Principal’s Message

Good Afternoon Maple Grove,

Please see the Article #Build2Learn later in this blog.  There is an important opportunity for feedback/ consultation on buildings and schools.

The Senior Boys and Girls Basketball Teams are doing very well.  Both teams have qualified for the city playoffs and each has won their first playoff games.

Along with Black History Month, Kindness week and Pink Shirt Day, February brings with it another inspiring teaching and learning opportunity.  We would like to thank all the staff and students that have been preparing to celebrate the important contributions of Black Canadians to our society. During this month, we also recognize and acknowledge the resilience of Black Canadians in the face of injustice and discrimination.

We also want to acknowledge Ms. Bartlett who was our guest Music Listening presenter… she compiled several weeks worth of music and scripts for Black History month.

The grade 4 and 7 students have just completed Satisfaction Surveys on Learning opportunities at Maple Grove.  We will be sending information from the Ministry of Education for parents of gr 4 and 7 students so they have an opportunity to participate.

We would like to express our sincere thanks and appreciation to Mr. Chuck McNicholl.  Chuck has been filling in for Ms. Smith in her absence.  Chuck is a retired VP and was delighted to be back at Maple Grove.

Pink Shirt Day

Our students have discussed and created many activities and crafts for Kindness Week.

Pink Shirt Day Assembly was on Wednesday, February 26.  The staff decided to all wear PINK to support anti-bullying as well as supporting compassion, acceptance and empathy.

#build2learn

Public Engagement Begins
The Board is engaging parents to ask how we can use VSB buildings across the city for the learning of students today and in the future.  There priorities are to create modern learning spaces and ensure all students are in seismically safe schools.  Planning now with the ongoing seismic program provides an opportunity to continue to build modern classrooms that meet the needs of school communities.  Presently, half of our buildings are older than 70 years.  The Province is providing money to upgrade or build seismically safe schools for every student in Vancouver and across BC.

While we will continue to advocate for more provincial funding and the Province will cover seismic safety, this may not cover all the costs associated with building the modern learning spaces we’d like to create at VSB.  If we combine VSB money with the provincial funds, this could allow us to build more modern classrooms for the future.  To do so, we’ll have to raise money.

We’d like to understand your thoughts about envisioning modern classrooms and community spaces, and how we can raise money to build them.  VSB will host two phases of engagement – one online and one through in-person events.  Our online engagement is open between February 19, 2020, and March 11, 2020.  Please go to https://build2learn.ethelo.net/ to provide your feedback.

This is part of the engagement process that we started in fall 2019.  Through this process, we will develop recommendations for how we can use our buildings to serve the learning needs of students today and in the future within seismically safe schools. We will report back on what we’ve heard throughout the process by the end of June 2020.

SPRING BREAK 

Kindergarten Immunization Clinics : March 16 – 27th

4-6 Year Old Boosters:

1. Tetanus, Diptheria, Pertussis, Polio

2. Measles, Mumps, Rubella

3. Varicella

When: March 11, 16, 20, 23, 25 and 27th

Location: Pacific Spirit Community Health Centre

2110 West 43rd Avenue

Please call to book your child’s appointment at 604-261-6366.