A Global School with a Local Footprint: Rethinking What “Local” Education Looks Like in North Vancouver
Many people on the North Shore recognize Bodwell High School as the waterfront campus near Lower Lonsdale. Fewer realize that Bodwell serves a growing number of local Metro Vancouver families, alongside students from across Canada and beyond.
Founded in 1991, Bodwell High School is a fully accredited BC independent school serving students in Grades 8 to 12. While the school has long welcomed families from many backgrounds, it increasingly attracts North Shore and Metro Vancouver families looking for something different from a traditional neighbourhood school.
Bodwell is unique by design. It is a global school with a local footprint, bringing together day students, weekday boarders, and full boarders on one North Vancouver campus. This creates a learning environment that reflects the world young people are growing into: diverse, interconnected, and dynamic—yet grounded in a close-knit school community.
At its core, Bodwell focuses on readiness. The high school years shape habits, confidence, and a young person’s ability to manage independence and change. Bodwell’s approach combines academic rigour with structured guidance, helping students understand options sooner so decisions later feel informed rather than rushed. This focus on preparation has translated into consistently strong post-secondary outcomes and established confidence from Canada’s leading universities.
That preparation extends well beyond the classroom. Bodwell students contribute thousands of volunteer hours each year across the North Shore, supporting community organizations, nonprofits, and local initiatives. Students are active in athletics, arts, and leadership, and alumni include local innovators such as the co-founder of Vancouver-based footwear company Vessi—an example of graduates who remain connected to the region and contribute meaningfully to their communities.
As a member of the North Vancouver Chamber, Bodwell also plays an active role as a community partner. Its modern campus hosts events and facility rentals for local organizations, and the school continues to expand its Enrichment Programs, offering after-school learning opportunities for local youth, including aquatics in its indoor swimming pool and STEM camps through a new partnership with UBC Geering Up. Bodwell welcomes partnerships with businesses, nonprofits, and community groups committed to youth development and community engagement.
To help the community better understand who Bodwell is really for, and how its approach works in practice, the school invites families, partners, and neighbours to a Lunar New Year Open House on Friday, February 13, from 10 a.m. to noon.
Visitors are welcome to tour the campus, meet students and staff, and take part in an open conversation about readiness, belonging, and what comes after high school.
For many local families, Bodwell represents a reframing of what “local education” can look like: rooted in North Vancouver, connected to the world, and designed to prepare young people for what comes next.
