Douglas Elementary 25-26
OUR CONTEXT
Douglas Elementary is a Kindergarten to Grade 7 school located in the Douglas neighbourhood of South Surrey, on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Semiahmoo First Nation, and within the shared territories of the Katzie and Kwantlen First Nations. Opened in 2020, our school serves a diverse and growing community of learners and families. Our collaborative learning spaces support creativity, innovation, and meaningful connections among students, staff, and families.
At Douglas, our motto, Be Kind, Be Curious, Be Proud to Be You, guides our work and reflects the culture we strive to create each day. Through meaningful relationships, engaging learning experiences, student voice, and strong partnerships with families, we are committed to creating a community where every learner feels valued, connected, and empowered to thrive.
Be Kind
Kindness is woven throughout our school culture. Through Social-Emotional Learning opportunities, relationship-building experiences, and the work of dedicated staff committed to fostering student well-being and belonging, students are developing empathy, self-awareness, and a deeper understanding of how their actions impact others and the world around them.
Across classrooms, students engage in learning focused on emotion management, empathy, perspective-taking, problem-solving, and responsible decision-making. Teachers draw on a variety of approaches and resources, including Second Step and Compassionate Systems practices. In classrooms where Compassionate Systems learning is being explored, students engage with tools such as Check & Connect, the Iceberg Model, Stock and Flow Diagrams, and the Ladder of Inference. These tools support learners in reflecting on their emotions and experiences, recognizing patterns and interconnectedness, understanding multiple perspectives, setting goals, and developing thoughtful approaches to challenges and relationships.
Student leadership and service help foster a strong sense of belonging. Leadership students facilitated a Friendship Club, creating opportunities for students across grades to connect and build relationships. Members of the DEI Club developed and launched a school-wide Spreading Kindness Challenge in recognition of Pink Shirt Day. Using heart designs created by Indigenous artist Michelle Stoney, students shared messages of gratitude and kindness that were displayed throughout the school.
A Grade 2/3 class participated in a Small Acts, Big Impact challenge, welcoming students and families with messages of kindness and creating a warm and inclusive atmosphere throughout the community. As part of the challenge, students also engaged in Operation: Someone in Need, creating care packages and messages of hope while learning to better understand the experiences and perspectives of others. These experiences helped learners develop empathy and recognize how small acts of compassion can make a meaningful difference in someone's life.
Throughout the year, acts of kindness are celebrated, and students who consistently demonstrate compassion and empathy are recognized through our Heart Award.
Be Curious
At Douglas, curiosity drives learning. Through an inquiry-based approach, students are encouraged to ask questions, explore their interests, investigate authentic problems, and construct new understandings through collaboration, reflection, and discovery.
This year, Grade 3 students became “experts” on topics of personal interest, conducting research and creating podcasts to teach others about their discoveries. Similarly, Grade 7 students developed TED Talk-style presentations on topics they were passionate about, strengthening their communication skills while learning to engage and inspire an audience.
Learning extends beyond the classroom through a variety of clubs and extracurricular opportunities that nurture students' interests, talents, and passions. Through experiences such as Minecraft Club and Knitting and Crochet Club, learners develop creativity, collaboration, perseverance, and problem-solving skills while connecting with peers who share similar interests.
Curiosity extends to our staff, who engage in ongoing professional learning and collaborative inquiry. Through initiatives such as our Reclaiming Our Students book club, a Second Step working group, and a growing Compassionate Systems learning group, staff work together to deepen their understanding of student well-being, belonging, and learning.
Several staff members also completed the Introduction to the Compassionate Systems Framework Level 1 course with Mette Boell. Douglas is fortunate to have staff leaders who are exploring and implementing Compassionate Systems practices in their classrooms and sharing their learning with colleagues. This year, we were honoured to welcome Mette to our school to observe our work in action and engage in conversations about fostering belonging, reflection, and well-being.
Be Proud to Be You
At Douglas Elementary, we believe every learner deserves to feel a strong sense of belonging and pride in who they are. Through ongoing learning in the areas of racial equity, Indigenous learning, diversity, and inclusion, students develop a deeper understanding of themselves, others, and the world around them.
This year, Douglas welcomed Indigenous Cultural Facilitators who spent a week sharing their knowledge, stories, traditions, and teachings with students. These experiences provided meaningful opportunities for learners to deepen their understanding of Indigenous cultures, histories, and perspectives. Through opportunities to learn from and alongside Indigenous Cultural Facilitators, students and staff embraced opportunities to witness, listen, reflect, and grow together. On the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, our school engaged in a Walk of Intention, encouraging students to reflect on their role in reconciliation and respectful relationships with Indigenous Peoples.
Students also participated in school-wide learning and recognition of Vaisakhi, Lunar New Year, Ramadan, Eid, and Black Excellence initiatives, helping to broaden understanding and appreciation for the diverse communities represented within our school and beyond. This year, Cultural Dress Day provided an opportunity for students and staff to proudly celebrate and share their cultures, heritage, identities, and family traditions.
Through our DEI Club, students explored accessibility and inclusion by creating a video highlighting what accessibility looks like at Douglas and identifying opportunities for continued growth. These experiences help students understand the importance of advocacy, empathy, and ensuring everyone feels valued and included.
Creativity and artistic expression are also celebrated throughout our school community. The Douglas Art Show brought students together to create collaborative works of art that reflected both individual expression and collective effort. Students also engaged in the cultural art of Taiko drumming, developing teamwork, rhythm, and an appreciation for Japanese culture.
Through these experiences, students develop confidence, cultural understanding, and pride in who they are while learning to appreciate and celebrate the identities, perspectives, and experiences of others.
Be Active
At Douglas Elementary, we believe that physical activity, teamwork, and healthy living are important parts of learning and well-being. Students are encouraged to challenge themselves, develop new skills, and experience the joy of movement through a variety of athletic opportunities.
Participation in the Douglas Hockey League, Handball League, Volleyball Playday, Soccer Playday, Basketball Playday, Ultimate, extracurricular sports opportunities, and daily physical activity fosters teamwork, perseverance, leadership, and school spirit. Students also expanded their skills through pickleball and rugby instruction and participated in both the Surrey District Track Meet and the Surrey Track Meet for students with diverse abilities. Through these experiences, students develop confidence, resilience, sportsmanship, and a lifelong appreciation for physical activity.
Looking Forward
Together, these experiences contribute to a school culture where kindness, curiosity, belonging, identity, wellness, and active engagement are celebrated. Guided by our motto, Be Kind, Be Curious, Be Proud to Be You, we are committed to nurturing compassionate, curious, confident, and active learners who contribute positively to their communities and embrace the diversity, strengths, and perspectives that make Douglas Elementary unique.
OUR LEARNERS
Douglas learners are curious, creative, and eager to share their ideas. Through inquiry-based learning experiences, students are encouraged to ask questions, explore topics of interest, investigate authentic problems, and make meaningful connections to the world around them. They bring diverse experiences, perspectives, interests, and strengths to the classroom and demonstrate enthusiasm for learning through inquiry, collaboration, discussion, and hands-on experiences. Students enjoy opportunities to communicate their thinking, share their learning, and reflect on their understanding.
Writing provides students with opportunities to communicate the ideas, questions, discoveries, and reflections that emerge through their learning. Through writing, learners share their stories, express their ideas, and deepen their understanding of themselves and others while developing their ability to communicate for a variety of purposes and audiences. From Kindergarten to Grade 7, students engage in writing experiences that support them in developing their voice, reflecting on their learning, and making meaning of the world around them.
Students demonstrate strong oral communication skills through classroom discussions, collaborative learning experiences, presentations, leadership opportunities, and opportunities to share their learning with authentic audiences. Across grade levels, students are eager to contribute ideas, ask questions, and engage in meaningful conversations about their learning. These experiences help learners develop confidence as communicators and provide a strong foundation for written communication.
As a school, we have adapted the BC Writing Performance Standards and use them to assess our School-Wide Write (SWW). The SWW provides students and staff with a common language for discussing writing, identifying strengths, setting goals, and monitoring growth over time.
Writing is a complex process that supports learning across all curricular areas. By building on students' strengths as thinkers, communicators, storytellers, and creators, we will continue to support learners in developing the confidence, strategies, and skills needed to communicate effectively through writing.
OUR FOCUS
Analysis of our School-Wide Write data, classroom observations, and student work samples indicates that many students have rich ideas and are eager to communicate their thinking. Students often demonstrate creativity, enthusiasm, and a willingness to share their experiences, perspectives, and learning. Our evidence also suggests that students would benefit from continued opportunities to develop and elaborate their ideas, organize their writing effectively, select precise and descriptive language, and communicate their thinking with increasing clarity and detail.
OUR NEXT STEPS
Surrey Schools
Formed in 1906, the Surrey School District currently has the largest student enrolment in British Columbia and is one of the few growing districts in the province. It is governed by a publicly elected board of seven trustees.
The district serves the cities of Surrey and White Rock and the rural area of Barnston Island.
