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Superintendent's Report to Families (September 2024)

September 19, 2024

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​The Superintendent's Report is available in Mic​r​osoft Sway and text copy (below).

Updates from the Superintendent, including the monthly Superintendent’s Report, are available for review in the Superintendent’s Updates section of the website.​

A Message from the Superintendent

Dear North Vancouver School District Community, 

I hope you and your families are settling into the new school year well.

September brings with it opportunities for true change. The new school year offers myriad chances for exploration, connection, and community building. Through the NVSD’s diverse offerings—academic, athletic, artistic, and service-based—students (and, by extension, families) are encouraged to step outside of their comfort zone and try something new. This report highlights some of these opportunities.

Along the theme of change, I would like to thank you for your continued support with the new personal digital device (PDD) guidelines, now part of each school’s code of conduct. School communities across the school district have responded to this initiative positively. The school district remains committed to helping students, staff, and families embrace technology that enhances learning while providing the necessary support to ensure students stay safe online and develop healthy digital habits. This work will evolve as technology and societal understanding of its potential continues to grow.

Respectfully,

Dr. Pius Ryan
Superintendent of Schools
superintendent@sd44.ca

In this Issue  

Good News from the NVSD

Information

  • Personal Digital Devices for the 2024/25 School Year  
  • National Day for Truth and Reconciliation — September 30
  • Construction has begun on new elementary school in the Cloverley neighbourhood
  • Construction has begun on Lynn Valley Elementary Expansion
  • Joining a PAC
  • Parents and Guardians section of the website

NVSD Events  

  • Playhouse opening reception — September 20
  • Public Board Meeting —  September 24
  • Kindergarten Information Session — October 7
  • Standing Committee Meeting — October 8

Community Events

  • Global Climate Strike — September 20

NVSD Registrations 

  • Elementary Band and Strings – Late registration ends September 27
  • 2024/25 Kindergarten — Registration begins October 8
  • Academies – Registration ongoing
  • AFK After School Art — Registration open
  • North Vancouver Online Learning – Online registration open

Good News from the NVSD​

Information

Personal Digital Devices for the 2024/25 School Year

As a reminder, the following guidelines are now in place and part of school Codes of Conduct:

All students in the school community are expected to leave personal digital devices at home, in their bag/backpack, and/or in their locker during instructional time. Allowances may be made by the staff for instructional purposes, digital literacy, appropriate use based on age and developmental stage, accommodations within a student's Individualized Education Plan, accessibility, medical and health needs, and/or equitable support for learning outcomes.

Elementary Schools: Across all NVSD elementary schools, there is no student access to or use of PDD at any time on the school campus during the school day. This is essentially a “bell-to-bell" restriction from the beginning of school to the end of the day. Parents are reminded that elementary students are always under direct supervision and that the school will communicate with home for emergent needs if they arise.

Secondary Schools: Across all NVSD secondary schools, access to and use of personal digital devices will not be permitted during instructional time. At the teacher's discretion, an exemption may be made when the use of such devices supports a specific curricular objective and is part of instructional planning.

We encourage you to continue having open discussions with your child(ren) the safe and responsible use of technology. Visit our website for resources that may be helpful for these conversations.

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation – September 30

September 30 marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The day honours the children who never returned home and survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. Public commemoration of the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliation process. The North Vancouver School District will be closed on Monday, September 30.

Construction has begun on new elementary school in the Cloverley neighbourhood

Demolition of the old Cloverley Elementary school has been completed, and work will begin shortly on construction of the new school. The construction contract was awarded to a general contractor who will begin September 23, 2024. The project is expected to take about two years with completion expected for the start of the 2026/2027 school year. 

The new elementary school in the Cloverley neighbourhood will provide facilities to meet the modern-day and future needs of teaching and learning, student and staff well-being, energy and efficiency standards, and community connections. 

The school’s enrolment capacity will accommodate 60 Kindergarten and 525 elementary students, for a total design capacity of 585 students. The project scope includes funding for a Neighbourhood Learning Centre, child care space, greenhouse gas reduction measures, and mass timber construction. 

Learn more about the project on the Cloverley Project FAQ web page.

Construction has begun on Lynn Valley Elementary Expansion

Families in North Vancouver will soon have 145 more student spaces as construction begins on an expansion to Lynn Valley Elementary school. The Province is providing more than $9 million for the project, which will add six classrooms and allow the school district to eliminate four portable classrooms in use at the school. The new classrooms are expected to be ready for students by spring 2026.

Learn more about the project on the Lynn Valley Elementary Capital Project web page.

Joining a PAC

Parents’ Advisory Councils (PACs) are non-profit independent organizations supporting the efforts of schools throughout the North Vancouver School District. PACs strive to represent the diversity within their communities, and through their ideas and feedback, contribute to the benefit of all students. There are many ways to participate in a school’s PAC; learn more by visiting the PAC & NVPAC web page.

Parents and Guardians section of the website 

Parents and guardians are encouraged to bookmark the Parents and Guardians section of the school district website. This page contains links to frequently visited pages and resources.

NVSD Events

Playhouse opening reception – September 20

The Gordon Smith Gallery and Artists for Kids invite you to the opening of Playhouse on Friday, September 20, from 6 to 8 p.m. Playhouse features artworks from over 20 Canadian artists and presents the Gordon Smith Gallery as a place to hear stories, meet characters, and transform the spaces we inhabit to unveil unseen narratives. The exhibition sets the stage for us to consider how a place's physical, social, cultural, and imagined qualities are intertwined.

Textiles and zines from elementary and secondary students intermingle with artwork from the Artists for Kids Permanent Collection and featured works by artists Whess Harman, Hannah Jickling and Reed H. Reed, Guna Jenson, and Cindy Mochizuki. Visit Artists for Kids for more information.

Public Board Meeting – September 24

A Board of Education Public Board Meeting takes place on Tuesday, September 24, at 7 p.m. Visit the Public Meetings web page for information on how you can participate and to review the meeting agenda and board package, which are posted the Thursday afternoon preceding the public meeting.

Kindergarten Information Session – October 7

Families of children who will enter Kindergarten in September 2025 (children born in 2020) are invited to learn more about the school district, Kindergarten and the registration process. The information session will take place on Monday, October 7, starting at 7 p.m., at Carson Graham Secondary School (2145 Jones Avenue). While you do not need to RSVP to attend, by RSVP’ing, you will receive a reminder leading up to the session.

Standing Committee Meeting - October 8

A Board of Education Standing Committee Meeting takes place on Tuesday, October 8 at 7 p.m. and will discuss the Mental Health and Well-Being. Visit our Public Meetings web page for information on how you can participate and to review the meeting agenda, which is posted on the Thursday afternoon preceding the public meeting.

Community Events

Global Climate Strike – September 20

Tomorrow, a Global Climate Strike will take place in downtown Vancouver. As a reminder, NVSD schools will be in session. Please note that we cannot excuse students from school from attending any event without proper supervision. However, as per regular school procedures, parents may excuse their children from class for any reason they deem appropriate, including to attend the Global Climate Strike.

As “the Natural Place to Learn,” the North Vancouver School District is committed to demonstrating leadership and providing the highest standard of environmental stewardship education through programs, education, and facilities that foster greater sustainability.

NVSD Registrations

Elementary Band and Strings – Late Registration ends September 27

Elementary Band and Strings is a unique instrumental music program that complements the Ministry of Education and Child Care’s Arts Education curriculum and provides school-based instrumental instruction to students in Grades 5 – 7 for Band and Grades 4 – 7 for Strings.

Visit Elementary Band and Strings for information, including program fees.

2024/25 Kindergarten – Registration begins October 8

Initial registration for 2025/2026 Kindergarten (children born in 2020) runs from Tuesday, October 8 to Monday, December 9, 2024. Detailed instructions on the registration process, including forms and documentation required, is available on the Kindergarten web page.

Academies – Registration ongoing

Applications continue to be accepted for many NVSD Academies. Information about our Academy program offerings is available on our Academies web page. For an application form, please email academies@sd44.ca.

AFK After School Art – Registration open

Taught by art specialist teachers and assisted by secondary art students, Artists for Kids’ After School Art classes provide students the opportunity to further their artistic ability and foster positive attitudes towards the visual arts.

Visit Artists for Kids for more information and to register.

North Vancouver Online Learning – Online registration open

North Vancouver Online Learning (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(s). Students can also choose to engage in their NVOL course(s) entirely remotely online or in a blended model of online and in-person interactions at our NVOL Centre.

Visit the NVOL website to see the 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.

Missed an issue?

Updates from the Superintendent, including the monthly Superintendent’s Report, are available for review.  ​

The North Vancouver School District is situated upon the unceded traditional territory of the Skwxwú7mesh Nation and Tsleil-Waututh Nation. We would like to thank the Coast Salish people and value the opportunity to learn, share and grow on this traditional territory.

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