Glenlyon Norfolk earns Apple Distinguished School status
Glenlyon Norfolk School in Victoria has earned Apple Distinguished School status for the 2025/26 to 2028/29 term, a recognition that places the independent school among a select group of innovators in Western Canada. The designation highlights how GNS blends technology with hands-on learning to prepare students for a rapidly changing world.
A culture of tech-enabled learning
At GNS, every classroom relies on Apple devices—iPads for younger students and MacBooks across grade levels—yet the aim isn’t to put screens at the center of education. The school has worked to ensure technology amplifies curiosity and creativity, not just screen time. As technology leader and entrepreneur-in-residence Jon Hamlin notes, the award is a validation of years of collaborative work by teachers, students and administrators who are willing to explore new practices.
Field trips that blend tech with science
One standout example occurred during a field trip to the Sooke shoreline last year. Armed with iPads, students photographed kelp, cross-checked species against an online encyclopedia, and turned a beach walk into a hands-on science lab. The experience demonstrated a core principle at GNS: technology should connect students with the natural world and translate digital exploration into tangible learning outcomes.
Beyond the beach, the school’s approach includes outdoor mapping projects and the use of drones and digital tools to create models that students build with their own hands. This blend of fieldwork and digital literacy helps students develop observation, data collection and critical thinking skills in real time.
Collaboration with museums and hands-on mapping
Last year, younger students partnered with the Royal BC Museum on a project that spilled across the gym floor with a giant Canada map. iPads were used to photograph and map, drones captured aerial shots, and students translated those digital explorations into physical models. “We’re not just putting kids in front of devices all day,” Hamlin said. “We’re using the tools outside, in the field, to enhance learning in ways that stick.”
Growing programs and new opportunities
The Apple Distinguished School designation aligns with a broad expansion of GNS’s tech offerings. A robotics program has quadrupled in size since its launch last year, and students are now stepping into a film course developed in partnership with the Vancouver Film School. Projects are edited on MacBooks and refined on high-powered Mac Studio computers, illustrating a full ecosystem where hardware, software and creativity converge.
Global connections and local impact
Head of School Chad Holtum emphasizes that the designation is about more than devices. It reflects GNS’s mission to provide exceptional learning experiences that equip students with the skills, knowledge and mindset to thrive in an ever-changing world and become the next generation of changemakers. For Hamlin, the Apple Distinguished School title also connects GNS to a global network of like-minded schools. A recent gathering in Orlando allowed educators from around the world to share projects and ideas, enabling GNS to bring new insights back to Victoria.
Looking ahead
With approximately 800 students from kindergarten to Grade 12, GNS views the award as a collective achievement. “I may be leading some of these initiatives, but none of this would happen without teachers stepping up and trying new things,” Hamlin said. The school’s leadership agrees that Apple’s designation is not the end point but a catalyst for ongoing experimentation, collaboration and community-wide learning across Victoria.
