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DEC 2019 VOL 19/ISS 1
FOR THOSE WHO EXPECT MORE THAN A TRADITIONAL EDUCATION
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IMPRINT: DEC 2019: VOLUME 19 / ISSUE 1
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
FROM OUR LEADERS
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A Year to Celebrate FROM OUR LEADERS
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Giving Back to Your Community FROM OUR LEADERS
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Looking Back to Look Forward FROM OUR LEADERS
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Creating Positive Community Connections ENRICH
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MANAGING EDITOR Kelsey Hayre Advancement and Communications Officer SENIOR COPY EDITOR Isabel Sankaran-Wee Director of Advancement PHOTOGRAPHS Clarence Chan Kelsey Hayre Aldrich Tan
Our Stratford Hall Community in the First 20 Years EXPLORE
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The Stratford Hall - Tamagawa International Program EDUCATE
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Stratford Hall Student Vote EDUCATE
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Managing Tasks and Time Management ENRICH
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A Full Circle EXPLORE
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Global Mindedness, Community and Stratford Hall PROFILE
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Alumni Spotlight EDUCATE
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Debate and Speech Association of BC ENRICH
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Athletics EXPLORE
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Snapshots at Stratford Hall
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2020-2021 Key Dates
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Save the Date
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2018-2019 Annual Report
Imprint is published twice a year, expressedly for parents, students and friends of Stratford Hall. Imprint is copyright © 2019 Stratford Hall IB World School, Vancouver, BC, Canada. Please contact our office to be added to the mailing list.
Stratford Hall School | 3000 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, BC Canada V5N 4E2 | www.stratfordhall.ca IMPRINT: DEC 2019: VOLUME 19 / ISSUE 1
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FROM OUR LEADERS
Connected by Choice: Better Together the early years of the school did so without knowing it was going to be a challenge.
Thank you for opening the December issue of the Imprint. Within the Imprint, I trust you will learn more about our school community - what connects us, and what makes us special. The essence of our school community is seen (and felt) through our stories, a few of which are recounted within the pages of the Imprint. I hope you enjoy them! As an independent school, we are connected by choice. Since the doors opened at Stratford Hall in the fall of 2000, parents enrolled their children in the school in their quest for a quality education, one they hoped would make a difference for a lifetime. Teachers and support staff joined the school to earn a living in their chosen profession but also in the hopes that they would make meaningful connections with their colleagues and school families. No one who joined in
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Last year, in my first year at the school, many members of the school community commented on the “special sauce” at Stratford Hall. I interpreted that to mean that there was something special at Stratford Hall IB World School that connected members of the community together in the early years of the school. Having served at a few young schools, I understood what they meant, even if I was not with the school during the trying early years as the founders were simply trying to keep the doors open and pay the rent “off the ground” in arguably the most difficult years
of any school. That special sauce might be the ingredient that kept families - and staff - coming back year after year when other, more mature, schools would have also have fit their needs. But the Stratford Hall community has matured. The school has now entered a period of relative stability compared to the early years. What will the special sauce be now that most of the founding families, staff and board members have moved on? The school is at a critical juncture and must decide what must be kept from the early years - what the school will identify with in the future? For example, just as 20
FROM OUR LEADERS
social and emotional needs of our students, we seek to ensure that each student is engaged in at least one activity.
years have flown by, what do we wish for the school to retain when it turns 40? So, why do our students, their families, employees, members of our governing bodies stay? Members of our school community stay because they choose to. Each member of the community joins the Stratford Hall for something they need - a quality education, a meaningful teaching assignment in a caring school community, the satisfaction of serving on a volunteer board - and each stay because they gain from their membership in our community. School life is a microcosm of life in the larger community. As a result, we seek to develop a school environment in which all students are respected and accepted, an environment in which they can safely learn more about themselves and the world around them. This learning starts
in the younger years where the focus is very close to home and involves learning about the school community. Independent schools flourish when members of the community connect with each other. This is most true of our students. We seek to ensure that all members of our student body are connected. Besides the obvious connections students have with one another through their daily in-class learning experiences, students grow closer to one another as they enter adolescence. During these years, when a young person’s identity is being formed, students spend more hours with their peers in art club, Ultimate practices and games, Model UN and a variety of activities that bond them with each other, their teachers, and the school. It is a result of our knowledge of the deep impact of out of class learning experiences, that we seek to develop a wide variety of activities for all of our students to be engaged in. And, to ensure we meet both the
Parent engagement is also important. While we are most concerned with student engagement, we also endeavour to connect our parents to the school and to each other. Over many years in schools, I have found that independent schools function best when their parents are connected with each other, and furthermore, are united in supporting the school. While we understand that time is a precious commodity for all parents, we week to provide opportunities for parents to play small or larger roles in school life through roles as volunteers at events or through more formal roles in the Parent Association like Class Parents or a role on the Stratford Hall Parent Association Executive. I encourage all parents to connect as often or as much as they are able. Research shows that the more parents are connected to their school life, the more success the child has. An irony for many parents is that while they were “just looking for a school”, they soon become the best of friends with the parents of their child’s classmates.
Dean Croy Head of School
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FROM OUR LEADERS
Giving Back to Your Community BY: Michelle Douglas Senior School Principal
Fall is in full swing as we have enjoyed one of the best Vancouver autumn seasons to memory! The sun was shining as our youngest Kindergarten students through to our oldest students in our Graduating Class of 2020 were out in force during our annual community clean-up on November 1st. This is the latest symbol of our targeted action in being a proactive and positive force in our community. The good weather was simply an added perk as we took to the community streets united in our commitment to giving back to our local and international communities. Time and time again we actively put ‘Community’ at the center of who we are. Stratford Hall is a community which aims to make the world a better place through education, innovation and action. We integrate these aims within our classrooms, in the hallways, down ‘The Drive’ and beyond! Senior School teachers are shining examples of our shared passion for community as we transform empathy into action. As educational leaders, we model how active citizenship enables a limitedness ripple effect to occur. And, through which, we extend Stratford Hall’s positive impact to the farthest corners of the world.
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FROM OUR LEADERS
Caitlin Shepard In memory of a close friend, incredible athlete and person, I volunteer at the Strachan Hartley Legacy Foundation. The run allows for athletic opportunities to at-risk youth. All proceeds raised at the run go towards Streetfront, an organization where at-risk youth couple marathon running with academics.
Rick Campanella This year’s recipient of the city of Vancouver’s Golden Dust Pan award. This was in recognition of several large scale neighbourhood cleanups he organized over the past decade. Last year alone there were 394 registered cleanup parties involving close to 18,000 volunteers.
Meg Chamberlin Help Change My City - I volunteer at various events including the annual charity gala for Help Change My City, an organization that supports programs for at-risk youth and vulnerable people in the Downtown Eastside.
Dean Croy I am a team captain for race volunteers for the Tour de Delta, an annual professional cycling race in Tsawwassen.
Hazel Chee I volunteer at historic Vancouver Hycroft Manor in setting up and organizing the longest running Holiday fair!
Mark Pulfer My wife and I have both been involved in fundraisers for the new Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at BC Women’s hospital.
Phil Brownhill I volunteer outside of school with ISS. I teach English to newcomers and I work one-on-one with a new Canadian studying for their citizenship test.
Gareth Jones I lead the summer Day Camp at our church. Throughout the year, we host weekly community groups, lead the Hospitality Servant Team, and participate in the worship band.
Dragana Radmanovic For years, I have been running the Serbian school in Vancouver. It is a small school, about 30-50 students which provides education and language support for these young children. IMPRINT: DEC 2019: VOLUME 19 / ISSUE 1
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FROM OUR LEADERS
Looking Back to Look Forward BY: Michael Palmer Junior School Principal
“It’s a warm and welcoming community” was the answer Mr. Croy gave when I asked about Stratford Hall. My family and I started preparing for our transition from Tbilisi, Georgia to Vancouver back in February of this year, and we had no idea what to expect when we arrived in Vancouver and at Stratford Hall. I was nervous about starting a new role. My wife, Masha, was nervous about the immigration process and the boys were worried about how they would fit in and make friends. We did not anticipate how warmly we would be welcomed.
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For many years our family has been part of the international school “community” which is a loosely coupled entity largely connected by the schools’ IB accreditations. Working in an IB school provided us with a sense that we belonged to something special. However, the community in the school was in a constant state of transition as families moved in and out every two years on average. We were looking for a more stable community so the decision to say “yes” to Stratford Hall was easy. For my family, our first months in Vancouver and at Stratford Hall have been very rewarding. As
we discover more about the city, we know we have made the right choice. And, as we learn how deep the sense of community runs through Stratford Hall we know we have arrived in a place where we all belong. Like my family, Stratford Hall is in a period of transition. I know the teachers are all enthusiastic about being part of the growth and development of the school and there is an audible buzz amongst teachers as they talk about learning while designing learning plans for students. I am happy to be part of the transition and very much look forward to the future at Stratford Hall.
FROM OUR LEADERS
Creating Positive Community Connections through the Action/Wellness Council BY: Meg Chamberlin Senior School Vice Principal
This year, the Senior School has launched five excited new councils to celebrate our diverse community and provide opportunities for students to get involved and take leadership in areas that interest them. One of these, the Action/ Wellness Council, is dedicated to creating various ways for our students to support personal wellness and take meaningful action both inside and outside Stratford Hall. We all have a responsibility to be active local and global citizens and to care for those around us; as IB learners, we strive to be openminded, principled, and caring in our interactions with each other and our broader community. Students in the Action/Wellness Council are doing that through organizing several initiatives this year and everybody is welcome and encouraged to get involved! The Halloween Food Drive (Oct) was a great success; we gathered healthy snacks and dinner ingredients for vulnerable students and families of Queen Alexandra Elementary School. The Care Packages (Nov/Dec) will collect gifts and essentials for homeless and struggling Vancouver residents. Exam Wellness initiatives will encourage healthy approaches to dealing with stress (Jan/May) while Kindness Week (Feb) aims to celebrate and practice gratitude and to provide a chance to connect with each other. Mental Health
Kindness Week cards created by students to express gratitude to our support staff.
Awareness Week (May) and other wellness initiatives will aim to raise awareness of mental health issues and provide support tools for all of us to maintain a healthy balance.
We are so excited to celebrate and deepen our community connections and support through these initiatives; all students are invited and encouraged to get engaged!
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Our Stratford Hall Community in the First 20 Years BY: Harry and Elaine Lee Founders, Board Members and Alumni Parents
special sauce” that we could use as a marketing tool. Community, however, is such an elusive quantity that is exceedingly difficult to describe - it needs to be experienced. Every independent school will say they have a special community. How could one ever prove one school’s community is better than another school’s?
The question we most often ask our parents and prospective parents has always been, “Why did you choose Stratford Hall?” Not surprisingly, the answers we get follow a common thread, “A warm and caring feeling, genuine interest in us; it’s different here, how I was greeted - you are not like the other schools; the staff, the students, the environment, the culture….” What has been remarkable is that these replies have remained constant for the past 20 years. Certainly, if there is one word which could describe why families choose Stratford Hall, it would be our “Community.” We have always felt that Stratford Hall’s meaning of community needed to come from the top. Speaking or writing about it is not enough. Community is something that must be demonstrated.
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At the onset, we set out to create traditions and special events that would plant the seed of discussions plus actions that are taken by our students, staff, and parents that would ultimately define our Stratford Hall Community. As a new school, we had a unique opportunity to grow something organically, something that would be embraced by our community and rooted by our mission and vision. The common belief and support in what we set out to do was infectious. We were a collective; all sharing the same goal of creating a “world class” educational experience for our children. Our challenge over the years has always been trying to put into words what is Stratford Hall’s community with the notion that we could define it, describe it, develop it, preserve it, and apply it. We even thought to create our own brand of “community
So in trying to understand what is our Stratford Hall community, we looked at our school’s impact. Community is defined by its people at a specific time and place. At any given time, external factors influence our perceptions of community. This can be our urban location and neighbourhood, comparisons to other schools, our economic and cultural diversity, etc. We also know that Community is not a constant. Stratford Hall today is different from Stratford Hall 20 years ago. Changing technology, shifting cultural and societal values all inform us how we do things and influences what we will be. However, of all the factors for change, our growing capabilities and our achievements impacts us more than anything else. Our expectations grow with our achievements and these growing expectations drive change. If there was one area where there was a very visible transformation, it was our athletics program. Without a gym in our first nine years, we had limited resources to excel in organized sports. Our early teams were like the “Bad News Bears” of the independent school associations. If we managed to simply get a group of students on the field, with proper gear, that was a victory!
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Our accolades read like the list of consolation awards; “most sportsman like, most team spirit, hardest working, most disciplined,” but never Champion. That was then. We now proudly have a growing trophy case. Being a champion certainly changed our athletics culture to a belief that we can do it and we did! In the area of academic achievements, we started with a very innovative IB programme, establishing ourselves as the first school west of Ontario offering the PYP and where every student is an IB student. However, with our small population, it was difficult to hit the high ranks. Our rising IB scores are now beating the world averages year after year. Our students are bringing home impressive numbers of scholarships with 2019 hitting an all-time high of over $500K. We even boast a Loran scholar ($100K) in 2017. Graduates receive offers to their first choice schools plus the list of schools read like an exclusive roster of the leading institutions all around the world. Even in the area of school operations, our growing capabilities drive changes that reflect maturing community engagement. Our early years were marked with an all-handson-deck culture. If hard work needed to be done, the “Stratford Hall Corps of Parent Volunteers” were mobilized for the effort. Team building through manual labour, was the word of the day.
Our external team of different trades, consultants, contractors, and our own support staff have improved the operational capabilities of our school. This has allowed our families to focus their participation through social activities, fundraising, special events, community outreach, educational seminars, and volunteer opportunities. All of which contribute to an even higher value at Stratford Hall.
us back to the original idea of creating a world-class school.
Each incremental achievement emboldens us to set our bar higher. The former idea that, “It is okay if you are not the best and it’s the effort that counts” is being replaced with that podium finish.
Throughout our 20 years of growth, our core values, mission, and vision have remained unchanged, even when the world around us is different.
With a higher bar comes increased commitment to school resources and enhanced learning which brings
If we ask ourselves, ‘what does it mean to be “world class,”’? we could answer that in terms of: facilities, programmes, learning resources, the best teachers, student achievements, student placements, alumni engagement, industry recognitions, etc. This all leads us to the Master Planning and Strategic Planning efforts currently underway.
The rising tide lifts all boats and the rising tide of a changing world will influence education in all sectors in both independent and public. We remain confident and optimistic that Stratford Hall will always keep the characteristics that make us distinct from every other school. It’s been 20 years and the answer to our question, “Why did you choose Stratford Hall?” remain the same. Perhaps these answers are still the best way to describe our community, illustrate our impact, and support the belief that our community in the next 20 years will continue to make Stratford Hall an exceptional school. IMPRINT: DEC 2019: VOLUME 19 / ISSUE 1
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The Stratford - Tamagawa International Program BY: Michael McGuire, Gillian Louie and Bobby Nishi 2019 Japan Trip Chaperones
Our long standing tradition of the Tamagawa - Stratford exchange continued over November Break as 19 students from grade 8-9 and three teachers travelled to Tokyo, Japan on November 7th. This trip to Japan was the third part of our exchange program, and of course for this travelling Stratford group, was to be the most fun. We were not disappointed. The welcome we received from our Japanese homestays and staff at Tamagawa International School was overwhelming and, like old friends, we connected and picked up where we left off from when the Japanese students were in Vancouver in September. The Tamagawa - Stratford international program is internationalism in action. 12
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This program is comprised of three experiences. The first is the Environment Summit at the Tamagawa center south of Nanaimo. This brings together students of grade 8 from several ISABC schools, Stratford, and Tamagawa, Japan for two days of sharing and learning of environment concerns between our countries. The second experience is when the Tamagawa students come to Stratford and are billited with our families. A special word of appreciation to our families for their generosity in taking in 52 Tamagawa students this year - an epic achievement to say the least. Then, the third experience is when Stratford journeyed to Japan during the November break to visit Tamagawa and tour Tokyo, Kyoto, and Hiroshima.
The richness of this program is hard to put into words. From the grandeur of Tokyo with a population of 37 million (all of Canada has the same population), to the temples, castles, gardens, and shopping opportunities to the cuisine, historical significance lessons, to the Japanese language attempts, bullet trains, and friendships made. All makes for incredible learning and impressions that will last forever. One of the endearing sentiments of our students is best echoed by Ryan Yeung towards the end of our trip in Japan, “can we just go back one more time to see our Tamagawa friends before we return to Vancouver�. This bodes well for a possible month long study program for grade 10 Stratford students at Tamagawa, Japan. Stay tuned.
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Stratford Hall Student Vote BY: Matthew Boulter Grade 12 Student
Living in a democratic nation is a privilege, and what I’ll always say about privilege is that doing nothing with it exists as an extension of an individual’s negligence. Voting may in fact be the most significant right of them all—perhaps not even just a right, but a moral responsibility and arguably the most patriotic thing you can do as a citizen of this country. My name is Matthew Boulter, I’m a Grade 12 student, and I participated in the 2019 Federal Student Vote. Let me parse my role a bit further: I not only voted, but I also helped in the organization and moderation of a candidates forum held in the MYP gymnasium prior to the election. The forum consisted of 4 candidates from the Vancouver-East riding—where Stratford Hall is situated—coming to speak for about 10 minutes, followed by a Q&A session wherein students from Grades 5-12 could ask questions. While we ran out of time and couldn’t get to all the questions, I believe the ones that were asked were some of the most vital. Some feedback I heard was that students who were not necessarily familiar with the various parties didn’t feel that the candidates clearly distinguished themselves from the others on stage. In the future, I would suggest that, instead of a generalized open statement, the candidates are told to directly address how they are different from everyone else on stage. In the case, as often is, that these politicians are difficult to get a clear and direct answer out of, we should have an info session in a CORE block prior to Student Vote
that involves teachers speaking to students non-partisanly about what each party stands for. Now let me talk about the vote itself. As described on their website, “Student Vote is an authentic learning program that provides students with the opportunity to experience the voting process firsthand and practice the habits of active and informed citizenship”. To some extent, I think they’re selling themselves a little short here. If you really want to understand why Student Vote matters, look no further than voter turnout. The average voter turnout in Canada has been 70.5% since 1867; this past election, we were under the mean at 66%. While there’s an argument to be made that it’s a reflection of the electability of the candidates themselves, and there’s some truth in that, there’s also
truth in the fact that a lot of people are either uninformed, misinformed, or just don’t think voting is important enough, or that their vote doesn’t matter. It is also worth noting the age discrepancy: in 2015, 57% of eligible voters age 18-24 voted, whereas 79% of the 65-74 age range voted; however, this 57% was a record high for the demographic—the average since the new millennium had been 39% prior to this. In other words, while the senior population consistently lines up for the voting booth like it’s their birthday meal at Denny’s, young people don’t generally seem to care as much. This is a problem. For a democracy to work, all must participate. When non-voters exist, our democracy is undermined. This is why engaging young people in politics as early as possible is so important. This is why Student Vote is so important. IMPRINT: DEC 2019: VOLUME 19 / ISSUE 1
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WE ARE TOMORROW’S LEADERS
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Managing Tasks and Time Management BY: Sukh Sandhu Senior School Learning Support Specialist I often keep an eye on what post secondary institutions are doing to support student learning. A lot of innovative ideas are being implemented to support student success. For example, most schools are now sharing an assignment calculator to help students plan long term projects such as research papers and lab reports. Managing tasks and time management are very important to meet important due dates. These calculators help estimate how much time should be spent on each step of the process and there are links to examples if students need help on the details of a skill (i.e. how to write a thesis). A student simply enters the assignment start and due dates, and a timeline with details is produced by the assignment calculator. For our students, this provides a good example of how to approach assignments and projects. I have provided some links in this article if you wish to view these assignment calculators.
Resources: UBC Assignment Calculator https://learningcommons.ubc.ca/tutoringstudying/assignment-calculators/ University of Toronto Assignment Calculator https://ctl.utsc.utoronto.ca/ assignmentcal/ SFU Assignment Calculator https://calculator.lib.sfu.ca/ Queen’s University Assignment Calculator https://sass.queensu.ca/assignmentcalculator/
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A Full Circle BY: AJ Merani ‘14 Resource Teacher and Stratford Hall Alumni
chosen to begin my teaching career here because it was this school, its faculty, students and the environment as a whole which helped to shape me into the individual I am today. Teaching at the school that I once attended is a way for me to continue to give back to my community and provide our leaders of tomorrow with a truly remarkable and valuable education.
With the topic of this Imprint being “Community”, I thought no better way than to share my journey with you about my time at Stratford Hall. I thought it would be simple to sum up my experiences but it has been quite difficult to find the right words in sharing with you how this wonderful school truly makes me feel. I have been thinking, wondering, searching and endlessly trying to come up with a way to make this article sound flawless and perfect; but then I remembered something. Stratford Hall has never been built on the idea of perfection but rather celebrating diversity, differences in beliefs and values, culture, acceptance, leadership, determination and last but not least, community. For these reasons, I have
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When I graduated on May 27th, 2014, I had multiple thoughts running through my mind. Of course my first thought was, “What was I going to do tomorrow now that I was done school?”. I was so extremely saddened that my time at Stratford Hall had come to an end; where did 13 years ago? Having attended this school from Kindergarten all the way through to Grade 12, I almost felt lost, and didn’t know how I would get used to a life without shaking Dr. McConnell’s hand every morning (this was something I did from the age of 5-18), or bugging Olivia Law at the front desk when I needed a minute to chat. I couldn’t imagine my class sizes exponentially increasing, or having to walk around 15-20 minutes to get to each class. It was a lot of change to get used to but with that being said, I remembered to be openminded on this new journey. The IB Learner profile, is composed of 10 traits which I practiced
and valued for 13 years, and still continue to use in my everyday life. I remembered to be openminded in a time that seemed full of change and difficulty because whatever adventure was ahead, I knew that the community of Stratford Hall would support me. I was confident that I would remain connected to my school despite being outside of Vancouver, and the rapport that I had formed with the teachers, my peers and other faculty is everlasting. This is Stratford Hall, a school built on lifelong learning and relationships. It’s amazing to see the growth which the school has made with regards to the student body, athletic programs, social & emotional wellness, resources and learning support. Returning back as a teacher, has brought me utmost joy and pride as I have been able to witness the progress and success that Stratford Hall has been able to achieve throughout the last 2 decades. We were just a small school located on Slocan St. that grew in size every year, and had students spread in different grades throughout the Italian Culture Centre (ICC). We would use Beaconsfield Park for our recesses, run throughout the courtyards and around the perimeter of the school for our Terry Fox run, enjoy weekly Wednesday bow-tie pasta (alfredo or bolognese) at the ICC,
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participate in assemblies that were always held in the dance studio, learn within different environments such as the famous portables (AKA the big, blue and white boxes) and visit with seniors at the Villa Cartial for apple pie and board games. One of my favorite memories to date is when the students would come together in the event of a big rainfall and help the flow of water down the hill for our very own “Stratford Lake”. Being able to reminisce upon my memories at Stratford Hall, truly sheds light to the outstanding school that it is and how greatly it has impacted my education, and personal growth as a whole. While Stratford Hall has grown physically, it remains grounded in roots with the same mission, vision and outlook in mind. It’s an urban school, located in the heart of Vancouver that is built on 21st century learning. There is a humbling atmosphere within the school and the concept of shared
space within both our buildings and the exterior community (Clark Park) is important. Students are able to attain an international education delivered by some of the most talented and amazing teachers the world has ever seen! The teachers I had were easily the most compassionate, caring, hardworking, supportive, understanding and intelligent beings out there who wholeheartedly strived to ensure that I received the best possible education I could. I will forever be grateful to them as they inspired me to enter into the field of education and return back to work at Stratford Hall so that I could deliver to my students in the same way. Ultimately, students are supported by their families who are truly invested in their child’s education and overall success. My parents were risk-takers and kept an openmind with their decision to place
us within an independent school such as Stratford Hall. My parents’ goal was to ensure that my sister, Inaara, and I would be exposed to a world full of opportunity, community, happiness and a sense of diversity. I will be forever grateful to my parents for their decision making and risk taking skills as they instilled the values of working hard, love for our school and community (in general) through our tenure at Stratford Hall. For it’s international educational values, sense of community and collaboration, visions for the future, development of rapport between students and their teachers as well as practicing and teaching to the core IB values, Stratford Hall has once again become a place for me to grow and learn, but this time through the lens of an educator.
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Global Mindedness, Community and Stratford Hall BY: Michael McGuire Learning Support
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“The true voyage of discovery is not in finding new lands, but in seeing the world with new eyes.” -Marcel Proust We are proud of our community and the international mindedness that our students have developed during their time at Stratford. There are numerous ways in which to phrase this; international-mindedness, global education, intercultural learning, and so on. Yet, just as each may have a different emphasis, they all have a common goal: To have our students grow up competent, aware, and able to make informed decisions that have a positive impact on themselves and the world. As an IB school, we reflect the IB standard in educational practice that aims to create “a close alignment between the educational beliefs and values of the school and to promoting internationalmindedness in the minds of adults and students in the school community. There is a range of learning opportunities for international mindedness across the continuum at Stratford. Many of these have emerged as traditions that students eagerly anticipate as they move from one grade to the next. One of the more intentional efforts for internationalmindedness is the range of trips that are offered to the Senior School students each year. The grade 6 and 7’s have the opportunity to travel to Eastern Canada to visit Quebec-Montreal- Ottawa in a program focused on languages and political knowledge. For the grade 8 and 9s, a popular trip to Tokyo, Japan at Tamagawa International IB School emphasizes that IB is indeed, International. The homestay opportunities shared in both Japan and Canada make this a very rich experience indeed. Then, our longest standing trip is to Costa Rica for our grade 10 students where Spanish language acquisition is emphasized along with service work and ecological studies in the rain forests or marine environments. Our senior trips are usually curriculum- based or
focused on service learning and have taken our students to New York, Japan, Berlin, France, and Mombasa, Kenya. Closer to home, international-mindedness is reflected in our work in fulfilling our vision statement that “our students will gain a deep understanding of the world around them, and they will act on their connection to the outside community.” This is evident in our annual collections for food, clothing, care packages, and other campaigns to name a few. The generosity of spirit that characterizes our school community is well known through our connections to numerous organizations throughout Vancouver, and we continue to develop more outreach projects through the Global Connection course and individual CAS work. For many of us, global-mindedness comes down to a ‘habit of mind’; a way of thinking and conducting oneself with the awareness that everything is connected. An awareness of the world as community has never been more important than it is today. How do you know a school is providing an international -minded education? As suggest in Learning in the 21st Century, the school should provide a balance between local and global knowledge, allow for different ways of knowing, judging, and understanding, appreciates knowing, doing, and being, and finally is devoted to action, reflection, evaluation. It is evident through our programs, our teachers, and our practices that we all work towards this goal of giving our students the “new eyes for which to see the world”.
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Stratford Hall Alumni Profile: Where are they now? I graduated in 2011, and was one of the first students enrolled ever! After graduating from Stratford, I moved to Toronto to complete my Bachelor of Journalism at Ryerson University. There I became involved with a variety of student leadership initiatives which culminated in developing and chairing Ryerson’s first Communication and Design conference. From learning more about the exciting world of the creative industries, I knew I needed to find a way to blend my love of creativity and business. So after moving home, I joined Aritzia’s Corporate Operations team and just last year, made the big move to join my family’s Japanese food business!
Megan Matsuda Grad 2011
In looking back at my years at Stratford, something that always brings up happy memories is remembering the connections I formed with my classmates, teachers and other students. Being in a smaller school, you have the benefit of interacting with and getting to know nearly everyone - making it feel like you’re part of a big family. I think being in the IB programme lends to that as well. The experience is so unique and challenging that it helps to form strong bonds with everyone you go through it with. Although time will pass and you’ll continue to progress in your careers and in life, it’s important to reflect on the moments that helped define who you are. Whether that be your experiences, people in your life or places you’ve been. Stratford was a big part of my life and I’m grateful for how it helped shape me into the person I am today. A huge congratulations for 20 academic years! Cheers to another 20 and more. After graduating two years ago, I spent a year at Queen’s University, and realized it just wasn’t for me. So, I applied as a transfer to The New School in New York City and have been there studying acting, play writing, directing, and creative technologies since August of this year. In the next four years at this school, I will complete a BFA in the Dramatic Arts, and am planning to also complete an MA in Arts Management and Entrepreneurship. Believe it or not, it is all of my IB credits that will allow me to get both degrees in four years. IB is worth it, guys!
Zoey Jones Grad 2017
During the process of figuring out what I actually wanted to do, Stratford Hall was a help in more ways than they knew. The ability to self-advocate and take responsibility for my own learning I was taught during my time there helped me feel confident enough to make the choice to leave Queen’s. During my application to The New School, my past teachers at Stratford were still gracious enough to write me more recommendation letters, and send transcripts for me. Even though I have physically left the Stratford Hall community, I still feel connected to it because of all of these things. It is a network of people who support each other. My advice to current students is to take advantage of all of the amazing resources at your disposal. Be confident in what you want to do and pursue it wholeheartedly. Ask questions and push the boundaries of what you think you can do. Most importantly, never forget that you are supported. And if you’re ever in New York, come say hi!
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Your Key to Success
Welcome to the Stratford Hall Alumni Community Stay Connected You are a Maker, a Shaper, an Original - a Stratford Hall graduate. As an alumni of Stratford Hall, you have a lifelong link to your classmates, your school and a network across the world. You will have access to events, opportunities to volunteer and give back to your school and to the entire community. We invite you to stay connected.
@StratfordHallSchool
@Stratford_Hall
@StratfordHall
@StratfordHallVideos
Imprint Magazine www.stratfordhall.ca/community/communications
Get in Touch alumni@stratfordhall.ca
Give Back We invite you to support Stratford Hall’s Annual Fund and fundraising initiatives. A small tax deductible gift to Stratford Hall can make a big difference in the lives of the next generation of students. Donate online at: www.stratfordhall.ca/donate IMPRINT: DEC 2019: VOLUME 19 / ISSUE 1
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EDUCATE
Debate and Speech Association of BC BY: Carmen Stephen-Patel Grade 7 Teacher
Stratford Hall is proud to be a part of the DSABC community, a non-profit, volunteer-led organization which works in association with the Canadian Student Debating Federation to engage BC students in public speaking and debating opportunities across BC, Canada, and abroad. The story of how we got to where we are today, once again hosting the BC Senior Speech Provincials, is an interesting one. Let me tell it to you.
Photo: Trenton and his Partner Ian Wu, after winning the 2019 European University Debate Competition in Athens, Greece.
It’s an early Saturday morning in November. The sun is shining; the sky is blue. I am sitting at the MYP reception waiting for them to arrive. They come smartly dressed in suits and business attire. They come ready to spend their entire weekend indoors delivering persuasive speeches, interpretive readings, and impromptu speeches with only three minute preparation time. They come to engage with other students from other schools in building arguments and refutation through debate. Who are they? Students who participate in speech and debate clubs across BC, who are also members of the Debate and Speech Association of BC (DSABC).
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In November of 2014 we sent our first ever competitor to this event hosted by Brentwood College. Well, that isn’t entirely true or accurate. Five years ago Trenton Sewell signed himself up for this event because he was passionate about speech and debate and created the opportunity for himself. This trend would continue as Trenton continued to represent Stratford Hall in debate and speech events before we even had a speech and debate club. He is now studying law at Cambridge University, and has won
“Great Leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate and doubt, to offer a solution everybody can understand”. - Colin Powell many debating championships nationally and internationally. In January he placed second at the World University Debating Competition in
EDUCATE
Capetown South Africa, and most recently won the European Universities Debating Championships. Trenton’s mother, Joyce Fordyce, is currently Vice President of the DSABC and I had the chance to catch up with her at the competition. We reminisced about Trenton’s class when I taught them in grade 7; they were a passionate, smart, determined group of students who challenged each other and me as a teacher. I feel so fortunate to be part of a community that remains connected with families so that we can see their educational journey continue after they graduate from Stratford Hall. Stratford Hall had one speaker competing in the Senior Provincials. Anisha Singh and her family have been committed to participating in speech and debate events ever since she was in the Junior School competing in public speaking competitions. A few years ago Trenton came back to visit Stratford Hall and passed on some debating tips to Anisha. It was special to watch an alumni pushing for future success at Stratford Hall. Recently Anisha and her new partner, Jonah Leibu, were very successful in the BC British
Parliamentary Championships and placed in the top 10. Junior debaters representing Stratford Hall in this event were Rohan Singh, Ezra Lee, Caleb Jang, and Aiden Wang. Our speech and debate club is growing at Stratford Hall. At the speaking competition, I had a crew of timekeepers and moderators who volunteered their time to learn about how competitions work and to represent our school. Even though they were volunteering to make sure the event went smoothly, the senior speakers made sure that they helped the volunteers as well if they were unsure. It is a competition, but it is a community. The speakers and the debaters get to know each other over the years as they go through the competitions, and the best part is always seeing them support each other and share in each other’s success, even though they are from different schools and competing against each other. I am thankful that the DSABC continues to provide opportunities for these students to grow as public speakers and debaters.
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ENRICH
Term 1 Junior School Athletics Grade 7 Volleyball
Grade 6 and 7 Soccer
The Grade 7 volleyball team had a great year finishing league play in 3rd in their pool. The team has worked hard to improve their overall team play, skills and ability to make three contacts on the ball. The team finished in 5th place overall. A big thanks to Mr. Sandhu and Ms. Uroni for their work with the team.
Grades 3-7 Cross Country
The Cross-Country team had another successful season. The coaches were particularly impressed with the dedication to practices demonstrated by each member of the team. At the ISEA Championships, our Boys team placed 3rd overall! Congratulations to all runners on their hard work and growth.
The Grade 6 & 7 soccer season started with some ups and downs but through perseverance, communication and a positive attitude, they overcame challenges. With the aid of coach Nizar Assanie, the team was able to finish the ISEA tournament with a strong performance and growth mindset. Kudos to them!
Grade 5 Soccer
The Grade 5 Soccer team came together on the soccer field this season, some of them for the first time playing organized soccer. The team learned sportsmanship, individual and team technical skills and had a lot of fun. Coach Chan and Peacock loved working with this energetic group of Grade 5s!
Grade 6 Volleyball
The Grade 6 Volleyball team had their Play-Day competition. Accompanied by Mr Nishi and Miss Torrisi, the girls played a total of 7 games, and their efforts over the season were shown through their fabulous game play and team spirit!
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Grade 5 Volleyball
The Grade 5 Volleyball team had an amazing season where they played 7 games against different ISABC schools. Athletes on this team portrayed utmost confidence, sportsmanship, collaboration, and the ability to be open-minded. It was wonderful to see their energy both on and off the court and their willingness to support each other through areas of difficulty or confusion! Ms. Bai and Ms. Merani had an unforgettable season coaching these hardworking and dedicated individuals!
ENRICH
Term 1 Senior School Athletics Senior Volleyball
The Senior Volleyball Team had a season full of growth, team development and success! Our incredible group of athletes ranged from Grades 8 to 11. This is quite an accomplishment as we are competing against teams comprised of mostly Grade 11s and 12s. The team placed 8th in the Western Canadian Independent Schools Volleyball Championship held at Rundle College in Calgary, Alberta and 5th at the GVISAA championships and 2nd at the zone qualifiers for Provincials! Go Sabres!
Grade 8 Volleyball
It has been a season full of learning and stepping up to the challenges of high school volleyball for the Grade 8 Girls Volleyball team. Throughout the season the girls have worked in a focused and diligent manner to improve their individual skills, and team cohesion. There has been plenty of laughter and smiling along the way to get us through the tough moments and bring joy during the great moments. The team finished GVISAA league play with four wins and 2 losses.
Senior Soccer
The Senior Soccer started slow, but finished strong. The team placed 2nd in the provincial zone qualifiers and in 1st place in the GVISAA finals! This is the second consecutive season that the Senior Soccer team has won the GVISAA championships. The team has come together to compete at the highest level. The team has received stand out performances from Arul Howard (12) and Sauvan Sangha (12) as well as Jack Wilkie (11), Tyler Gunasekera (11), and Basil “Bazooka� Rohlfs (11) this season.
Junior Soccer
What a fitting end to an amazing Junior Soccer season, winning the championship against a strong West Point Grey Academy team! There were certainly bumps along the way, particularly in our non-season games and exhibition matches against more experienced teams. However, the Sabres took their losses as lessons and continued to work hard at practices, even with limited numbers on certain weeks. Our regular season MVP went to Denby Carswell and our playoff MVP went to Shaan Walker. Congratulations on an amazing season Sabres! *Soccer Note: Stratford Hall soccer achieved a milestone this season as both our Junior and Senior teams won GVISAA championships. This is only the second time in the 20 year history of GVISAA soccer that a school has won both championships in the same year. Congratulations to all the athletes and coaches! IMPRINT: DEC 2019: VOLUME 19 / ISSUE 1
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EXPLORE
Snapshots at Stratford Hall
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EXPLORE
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EXPLORE
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Updated November 2019 - Subject to Change
2020-2021 Key Dates 2020
September
Tuesday 8 Wednesday 9
Senior School New Student Orientation, 10:30am School Opens - First day of school for all students
October
Friday 9 Monday 12 Wednesday 21 Thursday 22 Friday 23
Teacher Pro-D Day (school closed) Thanksgiving Day (school closed) Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences, 4:00-8:00pm Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences, all day (school closed) BC Pro-D Day (school closed)
November
2021
Friday 6 Monday 16
December
Friday 18
January
Monday 11
February
Thursday 11 Friday 12 Monday 15 Thursday 25 Friday 26
Last day of class before Winter Break, Early Dismissal, 12:00pm WINTER BREAK: MONDAY, DEC 21 - FRIDAY, JAN 8 Classes resume after Winter Break Teacher Pro-D Afternoon, Early Dismissal, 12:00pm ISABC Pro-D Day (school closed) Family Day (school closed) Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences, 4:00-8:00pm Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences, All Day (school closed)
Monday 29
Last day of class before Spring Break (full day) SPRING BREAK: MONDAY, MAR 15 - FRIDAY, MAR 26 Classes resume after Spring Break
April
Friday 2 Monday 5
Good Friday (school closed) Easter Monday (school closed)
May
Friday 21 Monday 24 Saturday 29 Sunday 30
June
Friday 25
March
Friday 12
Last day of class before Midterm Break (full day) MIDTERM BREAK: MONDAY, NOV 9 - FRIDAY, NOV 13 Classes resume after Midterm Break
Early Dismissal, Kindergarten - Grade 12, 12:00pm Victoria Day (school closed) Graduation Convocation (no classes for Kindergarten - Grade 5) Graduation Dinner and Dance Closing Assembly, 11:00am-12:00pm (noon dismissal) * Pro-D Day = Professional Development Day (no classes for students) IMPRINT: DEC 2019: VOLUME 19 / ISSUE 1
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Save the Date January 13
February 25
April 7
ALL DAY
6:00 - 8:30pm
February 27
Let’s Talk Business
Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences
April 7
8:30am & 6:30pm
4:00 - 8:00pm
7:00 - 8:30pm
January 22
February 28
April 9
7:00 - 9:00pm
SCHOOL CLOSED
January 24
March 12
Classes resume after Winter Break ALL DAY
January 16
DP Information Session for Parents
Teacher Pro-D SCHOOL CLOSED
February 12
SHPA Parent Lecture Series 8:30 - 10:00am
February 13
Early Dismissal K-12 12:00pm
February 14
ISABC Pro-D Day SCHOOL CLOSED
February 17 Family Day
SCHOOL CLOSED
February 19-21
Senior School Play
February 24-27 Kindness Week
SMASH Fair
Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences
Grade 1-3 PYP Musical 10:00am - 12:00pm
March 13
Grandparents & Grandfriends Day 9:00am - 12:00pm
March 14-21
Quebec, Montreal & Ottawa Trip
March 15-25 Costa Rica Trip
March 16-27 Spring Break
March 30
Classes resume after Spring Break ALL DAY
April 7
Term 2 Report Cards Published ALL DAY
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DP Arts Reception
Grade 10 Personal Project Showcase
Early Dismissal 12:00pm
April 10
Good Friday SCHOOL CLOSED
April 13
Easter Monday SCHOOL CLOSED
April 14
Arts Week April 14-17
April 16
Junior School Track Meet ALL DAY
May 6
SHPA Parent Lecture Series 8:30 - 10:00am
May 15
Early Dismissal K-12 12:00pm
May 18
Victoria Day SCHOOL CLOSED
May 20-22
Grades 4 & 5 Camps
May 29
Grade 12 Graduation Ceremony 1:00 - 2:30pm
May 30
Graduation Dinner & Dance 6:00pm
June 5
PYP Exhibition 9:00am - 12:00pm
June 11
Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast 9:00 - 10:30am
June 11
Alumni Reception 6:00pm
June 16-18
Grades 6-10 Camps
June 19
Last Day of Classes ALL DAY
June 26
Term 3 Report Cards Published ALL DAY
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Annual Report 2016-2017 Annual Report 2018-2019 IMPRINT: DEC 2019: VOLUME 19 / ISSUE 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS 34 35 36 37 38 42
Message from the Board Chair School Governance Profiling our New Governors 2018-2019 Financial and Fundraising Model Financial Summary Gifts from Our Community
We aim to create and continue a legacy of philanthropy and we strongly encourage all Stratford Hall families, friends and alumni to participate. Any gift, small or big, can bear a significant effect on the school and every Stratford Hall student. Let’s start creating our personal impact today.
YOU MADE A DIFFERENCE IN 2018-2019
$564,841.21 TOTAL AMOUNT RAISED
Thank You!
To the Stratford Hall community for your commitment and trust to the School. Your generous support enables every single student access to the best educational and co-curricular resources. It allows the School to enhance the opportunities offered in order for all Stratford Hall students to strive for excellence and reach their fullest potential. IMPRINT: DEC 2019: VOLUME 19 / ISSUE 1
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ANNUAL REPORT 2018-2019
Message from the Board Chair
Dear Parents, Students, and members of our community, The past year was a successful one for the students and the community at large. We saw record scores in the IB Diploma graduates and all time highs in scholarship awards as well - well done, grads! Admission applications are growing to match the reputation and excellence in student experience. Stratford Hall is making a name for itself, and the Lower Mainland is responding. The school is in very good financial standing. All obligations are being met without problem, and the annual fund drive to provide additional opportunities to the children for learning experiences has been getting better year by year. We are aiming for 100% participation from families this year - you get a tax receipt and it benefits your children! I must also say that I am proud of our staff’s participation rate in the Annual Fund. So many give back to the
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students, and only a few actually have their own children enrolled here!
in self-reflection in order to take stock and improve.
Our Head of School, Dean Croy, completed his first year with us, and is helping the school transition from it’s late adolescence to adulthood. The 2019-2020 school year is the 20th academic year, and we are proud of our accomplishments and growth in such a short period of time. We are thankful for Dean’s experienced and strong leadership into our next phase of growth.
The board is also undertaking the creation of a new Strategic Plan in 2020, which will encompass the opportunities that lie within our nowunified campus.
We do not rest on our laurels. The efforts and management that brought us this far are not what will take us to the next levels. We are engaged in a massive Campus Master Plan project with engagement from all parts of the community - students, staff, leadership, board, and parents. Thirty in all, this group is helping craft a vision of what the school could look like as we develop the contiguous campus over the coming decade and beyond. Our architect is guiding us through the structural possibilities and is taking input from all our constituencies. We are excited to roll out this vision in Spring 2020 for everyone to see! The school is also undergoing a review by CAIS (Canadian Accredited Independent Schools), an organization that helps almost 100 Canadian schools like ours grow their potential through 12 common accreditation standards. These reviews offer staff and leadership the opportunity to improve the services delivered to students and the school itself. Much like the IB program espouses, it is an exhaustive exercise
So there is much to celebrate, and much to do. We haven’t come this far just to come this far. Thanks for joining in the effort to grow the school from what it has become to what it can become.
Alain Quennec Board Chair
ANNUAL REPORT 2018-2019
School Governance Board of Governors
Foundation Board of Trustee
The Stratford Hall Board of Governors is voted on or appointed by the Stratford Hall (School) Society. The Board is responsible for overseeing the strategy of the school: setting priorities, approving annual budgets, and appointing the Head of School. The Head of School is responsible for ensuring that the school runs in a manner that supports Stratford Hall’s mission and vision. The Board meets approximately five times per year (more frequently if required) and includes a subste of three committees: Finance & Audit, Governance, and Head of School Relations.
A second organization, also under the Society’s Act of BC, is the Stratford Hall Foundation. The Foundation holds major capital assets and conducts capital fundraising.
Governors 2018-2019
Trustee 2018-2019
Alain Quennec, Chair
Ming Jang
Susan Christie, Past Chair
Fayaz Manji
Bev Ginder, Vice-Chair
Harry Lee
Shamsh Kassam, Treasurer
Harold Leishman
Harry Lee, Secretary
Alain Quennec
Salman Bhura Anthony Cheung Mimi Cheung Ron Cheung Larry Chin Elaine Lee Christian Martin Philipp Postrehovsky Lesley Shannon Matthew Taylor Dean Croy, Ex-officio
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ANNUAL REPORT 2018-2019
Profiling Our New Governors 2018-2019 Anthony Cheung
Anthony has nearly 20 years of experience as a financial professional after obtaining his Bachelor of Commerce degree at the University of British Columbia. He is currently Vice-President and Portfolio Manager at RBC Dominion Securities. His experience with non-profit organizations includes being a current Director and the Treasurer at SUCCESS Foundation, while also previously serving in those same roles at the ALS Society of BC for several years.
Mimi Cheung
Born and raised in Vancouver, Mimi is a proud UBC Commerce alumnus and received her Certified General Accountant designation. Over the last two decades, Mimi has honed her craft building her accounting public practice firm. With fluency in English, Cantonese, and conversational Mandarin, she can readily strike up a hearty discussion with you about all things accounting, tax planning, food, family, travels and experiences through special needs community. She is also currently serving as Treasurer to a non-profit society, Arbutus Kids’ World Society, which offers preschool and after-school care services to children up to Grade 7.
Larry Chin
Larry earned his Engineering degree from the University of British Columbia. His background and experience includes Director roles in the high technology sector. Larry has been an active volunteer at Stratford Hall coaching athletic clubs and a proponent of continuously building and strengthening community spirit.
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ANNUAL REPORT 2018-2019
Financial and Fundraising Model Not-for-Profit Stratford Hall, under the name Stratford Hall (School) Society, operates under the Societies Act and is a registered Canadian charity.
Tuition Tuition (%) and government grants (%) cover the day-to-day expenses and operation related to the delivery of a Stratford Hall education. Tuition does not cover maintenance and campus improvements, classroom equipment and supplies, funding for extra-curricular activities and state-of-the-art technology.
Stratford Hall Foundation The Stratford Hall Foundation is a separate registered Canadian charity that manages all capital assets and administers fundraising in support of new facilities.
The Annual Fund The Stratford Hall Annual Fund is an investment in the future of Stratford Hall. Tuition fees cover the day-to-day expenses and operations related to the delivery of a Stratford Hall education.
Education Investment Deposit (EID) Gifts All Stratford Hall families are required to place an Educational Investment Deposit (EID) with the school. Families are encouraged to donate all, or a portion of, their deposit to the school in advance of their last child’s departure. Families who donate their entire EID will be granted membership into the Stratford Hall Leaders’ Circle.
Endowment Endowments will ensure that students will continue to benefit from your support in perpetuity. The principal amount of your donation will be invested. Once the investment has grown significantly, generated income will then support Stratford Hall programs, student scholarships and bold programmatic initiatives. Endowed gifts may also lead to recognition opportunities that honour or memorialize a person of the donor’s choosing.
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ANNUAL REPORT 2018-2019
Stratford Hall (School) Society Financial Summary Revenue / Sources
12,000,000 TUITION - $11,010,456 GOVERNMENT GRANTS - $1,771,893 FUNDRAISING - $772,752 SCHOOL PROGRAMS - $157,803
10,000,000 8,000,000
(FEES, RENTALS, CAMPS)
INTEREST AND OTHER REVENUES - $151,584
6,000,000 4,000,000 2,000,000
Expenses / Uses
TUITION GOVERNMENT GRANTS FUNDRAISING SCHOOL PROGRAMS 0.4%
3.6% (FEES, RENTALS, CAMPS) 6.9% INTEREST AND OTHER REVENUES 22%
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67.1%
SALARIES AND BENEFITS RENT/FACILITIES, REPAIRS, MAINTENANCE
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SALARIES AND BENEFITS - $7,546,740 RENT/FACILITIES, REPAIRS, MAINTENANCE - $2,474,415 PROGRAM COSTS - $777,987 AMORTIZATION OF CAPITAL ASSETS - $410,296 TUITION ASSISTANCE - $33,388
ANNUAL REPORT 2018-2019
Stratford Hall (School) Society Stratford Hall Foundation Combined Balance Sheet for the Year Ended June 30, 2019 2019 $
2018 $
Assets – Current Cash
802,488
1,055,556
6,250,000
4,193,657
Receivables
134,021
63,592
GST rebates
174,178
134,131
Short-term investments
232,749
151,717
7,593,436
5,598,653
1
1
36,036,489
36,627,925
43,629,926
42,226,579
Payables and accurals
1,081,233
1,130,591
Deferred revenue
4,335,516
3,486,325
Prepaid expenses and financing Investment in 3060 Commercial Drive Nominee Ltd Tangible capital assets Liabilities – Current
Deferred contributions Educational investment deposits Current portion of long-term debt
104,723
-
7,700,500
7,502,100
670,296
17,753,597
18,471
29,754
13,910,739
29,902,367
19,328,704
2,885,284
86,288
-
1,023,934
374,328
25,943
20,335
34,375,608
33,182,314
Unrestricted
7,885,023
7,316,411
Restricted
1,369,295
1,727,854
9,254,318
9,044,265
43,629,926
42,226,579
Current portion of capital lease obligations Long-term debt Capital lease obligations Interest rate swaps Secuirty Deposits Fund Balances
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ANNUAL REPORT 2018-2019
Pictured here withDEC mom, Satwant, (Grade 9) and Kadin (Grade 12) 40 IMPRINT: 2019: VOLUMEand 19 /sons, ISSUEKabir 1
ANNUAL REPORT 2018-2019
dare to
IMPACT
“There is nothing more powerful than
The Power of Education.” BEVERLY GINDER
Vice Chair & Parent Annual Fund, Capital, Endowment & EID Donor
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ANNUAL REPORT 2018-2019
Gifts from Our Community We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all our donors whose generosity and continuous commitment to the Annual Fund 2018-2019 demonstrate their trust and support of Stratford Hall.
Kenny Ho & Sharon Zhang
Kevin & Claudia Ma
Hynes Family
The Naylor Family
Sophia & Keira Jamal
David Nicolay & Kate Keeler
Lau Family
David Niu
Lee Family
Sean Pearson
Benjamin Lian & Carrie Ju
Jagdeep & Jaskanwal Phandal
Ally Huang
Todd Raine & Sarah Jane Swartz
Feng Liu & Jia Fei
Ron Schmitz & Hazel Lew
Mimi & Nathan Mah
Rob & Bimmie Senghera
Fayaz & Salima Manji
Kul & Jas Shahi
Evolution Sport Therapy
TELUS Cares
Thomas & Gavriella Szigeti
Scott Trebilcock & Anna Lim
David Telio
Veniece Tseng
$5,000 - $9,999
Tiffany & Wei
Stathis & Vivian Tsogas
Ying Hua Yu
Elias, Esme & Isaiah Yang
Turner Family
Toby Chu & Kelly Chiu
Song Yang
James Wang & Karen Chan
Shengzhong Gu & Xiao Li Zhao
Cecile Yu & Cory Qian
Jing Jiang
Philip & Tina Heywood
Jessica Zheng
Jim Williams
Visionaries’ Circle $10,000 +
Cheung Family Alain & Linda Quennec Ginder-Sangha Family Anonymous (2)
Founders’ Circle
Jian Ma & Weihui He Han Qian & Sha Tao Kelly & Roop Saran Timothy, Brielle & Clara Tsai Timothy Walker & Baljinder Girn J Wong & O Yip Elena Chen & Jesse Zhao
$1,500 - $2,499 Doyle Bauman & Alyssa Schottland-Bauman Bobby & Mahnia Birdi Noam & Elan Breger Talulla & Colin Cameron
Head’s Circle
Sienna Chahal
$2,500 - $4,999
Fred & Patricia Chen
Craig & Eva Atkinson
Govind Dandekar & Shaneeda Jaffer
Rose & Salman Bhura Ron Cheung & Daisy Ng Susan Christie David & Katharina Coleman Callista & Marcus Do Ye Hua Jodi Evans & Sue Blackwood Francis Fu Satwant Ginder * Lingyun Gu & Yiyi Sheng 42
Sabres’ Circle
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Vadim & Svetlana Gorzhiy
Lucas Wu Nico Yau Agnieszka Yeldan Yuedi Huang Anonymous (1) Staff Dean Croy Isabel Sankaran-Wee
Friend’s Circle $500 - $1,499
Lily Huang
Tim Au
Jennifer & Samson Hui
Daniel & Diane Blue
Tamiz & Jamila Kanji
Mark Brady & Naina Sloan
Shamsh & Karima Kassam
Carol & David Chiang
Raheem & Farzana Kherani
Karim Dhanji
Kong Family
Myriam Dumont
Harold & Maegen Leishman
Randeep Kaur
Li Yang
Nancy Mitenko
Lisa & Lawrence Liu
Jennifer & David Gunasekera **
ANNUAL REPORT 2018-2019
“We support Stratford Hall to enhance the experience it offers its students today and looking forward to future opportunities for creativity, innovation and excellence.” JAMES & KELLY REYNOLDS Parents Annual Fund Donors
Pictured here with daughters, Nina (Grade 1), Livia (Grade 5) and Lucy (Grade 7)
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ANNUAL REPORT 2018-2019
“We give to Stratford Hall for my children and the future generations.” JESSE ZHAO & ELENA CHEN Parents Annual Fund Donors
44 IMPRINT: DEC 2019:VOLUME VOLUME / ISSUE1 1 Pictured here with daughter, Joanna1919 (Kindergarten), and son, Jayden (Grade 2) 44 IMPRINT: DEC 2019: / ISSUE
ANNUAL REPORT 2018-2019
Hilton-Webster Family Yoshiaki Hiraoka & Nenah Ida Conam Charitable Foundation / Cedric & Felice Ho Stephen L.M. Hutchison Sewa & Hardip Kang Elinor Bodman David Kuo & Yi Yao Hiu Ling Chui Edmund Low & Liezel Lorico
THANK YOU TO OUR ALUMNI
Kester Lo Reiko Mackenzie
Suman Kalani, ‘15
Alastair Moore & Dominica Babicki Sanajko / Peterson Family
THANK YOU TO OUR STUDENT
Ritchie & Jennifer Renaud
Daphne Meng (8)
Kelly & James Reynolds Nick Richards Nicanor & Rosario Silva Nathan Slee & Merel Veldhuis Tamara Little & Tom Syer Ivor Ting & Ivy Chow
THANK YOU TO OUR FACULTY AND STAFF This year, our Faculty and Staff have again shown their support to the Annual Fund. Thank you for making a contribution to Stratford Hall. Adele Armstrong **
Ellis Herbert
The Ottahal Family ***
Lisa Blachut
Stefania Iacchelli
Krista Pederson
Rick Campanella **
Tatjana Jansen
Mark Pulfer
Lindsay Causey
Gareth & Tiffany Jones
Sukhwinder Sandhu
Meg Chamberlin
Rouzanna Karapetian
Caitlin Shepard **
Hazel Chee
Olivia Law
Skipper
Angela Webster’s Family
Catherine Daniel
Amanda Lempriere
Sylvia Star
Se Mang Wong & Wendy Louie
Saloni Dholakia
Samantha Li
Carmen Stephen-Patel
Xi Family
Michelle Douglas
Dan Lin
Aldrich Tan
Mike Fraser
Gillian Louie
Skyler Todd
Feda Ghaleb
Dawn Marcoux
Cristina Uroni
Boyd Grealy
Sarah Martz
Carla Valenzuela
Sue & Mark Groesbeck
Chris McCrimmon
Brenda Van Huizen
Grzybowski Family
Kara Moncaster
Emma White
Rimi Hans
Henderson Family **
Anonymous (6)
Kelsey Hayre
Kirsten Morozov **
Amit Venugopal Mario Von Riedermann & Veronica Corvalan-Grossling Trevor & Emily Wai Boon Wang & Cindy Liu
Lorne & Gloria Yip Eddie Yu Jane Fan & Harvey Zhang Zhang Family Anonymous (4) Staff Lobat Fateh * Grandparents
** Staff who are parents 2018-2019
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ANNUAL REPORT 2018-2019
“I choose to give because I want my place of work and community to be the best that it can be.” “I believe in Stratford Hall and its capacity to transform the lives of the students in our care.”
SKIPPER
Grade 6 Teacher / Junior MYP Student Life
MARK PULFER
MYP Coordinator / Science Department Head
“We foster a caring environment where everyone feels valued and supported as an individual.” GWEN PERKINS Finance
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“ The impact of giving for me, means an
investment in helping our community to flourish, to innovate and to reach our fullest potential in helping our students be the best they can be.” HAZEL CHEE
Languages Department Head / Spanish Teacher
ANNUAL REPORT 2018-2019
“I give to the Annual Fund because it makes a difference and ensures we have the resources we need to make the best possible learning environment for students and staff alike.” TRICIA GRZYBOWSKI
Kindergarten Teacher / Parent
“I support Stratford Hall because it is a cool place to work.”
“I give because I believe in what the school has to offer.” DAWN MARCOUX
Executive Assistant to the Head of School
“I give because I like our students and I want them to have outstanding experiences in their time here.” GARETH JONES
Individuals & Societies Department Head / Photography Teacher
KYLE NYSTAD
Senior School Athletics Director
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ANNUAL REPORT 2018-2019
“Lauren and I both went to private schools growing up, and we know that the excellence we enjoy at Stratford Hall is possible because of the parents that came before us. It’s important for us to give to ensure that legacy at Stratford Hall can continue, and not just for us but also for those coming after us.” SEAN PEARSON
Parent Annual Fund & EID Donors
48 IMPRINT: DEC 2019: VOLUME / ISSUE Pictured here with wife, Lauren, and1919 son, William 48 IMPRINT: DEC 2019: VOLUME / ISSUE 1 1 (Grade 2)
ANNUAL REPORT 2018-2019
Gifts from Education Investment Deposits (EID) To date, more than 50 Stratford Hall families have donated their EIDs, helping to reduce the school’s $21 million debt load. Donating your EID not only supports the school’s financial position, but also generates a tax benefit. This benefit, if invested well over the 13 years your child attends the school, can earn enough funds to mitigate much of your gift. For details on EID donations, please feel free to contact Isabel Sankaran-Wee, Director of Advancement. Ron Cheung & Daisy Ng
Shuo Zhao & Xueyan Wu
Thomas Dai & Lily Gao
Judy Zhang & Shawn Zhou
Jianhua Shen & Tianqing Yao James & Carolyn Williams
* All families donated EID in full
Fuzong Ye & Wei Li
Gala’s Fund-A-Need Addante Family
Raj and Navi Kahlon
Jas and Kul Shahi
Adele Armstrong **
Kangaloo Investments Ltd
Lesley Shannon
Olivia Grace Atkinson
R & T Keung
Jianhua Shen and Tianqing Yao
Leelu and Darcy Barraclough
Raheem and Farzana Kherani
Supra Property Services
Mark Brady and Naina Sloan
Dennis Lai and Yvonne Chan
Scott Trebilcock and Anna Lim
Barb Womersley and Wes Carson
Harry and Elaine Lee
Tsogas Family
Dr. Gurinder Chahal
Jian Ma and Weihui He
Kavita Kent
Marchesa Chan
Nathan Mah and Mimi Cheung
Trevor Wai and Emily Gee
Daisy Ng and Ron Cheung
Fayaz and Salima Manji
Vivan Jiang
Hannah and Tyler Chin
The Wulff Family
Chong
Shirene and Jason Salamatian-Mercier on behalf of Gramma Gerri
The Coleman Family
Johnson-Mohammed
Song Yang and Lile Xi
Jacob-Cross Family
Gregory Oyhenart and Colleen Lowe
Chloe Qian
Callista & Marcus Do
Sean Pearson and Lauren LeBoldus
Jessica Zheng
Duric Development Ltd
Philipp Postrehovsky
Yujie Zhou and Yayi Zhang
Janine Erickson
Alaska Qian
Francis Fu
Alain and Linda Quennec
Staff
Dave Sangha and Bev Ginder
Simrit Dhillon
Janine Erickson
Crispin Horng and Yujie Chen
Kelly and James Reynolds
Elias, Esme and Isaiah Yang
** Staff who are parents 2018-2019
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$500 Your 2018 - 2019 Annual Fund gifts made a difference in the lives of our students, faculty and staff.
$30,000
provided us a TV wall for lessons and presentations.
allowed us to purchase additional art supplies.
Your generous gift of any amount will help fund the enhancements your children need to experience a rich and meaningful education.
$5,000
allowed for the School to bring in an artist in residence.
$8,000
got our music department new xylophone sets.
$37,000 $40,000
boosted our athletics program. 50
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$160
supplied 10 pairs of eadphones for our students.
allowed us to enhance audio and visual equipment in the PYP gym.
$30,000
provided new risers, making concerts much more enjoyable.
$15,000
enriched the new Kindergarten classrooms.
$50,000
made the MYP rooftop multifunctional.
$120,000
was allocated for technological enhancements.
$3,000 $80,000
covered the cost of new whiteboards in the IDEA Lab.
furnished the IDEA Lab with tables and chairs.
$2,500
gave our students a chance to explore the great outdoors.
$50,000
enabled us to build retractable IMPRINT: DEC 2019: VOLUME 19 / ISSUE 1 51 whiteboards between classrooms.
Our Mission Stratford Hall educates students to the highest global standards through the programmes of the International Baccalaureate. Excellence and confidence are developed through a challenging academic curriculum with further emphasis on creativity, action and service. We foster a strong pluralistic community built on integrity and respect. Our Vision Stratford Hall strives to be a global leader in the International Baccalaureate community. Our students will gain a deep understanding of the world around them, and they will act on their connections to the outside community. They will excel to the best of their abilities, and graduates will be equipped to achieve their chosen goals. This is accomplished by acquiring and retaining the best teachers, and by a commitment to a balanced and enriched curriculum. The success of Stratford Hall is deeply rooted in the establishment of a supportive, knowledgeable and committed community.
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