Synopsis
The Livingstone community is a microcosm of the 21st century world. There is great diversity in all areas, social-economically, academically and ethnically. It has a rich multi-cultural mix, with many different home languages represented in the student population. English is the common language spoken almost exclusively in the school setting. In the past five years, more working professionals have moved into the neighbourhood. With this has been the need for increased out-of-school care.
Our learners are as diverse as the community. The staff is committed to creating a “well rounded” culture within our school by developing background knowledge, striving for active and engaged learning, and collaborating within and between all stakeholders groups (students, staff, and parents). We have developed programs that meet the needs of all types of learners, from students struggling English as a Second Language (ESL) to the advanced and gifted students. One major component of these programs is our use of technology.
History
David Livingstone Elementary School was built in 1912 running as an 8 roomed school in 1913. There were many gardens and a stream running close to the school. Livingstone was originally a kindergarten to grade 8 school until Sir Charles Tupper Secondary School opened in 1960. Now, Livingstone has a main building running as a kindergarten to grade 7 elementary school.
In 2002, Livingstone Elementary applied for a SMART Board grant under the Connections program from the SMARTerKids Foundation. After exploration of the SMART Board for the next 5 years, Livingstone has both received grants and purchased more SMART Boards, making Livingstone the first school in British Columbia to have SMART Boards for every Kindergarten to Grade 7 classrooms. It has changed the way teachers taught students and are now participating in a University of British Columbia study on the kinds of educational benefits that can be made by using the SMART Boards.
A District Technology Inquiry School
David Livingstone Elementary School is titled as a District Technology Inquiry School by the Vancouver School Board.
As a District Technology Inquiry School, our technology program is unique in British Columbia. All
regular Kindergarten to Grade 7 classrooms are equipped with SMART Boards, touch sensitive interactive whiteboards and projector systems that are connected to the Internet, school-wide software, Educational Resource Acquisition Consortium (ERAC) video streaming and a Local Area Network (LAN). There are 50 interconnected computers throughout the classrooms, the library and resource rooms available for
student use. In addition, we recently purchased a 15 computer laptop mobile lab, 30 netbooks, and 6 iPods.
Use of SMART Boards and other technologies has changed the way teachers teach and the way students learn. Seven of our staff are currently working with the University of British Columbia (UBC) and the British Columbia Teachers’ Foundation (BCTF) conducting research into the various educational benefits of using this very exciting tool.Our staff is constantly investigating new and different ways of addressing student learning needs with new technologies.
