ICS is a big part of our family life

My name is Calvin and my wife’s name is Myen. We have two boys, Gabriel and Jonah – a.k.a the “Gremlins”. My wife and I are full-time professionals who work and live in the Vancouver area. We wanted our children to go to an independent/private elementary school. Having attended both independent and public schools during my youth, I developed a preference for independent schools because of the structure, discipline and teaching. Plus the uniforms are nice.

All parents want the best for their children. But I admit that what’s ‘best’ is a very subjective matter. Is it better to place pre-adolescent children in a highly academic and competitive environment thinking that a rigorous academic curriculum will help them better prepare for the inevitable rat-race of life? Or is it better for children of elementary school age to revel in the simple joy and innocence of early childhood, progressing comfortably and naturally in mind, body and spirit?

When our oldest boy Gabriel was coming of Kindergarten age, we contemplated several Vancouver independent and private schools. However, we ultimately decided to eschew the ‘obvious’ choices – the large, West-side schools with the big reputation. Instead, we decided to put Gabriel at ICS.

You see, I went to ICS when I was a kid. It was the Fall of ‘77 when I entered Grade 1 at ICS, having just immigrated to Canada. I was a very introverted child, full of insecurities and anxieties. But life is a journey, and fortunately, I was able to overcome those fears. Looking back upon those years, I credit ICS for playing an invaluable role in shaping my adolescence and helping me to conquer my feelings of inadequacy.

Mutual respect. Responsibility. Accountability. Empathy. Community. Those were the key values that were instilled in me when I was a student at ICS.   At ICS, we were encouraged to love and respect one another and to always strive to be better human beings. As a Catholic, I appreciated having those fundamental values instilled in me through the prism of my Christian faith. My favourite teacher was Mr. Jang, who inspired my creative instincts. He was a great role model – a humble, generous and brilliant man. I will always cherish my years at ICS.

I am happy to see that ICS today is still what it was back when I was a student. It is still the same little blue school with a big heart and great teachers. The underdog of the West-side that punches above its weight, ICS still manages to promote discipline and academic excellence within the framework of the school’s core values and mantra – “growth in knowledge, love of God and service to others”.

And the school is still fun! Halloween, the Christmas Fair and Sports Day, to name a few of the many yearly events. Each December, we look forward to the annual Christmas holiday Mass where parents, students and teachers all come together to pray, sing and witness the Nativity pageant so adorably re-enacted by the Grade Ones. We also appreciate that ICS has a strong Speech Arts Program, which children can choose to recite prose and poetry as early as Grade One. It encourages the kids to be comfortable with their own voice and to speak confidently in public – a very important life skill.

Another reason why we decided on ICS is the school’s principal. We were very impressed with Ms. Colette Foran, who also happens to be an ICS alumnus. She is smart, tireless, dedicated and genuinely concerned about the welfare of every student. I know of no other school principal who would send an individual hand-written postcard to each and every student during her summer vacation. But that is exactly what Ms. Foran did!

ICS is a big part of our family life. We are truly thankful and blessed to be a part of the ICS Community.

Read more testimonials here

We wanted something small and community-based

Our three boys have attended ICS for the past eight years, when our first started kindergarten in 2006.

When we started looking for a school for our eldest, we wanted something small and community-based. While chatting with a friend one day, I learned that you didn’t have to be Catholic to attend ICS, so we added it to the list of possible schools for our sons. Then at a preschool parent education night, there was a panel of representatives from local schools that included Sue Dvorak from ICS. She was so warm and inviting and said two things that stuck with me, “At ICS, if you try out for the team, you make it” and described ICS as a “faith-based community”. I immediately felt drawn to the school as an inclusive place where our religious values would be fostered in our children. We applied and got a kindergarten spot for the following September.

We have never looked back. It has been a wonderful faith-based learning environment for our boys and an anchor to the Dunbar community. It is small enough that you get to know everyone; its own little village. I love that the church and school are connected and that religion and religious values are woven into the curriculum. I love that God and Jesus are everyday words and not taboo in the educational setting. I love that every day starts with prayer.

Academically, I think the teachers put extra effort into teaching the curriculum in creative ways that include field trips, art projects, themed-based units and raising social consciousness through outreach. French is taught from kindergarten onwards and our second son is excited about learning the guitar in music class next year.

Our boys are anchored in the traditions of the school year: the walkathon, the book fair, the Christmas fair, the Chow and Cha Cha, to name a few. They enjoy the predictability of having events to look forward to year after year.

I have two favourite school events. First of all, the Christmas fair.   We shine! All the best of us is shared with the community. I love seeing the highschool kids that have graduated from ICS who come back to volunteer. It’s fun to welcome neighbours and friends into the school. Most of all, it’s a great way to get to know fellow parents as we come together to make it all happen.

My other favourite event is the Mass on the last day of school. The first year I attended, it was with some trepidation. I’d never been to a Catholic Mass. I loved it and felt very welcomed, just as our boys have been welcomed and never made to feel like outsiders. To this day, eight years later, I always take the last morning of school off work to be there, to join in song and prayer as Father Paul blesses the students heading off on summer vacation.

Our little blue school has been and will continue to be a wonderful educational haven for our boys in the midst of a big and busy world; a safe place where they can truly grow in knowledge and the love of God.

Read more testimonials here

Attending ICS since 1968!

Eddie & Erma Campbell Family

Eddie & Erma Campbell’s children started attending ICS in 1968 – Eddie Jr., Angela, Lorna, Karen, Katherine (the twins) & Melody all attended. There have now been two generations of children attending ICS since 1968! Six from the 1st generation and six from the 2nd generation.

Musqueam Indian Band Members had two schools to choose from for elementary school and that was ICS and Southlands, our parents chose ICS. Many years later, my siblings and I have chosen ICS for our own children because we went there and found that all the students and teachers were so close and shared a great connection.

ICS has an exceptional curriculum for the children and also provides us with access to the supports that any of our children might need. The continued communication with us as parents to keep us involved in our children’s education is very meaningful to us. And most of all we are accepted with opened arms filled with love and respect. We as Catholics, value our faith being taught to our children and this provides them with a sense of belonging and family at ICS.

There are several events throughout the year at ICS that are our favorite, but I have to say that the Christmas Fair is the one that has us excited. It’s such a happy occasion for all the families in ICS to participate in and to be at. The feeling of community really shows here.

Having attended ICS as a child and having children attending ICS has provided our family with the opportunity to learn about the Catholic Faith and how it relates to our everyday lives. The curriculum offered has provided a good education and opportunities to be involved in different events such as the choir and different sports teams.

Going back to ICS on a daily basis brings back a lot of memories for me, especially since my classmate is now the Principal!

Read more testimonials here