As the Head of a fairly new independent school, I am in a unique and exciting position from that of many of my colleagues. While there is a long and robust history of independent education in Canada, and I tap into that tradition both from knowledge and experience, my primary focus is the future of education. Our girls deserve the opportunity to be educated in a way that prepares them for their future so they can succeed in the learning and work environments they will encounter as adults.

I like to describe HNMCS as leaving toddlerhood and entering it’s tween years. We have found our feet, and are walking confidently along. The tween years can sometimes feel difficult, as there are so many changes going on that from one day to the next you are often unsure. However, transformation - our newest core value looks at the positive side of change. It is the process that encourages an open mind and heart, leading to continuous improvement of a person and ministry. With change as a certainty, “We can lose the future if we forget the past, but we can’t win the future with the past as our guide.” (Grant Lichtman). There is a good reminder from Isaiah 43: “Do not cling to the events of the past nor dwell on what happened long ago; watch for the new thing I am going to do. It is happening already, do you not see it?” (18-19)

As we are entering into the strategic planning year, we should take pause to really look at where we have come from and allow ourselves the opportunity to reflect and see growth opportunities all around us. As we will be setting the direction of the school for the next five years, we want to continue to provide a world class education for our girls, while examining pedagogy and best practises from around the globe. We are aiming to truly connect all of our families and create a culture of philanthropy to continue to grow the school and the facilities. There are so many opportunities in front of us: operational, educational, student life, advancement, financial, technological that we are really excited about building this new plan and growing forward with all of you.