Streetfront Builds a Community for Troubled Youth Around Running
Hidden away in a pair of joined portables on the cusp of Britannia Secondary’s property is one of the Vancouver School Board’s most dynamic and inspiring programs. It’s called Streetfront. Captained by Head Teacher Trevor Stokes, Streefront is an alternative…
How to Shelter Everyone – Lessons from First United Church
Nothing spoils Christmas like thought of dozens of people sleeping outside in cold, wet Vancouver weather. It’s been an ongoing struggle for years and isn’t likely to change anytime soon. In 2008, shortly after the municipal election and right before…
Some of the Coolest School (Community) Programs in Vancouver
Ok, this is the first time (though likely not the last time) I’m going to toot the horn about my employer the Vancouver School Board. Part of the reason I wanted to write this blog post is because there are…
End of the Blackberry World? I hope not.
Photo courtesy of Fred Lum with the Globe and Mail. Several years ago I got a Blackberry as a gift from a friend. I’ve been hooked ever since. I like the streamlined push email notification. I like the rugged business…
October – the best month of them all
Ok. I admit it. I’m biased. I happen to have a birthday that falls right at the beginning of the month. But that’s not why I like – no scratch that – love October. Let’s start with the season itself…
School lunch – tastier than I remember
For the past few weeks I’ve been deployed to Churchill Secondary School with other VSB exempt staff. We’ve been tasked with supervising school lunch. Each day I arrive at 11:40 and plant myself in front of the lunch line. When…
Theatre and Education Partnership a Win-Win
Yesterday was a big day for theatre and education (at least in Vancouver). It was a kick off of a new partnership between Green Thumb Theatre and the Vancouver School Board. The aim of the partnership was to preserve one of…
Whitecaps FC connects with Street Soccer Community
Yesterday afternoon Whitecaps FC players Jeb Brovsky, Shea Salinas, Bilal Duckett and Jonathan Leathers joined dozens of street soccer players at Oppenheimer park for a pick up game and meet and greet. It was an amazing afternoon for many players who’ve…
Bike Lanes and Post-Cold War Lithuania
We’ve all heard Vancouver’s bike lanes have caused a bit of “stir” recently. But all the opponents out there should remember it could be a lot worse. Don’t believe me? Check out what Arturas Zoukas, mayor of Vilnius, Lithuania recently did…
Riding with headphones – illegal, immoral or irrelevant?
I’ve had three incidents in the past month that have got me thinking about my bike riding etiquette. Twice in the past couple months friends have stopped me as I took headphones out of my ears to tut-tut me on riding…