Meadowridge School

We are delighted to announce that Mr. Hugh Burke has been reappointed to the position of Headmaster for the next seven years. Mr. Burke joined Meadowridge at the start of what has proven to be a tremendous period of growth. He had previously been a teacher of elementary, high school, and university students, and a teacher and an administrator at both Simon Fraser University and at Vancouver Talmud Torah, where he was the first non-Jewish principal in its history. He has also consulted for school districts and private industry.

Collaborating with the Board and the parents of the school, Mr. Burke began the process of transforming Meadowridge into one of the best accredited and highly regarded institutions in Canada. The school now reports amongst the highest levels of student achievement in the Province, a student population of 515  (a 27% increase), new facilities of over 100,000 square feet on just under 17 acres, a new school field, and students who win provincial and national awards and scholarships in a variety of areas. There is now a highly stable Board of Governors, a negligible staff turnover rate, an ambitious new strategic plan, and a will to continue the growth of our school in providing exceptional opportunities for our children. We have become an I.B. World school, and a CESI candidate school, and look forward to a bright and exciting future.

Mr. Burke also currently sits as a Director of the Federation of Independent Schools’ Associations of British Columbia, and is President of the Independent Schools’ Associations of British Columbia. For our national organization, the recently merged Canadian Association of Independent Schools/Canadian Educational Standards Institute (CAIS/CESI), Mr. Burke has been appointed the Western Advisor to the transitional Board and serves as a member of the Standards Committee.

We are pleased and proud to have reappointed Mr. Burke for the next seven years as Headmaster of Meadowridge School.

- John Becker, Chair, Meadowridge School Society Board of Governors

We are honoured to welcome an accreditation team this week from the recently amalgamated CAIS/CESI. The Canadian Association of Independent Schools/Canadian Educational Standards Institute (CAIS/CESI) is the largest, non-profit, national accrediting organization in Canada with a mission to develop and promote educational excellence in independent schools.

One of just three schools in BC to be granted membership by CESI in the fall of 2007, the accreditation visit is the culmination of a two year process of internal evaluation and planning by the Meadowridge School Society Board and staff. The essence of this process is that the school examined all aspects of their programs and operations, seeking to discover their strengths, weaknesses, and future strategic plans, examining how well their program fulfils our mission, and measuring ourselves against the CAIS/CESI standards of accreditation.

Led by Principal Ian Robinson of Stirling Hall School in Ontario, a twelve member Visiting Committee will be working from the school’s Internal Evaluation over the next three days, meeting with the entire community. The team will then offer objective comment on the school’s findings, and make suggestions and recommendations to contribute to the on-going growth of the school.

Schools which have completed a CAIS/CESI Evaluation invariably find that the processes of school improvement and the setting of strategic goals and directions are greatly enhanced by the process. The accreditation process ensures an arm’s length evaluation of the school and enables each school to be more accountable to all of its constituents.

A CAIS/CESI accreditation is also a symbol of stability and best practices that families can rely upon when seeking out independent school options for their children.

This is the first accreditation visit to take place since the merger of CAIS and CESI and as such is of extreme interest in independent schools across the Canada and International Baccalaureate Schools around the world.

A testament to this level of interest is the presence of both Anne-Marie Kee, Executive Director of CAIS/CESI, and Marta Rodger, Director of Accreditation for the International Baccalaureate who will be observing the visiting committee in action.

For more information on CAIS/CESI, please visit www.cesi.edu

In response to the spread of Influenza H1N1, Meadowridge is following the precautionary recommendations outlined by the Fraser Health Authority:

• Continue all educational programs and school activities as per usual.

• Report any influenza-like illness school absenteeism of greater than 10 percent of the school population to your local health unit.

• Allow students and children who may have been exposed to the Influenza A H1N1 virus who are feeling well and not showing any symptoms to participate in regular activities.