Celebrating the Season, Together and in Many Ways
by Dan Mullins
Across the Lester B. Pearson School Board, the weeks leading up to the winter break are filled with creativity, generosity, and celebration. While no two schools or centres mark the season in quite the same way, each finds its own approach to honouring the spirit of the holidays. At Dorval Elementary School (DES), the December calendar has been full, with community performances and in-school events.
Earlier this month, DES’s junior and senior choirs performed at the City of Dorval’s annual Tree Lighting Ceremony, held outdoors in the heart of Dorval village. The tree lighting, which also features local craft vendors and a towering evergreen strung with lights, has long been part of the city’s holiday traditions. For nearly 20 years, Music Specialist Suzanne Smyth has led students from DES in song at the event, drawing crowds and applause in equal measure.
The Dorval Elementary School Junior Choir at the Dorval Tree Lighting Event
This year, following the performances, Mayor Marc Doret invited Smyth on stage to thank her publicly for her contributions. He acknowledged her longstanding involvement and the important role DES plays in the community celebration. Both choirs’ performances were heartfelt and polished, a product of many lunch-hour rehearsals and Smyth’s steady guidance.
The Dorval Elementary School Senior Choir at the Dorval Tree Lighting Event
“We usually have close to 100 students wanting to be part of this,” Smyth said. “Two choirs let us involve more kids, and we make it fun. They sing their hearts out. November lunches at DES become full of music.”
Students and staff at DES have continued to celebrate since, as themed days brought laughter and spirit to the building: Holiday Hats and Headgear Day, Stripe-tacular Day, Holiday Symbol Day, North Pole Crew Day, and Cozy & Comfy Pyjama Day.
On Wednesday, for Holiday Symbol Day, students came dressed in black and added hand-crafted necklaces representing various holiday symbols. Each class had selected a different symbol to explore. Some were cultural or religious, like menorahs and kinaras. Others were seasonal, like snowflakes, wreaths, or reindeer. Teachers shared brief presentations on each symbol’s significance, encouraging discussion and curiosity.
The day’s organizer, Grade 6 teacher Tania Mastrocola, described the day as one of thoughtful celebration. “It created conversation,” she said. “Students noticed each other’s symbols and asked about them. It was a mix of fun and meaning.”
Principal France Poirier reflected on the week as a joyful culmination of the term. “It brings us all together,” she said, “we’re looking forward to the break, but we know that in the New Year, our winter adventures will continue with fun in the snow, Carnival and so much more!”
From performances under the tree to symbols worn in school hallways, Dorval Elementary’s December celebrations remind us how schools can connect students not only to each other, but to the wider community around them.
