Crofton House School Newsletter

In British Columbia, most independent schools are funded through a grant from the BC Government. Depending on group designation, an independent school receives 35% or 50% of the local public district's per-student grant. Crofton House School is a group 2 school, qualifying for 35% of the per-student amount provided to fund the education of a student attending a Vancouver School District school. For CHS, the grant contributes 10% toward the School’s operating budget, informing the annual tuition fee.

The need for financial support for some students to fully participate in school is a province-wide issue recognized by the government. On Monday, August 29, 2022, the Ministry of Education and Child Care announced additional support for BC families through a Student and Family Affordability Fund. This fund aims to help school districts “expand school meal programs, make sure students have the school supplies they need and cover any additional fees so that students in need can participate in activities, such as field trips.” These funds are provided directly to school districts across the province to administer as most appropriate to the region.

As part of the Student and Family Affordability Fund, money has been made available to independent and public schools. The fund for all independent schools is being administered through the Federation of Independent Schools Association (FISA), a broad umbrella representing 307 independent schools, enrolling approximately 12% of all students in BC. FISA, like public districts, sets the model by which independent school funds are allocated, the prime goal of which is to uphold the intention of the fund - to ensure schools with the greatest need receive the greatest amount.

Recently, CHS was informed of the amount the School would receive and was not surprised to learn that it is very small. Considering the awarded amount and knowing there are many with more significant needs than our school, CHS and many of our local peer schools are declining the money. Collectively, the small amount each school would be given will make a significant difference in an area of the province where the need is greater.

I am grateful to so many community members - parents/guardians and alumnae - whose donations over the past five years have given the school the resources necessary to support members of our community through financial challenges independent of external sources. Financial assistance and the “all-in” tuition ensure all students can experience the full benefits of a CHS education, from having necessary school supplies, participating in community dining and co-curricular programs, and getting on a bus with other students for an off-campus excursion. These two factors maintain a level playing field for all CHS students, not only this year but for the years to come.

Earlier today, the school held its annual student-led Remembrance Day Assembly. First observed throughout the British Commonwealth in 1919 as Armistice Day, November 11 commemorates the agreement that ended the First World War on Monday, November 11, 1918, at 11:00 am. Today, Remembrance Day recognizes the courage and sacrifices of all those who have served their country and acknowledges our responsibility to continue to work for the peace these individuals fought to achieve. The assembly includes students from many grades offering their perspectives on this day and its continued relevance and importance. View a recording of the assembly and a photo gallery.

Thank you to all families who supported the CHS Parents’ Auxiliary Buddy Family program. To ensure the program continues to meet the needs of the community, your feedback is important. Please be sure to complete the survey sent by email on October 28. The deadline to complete this survey is today, November 4.

Current families whose financial circumstances have changed recently can apply for financial assistance. Applications, through Apple Financial Services, for the 2023-2024 school year are due Monday, November 28, 2022. The application fee will be waived for current Crofton House families. If you have any questions, please contact Karen Choi, Director, Finance.

Returning to school this year, all Senior School students received new laptops. The new devices and warranty will allow the School to extend the replacement cycle from three to five years, meaning students in Grade 8 will retain their device through graduation.

The community will see these changes reflected in the Responsible Use of Technology Agreement for 2023-2024. If you have questions about these details or the One-to-One program, contact Marc Bouvier, Director of IT (mbouvier@croftonhouse.ca).

Vidigami is now available for staff and parents to use for the 2022-2023 school year. Vidigami is a secure, password-protected photo sharing platform that allows staff and parents to upload, share and tag images of students. Parents should have received an email on Thursday, October 20, inviting them to set up their access.

Vidigami has created some very useful resources for getting users familiar with the platform. Check out the links below to get started:

If you have any questions about using the platform, or trouble accessing your account, please contact Euan McGhee, Specialist, Communications.

Volunteers Needed!

It's that exciting time of year where all families are invited to join in and help make the Winter Bazaar a wonderful success. Each and every parent is encouraged to support the effort by volunteering in some way at the Bazaar. There are many opportunities available to suit all interests. View the many exciting opportunities and sign up today!

Portrait Studio Waitlist

The Portrait Studio at the Bazaar is very popular and sold out quickly. However, there is an opportunity to add your name to a ‘notify me’ list if a space opens up. To do so, please follow this link and then select the time slots you would like to be considered for if a cancellation occurs.

Members of the Senior School Debate Club have been representing the School at the International Independent Schools' Public Speaking Competition in Deerfield, MA. Crofton House School was ranked 2nd best Canadian school at the tournament and made it to the finals of Debate, Interpretive Reading and Persuasive Speaking events. Congratulations to Michelle, Grade 11, Jenna, Grade 10 and Kelly, Grade 12 on their achievements. Jenna has also been selected to represent Canada at the World Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championships in South Africa in 2023.

The campus was full of spooky sights and creative costumes this week as the whole school celebrated Halloween. One highlight was the Senior School Stage Band, which put on a fantastic Halloween themed concert in the Lower Atrium to entertain the crowds. View the Junior School, Senior School and concert highlights on Vidigami.

School isn’t just about the friends in your grade, but the connections made between year groups. Grade 6 students visited the ECE Centre last week collaborating with their Junior and Senior Kindergarten buddies, sharing stories about favourite colours, pets and much more.

Fall is a beautiful time on campus, but we all know that the falling leaves can get messy. Thankfully we have some very enthusiastic Junior School students who are always keen to help out during their break time.

Music is everywhere, especially when Grade 6 students are busy in the Learning Commons. With help from some circuit boards and their iPads, students were able to turn practically anything they could find into a musical instrument - Play-Doh, fruit and even each other!

Congratulations to the Grade 8 students who have been elected to leadership positions by their peers. The winning candidates were announced at a recent assembly and will join the Student Council, House Council and Athletic Council to represent their grade.

The Senior School gym was overflowing with school spirit as the Grade 8 students performed dance routines for their peers at the Housewarming assembly.

The names might have been ghoulish (mummy cakes and jack-o-pies) but the smells from the Food Lab were devilishly delicious as Grade 9 students created Halloween-themed treats.

In Spanish class, Grade 11 students learned about El Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), a traditional Mexican celebration, complete with traditional treats including Pan de Muerto (bread of the dead). As their teacher Ms Valdiri explained, “This particular bread is an integral part of the Day of the Dead celebration, since it is a gift to the spirits of departed loved ones. For some, the bread's cross-like pattern represents Catholicism, while for others it is a compass that guides the souls back home.”

For their first Ivy Day of the year, the Grade 12 students explored the history, current challenges, and the resilience of the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver (DTES) with Ellen Woodsworth of Women Transforming Cities. A well known face of the women’s liberation movement in the 1970s in Canada, Ellen is a 2SLGBTQIA activist, a champion of housing rights, seniors rights, and the rights of Indigenous, racialized, and other marginalized women in the Downtown Eastside.

A favourite Halloween tradition returned to the Senior School this year with drama students crafting and curating a Haunted Hotel Experience. Spine-tingling special effects, ghoulish guides and jumpscares aplenty guaranteed an unforgettable experience for anyone brave enough to enter.

Congratulations to the Grade 7A Volleyball team for their victory in the ISEA Volleyball Championships last week. Despite a tough opening match, the team grew in confidence through their remaining games before claiming a decisive win over the Southridge Storm in the final. View the highlights on Vidigami.

Junior School Term 1 Athletics programs (Volleyball, Field Hockey and Cross Country) celebrated with a wrap-up party this week in Manrell Hall. Awards were handed out for most improved, most committed and Falcon spirit across the various sports and teams, coupled with hot chocolate, cinnamon buns and a highlights video of the season. A huge thank you to all of the staff who have supported the students this term. View the highlights on Vidigami .

Volleyball – Over the weekend, the Bantam Volleyball team won gold in the ISA Championships at West Point Grey Academy while the Junior Volleyball team won silver at the RE Mountain Tournament in Langley. This week also saw emotional scenes in the CHS Athletics Centre as the Varsity Volleyball team hosted York House. The final home game of the season for Grade 12 students was marked by a decisive 3-0 victory followed by a heartfelt sendoff by their younger teammates.

Cross Country – Junior and Senior teams competed in the Zone Qualifiers at Jericho Beach last week, with many students recording personal best times in great running conditions. Two students also made the top 10 of their respective races (Nicole, Grade 10 and Lily, Grade 11), securing their places in the BC Cross Country Provincial Championships in Victoria this weekend.

Field Hockey – The Senior II Field Hockey team secured bronze in their Zone Playoffs against Little Flower Academy this week in a tense penalty shootout. Meanwhile, the Varsity Field Hockey team is in Victoria this week competing in the Provincial Championships. Having topped their pool after the opening matches, they are hoping to perform well in the upcoming knockout games.

To view this email online, please click here If you no longer wish to receive communications from Crofton House, please unsubscribe .

To view this email online, please click here

If you no longer wish to receive communications from Crofton House, please unsubscribe .