Around the district is a monthly update that includes a collection of stories from Richmond schools. These stories highlight Richmond's vibrant learning community which fosters student engagement, creativity, and well-being in inclusive learning environments.
Remembrance Day
In honor of Remembrance Day, schools throughout the district hosted celebrations and learning activities to commemorate this significant day. Our schools held special assemblies and found ways to recognize all those who have served. Students made collaborative art displays, performed music, reflected on the contributions and sacrifices of Indigenous Veterans, and listened to veterans’ sharing of their thoughts and experiences.
Coding Explorations at Blundell Elementary
Students at Blundell Elementary were encouraged to explore digital learning by using bee-bot coding kits offered by the District Resource Centre. Bee-Bots are classroom robots that help kids engage with STEM. They are bee-shaped robots with controls to move forward/backward and turn left/right.
Some students chose to make a maze for their bee-bots, while others decided to create movement codes to mimic the dances of honeybees. Students found that they needed to revise and re-test their bee-bots to achieve their final goals. This activity provided many entry points for students and the opportunity to communicate and collaborate with their peers.
Student Collaborative Art at Tomsett Elementary
Students at Tomsett Elementary completed a lovely collaborative art piece of Vincent Van Gogh’s “Sunflowers”. Students used their observation skills to recognize the numerous details in the famous painting - including the subject and the mood. They then worked collaboratively with pastels to make their very own sunflower mural.
Robotics Club at Burnett Secondary
Breaker Robotics at Burnett Secondary is a student-run robotics club that will be competing in the 2023 Robotics Competition. The competition will help expand their knowledge of engineering, construction, problem solving, communications, media management, fundraising, finance and more. The team recently attended a tour at KPU’s Wilson School of Design to learn more about engineering. Through this insightful experience, new ideas were generated, and new connections were built. The team is also dedicating their time to welcoming and training junior members for the upcoming season of competition.
French learning at Dixon Elementary
French Immersion students at Dixon Elementary are working on building their French vocabulary and oral language skills. They have been busy creating and telling stories based on the characters found in a Foxy and Friends novel. They have worked hard to develop narratives through writing, and they have focused on using French sounds to label the objects in their drawings. The students are doing a great job exploring the French language to develop many creative stories.
Inequity and Social Justice Learning at McNeely
Intermediate classes at McNeely have been exploring big ideas of inequity and social justice by taking part in this year's Global Read Aloud day. Students have been deeply engaged with the book Thirst by Varsha Bajaj, and they are looking forward to being together for the upcoming book celebration in the Library Learning Commons. Throughout the school year, they will have many more opportunities to engage with these themes as the schools’ Library Learning Commons will be further exploring equity, diversity, identity and belonging through.
Personal Learning Time
Personal learning time provides students a great opportunity to reflect and set goals for their learning, develop core competencies, apply their organizational skills and develop their independence. At Cambie Secondary, students are receiving academic support, catching up on missed work, collaborating with peers for group projects, connecting with friends, being physically active, creating in studios and working on their Capstone Projects. 
Gardening Project at Grauer Elementary
Students in the blended learning program at Grauer Elementary have chosen their own seeds to grow in the class aeroponic garden tower. Over the coming weeks students will observe their seeds and learn about plant reproduction, leaf design diversity, where green food comes from, and sustainability. The young gardeners are looking forward to the harvesting. Some students would like to enjoy the fruits of their labour while others have asked to donate the produce to others such as the food bank.
