Maddaugh Elementary hosted its long-awaited official opening ceremony earlier today (Thursday, Feb. 24), celebrating almost a year as the newest elementary school in the district.
"New schools like Maddaugh Elementary are giving students throughout Surrey and British Columbia better places to learn, with engaging environments that inspire them to follow their passions," said Jennifer Whiteside, Minister of Education. "From day one, our government has made investments in new and improved schools a top priority, and now families are seeing the benefits through beautiful new facilities like Maddaugh Elementary."
Maddaugh Elementary opened last March, the day after spring break, welcoming more than 300 students and bringing considerable overcrowding relief to nearby Katzie Elementary, Hazelgrove Elementary and Clayton Elementary schools. In that time, Maddaugh has established itself as a hub of the community and developed a unique school culture among its growing student population.
"On any given day you'll witness the sense of community and belonging that has flourished here in the past year," said Laurie Larsen, Chair of the Surrey Board of Education. "Maddaugh Elementary is already a cohesive and important part of this neighbourhood, and it's clear it will be for many, many years to come."
The ceremony included the unveiling of a territorial acknowledgment plaque, recognizing the shared, unceded, traditional territory of the Katzie, Semiahmoo and Kwantlen First Nations on which the school sits. The plaque was designed by Rain Pierre, a Katzie artist and Fraser Heights Secondary graduate who previously designed some of the Indigenous artwork on display at École Salish Secondary.
"Our community has waited a long time to see the vision of this school become a reality, and we are all so excited to see a vibrant school community already thriving at Maddaugh Elementary," said Mike Starchuk, MLA for Surrey-Cloverdale. "I'm looking forward to seeing generations of students create lasting memories at this school for decades to come."
For principal Antonio Vendramin, planting the seeds of the school in the community started five years ago in his former role as district principal, overseeing development of the site and using his son's drone to share aerial photos as construction progressed.
"I just started to tweet pictures of the construction, not knowing for sure I would ever end up here," he said. "So the emotional tie for me goes back to 2017. Once I was appointed the principal here, it was really about pulling together a community that was coming from all over the place. I had the responsibility of building a school culture literally from the ground up."
Vendramin's hard work culminated on March 29, 2021, when the 25-classroom school opened its doors to the community. He further welcomed students by fostering an environment in which students had their say in voting on athletic jerseys and the school mascot - "stulqaye," a Coast Salish word for "wolfpack" - and instilled a sense of ownership by having students sign the back of a large orange panel on the school.
"Their name is on the building - to me, that's important," he said. "There'll be kids here longer than I'm going to be here who come back in 30, 40, 50 years and say, 'I know my name is on the back of this panel.' Creating moments like that is really important for kids to care for this place."
Staff members have also found learning opportunities for students to study the Indigenous history of the land, as well as that of the Maddaugh family from the UK, who settled on the property after it was purchased by one of the brothers who made money in the gold rush.
"I saw this elderly lady posing for a picture in front of one of the trees," said Vendramin anecdotally. "I introduced myself, her name's Cathy, and asked her about her interest in the trees. She looked at me and said, 'I planted these trees,' and my jaw dropped. She showed me a picture of where the house was on the property.
"I really want kids to know there's history here and we have a responsibility to care for our beautiful grounds," he said. "We're all visitors here, and if we go far enough back, we go to the Coast Salish people who celebrated on this land, lived on this land, worked on this land."
Reflecting on the past year, Vendramin said he's proud of the work they've done to make Maddaugh Elementary a home for many students, and he hopes that sense of ownership and responsibility sticks with them long after they've left elementary school.
"It's been a long road and we're starting to feel more established," he said. "We have tradition, we have a vision or mission to say, 'This is what we're about,' and it's hard to do that when you first move in.
"I want kids to experience joy when they're here. Now more than anything, it's needed."
by Jacob Zinn
