Spirit Magazine Spring 2021

Spirit St. Margare t ’s School

she can.

2 3X or Annual Fund St. Margaret’s

Double or Triple your impact Your donation will be matched dollar for dollar.

  THIS YEAR, thanks to a generous matching gift of up to $50,000, Maggie Gilliam, SMS Old Girl (class of 1955) will DOUBLE your gift. For first time donors, your gift will be TRIPLED.

This is an incredible opportunity for the school, and we sincerely thank our donor. We know these are difficult times, and we hope we can count on your support in helping us work to the $50,000, and beyond. The difference you can make by contributing in any amount to this fund is substantial and will help us move forward from the impact of COVID-19.

Please consider making a philanthropic donation to this year’s SMS Annual Fund, investing in SMS and our students.

Give online at: www.stmarg.ca/donate-now/ E-transfer receivables@stmarg.ca Please designate where you would like your donation to go in the notes section for e-transfers.

For more information on the St. Margaret’s School Annual Fund or to make a tax-deductible donation, please contact: Janine Cowie Annual Fund & Alumnae Relations Manager 250-479-7171 ext. 2172 | jcowie@stmarg.ca St. Margaret’s School 1080 Lucas Avenue Victoria, British Columbia, Canada V8X 3P7 St. Margaret’s School is a registered non-profit society. Charitable registration number: #10802 8614 RR 0001

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Ms. Sharon Klein Head of School

T

his is the time of year when we see new growth on campus. The trees are beginning to bud, and the birds are chirping outside my office window. Spring is a time of hope and rejuvenation. As I reflect on the past year, and on the past 50 years on this campus, I am reminded that change is a constant.

And change is necessary for growth. Fifty years ago, our predecessors were facing the challenges of moving to a new campus. I can only imagine how difficult those times were, and I pay tribute to those trailblazing women who founded the new campus so that we could enjoy it today.

Now, 50 years later, we are growing as a school and community.

We, too, are trailblazers. This year we have had to be nimble, continually responding to whatever challenge presented itself.

Although it was impossible to predict or control the many variables we encountered, some of these variables inspired new growth and ideas. We will enact many of them in our new strategic vision.

I am proud of the engagement of our community in support of this effort. We surveyed our entire community, faculty, and staff, and conducted over 10 focus groups to gather thoughts, ideas, and information about what matters most to them. Over four days between November and January, we engaged 40 constituents from our community in meaningful conversation on our vision, mission, values, and strategic priorities. That was no small feat during a time when we could not all be in one room together.

Although we had to interact over Zoom calls, we collected important information that will inspire growth, and we have begun to build a plan that can respond in sustainable ways to our changing times. In June, we intend to complete our plan for the next five years.

With the new plan will come the implementation of new ideas and collaboration in new ways. Although the cycle of change will continue over the next 50 years, what has not—and will not— change is the community’s resilience. We still have a passion for educating young women to be confident leaders. SMS has consistently elevated girls’ and women’s status in society, giving them opportunities to become change agents.

As you read through the stories in this issue of Spirit, you will see that the foundation provided to our students at SMS is as strong as ever. Our founders would be proud of what we have lived through, how we have navigated rough waters, and where we are headed.

Thank you all for your engagement in this community and for embracing change!

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“This year is one of the most momentous in the history of St. Margaret’s. The school moved once before into a new building on a country site. In 1912, Fort Street was on the edge of farmland; in 1970, Lucas Avenue is on the edge of farmland…The staff and I are looking forward with excited anticipation to the beginning of the 1970–71 school year. We know that there will be very many problems, and we are preparing ourselves to meet them. We also know that the new buildings and new environment will offer many opportunities to expand much of our teaching. We are dedicated to the education of your children—not just academically, but the development of the whole person. This means encouragement in the studies, help with academic difficulties, stimulation to undertake the search for knowledge, and guidance in the building of a responsible, useful, happy life.” ­– Mrs. Lorna French, Headmistress 1968, relaying her pride in the school and its philosophy in a 1970 newsletter to parents.

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The 2020–21 school year marks 50 years of memories at the Lucas Avenue campus where St. Margaret’s sits today. The move to Lucas Avenue from the Fort Street campus reflected what the school continues to represent today—a supportive close-knit community.

Fifty years ago, the entire school participated in a 10-mile walka-thon from the Fort Street campus to the Lucas Avenue site.

Most of the teachers and students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 completed the walk, which raised money to help offset the cost of the move.

50

years

on lucas avenue

The school contents were packed up and moved over a long weekend in June with the help of staff, teachers, students, parents, alumnae, and friends. There were no moving trucks or vans, just a community with borrowed trucks and cars packed to the brim. What started as a small school with two buildings on 30 acres of undeveloped rocky land, with no field, no gymnasium, no tennis courts, and just a single residence building, has grown into what we know as St. Margaret’s School today.

Following the keynote presentation there will be breakout rooms exclusively for SMS alumnae.

In honour of the 50th anniversary, the grad class of 1971 sought to commemorate their 50-year reunion and create an inspiring event to celebrate Spring Reunion. Born out of the inability to gather, a virtual event entitled Trailblazers: Empowering Women will be hosted by St. Margaret’s.

On a sunny June day in 1971, we said goodbye to our friends and embraced our freedom and futures. On that day, we were the first graduating class at the school’s new Lucas Ave. campus.

The Class of 1971 planning committee set out to find a remarkable keynote speaker to represent female empowerment for the event. Using their network, they secured the Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin, the first female Chief Justice of Canada, who will share stories from her life and memoir Truth Be Told: My Journey Through Life and the Law. Her presentation will be followed by a Q & A session.

The cost to attend the event is $25, with proceeds supporting a new artist-in-residence program that kicks off this spring at SMS. Learn more at stmarg.ca A note from the Class of 1971

To celebrate our 50th graduation anniversary, we hope to reunite with many of our ‘71 classmates and the school to create an inspirational celebration for the community and alumnae. This anniversary legacy project celebrates cultural learning and growth for the young women of the school.

To the classes of ‘72, ‘73, ‘74 and all 50th anniversary grad classes to come, we encourage you to rekindle your school connections and add to our legacy initiative for decades to come. Let your knowledge and power give back to those who follow.

Chief Justice McLachlin’s judicial career began in April 1981 when she was appointed to the Vancouver County Court. In September 1981, she was appointed to the Supreme Court of British Columbia, and then was elevated to the BC Court of Appeal in December 1985. She was appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of British Columbia in September 1988, and only seven months later, in April 1989, she was sworn in as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. On January 7, 2000, she was appointed Chief Justice of Canada.

“It’s really exciting to have a keynote speaker of such high calibre at this year’s reunion. With the incredible social justice movements we’ve seen take shape over the past couple of years, I couldn’t think of a better fit,” says Janine Cowie, Annual Fund and Alumnae Relations Manager.

The Trailblazers: Empowering Women event will take place on Saturday, May 1, 2021, at 1:00 p.m. PT and is open to SMS alumnae, students, parents, staff, and the community at large.

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Class of ‘71 We refer to ourselves affectionately as “Maggots.”

Maggie Gilliam:

red blazer trailblazer From

To

A

trailblazer is someone who blazes a path through unknown territory for others to follow—a pioneer and innovator. As the largest donor in St. Margaret’s School history and a firstgeneration female analyst on Wall Street, Maggie Gilliam definitely qualifies as a trailblazer.

A lifelong philanthropist, Gilliam generously donated USD 200,000 to the 2020–21 St. Margaret’s School Annual Fund, which will go toward COVID-19 relief. In addition, she is matching up to $50,000 for all donations received by June 30, 2021. This gift is the largest single donation in school history, topping her own previous donation of $100,000 toward creating the Margaret A. Gilliam Scholarship Fund, which provides $15,000 annually for a new North American boarding student.

“I continue to donate to St. Margaret’s because I believe in the school. St. Margaret’s gave me a great education that led me to McGill, Harvard Business School, and a long business career,” says Gilliam.

Born in Ottawa, Gilliam spent her childhood in various parts of Canada, including British Columbia, where her family operated a sheep farm. She attended SMS from 1950–55 and was Christian House Captain and on the Scientific Society Committee.

When it came time to attend university, she set her sights on McGill University. She was fortunate to get encouragement and support from her grandmother, Cairine Reay Mackay Wilson, herself a trailblazer. Mackay Wilson was Canada’s first female senator and later the country’s first female delegate to the United Nations General Assembly.

After graduating from McGill in science, Gilliam pursued a professional degree. She applied—and was accepted to—the Harvard-Radcliffe Program in Business Administration. After earning her degree, Gilliam landed a position working as an analyst at Goldman Sachs, one of only a few women working on Wall Street at the time.

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Gilliam believes that single-gendered education remains as relevant today as it was when she was an SMS student.

“A lot of girls don’t have the strength to stand up for themselves and what they want. An all-girls education gives them this confidence,” she says.

Gilliam forged her own path to success. According to her, “back in the 1970s, it was a tough field for women, and I quickly learned that I would have to raise my voice if I wanted to move ahead at the same speed as my male colleagues.”

That first generation of women on Wall Street in the 1970s was a cohort of roughly 65 females who aimed higher than the positions filled by most women at that time, such as secretaries, stenographers, bookkeepers, receptionists, or messengers. In contrast, these women achieved top positions in the core areas of research and investment banking in the course of their careers.

Gilliam spent 10 years with Goldman Sachs and 21 years with The First Boston Corporation and successor companies, now Credit Suisse, where her last position was director, equity research, and senior analyst for retail trade and soft goods. Throughout her 30-year career, she honed her skills as a global retail analyst and became a trusted advisor to Fortune 500 companies such as Walmart, Home Depot, Nordstrom, and Costco. More recently, she was a sought-after retail consultant and publisher of the Gilliam Viewpoint, a monthly publication covering developments in the retail industry.

Gilliam believes that single-gendered education remains as relevant today as it was when she was an SMS student. “A lot of girls don’t have the strength to stand up for themselves and what they want. An all-girls education gives them this confidence,” she says.

She continues to demonstrate the school motto, Service with Love, in momentous ways, including giving $6.5 million to bolster McGill’s Margaret A. Gilliam Institute for Global Food Security, another cause extremely close to her heart.

For her, giving back and making a difference in the world is what it’s all about. “When alumnae give back, it supports and encourages the students. When they graduate and go onto their careers, they can pay it forward and give back to St. Margaret’s so the school and the students can continue to thrive.”

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While St. Margaret’s alumnae choose many paths after they leave our campus, they continue to share many common ties: a fierce commitment to their careers, a lifelong love of service and learning, and a desire to uplift and support women.

up

catching

with past

It’s important for us to stay connected with our alumnae and share their stories. These former head girls were all integral members of the SMS community during their time with us, and we want to share a glimpse into their journeys after they moved on.

head girls

Alexandra Robinson (née Alexis)

–SMS 1981 How do you think the all-girls environment shaped you?

Where did you attend university?

I attended the University of Victoria, Vancouver General Hospital School of Nursing.

Where are you now?

I live in Vancouver, and I am retired with four children and four grandchildren.

What is your favourite SMS memory?

Carol Service. The hours of choir practice with Miss Frampton and the excitement of performing for our parents. The tearful goodbyes to our boarding school friends who we would not see until January. The candlelit service where music would fill the church and read carefully practised passages from the Bible.

Christmas truly began that night.

Well, it certainly kept me focused on school! I believe the quality of my education was more important than gender segregation.

That being said, I indeed never doubted that women could achieve what they set out to, because I was surrounded by dozens of goal-oriented girls who did achieve great things.

What is the most important thing you learned at SMS? I was raised with the same motto as the school, serving those in need. My parents taught me this, and it was reinforced at St. Margaret’s. We are all one, and we all must support each other for the greater good.

What is the best advice you have ever received?

“Just enjoy.” When the world gets too busy, we pile expectations on ourselves to be “more.” Remember to enjoy.

Words of advice for the class of 2021?

Spend less time on social media and more time enjoying face-to-face interactions with people. Right now, things look different, so wear a mask and get out there and connect. Find a cause and be passionate about it. Be kind.

Was there anyone who had a profound impact on you during your time at SMS?

Alexa Bryant–SMS 2016

So many teachers committed their lives to us, it would be hard to name one. Miss Smith and Miss Bover taught me to persevere through sports despite my lack of athleticism. They also learned to laugh as I would dance around the hurdles instead of jumping over them. They were patient. Mrs. French was very strict, but she taught me how to write a decent essay, and her stories about living through the Blitz in London are forever etched in my mind. She was resilient.

Where did you attend university?

Florida International University in Miami. I obtained a bachelor of science in nutrition with a chemistry minor. I also swam for the university in NCAA Division 1.

What achievements are you most proud of in your life?

It’s challenging to express self-pride. I was raised and schooled in a time of self-perseverance and reverence, so I only feel a sense of peace each night if I have shown up for my children, family, and friends and have given them my best self.

Do you have any current professional or passion projects on the go?

I am committed to helping people in need who struggle with addiction and are searching for recovery. I view this as my social responsibility living in a city where the overdose rate continues to climb. Helping others is how I fill my days: serving those in need who can use a hand up.

Where are you now?

I am pursuing a graduate degree in human nutrition and functional medicine through the University of Western States in Portland, Oregon. I work at the Pacific Centre for Reproductive Medicine, and I am CrossFit Level 1 Trainer, living in Victoria, BC.

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Alycia Coulter–SMS 2011

What is your favourite SMS memory?

Where did you attend university?

The first “muggings”! We started this project as a student council.

At the same time, I was Head Girl. I am always so happy to see that these are still happening because they are such a fun way to bring the SMS family together and show appreciation for the faculty who give so much of themselves to the school.

I graduated from Carleton University in Ottawa with a bachelor of public affairs and policy management.

I currently work in government and community relations.

Was there anyone who had a profound impact on you during your time at SMS? During both my time at SMS and my life after, Ms. Batson has taught me SO much and I still use that knowledge today in my studies. She truly instilled in me study skills and a passion for science and learning that I will carry forever.

What achievements are you most proud of in your life?

Where are you now?

I live and work in Metro Vancouver. I love living in a bigger city but close enough to visit Vancouver Island whenever possible.

Being Head Girl at SMS! Living my lifelong dream of competing on an NCAA Division 1 swimming and diving team and winning four consecutive conference championships. Being a team captain of the aforementioned team, and graduating summa cum laude from university.

What is your favourite SMS memory?

Do you have any current professional or passion projects on the go?

Was there anyone who had a profound impact on you during your time at SMS?

I have finally been able to train for CrossFit full time and hope to make something with this one day. I hope to turn my passion for health and nutrition into a project and, hopefully, a career.

I had many great teachers over 13 years at SMS. I also learned so much on the basketball court and in the gym, including teamwork, leadership, time management, and mental focus. I’m grateful for the SMS coaches I had along the way who taught me those lessons and skills.

How do you think the all-girls environment shaped you?

The all-girls environment was the place that I found my voice not only as a leader but as a person. It gave me the confidence to be myself and relentlessly chase my dreams without letting anyone get in the way. SMS was also the place where I learned to learn and enjoy doing it; I never had to be afraid to be smart, be athletic, be courageous, lead others, or speak my mind.

What is the most important thing you learned at SMS?

Outweek! Looking back, I would never have whitewater kayaked, sailed on a tall ship, or spelunked in a cave without this annual program.

What achievements are you most proud of in your life?

In the 10 years since I graduated, I never shied away from a new job experience or a new city. I would not be where I am today if I hadn’t taken some risks and been open to new challenges.

Do you have any current professional or passion projects on the go?

What is the greatest advice you have ever received?

I recently completed a professional certificate program in dialogue and civic engagement to complement my degree.

It was nice to take classes while working full time. I started in 2019 and was able to complete my certificate right before the pandemic hit!

Anything is possible if you set your mind to it.

How do you think the all-girls environment shaped you?

Everything is transient, so don’t get too stuck on one thing; it too will pass.

I was always able to be myself. I learned being smart is cool!

Work hard; it will pay off. Also, everyone learns differently and has their own way of communicating, but this just means that we must adjust to truly listen to and understand everyone.

Words of advice for the class of 2021?

Everyone will tell you that one time or another is the best time of your life, but they’re wrong. In one way or another, every time in your life is the best. There is something special in every experience that you will one day cherish for the impact it had on your life. So, live every moment like it is special, enjoy all of the unique experiences you have a chance to live, and of course, dream big, but enjoy the ride.

What is the most important thing you learned at SMS? Public speaking! Over the years, I’ve had many people ask where I learned to speak in front of a crowd confidently. It comes from ample practice at assemblies.

What is the greatest advice you have ever received?

I’m inspired by the words of U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, who said, “while I may be the first woman in the office, I will not be the last.”

Words of advice for the class of 2021?

It’s important to focus on university admissions and what’s next, but don’t forget to have fun and enjoy the little moments.

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Learning from

experts

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One of the challenges in a K–12 environment is providing new and unique ways for cross-grade connections. The AiR program aims to weave the school community together with a common focus through shared experiences.

AiR will also provide after-school programming for students. Each artist will offer students a chance to experiment with new media, explore new ideas, and express themselves in new ways. The emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion will help ensure that there is something to capture every student’s imagination. There will be a public engagement component as well, with AiR hosting events to inspire the broader community, including parents and alumnae.

T

Teresa Vander Meer-Chassé

he 2020–21 school year has been one for the books, and despite various challenges, we’ve adapted and forged ahead with the introduction of new and innovative ways of teaching and learning. One adaptation for this school year has been the artist-in-residence (AiR) program.

AiR provides diverse enrichment opportunities through an introduction to art and design taught by local artists and experts. Students learn design principles and experiment with different tools using a variety of media.

According to AiR coordinator Jamie Kemp, the program is designed to be flexible and allow the school to bring in artists or other experts who can enhance the community, support the curriculum, and help SMS live up to its mission, values, and strategic priorities.

Under the revised program, artists will collaborate closely with teachers and provide valuable support for students. They will be available to spend time in all classrooms, from art to math to science, creating ample space for interdisciplinary and experiential learning. The immersive approach will also allow students to deepen their understanding of art’s role in life and society and reflect on personal identity.

Due to the pandemic, some adjustments will be made to the delivery for 2020–21, such as the postponement of community events. However, the program is moving forward, intending to get more robust each year.

This year’s artist-in-residence is Teresa Vander Meer-Chassé, affectionately known as Ddhälh kït Nelnah, and a proud member of the White River First Nation of Beaver Creek, Yukon, and Alaska. She is an Upper Tanana visual artist, emerging curator, and master of fine arts student at Concordia University. In 2019 she was an artist-in-residence in the Art Education Department at the University of Victoria, offering workshops and artist talks to future art educators. She currently sits on the board of the Indigenous Curatorial Collective.

Vander Meer-Chassé is in an ongoing mentorship with her grandma Marilyn John. The mentorship started when she was just eight years old, working with beadwork, but it now involves revitalizing their language and sharing traditional knowledge.

Vander Meer-Chassé’s curatorial style is much like her art: community-based and heavily influenced by her worldviews.

“My role is to design and establish the program, recruit artists and experts that will be a good fit for the school, ensure alignment between AiR programming and the mission, liaise between artists and teachers, help the artists develop their programs, help to arrange community events, and evaluate the program’s success,” says Kemp.

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Naomi Ding, Grade 7

Alexia Midzi, Grade 3

McKinley Thomas, Grade 5

Allie Hourigan, Grade 8

Grace Merkell, Grade 5

Charlotte Bedford, Grade 7

Emily Merriman, Grade 3

Daisy Feng, Grade 11

Grade Seven Poetry A World Full of Hate

by Charlotte Bedford You know the feeling, when you’re all bottled up and you can’t let it out. And it feels as though you’ve been shaken about. The dreams they once said would all come true. Are still just sitting there, far from new. The world full of happiness has flipped around. And gravity no longer holds me down. As the cap on the bottle starts to rattle, a fearful sound. All the feelings burst out like a wave. Crashing down.

Amy Hooper, Grade 10

Oppression still sits fully attached to the ground. With the shovels digging deeper to the core of the mound. Beating faster and stronger as we go down.

As people walk calmly not to worry about, all the problems we face are scattered around. The colours of people slowly fade away.

Replaced by words of hate and our fate. Of a bottomless pit where we’ll all end up falling. If we don’t stop this terrible calling, to make our world right. And change all the wrongs.

Syna Mangat, Grade 9

The shovels, still sturdy, push into the ground. Digging deeper and deeper, further down. As the core starts to shake, our world does too.

Making people stop, and stare into, the world in which we live in. This has happened before, but we all backed down. The choice to save us is up to the ground. The core bolts into the air. Climbing up straight into the sky. Going higher and higher. Until it’s no more. People are smiling while the others frown. But as blatantly as it happened, it all comes crashing down.

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student

art and writing Amelia-Rose Dunn, Grade 5

Grade Seven Poetry The Strength Within Me

I Wish

by Elizabeth Clark

by Ruthie Sulz

My body may be slow like a turtle Elsa Gao, Grade 5

But my determination is fast like a rabbit My mind may be soft but my actions may be stronger

I wish On every star To fly Over the mountains That cage me in Out of the chains That hold me here Away from the people That say I can’t Because I can

Helen Liu, Grade 11

Sophie Chu, Grade 9

Julia Du, Grade 3

Delphine Bouchard, Grade 12

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Corwin rows HE

Grit and tenacity earn Grade 12 student

W

ith graduation approaching, Nina Corwin was searching for a new crew, and with so many options on the table, that decision did not come easily.

Corwin, a highly sought-after rowing recruit, will attend the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Amherst as a member of the NCAA Division 1 Women’s Crew, better known as the rowing team, on a full-ride scholarship.

Corwin received 47 offers from universities across the border after posting her profile on BeRecruited, a web portal for college sports recruitment and athletic scholarships.

Tallying up over $700,000 in total scholarship offers, Corwin narrowed it down to UMass, Temple, and George Washington University, ultimately deciding on UMass because of its small school feel and welcoming coaching staff.

“Because of COVID, I didn’t get the opportunity to visit any of the universities in person, but going through the recruitment process and having great conversations with all four members of the coaching staff, it felt like a good fit,” said Corwin. “They are an upand-coming team with young athletes, which will be fun. It’s also a small college town, and that’s something I was looking for.”

Despite all her success, Corwin’s rowing journey has been anything but a cakewalk. Even before COVID hit in the spring 2020, throwing a wrench in her Grade 11 season, she’s spent hours rehabbing a series of injuries that have plagued her since beginning her rowing career in Grade 8. It’s not a sport for the faint of heart, and even of those talented enough to row at the collegiate level, many don’t make it that far.

Rowing is one of the most gruelling sports mentally and physically, often referred to as a sport for masochists. It demands a rigorous schedule, with elite athletes training six or seven days a week and up to three times a day. The demand on the body is epic, and the propensity for injury is high. However, according to Corwin, the pain is worth it for those beautiful, calm days on the water when the sun hits, and it feels like paradise.

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r way to boston

Nina Corwin a full-ride to UMass “There is part of you that has to be insane,” she says. “But the good outweighs the bad. I love the team aspect of rowing; there is something about working together as a group. I also like that with everything you do, you can see improvements, and all the hard work feels worthwhile.”

Corwin started rowing the summer before Grade 8 after her mom suggested she might be good at it and enrolled her in a weeklong camp. The camp was two hours a day for five days, and that’s all it took; she was hooked. Following that camp, Corwin joined the newly formed rowing team at SMS in the fall.

“SMS is kind of how I got introduced to competitive rowing.

The school has been supporting me for five years. Throughout the recruitment journey, I was taking phone calls in an office at school. Not only have I been given resources and tools, but this school has given me the confidence to pursue this dream,” says Corwin.

pursue her athletic goals. But, beyond her athletic abilities, it is important to us that we support the whole person. This includes creating a network of people to provide social-emotional growth, academic success, and a pursuit of her passions.

“It’s been fun to see her enthusiasm and dedication to the sport grow over the years and now into post-secondary.”

Since that time, Corwin has gone on to compete in the BC Summer Games and is part of the Victoria City Rowing Club.

“I love rowing. I can’t imagine not having rowing. I feel like I’ll keep improving and discovering more about it. Being part of a team at UMass and racing, I’m really excited for what the future holds.”

Athletic Coordinator Emma Glasgow says, “For Nina, we were able to provide the introduction to the sport, a supportive environment, and a place for her to create connections and

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outweek

2020 SMS Spirit | 16

O

utweek and experiential learning has long been a foundation of the SMS curriculum, and integral to its success has been a 30-year partnership with Strathcona Park Lodge. But much like everything else this year, the St. Margaret’s annual Outweek adventure looked a little different. Still, the goal remained the same: to allow our students to extend their learning outside of the classroom and into the outdoors.

“We knew early on that Outweek would be impacted this year, but it was never a question of whether it would happen. Our mindset immediately shifted to how we could make Outweek happen, and how we could give the students a memorable experience,” says Jeanine Stannard, Outweek Coordinator.

“It speaks to the importance of outdoor education and community building; the values we have as a school for environmental stewardship, leadership, confidence building; and the importance of learning beyond the classroom,” she adds.

With that in mind, our Senior and Middle Year students participated in a plethora of local activities and day trips around Greater Victoria. For students in the Foundation Years, all classes headed outside on hikes around the city and a trip to WildPlay.

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Senior Years teacher looks at what it takes for girls to thrive

faculty

feature SMS Spirit | 18

lisa Ziebart is a Senior Years humanities teacher who has been teaching at SMS since 2012. She has a master’s degree in educational leadership with a focus in distributed leadership and is currently completing her EdDoc in community leadership with a focus in girls and leadership.

Much of Ziebart’s research can be seen right here at SMS as it looks closely at what it takes for girls to thrive and how that relates to an SMS education. The following is an excerpt of Ziebart’s research as it relates to our school and our students. “‘Tis with hearts full of pride, beloved St. Margaret’s…”

These are the opening lyrics of the St. Margaret’s School song.

But, what does it mean to have hearts full of pride and belong as a part of a beloved St. Margaret’s?

Belonging is an incredibly powerful component of any community, and it is essential for an all-girls environment (Vail, 2002). A lack of belonging can generate feelings of jealousy and envy, manifesting in the subtle yet cruel forms of intra-gender microaggression, including gossip, backstabbing, and social isolation (Archard, 2012; Conway, 2005; Vail, 2002). Alternatively, a sense of belonging can lead to greater self-worth, genuine connections with others, and increased intrinsic motivation to want to be a part of something that can make a difference (Deak & Adams, 2010).

Ample research shows that women do not support other women in the workplace, yet it must be understood that this challenge starts in the formative years (Mavin et al., 2014; Shakeshaft, 2006).

Society reminds us daily of the need for women to empower one another. As members of an all-girls community, we at SMS have the privilege of fostering a community of belonging in everything we do. Therefore, my area of study takes a feministtransformative approach to address the question: what conditions are required in an all-girls learning environment to authentically cultivate a sustained community of belonging of girls supporting each other and growing to be women who support one another.

Deak and Adams (2010) distill the formula of how girls thrive down to three Cs: confidence, competence, and connectedness.

It is important to note that this formula is not just about thriving academically; instead, Deak and Adams (2010) focus on considering the whole girl. According to Heto and Indangasi (2020), an ideal education assists students in “awaken[ing] to the complexities of life, how they are part of it, why they need to care about the world, and how they can transform their circumstances” (p. 4). To achieve this, Heto and Indangasi (2020) put forward three sets for sustained value and purpose: the skill set, the mindset, and the heart set. Together, the components for girls thriving and sets for sustained value and purpose lead to the following three factors: the skill set of competence, the mindset of confidence, and the heart set of connectedness.

The key to these factors is that focused, collective leadership by all bridges the gap between teaching and learning to foster the conditions for belonging. This means that each member of the learning community has both the opportunity and responsibility to actively participate as a leader, teacher, and learner while collectively engaging in meaningful and purposeful experiences.

While this may look different for each learning community, the important component is that we are all working toward the same common goal of cultivating belonging.

At SMS, we actively create opportunities to foster belonging and for students to gain confidence, competence, and connectedness.

The Senior Years SPARK program is a signature program that embraces connections to the community, whole-child development, and progressive thinking. SPARK is a year-long integrative program, which is a collaborative, rigorous, and interdisciplinary approach to curriculum delivery, fostering best practices in teaching and learning and providing students access to real-world opportunities with greater breadth and depth.

The Social-Emotional Learning (SET block) in the Middle Years gives each student designated in-class time to explore a subject that captures their interest. The goal of SET is to provide an atmosphere of trust within the girls’ community where they can learn essential life skills. In SET, students learn to voice their feelings productively and safely, and hear those feelings acknowledged by their peers and teachers.

Starting as early as Junior Kindergarten, we expose students to a unique set of opportunities to address girls’ development and learning needs as they go through critical growth stages. The entire Foundation Years program provides opportunities for students to thrive, including student-run assemblies, squash, and social emotional learning.

Above all, girls need to feel comfortable and confident knowing they are a unique part of our community, are accepted, and are valued for who they are and what they have to contribute. It is here that we can genuinely have hearts full of pride for our beloved St. Margaret’s.

References Archard, N. (2012). Adolescent girls and leadership: The impact of confidence, competition, and failure. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 17(4), 189-203. https://doi.org/10.1080/02673843 .2011.649431 Conway, A. M. (2005). Girls, aggression, and emotion regulation. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 75(2), 334-339. https://doi. org/10.1037/0002-9432.75.2.334 Deak, J., & Adams, D. (2010). How girls thrive.

(Rev. and expanded ed.). Green Blanket Press.

Heto, P. P., & Indangasi, H. (2020).

Mindset, heartset, and skillset. Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies in Education, 9(SI), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.32674/jise. v9iSI.2810

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Mavin, S., Grandy, G., & Williams, J. (2014).

Experiences of women elite leaders doing gender: Intra-gender micro-violence between women. British Journal of Management, 25, 439-455. https://doi. org/10.1111/1467-8551.12057 Shakeshaft, C. (2006). 35: Gender and educational management. In Skelton, C., Francis, B., & Smulyan, L. (Eds.) The SAGE Handbook of Gender and Education (pp.

498-512). SAGE Publications, Inc. https:// doi.org/10.4135/978-1-84860-799-6.n36 Vail, K. (2002). Relational aggression in girls.

The Education Digest, 68(2), 7-14.

Cultivating confidence through

leadership

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Bonnie Henry. Kamala Harris. Serena Williams.

Ms. Klein. My mom. All of these women are named as leaders by SMS girls.

W

hen you ask a St. Margaret’s student to name a leader, it should be no surprise that names of women are usually top of mind. That’s because SMS provides so many models of female leadership— models who demonstrate that leadership is a way of life.

Leadership doesn’t necessarily mean having the loudest voice or trying to change the world. It can be displayed simply and quietly in the daily acts we carry out, whether that be an act of service, listening to a friend, or standing up for what we believe is right.

At SMS this year, we have we launched a pilot program for more students to gain confidence, find their voice, and become leaders in areas they are passionate about.

The new distributed learning model aims to increase and spread leadership opportunities that foster community and connectedness. Beyond the many formal leadership roles on campus, the initiative creates space for more students to take risks, collaborate with others, try something new, and empower and motivate others.

“My hope is for the students to stretch their comfort zone and in the process pick up skills, strategies, and connections that they didn’t have when they started,” says Jennifer Lee, student life coordinator.

How it works Leadership captain positions are available for Middle and Senior Year students in 17 areas of the school: • Athletics • Communications and marketing • Diversity, equity and inclusion • English language learner • Enrolment • Environmental stewardship • GSA • Health and wellness • Humanities • Learning Commons and Archives • Performing arts • Philanthropy • Service • STEM • Technology • Visual arts • Yearbook

Each position comes with a job description, and students can apply to work with mentors in their area of interest. There are up to four captain positions available in each area. The captains work alongside a teacher or staff mentor, and the Senior Year students get to mentor the Middle Year students. The integrated approach is multifaceted, encouraging a growth mindset and risk taking while simultaneously building confidence.

The nature of each position varies, with some students doing a lot of behind-the-scenes work, such as working with IT Services to run events. Other positions are more front-facing, such as working as ambassadors to families as in Enrolment Services. The commonality between each position is that everyone is a leader from where they stand.

In visual arts, two captains are working alongside mentor Ms. Huneck to organize a COVID-safe event. Due to the pandemic, there will be no art show this year, so they came up with a creative new way to share student art with the greater community exhibition and organized an online student art sale.

For Grade 12 student Marina Lei, the opportunity to take on a leadership role in the arts and organize a virtual show was exactly what she was looking for.

“I’ve never really felt like a leader before. It’s my last year at SMS, and I wanted to gain experience and take on a big project. Art is my passion, so I felt like this was something I was confident to take on,” says Lei.

Grade 9 student Mattea Matos-Bennett, who is new to SMS this year, says, “It’s my first year here, so I wanted to get as much leadership experience as I could. I really love art, and it’s my hobby, so getting to bring that to the forefront of the school community sounded like a good opportunity.”

With the success of the program in 2020–21, it’s likely this will become an integral piece of the SMS co-curriculum.

“It’s been cool to see girls rise to the occasion and to see what they are interested in. Hearing their stories, their expressions of gratitude, and their excitement to get involved shows that this is valuable, and it is needed. I really like this program,” says Lee.

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boarding:

I

More than an experience

t is a rite of passage for many Mexican students to study abroad for one year, but for Grade 12 student Lilian Carreon, one year at SMS wasn’t enough. Carreon spent Grade 10 here as a boarding student—a year she describes as an unforgettable experience. After returning home to Huixquilucan, Estado de México, Carreon knew she wanted to return, but it wasn’t just for the experience of studying in Canada; it was the sisterhood that drew her back.

“The sisterhood you develop in an all-girls environment doesn’t exist in a co-ed school. To be surrounded by strong, powerful women, but also that feminine energy, is amazing. At SMS, there is an innovative mix of modern and traditional—I like to say that I didn’t choose St. Margaret’s, St. Margaret’s chose me,” says Carreon.

Carreon says she has been in love with boarding schools for as long as she can remember. In Grade 9, she made a deal with her dad that if she worked hard, she could attend school in Canada the following year. She held up her end of the bargain, and after hearing about St. Margaret’s from a family friend and touring the campus, she knew it was the place for her.

Following what was a great year, Carreon told her parents she wanted to return to Canada for her senior year. She explored a few different boarding school options in the east, but there was something about St. Margaret’s that was pulling her back.

“I wanted to wear the grad tie and the grad sweater. There are so many relationships and emotions attached to this school for me.

I want to be that Mexican student who will make connections, make an impact, and leave a legacy,” she says.

However, her plans came to a screeching halt when the pandemic hit last March. Canada closed its borders, and only students granted a study permit prior to March 18, 2020, were exempt. For Carreon, that meant a summer of uncertainty, waiting to find out when she would be able to travel again. It meant staying up until 4:00 a.m., hitting “refresh” on the Canada Border Services Agency website, hoping to see an update or exemption.

By September, the Canadian borders were still closed, and Carreon hadn’t enrolled for school in Mexico. “I just had to wait and pray. I wasn’t giving up; I just had to keep a positive mindset and persevere,” she says.

Finally, on November 21, Carreon received her study permit, and

by November 29, she was on a plane to Canada. Upon arrival, she went directly into quarantine on campus, where she celebrated her 18th birthday.

“It didn’t matter that I was in quarantine. I felt grateful to be here and spoiled by the boarding staff, the house parents, friends, the kitchen staff, and the school nurse. They made me feel so welcome and special.”

Welcoming Carreon back to campus was just as special for the SMS community. “Lilian is a positive role model who cares for others. She is committed to leaving a legacy of inclusion and pride, and she is dedicated to paving the way for other Mexican students to feel that SMS can be more than a one-year experience; it can be a home,” says Director of Boarding, Nicole Folkes. “Lilian is an ambassador for our community whether she is wearing a red blazer or not.”

Carreon used her two weeks in quarantine to catch up on schoolwork and, with the help of Ms. DaSilva, complete her university applications. Within a month of arriving, she was already accepted into the communications program at Ryerson University.

“I feel so blessed to be here. This school provides opportunities beyond the textbook, like discovering your hidden talents and achieving your goals. The support from the teachers is above and beyond, and when you’re away from home, having teachers who are like family is everything.

“The unity of the community, the uniqueness of each student, and the bonds you can make with students from around the world will last a lifetime. These students are future leaders, and they are my sisters by choice,” she says.

Grade 12 students Rowena Brown, Lilian Carreon, Lily Mannall-Fretwell, and Nina Corwin.

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Beyond advising If academic advising is an art, then Kathy DaSilva might be the Vincent Van Gogh of SMS. The Senior Years Academic Advisor and University Counsellor has helped hundreds of students successfully pursue their passion and find their path.

Why SMS students get into the top universities of their choice

While her job is to make sure students are on track to graduate and advise them on which courses and credits are applicable to their future, her work goes far beyond that. In her Careers 12 classes, DaSilva works with students for three hours a week, walking them through how to navigate and complete university applications and remain diligent about meeting deadlines. While this model of academic support may seem commonplace, it far exceeds what students could expect to receive elsewhere. This is one of the many reasons why 100 percent of graduates get into a top university of their choice and average more than six university offers each.

“I feel the weight of the responsibility to make sure students are thinking ahead, getting their application and scholarship essays written and edited, and meeting all their deadlines.

Deadlines don’t wait. Students come to this school so they can go anywhere they want after high school, and it’s my job to help get them there,” says DaSilva.

At the beginning of the year, DaSilva tells the Grade 12 students: “You are my priority. You come before anyone and anything else.

I will drop what I am doing to help you with whatever is going on.

My goal is to make sure that one year from now, you are happy with where you are and with what you are doing.”

A career English teacher before moving into academic advising and counselling, DaSilva understands the university application process and has an eye for detail that is second to none. For her, it is more than just editing an application or tracking down transfer credits; it is potentially changing the course of someone’s life.

When helping students decide where to apply to post-secondary, it’s a personal connection that supports her ability to successfully guide them. DaSilva believes that it is not about just helping students get into the best school: it’s about helping them get into the right school.

“Mrs. DaSilva has helped me develop important life skills and learn life lessons preparing me for university. Thanks to her guidance, I’ve been able to prioritize my time better and figure out where I need to focus my energy; because of that, I feel ready for the next stage of my life,” says Grade 12 student Lily Mannall-Fretwell.

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Mannall-Fretwell has built a close relationship with DaSilva over the years and says that thanks to her guidance, she will be attending Bishop’s University in Quebec next year as a member of the varsity women’s soccer team.

research courses and credits they will need in their senior year to set them up for success. She exposes senior students to summer programs at schools like MIT, Yale, and Harvard to gain insight into what that future could look like.

“Growing up in Victoria and having been at SMS since Kindergarten, I knew I wanted to experience living away from home. However, I was also looking for that familiar small community feel, and I realized that a school like U of T probably wouldn’t be for me. Bishop’s seemed like the perfect fit, and Mrs. DaSilva really supported me in coming to that decision,” she says.

But when it comes to application season, what separates SMS students from the pack?

In the Career Life Connections and Capstone 12 class, students attend up to 25 presentations a year from universities worldwide.

One of their assignments is to research various universities, exposing them to all the facets that go into selecting the best option for post-secondary; another involves “being the teacher” in front of their peers. DaSilva also meets with Grade 11 students to get them thinking about the future, encouraging them to

“Students’ resumés include everything from work experience to leadership, outdoor education, Model UN, social justice, robotics, athletics, and more. At SMS, students can start a club if they want to, and they have the freedom to try anything they desire. Because we are a small, single-gendered school, here at St. Margaret’s we believe that yes ‘she can,’ and that really is the difference,” says DaSilva, who stays in contact with many graduates after they leave SMS, and invites them to return (either virtually or in person) to speak to the grade 12s about their postsecondary experiences and adventures.

Thanks to DaSilva and the entire student support team working hard behind the scenes, it’s no surprise that SMS grads are truly ready to embark on a world of opportunities and life-long learning.

Check out some of our recent alumnae (shown) showcasing where they are currently attending university.

ss and ol of Busine Smith Scho ional Business at Hult Intern Boston School

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Why

she can at SMS

Nurse Angie Hay training to compete in CrossFit.

21

staff members hold a master’s degree

 Our teachers have taught in a total of

20

6

staff members have a Ph.D.

5



Published Authors

countries

Dr. Michael Keddy conducting a symphony.

At St. Margaret’s School, it takes a village, and we take pride in our nurturing community of teachers and staff members.

Our expert educators, coaches, mentors, counsellors, and advisors work together to toward a common goal: preparing, teaching, empowering, and inspiring every student who steps onto our campus. Our community members serve as positive role models for our students, advocating for their success and guiding them throughout their educational journey.

Deb Scott: Scott is a three-time Olympian, a member of both the Victoria Sports Hall of Fame and UVic Hall of Fame, and has been named Victoria’s Female Athlete of the Year four times.

Scott raced to 26 Canadian titles, Canadian records over five distances, and competed in three Summer Olympics, four Commonwealth Games, one Pan-Am Games, and two World Track and Field Championships.

Angie Hay: Nurse Hay is a former varsity rugby player and former Canadian National Women’s Rugby Team member. She is also a fourtime CrossFit Games competitor. The CrossFit Games are a hugely popular and incredibly intense fitness competition that endeavours to crown “the fittest man and the fittest woman on earth.” The Games are so popular that over 200,000 athletes participate in a worldwide qualifying competition each year, with between 10 and 30 athletes worldwide qualifying for the main event.

Dr. Michael Keddy: Dr. Keddy has a Ph.D. in music education and conducting and is also a professor at the University of Victoria.

Keddy won a world championship in percussion as a member of the Blue Devils drum and bugle corps, and several provincial and national awards. He has conducted all over Europe, including at

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2 Olympians

12+

languages are spoken on campus:

50+

marathons, half-marathons, triathlons, and Ironmans completed



English, Mandarin, French, German, Russian, Spanish, Portuguese, Hebrew, Japanese, Cantonese, Arabic – & Pig Latin!

Ms. Deb Scott preparing to represent Canada.

Mrs. Jennifer Walton completing an Ironman.

15  15 varsity athletes

major mountains varsity athletes summited

University sports: soccer, basketball, volleyball, track & field, gymnastics, cross-country, rugby, rowing.

including Fuji, Kilimanjaro, Meru, Patagonia and the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal.

Ms. Alia Zawacki alongside her UVic Vikes teammates.

a Buckingham Palace performance where he led the Vice-Regal Salute. He also performed as marimba soloist with the Ontario Youth Concert Band.

Janine Cowie: Cowie is proud to call herself a breast cancer survivor. She raised over $20,000 for cancer research during the Run for the Cure.

Fei Gao: Gao formerly worked at the China University of Political Science and Law, a job that saw her travelling around the globe for partnership building, student recruitment, and professional training.

She holds a master of philosophy in education from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. She has a passion for enriching the student experience with bilingual communication in English and Mandarin.

Alia Zawacki: Zawacki rowed crew for the University of Victoria.

She represented Canada at the Royal Henley Regatta in England and competed in the Olympic trials. After finishing her career as an athlete, she went on to coach with Team Canada and the junior national development team that competed internationally against Team USA and Team Mexico. She also coached Team BC and helped lead them to three gold, two silver, and one bronze medal.

Ms. Naomi Bar-Hanan up to her knees in snow while hiking.

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service

IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING that the past year has been an unusual one. With the pandemic onset, our students unexpectedly lost access to many of their activities, athletics, clubs, and social events. It would have been understandable to see families and students withdraw into their bubbles in such a time. Instead, our SMS families, individual students, faculty members, and campus clubs stepped up in new ways.

Through service-learning, students develop civic-mindedness and critical thinking and engaging with real-life issues in our society.

They often collaborate with people and organizations throughout the community, rolling up their sleeves and becoming involved in meaningful ways.

In a typical school year, Leadership 10, 11, and 12 students take on leadership projects in the community. This year, due to COVID-19 restrictions, students have had to think outside the box and get creative, finding ways to make an impact on campus or remotely.

Despite all obstacles, inspirational service initiatives continued to flourish in all corners of SMS, truly showcasing our school motto, Service with Love.

Grade 7 student Annika Akeroyd took over the annual Hot Chocolate Stand for Hope fundraiser, which started nine years ago with high school student Maia Bell-McLenan. This year’s event raised money to send girls in developing countries to school through Plan International.

Akeroyd assisted with the fundraiser for the past three years, and this year she took the reins from Bell-McLenan during the most challenging set of circumstances yet.

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with love

Despite the province-wide restrictions on events and gatherings, the drive-by event raised an astounding $4,509.25 for Plan International. What’s more, with Plan International’s 1:5 ratio of matching contributions, the amount rises to $22,545. That’s enough to send 165 girls to school in developing countries through the Fast-Track Schools for Girls. Over the nine years that the Hot Chocolate Stand has run, this is the most money ever raised.

Service captains Lola Snow and Evelyn Lay organized a fullschool service activity creating holiday cards to distribute to isolated seniors and frontline workers. The cards conveyed messages of love, hope, appreciation, and holiday wishes. The cards for seniors were then distributed through the United Way’s More than Meals program, and those for frontline workers went through the Victoria Hospital Foundation. The creativity and design that went into many of the cards were outstanding—we have many talented artists.

Outreach Mustard Seed Drive collected 1,520 personal care items to donate to the Victoria Mustard Seed during their annual holiday drive. This year, Outreach members looked at what items were of the highest need in the community. They decided that toiletries such as shampoo, conditioner, feminine hygiene products, toothbrushes, and soap are often overlooked and were most important. Outreach believes that all individuals deserve the right to health, cleanliness, confidence, and dignity, and that is what the drive was looking to provide for those most in need.

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service

Grade 11 student Marijke McDonald is passionate about homelessness and was motivated to make an impact. She set out to get involved in the community and help tackle an important cause. With a desire to truly make a difference and legitimize the work she was hoping to do, McDonald started the Home Is Where the Heart Is Foundation. The mission: to become a hub to raise awareness of Victoria’s homeless crisis and run initiatives to support those in need.

Despite all obstacles, inspirational service initiatives continued to flourish in all corners of SMS, truly showcasing our school motto, Service with Love.

There are many challenges to starting a foundation from the ground up, especially when you’re a teenager. The hard work didn’t deter McDonald, and she is a perfect example of perseverance and determination meeting care and compassion.

Grade 7 student Claire Finnis went the extra mile during this year’s Mustard Seed Toiletry Drive.

Finnis wrote a proposal for donations to Shoppers Drug Mart and Pharmasave, and she collected over 150 personal care products to contribute to the toiletry drive herself. For Finnis, this was stepping outside of her comfort zone and is just one of the amazing demonstrations of genuine service with love.

Grade 11 students Maya Gibson and Evelyn Lay collected over 250 books for the annual book drive. The books collected went to support a local non-profit organization called 1000x5 whose goal is to have every child in Victoria read 1,000 books by the time they are five years old. The organization is near and dear to the heart of many St. Margaret’s students as families have been donating books annually for several years. This year, SMS set a goal to collect 200 gently used children’s books, and once again, the community surpassed that number.

The Grade 11 French class wanted to reach out to francophone seniors, who may already feel isolated in a predominantly English-speaking community, especially during COVID-19. Students wrote letters to members of LAGRAF (le groupe des retraités, aînés francophones), who they found through La Société francophone de Victoria.

In their letters, students introduced themselves, wrote a little about themselves, and asked the seniors about their lives and experiences, inviting them to write back. What an innovative way to combine the French curriculum with service and community connections!

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with love Grade 7 student Lois Delaney Harnett-Shaw organized SMS students to personally handwrite Valentine’s Day cards for each resident living at Veterans Memorial Lodge.

Over many nights and weekends, Harnett-Shaw enhanced each card to ensure that residents received an equally decorated heart or kind sentiment. In total, she delivered 225 cards—many of them handmade—to bring a smile to seniors living in long-term care.

Service is truly built into the fabric of our community with students like Harnett-Shaw going above and beyond to make the world a better place in her free time.

Grade 12 student Lily MannallFretwell created a free sports clinic for SMS students in Grades 4 through 8.

The clinic's goal is to provide girls with exposure to a variety of new sports and get more girls interested and excited about playing sports. Beyond just getting students involved, the clinic also provides a comfortable space for them to gain confidence and try new things. Mannall-Fretwell teamed up with women from the community who compete at provincial and national levels in their respective sports to assist with the clinic—empowering women, empowering women.

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Meet our Enrolment team

Jim Cohn, Director of Enrolment, Fei Gao, Enrolment Assistant, Celina Mason, Associate Director of Enrolment

Whether she wants to be an astronaut, artist, or accountant, she needs to know—not just think, but really know—that at St. Margaret’s, SHE CAN. This is a message we send to girls every day.

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The enrolment team is dedicated to ensuring our families’ lifelong connection to the school. Enrolment management involves coordinating the critical areas of recruitment, admissions, retention, research, financial aid, and relationships.

In all of these areas, their job is to bring girls to SMS whose enthusiasm and potential fit our mission, vision, and values.

In 2020, St. Margaret’s welcomed a brand-new enrolment team.

Let’s meet them.

Jim Cohn, Director of Enrolment Jim Cohn comes to us with over 10 years of administrative experience at independent schools and 25 years as a humanities professor. Jim’s most recent position at Quest University in Squamish, BC, required him to wear many hats, including Chief Academic Officer and Executive Vice President, where he supervised Admissions and Financial Aid. Academic background—Bachelor of arts from Dartmouth College in French and German; recipient of a Fulbright scholarship in German studies from the Universität zu Köln; interdisciplinary Ph.D. from the University of Chicago.

Hometown—I grew up in Amherst, New York, a suburb of Buffalo, a half-hour drive from Niagara Falls and the Canadian border. I went to summer camp in Algonquin Park, north of Toronto, which people are often surprised to hear. I know it sounds crazy today, but I even rode my bike across the border when I was a teenager. I had no ID, no licence, no passport—all I had was a handwritten note from my mother that said, “Please let Jim ride to Crystal Beach.” The border guards waved me through.

Favourite things—I bike to work whenever I can. It clears my mind both on the way to the office and on the way home. At home, we spend a lot of our time making nice meals. We can’t wait until the pandemic recedes enough for us to be allowed to invite people over again.

What makes SMS special—Since I’ve been here, the girls themselves have convinced me that an all-girls education really works. The atmosphere truly is collaborative and friendly; everyone really does know your name. Having met many of the girls now, I have to say they are impressive—socially confident and intellectually ready. An SMS education does what it promises to do.

Celina Mason, Associate Director of Enrolment Celina Mason comes to us with over 23 years of experience working in education and a wealth of expertise in creating pathways for student success. Mason strongly believes that education brings knowledge and understanding; knowledge and understanding bring responsibility; and responsibility brings compassion and strength.

Academic background—Bachelor of intercultural studies from the University of Victoria.

Hometown—Victoria, BC. Favourite things—The ocean, hiking, walking the Galloping Goose Trail, the outdoors and travelling (when we’re allowed), and tea.

What makes SMS special—Service with Love is such a wonderful expression to highlight our students’ character here at SMS. Each day I am delighted to see or hear of a student who has taken the initiative to step into this expression of kindness, without the need to be recognized or thanked. Each day, students teach me and remind me that our wider community’s future will benefit from the leadership, passion, generosity, and kindness of our graduates.

Fei Gao, Enrolment Assistant Fei Gao brings a wealth of experience in the education environment. Gao formerly worked at the China University of Political Science and Law, a job that saw her travelling around the globe for partnership building, student recruitment, and professional training. She holds a master of philosophy in education from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. She has a passion for enriching the student experience with bilingual communication in English and Mandarin.

Academic background—Bachelor of arts in English language and culture from Sichuan University, China; master of philosophy in education from the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.

HometoWn—Chongqing, P.R. China Favourite things—Hiking, The How To Be British Collection, This Is Us, Jo Malone candles and diffusers and Earl Grey tea with milk (all-time favourite).

What makes SMS special—SMS offers a safe and supportive environment for girls to define their success. It is simply fascinating to come to the beautiful campus every day, connect with our community, and celebrate girls’ accomplishments. I feel privileged to work here; it’s a microcosm that enriches and contributes to girls’ lives in various ways.

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births

in touch

marriages

by Janine Cowie, Janine Cowie, Alumnae Relations and Annual Fund Manager.

Tedi Bezna, (Vermeulen) —SMS 2011 Congratulations Tedi Bezna (Vermeulen), Class of 2011 and former SMS staff member.

Her beautiful daughter Adina joined the Bezna family on July 17, 2020. The new parents and recently retired early learning educator and now grandma, Reesa, are delighted with their new addition and can,t wait to see her in her very own little red blazer some day!

Carmen Vazquez —SMS 2006 Introducing the latest addition to the Vazquez/Griffin family.

Carmen gave birth to baby boy Lawrence on September 10, 2020.

Kristen Frake—SMS Activity Coordinator Kristen Frake welcomed a new baby boy to her growing family. Rowan Martin JacksonFrake was born on January 9 at 11:48 a.m. at Victoria General Hospital, weighing 8 lbs 9oz.

The family is overjoyed, and Anneke is loving her baby brother so much!

Hong Huang—SMS Early Childhood Educator Congrats to Hong, as she and her husband welcomed beautiful baby Markus to their family.

Natsuko Kii—Middle and Senior Years Education Assistant, and husband Nobu joyfully announced the birth of their baby boy, Kaido Kii Gondo, on February 2, 2021.

Linsey Bachiu—SMS 2007 After 13 years together, Linsey and Jason were set to tie the knot in beautiful Mexico in April 2020. COVID had them postpone to November, but they nixed the destination wedding with no end in sight for the pandemic. Plan C was a helicopter elopement in September, but in the week leading up to the special day, the smoke from the California fires engulfed the region, and for safety’s sake, they switched to Plan D, a wedding at TighNa-Mara resort in Parksville.

Former SMS teacher Cecilia Penner officiated the wedding, much to the joy of the happy couple.

Gail Bateman—The retired staff member, was promoted to Oma on June 20, 2020, with the birth of Charlotte Grace to daughter and SMS alumna Ali and her husband Kris. “Lottie” will be sporting many fabulous knits over the winter thanks to Oma’s skills with the needles.

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“I wouldn’t change anything about our wedding; it was beautiful, extraordinary, and intimate with just our immediate family. COVID didn’t cancel our love and we conquered it all in 2020,” shares Linsey. “We conquered 2020 in so many ways. We got married, bought a new house, and found out we were expanding our family!”

Linsey and Jason’s bundle of joy is due in May 2021. We are thrilled for them.

FAREWELL

Sonja Kinakin Mother of Maxine (lifer grad 1991), an active member of the SMS Parents’ Auxiliary, Sonja passed away in September 2020. Sonja was always at the school helping with hot dog days and organizing teas and bake sales. She and her late husband loved the school and believed fiercely in the importance of all-girls education and the tremendous opportunities that the environment provides.

We are sorry to say farewell to these alumnae and former SMS community members.

Elizabeth Guenzler (Davidge)—SMS 1989 Congratulations to Elizabeth, who married Chris on July 5, 2020, 15 years to the day they first met. As railway enthusiasts, the couple married on a Metrolink train with friends in attendance. They live in Santa Ana, California.

Elizabeth has started a website on Trainweb, the world’s largest railway-related website.

Alumnae shout out Many thanks for the following alumnae who spoke with our SMS careers classes and inspired our students to be bold and fearless.

Joanna Gaskell SMS 2000 —Actor, editor, director, producer, writer.

Dr. Fiona Rawle (Grant) SMS 1996 —Associate professor, undergraduate biology at the University of Toronto.

Ali Baggott (Lee) SMS 2004 —Social media coordinator at the University of Victoria.

Meghan Grimwood —SMS 1998 Meghan passed away on August 6, 2020, after a valiant and courageous fight with cancer. After her time at SMS, Meghan went on to study at Mount Allison University, Langara School of Journalism, and BCIT in the graphic design program. She worked at Black Press, first as a graphic designer in Kelowna and then as an editor in Victoria. Her career gave her much joy, and she loved her co-workers and serving the community. Those who knew Meghan knew what a funny and spirited individual she was. She loved the arts, the outdoors, cats, corgis, and books, and she was a gourmet cook. She loved to travel and was fortunate enough to visit many places in this world.

Victoria was always home, and her family is deeply grateful she got to spend her last years here. Meghan is survived by her parents John and Mary, her sister Allison, and countless friends. She is remembered fondly by staff at SMS.

Margaret Lotto (Nixon) —SMS 1944–1947 On August 14, 2020, Margaret passed away peacefully at the Victoria General Hospital at the age of 87. Margaret is survived by her husband, Victor Lotto, sister Edith (Barman), her three sons, six grandchildren, and a great-grandson.

Born in Victoria in 1933, Margaret attended St. Margaret’s School, Strathcona Lodge, and Victoria College.

She married Victor in 1963 and became a Canadian diplomat’s wife in Beirut, Detroit, Milan, New Delhi, Sao Paulo, and Caracas. She was an avid bridge player throughout her life, gardened, and actively volunteered with various charities. In 1994 Margaret and Victor retired to Victoria, where she continued to volunteer her time to organizations and to beat her husband at tennis regularly.

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Robyn Addison (SMS board member 2002–2006) passed away on January 5, 2021, at age 74.

Robyn was a member of the Board of Governors for four years and a past parent of the school. Her daughter Donna Chamberlain, a lifer, graduated in 2002. Robyn left many beautiful memories for her husband, daughter, son, sisters, and brother to look back on.

She will be especially missed by her three grandchildren, who thought Granny was the most special person in the whole world.

in

Natassia Dombovary —SMS 2007 Natassia recently aced the CFE exam, the three-day common final exam required to earn a Chartered Professional Accountant designation—a great milestone to complete in her professional life. Natassia works as a staff accountant at Baker Tilly Canada.

touch congratulations

Pam Alexis—SMS 1976 —Former Mayor (Mission, BC) was elected as the MLA for Abbotsford Mission in November 2020. Pam is the first female in her riding ever to be elected as an MLA and the first NDP MLA in Abbotsford to be elected.

Lisamarie Blackwolf (Tamburri)—SMS 1983 Lisamarie retired from the Department of National Defence after 34 years, Lisamarie has started a new career with Lockheed Martin Canada.

Kerris De Champlain —SMS 2013 Kerris completed a bachelor Jackie Herod—SMS 2003 of arts in social sciences, From being an internationalwith a major in psychology level show jumper in and a minor in linguistics. In equestrian, Jackie seamlessly November 2020, she graduated transitioned into a career as a from the University of British spiritual speaker, influencer, Columbia with a master of and author. In the last two science in audiology and years, she has published two books, a journal, and an oracle speech sciences, and now card deck under the pen name holds a conditional licence as a registered speech-language Laara. pathologist.

The Little Book of Light Codes and Light Codes for the Soul are Sarah Ellmann—SMS 2017 Sarah has been accepted to both international bestsellers the Hult International Business and are recommended for those seeking mind-body-soul School for the Masters of International Marketing healing and deepening ones Program in Boston. spiritual journey.

Maricar Rabang —SMS 2017 Maricar started a new position as a digital strategist and content writer at KIMBO Design Inc. Alix Corwin—SMS 2019 Alix made the Dean’s List in her first year at Mount Allison University in New Brunswick where she is preparing for medical school.

Emily Piggford—SMS 2007 Congratulations to actress Emily Piggford, for her tremendous success as Esther Ishikawa in the mystery drama series The Sounds (filmed on location in New Zealand). You can watch it on CBC Gem and Acorn TV.

Monica (Aoran) Song —SMS 2019 Monica started a new position as editor-in-chief at McGill National Integrative Research Conference.

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Where are they now?

Permelia Parham —SMS 1967 Now living in Parksville BC. Permelia is married and has three children. She works as a certified body code and emotion code practitioner, helping her clients increase their health physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.

Marcia Wilson—SMS 2000 Project hydrogeologist in Ottawa, Ontario.

Nickell Aktarian —SMS 2006 Engineer in the oil and gas industry.

Gahee Park—SMS 2006 Postdoctoral research associate, Cancer Early Detection Programme at the University of Cambridge.

Daphne Tam—SMS 2006 Teacher in Aurora, Ontario.

Siri Williams—SMS 2006 Senior copywriter specializing in wine, food, and travel in Sydney, Australia.

Melissa Glover—SMS 2007 Naturopathic physician at Tall Tree Integrated Health Centre in Victoria, BC. Celia Chen (Wenjun) —SMS 2010—Research technician with the Structural Genomics Consortium (SGC) in Toronto, Ontario.

Kathleen Kirkpatrick, retired in 2011, former head of junior school—Active in Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW) and collaborated on last year’s award-winning International Women’s Day event with CFUW and St. Margaret’s School.

Corinne Qu (Hanzhi)— SMS 2014 Marketing and communication postgraduate student at University of Queensland, Australia.

retired Three very well-known faces at SMS retired in 2020. These amazing women have seen students arrive at Junior Kindergarten and watched them grow through to graduation. We miss seeing them on campus and wish them well in their retirements.

Jamaica PettigrewCrosby—SMS 2015 Paralegal student graduating October 2021.

the student ambassador program. Gail’s knowledge, warm nature, and work ethic helped the Admissions Department run seamlessly.

Gail began at St. Margaret’s as a receptionist and then worked as executive assistant to the directors before moving into admissions. Gail is a fierce supporter of all-girls education with the first-hand experience as a parent and staff member for 18 years. In her new role as grandma, she is pouring all that love into Charlotte and some very impressive knitting and gardening.

Alice Xiong (Feng) —SMS 2016 Student at the London School of Economics and Political Science, United Kingdom.

Anchen Yang—SMS 2016 Structural engineering graduate student at Stanford University, California.

Gail Bateman In her role as Admissions Assistant, Gail connected with every family and every student.

Gail could be found welcoming new families, onboarding new students, and running Susan Middlemiss Susan started the Junior Kindergarten program in 2004, growing it and her team during her time at SMS. Working with three- and fouryear-olds can be challenging at times, but we heard the joyful sounds of laughter and singing down the hallways.

In 2007 Susan received the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in early childhood education. One of Susan’s most significant achievements was the introduction of STEM in On the call was Rachel Graffi the early years. Her leadership (Rushforth), Jana Pinto (Nixon), in this area was recognized by Elizabeth Hochster, Jennifer the Canadian Association of Walters (Murray), Lisa Simpson Independent Schools as well as (Laturnus), Hartaj Sanghara, the University of Victoria. She Joan Hutchinson, Sally Tinis was invited to be a presenter at (Craven), Lynda Brown, and a STEM conference in Ottawa Lucy Lobmeier (Stephenson). for early childhood education researchers.

Friends for life

Class of 1985, Ten members of the Class of 1985 caught up recently with a virtual reunion! Lots of fun was had, and tentative plans were made to travel to Australia or New Zealand together in 2030 to celebrate their 45th grad anniversary!

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Reesa Vermeulen Ms. V., as the Junior Kindergarten class lovingly knows her, was both a parent and an educator in our early learning program during her 12 and a half years at SMS (15 including those as an SMS parent). She contributed to the JK program and the school in many ways, including as a rowing coach, chaperone on a Chile exchange trip, and advocate for the school at admissions events. She was integral to the development of the STEM program with Susan Middlemiss. Ms. V. is a knowledgeable, experienced, caring educator whose joyful, welcoming energy was appreciated by her colleagues and the students. Reesa is thoroughly enjoying her new grandma duties with granddaughter Adina.

campus life

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connect with fellow alumnae around the globe

find job and mentorship opportunities

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join us at www.stmargaretsconnect.ca

Contributors and Spirit Team Kelley O’Grady­—Editor-in-Chief Contributors—Janine Cowie, Annual Fund & Alumnae Relations Manager

Photography—Kelley O’Grady, Jeanine Stannard, Shaun Lawless, Derek Ford Art Director/Designer—Laurie Darrah, Refinemark Copy Editor—Ruth Wilson, West Coast Editorial Associates

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