Dear Parents and Guardians,
There is always a feeling of building crescendo as we move through the last few weeks of the spring term and toward the end of the school year. That crescendo reaches its peak with closing ceremonies, graduations, and the Grad Gala, which serves as a pinnacle of celebration, nostalgia, and enjoyment.
I thoroughly enjoyed attending two leavers’ chapels for both boarders and graduating Grade 12 students, and an end-of-year closing dinner for boarders, during which presentations generated an electrifying atmosphere. The theme of 'journeys' was prevalent at our graduations, be it at the Junior School, Middle School, or Grade 12 Ceremony. Our three-school structure allows age and stage-specific education to be targeted in the best interests of our students. It also provides wonderful opportunities for congratulatory finishes and fresh starts. Beginnings and endings.
At the Grade 12 Graduation Ceremony where we said farewell to 151 members of the Class of 2023, I quoted T.S. Eliot from his poem Little Gidding: “what we call the beginning is often the end, and to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where to start from”. We trust that after, in some cases 13 years at SMUS for Lifers, our values have been absorbed. Sometimes it is said that education is what is left behind when everything you have been taught has been forgotten. We hope in the years ahead, it will be these values that enable leaving students to trim their sails as they navigate uncharted waters over fresh horizons with the confidence from their years at SMUS as the breeze behind them.
One ship sails East,
And another West,
By the self-same winds that blow,
'Tis the set of the sails
And not the gales,
That tells the way we go.
So…at the end of a term, how do we assess the progress that we have made? I am delighted to provide a 10-point report on our strategic journey for the academic year 2022-23 as set out in our strategic plan, Floreat 2030: 2023 Report.
When parents considering SMUS ask how they should form an opinion to assess the quality of a SMUS education, I always advise that they should judge on the outcome. All those fortunate to be in the audience at our graduation ceremony will have seen and heard of outstanding academic achievements, enabling many to move on to competitive courses at some of the leading universities across North America and around the world. In doing so, many will have earned recognition through scholarships - this year a particularly high number have had their sporting prowess recognized.
This outstanding year for sport has involved the winning of two Provincial Banners, competing in the finals of many other competitions, and securing national medals in rowing. Our tailormade athletics program across almost 20 sports and 12 grades is designed to encourage participation and to support the ambitions of those who wish to take their sport to a keenly competitive level.
Some of the abiding memories this year will be of our musicians, who have regularly performed to rapturous applause. I think of outstanding Piano Club recitals, key soloists performing their first concerto, jazz musicians playing with confidence and freedom, and the memories generated by a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to tour the jazz hotspot that is Cuba. Day in and day out, we are treated to wonderful performances in Chapel and assemblies.
Not to be outdone, our artists put on fabulous exhibitions displaying both breadth of genres and depth of talent. I recommend you review the SMART Magazine as a collection of remarkable work that has been generated.
In conclusion, it has most certainly been a busy year with more than our fair share of success generated by our talented and often extremely committed students. They deserve a rest, and you deserve a break from weekly communications. We will pick up the pace again as the new school year approaches, as we welcome a new generation of students who look set to bring fresh energy and outstanding potential for the future. To all those graduating, retiring, or moving on, we wish you well and bon voyage.
For now, very best wishes and thank you for your support over the course of the 2022-23 academic year.
Vivat!
