Building Community Connections at École Squamish Elementary with Support from Woodfibre LNG

After COVID-19, many communities faced challenges in rebuilding the social connections that bind them. École Squamish Elementary (ESQE) saw these challenges and took action to become a catalyst in uniting the community.

Through community-centered initiatives, ESQE has stepped up to help families rebuild and strengthen their community connections. With the support of partners like Woodfibre LNG, ESQE has created inclusive events and programs that bring fresh energy to students and the larger community.

Brigitte Suter, ESQE’s Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) Chair and a passionate advocate for community engagement, has been a key leader in these efforts. She joined the PAC after the height of COVID-19, inspired by the potential to strengthen the connections between parents, teachers and students.

“ESQE serves families living in high-density and social housing within Squamish, where many experience barriers to participating in community activities due to daily challenges around food security and housing. Many families feel disconnected from the idea of community because of the demands they face in their own lives, “said Suter, “As a teacher, I saw many opportunities to bring everyone together through fun events and activities that offer accessible and inclusive events for these families to engage and feel connected.”

One of the events the school hosted in 2024 was a Spring Carnival. Woodfibre LNG, through its Community Partnerships Program (CPP), helped the PAC to purchase drums for the younger kids in the school’s student drumming group, who opened the Spring Carnival. The funds were also used to enhance the carnival by creating activity stations that welcomed families from across the community, including a dunk tank. “It was especially great when the principals from our school and the neighboring Valley Cliffe Elementary got into the dunk tank! The kids really loved that,” said Suter.

“We structured games and activities so that children of all ages and abilities could participate, including activity booths that work for kids in mobility devices, like a pool noodle toss that can be done from a wheelchair,” adds Suter.

The carnival started right after school, allowing students to join without needing additional transportation, and PAC provided free tickets and food for families who may otherwise be unable to attend.

In addition to the Spring Carnival, the school also hosts the Sea to Sky Artisan Market in November, where local artists and student vendors display and sell their work. The PAC is also raising funds for an inclusive playground that will be accessible to both local families and visitors throughout the day.

While never short on fun, funding often remains a challenge for École Squamish Elementary’s PAC initiatives. “Our biggest obstacle has been funding,” says Suter. “We are truly grateful to Woodfibre LNG for their generous contributions, which have helped make these moments possible for the families of ESQE and our community.”