Although we are only halfway through the school year, we are already busy planning for the next one. I am delighted to report that we have record re-enrolment this year, which makes our planning for the future that much easier.

Many of our grades are full for September 2012 but we do have a few remaining places. We are holding an Open House next Saturday, February 11th at 9 a.m. to fill those last few places. If you know of any families who might be interested in choosing Elmwood for their daughter, please invite them to our event. Information can be found on our website: www.elmwood.ca. We know that the number-one way people hear about Elmwood is through word of mouth, so we hope you can help us spread the word!

Enjoy the wonderful weather predicted this weekend. I look forward to seeing many of you at our Father Daughter Dinner Dance on Saturday.

Best wishes,

Cheryl

Winterim has deep pedagogical roots. We know that experiential education is incredibly valuable to students. As one parent quoted Benjamin Franklin on our live blog, “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” That is exactly what we saw over the past two days at Elmwood—genuine involvement and learning.

One Junior School student who was involved in Baking 101 said, as she looked at her oatmeal muffins, “I loved the process. I’m happy with my final product, but it was the process that mattered.” I thought this was especially profound because baking is often all about the final product! She then proceeded to share all her baking with her classmates that were involved in other Winterim activities.

I am certain that all of our students will transfer what they learned about the learning process itself back to their traditional subjects. This is as essential part of being an IB school and I believe that Winterim complemented our IB philosophy very well.

My thanks go to all the Elmwood faculty and staff involved in this event. It was an enormous undertaking and I am pleased that, as is always the case, our faculty and staff rose to the challenge. We are lucky to have such a wonderful team of professionals. I would like to particularly thank our Deputy Head, Ms. Kate Angell, for her superb planning of the whole event. We couldn’t have done it without her.

I look forward to our Winterim Assembly tomorrow where I will get a chance to see the final products of many of our groups. I can hardly wait!

Cheryl

I am particularly excited to be trying out a new venue—the Hampton Inn. I’ve been there for a number of other events in their Main Ballroom and they have all been spectacular, with excellent food and attentive service. There’s plenty of space for all our guests and a roomy dance floor too. The girls are sure to feel like they’re in the Kodak Theatre, rubbing elbows with the stars!

I’ve had some inside information from one of the committee members about the decor. From the paparazzi, to the fabulous fashions, to the red carpet, it sounds like the Oscars theme will be really impressive with plenty of opportunities for the “movie star” experience. It is sure to be a night to remember.

Before I close, I would like to say a special thank you to the committee of parents and students who have worked so hard to make this event happen. If it weren’t for the dedication of our Parents’ and Friends’ Association Committee (PFAC) we would not have the opportunity to attend such wonderful events. They really do go above and beyond!

So if you plan to join us on February 4th, you need to sign up as soon as possible. You can find details about the event by clicking here.

See you on the red carpet,

Cheryl

Our girls have excelled themselves in every way. From Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12, each girl tried her best and has moved a little closer to reaching her full potential. We are very proud of them all.

I’m on my way to our Recent Grad Reunion, but before I do I’d like to thank each of you for your contribution to the community. It’s the people of Elmwood that make it such a special place and I appreciate your various contributions.

I hope you and your family enjoy a wonderful break together and I wish you many blessings in coming the New Year.

Warm regards,
Cheryl

Thankfully, being Head of a school with uniforms, this is not a problem I face. But it did make me reflect on why wearing uniforms is so beneficial for girls.

I think the most important reason why students should wear uniforms is because it creates a sense of community. Girls thrive when they feel they belong and having a visible connection to others creates this sense for them. They feel pride in their school and carry on an important tradition.

The second reason why I believe wholeheartedly in uniforms is the most popular reason with parents and students alike; no dilemma about what to wear each morning. I spoke to some prospective parents of a girl in Grade 7 at a local public school who lamented being late for school every morning because their daughter put so much effort into getting ready in the morning. For our Elmwood girls, the absence of choice makes life a lot simpler. Less hassle in the morning means less stress for the whole family.

School uniforms also allow students to concentrate on what matters—school. It minimizes distraction and levels the playing field. It also prepares the girls for their future careers—those headed for professions surely won’t be wearing yoga pants in the courtroom, the laboratory or the corner office!

Some argue that young people need to express their individuality. I would say that individuality and self expression go way beyond what you wear. Uniforms encourage students to go beyond the surface—they develop their individuality and self expression through creativity, leadership skills, the way they interact with others and the mark they make on the world. It is simply a deeper, more meaningful way to show the people around them who they really are.

I would be remiss to not segue into a reminder that the upcoming holiday break is a perfect opportunity to have your daughter’s uniform cleaned and repaired if need be, so we can start 2012 looking our best.

Cheryl

Winterim will be a two-day event in January 2012 when Elmwood’s dedicated faculty and staff will offer an exciting array of programmes that involve students in learning through direct experience. This concept lies at the heart of experiential education, a philosophy and methodology in which educators purposefully engage with learners in direct experience and focused reflection in order to increase knowledge, develop skills and clarify values.

At Elmwood, we believe that experiential education is a vital element of inspiring each girl to reach her full potential. During Winterim, each student in Grades 3-12 will participate in an intensive, enriching, small-group activity that will take her beyond the boundaries of the regular curriculum and allow her to explore her creative, intellectual or leadership potential. One of the aims of an Elmwood education is developing inquiring lifelong learners—spending two days investigating a topic of interest with a teacher who is passionate about the subject is sure to light a spark with our students! Research on 21st century learning has shown that a student’s intellectual capacity is enhanced by engaging in experiential activities. Students who participate in experiential learning are more likely to evidence personal and academic growth that lasted through to graduation.

Your daughter will be bringing home a ‘Winterim’ Course Catalogue tomorrow. Please take the time to review the options with her and help her to make her selection. This is an event not to be missed.

Cheryl

For almost a century, Elmwood has been a leader in preparing young women to make a difference in the world. Generations of students have received an excellent education here, rooted in a fundamental commitment to the growth and development of each young woman and delivered within a framework of our enduring motto: Summa Summarum, ‘the Highest of the High.’

But how does our great school maintain this level of excellence generation after generation? The answer lies in the collective strength, loyalty and commitment of our community and in its willingness to support the enduring legacy that is Elmwood.

Each year we ask our Elmwood supporters to help us carry on the School’s mission. Our Annual Campaign provides important enhancements that benefit our students right away—from assisting with financial aid to more than 10% of our students, to the best technological equipment, classroom needs, leadership opportunities, sports equipment, and many more extras that make student life at Elmwood so rich and varied.

So with the end of the calendar year approaching, I ask you to consider supporting our Campaign. Early indicators are that the Campaign is enjoying a very successful year, but we can’t achieve our goal of 100% participation without your help.

A heartfelt thank you must go out to those who have already participated in the Annual Campaign. We appreciate your support and look forward to reporting back to all of you on the Campaign’s successes.

Cheryl

The same was true of Keller House’s Dog Day held a month ago. Claire Racette, Head of Keller House, did a fantastic job planning the day and leading her team, and the result was an excellent community event. It was well attended and incredibly fun and, of course, raised funds for another of our House charities—Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind.

Genuine leadership experiences for students are sometimes hard to come by. At Elmwood we seek to develop confident, caring leaders and one of the ways we accomplish this is by giving girls big challenges, but ones that we feel they can handle. All four of our House Heads have an event to plan and execute. Everything from deciding on the format of the event to organizing volunteers, from getting sponsors to marketing, all this is the responsibility of the student leader. Of course we support her, but it is her job to step outside of her comfort zone and take the lead. We believe that by giving students these genuine, real-life opportunities, they become risk-takers, role models and gain a sense of confidence that will serve them well as they move on to university and into their future careers.

So thank you for all you do to support our student leaders. We all play a role in helping them become strong, self-assured women ready to make an impact on the world.
 
Cheryl

P.S. We still have the Fry House Skating Party on February 15 and the Wilson House Carnival on April 4 to look forward to in the new year. Keep on the lookout for information about these two events.

Each day in our school, Elmwood students gain a wider perspective of other cultures and also their own. This is not a school that believes that there is only one lens with which to view the world. Our students take delight in promoting their own point of view, while also listening carefully to the viewpoints of others. Lively debate is the norm and all our students and teachers benefit from this dialogue.

Of course our International Baccalaureate curriculum helps in this process too. The IB is more than its educational programmes and certificates. At its heart the IB is motivated by a mission to create a better world through education. It does this though the promotion of intercultural understanding and respect, not as an alternative to a sense of cultural and national identity, but as an essential part of life in the 21st century.

This will become even more important as our graduates enter the workforce.The global nature of today’s economy requires employees who can manoeuvre through different cultures and languages—Elmwood alumnae will be well prepared for those challenges. Their future employers will benefit too. A study by the Committee for Economic Development found that American companies lose an estimated $2 billion a year due to inadequate cross-cultural knowledge among employees.

Many years ago Franklin D. Roosevelt said: “We have learned to be citizens of the world, members of the human community.”  It is our mission to ensure that our girls understand what it means to be a global citizen, and become true exemplars out in the world beyond our doors.

I look forward to seeing you at International Night tomorrow evening.

A child’s report card can bring feelings of joy, excitement and pride; it can sometimes cause feelings of worry, concern and uncertainty. In either case, the reporting period marks a new beginning to set goals and reflect on past work habits, achievements and hardships. Most important, it is a time for you to communicate with your daughter and determine a path for future academic enrichment and social-emotional growth.

I’ve developed a few tips over the years to help parents speak to their daughters about their report cards.

1. Emphasize the positive!
Regardless of the grades your daughter brings home, you should first focus on the positive aspects of her report card. This might mean focusing on the learning skills. It might mean focusing on a particular project or test. Even good attendance can be a positive observation. As Dr. Cohen-Sandler told us a few weeks ago, each girl needs to feel known, valued and loved for who she is, not just what she has accomplished. Positive parental support is vital for our girls.

2. Ask the right questions.
Be careful not to overreact to grades you view to be unsatisfactory. Instead, use this time to look at past performance and plan for the future. Talk to your daughter, asking questions to understand how a particular grade was earned. Perhaps she needs help with her time management. Perhaps she needs some extra help to understand a challenging concept. Be open minded about the reasons for a particular grade and remember, this report only encompasses the first two months of the year. Your daughter will have ample opportunity to improve on these grades.

3. Talk to us.
A strong parent-school partnership is essential to your daughter’s success and we encourage you to initiate a conversation if you have any concerns. I spoke to a number of new parents last night at our Middle School cocktail evening and I emphasized that our door is always open. If you have questions or observations about your daughters’ progress, please come to see us. Of course the perfect time to talk to us is at our upcoming Parent-Teacher interviews. We hope to see you and your daughter there.

I hope these tips help your family have a constructive conversation about the feedback on your daughter’s report. Let’s continue to work together to help your daughter reach her full potential.

Enjoy the long weekend, 

Cheryl