Achieve 2018 - Excellence in Education by Vancouver Courier

excellence in education

fall 2017

Geneskool page 10

building your rĂ&#x2030;sumĂ&#x2030; page 7

Odd Jobs

photo: Jennifer Gauthier

page 15

also available online at issuu.com/glacierspecialtypublishing

excellence in education

from the editor fall 2017

4 6 7 8 10 12 14 15 16 17 18 20 21 22

Conseil Scolaire Francophone Living and learning in French

www.glaciermedia.ca publisher

Alvin Brouwer editor

Martha Perkins director of advertising

Michelle Bhatti creative director

Marina Rockey contributing writers

John Kurucz Cornelia Naylor Naoibh O’Connor Martha Perkins

We don’t let language-related learning differences stop our students. Fraser Academy is a leader in the empowerment and education of Gr 1-12 students with dyslexia and language-based learning disabilities in Vancouver, BC. We provide a learner-centric environment with the most effective research-based methods to optimize personalized learning, cognitive development, and post secondary opportunities.

An impressive 90% of our graduates go on to college or university.

CALL US FOR A SCHOOL TOUR: 604 736 5575

2294 West 10th Ave, Vancouver, BC | fraseracademy.ca

For advertising inquiries, contact Michelle Bhatti at mbhatti@vancourier.com

Job seekers should check out library Find out what jobs are trending john kurucz Building your résumé Lynda helps you build your résumé’s list of skills martha perkins

Soar Preschool Inclusive pre-school lets children with autism soar martha perkins

Geneskool Making science real and really fun

The Electrical Joint Training Committee Bringing the best in training to B.C. Samsung Tech Institute Teaching the nuts and bolts of repair Odd jobs Unusual career choices

Published by glacier media. Copyright ©2017. All rights reserved. Reproduction of articles permitted with credit. Advertisements in this magazine are coordinated by Glacier Media. Glacier Media does not endorse products or services. Any errors, omissions or opinions found in this magazine should not be attributed to the publisher. The authors, the publisher and the collaborating organizations will not assume any responsibility for commercial loss due to business decisions made based on the information contained in this magazine. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted without crediting Glacier Media. Printed in Canada. Please recycle.

john kurucz

Student swap Bridging the private/public divide

volume 1 number 1 fall 2017

martha perkins

cornelia naylor

Northern Lights College The greener side of learning Ethical entrepreneurs Taking a collaborative approach to economics john kurucz

Beyond a rank Choosing a school

martha perkins

The sky is never the limit Port Coquitlam high school science experiment will be tested by astronauts martha perkins Scholarship advice Students should start the search in Grade 10 naoibh o’connor

Goals. They are what propel us forward, give us momentum, fill our dreams. Achieving those goals can be challenging, though. There may be many obstacles in our way. Sometimes they will appear daunting; other times they serve to motivate us even more. The only way to start achieving our goals is to do that... just start. Even if the journey seems long, you have to simply take that first step and keep going, eyes on the horizon. Here at Glacier Media, we hope that Achieve will help you set off in the right direction. Our mix of stories and advertisements can either act as a guide or inspire you to open your imagination to new possibilities. No matter how old you are, the opportunities to learn and enhance your skills are limitless. We all have it in us to achieve. Wishing you well on your journey, Martha. martha perkins

mperkins@vancourier.com 604 630 2520

fall 2017

conseil Scolaire Francophone

Living and learning in French At the CSF, students reach their full potential, taking pride in their French language and Francophone culture. As the school board responsible for all public Francophone schools in B.C., the Conseil scolaire francophone (CSF) operates 40 schools across the province, giving children all over B.C. the chance to understand and appreciate what it truly means to be Francophone. In British Columbia, there aren’t many opportunities to live in French. It is often the case that children learn French at home but speak English when they socialize. The CSF schools offer the opportunity to meet other Francophone kids, not only to learn in French, but to play in French — to have fun in French. This is all made possible by the CSF community. Since its Francophone students and employees hail from nearly 70 different countries, the CSF offers a rich multicultural learning environment. Students are given the opportunity to develop their Francophone identity in a unique learning environment where French is taught as a first language. This means all core subjects, as well as sports and the arts, are taught in French from early childhood to secondary school programs. That being said, because the CSF follows the B.C. Ministry of Education’s provincially prescribed curriculum, its English language education is as thorough as any other school in the province. In fact, students within the CSF typically achieve grades higher than the provincial average. At the CSF, students reach their full potential, taking pride in their French language and Francophone culture. 4

fall 2017

Since its inception in 1995, the CSF has grown immensely. Its progress and success

can be seen, not only in the increasing number of schools and expansion of service area, but in its burgeoning extra-curricular agenda. With nearly 6,000 students across the province, a larger student body means more opportunities. They include a growing number of sports teams and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, which is globally renowned for its intellectually rigorous curriculum. There are also annual international field trips that promote cross-province networking, outdoor education programs, real-world work experience opportunities, and arts programs.

sponsored content

The CSF schools offer the opportunity to meet other francophone kids, not only to learn in french, but to play in french — to have fun in French.

However, the value in attending a Francophone school is not only measured in the years spent, but in the prospects to come. Graduating high school with both English and French certificates will give students their pick of the ‘crème de la crème’ of renowned universities and business schools, in Canada and throughout the Englishand French-speaking world. Moreover, the foundation of bilingualism provided by the CSF is likely to produce more job opportunities. In cases where French language skills are not a requirement, they will certainly be an asset. Studying at the CSF is a great opportunity to learn the language of international relations. French is the working and official language of many international organizations and courts, such as the United Nations, the European Union, UNESCO, and NATO. It’s easy to see how building a strong foundation of Francophone language and culture is not only valuable, but rewarding. What are you waiting for? Allons-y !

100–13511 commerce parkway richmond, BC v6v 2J8 t 604 214 2600 e info@cfs.bc.ca w csf.bc.ca fall 2017

Job seekers should check out library Find out what jobs are trending and how to get them

John Kurucz

Today’s libraries resemble a good financial investor in their ability to investigate, analyze and react.

Sophie Middleton is the Vancouver Public Library’s acting manager of information services and helps to oversee what’s currently on offer, and what’s coming down the pike, through the library’s Skilled Immigrant InfoCentre. “There is a huge wealth of information that we have that people aren’t aware of that goes beyond a résumé,” Middleton said. “It’s for anyone who’s looking for jobs. These people want to know how to find unadvertised jobs, or the hidden job market; they 6

fall 2017

Martha Perkins

If you doubt the importance of a LinkedIn profile, read What Colour Is Your Parachute: A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers. Author Richard Bolles, who died in March 2017, dedicated a chapter to why you need to be an engaged and engaging presence on the professional networking site.

Libraries provide resources for job seekers, including highly detailed methods of honing in on specific sectors and industries. While the standardized resume-building workshops and basic job search courses remain, most public libraries now work alongside government and industry to help all demographics find work, re-enter the workforce or even acquaint themselves with Canadian workplace norms.

Lynda helps you build your résumé’s list of skills

Filming for Deadpool might have closed the Georgia viaduct but it also provided hundreds of jobs. photo: Dan Toulgoet

want to look at new career options.” More than 120 employment guides are offered for free online and in print. They cover sectors spanning engineering, computers, film and TV and a myriad of other options in varying levels of detail. And if a particular career path isn’t available, library staff can meet with patrons for oneon-one sessions. “Most industries are covered on some level and they get quite granular in some cases to cover very specific topics,” Middleton said. “They’re a great place to start to find out salaries, labour market information, synonyms for the job to help with searching and websites and associations representing those industries.”

Around 30 career guides serve as almost companion pieces to the employment guides, and cover off on topics such as transferable skills, mentorship programs, workplace culture, recruitment agencies, apprenticeships. Tips and workshops are even offered to help people refine their networking skills. “There are conventions in Canadian work culture people may not be aware of,” Middleton said. “We as Canadians love to talk about the weather, so it’s about moving from that to being able to talk about industryrelated questions or find out more about industry associations in a low-stress and supportive environment.” Those accessing the library’s job services come from all

walks of life: old, young, men and women and recent immigrants. Some are just entering the workforce, others are opting to re-train for a different career path and others still want to know about entrepreneurship and going into business for themselves. Nailing down emerging workforce trends isn’t as easy as identifying who’s accessing the library’s services, according to Middleton. Instead, as the economy goes, so goes those workplace patterns. This past spring, work in film and TV and “green jobs” were percolating with the public. Visit your local library in person or online to discover more information on programs and courses.

Why? Not only has LinkedIn become an essential way for employers to seek out

new staff, but you can apply to many jobs online simply by uploading your LinkedIn profile, which serves as your résumé.

learn how to be a professional video editor using Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro X, the courses take a total of 35 hours.

And the more skills you have, the better your résumé looks.

Usually there’s a fee to access Lynda’s help. But if you are a member of a public library, chances are you can take the courses for free.

Lynda is an online learning tool offered by LinkedIn. When you complete one of the video courses, a certificate is posted on your LinkedIn profile. There are more than 5,000 courses covering everything from spreadsheets to AutoCAD to understanding data science. The course length varies. For instance, if you want to

Most libraries have a paid membership to the educational database. All you need to access it are a library card and an email address. You can take the courses from your own computer, anywhere, or use one of the library’s. Go to your library’s website and search for Lynda.

EDUCATION DONE. NOW WHAT? We can help. All our services are FREE. CONTACT US TODAY! vancouverworkbc.ca

“It’s a good model of inclusivity,” behaviour analyst Katie Allen says of Soar’s approach. “You learn to accept diversibility.” Photo: Dan Toulgoet

“I’ve been in a lot of schools where we’re trying to make kids fit into an already existing system,” she adds. At Soar, staff is trained in evidence-based teaching methods that are appropriate for all of the students. “[Working with parents to set goals], we provide an adequate amount of support to let them meet those goals.” There will be an early childhood education teacher and assistant on the floor at all times. Soar says it is the first preschool in British Columbia to provide an equal number of independent and supported placements, with one support worker for every two students. Although there’s room for 40 kids — 20 in the morning and 20 in the afternoon — the first-year goal is to accommodate 10 children who have autism and 10 children who are neuro-typical.

Soar Pre-school Inclusive pre-school lets children with autism soar

Martha Perkins

Melanie Chan has already watched her four-year-old daughter “blossom and bloom” in the Bounding Higher program offered at the Pacific Autism Family Network’s new hub in Richmond. She can’t wait to see that growth continue when her daughter enrolls in the Soar Inclusive Pre-school this fall.

her and blocking her way, a heartbreaking experience for any parent to witness.

Not only is PAFN’s hub a Stigma Free Zone, but the preschool program, and the building itself, have been designed as a welcoming, safe space for all children on the autism spectrum. The 1,000-square-foot preschool is absolutely silent. There’s no subtle buzz from the lights, no heating or cooling systems kicking in. If a plane was to fly overhead, you wouldn’t hear it. Even the toilets in the bathroom don’t automatically flush to ensure a child isn’t taken by surprise.

“The progress already has been amazing,” the Burnaby mother says of the programs she’s tapped into, all under one roof at the new Goodlife Fitness Family Autism Hub. “To watch my daughter go through these To watch changes has been incredible.” my daughter Although her daughter is only four, she has already experienced negative interactions with kids her age at public playgrounds. Other children have rebuffed her invitations to play, laughing at 8

fall 2017

go through these changes has been incredible. melanie chan

Every care has been taken to ensure the new building is designed to accommodate special needs. “Everything fosters a good learning environment,” says Katie Allen, a behaviour analyst who works at the innovative preschool program.

Two sets of siblings are already enrolled, including a pair of twins, one of whom has autism. “Siblings can stay together and grow together and not start having to separate at an early age,” Allen says of one of the benefits of the program’s approach. The interactions also help neuro-typical children gain leadership skills and a great sense of empathy. As well, “[children at that age] have not been primed to label — they’re just going to play with one another without putting any stigma on it...It’s a good model of inclusivity... They’re all achieving and helping each other.” Allen embraces the pre-school’s integrated approach. “Children with different abilities learn better when they learn together,” Allen says. “Everything comes from that basic idea.” One goal is to give children with autism a kickstart to education so they can better succeed in kindergarten where there will be less support available. The program is designed for children aged 30 months to six years. There are two-, three- or five-day programs available on weekdays. To find out more, visit soarpreschool.ca, email info@soarpreschool.ca or phone 604-704-5812. The PAFN hub is at 3688 Cessna Drive in Richmond. To find out more about its services and resources, go to pacificautismfamily.com.

Soar aspires to be a place of learning — and not just for children The Soar preschool isn’t just a place of learning for children. It’s also designed to provide insights to parents and other professionals. One wall of the new space is a two-way glass. On one side of the wall, children will see themselves reflected in a mirror. On the other side, people can watch their behaviour and interaction without being noticed. It’s an opportunity for parents to observe their child without the child getting distracted by their presence. It’s hoped other professionals, such as occupational therapists, teachers and postsecondary research students, will also spend some time there.

On the other side of this mirror, Katie Allen says there’s a rich learning environment for people who want to know more about autism. Photo: Dan Toulgoet

“For people in the field, it’s a good way to learn and train,” says behaviour analyst Katie Allen. “Our goal is to get professionals without much autism experience to come and observe and train.” Allen says current research “is fantastic when it comes to outcomes.” And she wants the work done at Soar to enhance those outcomes elsewhere. “If we can have successes, we want to inform policy in other grades. Once people have an openness to change, I think these strategies will be easily adopted.” fall 2017

Geneskool makes science real — and really fun Learn science by doing science

Martha Perkins

On the morning of her first day at Geneskool, if you had asked Evelyn Sun what she planned to study when she graduated from high school, her answer would have been simple. “I was thinking of going into business or computer programming because that’s what my dad did,” she says. However, when her father came to pick her up a few hours later, she climbed into the car and told him that she wanted to be a scientist. The Grade 9 student had studied science in school but the week-long science camp was her first exposure to what it was actually like to be a scientist. “I knew science through text books but not what science does,” she says. “It took me one day [at Geneskool] to realize this is what I wanted to do for my entire life... I owe my entire career to that one week.”

Evelyn Sun was destined for a career in business before she enrolled in an annual one-week summer camp called Geneskool. Now she’s working on her PhD in science and loving every minute of it. photo: Jennifer Gauthier

fall 2017

Today, she is a PhD candidate in UBC’s microbiology and immunology department. She started her research career as a botanist studying genetically modified orchids, but then switched to virology research on Type 2 diabetes. Her PhD thesis is looking into the infections that people with cystic fibrosis get.

She also teaches at the once-a-year Geneskool, which is run by Genome British Columbia. Many of the skills she teaches — and learned when she was a teenaged participant — are skills that she puts into daily practice. “Too often in science class we get the impression that we’ve already figured out everything,” says Dr. Scott Samson, president and CEO of Science World. With so many things still to discover, genomics is helping to change those misconceptions.

At Geneskool, high school students can “access technology and open their minds,” says Dr. Pascal Spothelfer, the president and CEO of Genome B.C. “We are engaging with the leaders of tomorrow to question, apply and drive technology.”

Genome B.C. says “a genome is an organism’s complete set of DNA— basically a blueprint for an organism’s structure and function.” Genomics aims to “decipher and understand” that genetic information; Geneskool is

LOOKING FOR A CAREER IN HEALTHCARE?

BECOME AN OPTICIAN ...in only 6-months!

Optical Dispensing is a high-growth industry with good pay and job security.

Or, even start your own business!

...starts September 11th, 2017 and November 20th, 2017 BC COLLEGE OF OPTICS #208 - 10070 King George Blvd., Surrey BC www.bccollegeofoptics.ca 604.581.0101

designed as a fun way to be part of that exploration. The program runs every August in North Vancouver and is geared to students who have completed Grade 9 science or higher. It’s often fully booked so you should register early. You can find out more at GenomeBC.ca. Search for Geneskool. Visit genomebc.ca/education/outreachprograms/summer-science-program.

the Electrical Joint training committee (ejtc)

Bringing the best in green skills and electrical trades training to British Columbia. The world is seeing a transformation in the way we use electrical energy, with technologies such as advanced building controls, electric vehicle charging equipment and solar photovoltaic systems becoming constantly more efficient and affordable. There is a challenge, though, in finding skilled people to install and maintain these complex systems. In response, British Columbia’s electrical industry is building and diversifying its technical training programs, centred on the Port Coquitlam-based Electrical Joint Training Committee “We’re a partnership of key organizations in the electrical industry,” says Andy Cleven, EJTC training director. “We’re governed by the Electrical Contractors Association of BC, B.C. marine employers, and by certified electricians through the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 213. Through these channels, we’re constantly updating our knowledge of technologies, tools and market needs.” The EJTC offers the best in technical training at the entry level, the electrical apprenticeship level and on a continuing basis for qualified electricians. Formal training takes place at the state-ofthe-art Green Skills Campus in Port Coquitlam and at allied colleges such as the B.C. Institute of Technology and Okanagan College. EJTC Instructor Farid Poursoltani and students in the Entry Level Trades Training program. 12

fall 2017

“Our training programs are a big asset to the industry,” says Graham Trafford, general manager at Mott Electric and

president of the EJTC. “The electrical trades offer a rewarding career, but they require special qualifications and skills. EJTC programs provide an intensive combination of theory and hands-on experience. We have a very high rate of success in training men and women to excel on the job.” Adam Van Steinburg is a Red Seal electrician, business manager at IBEW Local 213 and vice-president of the EJTC. “B.C.’s electrical grid is allimportant to our economy and our quality of life,” he says. “If we take a ‘do it yourself ’ approach to new electrical technologies, we’re putting maintenance workers, communities and the entire grid at risk. More and more, B.C. needs highly-trained people to build and maintain the new energy-efficient systems. The EJTC is in the forefront of providing those people.”

sponsored content

Bridging the private/public divide Cornelia Naylor

So close, yet so far apart. Byrne Creek Secondary and St. Thomas More Collegiate are only about five blocks away from each other in south Burnaby, but preconceived notions about public versus private schools, rich versus poor, religious versus secular, have kept some students feeling worlds apart. Until now.

of multicultural diversity. They were anticipating that it was going to be a very serious setting. They were expecting very distant relationships between students and teachers — that they wouldn’t have that amicable, easy-going connection, which is what we have at our school.” STM students had some preconceived ideas about their Byrne Creek counterparts too, according to teacher David Mattiazzo.

horizons, he said, and found the Byrne Creek kids more accepting than he expected. He also found out they have a lot in common when it comes to life goals, like post-secondary education.

He also got a chance to hear about some misconceptions Byrne Creek students had about his school. “They said they thought we wore ties all the time and carried Bibles around,” Juni said.

“When we got there, it was the opposite,” she said. And Byrne students got to dispel some misconceptions about their school, too.

This past spring, the schools arranged a student swap to find out how the other side lives — and learns.

“There was some hesitation,” he said. “A lot of our students have only gone to private or Catholic schools, so they had some uncertainty with going to a public school. Are they going to be welcomed? Is it going to be safe for them?”

It was an eye-opening experience, according to Byrne Creek leadership teacher Laida Falsetto.

Students at each school discussed expectations and preconceived ideas about the other school before the visit and debriefed together afterwards.

“They were expecting rich kids,” she said of her students’ expectations of STM. “They were expecting not a lot

STM Grade 12 Andrew Juni, who’s gone to private schools since kindergarten, signed up to broaden his

fall 2017

mark heartt, Dean of Trades and Apprenticeships, Northern Lights College

“We all wanted the same things,” he said.

That notion of STM being a serious, formal place was dispelled after the visit, says Falsetto.

St. Thomas More Collegiate students, mostly in hoodies, and their Byrne Creek Community School counterparts chat about similarities and differences between their two schools during a student exchange.

Learn the whole wind turbine industry, right through construction to transmission.

“A couple of them said they thought they were going to be terrified because they thought they were going to get in a fight because they’re outsiders or something like that,” Byrne Grade 11 student Jorry Luz said. Juni’s experience at the school showed him just how inaccurate that idea was, he said. “I was so ignorant,” he said. “I didn’t think public schools would be so accepting.” “The biggest takeaway that I took from this was that like we’re all pretty much the same,” Byrne Creek Grade 12 student Reece Avila said. “We’re all living in the same community. Public school or private school, we’re all teenagers in the end.”

northern lights college

The greener side of learning — powering up B.C. one student at a time

Ever wonder what spending a work day 83 metres up in the air feels like? Ask one of the first-rate students at Northern Lights College’s turbine school. As a program that pioneered renewable energy education in B.C., the Wind Turbine Maintenance Technician (WTMT) program continues to reduce the province’s ecological footprint. In fact, the program was even ahead of industry. When it launched in 2010, there were only 34 wind towers in the region. “Today,” says Mark Heartt, the Dean of Trades and Apprenticeship, “we have over 277 turbines.” To put that in perspective, one turbine produces about four megawatts per hour and one megawatt is one million watts. “Now compare that to your 100-watt light bulb at home,” Heartt says with a laugh. As one of only five turbine schools in the country, Northern Lights College

gives students the opportunity to “learn the whole industry, right through construction to transmission.” This is all done under an international certification that enables students to work around the world. Heartt, who’s also a Northern Lights College alumnus, says that it’s also an education that pays off – literally. The WTMT program gives students the ability to “earn as they learn,” as Heartt says. The students get technical training and real work experience in addition to traditional in-class education. “The other thing is,” he says, is that “tradespeople are very, very well paid.” With growing opportunities for wind in B.C. and limitless prospects in trades, Northern Lights College’s WTMT program may be what you were looking for. Just as long as you aren’t afraid of heights.

11401 8th street dawson creek, BC v1G 4G2 t 1 866 463 6652 w nlc.bc.ca fall 2017

Joel Spooner sells the sizzle on Granville Island where Groundswell students and alumni set up shop every Tuesday to sell and test their business model across a number of ventures. Photo: Dan Toulgoet

Ethical entrepreneurs The school has two intakes a year, comprised of roughly 15 students each. Courses last six months and students begin their studies by flushing out one, or many, ideas. They then work with industry professionals, alumni and others aligned with the principles of social enterprise to hone research and development ideas, budgetary demands and the marketplace for their ventures.

Roughly 100 grads have gone through the Groundswell program in four years. They’ve gone on to become personal trainers, artists, designers, chefs, nutritionists and art therapists. Qualizza said practically every graduate has launched their business with less than $5,000 in start-up capital. Tuition costs are roughly $3,000 for the sixmonth program.

The end goal is to create a business model with a “blended bottom line,” where environmental impacts and social values are as important as profit margins.

“We try to make it as low-risk as possible,” she said. “We don’t encourage them to take out big loans or anything like that. Instead we encourage them to stay connected to each other and their mentors and to share resources.”

“It’s pretty obvious we’re not this slick, profitoriented business school — no one wears a suit,” Qualizza said. “We spend a lot of time on personal development and we have a big focus on ethics.”

John Kurucz

Folks at the Groundswell business school want nothing to do with the traditional dog-eat-dog mantra often found in the corporate world. Instead, they’d rather help you take your dog for a walk and even help plan the route in advance. Established in 2013, Groundswell is part nonprofit society, part business school, focusing on social enterprise, sustainability and collaboration. The school recently began a four-month run on Vancouver’s Granville Island where students and alumni set up shop every Tuesday to sell and test their business model across a number of ventures: personal training, yoga, artisanal items, chefs and those in the clothing industry, among others.

They do so under a Groundswell guiding principle, an idea referred to as the collaborative economy. “The vendors are finding valuable connections with each other so that they can do more together than a person could do on their own,” said Groundswell’s managing director Paola Qualizza. “By being together and sharing resources, communicating and being more than the sum of our parts, we are able to do this and have more impact together.” Groundswell was established in 2013 by a pair of serial entrepreneurs who preferred ethical sensibilities over dollars and cents. The necessary start-up capital was provided by the Vancouver Foundation and Vancity, and both remain as funding partners today.

Groundswell Grads

fall 2017

ce e lle n

Grinding Gears Coffee Bike

uc i n ed

n at i o

Educate and engage through , a speciality publication reaching l o o educational institutions Genesk throughout BC. ing build r 2017 fa l l

Passion is Possible Network for Early Childhood Educators Ecocollective To Empower Urban Families

10 page

Intelligence in Nature Self-Sustaining Homes Divercity Games Interactive Gender-Diverse Community

you É rÉsupm age 7

Junco Slow Fashion and Collaborative Pop-Ups

s odd pJaogbe 14

’Bated Breath Engaging People to Communicate Wood Shop Mobile Workshops Farewick Food Providers Springtail Soil Regeneration The Valley Art Project in Chilliwack For a full list go to groundswellcommunity.Ca

e xc

Gauthier Jennifer photo:

Part non-profit, part business school takes collaborative approach to economics

For more info, see groundswellcommunity.ca/ marketplace.

Groundswell’s managing director Paola Qualizza: “By being together and sharing resources, communicating and being more than the sum of our parts, we are able to do this and have more impact together.” Photo: Dan Toulgoet

also

ab avail

t line a le on

ecia iersp .glac issuu

lt ypu

blish

ing

To advertise or receive a copy of , please contact Michelle Bhatti, Director of Advertising 604-630-3503 | mbhatti@vancourier.com

A good school focuses on creating a culture where students feel empowered to learn.

Beyond a rank What to look for when choosing a school

Martha Perkins

The Fraser Institute publishes an annual ranking of public and private schools in British Columbia. Are these rankings providing enough information to decide which school is the best for your child? Michael Simmonds doesn’t think so. His doctorate of education dissertation looked at the Fraser Institute’s measures and found them lacking. We’ve asked the former head of Island Pacific School on Bowen Island, and the current viceprincipal of school life, operations and student wellness at Havergal College in Toronto, to share his insights. “I don’t disagree with what the Fraser Institute is having parents look at, but they’re not necessarily the most important things to measure in a school,” he says. “A parent who chooses a school solely based on its ranking on the Fraser Institute rubric could be missing out on other schools that could be as good 20

fall 2017

A good school focuses on creating a culture where students feel empowered to learn.

“What does it feel like when you’re there? How are the teachers talking So what should a parent to the students and how look for and how do they are students talking to find it? teachers? Are there open doors to the classroom? “A good school focuses on michael simmonds Are you welcomed into a creating a culture where classroom or do you have students feel empowered to learn. You to be formally invited? When I walk want kids turned on by learning because down the halls here at Havergal College, of their passion for a subject, or they all the classroom doors are open, except have a good teacher, or they’re learning for the science class for safety reasons. things they have never thought of before. You can hear excellent teaching going on. Teaching is a really hard profession. You have to do two opposite things at once; “What you are looking for is how well do to be any good at teaching you have to the students collaborate with each other. meet the student where their ability is Are they resilient? Can they persevere and also create a space that challenges when things get tough or do they quit? them to move forward. That’s not easy.” Is there a relationship of trust between the staff and students? “Those things Simmonds suggests that parents visit the are immeasurable in a Fraser Institute school and walk down the halls when ranking but they matter in a school.” classes are in session. academically but a better fit culturally.”

The sky is never the limit Port Coquitlam high school science experiment tested by astronauts at International Space Station Martha Perkins

When Mission 11 blasted off for the International Space Station this spring, two Port Coquitlam high school students felt like they were tagging along for the ride.

Riverside secondary students Brenda Shen (left) and Alexa Durand’s science project was one of two in Canada accepted by the Student Spaceflight Experiment Program to be tested by astronauts at the space station this August. photo: Diane Strandberg

Alexa Durand and Brenda Shen’s science project was one of two in Canada accepted by the Student Spaceflight Experiment Program to be tested by astronauts at the space station. The two Grade 12 students learned that it’s possible to dream big. And that’s a lesson all schools can teach, says their principal at Riverside secondary school, Anthony Ciolfitto. “It starts with helping them understand they have a purpose,” he says. “If we validate them and give them the freedom, everything is possible. It doesn’t always work the way that we hoped but it’s often amazing what they can achieve. “It’s just giving them the freedom to explore, inquire and pursue their passion.”

segment on electricity, students are working with a school in the Dominican Republic to create new light sources in a village without electricity. The students talked with their Caribbean counterparts to learn about the environment and available natural resources and then the ideas started flowing.

Riverside secondary school’s science program often takes an innovative approach to learning. As part of a

For instance, perhaps it’s possible to attach a small generator to a goat so that every time the goat moves it will be

charging a battery that can be used to power a light source. Once the students design their prototype, they will print it out with the school’s 3D printer and figure out how to get the devices to the Dominican Republic. “They’ll learn about electricity but they’ll learn a whole lot more and make a difference in this world,” Ciolfitto says. With contributions from Diane Strandberg. fall 2017

Scholarship advice High school students should start their pursuit in Grade 10

Naoibh O’Connor

Information. Selection. Confirmation. These three words could be among the most important students learn before they start Grade 10. That’s if they want financial help paying for their postsecondary education. The words come courtesy of Gabriel Pillay. Pillay is currently the executive director of strategy and planning, and dean of students and registrar, at Corpus Christi and St. Mark’s colleges, but he was once a guidance counsellor and head of student services at Vancouver College. That’s where he came up with a three-step process to help students find scholarships. The keys, Pillay said, are don’t wait until it’s your Grade 12 year and be prepared to put time into the search. “When I talk to parents and students, I say consider this a part-time job. It means you have to put some effort into it. You have to do the search, but if you’re successful, it’s actually a very well paying part-time job,” he says. “There are so many different ways to fund one’s education and it’s not just the bank of mom and dad. It’s not just student loans. There are scholarships and bursaries and school-specific awards.” Pillay considers Grade 10 as students’ information year, Grade 11 as their selection year and Grade 12 as their confirmation year. In Grade 10, students should gather as much information as they can, look at what’s available and what’s possible. 22

fall 2017

They should think about what they might want to pursue academically, and how they need to prepare themselves for potential awards, while preparing themselves for admission into a postsecondary institution. This involves beginning to build a personal profile. Students should consider Grade 11 their selection year when they’re picking the right courses and starting to narrow down where they might want to go.

“You’re not setting anything in stone, but you’re really starting to develop that [plan] with the goal being in Grade 12 — this is your Grade 12 year — you should have some fun. [Grade 12] should be your confirmation year, the year that you’re really just confirming where you’re going. “ Personal profiles should include information such as extra-curricular activities, volunteer work and recognitions inside and outside of school, volunteer work inside and outside of school, and recognition students earned inside and outside of school. In the case of volunteer work, Pillay suggests commitment over time is more important than listing a lot of individual volunteer activities, when students write about their activities for applications, they should always consider what they learned from their experiences, rather than just listing them. Pillay suspects some students don’t apply for scholarships because the process seems daunting or they think someone else is better and will get them. He recalls a study that found 30 or 40 per cent of scholarships go unclaimed — not major ones that are highly sought after, but the middle and lower range ones. Keep in mind a wide breadth of scholarships are available from various schools and organizations

Starting to prepare as early as Grade 10 is important for students who want to get scholarships to help pay for college or university, according to educator Gabriel Pillay. Photo: Dan Toulgoet

35 nursing bursaries available

and they can vary significantly in amounts, he added. Think sports associations, banks, unions, organizations or workplaces parents are affiliated with, businesses, community groups or schools. Even Burger King offers one.

Whether you are just starting out on your nursing education path, or are a longtime nurse wanting to advance your education, the Registered Nurses Foundation of B.C. might be able to help.

“You can get small awards of a couple hundred dollars to national awards that would be considered major scholarships of $40,000,” Pillay said.

The foundation offers a total of 35 bursaries. Merit-based, the bursaries tend to range from $1,000 to $2,000. “The demand for nurses is rising,” the RNFBC says. “Currently, on any given day in B.C. there are at least 1,000 nursing vacancies. “With the aging of both the population and of nurses themselves, more new nurses will be needed to fill this gap as health care needs generally increase with age and as nurses reach retirement age.” The application deadline is in September of each year; the 2017 deadline is September 15. For more information, or to apply, go to RFNBC.ca

Applicants don’t always need to be A-students to be eligible, which is a common misconception, Pillay says. Many awards look at a variety of factors. Some look at a combination of grades, merit and service. “There are awards that have certain criteria that minimum averages do apply. So you are competing. But they’re really looking at that profile — the student as an individual, as to what they can contribute. They do take all of that into consideration once evaluating a students’ eligibility,” Pillay said. Students who are prepared will avoid last-minute pressure since some scholarship deadlines can be as early as the end of September of their Grade 12 year. Other deadlines might be rolling deadlines until the scholarships are filled. “If a deadline is as early as the fall of your Grade 12 year, then when have you had time to prepare for it?,” Pillay said. “Having that chance to look ahead, you can be using your summers or the year before to prepare for those awards.” But he doesn’t want to discourage students who haven’t being preparing for years. “I don’t want [parents/students] to think it’s too late, ever. Because you might not get one going in, but you might be eligible for something while in post-secondary,” he said. For more information regarding scholarship and financial assistance, check out these websites: scholarshipscanada.com, yconic.com, fastweb.com, canlearn.ca. fall 2017

Consider YOUR future in

Growth and opportunity exists in Northeastern British Columbia! 1-866-463-6652 â&#x20AC;˘ nlc.bc.ca

584/17.09.17-d

For more information, email: study@nlc.bc.ca