Blog Posts

Noticing a shift in literacy instruction across the district? Wonder what is going on in the classroom down the hall?  

We walk into our schools each day and meet with faces, a multitude of beautiful faces behind which there are stories, personalities, interests, skills, hopes and values. And each day, we are lucky enough to have these children share pieces and layers of themselves in what might seem like surface-level interactions. A welcoming smile can draw someone in and engage them in conversation, and taking some time to listen to a child's story gives insight into their identity and, in turn, gives them the confidence they need to share with others.

The Abbotsford School District's Early Years learning team has been working to ensure that as many children and families have access to early learning support throughout our community. The following services and programs are currently available:

Harlem arrived at my school in September 2021 with a G4 file as thick as my fist. It stated that he had been in foster care for 11 years, rarely attended school, and could become violent if he became frustrated. He had been in foster care since birth and had been mainly homeschooled by his foster parents who did not value public school or his culture. When I first met him, it became apparent that we were not dealing with a violent or mean child but a soft-spoken, gentle, and curious boy.

Irene Kelleher was born in Matsqui on December 16, 1901. Irene’s parents attended Saint Mary’s and Saint Anne’s Residential School in Mission. Raised in the Fraser Valley and eventually returning to the area later in life, Irene was a vital contributor to public education in British Columbia and a respected community leader.

Saying Goodbye

So…this is it. My last year. My last month. I am trying to walk gracefully into the sunset…and retire. As we look at the weirdest wind-up of school, I am trying to get a feel for anything familiar in my long, historic life so far…nope. This is definitely new.  Absolutely, the “once-in-a-hundred-years” kind of thing. When Covid officially started over two years ago, I was 12 hours away from my annual Oregon surf trip.  All I can say is that I am ending my career with a similar water theme—but not the one I expected! 

Last November, in honouring our soldiers and veterans during Remembrance Day each year,  Mrs. Tryon's class, on behalf of our school, designed a thank you card for our Canadian Troops. These were the troops who helped out in the flooding and Heat Domes that affected many communities in BC and across Canada in 2021.  Unfortunately, on November 15, our beloved school was evacuated as the waters rose in the Sumas Prairie Flood of 2021, and our thank you card was left behind.

March is an exciting month for us, because it means WE finally get to go home to our Whatcom & Vye Campus! If you have driven by the school, you know that our district workers have been working extremely hard to get our school ready for our return after Spring Break. Please let me share what can be expected in the days to come following Spring Break.

Watching the Olympics is always one of my favourite highlights.  Not just the winning, but the efforts and sacrifice of athletes to pursue a dream that only comes around once every four years, and putting it all on the line for as little as two minutes.  I watched every Canadian athlete who earned a medal, and the joy of doing it together.

Why We Remember 

There are months I remember more than others. November is one of my REMEMBER months.  Not because it's sunny or I love to pick up leaves in my yard all month (I’m at 40 bags and counting); November is memorable because of the things I have got to do that make Remembrance Day meaningful for me, as well as my family.