WEST VANCOUVER SCHOOL DISTRICT

West Vancouver – British Columbia

West Vancouver School District – Vietnamese Version

In Canada, education is a provincial responsibility. Under the School Act of British Columbia, each school district is required to have a Board of Education, which takes on much of the responsibility for the operation of public schools.

The Board of Education is elected locally and assumes the responsibility for governing the education system in a progressive and educationally sound manner. The Board is fully accountable to you, the public.

· Publications

West Vancouver School District publishes a range of newsletters, special reports and documents to inform and communicate with education stakeholders and members of the public.

· Programs & Services - Overview

West Vancouver School District is committed to providing our students with a wide variety of innovative, high-quality programs and services to ensure continuous improvement in student achievement.

· Academic Programs

West Vancouver public school students consistently attain the highest percentage of academic scholarship winners in the province. Last year, 25 percent of our graduates won provincial scholarships, compared with a provincial average of 10 percent. Most importantly, 97 percent of Grade 12 students receive their "Dogwood" graduation diploma.

The Foundation Skills Assessment is conducted each spring by the Ministry of Education. The percentage of our Grades 4 and 7 students who are "meeting or exceeding expectations" on these provincial assessments in reading, writing and numeracy remains the highest of all 60 school districts in British Columbia.

· Programs of Choice

West Vancouver School District has been characterized by growth, most notably in the expansion of the programs of choice offered in our public schools. Since 2001, when trustees passed policy to consider new district programs, the Board of Education has encouraged the introduction of programs of choice which might benefit both student engagement and enrollment. New programs have been approved only after consultation with all stakeholder groups. View Student Programs for a complete listing of West Vancouver School District's programs of choice.

· Athletic Programs

Athletics thrive in West Vancouver. Our schools are active places, where the youngest children learn the value of exercise and team play, and where our youth participate in a wide variety of competitive sports. Last year was a banner year for our secondary schools, as each of them claimed a prestigious senior provincial championship:

- Rockridge – Rugby

- Sentinel – Tennis

- West Vancouver Secondary - Field Hockey

· Arts and Culture

Thanks to the generosity of the late philanthropist and former teacher, Kay Meek, a world-class, 500-seat community theatre opened in 2005 adjacent to West Vancouver Secondary School - the Kay Meek Centre. When not in use for community performances, it brings invaluable teaching and learning opportunities to our students. This exciting performance space adds a new dimension to our music and drama programs, and provides another venue to display the talents of our visual and performing arts students.

· Community Service

Citizenship and social responsibility are important values within our community. West Vancouver School District has implemented several strategies designed to foster these qualities in our youth.