Phillip Paulson Scholarship

The Phillip Scholarship is an $1000 award aimed at providing financial support to a Vancouver School Board (VSB) student in his/her pursuit of post-secondary education leading to a university degree.

This scholarship will be awarded to a student who demonstrates compassion, a dedication to serving others, a commitment to the betterment of individuals or the greater society. Examples of such activities include (but not restricted to): citizenship activities, service to others through volunteer work in the school and beyond, and personal achievements focused on supporting others.

Completed applications must be sent through VSB's internal school mail to:
Phillip Paulson Scholarship Committee
c/o VSB Professional and Administrative Staff Association
VSB Maintenance & construction
1549 Clark Drive
Vancouver, B.C. V5L 3L4
Attention: Doug McClary

Application must be received by Wednesday, April 21, 2010.

Application forms and further details can be obtained form my office, or you can contact Doug McClary by phone at 604-713-5640, or by e-mail at dmcclary@vsb.bc.ca

Sister School Switch 2010

The Vancouver District Student Council (VDSC) will be sponsoring the annual Sister School Switch program in April once again. This program focuses on bringing together students from each sister school pair in a student shadow/school exchange activity.

This year's program will send 8 students (4 in grades 11 and 12; 4 in grades 9 and 10) to Magee Secondary (above left). Magee host students will be hosting our students on April 12, 13 (with the 14th being an optional date) while Templeton will be hosting our Magee friends on April 19, 20 (with the 21st being an optional date).

Application forms can be obtained from me. Completed application forms need to be submitted to me by March 31st at 8:45 a.m. (no late application forms will be accepted). The students chosen to participate will be notified before the end of that day.

Please note: Following the selection process, successful applicants must obtain a teacher permission form to be excused for the classes on April 9 and 10. It is also your responsibility to keep up with the class work and assignments during the switch.

Vancouver Fire Fighters: Gordon Anderson Memorial Bursary

I have just received information about a $500 bursary the Vancouver Fire Fighers' Union Local 18 is offering.

The Gordon Anderson Memorial Bursary, valued at $500 each, is offered to six students in good standing who have contributed to the school community, as well as expressed interest in labour-related issues.

The award is offered to graduating students from Vancouver public secondary schools, or the graduating child of a current or retired Vancouver Fire Fighter. All applicants must be a permanent resident in B.C., and must register in a recognized post-secondary program prior to the end of the current calendar year.

To apply, you must:

• submit a covering letter (details can be found on the application form)
• complete the bursary application form
• provide two letters of reference
• submit a copy of your most recent transcript

Application deadline is April 23, 2010.

For more information, you can go to Vancouver Fire Fighters' website (click here) for details.

Application forms can be obtained from me or you can click here for a direct link.

SFU Super Tour

The final Super Tour for the 2010 school year at SFU's Burnaby campus will take place on April 10, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (registration begins at 9:15 a.m.).

This event is designed to introduce prospective students and their families to SFU's programs, campus, current students and professors, and to the advising staff. It is a guided tour led by SFU students, and a great way to experience what SFU has to offer.

The following is an overview of the event:

• Introductions and student life keynote
• Program/Faculty Q&A Session
• Snacks and guided tour
• Faculty and advisor meet and and greet
• Closing keynote

The Supertour is free to register, but you must register first as spaces for program-specific tours have limited spaces. To register, go to the Tours site at SFU (click here) and choose the "book a supertour" option.

Public Memorial Service for Ms. Ho

There will be a public memorial service for Ms. Ho on Saturday, April 3 at 2:00 p.m. at the Chinese Cultural Center (555 Columbia Street, Vancouver, B.C.). This special event to remember and honour Ms. Ho is open to all staff and students wishing to attend.

Two Information Sessions

As we move closer and closer to graduation time, more information sessions are put together by various post-secondary institutions to advertise to you their programs and what they have to offer. Specifically:

The Big Info Session and Program Expo for BCIT will take place Wednesday, March 31, 2010, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the BCIT Burnaby Campus (3700 Willingdon Avenue, Burnaby). You can talk to students, graduates, and instructors about BCIT's full-time and part-time programs. Learn also about BCIT's unique program where you can obtain a professional certificate in 1 year, a professional diploma in 2 years, or a degree in 4 years.

You can register by calling 604-451-6735 or visit BCIT's Big Info Session's website: click here

Vancouver Community College (VCC) is hosting a big info night on Wednesday, April 14, 2010, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at their Broadway campus (1155 East Broadway, Vancouver). You can learn about any of the 140 full-time and part-time programs VCC has to offer, meet the faculty, and enter for a draw to win $500 towards your tuition.

To find out more, and the check out VCC's programs, go to VCC's website: click here

Posters and pamphlets of these two info sessions can be viewed and obtained from my office.

Capilano University (Misc.)

Two pieces of news surrounding Capilano University:

I have just received the "Hotline" newsletter from Capilano University. Inside the March's issue is a complete list of the program information meetings for many of the university's programs. Different from the general information session, these information meetings would help you get a program-specific understanding of a program of your choice, and to learn about career options that you would have by completing these programs.

The complete program list has been posted on my door, or you can also visit Capilano's info meeting's site for more details: click here

Academic advisors from Capilano University will be visiting Templeton on Monday, March 22. If you want to schedule a one-on-one meeting with an advisor, please sign-up at my door by the end of the day Friday. The academic advisors can answer your questions regarding admission requirements, tuition fees, financial aid and awards, registration process, and program details. I would encourage all students who are considering Capilano to schedule for a meeting. Each advising session will be around 20 minutes in duration. Sign-up sheet is posted outside my office, next to the little white board.