Back in August ahead of my first year as Head of School, I wrote about the journey that brought my family and me across the country to join this remarkable community. Along the way, I reflected on the sense that a place is never fully revealed all at once; rather, it emerges gradually through its landscapes, its people, and what I described then as its many quiet stories.
As many of you know, throughout this year we have been undertaking a Review and Refresh of our strategic plan, Floreat 2030. Through surveys, workshops, and conversations with students, parents, faculty, staff, alumni, and governors, I heard many of the stories, and gathered more than a thousand ideas, perspectives, and aspirations for the future of SMUS.
For me, this has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my first year, providing an opportunity to listen, learn, and better understand both the strengths of our school and the opportunities that lie ahead.
What struck me most was not how different people's views were, but how often they returned to the same themes. They spoke about community — a strong sense of belonging, care, and connection. They spoke about people — dedicated faculty and staff, meaningful relationships, and a culture in which students are known, supported, and encouraged to thrive.
And they spoke about remarkable opportunities, those already available to our students, as well as how we might expand to further prepare our students for a rapidly changing world.
Unsurprisingly, it's clear our community values and expects academic excellence. What shone in my conversations was an equally strong desire that our students develop the skills and character, adaptability and perspectives needed to flourish in an increasingly complex future.
Even as I share these themes from my conversations, I recognize there remains much for me to learn about our community and its richness, and I look forward to continuing the conversations about our emerging strategic plan and how we live out our Mission and Values.
After a year of listening, what gives me confidence is the strong alignment around who we are and what we value as a school. While important opportunities lie ahead, there is a shared commitment to the principles that define this community. Nowhere is that more evident than in the students we have celebrated over recent weeks.
Finally, this is also an opportunity for me to recognize long-standing departing staff and faculty. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge Denise Lamarche as she concludes her time at SMUS after 15 years of dedication and commitment to our students, staff and faculty. A valued member of the Senior Leadership Team, Denise played an important role in advancing a number of academic and strategic priorities at SMUS. Her work included supporting curriculum development, faculty professional learning, university counselling, and initiatives such as our STEAM agenda and the development of the Portrait of a Learner. The School and its Board of Governors are grateful for Denise's years of service and the contributions she has made to SMUS and extend our best wishes for her future endeavours.
Earlier this term, I also shared the news of the retirement of three long-time SMUS faculty. With the conclusion of the school year officially here, I want to thank Gary Barber (Junior School Physical Education Teacher of 35 years), Susan Vachon (Middle School Humanities Teacher of 23 years) and Laura Keziere (Senior School Teacher and Head of Modern Languages of 41 years) for their decades of service and passion for teaching at SMUS and wish them all the best of luck in their next chapter.
Thank you again and wishing the very best to you and your family for the summer holiday.
Vivat!
Dr. Jeff Aitken
Head of School
