COMMUNITY SPIRIT
T
he Shawnigan family that we have come to know and love includes students, staff, alumni, local community – and parents. Together, we share a commitment to providing our students with a deeper understanding of the world, leading to greater compassion for others, one of Shawnigan's core values. Over the years, we have seen students share unique family customs and traditions with our community, often during a Saturday Chapel service. We welcome these opportunities to learn more about our families and expand our knowledge. What makes the Shawnigan family unique and special is knowing and understanding our whole community; as a boarding school representing thirty-five countries across six continents, diversity is our strength. Developing partnerships with our parents is essential to the School's success. The pandemic forced us to be creative and innovative in connecting with our families, including hosting virtual gatherings over Zoom. Although not a replacement for in-person meetings, these adaptations temporarily allowed us to stay engaged with our extended community. With travel restrictions easing this fall, our team has started to meet parents in person again, travelling to some Canadian and US cities. Building these partnerships is essential to maintaining a strong community. "Thank you for visiting Edmonton, our hometown. It was wonderful to connect and learn about Shawnigan's new vision. We couldn't be prouder to be part of this community and look forward to helping the School grow!" – current parent of a Grade 9 student The Shawnigan Parents' Association (SPA), the School's partner in developing parent engagement, also provides a platform for you to stay connected to the School. The monthly virtual Board meeting offers updates from the Student Life Office by Matt Clinton-Baker, Assistant Head – Student Life. As much as we as parents rely on news from our children, these meetings offer much information about current happenings on campus and essential information regarding school breaks, travel, and health and wellness. On behalf of the Advancement and Community Engagement team, I also attnd regularly and share initiatives focused on Project Future, Shawnigan's new strategic plan. Finally, the SPA Executive, a dedicated team of volunteers, offers invaluable resources to support and guide you through your child's Shawnigan journey. Our Head of School, Larry Lamont, and the Board of Governors have set an exciting vision for Shawnigan's future. Our team is eager to share this vision with you, the goals and initiatives planned to take Shawnigan from being one of Canada's top schools to an internationally respected institution. We need you, our parents, and most significant supporters of the School, to help us share this new strategic direction. There has never been a time when building engagement with our parent community worldwide has been more critical than now. You are part of what makes the Shawnigan community special, and we invite you to reach out to a member of our team to learn how you can participate in Shawnigan's future. We look forward to visiting you in your community this year.
Sara Blair Director of Stewardship & Community Partnerships sblair@shawnigan.ca (250) 743-6206 14
