The Board of Directors felt it important to share some of the things that have been happening recently. I would welcome your comments or feedback.
Principal Retirement
Leadership in our school is very important and many of you know that our beloved principal, Jack Bauer, has formally given his intention of retirement to the Board of Directors. We are certainly grateful to Jack for his faithful service and will keep you informed of how we can celebrate that service at a future date. While his retirement is not for a while yet, the Board of Directors, with Jack's assistance, has begun the process of looking for his replacement. Jack has a rich history in education, having already retired once from the Lester B. Pearson school board before coming to teach at Emmanuel. After a few short years as teacher, Jack was asked to take on the principal's role.
The board realizes that finding the right person to lead the school is a critical step in our success and could take time, so we are beginning the search process immediately. To this end, should you know of any possible candidates or have suggestions for our search, please communicate with me directly. We have developed a set of attributes that we will use in our selection process as we search for the right Afit@ for a growing, bilingual school and value your input into the process.
The Strategic Plan
The Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Bill Altimas as Emmanuel's Strategic Planning Coordinator. Bill has a daughter in our elementary school and has been a volunteer in many capacities for several years. Bill started his new role as a participant at a Strategic Planning Review, conducted earlier this month (February 5th and 6th). A group consisting of the school's administration, several members of the board of directors, teacher representatives, parent representatives and student representatives looked prayerfully and carefully at the existing strategic plan. We focused on how we have done over the past few years, where we are now and where we need to be. The board of directors approved the updated strategic plan on February 15th and has committed to delivering on the plan.
The strategic planning session was preceded by a workshop with 20 selected students from our French and English high school sectors who worked with an external consultant to identify the areas that they felt the school did well and areas that required improvement. Students were interested in the quality of teaching, levels of respect and discipline, focus on scripture, preparation for living out God's Word in the community, extra-curricular activities, and more. Most of their observations supported feedback already received from teachers and parents. In response to all of this feedback, the Strategic Planning group has established a very aggressive plan to continue changes within the school.
We believe firmly that the Lord has great plans for all three sectors at Emmanuel Christian School and have embarked on a continuous improvement process throughout the school, driven by the Strategic Plan. You will be hearing more about our plan in the coming weeks as we communicate it to various groups.
Staff Evaluation and Development
A first step in continuous improvement involves determining how we are doing. To do this, in May 2009 the school initiated a system for evaluating teaching practices and assessing professional development needs of our teachers. This program looks at an overall performance management plan for all of our staff and key volunteers. It begins with setting measurable objectives and continues to assess, through various channels, how well we are meeting those objectives. The ongoing assessment will allow us to better detect where professional development and training are needed. Our staff has embraced the process with enthusiasm. To help accelerate the process the board has agreed to invest further in teacher assessment and professional development by engaging external consultants to help with program implementation.
Building Facilities
The launch of a French High School in September 2009 demonstrates our commitment to continuity in Emmanuel for all of our students and we believe it to be a clear sign that we are growing. Although initial ideas for a French high school may have stemmed from changes in Quebec laws, the board firmly believes that the French sector is responding to a much greater need in serving our community. To support this growth, we already have begun to investigate expansion possibilities for the entire school. In order to be in a position to make the best decisions for our parents, students and staff alike, we need to explore a wide variety of solutions. This will certainly include more consultation with parents and other interested parties.
Finally, we shall be designing opportunities for you and others to get involved by learning more about the strategic plan, by asking questions and by providing input into the overall management of the school. The school exists to further God's plans for His children and we are confident that with your help, input and support we can meet and exceed expectations. We know that we can count on your active involvement in your child's education.
I look forward to journeying together as we further elevate Emmanuel as a beacon of light in education in the Montreal area. Please feel free to communicate with me at any time to share your thoughts, opinions, or concerns. My coordinates appear below.
With every blessing,
Rod Stilwell, Chairman of the Board
of Emmanuel Christian School
Email:
rstilwell@groupesynapse.com
