{"id":2404,"date":"2026-10-29T15:58:56","date_gmt":"2026-10-29T22:58:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/elementary.sd42.ca\/ericlangton\/?p=2404"},"modified":"2026-10-29T15:58:56","modified_gmt":"2026-10-29T22:58:56","slug":"new-eric-langton-elementary-school-opens-for-students","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/elementary.sd42.ca\/ericlangton\/new-eric-langton-elementary-school-opens-for-students\/","title":{"rendered":"New Eric Langton Elementary school opens for students"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/UK62CWDrL4k?si=fYHnoigUqtXL9sgz\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Students and staff at Eric Langton Elementary school kicked off the 2026\/27 school year in a brand new, thoughtfully designed building.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are thrilled,\u201d said principal Kyla Cameron. \u201cThis has been years in the making, and we are excited to see students learn and grow in a space that was designed with them in mind.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Funded by the Province of B.C. and the Maple Ridge \u2013 Pitt Meadows School District, the replacement project includes 28 classrooms, a neighbourhood learning centre, community kitchen, Indigenous learning space, and a child-care facility with preschool and after-school care.<\/p>\n<p>A new artificial turf field will also be built in 2027 by the City of Maple Ridge.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m really happy to see that the students and staff are excited for the new space and happy with how it\u2019s turned out,\u201d said Louie Girotto, SD42 facilities director.<\/p>\n<p>Construction of the new school took approximately three and a half years. Project design and development began in early 2023, with construction taking place between 2024 and 2026.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The students have been amazed,\u201d said Cameron. \u201cThey are excited about the learning spaces, the common areas, and simply having the opportunity to be part of a brand new school. Their enthusiasm has been incredible to see.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Grade 7 students Ava, Deniz, and Owen have been looking forward to getting into the new space.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m just excited to see a modern classroom and a nicer library,\u201d said Owen.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m excited for the A\/C, the bigger classrooms,\u201d Ava added. \u201cThe library looks so beautiful.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m happy to see how the new school is going to be nice and big,\u201d said Deniz. \u201cYou know, very modern and luxury kind of.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-2404 gallery-columns-2 gallery-size-full'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/elementary.sd42.ca\/ericlangton\/new-eric-langton-elementary-school-opens-for-students\/ele-interior-2\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1152\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress1.blob.core.windows.net\/ericlangton\/2026\/10\/ELE-Interior-2.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress1.blob.core.windows.net\/ericlangton\/2026\/10\/ELE-Interior-2.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/wordpress1.blob.core.windows.net\/ericlangton\/2026\/10\/ELE-Interior-2-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wordpress1.blob.core.windows.net\/ericlangton\/2026\/10\/ELE-Interior-2-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/wordpress1.blob.core.windows.net\/ericlangton\/2026\/10\/ELE-Interior-2-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wordpress1.blob.core.windows.net\/ericlangton\/2026\/10\/ELE-Interior-2-1536x864.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/elementary.sd42.ca\/ericlangton\/new-eric-langton-elementary-school-opens-for-students\/ele-interior-3\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1152\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress1.blob.core.windows.net\/ericlangton\/2026\/10\/ELE-Interior-3.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress1.blob.core.windows.net\/ericlangton\/2026\/10\/ELE-Interior-3.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/wordpress1.blob.core.windows.net\/ericlangton\/2026\/10\/ELE-Interior-3-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wordpress1.blob.core.windows.net\/ericlangton\/2026\/10\/ELE-Interior-3-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/wordpress1.blob.core.windows.net\/ericlangton\/2026\/10\/ELE-Interior-3-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wordpress1.blob.core.windows.net\/ericlangton\/2026\/10\/ELE-Interior-3-1536x864.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/elementary.sd42.ca\/ericlangton\/new-eric-langton-elementary-school-opens-for-students\/ele-interior-4\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1152\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress1.blob.core.windows.net\/ericlangton\/2026\/10\/ELE-Interior-4.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress1.blob.core.windows.net\/ericlangton\/2026\/10\/ELE-Interior-4.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/wordpress1.blob.core.windows.net\/ericlangton\/2026\/10\/ELE-Interior-4-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wordpress1.blob.core.windows.net\/ericlangton\/2026\/10\/ELE-Interior-4-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/wordpress1.blob.core.windows.net\/ericlangton\/2026\/10\/ELE-Interior-4-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wordpress1.blob.core.windows.net\/ericlangton\/2026\/10\/ELE-Interior-4-1536x864.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/elementary.sd42.ca\/ericlangton\/new-eric-langton-elementary-school-opens-for-students\/ele-interior\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1152\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress1.blob.core.windows.net\/ericlangton\/2026\/10\/ELE-Interior.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress1.blob.core.windows.net\/ericlangton\/2026\/10\/ELE-Interior.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/wordpress1.blob.core.windows.net\/ericlangton\/2026\/10\/ELE-Interior-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wordpress1.blob.core.windows.net\/ericlangton\/2026\/10\/ELE-Interior-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/wordpress1.blob.core.windows.net\/ericlangton\/2026\/10\/ELE-Interior-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wordpress1.blob.core.windows.net\/ericlangton\/2026\/10\/ELE-Interior-1536x864.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>All three students have been attending Eric Langton Elementary since kindergarten, and they\u2019re excited to spend their final elementary year in the new building.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ll be the first ones to graduate,\u201d Owen said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYeah, that\u2019s kind of exciting, too,\u201d added Ava. \u201cLike, that barely happens. Not (many) kids get to experience being the first to graduate in a new school.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Eric Langton Elementary also has a new mascot: the osprey, also known as the river hawk.<\/p>\n<p>The osprey was chosen by Katzie First Nation elder Cyril Pierre and the logo was created by his son, artist Rain Pierre.<\/p>\n<p>At the grand opening ceremony on September 8, 2026, Rain described the logo.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-21494 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sd42.ca\/assets\/media\/ELE-Logo.png\" alt=\"Eric Langton Elementary logo.\" width=\"155\" height=\"177\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe river swirls around the osprey in a circle, reminding us that everything has a beginning and an end, and that often, to move forward, we must look to where we began,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe three drops represent past, present, and future, which guide us when advocating for change. The four wing tips represent the four seasons, through which we carry the osprey\u2019s strength with us all year round.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>During the project design and development phase, the school district consulted the Katzie First Nation, students, staff, the city, and community.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe worked with Katzie First Nation to include design elements that reflect Indigenous ways of knowing, including the importance of storytelling, traditional ecological knowledge, and local teachings,\u201d said Girotto.<\/p>\n<p>The designs on the exterior ball posts incorporate seven ancestral teachings and their animal representations, including the blue heron, owl, bear, wolf, sasquatch, thunderbird, and salmon.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-21497\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sd42.ca\/assets\/media\/ELE-ancestral-teachings.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2250\" height=\"787\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\u201c(The building) also includes reading nooks designed to mimic bear claws, turtle shells, and other animal patterns,\u201d Girotto said.<\/p>\n<p>Interior patterns are very circular to mimic nature, he added. The school features curved glass, curved walls, pathways, and sidewalks to reflect flowing rivers, streams, and the curvature of animals like lizards.<\/p>\n<p>The school district worked primarily with Yellowridge Construction and Station One Architects for design and construction.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-21496\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sd42.ca\/assets\/media\/ELE-drone-April-2025.jpg\" alt=\"Eric Langton Elementary replacement school construction site in April 2025.\" width=\"2048\" height=\"971\" \/><\/p>\n<p>During the construction process, principal Cameron said the focus was on safety first and foremost, but after that, it was about having fun and getting the students involved.<\/p>\n<p>So Cameron and her vice principal at the time, Meghan Murden, donned pylon costumes to direct traffic during drop-off and pick-up. \u00a0 <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-21484 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sd42.ca\/assets\/media\/ELE-pylons.jpg\" alt=\"Eric Langton Elementary principal Kyla Cameron and vice principal Meghan Murden wear pylon costumes to direct traffic during construction.\" width=\"269\" height=\"359\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\u201c(We) were frequently outdoors reminding everyone about safety, both in our parking lot (and) around our build site as walking human pylons,\u201d she said, adding the students \u201cabsolutely loved interacting with pylons.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>They also got the students involved by showing them mock-ups of the new facility and getting their input on how to assign classrooms.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe were not able to make the school float or have three-storey high slides. We also did not go with the students\u2019 idea of having teachers battle for who would get which classroom in the school, but wherever we could incorporate their ideas, we did,\u201d Cameron said.<\/p>\n<p>In June, students and staff reflected on their time in the old building and all the memories they had made there ahead of the new school\u2019s opening.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-21495 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sd42.ca\/assets\/media\/ELE-hallway-mural.jpg\" alt=\"Mural created by students at the old Eric Langton Elementary school building.\" width=\"269\" height=\"404\" \/><\/p>\n<p>They painted murals and wrote messages on the walls to say farewell to the old building.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s like we\u2019re leaving our mark on the school,\u201d said Victoria, who was in Grade 7 at the time.<\/p>\n<p>Demolition of the old facility is expected to be completed this fall, and construction of the synthetic turf field is set to begin in 2027.<\/p>\n<p>Now that staff and students are in the new building, Cameron said she\u2019s excited for what\u2019s to come.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re just looking forward to creating new memories and traditions here in the new building,\u201d she said. \u201cThis building represents years of collaboration, and we are grateful to everyone who helped make it a reality.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-21483\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sd42.ca\/assets\/media\/ELE-hallway-art-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1365\" \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Students and staff at Eric Langton Elementary school kicked off the 2026\/27 school year in a brand new, thoughtfully designed building. \u201cWe are thrilled,\u201d said principal Kyla Cameron. \u201cThis has [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":2407,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":"[]","_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2404","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/elementary.sd42.ca\/ericlangton\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2404","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/elementary.sd42.ca\/ericlangton\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/elementary.sd42.ca\/ericlangton\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elementary.sd42.ca\/ericlangton\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elementary.sd42.ca\/ericlangton\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2404"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/elementary.sd42.ca\/ericlangton\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2404\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2411,"href":"https:\/\/elementary.sd42.ca\/ericlangton\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2404\/revisions\/2411"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elementary.sd42.ca\/ericlangton\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2407"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/elementary.sd42.ca\/ericlangton\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2404"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elementary.sd42.ca\/ericlangton\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2404"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elementary.sd42.ca\/ericlangton\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2404"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}