It’s a scientifically proven fact that learning an instrument actually makes people’s brain work better. It has something to do with the physicality of blowing and moving fingers, while reading notes and rhythms and playing musically all at the same time.

Band is probably the only course your child will ever take that requires them to be focused for the entire class and be striving for 100% all the time.

For more information please click here: http://westvancouverschools.ca/programs/elementary-band.

We encourage every student to be involved in the Westcot’s athletic program.

What sports can I play at Elementary School? Extra-curricular Sports in elementary school are inclusive – this means that if you show up for a team and follow expectations, you can play. Different sports are played at different times of the year and are available to different grades. Both cross country and track are available to a wider age group while basketball, volleyball and Ultimate Frisbee are primarily for Grade 7 Students.

Westcot School participates in the following district wide sports:

• September/ October:  Cross Country – Grades 3-7
• October / December:  Basketball – Grade 7
• January / February:  Volleyball – Grade 7
• April / May: Ultimate Frisbee – Grade  7
• May / June: Track and Field – Grades 4-7

Who are the coaches for our sports?

All coaches in public school, both elementary and secondary, are volunteers – this includes your teachers, parents or other community volunteers. A lot of time is committed to our sports teams including coordination of games, uniforms, transportation, practice times, game times, and tournaments . Our sport teams run on volunteer power and we are very fortunate to have such dedicated people who gladly give of their time. Always remember to thank your coaches.

The goal of all our coaches is to foster a lifelong enjoyment of sport by providing all interested students an opportunity to develop skills, fair play, and leadership in a cooperative and supportive environment.

How do I sign up?
If you want to play, you can come out to the practices and games or tournaments. There is no fee for participating. Watch for the notices of when the next sport or event is starting.

What is the role of the athlete?
All students are encouraged to participate in school sports. As an athlete it is important to be prepared and be personally accountable for your actions. Athletes should:

• Be prepared (uniform, proper attire, water bottle, nutritious breakfast lunch etc.)
• Attend all practices and games
• Be on time to practices and games (arriving and leaving)
• Know that it is a privilege to be on a sports team and that you are representing yourself, school and district
• Ensure behaviour and work habits in school come first and may impact involvement on a sports team
• Ensure respectful or appropriate behaviour during practices, games and transport.

What is the role of parents in elementary school sports?
Westcot parents are very welcome to help out with school sports. There are many ways to do this depending on the sport and the coach’s needs, including:

• Volunteering to coach or assistant in the coaching of a team
• Ensuring your athlete is on time for practices, games and tournaments
• Driving the team to games
• Managing uniforms
• Organizing thank you’s for coaches
• Modelling appropriate behaviour and support for the coach
• Respecting all players and all coaches and always as a spectator

At the school level, our Student Support Services team is made up of many individuals. The School Based Team (SBT) meets monthly to receive teacher referrals and may include the following individuals: the school Counsellor, the Learning Support teachers, English Language Learners teacher, Gifted Resource teacher, Speech and Language Pathologist, Pyschologist and Administrators. Student Support Services staff also may include a youth worker and special education teaching assistants. All of these individuals work in close collaboration with teachers to provide individualized services to our students.​