When school starts on Sept. 3, the site of the former Farm Roots Mini School at 6570 1A Avenue in Boundary Bay, Delta will be opening its doors to students once again.
The eight-acre location will be enjoyed by students from across the district through a variety of different programs.
Students in the district’s provincial online school, Home Quest, will be regular visitors. As part of the outdoor program, they will explore the community from an Indigenous perspective through the Naut’sa mawt and First Peoples Principles of Learning.
“Students will spend their mornings investigating and observing the land and living things that inhabit the area. You will often find us exploring the shoreline or adventuring in the surrounding forest areas,” said Tiffany Cherry, Home Quest coordinator. “In the afternoon we will learn through collaboration. Our afternoons will often involve time in our story studio creating, connecting, and sharing the learning from the morning adventures.”
“Students participating in the French Immersion program will also be regular visitors to the site,” said Gwenaëlle Oger-Black, French Programs Coordinator. “Before the summer break, I brought several field trips involving classes from grades 2 to 12 here to learn about the land and I look forward to doing the same again this year.”
The site will also be visited by groups of new teachers that are focusing using outdoor education, place-based learning and storytelling as part of their practice.
“We are extremely fortunate that students get to learn, discover, connect and play once again in this lovely environment,” said Neil Stevenson, Director of Learning Services. “Sadly, the pandemic caused us to close the Farm Roots Mini School. With students no longer visiting the site during that time, many members of the community began using the area as a place to take their pets. With the return of staff and students in September, we respectfully ask the local community to avoid bringing pets onto the school grounds. The presence of animals on school property is a potential threat to the safety of children or adults who are engaged in activities on the site, some of whom we already know are fearful of animals.”
In addition, community members are asked to avoid parking in the school parking lot. Access to the lot is required at all times by school district staff and school buses.
