VSB: After The Bell

February presents an opportunity to honour many of the diverse cultures and backgrounds of the staff and students throughout the District. From Black History Month to World Hijab Day, Lunar New Year, the Women’s Memorial March and World Day of Social Justice, this month offers a chance for us to learn, recognize and uplift as we work to create safe, caring, welcoming and inclusive places for students and families. 

Equity and inclusion are core pillars of VSB’s framework. In fact, our Education Plan specifically focuses on increasing equity by eliminating and racism in all its forms. In this episode, Hieu Pham-Fraser, District principle of Equity, Anti-racism, and Non-discrimination, shares how VSB is tangibly taking action on this subject. 

For matter of the month, we spoke to Pete Nuji and Pedro da Silva, Associate Superintendents at the VSB to discuss restrictions on cellphones in schools, following an announcement from the government of B.C. last month. 

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We release episodes at the end of every month.

Black Excellence Day was Jan. 13 this month, which is a day chosen to honour civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The VSB participated in the day through a Black Excellence live stream hosted by Ninandotoo Society and the Burnaby School District. Nola Charles and Ruth Mvukiyehe were among a few VSB students who were able to attend the event in person. Both students joined us to talk about their experience.  

For matter of the month, we spoke to superintendent Helen McGregor about school closures during severe weather such as snow. Helen speaks about the process and factors taken into consideration before a snow day is called.  

If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review. Your feedback helps us improve and create more content that you'll like.  

We release episodes at the end of every month. 

With priority kindergarten registration beginning in November, this month’s episode of VSB: After the Bell focused on everything related to kindergarten. We covered a variety of topics from registration to program options families can enroll in. We spoke to District choice program teachers Eva Lin (Montessori), Melissa Peng (Mandarin Bilingual), Alexis Lefebvre (Late French Immersion) and Mary Leman Viggers (Indigenous Focus) about how they teach their programs and how it differs from the mainstream program.

For matter of the month, we spoke to Doug Roch, District Principal about the registration process, why some schools are full and tips on getting your children prepared for kindergarten.

If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review. Your feedback helps us improve and create more content that you'll like.

We release episodes at the end of every month. Subscribe to VSB: After the Bell on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts so you don’t miss out!

With thanksgiving being in October, the season of gratitude is upon us. VSB acknowledges and shares appreciation for the dedication of more than 50 community partners who work to make schools more welcoming, inclusive, safe and vibrant learning environments. Support ranges from providing essential services such as food programs to arts and extracurricular activities, as well as donations to families in need. Join us as we speak to representatives from two esteemed organizations, Gillian Shaw, Board of directors from Vancouver Sun Children’s Fund Society, Adopt-a-School program and Selma Ismail, youth settlement councillor from the South Vancouver Neighbourhood House, to discuss their invaluable roles in empowering our students and enhancing their educational experiences. 

For matter of the month, we delve into an important and sometimes controversial subject: BC's Foundation Skills Assessment (FSA). We speak with Helen McGregor, VSB Superintendent to demystify the FSA and shed light on its significance for students, parents, and educators. 

Kicking off season two of VSB: After the Bell, we take a deep dive into VSB’s first Literacy Framework. What is literacy, what does the framework do, what does it actually means for students and their families? We speak with three VSB educators behind the Framework: Suzie Polzin, Krista Ediger and Shannon Burton.

For Matter of the Month, we turn our attention to Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) in the wake of recent anti-SOGI protests. We sat down with Glen Hansman, an elementary school resource teacher who helped develop VSB’s first board adopted SOGIpolicy, 20 years ago back in 2004. We clarify what SOGI is, what role itplays in the classroom, and why it is important to talk about it.

It’s the end of the school year and that calls for celebrations after months of hard work and learning. From the excitement of summer vacation to the nostalgia of saying goodbye to familiar faces, this time of year is a significant milestone in the lives of students, educators and families alike. In this episode, we travel across the Vancouver School District to speak to students and educators about their memories, reflections, and celebrations that encapsulate the end of the 2022-2023 school year. 

For Matter of the Month, we look at how parents can continue to help their children to keep learning even through the summer break. Even outside of school, there are lots of opportunities for children to practice their numeracy, language arts, research or critical thinking skills. We invited Gordon Elementary teacher Jamie Sinclair to join us. Together, we’ll be talking about what families can do during the summer months. 

As we approach National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21, this month on the podcast we talk about Indigenous matters. One of the three goals of the Vancouver School District’s Education Plan outlines an effort to continue our reconciliation journey with First Nations, Metis and Inuit by increasing knowledge, awareness, appreciation of, and respect for Indigenous histories, traditions cultures and contributions. Achieving this goal, however, does not rest solely with the District’s Indigenous education department. For Matter of the Month, we're diving into a pressing issue that's been making headlines in our community: the lack of air conditioning in schools. With unexpected extreme hot weather hitting our region, families are expressing concerns about their children's comfort and well-being. Let's explore the situation in the Vancouver school District and discuss what we are doing. Joining us today is Hans Loeffelholz Director of enterprise risk and safety management compliance

This month on the podcast, we’re talking about District programs and the many ways a diverse student population is supported in a large public education system. With nearly 50,000 students, it takes a team of dedicated educators and support staff to cater to the diverse learning needs of students. In this episode, Directors of Instruction Aaron Davis, Janis Myers and Rosie Poetschke join us to explain District programs, the types of programs offered within the VSB and how they each benefit different students.  

School boards across North America are responsible for making critical financial decisions that impact the quality of education our children receive, from hiring teachers and staff to investing in technology and resources. Join us as we speak with David Green, VSB’s Secretary Treasurer to learn more about the intricacies of school board finances.

For “matter of the month”, we talk about International Women's Day; a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. It’s celebrated on March 8th every year and provides an opportunity to raise awareness about the ongoing struggles and challenges that women face in achieving gender equality. In celebration of the day, we speak to Vice-Chair Preeti Faridkot, the first female and Sikh trustee elected to the Vancouver School Board.  

We all know bullying can affect friendships and learning, but, most importantly, it can impact a student’s physical and emotional health. Pink Shirt Day is an important day for school communities to lift each other up and stand against all forms of bullying, harassment, and discrimination.

On this month’s podcast, we visit General Gordon Elementary to hear firsthand how students and teachers participate in Pink Shirt Day to address the serious issue of bullying. The SOGI club at Gordon Elementary – which stands for Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity club, hosted a Pink Shirt Day assembly to talk about the history of Pink Shirt Day, what it means to be kind to others and the importance of gender identity and expression. We caught up with four SOGI club members and the club lead teacher, Kyle Nylund, and asked them why Pink Shirt Day is important to them.

For Matter of the Month, we dive into ChatGPT and how millions have signed up to use the artificial intelligence (AI) language processor in a mere matter of weeks since launching in December 2022. We hear from Jeff Spence, District Principal of Information Technology and Erin Tarbuck, an English and Career Life Connections teacher at David Thompson Secondary about how the AI tool would impact students and teachers.

The BC Curriculum was redesigned in 2016 to respond to the technology-rich world we live in today, where communication is instant, and information is immediately accessible. The way we interact with each other personally, socially, and at work has changed and the redesigned curriculum teaches children to respond to this new demanding world.

The way kids learn today is very different than the way their parents learned when they were in school. No longer do we need to memorize the timetable or remember an encyclopedia of facts. There’s a calculator and Google for that. The shift in today’s education focuses on concepts instead of content, on how to learn rather than what is learned, and on developing critical thinking skills in place of memorization.

This month on the podcast, we speak to Annie Kwong and Nancy Fulton, two secondary teachers, as well as Sandra Fox and Fransoise Renne, two elementary teachers. They walk us though the redesigned curriculum and how students are learning in classrooms.

For Matter of the Month, we look into the District’s decision to continue the semester model with an increase in Flexible Instructional Time (FIT) for all secondary students. We hear from educators Alison Ogden and Rick Lopez, who are Directors of Instruction, as well as senior secondary students Susan Kiconco and Edison Hui.

It’s time to get festive! This is our first-ever holiday episode of VSB After The Bell – and just in time for the winter break. In this episode, we go live on location at Hastings, Thunderbird, Nightingale and Hudson Elementary schools to speak with students and teachers on how they celebrate winter celebrations at school. We also get some one-one-one time with a few high school students and ask them for their perspectives. For the “Matter of the Month,” we speak with Board chair Victoria Jung to talk about the Board’s decision to reinstate School Liaison Officer program.

Timestamps:

Starting kindergarten is a huge milestone, for both families and their children. We know kindergarten enrolment is a hot topic in Vancouver, so we are doing a deep dive into kindergarten registration and enrolment.

David Nelson, Deputy Superintendent and Michael Rossi, Acting Director of Instruction join us on the podcast to talk about all things kindergarten. In our latest episode, we answer questions about the registration process, talk about the different programs available, provide tips on preparing for kindergarten and answer questions submitted via our social media channels.

Check out these timestamps for key topics:

For more information on kindergarten registration, visit our website at: govsb.ca/kindergarten

In recognition of World Mental Health Day this month, our latest podcast episode explores what mental health looks like for students. Claire Pijanowski, counsellor at Kerrisdale and Queen Mary Elementary schools and Joe Ritchie counsellor at Templeton Secondary join us to talk about why it’s important to pay close attention to a student’s mental health. Both counsellors share what types of supports are available at school and provide some mental health tips for caregivers.

Matter of the month: The municipal election, when school trustees are elected. Carolyn Broady, president of the British Columbia School Trustees Association (BCSTA) and vice-president of the Canadian School Boards Association (CSBA) chat about how elections impact schools and students.

In our first episode of VSB: After The Bell, we speak with Helen McGregor, VSB’s Superintendent. We talk about:

· Her role as superintendent,

· The the Education Plan, which guides the District’s work throughout the next five years, and

· Address the matter of the month: back to school enrolment delays.

An introduction to VSB: After The Bell and why we created this podcast.