While literacy is a year-long focus, many schools choose a week of fun and community-building activities. What follows are some recent examples from across Burnaby Schools.
Using bulletin board illustrations as inspiration, students at Lakeview Elementary created their own stories, with some published in the school newsletter. Dressing as a favourite book character was among the school’s many activities. In the library at Brantford Elementary, students created their own characters to be friends with the ones in the book series Foxy and Friends.
Classroom doors at Chaffey-Burke Elementary became canvasses for the Literacy Week theme “make mealtime family learning time.” At Stride Avenue Community School, doors were book themed. Stride Avenue was also one of many schools to welcome guest readers.
Residents from a nearby seniors’ centre were among the guest readers at Kitchener Elementary. The school community at Nelson Elementary assembled to create a Reading Train. At Buckingham Elementary, a Read-a-thon with big and little buddies reading together was a highlight.
At South Slope Elementary and the BC Provincial School for the Deaf, guest readers and ASL storytellers shared stories with children. There were several events at South Slope and BCSD, including for students to participate in Drop Everything and Read, as well as a book swap with donations from families. A Face is a Poem was the book chosen for the school-wide read. Many children created art of their own faces.
An art installation made with sticks called “Westridge Sticks Together” was among the activities at Westridge Elementary for Literacy Week. It was lights off at Marlborough Elementary for Reading in the Dark. Marlborough was also thrilled to have a visit from author Nancy Vo. She wrote The Runaway, which is the third book in the Crow Stories Trilogy. Vo also illustrates her books. Many students tried their hand at drawing their own crows, after the author’s talk left them feeling inspired.
Posted February 2026