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 some truly amazing little communities existing, in many cases, right below our noses. After five months of sleuthing around the VSB, I’m starting to realize the wide range of programs I’ve been exposed to are only the tip of the iceberg.
So without further adieu, here’s a brief round-up of some of the coolest programs I’ve discovered recently:
Scientist in Residence Program
This school year is off to a busy start with the Scientist in Residence Program. Fifteen Vancouver School District teachers began their collaborative work with seven partner scientists so they can prepare their 341 primary and intermediate students for a scientific experience that’ll give them a firsthand opportunity to see how fun and tangible science can be. Click here to read the full story!
UBC/VSB Transition Program
UBC/VSB Transition Program
Nestled off West Mall in the heart of the University of British Columbia is a small wood-paneled three story building that houses one of the Vancouver School Board’s most dynamic learning environments – the VSB/UBC Transition Program.
It’s a place whose alumni include the head of Microsoft’s Extreme Programming division, a 20 year old entrepreneur generating millions of venture capital for innovations in electronic communications, and a young Assistant Professor of Philosophy at UBC with a doctorate in Classics from Oxford. The level of accomplishment is palpable. Click here to read the full story.
John Oliver’s Digital Immersion Program
This Revolution will not be Televised!
John Oliver School is on the cusp of a digital revolution engineered by Principal Gino Bondi and a band of tech-savvy teachers. The school’s digital immersion program is one of the first of its kind in British Columbia and administrators and teachers are hopeful it could become the cornerstone for a new innovative style of instruction and learning that will one day become the norm in all Vancouver’s schools. Click here to read more.