Our History

Vanier Elementary School was officially opened on November 14, 1968 under the St. John's United Church School Board. It later became part of the integrated system under the jurisdiction of the Avalon Consolidated School Board. On January 1, 1997, Vanier came under the jurisdiction of the Avalon East School District. The Newfoundland and Labrador English School District today is province-wide. 

Vanier was named in memory of the Right Honourable Georges P. Vanier D.S.O., M.C., C.D., Governor-General of Canada from 1959 until his death in 1967.

When it opened in 1968, Vanier was a two-stream English school accommodating students in Kindergarten through Grade 6. The ultimate goal was that Vanier would become a non-graded school following the principles of Continuous Progress. Proponents of this philosophy believed that rigid grade structures could not meet the varied needs of students. In his first report to the School Board (spring, 1969), Principal W. E. Bishop noted that overcrowded classrooms, lack of appropriate resources and insufficient staff was causing serious difficulties with the implementation of this program. While the staff experimented with ability grouping in an effort to consider individual needs, a fully non-graded system could not be achieved.

The following year, 1969/70 saw the addition of portable classrooms to accommodate greatly increased enrollment and Vanier became a three-stream school. This situation continued until the 1978/79 school year when all students moved back into the main building and Vanier once again became a two-stream school.

In 1981, Early French Immersion was introduced making Vanier the first bilingual elementary school in the former Avalon Consolidated School District.

In the fall of 1984, a program for students with developmental delays was introduced. In 1988, this program was moved to more accessible quarters at Virginia Park Elementary and MacDonald Drive Junior High.

At present, Vanier is a dual-track English / French Immersion school accommodating students from Kindergarten through Grade 6.

From the beginning, Vanier has commanded respect as an educational institution demonstrating leadership in elementary education. Over the years, Vanier has investigated new avenues and approaches, and has been a leader in such areas as Resource Based Learning, Co-operative Program Planning and Teaching, French Immersion, School Improvement, Co-operative Discipline, and Technology in Education/Programming. We are proud of our past accomplishments and are committed to making our school the best that it can be in the future.

Our Logo

The school logo consists of a large letter "V" (red and blue) on a white background. The colours of the two separate arms of the letter "V" represent the dual nature of the school, with the longer red arm representing the original and present English stream, and the shorter blue arm representing the French Immersion stream. An ever-widening channel separates the arms of the "V". At its narrowest part, this channel represents the knowledge and experience base which children bring to school with them. The ever-widening nature of the channel draws emphasis to the fact that education is a continuous life-long pursuit of ever-widening horizons of knowledge and experience.

Programs and Services

Music 

Teacher - Mr. Adrien Doucet

The music program at Vanier Elementary aims to develop the musicality innate in each student and to foster a love and sensitivity to music. All students in Grades K-6 participate in the classroom music program and are involved in singing, speaking, moving, dance, and instrumental activities. Students develop their musical abilities, an understanding of basic musical concepts and understandings, and hopefully positive attitudes toward continued involvement in musical experiences. Students also develop basic musical literacy abilities, which enable them to read, write and interpret musical notation. Each year they advance their music reading skills and progress from interpreting simple musical symbols to the traditional notation. 

At the Grade 4 level, students begin recorder as a component of the classroom program. Through playing recorder, students begin instrumental music study. They learn how to produce a good tone on a woodwind instrument, interpret fingering charts, and apply their reading skills. The experience that they gain playing the recorder helps them further develop their musical abilities and prepares them for study of band instruments. 

Students in the classroom program participate in school assemblies and concerts.

In addition to the classroom music program, the choir component enables students to participate in concerts and presentations extending their musical experiences. 

Band

Teacher: Ms. Katie Sullivan

Band instrument instruction is available for students in Grades 5 and 6. This component of the music program is offered during the seven-day cycle. Students receive instruction in band instruments in like-instrument groupings as well as full band ensemble. Students are required to provide their own instrument or rent one.

Physical Education 

Teacher - Ms. Deborah Shortall

Physical Education is provided to all students in K-6. The program aims to provide a wide variety of movement experiences that develop physical abilities and promote positive attitudes toward active living, fair play and personal achievement.

School Teams participate in a variety of sports against students from other schools. Anyone who wishes to play will be on the team as long as they attend practices and games. By being on a school team, students have the opportunity to develop better skills and learn to work together toward a common goal.

Responsive Teacher and Learning (RTL)

Vanier became a Phase 3 school in the 2020-2021 school year of this provincial initiative. The Responsive Teaching and Learning Policy is implemented in schools under direction from NLESD and the Department of Education. It focuses on meeting students needs in the context of three pillars: Literacy, Numeracy and Social and Emotional Learning. Implementation of this policy has led to changes in personnel (School Based Reading Specialist and Teaching and Learning Assistants), structures (Teaching and Learning Teams and Program Planning Teams), roles (Teacher Librarian, SBRS and TLA), resources and practices, and promotes flexibility in meeting student needs through universal, targeted and intensive instruction/interventions. Universal Design for Learning (UDL)  is an important foundation of RTL. 

RTL is a collaborative approach to education that emphasizes social emotional and academic learning in a safe, healthy, and inclusive school environment. This approach is evidence-based and focuses on gathering and analyzing evidence (identifying what students have learned, and what needs to occur for learning to continue); reflecting on student progress and teacher practice (adapting teaching practices to support student learning); making a plan for improvement (setting clear goals for teaching and

learning); and  implementing and monitoring the plan. (Responsive Teaching and Learning Policy, 2020, p. 8)

Service Delivery Team

The Service Delivery Team works with staff members to meet the diverse needs of the student community. Services are provided to students requiring Individual Student Support Plans (ISSPs), Individual Educational Plans (IEPs), and other students who significantly benefit from services within the regular classroom setting. Utilizing a team approach as designed in the Responsive and Teaching and Learning Policy, all parties work together to create the best possible learning environment .

The speech-language pathologist and hearing itinerant provide assessment and direct therapy to identified students.

School Counsellor 

Ms. Kim Kirby

The school counselor is involved with students directly as well as through consultation and referral. Individual counseling services at school involves working with students around personal and social developmental issues. The school counselor completes comprehensive academic assessments through a program planning team process. The school counselor is involved in academic and placement decisions through formal assessments, as well as consultation with administration, teachers and parents/guardians. The school counselor is also involved in the ISSP an IEP process with many students and sits in on program planning team meetings as a resource person.

Classroom guidance activities are often arranged at various grade levels.

The counselor provides support to parents at their request. Parents sometimes request assistance with parenting, discipline and academic matters. Information and referral services are provided to assist families in gaining access to other support services outside the school.

Library Learning Commons

Teacher Librarian:  Ms. Jillian Gallant

 On June 4, 1984, the Learning Resource Centre was dedicated to the memory of W. E. Bishop, Principal of Vanier from 1968 to 1977.

When Vanier School was constructed in 1967, there was no library / resource centre. Under Mr. Bishop's leadership, a library was started during the first year of operation. In his first annual report to the School Board (Spring, 1969), Mr. Bishop stated that "enrichment through projects and research cannot be achieved without a well stocked resource centre" and that "an effective resource centre must be staffed by a teacher-librarian."

W. E. Bishop was a progressive educator. It is largely due to his efforts that the Library Learning Commons at Vanier has developed into one of the finest such facilities in the District. Over the years, every effort has been made to maintain Mr. Bishop's high standards of excellence. Over the past few years, a Makerspace has provided opportunities for building, coding, 3D printing, and designing. 

Public Health 

Nurse: Ms. Aileen Johnson

A Public Health nurse serves the school and provides support through keeping student health records current and working in the area of health education. A teacher can refer students to the nurse if there are concerns such as vision problems, hearing problems, etc. Parents are notified in the event of such recommendations for assessment.

A health room is located near the main office. Children who are feeling ill rest in this room, and when a parent has been contacted, they remain there until the parent arrives.

K.W. Penny Art Collection

The K. W. Penney Art Collection was begun in 1986 to honour Vanier's second principal, Mr. K. W. Penney on the occasion of his retirement. A new piece of art is added to the collection in recognition of the contribution of each retiring staff member with a minimum of five years of service at Vanier. Artwork is displayed throughout the school. Retiring Staff members who have been recognized through the K. W. Penney Art Collection include:

• Mr. K. W. Penney (Principal) 1977-1986  

• Mrs. Audrey Nell (Teacher) 1968-1989 

• Mrs. Fern Stevenson (Teacher) 1968-1990 

• Mrs. Jennifer Kitchen (Teacher) 1968-1990 

• Mrs. Lillie Lush (Teacher) 1973-1991 

• Mr. Clifford Barnes (Janitor) 1971-1993 

• Mrs. Mary Allison (Cleaner) Retired 1994 

• Mrs. Edith Clarke (Teacher) 1972-1994 

• Mr. Noel Lilly (Teacher) 1974-2003 

• Mr. Chesley Warren (Principal) 1986-1995 

• Mrs. Sonia Harvey (Teacher) 1970-1996 

• Mr. Robert Cooper (Guidance) 1987-1997 

• Mrs. Rosalind Tuff (Teacher) 1969-1998 

• Mrs. Alma Street (Teacher) 1990-1999 

• Mrs. Bonnie Stewart (Teacher/V. P.) 1974-1999 

• Mr. Robert Eddy (Teacher) 1969 - 2000 

• Mrs. Rhonda Wicks (Teacher) 1973-2003 

• Mrs. Gilda Parsons (LRT and Teacher) 19__-2010 

• Mrs. Alma Singleton (Teacher) 2000-2011 

• Ms Janice Smith (Secretary) 1982-2011 

• Mr. Gerald Mercer (Principal) 2005-2012 

• Mme Adèle Walsh (Teacher) _-2012 

• Mme Mary Jane Maloney (Teacher) 2002-2012 

• Mme Joan Dohey (Teacher) 1986-2014

• Mme Jill Blackmore (Teacher)

• Ms. Karen Tucker (Teacher)

• Mme Carol Ann Fagan (Teacher)

• M. Michael Seviour (Teacher)

• Ms. Karen Staubitzer (School Secretary) 2012-2024