Aberdeen / Pacific Way New Catchment

Welcomes You

Welcome to our new Aberdeen families. We can’t wait to meet you and work with you!

Here is a quick snapshot of what you can look forward to at Aberdeen: 
  • We are the only dual-track school in the Kamloops school district: Montessori and Neighborhood.
  • Our neighborhood track is currently composed of 14 divisions and we have 6 Montessori divisions. We expect to grow by 2 neighborhood divisions in the upcoming 2022-2023 school year.
  • All Grade 7 students have the opportunity to participate in Band. Most of our primary students also participate in a robust music program.
  • We run various sports intramurals and team programs.
  • Our Library runs amazing programs and challenges throughout the year. One of our newest additions is our One Book/One School Aberdeen Community Book Club.
  • Our staff are an amazing group of professionals who truly are passionate about creating learning environments in which all of our students can succeed.
  • Our PAC is composed of hard-working parents focused on supporting a variety of aspects of our school. The primary focus of their fundraising efforts at the moment is the purchase of an additional playground (which will be placed on the upper field and geared towards intermediate students).
  • We have the best views of Kamloops!

Getting To Know the Staff of Aberdeen

Mr. Hine - Grade 6 Teacher 

Mrs. Stafford - Intermediate PE/French/PHE Teacher

Mrs. Elliott - Montessori Grade 4/5/6 Teacher

Ms. Ross - Grade 3/4 Teacher

Mrs. Konkin - Music Teacher

Mr. Gagnon - Grade 6/7 Teacher

Ms. Cooper - Grade 1/2/3 Montessori Teacher

Mrs. Kaczur - Grade 3 Teacher

Mrs. Fortems - Kindergarten Teacher

Miss Kolkman - Grade 2/3 Teacher

Key Dates

May 19, 2022:  Welcome to Kindergarten! At this point in time, we are anticipating having scheduled times for a walk-through event the begins at the front of our school.

Questions? If you have any questions, please reach out to the school via emailing me or our amazing school secretary. In the meantime, check out our school website, Facebook and library site to stay informed of current happenings. As we move forward together as a new, stronger community we will appreciate your input as we look at creating revised mission and vision statements for our growing school.

New student? Email is our primary form of communication so please ensure your email address is always up to date with the school please!

Aberdeen Elementary / Pacific Way Elementary Catchment Boundary Change Approved

The Board of Education of School District No. 73 (Kamloops-Thompson) has approved a catchment boundary change for Aberdeen Elementary and Pacific Way Elementary for September 2022.

The catchment change has shifted the area encompassing Bentall, Talbot, Willowbrae, Raeburn, Galbraith and Telford from Pacific Way Elementary to the Aberdeen Elementary catchment area.

If your child is currently in grade 6 at Pacific Way Elementary, your child may remain at Pacific Way Elementary to complete their grade 7 year. In addition, if your child in grade six has younger siblings in Pacific Way Elementary, those younger siblings also have the option to stay at Pacific Way Elementary. Younger siblings are eligible to stay at Pacific Way Elementary until the end of grade 7. Please contact the school to inform the principal of whether your child(ren) will be staying at Pacific Way Elementary by calling 250-851-0632 on or before February 11.

 

  • Use this City of Kamloops mapping service to find your catchment school
  • Find more information on the Aberdeen Elementary/Pacific Way Elementary catchment boundary consultation process here
Aberdeen / Pacific Way
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the catchment area change look like?
The catchment area change shifts the area that encompasses Bentall, Talbot, Willowbrae, Raeburn, Galbraith, Telford, including future development, from Pacific Way Elementary catchment to the Aberdeen Elementary School catchment area and provides for balanced enrolment and capacity utilization. 
How was the decision made regarding this catchment change?

A period of public consultation was held from April 13, 2021 to June 4, 2021. On June 14, 2021, the Board considered the public input in making its decision regarding the catchment boundaries for Aberdeen Elementary and Pacific Way Elementary schools. 
Will existing students be required to change schools or only new enrolments?

The boundary change will take effect September 2022. Students already attending Pacific Way or Aberdeen Elementary that are affected by the catchment boundary change can apply to transfer. 

Administrative Procedure 305 School Boundaries and Student Transfer Requests
(from the AP) 

Each year, students and parents will be given notice that commencing on March 1st of each year, they may request transfer to another school for the coming school year. Notice shall be publicized in school newsletters and on the School District 73 website. Transfer requests must be submitted in writing to the receiving principal and approved by students’ parents to be considered.

Will current out-of-catchment students already accepted into a particular school be affected?

Administrative Procedure 305 School Boundaries and Student Transfer Requests
(from the AP)

Once a non-catchment area student is accepted into a particular school, that student can remain at that school with the exception of transfers that fall under section 7.
Can families of students apply for a transfer to keep their children in the school they prefer to attend?
Students already attending Pacific Way or Aberdeen Elementary that are affected by the catchment boundary change can apply to transfer. 

Administrative Procedure 305 School Boundaries and Student Transfer Requests.
(from the AP) 

Each year, students and parents will be given notice that commencing on March 1st of each year, they may request transfer to another school for the coming school year. Notice shall be publicized in school newsletters and on the School District 73 website. Transfer requests must be submitted in writing to the receiving principal and approved by students’ parents to be considered.
You say parents can apply for a variance (transfer), but how many of these would be granted?
Any transfer would follow our district transfer process, which depends on space as a key consideration. 
If a new secondary school is built in Aberdeen, do both Pacific Way and Aberdeen elementary catchments go to the new Aberdeen secondary school?
The anticipated answer is yes, but there is no site confirmed for that school yet.
How will an increase in traffic at Aberdeen Elementary be addressed? If there are traffic issues, will a traffic light be installed?
The District has a good working relationship with the City of Kamloops. Traffic concerns will be monitored and managed, including the installation of a traffic light if it is required. 
What is the District proposal for lack of daycare spaces?
The Montessori Daycare currently in place at Aberdeen Elementary will not be impacted. The District mandate includes students in K-7, with some programming to connect with parents of pre-K children. 
Has the District considered the period of implementation as well as other avenues to control the student population at Pacific Way?
One focus of the District's 2020 Long Range Facilities Plan is addressing increasing enrolment pressures. As priorities and projects are worked through, tools for managing increasing enrolment pressures include the use of portables and making recommendations for catchment boundary changes.
Are we going to have to deal with this again in another few years if a school is built in Pineview? 
When the new secondary school and elementary school are built in Aberdeen, they will have their own catchment areas and this will likely impact the catchment boundaries of other schools. 
Have there been discussions with the City about the extension of the road from Aberdeen to Pineview and the school build and how that would again impact catchments?
These discussions will take place as appropriate once the sites for the new schools are acquired. As discussed above, the District has a good working relationship with the City of Kamloops. 
Have the highschool catchments for these streets also changed?
The only secondary boundary catchment change approved by the Board of Education was the Sa-Hali / SKSS change. 

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