Baldonnel Elementary School is a K-6 school located 15 minutes from the “energetic” community of Fort St. John, which is located in the beautiful Peace River Valley. Baldonnel School is midway between Fort St. John and the community of Taylor. We enroll a population of 130 students, 20% of whom are First Nations students. Students come from a wide area that includes numerous small and large acreages, the airport subdivision and two trailer courts. Our school has a staffing compliment of 10 very dedicated and collegial teachers and 5 support workers as well a principal, Reading Recovery teacher and part time librarian. Our school enjoys itinerant access to a range of services such as the District Band Program, elementary counseling and several district itinerants.

Some themes that characterize our school are a commitment to child centered learning, with a passion for enhancing reading and writing skills. We have an active Parent Advisory Committee and a very supportive parent community. This year our school will be focusing on pursing excellent reading and writing skills for all our students. In addition, the arrival of laptop computers into the grade six class adds the need for basic computer skills. As with most schools, we seek to provide a safe learning environment for our learners.

Baldonnel Elementary School began as a one-room school in 1924.  The original structure was built from logs by the early pioneers and the first teacher was Miss Fortin.  The school was then named East Fort St. John School but was changed to Baldonnel School around January 1930 when the first post office opened in the area on March 15, 1929 and the name Baldonnel was chosen by the postal department.

Today Baldonnel School is a modern eight room school with a full-size gymnasium.  The interior library, staffroom and office are flooded with natural light from three large ceiling windows.  The school’s computer lab hosts high-speed internet access allowing students quick access to a world of information outside the school walls.  The playground while not huge is adequate to house its 130 students.

Baldonnel serves a wide area of families.  Some of the school families live on farms. Some own small businesses or are independent business owners while some others are employed in the local major industries. Baldonnel School is proud to serve these families.  We have seen many children pass through our doors, some on to the next level in town and others to other communities.  It is always a pleasure to have old students re-connect with the school and its teachers.  This school could not have the impact that it is having on its children without the incredible support of so many parents.  It is encouraging to the staff to see so many parents take an active role in their children’s education.  Together we can make a difference.

The school’s mission statement reads: “Together, with the parents and the child, we are working towards the development of all children in all areas of learning and living”.  This school community has set three target areas for improvement.  They are:
1. Secure achievement for all students in reading.
2. Maintain and improve achievement for all students in the writing process so that our writing scores are within provincial norms.
3. Have the computer become an integral and functional part of the school system
4. Develop in students a keen sense of social responsibility.
Much time and energy has already been placed in these areas as well as all the other academic areas of the curriculum.  As we review the reports and progress charts we will be able to better determine where more concentrated work remains to be done.  The literacy centres, the work around guided reading and the countless exercises using blended structure and style will be proving their worth in the short years to come.

To contact us, please see our contact page.