School Story in Action 2023-2024 

June 27, 2024 

This is our final School Story post for the 2023/24 school year. We would like to thank you for engaging with the students learning each week. Our goal continues to be to build connections between the students’ voice, their leaning and the Steves Community. 

Our community has let us know they value a safe and inclusive environment where they can see themselves and be themselves regardless of ethnicity, nationality, language, abilities, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, and religious and spiritual beliefs.  

In scanning our staff and students we recognize that we needed a common lens to communicate clearly amongst all staff, with family, and community. This affects both student understanding, behaviour and school decisions and input. With this lens, we hope to be able to explain why we do what we do, what excites us and what is not working. We also recognized the need to ensure that we were hearing and creating space for all voices. This includes voices who may not always be heard at first and those voices that are often marginalized. 

At our Professional Development Day in May, staff spent time working with the Power of Privilege Wheel, we analyzed the data we collected about what is important to our school community to write the following lens. 

Steves is a safe learning community where we strive to: 

• create a sense of belonging 

• see ourselves 

• work together 

• build connections to the land and our community 

• respond to change 

Since this time, we have used this lens to make decisions and double check our work around a variety of activities including track, graduation celebrations, our school calendar, and Fun Day. 

We are excited to continue to use this lens in the 2024/25 school year.  

 

 

June 21, 2024 

Rainbow Ukeleles began as part of rainbow club.  It is a place where all are welcome. Students of all ages and skill levels can immerse themselves in fun music making, however that might look for them. Students build confidence and autonomy, allowing them to teach others.  It has become an inclusive jam session at outdoor times such as recess and Fun Day. This also makes room for friendship making and community connections. Initiatives like this are driven by staff and student interest, in this case, spearheaded by an Educational Assistant (EA).  

 

This links to our School Story focus in the following way:   

Learning is holistic, reflexive, reflective, experiential, and relational. 

(First Peoples Principals of Learning) 

 

 

 

 

June 14, 2024 

We would like to share our experience learning with local, place-based artist Aaron Schallie. He is currently working on a project with Salish Sea animals. To share his artistic process, Aaron first went for a walk with Cohort one. He shared his artistic thinking-how we think as artists and the relationship with other disciplines like science and math. A student asked, “how do you remember so much information?” His response was when you spend time with something, you will understand and know it. He talked about art as communication, not the perfectness of a piece.  

 

This links to our School Story focus in the following way:   

Learning involves patience and time. 

(First Peoples Principals of Learning) 

 

 

 

June 7, 2024 

 

We would like to focus on Universal Design for Learning (UDL). UDL designs learning opportunities that are accessible for all students. A metaphor to explain would be the following: we design a staircase for everyone to go up not just those who can walk.  

 

The lessons are not based on grades but the needs of students. Lessons are provided in small groups. Based on interest, students choose purposeful work and there are different things going on in the c lass with a working hum. Students experience independence through purposeful choice making which teaches them freedom with responsibility. 

 

 

This links to our School Story focus in the following way:   

Learning requires exploration of one’s identity. 

(First Peoples Principals of Learning) 

 

May 31, 2024 

We want to celebrate our first ever Steves Track Day. Our community joined together as active participants in a variety of run, jump and throw challenges. We noticed students were able to select a self-competitive or healthy peer competitive option at different events. Students enjoyed learning new names of parents in our community as they encouraged and supported each activity. Students have responded by requesting activities to be continued in their classroom, representing a desire for Lifelong Sports. 

This links to our School Story focus in the following way:   

Learning is holistic, reflexive, reflective, experiential, and relational. 

(First Peoples Principals of Learning) 

 

May 24, 2024 

This week we would like to highlight the Yarn Club. The Yarn Club is a safe place for students to share interests, to learn and to lead. Two years ago, the club began collaborating on a Progressive Pride Flag. This project has been touched by many staff members and students, both current and previous members of our community. The current members continue to work towards its completion and are brainstorming ways to display this ongoing project.  As well as collaborating, the students look forward to teaching each other how to knit and crochet, building experiences as leaders and learners.  

 

This links to our School Story focus in the following way:   

Learning is holistic, reflexive, reflective, experiential, and relational. 

(First Peoples Principals of Learning) 

 

 

May 10, 2024 

As you enter the Library Learning Commons, you will pass by a display of books staff favourites to borrow. Students have been excited to share common or new interests with adults that they may not regularly interact with on a daily basis. We are building community connections through the joy of reading.  

 

This links to our School Story focus in the following way:   

Learning is holistic, reflexive, reflective, experiential and relational (focused on connectedness, on reciprocal relationships, and a sense of place).   

(First Peoples Principals of Learning) 

 

 

May 2, 2024 

As part of physical and health education, many students have participating in ongoing track and field activities. This is one way to learn movement skills in different environments as well as to develop a sense of fair play, and leadership.  Our theme this year is “Lifelong sports for everyone”.  Students can make connections with other staff during lunchtime practices. We are building up to a track and field event for the whole school at Steves on May 24th.  Students will have the opportunity to run, jump, and throw.  When designing the track season, our goals are:  to expose students to new activities, to support students in exploring what they enjoy, to develop new skills, to be inclusive of all students (age, ability, gender, and skills).   

 

This links to our School Story focus in the following way:   

Learning involves patience and time. 

(First Peoples Principals of Learning) 

 

April 26, 2024 

 

As we recognized Earth Day on Monday, April 22, this week we would like to focus on the Steves Green Team. The Steves Green Team acts upon initiatives that help our earth all year long. Schools biggest use of energy is heating. Three days this year we challenged students to wear sweaters instead of turning up the heat. We also encouraged students to close the outside doors as quickly as possible to keep heat inside. 

  

Reducing the amount of recyclable material that goes into our school garbage is another major initiative. Simply by removing flexible plastics and from our garbage, we keep three to four huge bags from going to the landfill EVERY WEEK! Keeping the size of the landfill smaller is important because landfills create gases that are poisonous for us to breathe and leaches pollutants into our waterways. 

  

Students also think of their own initiatives and learn more about the bad effects of cars idling and collecting markers from each classroom to be recycled. 

  

Gardening is also a part of being green: by growing and taking care of plants, students come to understand the cycle of life and our precarious position as part of this cycle. 

This links to our School Story focus in the following way:   

Learning involves recognizing the consequences of one‘s actions. 

(First Peoples Principals of Learning) 

 

 

 

 

April 19, 2024 

We would like to continue to share our collaborative work in our Library Learning Commons (LLC). Division 11 has focused on the First People’s principle that learning requires the exploration of one's identity.  

As part of our school story and part of the JEDI inquiry grant, we have a focus on identifying personal strengths and abilities. Our goal is to encourage students to identify and acknowledge their strengths and abilities, and to activate students’ voices.  

Students had the opportunity to think about and to say who they are to the world around them. Students selected one word, creating an image and then a symbol to represent one part of their identity. Using the Spiral of Inquiry framework, students returned to their Identity Maps multiple times to reflect on, add or change their words. 

 

This links to our School Story focus in the following way:   

Learning requires exploration of one‘s identity. 

(First Peoples Principals of Learning) 

 

 

 

 

 

April 12, 2024 

We would to highlight our collaborative work in our Library Learning Commons (LLC).  Our goal was to meaningfully incorporate technology. Students used new technologies (Apple pencils, Sketchbook app, Silhouette machine, and the embroidery machine) in the LLC to communicate cross-curricular learning in a variety of ways. Our hope is that some marginalized voices are able to share their thinking using different forms of technology. 

Some classes have taken our learning outdoors to the estuary near our school.  Cohort 1 decided to use that sense of place to imagine characters that would help to explain part of the learning.  Students spent some time sketching and designing items found in the wild, which were then embroidered.   

We then had them take their creations and reimagine them as shadow puppets, which we planned to use in green screen.  

 

This links to our School Story focus in the following way:   

Learning is holistic, reflexive, reflective, experiential and relational (focused on connectedness, on reciprocal relationships, and a sense of place).   

 

 

 

 

 

April 5, 2024 

Division 8 and 10 would like to share their collaborative, multi-media art project, connecting their understanding of the salmon life cycle with indigenous art. The art is based on Bill Ried’s Haida Sockeye Salmon and used with permission. Students learned the importance of local first nations culture and the connections to the life cycle of the salmon. Through story and the art, students explored indigenous art forms, such as shapes and textures to represent salmon and the river environment.  

 

This links to our School Story focus in the following way:   

Learning ultimately supports the well-being of the self, the family, the community, the land, the spirits, and the ancestors. 

Learning is embedded in memory, history, and story. 

(First Peoples Principles of Learning) 

 

 

 

 

March 14, 2024 

 

Cohort 1 has been thinking about what is important to them and how they find these values in books they enjoy or find meaningful. Students have shared these connections as book recommendations, displayed in the library for our community to see and engage with. This helps build relationships and connections with others, across grades, programs and ages. Seeing their recommendations posted also allows them to experience their voices being valued, represented, and heard in an authentic way. 

  

This links to our School Story focus in the following way:   

Learning requires exploration of one‘s identity. 

(First Peoples Principles of Learning) 

 

 

March 8, 2024 

 

Many parts of our curriculum explore indigenous teaching and learning styles. It is often a time to learn from elders, recognizing that there is a place or certain situation for types of learning. All students had the opportunity to learn culture through dance when Métis artists, V’ni Dansi, visited. As well as learning about an indigenous culture, Métis is connected in Core French curriculum. We want to continue to recognize that indigenous cultures, while they were here before colonization, are also current, innovative and active today. 

  

This links to our School Story focus in the following way:   

Learning is experiential and relational. 

Learning recognizes the role of Indigenous knowledge. 

(First Peoples Principles of Learning) 

 

 

February 28, 2024 

This week, Divisions 8, 10 and 11 went on a field trip to the local Gulf of Georgia Cannery. While visiting a local museum, students were able to make connections between the Salmonids in the Classroom project and some local connections to community and industries. As part of our local place and community’s history and story, it allows us to make further connects to the life cycle of the salmon. 

This links to our School Story focus in the following way: 

Learning is embedded in memory, history, and story. 

(First Peoples Principles of Learning) 

 

February 23, 2024 

 

February is Black History Month which addresses systemic issues, such as racism, while also helping us learn from the past, the qualities of leaders, and the positive cultural impact of leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK Jr.). These leaders have a positive influence in our lives and for future generations. Division 7 shared their dreams and goals for the world for something beyond their self, inspired my MLK Jr.’s speech, “I Have a Dream.” 

 

Some examples of student dreams include gender equality in sports, animal rights, caring for the environment, racial equality, ending world hunger, and addressing homelessness.  

 

This links to our School Story focus in the following way:  

Learning is embedded in memory, history, and story. 

(First Peoples Principles of Learning) 

 

As learning is ongoing, we thought we would remind you of some of last year's work around the same theme.  

 

February 10, 2023  

Since February is Black History Month, it is a good time to begin conversations around prominent black figures and the importance of inclusion and representation. This week, we would like to showcase Division 7’s learning about Viola Desmond, a Canadian changemaker whose story demonstrates the importance of speaking out to make spaces safer for all. 

 

This links to our School Story focus in the following way: 

Recognizing personal values and choices - "Students define who they are by what they value. They understand how what they value has been influenced by their life experiences. They identify how their values help to shape their choices, in all contexts of their lives." 

 

February 16, 2024:   

We would like to highlight our basketball team. All grade 6 and 7’s are invited to participate, to explore team activities and exposure to the sport. The team is structured with the purpose of building unity between the Montessori and neighbourhood programs in a safe and welcoming place for all abilities and genders.  

 

This links to our School Story focus in the following way: 

 

• Learning is holistic, experiential, and relational (focused on connectedness, on reciprocal relationships, and a sense of place). 

(First Peoples Principles of Learning) 

February 2, 2024 

We would like to highlight Division 11’s participation in the Salmonids in the Classroom project. Through Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 55 eyed eggs (coho) arrived at the school in December. It allows us to see up-close the life cycle that is part of our local place and community’s history and story. This activity has helped us build connections within our school community as other students have come to visit and learn. 

This links to our School Story focus in the following way: 

 

Learning is holistic, reflexive, reflective, experiential, and relational (focused on connectedness, on reciprocal relationships, and a sense of place). 

Learning is embedded in memory, history, and story. 

(First Peoples Principles of Learning) 

 

 

January 25, 2024  

 

We would like to explore the main concepts of the Montessori philosophy and First Peoples Principles.  Montessori classrooms base their learning on the five Great Stories (stories focused on who we are and where we came from). One of the big ideas is all humans have needs (spiritual and material which are linked through communication).  By understanding yourself, your needs and then expanding out to the needs of the greater community, Montessori students understand how everything, and everyone, is linked which then leads to creative cooperation and understanding that everyone has a part to play in sustaining a healthy community.  Outdoor walks expand that sense of community and realization that we are stewards of the land and places around us. The ultimate goal of Montessori education is to foster the ability to find creative and peaceful problem-solving skills in students. There are now three peace tables throughout Steves school to allow students to listen to each other’s perspectives and arrive at a non-violent resolution.  More information can be found at the Montessori-ami.org website with the keywords Montessori and peace education.   

 

This links to our School Story focus in the following way: 

Learning is holistic, reflexive, reflective, experiential, and relational (focused on connectedness, on reciprocal relationships, and a sense of place). 

(First Peoples Principles of Learning)