An excellent school, providing a well-rounded education for its students through the application of the Montessori philosophy, principles,andmethodology
A modest school, accommodated in facilities conducivetotheMontessoriprinciples
A student body that benefits from and contributestotheirschool
A parent body that understands and supports the school’s Montessori philosophy, principles, andmethodology
A staff of qualified teachers and support personnelwhocontributetotheschoolthrough their knowledge, abilities, and love of their profession,whofeelvaluedforthejobtheyare doing and who work together as a team in the furtherdevelopmentoftheschool
Bannockburn develops responsible, nurturing, peaceful young people with self-esteem and respect for others Bannockburn graduates are self-motivated, intellectually-curious students who love learning and who achieve academic success
BANNOCKBURNINDEPENDENT SCHOOLUPDATE
As I reflect on this past year at Bannockburn Independent School, I am filled with gratitude for the unwavering commitment of our students, parents, faculty, and staff. Together, we have strengthened our foundation, fostering an environment that cultivates curiosity, nurtures potential, and empowers independence.
This year, we celebrated milestones that showcased the dedication and resilience of our community
As we bade farewell to our former Head of School, Meg Kahnert, our families placed their trust in Bannockburn’s faculty, staff, and Board to maintain the outstanding educational environment that has defined this institution for the past 30 years Now, as we begin a new chapter, I am honoured to lead this warm and caring school community I am deeply grateful for your steadfast support throughout my tenure as Interim Head and now, as Head of School
Bannockburn experienced many exciting developments in 2023–24. We licensed all of our Primary classrooms under the Ministry of Education’s Child Care program, enabling us to maintain multi-age classrooms that embody the true Montessori philosophy. We successfully completed a school-wide air conditioning project. The launch of our first-ever school magazine, The Nest, was a tremendous success, providing an excellent platform to celebrate our many achievements and to share the stories of our staff, students, and alumni
Our connections within the Toronto independent school community also deepened this year as we organized reciprocal visits with some of the larger independent schools where our graduates continue their education The busy hum of Bannockburn reflects the continuous innovation and dedication of our teachers and staff, who work tirelessly to create meaningful and enriching experiences for our students
Of course, none of this would be possible without the incredible support of Bannockburn families and donors Your generosity and belief in Bannockburn’s vision of education empower us to strive for excellence in all that we do Thank you for your trust and partnership in shaping the future of your children
As we celebrate the accomplishments of this past year, let us look ahead with optimism and determination, united by our shared vision for Bannockburn Together, we will continue to grow, innovate, and inspire
With gratitude and best wishes,
Jacqueline Richman Head of School
CHAIROFTHEBOARDOFDIRECTORS
The 2023-2024 academic year marked a period of transition for our school Following the departure of our previous Head of School, Meg Kahnert, the Bannockburn Board of Directors, in collaboration with the Griffith Group Executive Search firm, initiated a comprehensive search to identify the right leader for the future of our school
We greatly valued the input from both parents and staff throughout this process, as it was instrumental in shaping our decision. We were thrilled to announce in July 2024 that we appointed an exceptional new Head of School, Jacqueline Richman. Her transition into the role was seamless, and we are excited for the future of Bannockburn Independent School under her leadership.
Another change that took place, after careful consideration, was the decision to sell the Bayview Avenue properties, a sale that was finalized in October 2023 Evolving circumstances post-pandemic made it clear that it was no longer the most strategic path forward and in having sold the properties, the school is able to redirect resources that ensure a more sustainable future
As part of our ongoing commitment to providing the best environment for our students and staff, the leadership team undertook an important capital project to upgrade the building’s air conditioning system This included replacing several existing units and installing new ones in classrooms that had not previously been fully equipped Given the scope of the project, a carefully structured protocol was followed to ensure all steps were considered. The project was successfully completed over the summer, and all air conditioning units can now be operated reliably and efficiently.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude once again to the entire Bannockburn community, including, but not limited to the Bannockburn Parents’ Association (BPA), staff, students, parents, and extended family members. Thank you for your invaluable feedback, contributions, and support I encourage you to keep sharing your time and ideas with the school Your dedication to our shared vision is what makes Bannockburn Independent School such a special place for our children
Lisa Russell Chair of the
Bannockburn
Board of Directors
BOARDOFDIRECTORS
Dynamic, involved, and dedicated are three words that describe Bannockburn's Board of Governors. Our Board members, who are all volunteers, have varied backgrounds, which allows us to create a Board that is rich in knowledge and perspective. Thank you for giving your time and wise counsel to our school. The significant commitment of our Board members helps provide a rich educational experience for our current students, as well as future generations.
Christina Sorbara
Lisa Russell
Jerry Maheras
Sue Rosenblatt
Lisa Bayrami
Christine Bernardini
Phil Gibson
Vas Papadiamantopoulos
FINANCIALUPDATE
As a not-for-profit corporation, Bannockburn is audited annually and a summary of the 2023-2024 audited financial statements is provided here.
In terms of assets, student enrollment increased in this fiscal year, as word continues to spread, in the new catchment area, of Bannockburn’s reputation for excellence in Montessori education, low student-teacher ratios, and highly skilled and dedicated educators As a result, there was an increase in new student registration and tuition revenue. Long-term debt was eliminated and long-term assets remain solid. Bannockburn also benefited from the strong interest rates on investments, which increased revenue significantly.
In terms of expenses, retention of teachers and administrative staff remained a high priority of the Board and leadership team. The teachers received an annual increase on the teacher salary grid, and administrative staff also realized an increase in compensation from the previous year All staff also continue to be supported with a fulsome and fully-funded benefit package, normally only available to employees of large corporations RRSP’s were also paid to employees, with no requirement to match contributions to receive them As a result, Bannockburn continues to attract and retain highly qualified and dedicated staff
On behalf of the Board of Governors, I would like to sincerely thank the members of the Finance Committee Peter Ferrante, Derek Russell, and Christina Bernardini for their dedication and financial oversight throughout the year Their expertise and patient stewardship has been instrumental in ensuring the financial stability and growth of Bannockburn.
Sharon Robinson, Business Manager
BANNOCKBURN PARENT’S ASSOCIATIONUPDATE
The aim of the Bannockburn Parents’ Association (BPA) is to foster a strong school community while also raising funds to supplement our children’s education at the school We strive to ensure that all parents and children feel welcome We encourage parents to engage with and participate in our initiatives in order to achieve that goal
In the 2023/24 school year, it was a pleasure to welcome so many new families into our Bannockburn community Participation was active in our regular BPA meetings, our Backto-School Ice Cream Social and Movie Night, a Dance Party, and a post-March Break Magic Show
Our Annual Holiday Sale was a wonderful event where we set up crafts, hot chocolate, and cookies for the children to accompany the sale items It felt like a truly celebratory way to kick off the holiday season In the spring, parents were able to come together again to cook and deliver waffles to the classrooms for the much beloved Valentine’s Waffle Party. We also enjoyed hosting our successful Spring Sale.
The BPA helped to organize and run another great annual Fun Fair with inflatables, games, magician, DJ’ed dance party, face painting, music, raffles, and food trucks. We finished the evening with a movie and popcorn in the gymnasium where current Bannockburn students, alumni, and parents mingled.
Through these fundraising initiatives, the BPA was able to host the Family Skate at the Cricket Club, the maintenance of the aquarium in the foyer of the school, as well as fund some items for class wishlists for outdoor play. Our fundraising also contributed to a new covered area in the Toddler yard, which was built by Rocco Oppedisano, a parent in our Bannockburn community. We also brought back our popular parent-only social event. In the spring term, we gathered at K1 Speed for a friendly go-kart race. We thank Maggie Orenstein and Sonia-Lynn DeRocchis (BPA class reps), for planning this fun and wellattended night out.
The BPA sincerely appreciates the support of all parents who volunteered at fundraisers and events, attended BPA meetings, served as class representatives, and who gave input into BPA activities. We also owe tremendous thanks to Jacqueline Richman and all the teachers and staff who helped support our efforts.
We have enjoyed our second year as BPA co-chairs and look forward to new opportunities to continue to contribute to the Bannockburn community.
Christine Bernardini and Tracy Morgan BPA Co-Chairs
BPACLASSROOM REPRESENTATIVES
Claudia Bernardo, Sonia-Lynn De Rocchis
Crystal Zhang
Katie Follwell
Heather Trommels
Lisa Russell
Nadira Rambihar
Maggie Hong Zoherain Khalfan
Helen Overgaard
Lisa Bayrami
Sonia-Lynn De Rocchis
Leah Bloom
Anne Chan
Jenn Hwang
THEBANNOCKBURNFOUNDATION
The Bannockburn Foundation is a federally incorporated, charitable organization, created to support the furtherment of Montessori education at Bannockburn School. The Foundation provides funds for projects, programs, activities, and bursaries which are not funded by Bannockburn School’s normal operating budget. Tuition fees pay for the day-to-day operations of the School. Foundation funds are used to support facility upgrades, program enhancements, special activities, and bursaries
Over the years the Foundation has gifted wellover$500,000towardstheseprojects All classrooms within the School have benefitted from Foundation funds and all programs have been enhanced by Foundation Donations allow the School to invest in itself and its future for the advancement of the education of Bannockburnchildren.
Bannockburn Foundation Board Members
Stu Miller
Sharon Robinson
Aldo Forgione
Dan Singer
THANKYOUTOOURDONORS
A strong sense of community is evident in the generous gifts of financial support and hours of personal time parent volunteers devote to the Bannockburn community. Bannockburn School gratefully acknowledges these financial contributions of community members between July 2023 and June 2024. Thank you for your continuedsupportofourSchool.
