We’re a small school with a big spirit
Our families get to know one another, which leads to fun opportunities for our children to deepen their relationships with their friends outside of school.
One of our key differentiators at PSS is support for attachment parenting and our invitation to parents who want to participate in the classroom when their child needs their support. Many parents are grateful just to be welcome in the classroom with their child for those first 15 minutes at the beginning of each school day as their child eases comfortably into the morning transition from home to school.
All parents sign up for one volunteer job during the year, and we are deeply grateful for their help in the care-taking of our school, from washing the dishes or caring for the gardens to taking charge of Sports Day or filming special events and performances.
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Weekly gratitude tea
Parents, children and educators gather at 3:30pm each Thursday in our brick room before we leave for our weekends. We sit in a big circle, and we go around the room allowing each person a moment to share one thing for which they are grateful. The mood is a mix of tender and playful. Two families look after the tea and snacks each week, and they are always delicious.
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Family camping trip
Just before each year wraps up in June, the PSS families celebrate with a camping trip to Golden Ears Park. A group hike, friendly water fights, a giant outdoor potluck, roasting marshmallows, and campfire songs make it a weekend the kids look forward to all year long.
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Halloween parade
Many kids at PSS love dressing up and performing, so Halloween is an extra big deal at our school. Parents arrive early to watch the kids parade in their costumes, culminating in a series of rousing dance performances. Thriller and Ghostbusters have made the cut most years (and the kids who are a little shy are still included in creative ways like backstage lighting or just cheering on their friends!).
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School potlucks
We gather for potlucks to mark the start of the school year, the winter solstice, the arrival of spring, and the summer solstice. Potlucks are a fun opportunity for parents to connect with each other and with our children’s educators, and children love hosting their parents at school. The atmosphere is relaxed, informal and lively with conversation and laughter.
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Two children participating in a three-leg-race
Sports Day
In mid-May, our school gathers in a big field at Jericho beach a few blocks away. Bring out the potato sacks, it’s Sports Day! The students are divided up into multi-age teams and they laugh their way through three-legged races and balancing acts of egg-on-a-spoon. Parents and children divide up for tug-of-war and capture the flag. A bake sale keeps the troops fueled and raises money for our Tuition Fund.
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A child with a photo of one of their relatives
All Saints Day/Day of the Dead special tea
On the Thursday closest to Day of the Dead and All Saints’ Day, our community gathers for a special ceremony where children are encouraged to bring a photo of a family member, ancestor or pet who has died, and share a few words about them. We light candles and honour those we have loved and lost.
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A parent looking at a child's science fair project
Science Fair
Each spring, our students host their parents and extended family members at our science fair. All children are encouraged to choose a scientific question that they genuinely feel driven to solve or answer. The children’s level of inquiry, effort and creativity in displaying what they learned consistently blows us away year after year.
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Talent Shows
A few times throughout the year, PSS students work hard to hone their individual or group talents and share them at a talent show for parents, educators and guests. Favourite performances have included hip hop dance routines, rap songs, photography exhibits, short stories, piano recitals, original songs, Celtic dance routines, and countless hilarious drama skits.
When I drop my daughter off in the morning, I feel the same comfort as I do when I leave her with her grandparents. I know she is deeply loved here.
Amy, mother of Alvy (grade 2)
Our Community is shaped by many long-standing traditions, such as:
Upcoming Information Sessions
Next Scheduled High School Info Night:
Monday, May 5th 5:30pm-7pm -
Schedule a high school tour:
Email us at highschool@pacificspiritschool.org to request a tour with our high school coordinator.
Elementary School Information Sessions
If you are interested in enrolment for September 2025, please to receive an invitation to our next information session.
If you are interested in enrolment for the current school year, please contact us.
How to Apply
We welcome interest from new families. Click here to learn about our application and enrolment process.
Questions?
We’ve addressed the questions we often hear from parents on our FAQ page. If you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
PSS is a safe and happy place. A hidden gem of a school. A modest, joyful and heart-centred community where children and their families are honoured and welcomed with open minds.
Tara, mother of Wilfred (grade 3) and Paris (grade 1)
Every donation makes a tangible difference
The generosity of families, friends, and grandparents enables us to provide an inspiring and empowering school experience at an affordable price.
Like all independent schools, tuition fees and government grants alone do not cover the cost of a PSS education. Your charitable donation not only bridges this gap, it also plays a vital role in making PSS’ programs so extraordinary. We invite each family in our community to make a donation every year, at a level that’s meaningful and within their means. All gifts are valued, and needed.
Donations directly support initiatives that have been identified during the school’s annual strategic planning process, including:
• Playground improvement
• Hiring special performing arts resource teachers
• Professional development opportunities for staff
• Tuition support for currently enrolled families who have demonstrated financial need
You can donate online using your credit card by clicking on the “donate” button below, or if you’d prefer to make a gift by cheque or e-transfer, please email donations@pacificspiritschool.org for information.
We are a registered charitable society (# 13184 9564 RR0001) and all donations over $25 are tax deductible. Your receipt will be mailed to you. Thank you so much for your support!
One of the most heartbreaking decisions I was forced to make this year was to withdraw my children from our beloved community at PSS. However, when friends at PSS learned we would not be returning, I was overwhelmed by their efforts to ensure my children could stay in the school. The headlines may be full of bad news, but I can tell you that the world is still full of good people – because my little family has been supported, held and protected in so much love by so many good people during this challenging season in our lives.
Parent who benefited from our Tuition Assistance Fund
Our governance
Pacific Spirit School is operated by New Learning Society, a volunteer-based not-for-profit organization founded in 1987 when it opened Lifesong School (later renamed Pacific Spirit School in 2007).
Our mission is to maintain a community that provides educational programs for children and adults that promote the growth of the whole person. New Learning Society's board of directors is a diverse group including educators, organizational strategists, engaged parents, and experienced investment professionals. These smart and committed volunteers provide overall support to leadership, strategic direction, and financial and legal stewardship for our school.
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Sabera Dewji joined the Pacific Spirit School Leadership Team as co-principal in 2020. Sabera brings to the Board expertise in education, educational psychology and experience with cultivating a healthy social and emotional context for learning.
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Derek Mah, as a father of 3 boys and 1 girl, is deeply committed to being the purveyor of good memories for his children. His role as a real estate investor and asset manager was preceded by past roles in equity research, corporate finance and strategic planning. Derek initially honed his strategic and analytical skill set through earning an HBA from the University of Western Ontario, followed by an MBA at the University of Chicago and a CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) designation. Having grown up in Vancouver, Derek left the city for new experiences at age 19 and returned after 14 years to start a family. During his time away from Vancouver, he lived and experienced culturally rich cities such as Toronto, Chicago, New York and London and also had the good fortune to have worked with and learned from numerous amazing people, to have been a part of a successful start-up and to have experienced working on Wall Street. However, the most notable experience during that time was the opportunity to take 10 months off to travel the world (37 countries within 6 continents), with his wife Erin. These diverse sets of life experiences have not only played a large role in shaping who he is today, but also allow Derek to bring a truly unique perspective to the New Learning Society.
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Catherine Dinim is a passionate educator and mother of two children. As a former educator at Pacific Spirit School, and now the K-12 Educational Program Lead at a BC distributed learning program, she brings a unique and varied educational perspective to the board. She is continually interested in both how we humans learn and develop throughout the continuum of our lives, and how education can be shaped to meet these needs and support whole-brain growth in a way that is nurturing, challenging, supportive, adaptive and creative. Transitioning from an educator role at Pacific Spirit to board member is an exciting opportunity to stay connected and to continue to share in the growth of the school community.
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My daughter's uniqueness is celebrated and accepted by the educators at Pacific Spirit. This makes all the difference into her attitude towards school.
Barb, mother of Millie (grade 5)
