Blog Posts

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

We are so pleased to be welcoming all of you and your children back to Bondar this fall. As you are all well aware, Dr. Roberta Bondar Elementary is a special place, full of intelligent, creative and resilient children. Our school staff are ready to support students and to facilitate their growth and learning this fall and throughout the school year.

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

School is officially out for summer and the shift in the daily routine is beginning. I hope that you are all able to find some adventure, some fun and some relaxation over the next 9 weeks! It is time to celebrate after a successful year of learning😊

And with the closure of the school year, we are saying goodbye to some of the staff members that worked with us this year:

Ms. Davies is retiring.

Mrs. G. is retiring.

Miss Sohl is taking a job at another school.

Mr. Zed is taking a job at John Maclure.

At Kandal, we are committed to strengthening our family partnerships in our school community. It’s no secret that the more parents are involved in their children’s lives, both at home and at school, the more they will be in the ‘know’ about how best to support their children. To this end, our kindergarten and grade 1 teachers and our English Language Learners (ELL) teachers initiated the “Parents as Partners” program.

Many years ago, as I trained for my first marathon, one of my mentors—a seasoned runner with countless marathons behind him—shared invaluable wisdom about the importance of finishing strong. He emphasized the need to maintain enough energy to cross the finish line with a smile and a strong pace, regardless of how the race began.

I can still recall his words echoing in my mind: “Remember, it’s not about how you start the marathon; it’s about how you finish. Finish strong.”

As part of the district’s unwavering commitment to Indigenous Education, Blue Jay is dedicated to expanding our understanding of Indigenous ways of learning. The last part of May and the beginning of June, known as tem’elile or Salmonberry Time according to the Stó:lō Seasons of the Moon calendar found on the Indigenous Education website, marks the start of the berry season and the return of the Salmon to their home.

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

My intention is to reach out to you all once a month to let you know about some of the important things happening around the school. I have no idea what happened to April, however; maybe it was a busy month for you all as well and you didn’t even notice a blog post was missing!

An important part of giving back to the profession is when veteran teachers become mentors to new teaching candidates.  I am thrilled to highlight the significant role and benefits of hosting student teachers at Irene Kelleher Totí:ltawtxw. Currently, we have the pleasure of hosting six teacher candidates from the University of the Fraser Valley who are diligently navigating their long practicums alongside amazing educators within our building. As we embrace this opportunity, it is essential to recognize the profound impact that hosting student teachers has on our school community.

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Term Two has absolutely raced by and we are once again headed into a break. It has been a short but very busy stretch of the school year, and we hope that you take the time to celebrate your child’s successes and achievements from the past few months. Learning Updates were sent home yesterday afternoon; we encourage you to read these documents and to let your child know how proud you are of their progress. We are SO impressed with the hard work of all students at Bondar!

Literacy is the focus of our School Plan at Bondar for the 2023-2024 school year, and in support of this plan, we have been inviting Bondar Special Guest Readers into the school. These adults in our community have been selected to read a story of their choosing to show and to share their love of reading with our students. In January, Constable Neil Cole, our school Liaison Officer, shared a story about dealing with feelings of frustration and anger as well as a story about Terry Fox.