Hold on to your hats!
Welcome to the 2018-2019 academic year! Anticipation abounds and there is a powerful air of purpose and enthusiasm around the School as we consider the year ahead.
Time is precious, and Sally and I tried hard to be present and make the most of the summer vacation with our girls. Play, according to psychologist Oliver James, is "a crucial human experience, for children especially, but for adults too... Without play, life is very empty and lacking in joy.” I hope your family enjoyed making memories by spending days in the sun and time on the water, staying up late, wasting time together, and sharing laughter. Escaping from routines, expectations and schoolwork is so important to children’s development.
I want to extend a particularly warm welcome to all students who are embarking on their first week at SJR. Although it can seem daunting, I assure our new families that your children will quickly settle in and feel at home. If you are unsure of anything, please ask me or my colleagues. We are all here to help.
As we welcome new families to the SJR community, so too are we joined by new faculty and staff. I am excited by our new starters. They have a great deal to offer the School; I can sense their enthusiasm to get on with their new roles, add to our culture of professional learning, and make a difference. Read more about our new appointments and other staff updates.
As always, there has been a tremendous amount of activity at the School over the summer. Thank you to our support and administrative staff for working hard to ensure we are ready and raring to go this week. The maintenance team has been working through a long list of repairs, upkeep, furniture replacement, grounds work, painting, and minor construction projects. Notable tasks have included the installation of the new transformer, which is still ongoing, and a significant number of roof and HVAC repairs.
Education is about balance. While our mission is to provide a respectful learning community for our students our priority is their safety and security. Here are a few reminders:
Time is precious, and Sally and I tried hard to be present and make the most of the summer vacation with our girls. Play, according to psychologist Oliver James, is "a crucial human experience, for children especially, but for adults too... Without play, life is very empty and lacking in joy.” I hope your family enjoyed making memories by spending days in the sun and time on the water, staying up late, wasting time together, and sharing laughter. Escaping from routines, expectations and schoolwork is so important to children’s development.
I want to extend a particularly warm welcome to all students who are embarking on their first week at SJR. Although it can seem daunting, I assure our new families that your children will quickly settle in and feel at home. If you are unsure of anything, please ask me or my colleagues. We are all here to help.
As we welcome new families to the SJR community, so too are we joined by new faculty and staff. I am excited by our new starters. They have a great deal to offer the School; I can sense their enthusiasm to get on with their new roles, add to our culture of professional learning, and make a difference. Read more about our new appointments and other staff updates.
As always, there has been a tremendous amount of activity at the School over the summer. Thank you to our support and administrative staff for working hard to ensure we are ready and raring to go this week. The maintenance team has been working through a long list of repairs, upkeep, furniture replacement, grounds work, painting, and minor construction projects. Notable tasks have included the installation of the new transformer, which is still ongoing, and a significant number of roof and HVAC repairs.
Education is about balance. While our mission is to provide a respectful learning community for our students our priority is their safety and security. Here are a few reminders:
- Please refer to the Parent-Student Handbook for general guidance. This important resource for parents can be found on the Resources board of mySJR. Kindly pay special attention to the ‘Health and Wellness’ section (page 61 onwards), which includes information regarding allergies, concussion treatment, administration of medicines, and emergency procedures.
- The working day starts at 8:00 a.m. for teachers and staff, and supervision is not necessarily always available beforehand. Students should be dropped off no earlier than 8:00 a.m. unless a specific activity or meeting has been scheduled.
- Drivers must follow the 15mph speed limit and obey the stop signs on campus. This applies 24/7; SJR is a boarding school and children live on campus. Vehicles in the front parking lot should not be moved between 3:15 p.m. when all 18 Beaver Buses arrive, and after 4:00 p.m. when they depart.
Emily Dickinson once said, “If you take care of the small things, the big things take care of themselves.” The SJR dress code is part of our tradition and heritage. School uniform should be worn with pride each day and students are required to dress appropriately. Our uniform affords students the opportunity to focus on their academics while at school and I ask for your support in ensuring your child follows the uniform rules.
It is my great privilege to lead this School. I remain entirely focused on ensuring we provide our students with an exceptional education and a range of transformational experiences while placing wellbeing firmly at the heart of everything we do. With your support and our collective sense of purpose, I look forward to another exciting year in the School’s extraordinary journey.
Here we go - hold on to your hats!
SJR is proud to be accredited and affiliated with several local, national and international educational organizations.
St. John’s-Ravenscourt School was founded in 1820 principally to serve the children of the Selkirk settlers. By 1834 there were forty students, evenly split between boys and girls. SJR has inevitably grown and changed over the years since, though its success throughout has been unimpeachable. Today the programs are as strong as our reputation. A strong academic program is paired with an equally strong attention to the values of stewardship, ethical leadership, and excellence in all areas of academic, social and athletic life.