School Name History
Location
30995 Southern Drive, Abbotsford, BC
Opened
1988
The School
During the 1980s, there was tremendous growth and development on Abbotsford’s west side. Neighbourhoods were being formed with homes, shopping areas, and small businesses. With the change from a rural area to a highly populated urban subdivision, schools were needed for the families moving into the area.
Blue Jay Elementary opened in September 1988. In the early 2000s, the district opened middle schools and Blue Jay, like many others, became a Kindergarten to Grade 5 school. In 2006, there were 296 students in Grades K-5. By 2023, Blue Jay Elementary had over 400 students from Kindergarten to Grade 5.
Origin of the Name
The school is at the west end of Southern Drive near Blue Jay Street. Many of the streets in that area are named after birds: Robin, Sandpiper, Sparrow, Curlew, Osprey, Cardinal, Swallow, Heron, Mallard and many more.
The Abbotsford School District graciously acknowledges the Abbotsford Retired Teachers Association for collecting the histories and stories of our schools as part of their "What's in a name?" 50th-anniversary project.