Parent Involvement, Responsibilities & Information

If a student is absent or late for the start of school for any reason, parents must e-­mail the Main Office before 9:00 AM. Please include your son’s full name, grade, and date of absence in the note.

The school does not recommend early vacations or extended vacations for students which require them to miss school. This is particularly relevant for examination periods at the end of the term/year. Advance notice must be given to allow for alternate work to be prepared. The student is responsible for any work, assignment, and exam missed as a result of this type of absence.

As per our Senior School Common Assessment Practices, Senior School students who will be missing more than two days of school are asked to complete an Extended Absence Form, with input from each teacher, prior to their departure.

Every parent at Vancouver College shall:

• E-­mail the Main Office before 9:00 AM if their son is going to be late or away from school.
• If a parent/guardian calls the school to report a late or absence, an emailed note must still be sent as per government requirements. Please include your son’s full name, grade, and date of absence in the note.

Please notify the Main Office of any change of address, e-mail address, phone number, and/or Emergency Contact person/number.

The school’s preferred method of communication is by e-mail as this is more efficient, environmental friendly, and cost effective. It is the parents’ responsibility to provide the school with an active family e-mail address and to inform the school of any changes to this address.

Should families require mailings to be sent to more than one parent, e-mail addresses should be provided accordingly.

Our faculty are here to support our boys’ teaching and learning. We want them to focus on being present in well-planned learning sessions and in giving timely assessment feedback to their students. Teachers are also highly involved in extracurriculars as coaches and mentors, as part of our focus on developing the whole child. At the same time, we know that it is important that communication remains open between parents as primary educators and their sons’ teacher. Therefore, we think it wise to formalize expectations on both sides of this communication bridge. Parents are encouraged to contact teachers with inquiries and concerns via email, but should realize that it may take up to 48 hours for the teacher to respond in normal situations. As well, we ask parents to refrain from reaching out on weekends and between the hours of 6 pm and 6 am on weekdays. As ever, if parents do feel that a concern has not been addressed or is urgent in nature, they may contact an administrator. Teachers’ email addresses are listed on the school website. 

Parents are requested to pay particular attention to the requirements of the Dress Code when outfitting their sons for school. It is not only important in terms of what students wear, but how they wear it. For details of the school’s Dress Code as well as consequences for violations of the policy, please see the appropriate school’s policies for Elementary School and for Middle/Senior Schools.

If inclement weather occurs outside of school hours that might render road conditions unsafe for students, parents, and staff traveling to and from Vancouver College, Administration will announce if school is to be closed by 6:30 AM. The decision will be posted on our website’s homepage, as well as our Facebook,

Instagram and Twitter channels. Parents will also be notified by email, and can find additional information on the following AM Radio stations: CKNW 980, CBC 690, and News 1130.

As weather conditions can differ throughout Metro Vancouver, we ask that you please keep safety in mind when deciding if your son should attend school.

Telephone messages can only be relayed to students in an emergency. Students can only be paged during breaks and after school.

There are numerous opportunities for parents to volunteer their services in various school activities. Each family is required to donate 30 hours of volunteer time during the school year. The Parents Association will do the monitoring of this time through their online platform, OnVolunteers. Parents with talents in other areas that might be of use to the school are encouraged to contact their Parent Participation Coordinator (check www.vc.bc.ca/parents for list of Executives and Team Leaders).

Each Thursday, the VCPA sends a weekly E-Newsletter that keeps parents informed of upcoming events or volunteer opportunities. If you have questions regarding the Parent Participation Program please e-mail vcppp@mail.vc.bc.ca.

It is the parents’ responsibility to stay informed regarding school activities and current events through the school website (www.vc.bc.ca). The website is updated on a daily basis for this purpose.

As an independent school, Vancouver College relies on donations to advance our mission and vision. Our community’s strong tradition of giving continues with the generous support of parents, grandparents, alumni, and friends to enrich the learning experience for every boy.

We are planning for the education of our boys today, and for those in years to come. We ask families to support our Annual Campaign and giving initiatives towards our fundraising priorities, which include the Financial Assistance Program and other educational resources and priorities, as well as funding the remainder of the cost of the recently completed campus renewal project.

Vancouver College asks that every family participate financially, to the best of their ability, with a tax-deductible donation. Your financial contribution will ensure our legacy of faith and excellence advances for the benefit of students today, and those in our next century.

Managing traffic safety continues to be a major priority at Vancouver College.

We ask that all families review and follow our Traffic Guidelines  to ensure the safety of all students and staff on campus. 

Parents are encouraged to participate in the activities of the Parents Association. Dates of meetings and other functions organized by the Association are listed in the annual calendar of events. For more information, please contact the VCPA President at vcpa@mail.vc.bc.ca or visit www.vc.bc.ca/Parents for additional information.