School Celebrations to Promote Acceptance and Respect for All

Keeping with the Abbotsford School District’s focus on equity in mind, Dormick Park Elementary chooses to focus on the celebrations and learnings that represent our school population. We celebrate the diversity of our student population and promote a climate of acceptance and respect for all.

Throughout the month of April, Dormick is celebrating Ramadan and Vaisakhi. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community. Vaisakhi is a harvest festival in the Punjab region of North India. To celebrate, many Sikhs will visit places of worship, enjoy parades and special processions, and celebrate through singing, music, dance, and food.

At Dormick Park, the cultural committee has worked together with students to create two assemblies that will teach, showcase, and inform our school community of what Ramadan and Vaisakhi represent.

The Ramadan assembly will share students’ knowledge and customs around Ramadan through interviews and artifact sharing. A large population of the Dormick Park community observes Ramadan and is thrilled to share their teachings with the rest of the school. At the end of Ramadan, Eid is celebrated as a community feast to mark the end of Ramadan.

The Vaisakhi assembly will teach the representation behind Vasisakhi in correlation with bhangra dancing, Dhol drumming from Abby Middle, samosas and a day for staff and students to wear their cultural suits. This is a largely celebrated event within the Abbotsford and Dormick Park community.

These are two of the many cultural celebrations held at Dormick Park . We hope that the children at Dormick Park continue to see themselves and their cultures in the learning and celebrations that occur throughout the year.

RACHEL LACK, PRINCIPAL
Dormick Park Elementary