Admissions departments are privileged with a front-row seat to the world, and it was quite a view this year for our school's Admissions team and the strong community of 1,035 students.
Our 102 new day students come to SMUS from well over two dozen public and independent schools, starting with preschools and ending with area high schools representing all municipalities in Greater Victoria. Additionally, we welcomed a number of students who relocated to Victoria from not only other Canadian provinces, but countries as well.
Our 121 new boarding students represent 28 different countries and 28 different winding roads, fraught with hoops successfully navigated as they journeyed to SMUS.
Together they joined 812 returning students for a record enrolment at SMUS.
As we look to 2022, in line with Floreat, the goal is to remain a medium-sized school of about 1,000 students. This means we are looking at a year where Junior and Middle School applications are encouraged early and a highly competitive entry into Senior School. We want to ensure our students continue to benefit from the highly personalized instruction that is a hallmark at SMUS.
In a year where we celebrate and mark our 50th Jubilee, an important historical milestone at SMUS, it is especially meaningful that within this year's student community, there are 127 students with a direct alumni connection of one parent having been a student at SMUS. Indeed some of these students not only have a parent connection, but are the grandchild and great-grandchild of a SMUS alum who walked the halls of School House, some as far back as the early 1920s.
In recent conversations as the school year began, I was struck at the comment made by several returning boarders who referred to SMUS as "coming home." In my view, there can be no greater accolade.
Another conversation with a parent centred around the desire to belong to a large, diverse and established community. We know from Head of School Mark Turner’s previous communications that this means an extended family of more than 9,000 students or alumni, current families, past families, current and retired faculty and staff, and more.
With new students settling into their routines and under the care of highly capable and caring staff and faculty, Admissions turns to next year. We are already looking towards our first virtual Open House events of the year, happening on Friday, October 22. As members vested in the wellbeing of your child and the greater community of St. Michaels University School, your referrals are especially valued – and our doors, both virtual and in person, are always open.
Vivat!
