their learnings about war and sacrifice in many forms, including music, dance, poetry, spoken word, and visual arts.
District staff and special guests were invited to attend many of these ceremonies; you can read more about
Argyle Secondary’s on our Learn, Share and Grow blog. Attending Carson Graham’s, I was struck by the care, thought and attention students, staff and administrators had put into creating a moving ceremony that gave all in attendance much to reflect on.
What also binds us as a community is our collective generosity of spirit. With the holidays soon upon us, I look forward to hearing more, and sharing with you, how each school community comes together to support others in North Vancouver.
Announcements
Board of Education Chair and Vice Chair update
The annual election of Board Chair and Vice Chair was held at the November 21, 2023, Public Board Meeting. We are pleased to announce Trustee Linda Munro has been acclaimed Board Chair and Trustee Antje Wilson acclaimed Vice Chair. Trustees Munro and Wilson will serve in their respective roles for the term commencing December 1, 2023.
We would also like to acknowledge and thank Trustee Mann, who for the past two years served as Board Chair and will continue to support the school district as a Trustee.
Learn more about our trustees by visiting the
Board of Education Trustees web page.
NVSD Communications wins Bravo! Award
The North Vancouver School District Communications team has won a Coup de Coeur for the Superintendent’s Report from the Canadian Association of Communicators in Education (CACE).
“We’re thrilled and honoured to receive this recognition from the Canadian Association of Communicators in Education,” said Lisa Dalla Vecchia, communications manager. “Our small but mighty team is responsible for providing communications leadership and support for all of our schools and district departments to ensure our community remains informed of important news regarding the North Vancouver School District.”
Read the full media release.
Information
erase online sessions: Establishing Safe, Caring & Respectful Digital Communities
Through the Ministry of Education and Child Care, erase is offering online sessions to help facilitate the conversation of safe and caring use of technology at home and in the community. The session will cover all things digital, from how to be a good digital citizen, the criminal consequences of cyberbullying, and how to report and receive support in cases of sexting/sextortion. Some of the most prominent concerns surrounding the use of social media, smartphones, and artificial intelligence will be discussed. The sessions are recommended for parents, caregivers, grandparents, child care providers and youth aged 10 and up.
Use the links below to register to this online session offered on the following dates:
K-12 student reporting changes – Ministry resources
Beginning this school year, the way student learning is communicated is shifting. The Ministry of Education and Child Care has created a 3-page resource for families,
How will I know how my child is doing? that provides answers to frequently asked questions. This resource, in addition to links to webinars, information sheets and brochures, is available through the Ministry’s
K-12 Student Reporting Information for Parents and Caregivers web page. Should you have any questions, please reach out to your child’s principal.
Curriculum update – Mandatory Holocaust education
The Ministry of Education and Child Care has committed to broadening the scope of the required Grade 10 social studies curriculum to ensure all students learn about the Holocaust. This change will take effect in the 2025/26 school year to allow for consultation and development. Read the B.C. government’s
news release for additional information.
B.C. Training and Education Savings Grant
If you have a child in Kindergarten through Grade 4, your child may be eligible for a $1,200 B.C. Training and Education Savings Grant for their post-secondary education. Please review this
bulletin for more information.
New elementary school for Cloverley neighbourhood update
We are excited a new elementary school will be coming to the Cloverley neighbourhood!
A copy of the
letter delivered to residents in the Cloverley neighbourhood on Friday, November 17, is posted to the
Capital Plan & Projects section of our website. The letter provides an update on the new school project, including the upcoming scheduled removal of trees, site fencing and public information meeting.
In addition to the upcoming public information meeting, project updates will continue to be shared on the
Capital Plan & Projects section of our website.
Student Inclusive Education Sub-Committee opportunity
The Student Inclusive Education Committee is a sub-committee of the school district’s Inclusion Committee and was created in 2022. The sub-committee provides neurodivergent students and students with disabilities an opportunity to ensure support for students’ education and school journey by:
- Sharing their experiences and perspectives.
- Providing advice to the NVSD on all matters pertaining to students with disabilities, autism and/or intellectual disabilities.
Participation is open to students in Grades 6-12. All students have the option to attend meetings with the support of a family member, peer or support person. Meeting locations and schedule will be determined with the participants.
If your child would like to participate on this sub-committee for the 2023-2024 year, please email
InclusiveEducation@sd44.ca and provide the student’s name, school, grade and contact information. The number of sub-committee participants will depend on the number of applicants.
Reminder: Staying safe in darker, wetter weather
The school district encourages students to get to and from school in safe and active ways, including through the rainy months. Here are some safety tips to review with your children:
- Be seen by wearing reflective materials or bright clothes and using lights, even during the day.
- Cross streets only at intersections or marked crosswalks.
- Make eye contact with drivers, ensure drivers have stopped their vehicle before crossing, and keep looking for approaching vehicles while crossing.
- Walk, roll or cycle to and from school with a sibling or a buddy.
- Be aware of your surroundings, do not speak to strangers, and report anything of concern.
If you do drive your children to school in wet and dark weather, please refer to your school’s Best Routes to School map to identify a Drive to Five location. Please take care in school zones and at intersections as your ability to see pedestrians and cyclists may be limited. Focus on the road, slow down, and travel at or below the speed limit.
Links to Best Routes to School maps and additional information and resources to support safe and active travel are available on our
Safe and Active Travel web page.
Reminder: Severe weather information
As winter weather approaches, we would like to issue a reminder about our winter weather procedures. All NVSD schools will remain OPEN during winter weather, including snowfalls, if possible. Any school district-wide closure will be decided by 6:30 a.m. (at the latest) and announced through media and school district and school websites, shared with families via
SchoolMessenger (email and/or text message), and shared with staff via email. For more information, please visit our
Winter Weather web page.
Reminder: SMS text messaging via SchoolMessenger
Families who would like to receive SMS text messages when there is an emergency during school or non-school hours (e.g., severe weather or power outage) need to opt in for this service.
Typically, you will receive a
SchoolMessenger text message when you register your child for school and registration is complete. The message is similar to this example: "North Vancouver School District 44 messages. Reply Y to confirm, HELP 4 info. Msg & data rates may apply. Msg freq varies. schoolmessenger.com/smsca". You can also opt in to receive SMS text messages anytime by texting "Y" or "Yes" to 978338. Note: Standard message and data rates may apply.
Reminder:
Alertable public alerting system
Residents of the North Shore are encouraged to sign up for
Alertable, which is used by North Shore Emergency Management (NSEM) to send out alerts for emergencies (e.g., severe weather, natural disasters, industrial hazards, transportation accidents or marine spills), evacuation or shelter-in-place notices, or Amber Alerts. For more information and to sign up for this free service, visit
North Shore Emergency Management.
NVSD Events
Digital Media Youth Expo – December 9
The Digital Media Youth Expo is an annual event hosted by the
Digital Media Academy (DMA). Students, families, staff and community members will have the opportunity to meet and ask questions to representatives from many Lower Mainland post-secondary institutions, local and global organizations, industry experts and studios involved in all aspects of digital media (e.g., visual effects, animation, film, sound, web design, game design). DMA students will also be in attendance, showcasing the projects they are working on. The Expo takes place on Saturday, December 9, from 12 noon to 3 p.m., and is free to attend. More information is available on the
Digital Media Youth Expo website.
AFK Winter Print Sale – On now until December 15
For a limited time, all Artists for Kids’ (AFK) limited edition prints are 15% off. This is a wonderful opportunity to start or grow your collection of fine art prints, while knowing proceeds from print sales will support AFK programming. For more information, visit the
Limited Edition Prints section of the AFK website. Note: The 15% discount, on until December 15, can be added to existing
Collector's Program discounts.
Public Board Meeting – December 19
A Board of Education Public Board Meeting takes place on Tuesday, December 19 at 6:30 p.m. Visit our
Public Meetings web page for information on how you can participate and to review the meeting agenda and board package, which are posted on the Thursday afternoon preceding the public meeting.
New elementary school public information meeting – January 17
The school district will host a public information meeting on Wednesday, January 17, 2024, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the gymnasium of Ridgeway Elementary School (420 8th Street East, North Vancouver). This will be an opportunity for community members to learn about the project, and for school district staff and consultants engaged in the project to address questions, including those related to site location, traffic, trees, and green space. Project updates are available on the
Capital Plan & Projects section of our website.
The Art of Conversation – Exhibition open
The Gordon Smith Gallery and Artists for Kids invite you to experience
The Art of Conversation. The exhibition features artwork by over 20 Canadian artists who explore the role of art as a platform for communication.
The Art of Conversation draws conventional threads between the works in the gallery and highlights arts’ potential to facilitate and provoke dialogue. The perspectives and artistic conversations of elementary and secondary school students are featured through original writing and art. Visit
Artists for Kids for more information.
Explore & Create at the Gordon Smith Gallery – Open
Families with children ages 5-12 are invited to visit the Gordon Smith Gallery for Explore & Create, a by-donation, drop-in art program inspired by works in the current exhibition,
The Art of Conversation.
Explore & Create takes place on Saturdays from 1-3 p.m. There will not be an Explore & Create activity on November 25 and December 29.
NVSD Registrations
AFK Winter After School Art – Registration opens November 29
Taught by art specialist teachers and assisted by secondary art students, After School Art classes provide students the opportunity to further their artistic ability and foster positive attitudes towards the visual arts. Visit the
Artists for Kids website for more information.
2024/25 Kindergarten – Registration open
The initial registration period for 2024/25 Kindergarten (children born in 2019) is open and continues until Wednesday, January 31, 2024. Applications submitted within this time frame are processed equally and placed according to initial placement category groups. Information regarding the registration process, including how to book an appointment to register your child, is available on the
Kindergarten Registration web page.
North Vancouver Online Learning – Online registration open
NVOL provides engaging, accessible and interactive learning experiences for students. Students can enrol any time during the school year and have one calendar year to complete their course. Students can also choose to engage in their NVOL courses entirely remotely online or in a blended model of online and in-person interactions at our NVOL Centre.
Visit the NVOL website to see
our full suite of courses from Grades 8 through 12 in both English and French. The French Immersion online course offerings allow students the opportunity to meet the requirements of their Diplôme de fin d'études secondaires en Colombie-Britannique online through L' École Virtuelle de Vancouver nord.
Reminder:
NVOL is a Provincial Online Learning School.
Community Initiatives
Spirit of the Season Festival at The Shipyards – December 2
Celebrate the annual Spirit of the Season Festival on Saturday, December 2. The City of North Vancouver is proud to sponsor this free, all-ages, family-friendly event that will offer activities presented by community organizations, visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus, live music and performances, skating, a holiday market, and the lighting of the holiday tree with Mayor Buchanan. Details and the event schedule are available on the
Spirit of the Season Festival web page.
