December 20 

This week we would like to highlight the work of our student engineers in Division 10. They were challenged by the City of Richmond planning department to talk about population density and how it is affecting local infrastructures. Together students designed, built and created gingerbread houses and the infrastructure to reflect population growth. The city inspectors came to observe and check their work for details. Inspectors brought their air leakage test equipment to make sure the students were compliant to the Energy Codes and their measuring tapes to ensure they accurately reflected the approved plans.  The  Richmond News also did a news article.   

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

Steves is a safe learning community where we strive to ( (Steves School Lens):  

• create a sense of belonging 

• see ourselves 

• work together 

• build connections to the land and our community 

• respond to change 

January 17 

This week we would like to highlight ongoing work exploring identity and our names as part of creating belonging in the school Steves community. Division 11 brainstormed their words, words they chose to describe themselves. These words included pronouns, likes, talents and skills. This led to a collaborative project in the Library Learning Commons, where students created a symbol based on one of their words. The symbol was changed into a vinyl sticker using the iPads and a Silhouette machine as technology tools.  

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

Steves is a safe learning community where we strive to create a sense of belonging (Steves School Lens). 

January 23 

This week we would like to share our wheelchair basketball community experience.  Grade 2 to 7 students had the opportunity to learn a new sport from the BC Wheelchair Society. The BC Wheelchair Society has the following mission statement: To provide experiences that inspire inclusion, participation and excellence through wheelchair basketball.  

Student Voice and Reflections 

“Wheelchair basketball is very good because it’s different and now I know what it feels like to be in a chair” 

“It is very fun because everyone is even in our ability since it’s our first time” 

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

Steves is a safe learning community where we strive to:  

• create a sense of belonging 

• see ourselves 

(Steves School Lens) 

January 31

This week students had the opportunity to participate in a school-wide drumming event with The Uzume Taiko Drumming Ensemble.  

The focus was on the following: 

“Students experience the respect and cooperation of group taiko drumming and develop listening and communication skills through the group process.”  

The Uzume Taiko Drumming Ensemble. 

“It was good today because I have a drum too!”  

“I liked hitting the drum because it makes noise. The noise is good because it sounded like the drums were singing a song.” 

“I liked the drums because it sounds beautiful. I liked the hitting part because it sounds like the seagulls saying a song. They were talking.” 

 

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

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  

(Steves School Lens) 

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February 7 

January 26th to February 1st was Family Literacy Week. Families and the school community were encouraged to spend some time together with books to raise awareness of the importance of reading and to engage in other literacy related activities. Students could also participate in a photo contest and bookmark contest. Students ended the week with Flashlight Friday - reading in their classrooms. 

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

 

Steves is a safe learning community where we strive to:  

 build connections to our community

February 13 

Steves is redeveloping our school identity. Part of this process was coming up with a new name for the community. We said good-bye to the Steves Cyclones and are now the Steves Coyotes. This has been a collaborative process with a decision made through consensus. Last week we got together as a community to build our own coyote stories. We recognize we are inspired by indigenous understandings of the land, place, and relationships. We also want to recognize that we are building our own story and meaning of the coyote. 

Student Voice and Stories 

“We made a coyote pack.” 

“A bear and a coyote are trying to cross the river.” 

“There are three coyotes but no food anymore.  One has a crabapple tree but refuses to share.  Squirrel came, climbed a tree and stole the food to let them know it’s not theirs to keep.  They need to share.” 

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

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  

(Steves School Lens) 

February 28 

Last week, Steves had their second Book Fair of the year.  The Book Fair is run by students and staff volunteers as a way to promote literacy and to support our school library. This community event also saw students participating in daily book and literacy trivia. Thank you to the community for all of your support.  

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

Steves is a safe learning community where we strive to:   work together

March 7 

Last week the Steves Community recognized Pink Shirt Day. Pink Shirt Day originated in Nova Scotia. Students acted when they heard homophobic language used towards a classmate wearing a pink shirt.  Our focus was also taking action- looking at what gifts we each can bring to our community when thinking about empathy, understanding and kindness. As we continue to explore identity, it is important for all members of our community to feel safe as true versions of themselves and comfortable to be who they are. It is equally important to see themselves as contributing to that goal. Students shared their ideas on hands which are currently linked down the hallways of the school.  

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

• Steves is a safe learning community where we strive to:  

• create a sense of belonging 

• work together 

(Steves School Lens) 

March 14

February is Black History month. Division 9 used their yearlong project focusing on identity (connecting to our school study on who we are and our names) as a starting point to talk about race. Race is an important part of who we are and our identity.   

Division 9 explored Black History Month through read alouds, art projects, discussions, and a research poster project. Using credible websites such as CBC Kids and National Geographic Kids, the students researched important black figures in Canadian (and American) history. They practiced peaceful collaboration during the research process by taking turns and listening deeply to each other's ideas. The students then collected important facts, created portraits, wrote titles, and placed the poster elements in a clear and aesthetically pleasing manner. After their collaborative work, the students practiced the public speaking skills of reading their poster projects fluently and facing their audience while presenting. The class eventually shared their projects with Division 7 after lots of practice!    

The class decided to dive deeper and learn more about one of these influential historical figures, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and created their own Basquiat inspired portraits. 

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

• Steves is a safe learning community where we strive to:  

• create a sense of belonging 

• work together 

(Steves School Lens)