4 DeSIGn the next 25 years 2011-2012 boARD of goveRnoRs Daniel Gouws Chair John Becker Past Chair Scott Park Gareth Mason Vice-Chair Mike Orser Past Chair Kelly Fry Treasurer Ockie Lampen Susan Waugh Secretary Mike Schutz Roy Choi Jessie Hill Bob Gill A Vision <strong>for</strong> Our <strong>School</strong> People are drawn to our school from around the world. In the spirit of active collaboration with teachers, peers, and our community, we learn how to care <strong>for</strong> ourselves and <strong>for</strong> others. Knowing that change is the only certainty, we engage with challenging and complex questions effectively and creatively. Through outstanding teaching, programmes, and facilities, <strong>Meadowridge</strong> develops in us the confidence not only to meet the future, but also to create it.
Message from the CHAiRmAn of the boARD When I sat down to write this report, I started thinking about what was new, what was exciting and what had changed over the last year at our school. I started making lists of all the positive things that had happened, some of the challenges that we were facing, our achievements, and all the plans <strong>for</strong> the future. What made the 2011-2012 year stand out? As I was looking at the graduates at this year’s Convocation Ceremony, many of whom I have known since they were in Kindergarten, I had time to reflect and look back. It felt like only yesterday that we dropped off our five and six year olds to greet Mr. Jung <strong>for</strong> the first time. We comment to each other how time flies and hardly ever reflect on how much work it was, how much time we spent taking them to school, sporting events, practices, extramural activities, helping them with homework, loving them, gently pushing them and sometimes getting mad at them. During all of this we celebrated their achievements and supported them when life did not seem fair, but also busied ourselves with everyday routines. I came to the conclusion that it is not just the changes that are important, but rather the fact that the school continues to grow in leaps and bounds, just like our children. Although there are high points and achievements, it is the ongoing process of advancement that happens in the background that shapes us as a school. Like our children, <strong>Meadowridge</strong> started small in size. We started off as a "country school" in portables 25 years ago. The founders of our school had vision, hope, dreams and energy to establish our school in the same way that we have aspirations <strong>for</strong> our children. Our school has quietly come of age as a result of the unwavering support, dedication and ongoing work that has been done by the <strong>Meadowridge</strong> community. Our school, like our children, is now ready to enter the next phase. Although our children graduate, they will continue to need our support, leadership, advice, and feedback to help them thrive. Our current students have to be shown positive role models that emulate all the traits associated with a positive institution. We have embraced the International Baccalaureate Learner Profiles <strong>for</strong> our school and <strong>for</strong> our Board of Governors. We work to create an institution with strengths that foster better communities, responsibility, civility, work ethic, leadership, teamwork, purpose and tolerance. With the implementation of the IB Diploma Programme, we are now one of only four schools in British Columbia and one of eight in Canada that offer the continuum of all three IB programmes at a single school. The 2011-2012 Board of Governors started its work in November 2011, with the first meeting reviewing the Key Decisions that arose from the document “A Vision <strong>for</strong> <strong>Meadowridge</strong>: 2035”. This document had been the outcome of a year-long process, mandated by the previous Board of Governors. Committees were directed to review their mandates and parents were invited to numerous feedback and planning sessions, followed by a survey about all facets of our school. A Draft Vision Report was <strong>for</strong>warded to the previous Board of Governors <strong>for</strong> comment and suggestions, which were then considered in the final draft. This was presented to the 2011- 2012 Board of Governors by Hugh Burke and Susan Waugh. At this time Mr. Burke also outlined some key issues facing the school and their implications. The Board of Governors subsequently had to make some Key Decisions - most notably regarding the size of the school, land acquisition and starting a school foundation to develop endowments. The option to maintain the status quo was presented, as some parents expressed that they were happy with the current state of the school, and they did not see any need <strong>for</strong> significant change. The entire Board of Governors held a meeting in December of 2011. At this meeting, we were asked to reconsider some Key Decisions on the future of the school, and what type of Continued on Page 6 June 2012 Annual Report 5
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