By: Adam Paul Stevens
BC Principal
As The Canadian School proudly celebrates its 20th anniversary, we reflect on the remarkable journey our school has taken. From steady growth to pioneering educational opportunities, our commitment to academic excellence, student success, and global-mindedness has defined us. With our thriving BC Program, strong university partnerships, continuous improvement initiatives, and ambitious goals for the future, we celebrate these 20 years with gratitude and optimism for what lies ahead.
Growth of the BC Program
Since its launch in 2012, the BC Program has developed into The Canadian School’s primary educational pathway, representing a unique academic experience that awards both Colombian and Canadian high school diplomas. Over the past five years, our BC Program has grown in enrollment every year, each new year surpassing the last, reaching record-high numbers. As the only BC Offshore School in South America, the program combines the best of Colombian and Canadian education, emphasizing literacy, numeracy, and core competencies that prepare students to thrive globally. With a fully English high school curriculum, the BC Program provides graduates with the competitive edge, skills, and international outlook needed to succeed in any environment. Starting in the 2024-2025 school year, the BC Program has become the exclusive high school track, offering a fully immersive English learning experience for Grades 10-12 and solidifying The Canadian School’s role in preparing globally-minded graduates.
Opportunities for Improvement
With growth comes a commitment to continual improvement, a principle The Canadian School proudly upholds. Our dedication to high standards has been recognized through annual inspections from both the La Estrella Ministry of Education and the BC Ministry of Education and Childcare. For the past five years, these inspections have resulted in commendations for our program’s strengths, with no required changes. However, we actively incorporate suggestions from all stakeholders to enhance our students’ educational experiences. This commitment includes strengthening English language support, refining BC Entrance Exam preparation, and expanding extracurricular offerings to ensure a holistic, supportive environment. These ongoing improvements reflect our commitment to upholding high educational standards and responding to our community’s evolving needs.
Professional Development and Staff Growth
The Canadian School’s commitment to excellence extends beyond students, actively investing in the professional development of our dedicated educators. Our structured approach includes bi-annual Professional Development (PD) Week and Congress Week sessions, carefully curated to foster growth and collaboration. These in-house sessions, led by our own teachers and external experts from Colombia and Canada, provide opportunities to explore emerging topics like Artificial Intelligence in education, assessment strategies, and active methodologies.
Our BC Program’s Annual Growth Plan supports this commitment by setting clear objectives and identifying focus areas that drive continual improvement. Additionally, our high school collaboration model promotes knowledge-sharing among colleagues through monthly sessions, where teachers exchange effective strategies, tools, and practices. Over the years, these collaborative meetings have strengthened our community, allowing educators to share insights on diverse themes, from assessment techniques to mental health support for students and staff.
The British Columbia Ministry of Education and Childcare has recently began offering enriching PD offerings by providing regular online training specifically tailored to our BC Program staff. This ongoing support enhances our educators’ skill sets, aligning them with the highest standards and keeping them at the forefront of educational best practices.
University Partnerships
Our expanding university partnerships have been instrumental in providing extraordinary scholarship opportunities and inspiring students to reach new heights. In the past two years, two BC Program graduates were awarded $120,000 CAD scholarships from the University of Alberta, while another secured a 100% scholarship to HULT University in London, England—the largest scholarship awarded in our school’s history.
These achievements reflect not only the hard work and dedication of our students but also the strong foundation they receive in the BC Program. Our graduates from the class of 2023-2024 are now represented globally, with students studying in Colombia, Canada, the USA, England, France, and China. Universities now regularly visit The Canadian School, recognizing the promise of our students and the strength of our BC Program. Additionally, Canadian institutions are eager to develop partnerships to offer exclusive scholarships specifically for our graduates. This growing network highlights the program’s strength and showcases the world of opportunities awaiting our students.
Goals for the Future
Looking to the future, The Canadian School is committed to continued growth, ensuring that our students are fully prepared to step confidently into a global world. Our goal is to further enhance the BC Program to provide students with a robust foundation of skills, adaptability, and a global perspective. With the education they receive here, we believe our graduates can go anywhere in the world, making meaningful contributions that reflect positively on themselves, their communities, and The Canadian School. As they achieve their dreams and take on new challenges, they carry the pride, values, and legacy of our school, making us proud on every stage.
As we commemorate 20 years of The Canadian School’s journey, we extend our deepest gratitude to our students, parents, and staff for their unwavering dedication. Together, we look forward to the next chapter with confidence and excitement, knowing that the future holds even greater possibilities for our community.
