Advancing Education - August 2022

August 2022

ADVANCING EDUCATION

Mulgrave School's Philanthropic Newsletter

We are very fortunate to have the support of a generous community. As parents, grandparents, alumni, staff, and community members, you have come together to back Mulgrave’s mission and vision; we are only able to reach the heights we do thanks to your amazing help. We sincerely thank you for your generosity and hope you enjoy a few stories about the difference you have made.

THANKS FOR PARTICIPATING! The Donor Engagement Team would like to extend a huge congratulations to our PK3 families for winning our first ever Momentum Grade Challenge!

The Grade Challenge was conceived as a fun way to encourage participation towards our Momentum Annual Fund. Points were awarded based on participation rates, and over 59% of PK3 families contributed to Momentum.

Families from all grades came together to support our community and live the Mulgrave values of empathy, commitment, and social responsibility.

We thank all donors for role-modelling a culture of philanthropy with our students from a young age. As a special thank you, our PK3s enjoyed a visit from The Great Gordini and his companions for a morning of magic and ventriloquism.

2021-2022 MOMENTUM UPDATE

$1.8M

582

21

RAISED

NUMBER OF DONORS

AREAS SUPPORTED

Momentum is Mulgrave's Annual Fund. Annual giving is essential for us to provide exceptional opportunities for our students on a daily basis. Every and each contribution makes a difference, and together we can ensure Mulgrave continues to be an excellent place to learn.

giving.mulgrave.com @mulgraveschool

HONOURING INDIGENOUS CULTURES In June, we were excited to unveil a completed project that reflects our efforts to honour the distinct histories and cultures of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. Our new Indigenous meeting space, located in our administration office, will be a special place for everyone who uses it to reflect on the significance of our surroundings and the history of the land upon which we teach, learn, and play. We were able to complete this room thanks to Head's Priority Fund donations, and we thank our community for supporting our commitment towards Truth and Reconciliation. We will look forward to hosting members of our local First Nations as we continue to develop these important relationships.

A central element of this new room is a beautiful and intricately carved table, created especially for Mulgrave by Lyle Williams of the Squamish Nation. It features complex designs of local animals in a stunning Coast Salish art style, and was blessed by Squamish Nation members during a traditional unveiling ceremony. The table is accompanied by chairs with matching carvings, a cedar light fixture, and a map of the Indigenous language regions of BC. As part of our ongoing work towards advancing Truth and Reconciliation, Mulgrave is committed to promoting intercultural learning and developing an appreciation for the depth and diversity of Indigenous cultures. Creating a physical space that embraces and reflects our school’s desire for partnership with the Squamish Nation is only one part of this effort. Learning opportunities are being enhanced across the school by our Indigenous Education Coordinator, student learning is increasingly infused with the First People’s Principles of Learning, work is being done to decolonise the curriculum we teach, and we are actively working to cultivate mutually beneficial and authentic connections with local Indigenous communities. We are grateful for our community’s support in our efforts to create an environment that is conducive to Truth and Reconciliation.

WE'VE GOT SOLE Our Squamish Outdoor Leadership & Education (SOLE) Centre has been a community-based undertaking from the beginning. Kickstarting this new site into being took commitment, both financial and physical, from our devoted Mulgrave community.

Many of our students, parents, grandparents, and staff volunteered on chilly spring mornings, braving the elements to clear leaves and branches and get the space ready for use. Through generous donations, we have also started refurbishing some of the critical spaces, including the dormitories.

A wide range of students, from PK3 to Grade 12, were able to use the site at the end of last year and they were grateful to have this space and the opportunity to learn in new ways.

Our teachers are equally happy to have an expanded range of learning experiences for their classes, noting that students can grasp new academic concepts better through experiential learning, which the SOLE Centre provides. While the facility will be used for Outdoor Education learning, students will also explore concepts such as environmental education, biology, Indigenous cultures and history, and more.

LEADING LITERACY LEARNING This spring, we were thrilled to introduce a new pilot programme in our Junior School, dedicated to literacy support. The programme, which was generously funded by a Mulgrave family, is currently being used by our learning support teachers to help students reach a better pace of literacy learning. This is particularly essential for students whose progress has been impacted by COVID-19.

Our learning support centres are an essential way we at Mulgrave demonstrate our determination for personalised education. Donations like this advance our literacy programmes and enhance learning tools, empowering our teachers to help students thrive in a way that is best for them.

The outset of this exciting project has been remarkable, but we have more ambitious plans to make the SOLE Centre even better. We are not yet done with renovations and upgrades of common spaces and we have imminent plans to upgrade the swimming pool facilities. Watch this space for future developments!

Save the Date for our annual MVP Welcome Back BBQ on September 18th. It will take place at the SOLE Centre this year,so please join us to explore this incredible facility together and have fun!

LOOKING AHEAD...

SENIOR SCHOOL ACADEMIC CENTRE UPGRADING FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE In keeping with our commitment to continuously ensure school facilities meet the evolving requirements of our students, we are making some exciting changes to the Senior School Academic Centre.

Thanks to a generous donor, we will transform this space from a functional but basic room into a dedicated and versatile study space.

"We tend to underestimate the importance of shared spaces, but they are crucial,” says Dr. Chiara Tabet, Senior School Principal. “They strengthen confidence and belief in our communities, and having student input reinforces the idea that the community space belongs to all of us.” The planning has involved a significant level of student input, thanks to the contributions of the Student Advisory Council.

Dr. Tabet views the new lounge as a university-style collaborative space, meant for group projects, feedback, and facilitating discussions. She believes having this space will help normalise this type of environment for students, easing them into formal and informal academic spaces and setting them up for future successes.

CLIMBING ON UP Mulgrave’s Outdoor Education is moving inside! Funded by gifts to Momentum-Head's Priority Fund, the recently opened Athletic and Performing Arts Centre is about to get a climbing wall. Annual giving plays a vital role in enhancing the student experience by supporting innovative educational resources like these.

While to some, climbing may seem to some like an intimidating activity that requires technical skills, Amir Fishman, Director of Outdoor Education, believes it is the perfect activity to develop creative problem solving, build core strength, and encourage social skills like communication and partnership.

Mr. Fishman describes other financial and logistical advantages to having this facility such as reduced transportation costs, having more time in-class, and more capacity to evaluate and mitigate risks. We are excited for our students to reach new heights using this new space - stay tuned to Connexions for photos!

For more information or to make a gift, please contact the Donor Engagement Team at advancement@mulgrave.com or 604.922.3223

giving.mulgrave.com @mulgraveschool