Wednesday, November 3, 2010 - North Shore News - A21
PRIVATE SCHOOLS • IN THEIR OWN WORDS: SCHOOLS GET THEIR SAY Collingwood students Sofia Rojas and Carter Lim take a walk with headmaster Rodger Wright. NEWS photo Paul McGrath
A school’s environment, atmosphere and energy is determined by the entire school community: the students, teachers, even the parents. But without question, it is the headmaster or headmistress who truly determines the direction and philosophy of any academic institution. For this special Private Schools section, we asked each school
to tell us about the unique approach brought by the school leader. We asked about past work experience, about goals and aspirations and about philosophical ideas for the school. We even asked about interests, hobbies and personal passions. Read further to find out just who is in charge of teaching tomorrow’s leaders. —Deana Lancaster
Headmaster exudes energy HEADMASTER Rodger Wright arrived at Collingwood six years ago with more than 20 years of experience as a headmaster and more than 30 years of involvement in independent school education. His two most outstanding traits are his energy and his passion which are reflected in all that he does at Collingwood. Wright has been instrumental in moving the school forward with his vision and drive to continually improve and advance the Collingwood educational experience for all its students and faculty. He has led the school through two strategic plans and to accreditation with the Canadian Educational Standards Institute, making it the only school on the B.C. mainland to achieve such status. Teachers love working
for him because he instills an atmosphere where they and senior management feel supported, excited and encouraged to excel in their respective disciplines. He has a tireless work ethic so much so that one teacher is quoted as saying “no one on the faculty even thinks of complaining about how hard they work because their boss works harder.” Ask any student at Collingwood about their headmaster, they would immediately say that he knows their name, he wears colorful socks, and he seems to be everywhere — cheering them on at games, supporting them in their artistic endeavours — be it school plays, musicals, dance productions, music concerts and taking a personal interest in their lives outside the school. You can often find headmaster Wright with his camera in tow as he photographs literally hundreds of
events throughout the year. Parents delight in finding candid photos of their children in his Headmaster’s photo gallery on the School’s website. He has an uncommon devotion to the students under his care. It is not unusual for the Wrights to host dinners, afternoon readings with milk and cookies, and special receptions for students, volunteers, faculty, and alumni at “the lodge,” the headmaster’s home. Even Chief, the Wrights’ beloved cat has been unofficially adopted by the junior school students and they love to hear Wright’s fun and engaging presentations of Chief’s many adventures. Rodger Wright is a rare head of school. He not only works tirelessly with his teachers to realize the mission of the school, but takes a deep and genuine interest in the success of each one of his students.
Shawnigan expects best from students DAVID Robertson became Shawnigan’s 12th headmaster on Jan. 1, 2000. Under his guidance, the school has experienced unprecedented growth, and now boasts a larger number of boarding students than any other school in Canada. The native of Edinburgh, Scotland has been educating young minds at independent schools in B.C. for more than 20 years. He arrived at Shawnigan in 1993, originally serving as deputy headmaster before taking his current position. One of Robertson’s strengths has always been his relationship with the school’s students, and he prides himself on his ability to relate to everyone from the smallest Grade 8 to the most vocal Grade 12. His door is (almost) always open, and young students regularly seize the opportunity
to engage him in conversation and debate on any number of topics. Shawnigan promotes a true sense of community and togetherness that is essential to its success, particularly when considering the diversity of cultures and backgrounds represented in our student body. By helping create an atmosphere in which the home away from home is truly just that, he ensures that the 400 students who rest their heads at Shawnigan each night feel every bit as surrounded by family as they do when they return to their mothers and fathers. Robertson’s approach to education puts an emphasis on, among other things, a system of leadership and accountability that applies to all members of the Shawnigan community. A demanding curriculum See School page 27