W Message from the Headmaster & Chair of the Board of Governors
38
LION FALL 2020
ithout doubt, the 2019–2020 school year will forever be remembered as the year of the pandemic. The spread of the coronavirus went global near the end of our annual March break, and home isolation became the norm for all. Despite the uncertainty that beset many school authorities across North America, we adapted immediately to the situation and created an effective online LCC Virtual School for all students from kindergarten through grade 12. In June we were very proud to be certified by the International Baccalaureate Organization for the Middle Years Programme (MYP) — a curriculum framework that will be integrated into our grade 7–10 offerings. We are now the only English high school in Quebec to offer both the IB MYP and Diploma Programme (grades 11 and 12). Based on current research, IB is widely recognized as one of the world’s leading educational approaches and is focused on the development of solid global competencies. We believe this significantly enriches the Quebec curriculum and, more notably, augments the student experience. This year, our enrolment was strong at all levels and we saw continued stability in our relationship with the Quebec ministry of education. Our finances also remained strong, and prudent management over several previous years provided us with useful financial levers as we navigated the uncertainty generated by the pandemic. We completed the fourth year of our Strategic Plan, Vision 20/20: Global Pathways. Its three pillars, Diversity & Accessibility, Sustainable Future, and Teaching and Learning in a New Paradigm, have kept us focused on strengthening our school in key areas and adapting to forces of change in ways that will guide us well into the future. In the early fall of 2019, many of our students proudly participated in Montreal’s Global Climate March, initiated by the young Swedish climate activist, Greta Thunberg. Her actions inspired our Green Team to run a host of interesting student activities throughout the year around the theme of climate health and environmental sustainability. This club of high school leaders was appreciated for its creative assembly presentations and student activities, which continued virtually during the pandemic. LCC was also one of five founding schools of the new national CAIS Green Schools initiative. In addition to a vibrant and rigorous academic program, LCC has always been noted for its rich co-curricular offerings. This continued in all domains this year: arts, service, athletics, leadership, clubs and activities. We are proud that our wide range of offerings appealed
