The House System

The House System at Vancouver College is a living tradition rooted in the legacy of Blessed Edmund Rice and embraced by many of his schools around the world. At its heart, the system is designed to foster belonging, ignite school spirit, and create lasting bonds across grade levels. By placing students and staff into four unique Houses, each with its own story and identity, we cultivate opportunities for friendly competition, service, leadership, and collaboration.

In the House System, play and purpose intertwine. Community lessons, previously referred to as Advisory Blocks, will be device-free time that involve collaborative opportunities for students and teachers to participate in. Research reminds us that opportunities to engage in play are essential for creative thinking, problem-solving, perseverance, and independence. Play also meets the developmental needs of adolescents, giving them ownership of their learning, outlets for physical activity and creative expression, and the space to demonstrate their competence.

The House System offers this in abundance – a place where students can grow through challenges, discover their strengths, and build resilience together. It provides them with the vital social identifications that contribute to healthy self-esteem and gives every student a team to belong to, a banner to rally under, and a community that celebrates both their individuality and their shared purpose.

Research shows that schools with strong house systems consistently see the benefits of better student attendance and engagement, increased personal connection to teachers and peers, greater involvement in co-curricular life, in addition to higher academic achievement and problem-solving skills.

Ultimately, the House System embodies our mission to educate the whole person – spiritually, academically, socially, and physically. With its motto, Four Houses Building Better Men, it enhances pastoral care, strengthens community, and provides a powerful framework for developing relationships that last well beyond the classroom. Students will remain in their House community throughout their school journey from grades 8-12, forming bonds across grade levels and with their House leaders, ensuring that every student has a place eof belonging, a team to call their own, and a legacy to carry forward.

In this way, the House System is not simply a program – it is the heartbeat of a thriving school culture: one that unites, inspires, and empowers every student.

School Captain: Kevin Atkins

School Vice-Captains: John Anthony, Kyle Foster

School Edmundian: Christopher Lee

School Vice-Edmundian: Rylan Do

School Treasurer: Nickolai Junusov

School Secretary: Kaleb Adatia

School Media/Tech: Ethan Ramos

School Videographer: Nicky Noguera

Each House is composed of approximately 210 students, 8 Community teachers, and 1 House Dean.  A student will be a part of one House for the entire time they are at VC. Siblings will be inducted into the same House, but not the same Community group.

Each student is selected to participate in a Community group within his House that will be composed of 26 students in grades 8 through 12.

Community groups will meet 1-2 times a month for approximately 40 minutes to engage in community and school wide programs and activities. These sessions will be run by the Community Captain and will be planned and created by the House Director, House Assistant Director, 4 House Deans, and the Student Leadership team. Community groups are the most important component of the House System. The purpose of these meetings is to provide our students with character-based play that is infused with academic advising. Our goal is for the community groups to grow together socially, academically, and spiritually.

Grade 7 Students will form the Spirit House within the House System. Their role will be to assist with increasing team spirit at House Competitions. While they won’t be put into a specific House, yet, they will get a chance to experience what the House system stands for, how it is run, and they can get excited about their future induction in grade 8.

HISTORY OF THE HOUSE NAMES:

The four House names were selected in honour of Blessed Edmund Rice’s dedication to education and the betterment of the whole child. The four Houses are, therefore, named after the place names where he opened his four original schools:

WATERFORD (1802) – The very first school founded by Edmund Rice was in Waterford, Ireland, at Mount Sion. This was the birthplace of the Christian Brothers' educational movement, and it remains a significant site in the history of the order.

CORK (1806) – The second school was established in Cork, Ireland, in 1806. Edmund Rice expanded his efforts here, opening a school for poor boys, following the success of the school in Waterford.

DUBLIN (1814) – In 1814, Edmund Rice founded a school in Dublin, continuing his mission of providing education to disadvantaged children. This school helped to further spread the Christian Brothers’ influence and reach across Ireland.
LIMERICK (1822) – The fourth school was opened in Limerick in 1822, expanding the Christian Brothers' network and further solidifying the foundation of the order’s educational system across Ireland.

HOUSE SYSTEM FORMATION:

House Formation – Students 

• Students were randomly sorted into the four houses in equal numbers.  Siblings are in the same house but will not be in the same community group.  

House Formation – Faculty and Staff

• Faculty and staff will be sorted into the 4 houses. The faculty and staff will remain with the same house year over year.  New faculty will be sorted into the houses to maintain the balances that we have created.  

House Formation – VC Alumni

• VC Alumni have been added into each house by graduation year
• Alumni from 1936-2025 will be encouraged to participate in house themed events and mentoring opportunities

POINTS SYSTEM:

To encourage student participation and healthy competition, the House System at Vancouver College will include a running point system.  Points will be earned through the following categories:

1.      Participation in Major Sporting Events such as Homecoming, Varsity Emerald, Soccer VC-Saints series, the school musical, etc.

2.     Community Service

3.     School Spirit

4.     Direct Competition

5.     Academic Honour Roll

Points will be totaled each month, at the end of each quarter, and finally, at the end of the school year. Points are collected by House Deans, and tracked by the House Director/Assistant Director.

END OF YEAR CHAMPION: PRESIDENT’S HOUSE CUP

The points of each House will be tallied into the House's Yearly Totals. The House with the most points for the year will be named House Champions for that year and celebrate with a house wide party. This house will be awarded the Irish Championship Cup which will be engraved with the winning House name.  The House that wins the Championship Cup will be rewarded the following school year with additional privileges.