It is with deep gratitude and respect that Collingwood Neighbourhood School (CNS) is honoured to be learning and unlearning on the ancestral and unceded lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) & səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation).. CNS is close to Joyce Skytrain Station, a major transit hub. The neighbourhood is a growing, bustling mixture of new commercial development and tower housing located alongside long-time businesses and single-family homes. The stores and restaurants are diverse in their offerings and showcase the neighbourhood’s different cultures. The school makes use of Gaston Park for outside playtimes.

CNS is a Kindergarten to Grade Three school that is an annex to Graham Bruce Elementary School, where most of our students attend for the remainder of their elementary years. Currently, there are 156 students in nine divisions and 23 staff members. The district TEIR (Targeted Early Intervention Resource) program is also part of our school. TEIR provides targeted reading instruction to students in Grade Two who have been identified with a significant delay in acquiring literacy skills. Like our neighbouring schools, CNS is part of the Windermere Family of Schools.

Physically connected to Collingwood Neighbourhood House Community Centre, CNS is very much a community hub. We host a very popular Strong Start Program which also runs an I-PALS (Parents as Literacy Supporters in Immigrant Communities) program for 3-5 year old children and their parents who have permanent residency or refugee status. As many of these students attend Kindergarten at CNS, the two teams work very closely throughout the kindergarten transition. Additionally, CNS is home to an Out of School Care Program whose staff are always willing to collaborate with the school. CNS also has a strong relationship with our local Vancouver Public Library and Public Health Nurse. Relationships and belonging are central to our work at CNS and reflect the First Peoples’ Principles of Learning that “learning is not an individual act but happens in relationship with people, materials and place.”

CNS has a long-standing tradition of daily runs around Gaston Park. Rain or shine, this fifteen minute exercise time involves all grades 1-3 classes and contributes to our students’ sense of belonging and to their physical and mental well-being. Because of this program, we have many strong runners, many of whom join our Cross-Country running team.

The school garden, enclosed in our back courtyard, is a place for teaching, gathering, eating, playing and learning to be together in community. In our 6 raised garden beds are indigenous plants, a mud kitchen, and edible plants and herbs.

Recently, CNS has re-committed to a school-wide Music program which introduces all students to the fundamentals of Music including rhythm, beat, movement, song and simple instruments. There has also been a commitment to decolonize the school experience through song choice and including student voice.

Student achievement is seen as an opportunity for belonging and celebration. Each Spring all classes engage in an Applied Design Skills and Technology (ADST) project which culminates in a school-wide activity.

Our PAC is a group of parents who meet regularly at the beginning of each month. Recently, the PAC has supported school-wide initiatives including Gymnastics, Bollywood, Hip Hop, School-wide field studies as well as improvements to our school garden. This commitment to providing opportunities for all students works towards our common goals of equity and belonging for all students.