| Superintendent's Report to Families (March 2025) | 
The Superintendent's Report is available in Microsoft 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 SuperintendentDear North Vancouver School District Community, “The instinct of community is everywhere in life,” write Margaret Wheatley and Myron Kellner-Rogers. Their insight rings true throughout the North Vancouver School District (NVSD) every day. This week, the NVSD community has been actively celebrating the very essence of what brings us together: education. Education Week is an annual, week-long celebration of public education in North Vancouver—an opportunity to recognize the many individuals who dedicate their time, energy, and expertise to making this learning community exceptional. On Monday, at the 25-Year Service Employee Recognition event, we honoured employees—including teachers, teacher-librarians, educational assistants, custodians, management staff, and administrators—who have devoted their skills, talents, and experience to the district for a quarter of a century.
Yesterday, you received a copy of the 2025 Community Report, distributed through the North Shore News. This annual publication tells the stories of events, initiatives and programming across NVSD and offers a snapshot of all that makes NVSD a vibrant learning community. This evening (Thursday, March 13, 2025), at the annual Trustee Reception, the North Vancouver Board of Education will welcome community partners and share its collective gratitude for the individuals and organizations who work tirelessly alongside us to enrich the public schooling experience. As we approach Spring Break, I encourage you to take a moment to reflect on all that we have accomplished together—not only in supporting NVSD students but in bolstering staff and the wider North Vancouver community. I look forward to reconnecting with you after the break. Respectfully, Dr. Pius Ryan
Superintendent of Schools
superintendent@sd44.ca In this IssueGood News from the NVSDAnnouncements- Community Report 2025
- Scheduled Website Maintenance — March 20
- Artists for Kids 2025 Spring Portfolio Release — April 11
- Spring Break Travel Reminder
Information - Approved 2025/26 School Calendar
NVSD Events - 2025 Chess Championship
- Stitched: Merging Photography and Textile Practices — Opening reception April 1
- Ready, Set, Learn — April 9 to May 15
- Public Board Meeting – April 15
- Standing Committee Meeting – May 6
NVSD Registrations - Elementary Band and Strings – Late Registration opens March 14
- Summer Learning — Registration opens May 1
- Artists for Kids After School Art – Registration open
- North Vancouver Online Learning – Online registration open
Community Events and Opportunities- District of North Vancouver Heritage Art Contest — Submit by April 18
- North Vancouver District Public Library: TWEEN Harry Potter Party — March 19
- Vancouver Coastal Health Open Board Forum — April 2
Good News from the NVSDVisit
our Learn, Share & Grow blog and News & Announcements to read
about the good work happening throughout the school district. For the stories with images that are included below, please click on the caption for a link to the blog post or article. AnnouncementsCommunity Report 2025We are pleased to share with you the North Vancouver School District Community Report! The Community Report is published each spring. It is one way in which we share and celebrate with our community the progress the North Vancouver School District is making in pursuit of our vision to provide world-class instruction and a rich diversity of engaging programs to inspire success for every student and bring communities together to learn, share and grow. The stories you'll read show how we are bringing to life our strategic plan. Bold and aspirational, the strategic plan is a blueprint that frames where we would like to go and how we plan to get there. While reviewing the report's content, we hope you recognize how much the North Vancouver School District community has achieved together to provide for students and staff teaching and learning environments where we can all learn, share, grow and thrive. Scheduled Website Maintenance — March 20On Thursday, March 20 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. the North Vancouver School District and school websites will be temporarily offline for scheduled maintenance. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding while we work to improve our services. Artists for Kids 2025 Spring Portfolio Release — April 1The Spring Portfolio features limited edition prints by renowned Canadian artists, including Ian Wallace, Karin Bubaš, Wayne Eastcott, Gordon Smith, and Michael Snow - artists who have significantly contributed to our society through their pivotal work and advocacy of the arts. Acquiring a print from this portfolio funds educational programs, artist residencies, art camps, scholarships, bursaries, and future acquisitions for Artists for Kids and the Gordon Smith Gallery Permanent Collection. Founded in 1989 by educators and B.C. artists, Artists for Kids is supported by the North Vancouver School District. Its mission is to support children, their art education, and their future through enriching art experiences and professional development for educators. In 1990, the program launched its first limited edition print, Xhuwaji / Haida Grizzly by Bill Reid, beginning a partnership with over 100 Canadian artists to create one of Canada’s most significant limited edition collections. Purchase a limited edition print and bring Canadian art to your collection and support the future of children and youth. Learn more. Spring Break Travel ReminderWith measles outbreaks being reported internationally and Spring Break on the horizon, the Office of the Provincial Health Officer, BC Centre for Disease Control and public health officials are reminding people in British Columbia to check their vaccination records before travelling to ensure they are protected. Measles is a highly contagious, airborne virus. There is a high risk of measles cases being brought back to B.C. due to ongoing measles outbreaks globally and decreased vaccination coverage rates in Canada. Additionally, pertussis (whooping cough) is making a comeback locally. Please ensure that your family’s pertussis immunizations are up to date. Pertussis is a bacterial infection of the lungs that is making a return. While people of any age can get ill, young children who have not been immunized get sicker than older children and adults. Families can check their child’s immunization records via BC Health Gateway. Vaccine appointments can be booked through local public health units, community health centres or nursing stations. Find a centre near you. Information Approved 2025/2026 School Calendar The Board of Education approved the 2025/2026 School Calendar at the Public Board Meeting held on Tuesday, February 24. The approved School Calendar confirms dates including the first and last day of school for students, Winter and Spring Breaks, Curriculum Implementation Day and Staff Collaboration days for the next school year. These dates remain as indicated in the Proposed School Calendar that was made available for public comment in January and February. Professional development (pro-d) dates have not been confirmed; dates on the current calendar documents are placeholder (i.e., example) dates at this time. - Three (3) district-wide pro-d dates are selected by the North Vancouver Teachers’ Association (NVTA). These dates will be confirmed in May, with a final school district-wide calendar published at that time. - Two (2) school-based dates are selected by school staff committees at each school. These dates will be shared by schools with their local school communities before the end of May.
For more information, please visit the District Calendar web page. NVSD Events2025 NVSD Chess Championship — Registration openK-12 students across the school district are invited to register for the 2025 NVSD Chess Championship taking place on Monday, May 5, at Sutherland Secondary. Registration is free tournament and all skill levels are welcome.
Students can compete in the Primary, Intermediate, or Secondary divisions for individual and school prizes. Students can register in an older division if they wish, but they cannot register in a younger division. The tournament will begin at 9 a.m. with the finals concluding by 3 p.m. Students are encouraged to bring their own lunch and snacks. One family member is welcome to spectate. Learn more and register online. Space is limited. If you have any questions, please email chess@sd44.ca. Stitched: Merging Photography and Textile Practices – Opening reception April 1Please join the Gordon Smith Gallery for the opening of the Spring Exhibition, Stitched: Merging Photography and Textile Practices. The opening reception takes place on April 1 from 7 to 9 p.m. Stitched explores the intrinsic relationship between textiles and photographer. Photography, with its many uses for personal snapshots, evidence, surveillance, advertising, storytelling, and art, is a relatively new medium. Textiles have traditionally been dismissed as craft in part because of the gendered norms embedded within these historically domestic practices, which include sewing, beading, embroidery, knitting, lacemaking, weaving, and dyeing. For more information on programming and this exhibit, visit Artists for Kids and the and the Gordon and Marion Smith Foundation. Ready, Set, Learn – April 9 to May 15Ready, Set, Learn is an initiative aimed at encouraging and supporting children’s early language and literacy skills. Intended for families and their children (ages 3 to 5 years), Ready, Set, Learn is designed to foster positive connections among families, schools and early learning community partners and support children as they prepare for their transition to Kindergarten. Ready, Set, Learn events will be hosted at multiple locations throughout the school district from April 9 to May 15 and are free to attend. RSVP and event details are available on the Ready, Set, Learn web page. Public Board Meeting – April 15A Board of Education Public Board Meeting takes place on Tuesday, April 15, at 6:30 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. Standing Committee Meeting – May 6A Board of Education Standing Committee Meeting takes place on Tuesday, May 6 at 7 p.m. 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. NVSD Registrations Elementary Band and Strings — Late Registration begins March 14Elementary Band and Strings is open to students in Grades 5 – 7 for Band and Grades 4 – 7 for Strings. Our unique instrumental music program complements the Arts Education curriculum and provides school-based instrumental instruction in a supportive and fun learning environment. Although registration closes on February 28, late registration begins Friday, March 14. This is subject to program availability and class size at your child’s school site and is dependent on sufficient registrations received by February 28. Visit the Elementary Band and Strings web page for information, including program fees. Summer Learning — Registration opens May 1
North Vancouver Summer Learning provides a platform for students to explore and extend learning opportunities while fulfilling their educational requirements through a variety of opportunities in the month of July. The Summer Learning 2025 course offerings provide students opportunities to further their learning and/or earn credits toward graduation: • Full Credit Academic Courses (including a variety of options to meet the Indigenous-focused graduation requirement) • 7/8 Transition • English Language Learning (ELL) • Eslha7an Secondary Review & Completion • Numeracy 8/9 Foundations • Literacy 8/9 Foundations
Registration is open to students within and beyond the NVSD. Registration opens on Wednesday, May 1 at 9 a.m. for NVSD students. Artists for Kids After School Art – Registration openTaught 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 the Artists for Kids website for more information and to register. North Vancouver Online Learning – Online registration openNorth 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. Community Events and Opportunities District of North Vancouver Heritage Art Contest — Submit by April 18 Attention all students aged 7 through 19 studying and/or living in the District of North Vancouver. The Heritage Art Contest invites you to create a piece of artwork to share your understanding of local community heritage – whether built, cultural, or natural. Details of the art contest are available on the Youth Heritage Art Contest website. North Vancouver District Public Library: TWEEN Harry Potter Party— March 19Join the North Vancouver District Public Library for a special event chosen by Tweens for Tweens! Get ready to step into the enchanted world of Harry Potter at the Magical Harry Potter Party! This party involves a variety of free-range activity stations and crafts that you participate in at your own pace. No need to be on time, you can join the party anytime between 3-5 p.m. Parent participation encouraged if your child would benefit from extra supervision. The program is for older kids 9+. Learn more. Vancouver Coastal Health Open Board Forum — April 2Vancouver Coastal Health's Board of Directors would like to invite you to take part in the next Open Board Forum telephone town hall, which will focus on health-care topics relevant to the North Shore. The session will provide updates on health-care services and programs, including the new Paul Meyers Tower at Lions Gate hospital and broader acute care, community care, public health as well as other initiatives that support the health and wellness of North Shore communities. To register for the telephone town hall and receive a call to connect to the event, please visit www.vch.ca/en/openboardforum. 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. | Maddy SP | March 17 | | | Photos: Windsor Wolves win first-ever provincial basketball banner |  Tournament MVP Perrin Taylor makes a pass during the provincial championships. | Garrett James / Langley Events Centre By Nick Laba, North Shore News.
At some point in the not-so-distant past, North Vancouver's Windsor Secondary wasn’t taken seriously for its senior boys basketball program. That's according to head coach Marco Fong, who helped permanently change that perception on March 8 when his Wolves hunted down their first-ever AAA provincial banner with a strong 66-58 victory over No. 1 seeded St. Thomas More at Langley Events Centre. Last season, a much younger Wolves squad – with just one Grade 12 player – won the North Shore and came third in the Vancouver Sea to Sky Zone championships. Those results sparked belief and hunger among the athletes and coaching staff at the beginning of this season, said head coach Marco Fong, that this year’s team could finally bring the banner home. Racking up win after win this January, the team really began to feel like AAA was wide open and they had a shot at doing something special, Fong said. The Wolves took the North Shore title with ease, and powered through the zone championships – defeating No. 4 seed Magee and No. 1 seed St. Patrick Regional Secondary. That put Windsor in good position at provincials, as the No. 2 seed. At the Langley Events Centre, the Wolves beat Richmond 62-53 in the quarterfinals and Mark Isfeld 74-56 in the semis. Then, with a balanced attack and disciplined defence in the final, Windsor gained a lead late in the first quarter that St. Thomas More couldn’t get back. The Wolves led for 33 minutes and 18 seconds of the 40-minute match. Putting up 18 points, Oscar Rouillard led the Wolves with seven rebounds, three assists and three blocked shots – a performance that earned him Championship Player of the Game honours, as well as First Team All-Star. Teammate Perrin Taylor was named tournament MVP, with 13 points and 11 rebounds in the final. Emmet Ward – who doubles as Windsor’s star quarterback – scored 10 points and 13 rebounds in the championship game. Team captain Lukas Chung was named Second Team All-Star. Coach Fong said the team prided itself on its defence, “which was even better in the post season – averaging 51 points [against] per game.” At the heart of the defensive effort was Ward, Fong said. “Being a star on the football field, he’s an athletic kid who does all the dirty work for us,” he said. During the regular season, Ward saw that if he could develop his jump shot, it could be a key ingredient to the team’s success. “At lunch and after school, he would spend extra time working on his mid-range jump shot because team needed him to do that,” Fong said. “That rubs off on the other guys.” Wolves bring home impressive three provincial banners in senior boys sports This season, Windsor’s senior boys have brought home an incredible three provincial banners – in soccer, football and now basketball. To bring home the first AAA basketball banner, “It means a lot for me as head coach,” Fong said. While there’s been previous success with Windsor’s girls basketball teams, the senior boys teams have been looked down on in the past, Fong said. “We made it our mission to change that reputation,” he said. “It motivated us going into games, and made wins sweeter to prove them wrong.... The seniors put in a lot of work to be successful, and have set an example for the rest of the school.” In other senior high school basketball news, the Argyle Pipers 4A girls team took bronze, with a 76-63 victory against Riverside on March 1. Isabella Milijkovic was named First Team All-Star, and Sophie Nicholson a Second Team All-Star.  Oscar Rouillard was named Championship Player of the Game. | Langley Events Centre
Windsor head coach Marco Fong speaks to his team. | Garrett James / Langley Events Centre
 Windsor star football quarterback Emmet Ward is also the school's best defensive basketball player. | Garrett James / Langley Events Centre
| Maddy SP | March 14 | | | VIDEO: North Vancouver high school boys' team wins provincial championship | By Gloria Macarenko, CBC Vancouver.
The Windsor Wolves basketball team pulled off an upset against the top-seeded St. Thomas More Collegiate Knights at the B.C. High School Boys 3A Basketball Championships over the weekend. Emmet Ward and Oscar Rouillard, who both starred in the final, said the team were underdogs all season. 
It's the first provincial senior boys basketball banner for Windsor. | Langley Events Centre
| Maddy SP | March 14 | | | North Vancouver high school program giving girls an entrepreneurial education | 
Handsworth Secondary Grade 12 students Elizabeth Bromley and Alena Tkacheva are participants in the Young Entrepreneur and Leadership Launchpad (YELL) program. | Paul McGrath / North Shore News By Abby Luciano, North Shore News. North Vancouver high school students, including a growing cohort of girls, are getting a head start learning entrepreneurship skills before graduation thanks to a unique education program. The Young Entrepreneurship and Leadership Launchpad (YELL) program at the North Vancouver School District aims to give Grade 11 and 12 students the tools they need before entering the real world. YELL launched in the North Vancouver School District roughly seven years ago, offered at Handsworth and Sutherland Secondary. Handsworth teacher Sheri Johnson said she has seen more girls take part in the program and business courses over time, which is something to YELL about. “It’s actually something that I’m really excited about,” Johnson said, reflecting on the business courses she’s taught. “It’s been great to watch that change, where I would say now in some of the classes, I have more females than males in there.” Students in the YELL program learn entrepreneurship through a series of lessons in the classroom as well as in the community working with industry leaders. As the program continues, students form groups to create a business venture. The YELL program wraps up with a Dragon’s Den type of experience called the Venture Challenge, where student teams across B.C. compete and present their business venture to a panel of judges made up of entrepreneurs, investors and community members. Grade 12 Handsworth Secondary student Elizabeth Bromley participated in the program last year. Her group created a sustainable bicycle tire design that will not pop or rupture. Bromley was set on entering a science career path before taking part in YELL, but after completing the program she is now pursuing a bachelor’s degree in commerce. “It’s quite intimidating to enter a field that is very predominantly male dominated,” Bromley said. “It’s also important to see that women are succeeding in that area as well, knowing women are just as capable as men to run businesses.” While women entrepreneurs are making progress, they still face challenges. A study from the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub from 2024 says women business ownership is growing. In 2023, approximately 18.4 per cent of all businesses were majority owned by women in Canada, compared to 15.6 per cent in 2017. Female entrepreneurs still earn less, with 37.1 per cent earning less than $50,000 annually, compared to 31.7 per cent of male entrepreneurs. Grade 12 Handsworth student Alena Tkacheva is currently in the YELL program, and says it helped solidify her decision to go the business route after high school. “It’s a really great experience to listen to people who are actually involved in business already, and to learn about their experience,” Tkacheva said. “Right now, I’m just really sure of my decision.” Tkacheva’s group is still working out the nuts and bolts of their Venture Challenge project, but they came up with the idea of creating a “magic” powder that decomposes dog feces to reduce plastic waste. YELL participants are encouraged to incorporate UN sustainable goals into their projects, Johnson said. By showing and providing more opportunities for students through the YELL program, it can help expand people’s minds to different careers, Johnson said. “It’s just a matter of providing more opportunities for young women to see other people out there doing things, because often we only know what we know,” she said. “You only see what you see in school, what your parents do, etc. The more opportunities and things that you get to see, the more experiences you have, then it opens up the world.” People can head to the North Vancouver School District’s website to learn more about the YELL program. 
Handsworth Secondary Grade 12 students Alena Tkacheva and Elizabeth Bromley go over a presentation with teacher Sheri Johnson. | Paul McGrath / North Shore News
| Maddy SP | March 14 | | | North Vancouver libraries unveil 2024 Teen Writing Contest winners | 
Amelia Horwood holds her book, "Timeless Lessons," which earned first place in the Grades 7-9 category in the 2024 Teen Writing Contest. | Courtesy of NVDPL
By Abby Luciano, North Shore News. Please note: Amelia is a student at Upper Lynn Elementary, Rachel MacDonald-Lin is a student at Handsworth Secondary, and Olivia Garnett is a student at Argyle Secondary.
A group of students across the North Shore can now say they are published authors as their work and creativity are celebrated in a local library Teen Writing Contest. The North Vancouver District Public Library and North Vancouver City Library announced the five winners of the contest earlier this month, ranging from students Grades 7 to 12, with each piece tying into the theme “echos of the past.” Each winning story was professionally bound and added to the collections for people to borrow. Amelia Horwood won first place in the Grades 7 to 9 category for her piece, Timeless Lessons. Cates Rios received honourable mention for the story Forgotten in Flames. Rachel MacDonald-Lin won in the Grades 10-12 category for Once There Were Dragons, while Olivia Garnett’s piece The Potatoes claimed the honourable mention spot. But there was also a title for overall winner. Grade 10 Collingwood School student Cynthia Yu said she started jumping around her house when she received an email letting her know that she was the overall winner for her short story, Cherry. “It feels so amazing, because I’m finally taking the steps to pursue what was my hobby and is now becoming a dream come true,” Yu said. “It’s just a huge step that I feel like I finally accomplished something to what I hope can be my career to continue writing.” Cherry follows the story of a 14-year-old girl in Middle Ages China who was chosen to be one of many empresses at the imperial palace, the Forbidden City. But she is driven insane during the process, being forced to undergo rigorous training and follow orders constantly. Cherries were used a lot for painting, but also to symbolize the girls that were taken away from their homes due to their beauty, skills or talents, she said. “I wanted to symbolize these girls as being picked like fruit for the pleasure of someone else,” said Yu, whose story clocks in at 4,500 words. “I really think that today, as a community, we kind of bypass how brutal situations were for women in history,” she added. “We don’t go into enough depth in order to see how horribly women were treated in ancient, historical setting.” NVDPL kicked off their writing contest in 2018, but last year’s contest marked the first of the district and city libraries collaborating. Sara Oremland, teen engagement librarian at NVDPL, said 27 stories were sent in for the recent contest, where entries were judged by library staff, members of both the district and city’s teen leadership groups and local authors. “Youth have a lot of creativity, and I think writing is also a way to explore your own self and your own ideas,” Oremland said. “We just want to really give them a creative outlet.” Growing up, Yu said she took a lot of Chinese courses, already having the basic knowledge to dive into the story. Yu hopes the story will help people learn about difficult but important parts of history while also uplifting untold perspectives. “Especially going back to my culture, I understand that my relatives had to go through horrible situations like these, and I feel if I can speak their story in modern times, then I can speak for those in the past who [were] oppressed and cannot bring up the story in modern day,” Yu said. A celebration was held for the winners at the North Vancouver City Library on Oct. 17, 2024. People can learn more about the winning titles at the district or city library’s website. 
Rachel MacDonald-Lin holds her published book "Once There Were Dragons," which won first place in the Grades 10-12 category in the Teen Writing Contest. | Courtesy of NVDPL
Olivia Garnett holds her book, "The Potatoes," which claimed the Grades 10-12 Honourable Mention category in the 2024 Teen Writing Contest. | Courtesy of NVDPL
| Maddy SP | March 14 | |
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