Douglas Park Community School opened on September 7,1981, at 5409 – 206 Street on 5.66 acres of land with about 240 students in classes from Kindergarten to grade seven.
The school was built at a cost of two million dollars, and was two years in construction. Noel Booth Elementary School was built using the same building plan.
A staff room was added in 1985, and the south wing was completed in 1992. Three more classrooms were built in 1994. The school stands adjacent to Douglas Park in the heart of Langley City.
Douglas Crescent, Douglas Park, and Douglas Park School are all named after James Douglas, Hudson Bay Company chief factor and first governor of BC after 1858. Nearly all of the school’s children live within a few minutes walk away, and so it has become a focus in the home neighbourhood for most of the children.
One of the portable classrooms on the school grounds is used as a Boys’ and Girls’ Clubhouse. The second portable is used as a daycare facility using Ministry funds and is being operated by the YMCA. These facilities are in use five nights per week until 10:00 pm.
In 2003-4, Douglas Park Community School adopted a balanced calendar with a year-round school starting in September, 2003. The school operates from September until the third week of July for regular session, and four weeks in August for supplementary programs.
Special programs at the school include full-day Kindergarten, and breakfast and lunch programs. Literacy programs include Rec N’ Reading, Intersessions, Guided Reading, Soar to Success, and PALS (Parents as Literacy Supporters). Remedial reading and math programs are available. The Exploration program has extra curricular activities such as woodworking, sewing, knitting, dance and art. The school also organizes summer camps for students.
The community is very much involved at the school. Volunteers help in the Exploration program as leaders, in “Read to Me” activities, in Big Brothers and Big Sisters mentorship programs, the Anglican Church breakfast program and as members of the Community School Society.
The school’s motto is “Together We Succeed.” In 2004 the school’s population is 220.
