About Our School » School Message

School Message

College Heights Secondary School is a school of approximately 1000 students from grade 8-12, with 150 Indigenous students.  We have a teaching/support staff of eighty five, including a principal, two vice-principals, a business manager, three counselling positions, an Indigenous Education Worker and two Youth Care Workers.  It offers a Learning Centre that includes Learning Assistance, Academic Learning Supports, and Graduation Support, as well as Advanced Placement courses. The school hosts a full complement of BC high school sport-sanctioned teams, as well as football and hockey. CHSS offers a variety of extracurricular opportunities for all students, including SALTS (an annual sailing/leadership program), an annual year-long exchange opportunity to Japan, an annual two week group exchange to our sister school in Tokyo, debating, drama, and diversity clubs. 

Most students are within walking distance of the school; therefore, the school facility plays host to a great variety of school and community activities.  CHSS has strong community support, with an active Parent Advisory Council (PAC). 

The PAC financially supports a number of initiatives, including school beautification projects, student recognition, and other school initiatives.

In addition, CHSS offers:

  • Hot entrees are all under $7. Each week in our cafeteria we offer a variety of nutritious hot lunch selections such as chicken entrees, hot beef entrees, pasta, pizza and bagels as well as a selection of healthy cold beverages.
  • Advanced Placement Courses in English Literature 12
  • Honours Programs in English from Grade 9 through 12
  • Career Preparation (13 Programs including Automotive, Computers and Work Experience)
  • Fine Arts (Band, Drama, Art)
  • Applied Skills (Digital Photography, Home Economics, Technology Education)
  • Leadership Opportunities: Leadership, Peer Tutoring, Peer Mentoring, and Athletic Leadership
  • LGBTQ Support Group

 

A focus for the grade 8 students entering College Heights Secondary School is that we want to instill the values and virtues of kindness, empathy, conscience, patience, respect, and raising the bar. We do this with our CHSS Student Learning and Citizenship Agreement which is outlined below:
  
Communication

  • Take your time to think before reacting, while remaining calm, thoughtful and respectful.
  • Show understanding by being an active respectful listener first.
  • Choose a positive response to challenging circumstances when faced with difficult situations.
  • Choose acceptable ways and positive language when using electronics.
  • Respect the safety, dignity, privacy and reputation of others and yourself when communicating.

 

Personal and Social Responsibility

  • Believe in yourself, set high expectations, and commit to do your best.
  • Make good work habits your number one priority as a learner.  Show integrity by keeping commitments and making deadlines.
  • Learn, think, reflect and share in a manner that contributes to the learning community.
  • College Heights is your school and community, take pride and keep it clean.
  • Make a personal commitment to demonstrate honesty, dignity, and pride in everything you do.

 

Respect

  • Respect the right of others to learn.
  • Model respectful and responsible behavior while representing our school.
  • Treat others with common courtesy and respect, recognizing that we live in a diverse, multicultural society that puts human rights at the forefront of our actions, by not discriminating in any form including race, color, gender, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, and nationality.
  • Demonstrate respect by recognizing and sharing your personal strengths in our community.

We want students to enter and leave CHSS with rich Academic and Extra-Curricular experiences that help them become well-rounded citizens that, ultimately, will enable them to pursue their goals and personal pathways with vigor, purpose, and success.