<p>Interested in Attending an Aboriginal Focus School?</p><p>The VSB is excited about its new Aboriginal Focus School that will house high quality programming based on provincial standards within Aboriginal content and context. </p><p>While an Aboriginal Focus School cannot include all Aboriginal history and/or culture it will include common core values that honor ancestry, respect the land, foster experiential learning, focus on the importance of family and community and the teachings of the medicine wheel, etc.</p><p>Recent community forums showed broad support for an Aboriginal school of choice, not mandatory and not segregating Aboriginal students. Our Aboriginal Focus School will be open to everyone who believes in the concept whether or not they are Aboriginal.</p><p>Our school will start with only a few grades to ensure that things are done well, and then build upon that foundation in future years.</p><p>In helping the VSB plan an Aboriginal Focus School location and initial grade targets please go to the following on-line survey to register your interest in and commitment to Vancouver’s newest strategy to provide equity and opportunity to our Aboriginal learners: http://www.vsb.bc.ca/aboriginal-school</p><p>Survey responses will be accepted through to March 1st as we plan with optimism for September 2012 start.</p>