Dear DRBS Families,

Before we close out another wonderful school year, we have one final week of learning, celebration, and community ahead of us:

Final Week at DRBS

  • June 21 – National Indigenous Peoples Day
  • June 22 & 23 – Football Residency
  • June 23 – Rainbow Day
  • June 24 – Grade 6 Farewell
  • June 25 – Report Cards Available to Families
  • June 26 – Sports Day
  • June 26 – Last Day of School – School's Out for Summer!

We look forward to celebrating these special events with our students as we wrap up another successful year together.

As we come to the end of another wonderful school year, I would like to take a moment to thank each of you for your partnership, support, and commitment to our school community. Together, we have celebrated successes, supported one another through challenges, and created meaningful learning experiences for our students.

This year has been filled with growth, achievement, and countless moments of joy. Whether through classroom learning, field trips, performances, athletic opportunities, leadership experiences, or the many day-to-day moments that make our school special, our students have demonstrated curiosity, resilience, kindness, and a love of learning. I could not be prouder of what they have accomplished.

As many of you are aware, questions have recently been raised regarding two new specialized system programs that will be joining Dr. Roberta Bondar School in September: an Adapted Learning Program (ALP 2) and a Bridges program. I appreciate the thoughtful questions, feedback, and concerns that families have shared. Open communication and strong partnerships with families are important to us, and I would like to provide some additional context.

The decision to locate these programs at DRBS was made by the Calgary Board of Education as part of a system-wide initiative funded by the provincial government to address increasing classroom complexity and provide equitable access to specialized supports across the city. Our school was identified as a strong candidate because specialized programs are currently limited in this area of Calgary and because our school has available space due to declining enrolment. Since being informed of this decision in early May, school administration has been working closely with central office staff to prepare for implementation and to ensure a successful transition for all students and families.

The Adapted Learning Program (ALP) provides specialized educational programming for students with complex learning needs and focuses on functional academics, communication, social interaction, self-regulation, vocational skills, and independent living skills. The Bridges program supports students who require intensive social-emotional and academic support, with the goal of helping them build skills that allow for increasing participation within their school community. Both programs include highly trained staff and access to multidisciplinary teams of specialists.

One question we have heard frequently is how these programs will affect current DRBS students. We want to assure families that the addition of these programs brings significant resources and expertise to our school. Along with new students, we will welcome additional teachers, educational assistants, support workers, and access to specialized professionals. These supports will benefit not only students enrolled in the programs, but also many current DRBS students whose learning needs align with the expertise these teams bring.

We have also heard concerns regarding school culture, safety, and learning environments. Maintaining a safe, welcoming, and inclusive school remains our highest priority. The implementation of these programs will be carefully planned, supported, and monitored. Success will be measured through student growth, student well-being, school climate, staff capacity, and our ability to meet the needs of all learners. As with any significant change, we will continue to assess the impact, identify challenges, and adjust as needed.

At this time, we anticipate beginning with a relatively small number of students across the two programs. This gradual implementation will allow staff to get to know students and families well, establish strong routines and supports, and ensure a smooth transition into our school community. These students primarily come from our local area and, like many of our current students, will arrive by parent transportation or school bus.

I also want to acknowledge concerns that some families have expressed regarding communication. The timing of staffing decisions, funding announcements, and program planning this spring was influenced by delayed provincial budget information and subsequent CBE staffing processes. While information was shared as it became available, I understand that many families would have appreciated earlier communication. Thank you for that feedback. We will continue to communicate openly as plans develop and as we learn more about the specific needs of the students and staff joining our community.

Looking ahead, I am excited about the opportunities these programs will create for students and staff alike. Dr. Roberta Bondar School has always been a place where every child belongs, every learner is valued, and diversity is viewed as a strength. The addition of these programs reflects those values and strengthens our ability to support a wide range of learners.

Looking Ahead to 2026–2027

As we prepare for September, we are excited to welcome both new and returning staff members to our DRBS team. Our teachers, support staff, office staff, custodial team, lunchroom supervisors, and learning commons staff all play an essential role in creating the safe, caring, and engaging learning environment that makes DRBS such a special place for students and families.

While grade assignments and class placements are still being finalized, we are pleased to share the staff who will be part of the DRBS team for the 2026–2027 school year.

Administration

  • Evelyne Lamontagne, Principal
  • Kim Howden, Assistant Principal

Teaching Staff

  • Jaclyn Aghabarati
  • Esther Bakshi
  • Tracey Bishop
  • Shael Bourne
  • Luann Charles
  • Andrea Crean
  • Robert Cuculea
  • Shawna Davey
  • Danielle Dusome
  • Aimee Edwards
  • Tessa Ethier
  • Amy Freisen
  • Marcia Goss
  • Roni Gorrie
  • Deb Hercun
  • Rhonda Hoggard
  • Brad Hughes
  • Karen Johnson
  • Brenda Labrecque
  • Lydia McLeod
  • Sheena Masesar
  • Anne Nicholls
  • Morgan Nichols
  • Lindsay Oliver
  • Victoria Orton
  • Amanda Payette
  • Jodi Prazak
  • Rick Ramada
  • Nadia Summer
  • Eric Tham

Support Staff

  • Melissa Johnson
  • Mellissa Krystalovich
  • Krista McGillivray
  • Jasmeet Parhar
  • Annette Siewert

Office Staff

  • Roberta Clark
  • Nadine Yacey

Learning Commons

  • Roxanne Nobrega

Custodial Staff

  • Elizabeth Kraaji
  • Alvin Mallari
  • Joseph Saquin

Lunchroom Staff

  • Anupa Asher
  • Crystal Buchanan
  • Pallavi Gowda
  • Melanie Magnuson
  • Ermelinda Mullaj
  • Waseema Nizam
  • Anne Shantz
  • Maria Stoic
  • Mary Werstuik

Staff Celebrations and Best Wishes

As we look ahead to next year, we also want to recognize two valued members of our DRBS family.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to Ms. Talbot as she takes the next step in her leadership journey. Ms. Talbot will be moving into a leadership position at Griffith Woods School next year. While we will certainly miss her presence, dedication, and contributions to our school community, we are excited for this new opportunity and know she will continue to make a positive impact on students, staff, and families. We thank her for all she has done for DRBS and wish her every success in this exciting new chapter.

We would also like to wish Mrs. Crean all the very best as she begins a new adventure of her own. Mrs. Crean will be away next year as she prepares to welcome a new baby, expected to arrive in September. We are thrilled for her and her family and know she has an exciting year ahead. We look forward to hearing updates and welcoming her back to DRBS in the future.

Please join me in congratulating both Ms. Talbot and Mrs. Crean and wishing them all the very best in the year ahead.

Most importantly, I want to thank you for a fantastic school year. Your support, volunteerism, encouragement, and trust contribute greatly to the success of our students and our school. It is a privilege to work alongside such a caring and engaged community.

On behalf of all the staff at Dr. Roberta Bondar School, thank you for sharing your children with us this year. We are grateful for the opportunity to learn alongside them, celebrate their successes, and watch them grow.

We wish all our families a safe, relaxing, and joyful summer. We look forward to welcoming everyone back in the fall and beginning another exciting year together.

Warm regards,

Evelyne Lamontagne
Principal
Dr. Roberta Bondar School

 

A Message from School Council

This year, School Council was proud to support a wide range of initiatives that helped strengthen our school community, support our teachers and staff, and create meaningful experiences for our students.

 

Throughout the year, volunteers helped with ongoing programs such as Hug N Go, Fun Lunch, Work Bee, the school notice board, and the DRBS merch store. We also supported seasonal initiatives and community events, including Jacket Racket, the Halloween Dance, teacher appreciation potlucks during Student Learning Conferences, Teacher Appreciation Day, and a school movie event that brought together more than 160 students and family members.

School Council also helped fund and coordinate important school improvements and resources, including new laptop carts for Chromebooks, staff appreciation hoodies, and outdoor classroom cleanup work, including replacing mulch with sod, clearing paths, and replacing dead trees.

We were also pleased to support a variety of school residencies and enrichment opportunities for students, including Elder Shirley’s Indigenous curriculum enrichment, storytelling and writing, Mad Science, butterfly life cycle programming, Trickster performance arts, Ancient Civilizations, Telus Spark, and Charter Challenge. While some programming was interrupted due to the strike, these experiences helped bring learning to life across many grades.

In addition, School Council completed important behind-the-scenes work, including reviewing and providing feedback on the School Development Plan, supporting online safety education with Paul Davis, and producing the yearbook with a new local publisher.

Most importantly, this year showed what can happen when families, teachers, staff, and volunteers work together to make the school a better place for our children. A sincere thank you to everyone who volunteered their time, contributed food, helped at events, organized programs, supported fundraising, or quietly did the small jobs that keep everything moving. None of this happens without people stepping up.

We wish everyone a wonderful summer and look forward to seeing everyone back in the fall!

DRBS School Council