Apr. 3, 2006

Roberta Bondar visits namesake school in Peel to celebrate official opening

Dr. Roberta Bondar will join students, staff and community members to celebrate the official opening of Roberta Bondar Public School on April 5. Opening ceremonies will feature a tree planting ceremony, a presentation of spaceship time capsule and a garden bench, student performances and multimedia presentations.

"We are very excited to have Dr. Bondar visit our school," says Joan Hamilton, principal of Roberta. "For the past few months, the school has been preparing for this event. We are looking forward to sharing the successes of this new balanced calendar school with the community."

Peel's first balanced calendar school, Roberta Bondar, opened in August 2005 to almost 1,100 students. The school's calendar features the same 194 days and curriculum as regular schools, however; almost half of the two-month summer vacation time on the traditional school calendar is spread throughout the year in one and two-week blocks.

The following Peel board representatives and community members will attend the school's official
opening ceremony:

• Janet McDougald, chair of the board, Peel District School Board
• Steve Kavanaugh, trustee, Peel District School Board
• Jim Grieve, director of education, Peel District School Board
• Judith Nyman, associate director of instructional support services, Peel District School Board
• Pam Tomasevic, superintendent, Peel District School Board
• Susan Fennell, mayor of Brampton
  

Roberta Bondar Public School is located at 30 Pantomine Blvd. in Brampton.

 

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Media contact: Linda Pierce, Principal, Applewood Acres School, 905-277-9429

Reference: Alison Farbar, Communications Assistant, 905-890-1010, ext. 2098

Note to media: Full program attached. Dr. Bondar will conduct media interviews from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Roberta Bondar Public School Opening
April 5, 2006

Morning	8:30 a.m.	Blast Off
		Students assemble and prepare for the day's events
		Orbit
		Students travel to various locations throughout the school to visit classrooms and displays
Afternoon	1:30 p.m.	Landing
		Dr. Roberta Bondar will emerge from a make-shift spaceship to greet students and staff.
		Presentation of time capsule
		Presentation of garden bench
		Tree planting
Evening	7 p.m.	Mission Accomplished
		Official Opening Ceremony
		Greetings from Peel board
		Dr. Bondar
		Students performances
		Multimedia presentation