June 22nd, 2025

Blair Rd Public School – Year-End Community Newsletter
June 2025

Dear Blair Rd families,

As we wrap up another extraordinary school year, I’m filled with gratitude and pride. A school is far more than a building where academic learning happens; it is a living reflection of its community. Every day, your children, our staff, our facilities team, as well as our system leaders, and most importantly, you—the parents and caregivers—bring countless minds, hands, and hearts together to create something vibrant and hopeful.

This newsletter celebrates what we achieved together in 2024-25, while also acknowledging the work that still lies ahead. Next year we’ll focus on:

  • Re-implementing and strengthening our Safe, Caring & Inclusive School Committee;

  • Offering families even more support for learning at home, especially with reading

  • Re-imagining our school website for easier navigation and richer resources; and

  • Deepening several internal initiatives tied to student achievement and well-being.

Today, though, let’s pause to recognize how much we have already accomplished – and these are just some of our highlights, and not a comprehensive list.

Campus & Facilities
Fence relocation by the gated Kindergarten area
Repainted tarmac lines for active recess games
New paved path linking our yard to the city park
Removal of outdated metal posts near the backyard trees and Removing the fence around the School Creative Play Structure for age-appropriateness and better supervision
Main Foyer Beautification with welcome in many languages present in our community

Transportation & Safety

  • Hired a parking lot attendant to ensure arrivals and dismissals were done safely and traffic was controlled in our parking lot, protecting our most vulnerable students who arrive by special transportation
  • Developed a Parking Map with Student Transportations Service of Waterloo Region so that parents were aware of parking areas and walking paths around our school and made this map available right on our school website

  • Re-engaged in the student Bus Patroller program to promote safe boarding and exiting

  • Parking-lot improvements – full assessment, boulevard paving, and construction approved for the summer in order to increase our number of parking spots and improve traffic flow

Student Engagement & Events

  • Movie Nights and Spring Fun Fair hosted by School Council

  • Volleyball Tournament – our first inter-school event in three years

  • Scholastic Book Fair (Council-run and record-breaking!)

  • Running Club with 80+ participants

  • Terry Fox Run raised $4,200

  • UnSilent Night  (first year participation with many students and families visiting the event)

  • Winter Concert— beautifully themed celebrating light within the seasons and across many faiths

  • Implementation of Pawsitive Tickets and Bandit’s Tatoos – incentives that reinforce positive behaviours in our school

Sustainability

  • Earned EcoSchools Canada Bronze Certification in our first year participating—an amazing start! Our seal is visible on our website.

Student Achievement

  • School-wide adoption of the Science of Reading framework

  • Acadience screening and training for all primary staff as per board’s direction and provincial mandate

  • Collaborative data dives to set measurable goals in our School Improvement Plan

Operations & Finance

  • Balanced a projected budget without reducing programs

  • Held our first School Town Hall to invite new parents to school council, discussion of community programs, and introducing the new principal

  • Secured an Indigo Love of Reading Grant of $10,000 through the efforts and leadership of our teaching staff

  • Community-led Nutrition for Learning fundraiser exceeded its target

Communication

  • Launched our Instagram account @blairrdps—follow us for snapshots

  • Introduced a monthly Principal’s Newsletter (this very update!)

  • Created an internal Staff Memo Hub for PD resources and links

Equity & Belonging

  • Orange Shirt Day—school-wide reflection and art installation

  • Black Brilliance Week celebrating Black excellence in STEAM and the arts

  • Active Equity Committee guiding school wide initiatives and classroom practice

  • Rainbow Day—attendance up by 130 students over last year; joy was palpable!

Looking Ahead

These successes remind us what’s possible when we work side by side. Next year we will build on this momentum—deepening academic growth, expanding social-emotional supports, and making sure every family feels truly welcomed and informed.

Until then, thank you for your partnership, patience, and passion. Have a safe and restorative summer. We can’t wait to see you—and all the possibilities the new year will bring—in September!

With gratitude,

Carolina Pereira Miranda
Principal, Blair Rd Public School

“A Learning Adventure – Inspiring Student Learning through the focused efforts of all community members”