Fatima School Information

Our Lady of Fatima School celebrates and practices the bilingual heritage of Canada and reflects, in the makeup of our student body, our country's rich multicultural diversity. The commonality for every part of our school community is the tradition and practices of the Roman Catholic faith. Our Lady of Fatima School is a dual track, K-7, English and French Immersion school. Conveniently located near the intersection of the Lougheed Hwy. and Blue Mountain Hwy. in Coquitlam, British Columbia, Our Lady of Fatima School provides Catholic education for Catholic families living in the tri-city area of Burnaby, Coquitlam and New Westminster and neighbouring communities. The school is one of forty elementary schools that form the Catholic Independent Schools of the Vancouver Archdiocese (CISVA). The school is governed by the policies of the CISVA and a locally elected Parish Education Committee (PEC). Some years ago the PEC passed a policy that designated Our Lady of Fatima School as an inclusive school. We now have several special needs students enrolled in both the primary and intermediate programs. Our Lady of Fatima School is a Class1 Independent School and is regulated provincially by the Independent Schools Branch of the Ministry of Education. Cyclical evaluations of the school are carried out by the Superintendent's Office of the CISVA and the Office of Inspector of Independent School, BC Ministry of Education. In addition to the provincial curriculum in French and English, Our Lady of Fatima School teaches a religion curriculum developed by the archdiocese. School masses take place twice a month at Our Lady of Fatima Church and are celebrated by the school's pastor, Fr. Patrick Chisholm. The masses are conducted in French and English. As well, a teacher para-liturgy committee organizes devotional activities and services for special feast days and the cyclical events of the liturgical calendar. Students are the main presenters at these events. Grade two and grade seven are sacramental years in the school. Grade two is the year of first confession and first communion. Grade seven is the year of confirmation. Catholic faith in the school is the underpinning for all other studies and activities. The parents, staff, students and the parish work and worship together as a faith community. The school employs a music specialist, a physical education specialist and a core French specialist for students in the English program. Concerts, sports (See sports program.) and a variety of clubs provide the students and their families with enrichment activities beyond the classroom programs.