International Baccalaureate at Capilano

Capilano Elementary

North Vancouver School District

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Capilano Elementary School is an International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP) World School. Capilano uses a common philosophy that all other IB World Schools follow—a commitment to high quality, challenging, international education that we believe is important for our students.

Below are a number of links to provide you with further information about the IB Programmes:

Learning At Capilano

Capilano Elementary School is an authorized International Baccalaureate (IB) World School offering the Primary Years Programme (PYP). Students at Capilano engage in transdisciplinary, inquiry-based learning. Collaboration and cooperation is a valued component of the learning environment. Students become aware of their local, global, and social responsibility through the encouragement of student-led action in response to learning.

Capilano offers a full range of programs to meet the diverse needs of students, including a variety of athletic programs, a music program, French as a second language for all students, a learning assistance program, and an English as a second language program. Capilano students are encouraged to be committed, confident, creative, and caring learners and leaders both in the school and in their community. Students learn to be reflective and thoughtful with respect to how they can contribute to the well-being of others and the world around them.

Capilano's Mission Statement

The Capilano School Community will work together to provide learning opportunities that will enable students to develop as creative and inquiring individuals who are inspired to be lifelong learners and globally responsible citizens.

Capilano's Vision Statement

We provide a supportive learning environment that values diversity, promotes success and personal growth, and inspires students to become global citizens who accept responsibility for their learning.

IB Mission Statement

"The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.

To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment.

These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right." (IBO Website)

Capilano's Program of Inquiry

Please find Capilano's Program of Inquiry here: Capilano POI.pdf (March 1, 2023)

IB Policies at Capilano

Language Policy:
"The purpose of the language policy is to provide a framework that will ensure the IB's values and aims in relation to access and multilingualism are reflected in the organization's activities" (IBO Website, 2011).

To see Capilano's Language Policy, please click here: Capilano IB School Language Policy.pdf (Updated: Nov 2023)

Assessment Policy:

"An assessment policy reflects the school’s philosophy and position on assessment. Developing an assessment policy is often the catalyst for schools to focus on their philosophy for assessment and to achieve a common understanding of their aims and objectives" (Making the PYP Happen, IBO).

To see Capilano's Assessment Policy, please click here:Capilano IB School Assessment Policy.pdf (Updated: Nov 2023)

Inclusion/Special Education Needs (SEN) Policy:

To see Capilano's SEN Policy, please click here: Capilano IB Inclusion and Special Educational Needs Policy.pdf (Updated: Nov 2023)

Academic Honesty Policy

To see Capilano's Academic Honesty Policy, please click here: Capilano IB School Academic Honesty Policy.pdf (Updated: Nov 2023)

IB General Regulations
"The General regulations document is a legal document that sets out the relationship between the IB Organization and IB students and their legal guardians" (IBO Website, 2011)

IBO General Regulations and IBO Rules for IB Schools

Supporting Your Child

Making an IB PYP Connection at Home

Use the language of the Learner Profile. Post descriptions of the attributes in a central place in the home. Create an inquiry wall on your fridge. An inquiry wall is a place where kids can pose questions they are curious about. Then sibling, aunts, uncles, parents and other family members can try to answer the questions.
Find out what your child’s Learner Profile goals are and what attributes of the Learner Profile are being focused on in their Units of Inquiry. Support your child’s development of the attributes of the Learner Profile while giving plenty of praise for their strengths in relation to the aspects of the Learner Profile.
Model self as a life-long learner with respect to the attributes described in the learner profile: Set personal goals that relate to developing certain attributes in the learner profile and talk about what you do to try to develop the attributes. Point out/discuss the attributes as they are exhibited by others – in those close to us and in a more global context; in heroes, respected public figures, characters in books and movies….
Keep informed of what the Unit of Inquiry involves by reviewing and completing the Unit of Inquiry related learning activities sent home by teachers and checking teachers’ class links on the Capilano Website.
Ask your child about what s/he is learning about at school on a daily basis. Focus the dicussion on what your child is currently wondering about/curious about in connection to their learning.
Listen carefully to what children have to say, encouraging explanation and sharing of questions and wonderings (Tell me more about...; What do you mean by…? What do you wonder now?) and rationalization of their thoughts and ideas (Why do you think that?).
Encourage constructive self-reflections (I think I could do better next time if I…) instead of negative self-talk (I can’t…).
Help your child set realistic learning goals, chunking learning into manageable "steps", with specific timelines and strategies: What do you need to do next in your learning? What do you need to do to achieve this goal?
Support your child in their efforts to work towards their goals and through questioning; Lead them to reflect on their level of achievement without imposing your own views (Did you achieve your goal? Why or Why not? How can you tell that you did/did not?)
Join us as an "expert"! If you have an area of expertise or artifacts related to your child’s Unit of Inquiry (or know of someone who does), and would like to share your knowledge/artifacts with the students in your child’s class as a guest presenter, let your child’s teacher know.
How to support your child as an IB learner (Fall 2014 Session for Parents HERE)

Making an IB PYP Connection in the Community

Visit the local public library to borrow books or videos that relate to the Central Idea statement. Take time to share these resources and discuss their content.
Keep tuned to global current events that may relate to the central idea and share these events (if age appropriate) with your child.
Encourage your child to share related learning in class (Ex: Have your child bring in to class to share, show, and/or talk to the class about a book borrowed from the public library, a video seen, or a newspaper or magazine article clipping that relates to the Central Idea).
Encourage your child to “take action” related to their learning – in your home, community, or at school – what can they do to make the world a better place?