At Bowen Island Community School, we offer elementary school education for students from Kindergarten through to Grade 7.

Please see the attached PDF: BICS Indigenous Education School Plan 2023-2024

The unique natural setting of Bowen Island lends itself to in depth environmental learning experiences. Our school and community work together closely in the areas of conservation and stewardship.

Under the direction of Cindy Fairbank, the BICS Music program provides music classes to all students in grades K-7.

Registration for Intermediate Band is available to all students in grades 6 and 7. We are committed to providing quality Band instruction across the School District and will continue to follow the provincial health guidelines moving forward into the 2021/21 school year. Band registration is now open, please go to http://westvancouverschools.ca/programs/elementary-band to register now! Detailed information about the 2021/22 BICS Intermediate Band can be found here: Band Recruitment Letter Spring 2021

BICS participates in Cross Country, Basketball, Volleyball, Ultimate Frisbee and Track & Field.

The Bowen Island Children’s Centre runs an After School Day Care program for children in Kindergarten through Grade 6 and is located at BICS. The program is open weekday afternoons when school is in session and all elementary school age children are accepted, whether or not they attend BICS. Please contact the Bowen Island Children’s Centre for more information at (604) 947 – 9626.

As a designated community school, there are many ways that the school and community work in partnership to support the needs of the community. Community learning and development as well as advocacy play a key role in the work of the Community School Coordinator (CSC). Special Programs and opportunities at BICS are regularly developed independently, and in partnership by the CSC to address current interests, identified needs and to respond to literacy needs. These programs are offered at no cost to BICS students, usually during school time, and often have community participation. These programs are primarily or partially overseen by the CSC in partnership with BICS staff and through community partnerships. Special programs and activities are generally funded by grants and fundraising provided by the CSC, or are fiscally overseen by the CSC. Programs provide educational and cultural enrichment, community connections and integrate the community into the school and the school into the community.

This after school program is open to all Bowen Island students. Students may read, research or work on any type of homework project with peer-based support. This is not a tutoring service but there is always help available from the Learning Lounge facilitator. A free snack is also provided. The Learning Lounge runs two afternoons a week (Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:00 – 5:00 pm) in the BICS Learning Commons Library. Parents are informed of when the Learning Lounge starts and ends for the year through the school’s weekly emails. There is no cost as it is financially supported by a number of community partners.

Educational needs of individual students are addressed through a variety of programs. In addition to active, meaningful classroom learning experiences, we offer support from an expert staff of professionals at the school and district level. Our School-Based Team (SBT) consisting of the Principal, Learning Support Teachers, Gifted Resource Teacher, School Counsellor, District Speech and Language Pathologist and District Educational Psychologist, consult with teachers on a regular basis to help develop strategies and provide additional resources to students who have identified needs to support their cognitive and social and emotional development. Parents are notified when teachers make a referral to the SBT and are contacted after the SBT meeting with their recommendations. Parental consent is required for any formal assessments and/or pull-out support.

Thanks to the generous support of our PAC and the generous award from Staples (Canada), BICS has over 80 mobile technology devices available to students. In addition, all intermediate classrooms have wireless projectors in their classrooms that facilitate the effective integration of technology into the learning process. Students in grade six and seven are encouraged to bring in their own digital device.

We envision a school where teachers leverage the power of technology in their classrooms to support the development of literacy, math and critical thinking skills. In developing these skills, students will acquire new skills such as media and technological literacy so that they can learn how to use technology ethically and efficiently.”