Spotlight64 | Where Belonging Grows: A Visit to Fulford School

Each morning begins with connection at Fulford School.

Students arrive to a warm welcome, some stopping for breakfast before heading into busy classrooms. There is a sense, right away, that this is a place where students are known and cared for, and where learning is shaped around who they are.

During a recent visit, the Board of Education experienced this firsthand. Principal Kaz Lundgren’s presentation was both heartwarming and honest. It offered a genuine reflection of Fulford School’s close and connected community, where relationships are at the centre of every decision. Through video of student and staff interviews, trustees witnessed teamwork and open communication in a complex school environment. Guided by the school goal “Nurture good humans,” the presentation and the visit together showed what it looks like when care, belonging, and learning come together in meaningful ways.

Throughout, staff respond to students as individuals. Some learners take a quiet break. Others move, talk, or reset in ways that help them return ready to learn. These flexible approaches to regulation reflect a deep commitment to equity and to meeting students where they are.  

Supporting students begins with meeting basic needs. Breakfast and lunch programs ensure students are nourished and ready for the day ahead. Programs such as Roots of Empathy add another layer, helping students build understanding, compassion, and connection with others.  

The heart of the school comes through most clearly in student voices.

When invited to share their experiences, students talked about friendships, the playground, and the beauty of the natural environment around them. They spoke with pride about their learning. Counting in Hul’q’umi’num and being introduced to French, SENĆOŦEN, and sign language has sparked curiosity and excitement about language and culture.  

This sense of inclusion is also reflected in Fulford’s Pride Club. Open to students from Grade 3 and up, the club creates space for conversations about belonging and identity. Through student-led initiatives, it has become an important part of school life.

In a school of approximately 122 students, relationships matter. Students know one another. Staff know families. There is an intentional focus on strengthening these connections while also supporting learning in literacy and mathematics, with particular attention to building confidence in solving word problems.  

Leadership is part of growing up at Fulford School. Older students step into roles that model responsibility and care, guided by a shared code of conduct that shapes how students support one another.  

At the same time, the school community is responsive to the realities many families face.  In it’s final year health challenges and financial pressures continue to affect daily life, and the school responds with compassion and adaptability. Initiatives such as the Seamless Day after-school care pilot, now in its fifth and final year, have helped staff reflect on how best to meet evolving community needs.  

By the end of the visit, one thing was clear. At Fulford School, belonging is not an idea. It is something students feel every day. And when students feel that they belong, they grow not just as learners, but as thoughtful, capable, and connected human beings.