Tuesday, December 3, 2024, is International Day of Persons with Disabilities! This annual observance promotes the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. It also aims to increase awareness about persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life. 

Guided by our commitment to equity and inclusion, VSB is actively working to improve accessibility for students, their families, staff and the greater community throughout the District. 

The Accessibility Advisory Panel 

To help guide our three-year Accessibility Plan, VSB welcomed all staff and students’ families, as well as several external organizations who serve people with disabilities, to participate in an advisory panel to help build out that plan. 

The panel includes members who represent the diversity of the community we serve. Those with varying perspectives and experiences were encouraged to participate, including those with lived and learned experience. The panel members will: 

• Provide deeper insights about information gathered through the Accessibility Survey – conducted in spring 2024 
• Identify barriers for students, staff and the broader community across the District 
• Suggest ways to address, prevent and remove those barriers 

This work is being informed and supported by the accessibility committee that, since January 2024, meets monthly. Committee members include parents/guardians, staff and representatives from external organizations. Read VSB’s Accessibility Plan. 

Accessibility improvements at schools 

We have been working to improve the accessibility of our school sites, including both physical and sensory accessibility. A few of these projects include: 

Accessible playgrounds

Within the last three years, the facilities team made improvements to the playgrounds at: 

• Sir Alexander Mackenzie Elementary 
• Charles Dickens Elementary 
• Renfrew Elementary 
• Dr. H.N. Maccorkindale Elementary 
• G T Cunningham Elementary 
• Champlain Heights Elementary 
• Selkirk Elementary 
• Sir Richard McBride Elementary 

At these schools, the team added astroturf grass surfaces and sounding boards. The astroturf grass provides a more inclusive experience for students to climb or touch the turf, and the sounding boards encourage spelling, sound creation, address colour sensitivity and support shape awareness. 

Accessible washrooms 

• Renfrew Elementary 
• Sir Wilfred Laurier Elementary B-building 
• Dr. H. N. MacCorkindale Elementary 

The need for accessible washrooms was recently identified and implemented at these schools, removing physical barriers and improving inclusivity. 

Additional projects this year 

This year, the facilities team also made physical accessibility improvements at: 

• Templeton Secondary 
• Vancouver Technical Secondary

These improvements included a stairlift at Templeton and an accessibility ramp at Vancouver Technical. 

Accessibility for the future

VSB is committed to continually improving accessibility and removing barriers to provide equitable and inclusive learning environments for all, and we will continue listening and learning to make that happen. 

You can help! Notice a barrier, or a potential barrier when accessing VSB services and facilities? Let us know. 

Please email accessibility@vsb.bc.ca with the following information: 

• What you were trying to access 
• Where the barrier happened and what the barrier was 
• Any recommendations you might have

Thank you for helping us make VSB more accessible. All feedback will be reviewed and considered by the accessibility committee.