“The most beautiful school in B.C.”: Ta’talu Elementary opens its doors to students in South Surrey
The long-awaited Ta'talu Elementary has officially opened its doors in South Surrey, becoming the new home to more than 220 students in the Grandview Heights area. (Photos by Jacob Zinn)
Sept. 3 may have been the start of the 2024-25 school year, but today is the official first day of school for students at the brand new Ta’talu Elementary in South Surrey!
The highly anticipated three-storey, 27-classroom elementary school, located at 1970 165A St., is the new home to more than 220 students in the Grandview Heights neighbourhood. The inside of the hybrid mass timber building features a large gym, library learning commons, maker spaces, project spaces, multipurpose rooms and two additional rooms for child care, providing plenty of space for up to 655 kindergarten to Grade 7 students.
“I told our students we have the most beautiful school in B.C.,” said Ta’talu Elementary principal Sabrina Niro. “The architecture is pretty magnificent and we’re very lucky that we get that for an elementary school.”
The name “Ta’talu” was gifted to the district by Semiahmoo First Nation Chief Harley Chappell and is derived from the SENĆOŦEN language, translating to “little arms” in reference to the school’s location near Campbell River and its tributaries, often referred to as the “little arms” of the river. SENĆOŦEN is the ancestral language spoken by the Semiahmoo Peoples, encapsulating the rich cultural heritage of the area.
Students got their first look at the school last Thursday when Niro led them on a five-minute parade from nearby Edgewood Elementary to Ta’talu, followed by a tour inside the building. Many of Ta’alu’s students transferred from Edgewood, and while she said there was some nervousness about switching schools, there was also a thrill to be the first classes in the district’s newest school.
“Some were sad to leave their friends and what they know at Edgewood, but then there was a sense of excitement for this new opportunity and building and being together and being closer to their homes,” said Niro. “A lot of them will be able to walk to school and not need to be driven to Edgewood.”
“Our teachers are just as excited and our staff were amazing at going in on their own time, night after night, after working every day at Edgewood, to unbox everything we received and make sure the school was looking ready for the students.”
Behind the school is an old growth western red cedar tree surrounded by the playground, gravel field, outdoor basketball court, long jump sand pit and preserved rocks, boulders and stumps for students to sit and play on, presenting natural opportunities for classes to learn in nature while on the school grounds.
“A lot of our teachers are looking forward to doing outdoor learning and using nature to enhance their learning,” said Niro.
While Ta’talu was previously scheduled for occupancy in January 2025, the school was able to open three months ahead of schedule, thanks to the hard work of everyone involved in the school’s planning, design and construction.
As rapid development continues in Grandview Heights, the opening of Ta’talu will alleviate some of the overcrowding issues at Edgewood, which started the school year with 42 divisions and 14 classes in portables. Ta’talu has 11 divisions, with room to grow in the coming school years.
Ta’talu is the latest in a long but recent line of new schools and additions to open in the South Surrey/White Rock zone:
New Schools
- Douglas Elementary (November 2020)
- Edgewood Elementary (January 2021)
- Grandview Heights Secondary (September 2021)
Additions
- Pacific Heights Elementary (April 2020)
- Sunnyside Elementary (December 2022)
- Morgan Elementary (February 2023)
- White Rock Elementary (March 2023)
- Semiahmoo Trail Elementary (under construction, scheduled for occupancy May 2025)
- South Meridian (under construction, scheduled for occupancy May 2025)
With Ta’talu now on the map, Niro said her students – and their families – are already feeling a tremendous sense of pride and school spirit.
“We have an amazing parent community, they’re very supportive and excited and patient and kind with all of us,” she said. “They’ve been super collaborative and cooperative through this whole process of getting a new school, and we’re really lucky to have such a nice community.”
