Hello Samuel Burland Families,

As the 2025/26 school year comes to a close, the Samuel Burland Parents Association (SBPA) would like to celebrate another amazing year of supporting our students, staff, and school community! 

2025/26 Accomplishments!

This year, with the help of our incredible volunteers and families, SBPA:

• Purchased 250 school pinnies for students to wear during off-site events, including field trips and sporting events such as cross country and track & field.
• Provided funding for supplies for 6 Wonder Wagons for Grade 1/2 classes to support outdoor learning.
• Secured 6 large yard games for school events, including Corn Hole, Connect 4, Wobbly Tetris, Guess Who, Yahtzee, and Kerplunk.
• Organized 7 fun lunches and 2 treat days (Booster Juice and ice cream/popsicles).
• Coordinated 3 student courses during PD Days (Babysitter, Stay Safe, and First Aid).
• Managed 3 fundraising campaigns - Peak of the Market Farm-to-School, Bothwell Cheese & Archie’s Meat, and Purdy’s Chocolates — raising nearly $4,000 for the future outdoor learning space, and the new pinnies.
• Hosted 2 family dance nights.
• Provided administrative support for 6 Grade 8 Camp fundraising events. A huge shout out to Ms. Gibbs, Ms. Schellenberg, and the entire Grade 8 Leadership Team for their efforts raising funds to help reduce camp costs.
• Hosted Teacher Appreciation Week which included 5 staff appreciation snack days, prizes, and appreciation message from students.
• Made significant progress on the outdoor learning space project by securing funding for preliminary drawings, and meeting with community partners and government representatives to discuss future funding opportunities.

None of this would have been possible without the incredible support of our school administration—a special thank you to Mr. Heilmann and Mrs. Melvin—as well as our dedicated volunteers and supportive families. Whether you donated your time, attended events, or contributed to our fundraisers, we are truly grateful. Your generosity and commitment make a meaningful difference in the lives of our students.

We Need Your Help for 2026/27!

The more volunteers we have, the more opportunities we can create for our students. We are currently looking to fill the following positions:

Communications / Social Media Chair - Maintain and update SBPA social media accounts (Facebook and Instagram), assist with email communications about events and fundraisers, and help prepare year-end communications.

Treasurer (Future Transition Opportunity) - Sarah Lawrie will remain Treasurer for one final year before her son ages out of Samuel Burland at the end of the 2026/27 school year. We are looking for someone interested in learning the role alongside Sarah during the upcoming school year to ensure a smooth transition.

Outdoor Learning Space Chair - Help move this exciting project forward by researching grants, suppliers, and funding opportunities. Much of the groundwork has already been completed — now we need someone passionate about bringing the vision to life.

Donations for Future Fundraisers - To support next year’s fundraising efforts, we are looking for new ideas and/or families interested in donating sporting event tickets, airline vouchers, or other items that could help us launch future fundraisers to support this exciting project. Please reach out to samuelburlandschoolparents@gmail.com; every contribution will help bring this vision closer to reality.

If you would like information about any of these positions, please contact us via the email noted above, or reach out to the school and they will connect you with a SBPA member.

Membership Updates & Thank Yous

Activities Chair
 After 8 years of dedication, Amanda Kroeger is retiring from her role as Activities Chair. Amanda has spent countless hours planning fun experiences for students and staff while helping ensure SPBA continued to thrive, even during years when membership was limited. Thank you, Amanda, for your dedication, knowledge, and positive attitude — you will be greatly missed.

We are excited to officially welcome Angela Torchia into the Activities Chair role after spending this past school year learning alongside Amanda.

Fun Lunch Chairs
 Thank you to Beverley Dufour and Roxanne Mesman for another successful year coordinating fun lunches — a role that requires many volunteer hours behind the scenes.

We are incredibly grateful Laura Kessler and Heather Boulet will be taking on Fun Lunch Chair roles for the 2026/27 school year. Thank you both for stepping up to manage this busy role.

Thank you for reading and for supporting our school community. We wish everyone a safe, relaxing, and wonderful summer!

Shannon (President), 

Sarah (Treasurer), 

Carmen (Secretary), and 

Kim (Fundraising Chair)