Dear Belfast families,
It has been an absolute joy being the principal of Belfast School for the past 3.5 years; this school truly is a gem and is incredibly special. It is with mixed emotions that I share that I will be leaving Belfast at the end of this school year, as I am moving to Sibylla Kiddle School as principal in August. It is not easy leaving the students, staff, and families who have been so welcoming and supportive at Belfast, yet I am excited to start a new challenge and be much closer to home.
When I came to Belfast, I was given the “New Principal Feedback Survey” that staff and families completed, indicating what they would like from their new principal. What stood out is that the school desperately wanted a stronger sense of community and wanted the students and families to feel more connected.
I am so proud of the work that we have done as a collective in the past 3.5 years in terms of creating a warm, welcoming, safe, respectful school where everyone feels like they belong. In the past 3.5 years, we have started many wonderful initiatives and events: Leadership Club, the Welcome Back BBQ, Family Movie Nights, Instagram, Communities, Choice Day, Fun Runs, Carnaval Winterfest, the Tootoosis family for National Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Lunch with a Loved One, Thermopylae – just to name a few. One of the career highlights for me has certainly been the bELFast Elf on the Shelf; this is something I always wanted to do as an Assistant Principal, but the concern at my other schools was that it would create chaos. I always argued that we can’t beat the chaos of the last week of school, so why not join it? As principal, I got to try it – and didn’t know if it would be completely cringey or awesome…and thankfully, it was awesome! The elf has been so much fun and reminds everyone that joy and laughter are a critical part of school. From a physical standpoint, the gaga pit, circle seating in the garden, new outdoor compound spaces, and amazing sensory room are all things we are so proud of and help to contribute to a warm and welcoming space.
Student learning is our central purpose, and to ensure optimal student learning, you need teachers who have strong practice, value collaboration, and engage in self-reflection. I am very proud of how teacher practice has been moved forward over the last few years, and I am confident that your children receive solid instruction and incredible support. Our support staff have also developed their capacity over the years, becoming adept at fine motor teaching, academic intervention, and behavior strategies. Your children are learning at Belfast because the staff all work cohesively toward common goals. I am particularly grateful to have had a creative and competent admin partner in Clancy Evans. We really work well as a team, and I will certainly miss working with her!
The families at Belfast have been incredible to work with. You continue to show up for your children and are always supportive of school events and initiatives. In the past few years, we have quadrupled our approved volunteer list – and we always have more volunteers for trips than we need! We have parents in our building helping out with various jobs, and I appreciate the time and care that so many dedicate to our school! At our tiny school, it makes me emotional every time I see the huge numbers of loved ones who show up at school events: our gym is packed for spring performances, we serve over 700 hotdogs during the annual Welcome Back BBQ, we have people lined up down the street in the cold for our winter concerts, and the turnout for dances and movie nights is incredible. Thank you all for the support you’ve given to the school over the years.
Belfast School is a hidden gem – it really is. The small class sizes, the sense of community, the calm environment – you really don’t get that at all schools. I tell people all the time how awesome our school is, and I mean it. I am proud of the progress that has been made over the past 3.5 years, and I know that the next principal coming in is going to feel like they won the school lottery – I sure did.
The principal position will be posted for competition soon. Families will be asked to complete the “New Principal Feedback Survey” once again – and as you can see above, that feedback really does set the tone for what happens next at Belfast. I know that many people will want to come to Belfast, and I am so excited to see who the lucky person will be!
Thank you for a great experience at Belfast. I look forward to the next month together and to following Belfast’s Instagram for years to come. I can’t wait to see all the amazing things that are in store for this gem of a school!
Meagan Lundgren
Principal, Belfast School