Imprint: June 2017 Issue

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June 2017• Volume 16, Issue 3

Stratford Hall News & Celebrations

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IN THIS ISSUE 3

LETTER FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

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YOU CAN MAKE A BIGGER IMPACT THAN YOU THINK

6

FUN FAIR

8

GETTING TO KNOW OUR NEW STAFF

8

JAPAN 2016

11

NEW FACES IN COMMUNTY DEVELOPMENT

12

GRADUATION CEREMONY ADDRESS

15

2017 GRAD AD

16

GRAD DINNER AND DANCE

17

REFLECTING ON GALA 2017

20

CLARK PARK UPDATE

21

2016-2017 DONOR LIST

24

WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING AT STRATFORD HALL

27

MEMORY PALACE

28

OTTAWA/QUEBEC TRIP

30 KENYA 32

COSTA RICA

33

APPROACHES TO LEARNING

34

TENNIS: THE PERFECT SUMMER SPORT

35

KINDIE GRAD

36

THE MYP PERSONAL PROJECT

38 BUSKERAMA 39

CARVING CLUB

40

THINK TANK

41

DP ARTS EXHIBITION

42 CELEBRATIONS!

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Dates for the Calendar June 19 • PYP Pin Ceremony June 21-23 • Grade 8-10 Camps June 26 • Junior School Sports Day June 27 • Senior School Service Day June 28 • Last Day of Classes • Final Assembly June 30 • Term 3 Final Report Card Published

June 2017

HAVE FAITH BY: JASON MCBRIDE, HEAD OF SCHOOL While no educational theory, organizational chart or framework ever fully explains one particular place in time, there are a few frameworks that have shaped the way I view the world, and I come back to them repeatedly. One of these models – Hofstede’s cultural dimensions model – at first glance sounds incredibly complex, but at its core it is not only understandable, but incredibly applicable to understanding the differences between, and within, cultures.

In his work, he compared four main dimensions (adding two more later) to compare and contrast the values of one group against others; not so that one comes out as “better”, but so that differences can be understood relative to each other. As an example, if you compare the Individualism versus Collectivism score for the United States with China, it might make sense that the US’s score is 91 against China’s 20; China is a much more collectivist country on the whole, while the US largely celebrates the accomplishments of the individual through their focus on entrepreneurialism and the “individual pursuit of happiness”.

Of course this does not mean that the score applies to all Americans or Chinese in the same way, but it provides us with an average outlook in comparison between the nations. You can play with the comparison calculator HERE; simply pick a first country and then another to compare it to … I personally find it fascinating!

Why I bring this tool to the forefront as we end the 2016-17 school year; however, is because two elements of Hofstede’s

model – Uncertainty Avoidance and Long Term Orientation versus Short Term Normative Orientation – help to explain why there are many people in the community who are excited by change and others who prefer to preserve the past and present. It is not an easy task to manage the expectations of a group that concurrently wants constant progress while keeping things the same; or, a community that wishes us to add new programs without letting others go when they have run their course, but that is one of the main tensions for a Head to balance. Similarly when I arrived, there were roughly an equal amount of parents that were genuinely excited by a change in Head to see what positive changes could occur, while the other half was worried that a change in Heads would cause uncertainty and discord. I hope both camps have largely been happy over the past few years!

My intention here is to help lessen the worry – or tendency of some people to avoid uncertainty in Hofstede’s words – about the upcoming change in Heads by framing the change as one rife with positive potential.

stronger in the years, irrespective of the changes at the top, is because the school is bigger than any one person – including the Head of School. Without prejudice, I can honestly say that our senior leadership team, the teachers, and the Board, Foundation and Society members hold a collective resolve to honour what we are and what we wish to become. Stratford Hall exists because it is an idea worth preserving and there are numerous people invested in its preservation.

Returning to Hofstede, his long term versus short term orientation is explained in this way: “Societies who score low on this dimension, for example, prefer to maintain time-honoured traditions and norms while viewing societal change with suspicion. Those with a culture which scores high, on the other hand, take a more pragmatic approach: they encourage thrift and efforts in modern education as a way to prepare for the future.” I am in a privileged position to know all the ins and outs of the hiring process and I also possess a natural inclination towards ambiguity tolerance, so if you find yourself a little short on faith and perhaps more on the suspicious side of the definition above, please feel free Knowing the depth of process that to borrow some of my faith in the I went through while being hired, meantime; this community and the number of candidates that your children are in great hands. the Board went through in finding the next Head and having had It has been an absolute honour multiple handover conversations to serve this community and I with Dr. Groesbeck over the past look forward to working with few months, I have no doubt that Dr. Groesbeck and Mr. Croy in the Board has been thorough in the weeks and months ahead finding a great Interim Head to to ensure the smoothest of keep the program on track prior handovers for the benefit of our to Mr. Croy’s arrival. That being students, parents, faculty and staff. said, perhaps the main reason why I know that Stratford Hall Have a wonderful summer, will continue to get stronger and Jason McBride Proud Head of School PAGE 3

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YOU CAN MAKE A BIGGER IMPACT THAN YOU THINK BY: ALAIN QUENNEC, STRATFORD HALL DAD AND MEMBER OF THE FOUNDATION BOARD Our amazing school is unique in its value proposition to the community – to focus on creating incredible, intelligent, and questioning people. It doesn’t happen by itself – we started renting space at the Italian Cultural Centre, and now we own and are developing three magnificent buildings.

It’s important to note that the physical buildings did not come about because of tuition fees, which solely fund the operations of the school – salaries, activities, heat, light, etc. – but from donations of capital. It’s also important to note that these buildings still carry a debt load of $21 million.

Now I know that for working families, choosing to pay for private school tuition is a big sacrifice. We want to acknowledge that our facilities arise from commitments in excess of that, and we feel that to give a little extra, according to each family’s ability to do so, is necessary to perpetuate and grow the school’s ability to serve our children.

To illustrate, a donation of $5,000 will generate a tax savings of $2,185, no matter what your income level. That’s right – whether you earn $20,000 or $200,000 per year, you will be able to reduce your taxes by $2,185. (If your income is over $202,800, you’ll get a little bit of a bigger break - $2,385 because you are in that top tax bracket of 47.7%).

“Hold on,” you’re thinking. “If I give $5,000 to Stratford Hall to perpetuate the experience I and my children have been enjoying, the tax man will give me back $2,185? That means I’m only $2,815 out of pocket – I thought I was giving $5,000!” Correct.

In the outline below, I aim to share how easy it can be to give the school more than you thought possible, how you can target your gift, and also how little it can actually cost you.

Tax Basics Let’s just start with the fact that a gift to the school generates a charitable donation receipt for inclusion on your tax return. No matter what your income level, you will save taxes of almost half of what you donate!

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How To Save Taxes Twice What if instead of writing a cheque, you were to give the school a stock or mutual fund you own that had grown in value over the years? You know that if you sell it, you’ll have to pay tax on the gains, but did you know that

if you transfer it (or even part of it) outright to the school directly, without selling it, the tax man says you don’t pay any tax on it! True!

AND you will still get a donation receipt to apply to your tax return for the full amount of the value of the gift!

Let’s look at an example: Lisa bought 1,000 shares of Teck Resources in January 2016 for $5.00 per share – a total value of $5,000. Today that stock is valued at $24,000. She knows in her tax bracket (earning $105,000) that if she sells the stock, she’ll pay about $3,600 in tax.

Lisa decides to share her good fortune with Stratford Hall – she’s going to transfer half of her shares (500) to the school – these shares are now worth $12,000. Due to her donation, Lisa will avoid paying $1,800 of income tax on those 500 shares (half of the $3,600 in tax she would have to pay on the total 1,000 shares), and with the donation receipt of $12,000, she’ll save another $5,200 on her next tax return.

To recap, Lisa avoids $1,800 in tax on the gain and saves $5,200 of more of income tax resulting in $7,000 of savings. Lisa’s gift of $12,000 to pay for children’s program only reduced her wealth by $5,000 – a pretty good deal, don’t you think?

Long Term Gifts Raj and Sue don’t have a lot of disposable income to make the kind of gift they would like, but Raj does have an insurance policy that’ll pay $100,000 when he

June 2017 dies. He and Sue figure that if he dies, she’ll move in with their daughter to somewhere smaller and easier to maintain, and given the real estate values, they’ll have enough to maintain their lifestyle.

The policy has been costing $140 monthly, and Raj was thinking of cancelling it.

After reading this, Raj decides to change the owner and beneficiary of his policy to Stratford Hall. The monthly $140 now becomes a charitable donation, so with the tax savings he’s only out of pocket $78 – and when he dies (hopefully a long time away), Raj will provide a legacy to the school of $100,000 paid for by the insurance company.

There are lots of ways to give beyond just writing a cheque. If you want to know more, Stratford Hall has resources to help you determine which is best for you and your family to keep this wonderful school growing and thriving, so our kids can make the difference they wish to see in the world. Call us and we’ll take the time to speak with you in confidence. The coffee and cookies are in the office, awaiting our conversation. *Please note that the recommendations in the article from Alain are based on his experience as a Financial Planner and that Stratford Hall, as a school, does not offer tax advice. All donors are encouraged to seek the advice of qualified legal counsel before making a major gift.

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FUN FAIR 2017 BY: ANGELIQUE SCHNERCH , SHPA PRESIDENT

This year's Fun Fair put on by the Stratford Hall Parent Association brought together over 200 students, family, friends and SH staff! Some highlights from the fair included:

Thank you to the Fun Fair 2017 Team for your invaluable time, creativity, enthusiasm and energy: Kelly Tsai, Eva Atkinson, Jenny TongChan, Ron Cheung, Riki Puri, Emily Lew, Lisa Liu, and Melinda Der!

• The Amazing Scruffles and his over-the-top balloon creations; • Several of our amazing teachers “getting drenched” at the Pitch Blast with Mr. Jason McBride gathering a large crowd as he braved the cold water; • The Goldfish Toss for the chance to win a beautiful live Betta Fish!

A special thank you to the many parents that volunteered during the day of the Fair, which without your help would not have been possiblefor us to host such an event! To the following parents, we thank you: Kristen Callaghan, Rebecca Keung, Roshni Verappan, Barb Womersley, Ivy Yu, Nenah Ida, Daisy Cheung, Lawrence Chan, Liz Jia Fei, Lindsay Killam, Athena Tsui, Igor Morozov, Gavriella Szigeti, Karen Winstanley, Anna Lim, Maegen Leishman, Anna Kaye, Alex Lau, Mark Brady, Shawna Soo, Rubina Tejar, and Bilquis Hirani.

The major goal of each Fun Fair is simply to build community spirit amongst the entire school population. Over the years, we have seen our younger students come with their families and our older sutdents volunteering as leaders. For all staff, students, family, and friends that attended – thank you for coming and helping continue to build this special community. Importantly, the Fun Fair is only made possible through the efforts of our parents, student leaders and staff.

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McBride, Sarah Phillips, Dion Norman, Amanda Lempierre, and Dan Lin! The SHPA would like to recognize our Community Development team for their year-long support of SHPA events: Jennifer Yeung, Paulina Lam, Kelsey Hayre, and Samantha Gayfer.

Lastly, the SHPA would like to thank our student leaders that participated at the Fun Fair. You exemplified open mindedness, resourcefulness and cheerfully volunteered – we hope you all had a great time!

Emilie M., Jada A., Bailey M., Kylie B., Lauren J., Kira S., Rose L., Abby W., Thea H., Jimmy M., Zayaan S., Filip K., David C., Steven G., Annika C., Owen C., Paiton P., Kirsten W., Mik C., Karena T. Faith Y., Ethan Thank you to our amazing SH staff volunteers for your time and being L., Kaden L., Milton L., Emma Y., Alex N., Laurie Y., Ma’an A., Zakir such good sports (particularly our R., Brad Z., Alaana S., Alisa C., Kylie “reverse dunk tank” volunteers).

The students certainly appreciated A., Kristen C. Bryelle W., Smera G., Satakshi S., Hanna A., Emelie K., seeing their favorite teachers having a great time alongside them! and Ilyas K. Many thanks to:Janine Erickson, We look forward to next year!

Tricia Grzybowski, Judy Bai, Jason

June 2017

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GETTING TO KNOW OUR NEW STAFF Interim Head of School We are pleased to announce that the Board of Governors has appointed Dr. Susan R. Groesbeck (Sue) as the Interim Head of School for the 20172018 school year.

Dr. Groesbeck brings a wealth of experience to Stratford Hall, having spent more than 40 years as an educator and administrator across North America. The role of Interim Head is nuanced and complex, requiring tremendous commitment over a short-term in order to ensure progress continues under the interim’s tenure. Recruiting for this role can be a challenge, and so the Board is delighted to have found Dr. Groesbeck – a school leader to whom this role is familiar. So familiar, in fact, that she is frequently sought out (and fought over) by top-tier independent schools across the US and Canada. Thankfully, the passion our community exhibits for this school, and the amazing progress we have made, were enough to convince Dr. Groesbeck that a year at Stratford Hall was the right next step.

Currently, Dr. Groesbeck is the Interim Head of School at Emma Willard School, a top-tier independent school in New York. Dr Groesbeck has also held the role of Interim Head in Tennessee at Girls Preparatory School, and in New Jersey at Purnell School. Before taking on interim roles, Dr. Groesbeck was the Principal of Havergal College in Toronto, Head of School at Hilton Head Preparatory School in South Carolina and Headmaster at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School in Atlanta.

Dr. Groesbeck is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Skidmore College, and holds both a Masters and a Doctoral degree from the University of Rochester, after which she became a Postdoctoral Klingenstein Fellow at Columbia University. Dr. Groesbeck has received two Fulbright Grants (Germany and Japan) and was named a Toronto Woman of Distinction. Over the course of her distinguished career, Dr. Groesbeck has received many awards and honors for her commitment to education, including the Presidential NEA A+ Award (Washington, DC) and the Whitty Ransome Award (Wellesley College).

In addition to her critical and strategic thinking skills, educational pedagogy and exceptional leadership experience, Dr. Groesbeck has the proven expertise to preserve school traditions while accomplishing strategic goals. During her appointment at Stratford Hall, Dr. Groesbeck will continue to work with the Board towards accomplishing the objectives set out in our 2016 strategic plan. The Board is delighted to be working with someone of Dr. Groesbeck’s character and calibre.

Sue and her husband of 42 years, Mark, have two married daughters, two sons-in-law and three grandsons.

Sue is a lifelong learner who enjoys reading, swimming, and gardening.

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June 2017

COME SAY HI

PYP COORDINATOR

Amanda Lempriere is currently a Grade 5 teacher at Stratford Hall. She has been teaching at the school for three years.

Her PYP journey first began in London, England at St. Mary Magdelene Academy. It was here that Amanda was introduced to the wonderful world of IB, and was instantly in love. Amanda's journey then took her to Munich, Germany where she taught at an IB bilingual school. Here she helped create curriculum documents that combined the Bavarian Standards with the Scope and Sequence of the PYP. She then moved into the position of PYP Coordinator. As PYP Coordinator at Stratford Hall, Amanda is again eager to work with such a wonderful and passionate group of teachers and bring the PYP to life in the Stratford Hall community.

MYP COORDINATOR

Mark Pulfer is an educator who has been immersed in an international environment his entire life. Having grown up in various parts of the world including Southern Africa and Papua New Guinea he has an intrinsic understanding of different cultures and perspectives. At the age of 16 he won a place at the United World College of the Atlantic in Wales, one of the first IB World schools. Mr. Pulfer has an Honours degree in Chemistry and a Bachelor of Education from the University of British Columbia. He has taught in the IB program at the Middle Years and Diploma levels for much of his career. Mr. Pulfer is a passionate educator who believes in fostering global mindedness through experiential education.

PYP TEACHER

Emma White is an elementary school teacher from Kingston, Ontario. After completing her Bachelor's of Education from Queen's University, Emma taught grades 2-7 PYP and MYP theatre at an international school in Ecuador.

She then spent two years teaching Grade 5 PYP at an international school in Malawi. Emma has spent the last year completing her Master's of Education at the University of Ottawa, focusing on how Canadian teachers can support refugee children in their classrooms.

Emma loves travelling, doing yoga, reading, and exploring the outdoors. She is thrilled to be moving to beautiful BC!

IDEA LAB/IT ASSISTANT

We are excited to announce that Christine Hwee will be joining our community as a co-op student for the IDEA Lab as well as our IT department. Christine is a current Computing Science student at Simon Fraser University

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UNIVERSITY COUNSELLOR

Next school year, Brett Williams will be joining Caitlin Shepard as a Post-secondary Advisor. Brett has taught English in the senior school at Stratford Hall for three years. Prior to this, Brett taught at an IB World School in Singapore and spent several years teaching in the Maple Ridge school district.

He eagerly anticipates the opportunity to work with senior school students in exploring their passions, talents and strengths as they chart a course for their remaining years at Stratford Hall and beyond.

SENIOR SCHOOL MATH TEACHER

Denise Brabban has been working at ISABC schools in Vancouver since 2002.

Previously she has worked at schools in Dubai and the UK. Denise is a passionate mathematics teacher and a graduate of the Mathematical Engineering Program at the Loughborough University in the UK. Denise joins us this year from Meadowridge School.

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PYP TEACHER

Stephanie Brook is an IB Educator, living in French-speaking Switzerland. She is presently employed at GEMS World Academy Switzerland as Head of Humanities, Personal Project Coordinator and an MYP Individual & Societies, Language & Literature and Arts teacher.

Stephanie has worked in the PYP and MYP of the IB in several schools around the world over the course of the past decade including Canada, Kyrgyzstan, Angola, Colombia, Tanzania and Switzerland. She has taught a range of subjects including Language & Literature, Individuals & Societies, Music, Visual Arts, Drama, and the Personal Project.

Stephanie is a MYP workshop leader, online workshop facilitator, site evaluator and consultant.

Stephanie is married to a wonderful man who shares her passion for travel, and has two children that they take around the world with them. Stephanie and her family are very excited to be moving home to Vancouver this year, after leaving 20 years ago, and hope to stay for some time.

She looks forward to be joining the dynamic staff at a Stratford Hall.

PYP TEACHER

Shawn Skalinksi is a father of 3, the luckiest husband in the universe, and secret singing rocker by night! Finally returning home after a 14 year international teaching journey that saw Shawn and his wife teach in Korea, Thailand, Cuba, and Germany.

Happy to be back home and looking forward to the next chapter. Shawn loves a good joke, has a secret passion for 80’s music (and Iron Maiden!) and will jump at an opportunity to get involved in performing arts. One of Shawn's favorite quotes is, "If the only tool you have is a hammer, you might be tempted to treat every problem like a nail.”

— Abraham Maslow

June 2017

NEW FACES IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

(L-R Paulina Lam, Isabel Sankaran-Wee, Keysey Hayre & Naomi White)

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Ms. Isabel Sankaran-Wee joins us as our new Director of Community Development. The Director of Community Development is responsible for overseeing the Marketing Communications, Public Relations, Advancement, Admissions, Hot Lunch, Uniforms, and Events portfolios at Stratford Hall.

Isabel joins the Stratford Hall family from fellow ISABC school, St. John’s having spent 5 and a half years in various community development roles. During that time, Ms. SankaranWee worked as an Event Planner, Parent Support Group Liaison, Interim Director of Admissions and was most recently their Major Gifts and Community Relations Officer.

Her previous experience had been handling media relations and internal communications for the Asia headquarters of American broadcaster, Discovery

Communications and Discovery Networks Asia and IT company Lenovo Asia Pacific.

Isabel is also the mother of three young women and fluent in Mandarin.

EVENTS AND PHOTOGRAPHY

Paulina Lam joined the Stratford Hall community in August 2016 as our Events and Photography Manager. Ladner born, Paulina is an SFU graduate with a Interactive Arts and Technology Degree.

Upon graduation, Paulina worked at SFU as an academic advisor and recruiter. Her hobbies include biking and figure skating. Paulina is very happy to have joined Stratford Hall.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT

in East Vancouver and graduated with a BA in Sociology from the University of Victoria. As the Community Development Assistant, Kelsey is responsible for publications, such as IMPRINT, the weekly message and the school website. Kelsey has enjoyed her first year at Stratford Hall and is excited for another vibrant year to come!

ADMISSIONS ASSISTANT

Naomi White is not new to our community, but is new to her current role. Joining us from After School Care, Naomi is now the Admissions Assistant.

Naomi was born in North Hampton, England and moved to Vancouver when she was 16 years old. Passionate about education, Naomi joined Stratford Hall in 2014 as part of our ASC department.

Naomi graduated from Emily Carr University with a Fine Arts Degree. She loves to ski and do art in her spare time.

We are thrilled to have welcomed Kelsey Hayre to our Community Development team in September 2016. Kelsey was born and raised

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GRADUATION CEREMONY ADDRESS BY: LAWRENCE LI, 2017 VALEDICTORIAN

Thank you Ms. Douglas, teachers, parents, family, friends, and most importantly the class of 2017. It is indeed an honour for me to be here today. They say the average attention span of a human is 8 seconds, so I’m guessing that many of you are already lost in your own thoughts. So, if I can’t make this speech a memorable one, I’ll try to make it short.

I remember last year at this time.

I was sitting in the back row either playing with my phone or dozing off. Heck, the only thing preventing me from sleeping at my own graduation is probably the fact that I’m up here right now.

Class of 2017, we have survived.

We have endured two years of unparalleled academic rigour.

Going into the Diploma Programme, we voluntarily relinquished ourselves of all happiness in our Grade 11 and 12 years. In my eyes, Switzerland used to be a beautiful and tranquil country. However, after discovering that Switzerland is where the IB headquarters are, I’ve come to a conclusion that it is filled with bloodthirsty sadists. The DP is unique. In the DP, we learned that it is normal to have a backpack that weighs more than Harrison. In the DP, we consider getting hit by a bus so we can get out of writing exams.

In the DP, we skip classes not to go out with friends, but to study for other subjects that we’re behind in. That’s right, all my “emergency Pamoja meetings about economics” were just me excusing myself to study. Sorry teachers. Now for those of you who are not yet in the DP, worry not. While it may be extremely tedious and challenging, the DP will transform you into a better person. As a class, we have endured this trial by fire and come out stronger and eager to continue to learn more.

I may not be an exemplary student, but I did somehow manage to survive these two hellish years, so I would like to believe my advice holds some merit. I would like to offer all the students going through the DP some advice.

1. You may think that challenging yourself by taking subjects like math HL is a good way to show that you’re smart, but when exam time comes, you’ll realize real geniuses took subjects like theater.

2. Do you find yourself staying up late at night trying to finish an essay or lab? Give yourself an extension by handing in a corrupted word document. I expect a lot of teachers are experiencing an “ah hah” moment.

3. The staff room has coffee if you’re feeling tired.

4. When you start off in the DP, remember that as hard as it is, you don’t have PE anymore.

5. During your time in the DP, you will learn. Biology taught me about our bodies, literature taught me about the social forces that are innate in the human condition, and TOK? I’m sorry, I’m not that good of a liar.

No, but seriously, during my time in the DP, I’ve made unforgettable I must apologize in advance for memories and learned lifelong the clichés this speech contains. lessons. Today, I hope to share Although I’ve slept through some advice with everyone. countless graduations, I have a It matters not whether you good sense of what most of the have spent a day in the DP. It convocation speeches were about. matters not your gender, ethnic Most past speeches were about background, or orientation.

In my trek through the DP, I have following your dreams, pursuing learned many lessons that will carry Surprisingly, in the future, the your passions, and believing in fact that you got a 2 will not be yourself. Unfortunately, mine also with me onto university. your biggest concern. Therefore, has similar themes.

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June 2017 whether you want to be an artist, lawyer, pilot, or anything else, this advice will hopefully apply to you.

My first piece of advice is a rather simple one. In my attempts to write an interesting grad speech, I pillaged the internet in order to find some sort of motivation.

However, as I spent hour after hour searching through videos, I found a common piece of advice shared among all speeches. Make your bed. The reason for this is because making your bed in the morning counts as one little task.

This one task will motivate you to do another, and then another.

Making your bed can help you achieve great feats. And hey, if you don’t have a good day, you can come back to a bed that’s made, a bed that you made. So, if you want to accomplish great things, start off by making your bed.

One of my favorite stories that never gets old involves my friend Alvin. In Grade 8, while reading aloud an article about Shakespeare, Alvin abruptly stopped and looked at the paper in confusion. He turned over to a classmate and asked what a certain word meant. The word was “illiterate”. While I’ve taken great pleasure in telling this story over and over again, this experience did teach me something. This short piece of comedic relief has stayed with Alvin for his whole life at Stratford and I’m sure he’ll be grateful to leave this one behind. This courageous act taught me that it was okay to ask for help. In life, we will have times where we require help. As hardworking as you are, you can’t face everything alone.

With the help of my teachers and peers, I have achieved many things which I thought were impossible. By putting away my childish sense of pride, I realized that asking for help is essential in

some cases if I want to succeed.

The diploma which we will soon hold in each of our hands is an accomplishment we worked for as a team, not individuals. If you want to be successful, don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Now for those of you who know me or have talked to my fellow classmates, there is an ongoing joke about how I’m getting a 2 in economics. Well, all jokes are partially true, and this one isn’t an exception. I remember the scene so clearly in my mind: I

“I have seen the class of 2017 experience tremendous setbacks and face huge adversities both as individuals and as a group only to come out stronger on the other side. Failure is inevitable, but it’s how we deal with it that matters.” woke up in my bed all frazzled.

I had gotten very little sleep because I was working on an assignment the night before. I quickly checked my phone and saw that I had a notification from my online course, Pamoja, that my mock exam results were in.

The faint hum of my phone screen in the room was deafening as I looked at my score. 38 percent which translated into a 2/7. I had no idea what I did wrong and I started to panic. I quickly typed an email to my teacher asking him if there was some sort of mistake, and promptly received a reply of “You most definitely earned a 2 Li”. But aside from that, with help from my peers, I was able to get over this massive failure and carry on to continue my daily rants about opportunity cost. A few weeks ago, I was able to finish

my final economics exam and, although I’m uncertain of my final mark, I know for sure that I’ve reached far above a 2.

This next lesson is one that I wish I had known when I started the DP. I remember a few days before my mock exams in Grade 11. At this time, armed with a stubborn attitude, I was convinced that happiness and success was measured by my grades. So, when I saw a group of my friends go to a party before mocks, I messaged one of them “what on earth are you doing?” and his response was “I’m living.” The DP was a truly eye opening experience. Although a 7 definitely seems very appealing, there are much better things that you can gain. It was at the end of Grade 11 that I realized the process of learning and having fun with your friends is a much better feeling than seeing a 7 on your paper. My advice to you? Go into a test like I go into all my Geography tests - blind. Seriously, if you have an option between going to a party or cramming before a test, choose the party. Now all the parents in the crowd are probably groaning and thinking “why did he have to go and say that”, but the IB is more than just getting a 7. I’m eternally grateful that I’ve been taught this lesson and hope that each and every one of you remembers this as you move forward. Class of 2017, as you go onto university, I guarantee that you will not earn an A on every test. You will fail. During times like this, I want you all to remember this: a mere number should not be used to measure success.

It wasn’t until recently that I began to realize the wonderful environment I’m in. The tolerance that all my teachers and classmates have for my shenanigans is astounding. The

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fact that I’m able to eat a part of my IB exam out of boredom and face no repercussions is quite surprising. The connections between the students and teachers here are so strong.

Stratford is the only school I know where the students have the teachers’ phone number.

Stratford is the only place where students can waltz into a teacher’s office to have a conversation. As I slowly transition from Stratford to university, I am sure that there will be many moments when I reflect back on my experience here and become ever more thankful. Furthermore, for those leaving home for university, I

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guarantee that you will come to miss your family and friends back here. I think I speak for the whole class of 2017 when I say that we appreciate everything that our friends, family, and Stratford has done for us. Appreciate what you have; because you’ll never know how valuable they are until they’re gone.

To the class of 2017, we are moments away from graduating.

Moments away from beginning a new chapter in our lives. It will not be easy, you will face challenges, but I am sure that you will all persevere. Start each day by making your bed and don’t be

afraid to ask for help. Accept that you will fail and look forward to getting up. Don’t be afraid to take risks, understand that a number doesn’t define you, and take time to appreciate what you have. If you do these things, you will be successful and the generations that follow will live in a world far better than the one we live in today. Class of 2017, individually and collectively, you are beautiful.

You will all cultivate wonderful lives and create a positive impact on the world. I would like to leave you all with a quote by Eleanor Roosevelt: “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” Class of 2017, the future belongs to you.

June 2017

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GRAD DINNER AND DANCE

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June 2017

REFLECTING ON GALA 2017 BY: ROB SENGHERA, 2017 GALA CHAIR

On behalf of our 2017 Gala Committee, I want to thank everyone who attended or contributed towards this year’s amazing event. This truly was an evening that was “for the Community and by the Community”, in that so many parents and faculty came together to donate their time and expertise; and the result was a success!

treated to a memorable night. It was an opportunity to connect with others in the community (in a way that can’t be done at drop-off or pick-up); an evening to share some laughs over drinks, build connections and create memories.

It was wonderful to see so many great Masquerade masks and the packed dance floor to close out the event!

From the beautiful décor and delicious food to the opera singers and DJ, our 280 guests were

Thanks to the generosity of our amazing Stratford Hall Community, I’m honoured to report the

RECORD-BREAKING results of raising over $262,000, broken up into $190,000 of cash donations and a commitment of $72,000 as in-kind construction costs. All proceeds will go towards the construction of the new IDEA Lab space.

I can tell you that without a doubt, the best part of chairing this year’s Gala was that I got to meet so many passionate individuals that make up our community. A big thanks goes to our faculty for donating their time on the various auction items, and to

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Skipper, Kika Carranza, Samantha Gayfer, Jason McBride and especially to Jennifer Yeung for all the support they provided.

But none of this would have been possible without the efforts of our amazing Gala Committee, who put in endless hours in a shortened timeframe to organize every detail. Jen Gunasekera (the “Auction Queen”) arranged for a phenomenal line-up of silent

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auction items; Harv Phandal Dhanda (the “Hustler”) rallied a line-up of incredible sponsors and live auction items; Rosa Bosa (the “Producer”) ensured the venue looked absolutely stunning; Emma Richmond (the “Spicer”) oversaw all communications and marketing; and Farhan Jamal (the “Money Man”) ensured we tracked and maximized our financial returns.

With this year’s event behind us, we are now shifting our focus to next year. We are looking for 2-3 individuals to join the 2018 Gala Committee – so if you are interested in helping to organize the event, and enjoy having fun with others who are as passionate about our Community as you are, please email gala@stratfordhall.ca.

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CLARK PARK UPDATE BY: JENNIFER YEUNG, MANAGER OF ADVANCEMENT We are excited to let everyone know that construction on the new play area in Clark Park will begin in August, 2017 with completion estimated for October. The Parks Board had hoped to begin sooner but changes to the original design due to rising construction costs put the process behind.

What is exciting is that many of the items being installed are from Canadian companies and the log feature is a BC company who takes fallen trees and transforms them into fun climbing structures for kids. Some of the other features will include: a separated sand play area, custom log climbing structures, spinning elements, a tot structure, as well as improved seating, pedestrian connections and a new drinking fountain.

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June 2017

THANK YOU! The 2016-2017 school year was unprecedented in the level of generosity shown by our community! We raised over $340,000 to build a new playground in Clark Park with additional funding of $14,549 which was gathered through the Parks Board site; the Gala raised over $260,000 towards our future IDEA Lab, and the SHPA raised close to $5,000 through the Craft Fair, the selling of swag, Fun Fridays and Fun Fair. This has been a banner year whereby everyone in the community stepped up and showed their support for our students and our East Van community at-large. The spirit and support our Stratford Hall parents have shown has filled us with incredible joy and pride. It has solidified what we’ve always known: the heart of our school not only lies within our students but amongst all our families who make our school a unique and special place. We are so grateful to everyone for helping to make dreams and wishes come true for our students. Below is a list of all those who have made monetary contributions in the 2016-2017 year to Stratford Hall.

Salim and Shaina Adatia Franco Addante and Neda Sabbaghian Tolu Adegboye Aesthetic Dental Group Manuj and Mandeep Aggarwal Jameel and Sharifa Ahamed Ewart Aitken and Lindsay Killam Zara Alibhai and Family Almoallim Family Kai Alderson and Tobi Davidge Willud Ali and Sarah-Jane Anand Dr. Alissa N. Antle Anna's Cake House Anonymous x4 Robert and Elizabeth-Anne Armstrong ASI Accounting Services Inc. Bali Athwal Rob Atwal and Meena Hans-Atwal Craig and Eva Atkinson Alan and Gloria Au Tim Au and Kelly Tsai Judy Bai MB Manjinder and Saranjit Bains Balance Medical Center Inc. Greta Bartsch

Doyle Bauman and Alyssa Schottland-Bauman Baycer Consulting Inc Scott Bell and Natasha Broemling Karim and Karima Bhimani The Bhura Family Guido and Cindy Biemold Rita Biermann and Oliver Aldridge Candice Birch Bob Birdi and Mahnia Madan Lisa Blachut Dan and Diane Blue BMO Daniel and Rosa Bosa Stephanie Bosello Mark Brady and Naina Sloan Noam & Elan Breger Chris Brogan Emily Browning Christopher Buchner and Todd Bell Budhwani Family Bugaloo Academy Limited Stefan Buitelaar and Joely Collins Ilan and Anne Burkes David Bursey David and Carolyn Cameron Rick Campanella Liza Capdecoume

Carmichael-Walker Family Wes Carson and Barb Womersley Lindsay Causey Charlie and Flora Chan Owen and Kristen Chan Keith and Emily Chan Lawrence Chan and Jenny Tong Marchesa Chan Peter and De-Ann Chan Raymond Chan Stephen and Elaine Chan William and Emaly Chan Fred Chang Edward Chau and Susan Yau Ron and Daisy Cheung David and Carol Chiang Anthony Chu and Anita Hui Kelvin Chu and Pauline Lam Toby Chu and Kelly Chiu Huy and Miranda Chiu Geoffrey Chong and Waylin Cheng Larry and Patricia Chong Denny and Leila Chow Susan Christie David and Valerie Christie Anthony Chu and Anita Hui Christopher Chum and Glenda Hendson PAGE 21

IMPRINT Jannet Cincoleon David and Katharina Coleman Stefan Buitelaar and Joely Collins Jeffrey and Ada Conatser Matthew Cooper Williams and Carolyn Oliver Mike Cosford Roger Cross and Josie Jacob Cross Steven and Shelina Cross Catherine Daniel Greg D'Aoust and Amanda Lempriere Lauren Davie Ariana Debreuil Nechhia DeKryger Jimmy and Melinda Der Mandeep Dhaliwal and Koml Kandola Dhar and Harv Dhanda Meera Dhanda Neeta Dhanda Karim and Ashifa Dhanji Parm and Kacy Dhillon Avtar and Gurpinder Dhinsa Saloni Dholakia Anh Tuan Do and Liz Tran Richard Dornik and Shannon Goddard Greg and Karen Dosen James and Michelle Douglas Jane Edgar Brian Eng and Won Ng Olivia Eng Janine Erickson Melissa Falabella Frank and Barbara Faugno Michelle Fedosoff Final Choice Construction Final Choice Holdings Inc Charles Flavelle Glenn Friesen and Yanlin Liao Christopher and Julie Frketich Front and Company Patrick Fung Matthew George and Gracen Chungath Feda Ghaleb Christine Giesbrecht Sukhjeevan and Amandeep Gill Jag and Sonny Gill Navi Gill Ashef Gillani and Shelina Harji Teresa Gilles Satwant Ginder Timothy and Baljinder Girn Robert and Maureen Goldblatt

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Lupe Gomez Vadim Gorzhiy and Svetlana Velikoredchanina Jeff Gravistin and Nancy Mitenko Boyd Grealy Rajbir and Mini Grewal Kevin and Tricia Grzybowski Lou Guerrero David and Jennifer Gunasekera Tia and Josh Haughian Matthew and Alexandra Haussmann Kelsey Hayre Tristan Henderson Sylvana Herrera Philip and Tina Heywood Mef and Bilquis Hirani Susan Higashio Weinreich Yoshiaki Hiraoka and Nenah Ida Anthony Ho and Jennifer Tung Crispin Horng and Yujie Chen Dave Howard and Shalini Verghese Kenneth Hui and Anne Wong Winnie, Ming & Ansel Hsu Stefania Iacchelli Susie Jagpal Sam and Farah Jamal Farhan and Shahin Jamal Sophia and Keira Jamal Nazira Jamani Ming Jang, Marie Louie Jang, Andrew and Caleb Jang Tatjana Jensen Mateo and Nico Ramji Jetha The Jhalli Family Nevada Mohammed and Calle Johnson Gareth Jones Phil and Peggi Jones Jennifer Ju Byron and Josephine Jung The Kai Family Perry Saran and Rupi Kaila Mandeep Kalan Neha Senghera Kalan Simmie Kalan Sewa and Dusteen Kang Tamiz and Jamila Kanji Rouzanna Karapetian Karim and Rehana Kassam Shamsh and Karima Kassam Yasmin Kassam Robert and Jill Kates Graham and Jennifer Kedgley Tony and Rebecca Keung Ravinder and Manbir Khera

Raheem and Farzana Kherani Ed Klarich and Cheryl Nakamoto Dave Knight Tess Rawa-Knighton Akriti Kochher Aleksandar and Ivana Kragl Jennifer Kramer Cathy Kwan The Kwan Family Tim and Janice Kwok Mike and Wendy Kyer Sunny Leung and Lai Ha Lam Lisa Lam Paulina Lam Alex Lau and Anna Kaye Dr. Jason Lau and Shae Hui Olivia Law Alex Lee and Camilla Qiu Harry and Elaine Lee Julian and Cynthia Lee Shirley Lee Whitman Lee and Maggie Tam Harold and Maegen Leishman Jeremy and Cindy Leung Kevin Leung and Emi Hasimoto Dan Lin Lawrence and Lisa Liu Michelle J. Liu Dallas Lloyd Gillian Louie Simon Wong and Wendy Louie Sophia Low Kester Lo Gang Lu and Vivian Wang Courtney MacFayden Samantha MacKinnon Spencer Mackoff Lach and Suzanne MacPherson Madhany Family Aria Magnusson's Family Gary Mah Fayaz and Salima Manji Samir Manji Michael Wulff and Shannon Mann Echo Mar John and Lee Marinelli Derek and Nadine May Jason and Samantha McBride McCarthy Family Esther McGregor Michael McGuire David McLaren Cameron McLellan and Rikia Saddy Mark Mehrer and Ye Chu MGKD Medical LTD.

June 2017 Metro Printers Million Faces Production Randie-Lynn Moffat Nevada Mohammed and Calle Johnson Barry and Laura Moriarty Fred and Natasha Moroz Morozov Family Qing Qiu Muyu and Lavinia Wen Jessica Naka Brian and Yvonne Nann Nautilus Consulting Steve and Katherine Naylor Bobby Nishi Dion Norman Nova Drywall LTD Kyle Nystad Omicron John and Sharon Ong The Ottahal Family Victor Pang and Angelee Lee Magnus and Renee Pau Curtis Peever David Perry and Ritu Mahil Meg Penafiel Dino and Neda Pessione Jag and Jas Phandal Sarah Phillips Alex Phung and Rachel Choi-Phung Emma Pierpoint Steven Pii and Sandra Lee Salim and Shazhan Popatia Pounds to Pennies Glen Powell and Dawne Bringeland-Powell Richard and Marlane Press Victoria Prevot Prosser Webber Family Riki Puri and Arthi Mathur Rikki Puri Notary Corp The Quennec Family Anja Radakovic Dragana Radmanovic Satpal Rai Todd Raine and Sarah Jane Swartz The Finney/Ramsay Family Randhawa Holdings Ltd. Ravi and Manpreet Rawan Jackie Reid Paul Reynolds and Carole Burtswistle Sarah Riddell Dave Ritchie Dave and Julia Robbins Ian CavĂŠn and Judy Rochette The Rockel Group

Craig and Charlene Rodrigues Kirk and Michelle Romero Ian Ross and Tammy Crawley Michael and Sarah Rowley Jessica Rudd Claudia Ruitenberg and Ann Chinnery Ruth and David Group Andrea Ryan Akash and Raj Sablok Sarah Sakaki Sukh Sandhu Dave Sangha and Bev Ginder Baldev and Nav Sanghera Lahkbir Saond Rupi Kaila & Perry Saran Tony and Angela Scardillo Anna Schmidt Rob and Bimmie Senghera The Shahi Family Lesley Shannon Caitlin Shepard Shieh-Harvey Family Evan Shotropa and Lori James Istvan Sinka and Katalin Ildiko Torok Sinka Ed & Shawna Siqueira Skipper Peter and Naureen Skov Nathan Slee and Merel Veldhuis Don and Shawna Soo Alan and May Soon Diane Srivastava and Tania Zulkoskey Greg Stanford and Ghita Ohm Sylvia Star Tom and Clare Steiner Carmen Stephen-Patel Tom Syer and Tamara Little Thomas and Gavriella Szigeti Vanessa Tam Victor Tam and Helen Hodgson Tam Amy and Matthew Taylor Vindy Teja Summer and David Telio Kate Tilford Ivor and Ivy Ting Kevin and May Tong Toothking Dental Mike and Liz Tran Scott Trebilcock and Anna Lim Vance Tsai and Caitlin Springate Stathis and Vivian Tsogas Andrew and Valerie Tsui Rory Sill, Layla Sills, and Casey

Turnpenny Sills Turnpenny Mike Twaites Jagdeep and Bandna Ubhi Cristina Uroni Patricia Vanstone Amit Venugopal and Liliana Posada Ana Ver Jayin and Dilan Verma Aliya Virani Mehboob Virani Vision Pro Bruce Voyce and Leanne Barden Timothy Walker and Baljinder Girn Gabi and Mateo Walsh James Wang and Karen Chan James Wang and Jennifer Qiu Richard and Kathryn Webster Raymond Weind and Lauren Lowe West Bank Mark Westlake and Marie-France Delisle Thomas Westlake Naomi White James Wilkie and Kelly Tremblay Peter and Elizabeth Wilkins Brett Williams Nicholas and Kylie Williams Bev Willms Best Shawn Winstanley and Karen Lai Douglas Wong and Tracy Kwan Simon and Janice Wong Jeffrey and Charmain Wong Judson and Maggie Wong Leagh Wong Shawn and Mariko Wowk James Smeaton and Kelly Wu Dennis Xi and Tina He Wei Xu and Hong Ji Sofia Xu Craig Yamashiro and Lisa Mah Isaiah and Esme Yang Rui Yang and Haixia Lu Nico Yao Will Wong and Angie Yee Anthony and Winnie Yen Edward and Eugenie Yeung The Yeung Family Jennifer Yeung David and Young Faith, Grace & Hallie Young Guido Biemold and Cindy Yu Tang Family Harvey Zhang and Jane Fan Lei Zhang and Mei Long Wayne and Wendy Zhang Yujun Zhu and Helen Wu

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WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON AT STRATFORD HALL

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June 2017

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June 2017

MEMORY PALACE BY: GILLIAN LOUIE & SUKH SANDHU, LEARNING SUPPORT

We wanted to share a great tool to decrease stress on memory during recall situations. It is an ancient technique referred to as the Method of Loci (now referred to as the Memory Palace). A lot of test anxiety is related to the stress on a student’s memory.

Recalling information during a timed assessment is stressful, but it is a skill required to show learning through school age years and post-secondary studies.

Practice tests are deemed useful to help students feel more comfortable in these situations.

However, memory strategies also alleviate stress on the memory during recall situations. Less stress on the memory means more cognitive energy can be used to show critical thinking

It should follow a sequence, either numbered or as a part of a story for the journey through the house.

During the recall situations (i.e. an assessment at school), the student can visualize the memory palace (journey) to seamlessly recall information. Memory Palaces are used by many medical and law students who deal with copious amounts of information on a daily basis. It is research-based and many people experience a definite improvement in their ability to recall information. Some people are fortunate to have strong working memory, but most people skills on assessments. It also means a would benefit from this strategy. reduction in test anxiety.

We have created a document with a list of resources to learn Firstly, mnemonics are aids used to memorize information. For example, more about the memory palace and how to create one. A good a common mnemonic for Order of tip: please personalize the area Operations in Mathematics is: and objects you use to associate the need to be meaningful to Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally the person using the memory (PEMDAS - parentheses, exponents, multiplication, addition, subtraction). palace. Otherwise, it is more to remember, which defeats the Mnemonics are often used in combination with a memory palace. purpose. Contact us if you want more information or support with this strategy. Here is the link: Your home is the best place to use as a memory palace. A student could draw or take pictures of the different rooms and associate objects with the information they wish to remember.

The student could walk through (take a journey) the rooms and recall the information associated with objects.

https://docs.google. com/document/d/1_ LmB422bgmLOObzwtsfCYbHAlTSIfozFWbkk80tYvg/edit

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OTTAWA/QUEBEC TRIP: OUR DAY TO DAY BY: PETER SKIPPER, MYP TEACHER & CRISTINA URONI, DP TEACHER Quebec’s famous fortification, ‘The Citadelle’. Our next stop was The Field of Abraham. This is the famous battlefield where British General Wolfe fought French Marquis De Montcalm in order to gain control of the city of Quebec.

“The QMO trip was one of the best experiences of my life. I explored outside my comfort zone (it was very, very cold) and witnessed amazing things. I also made really strong connections with people I never expected would turn out to be great friends.”

- Moneek, Grade 7 DAY 1 Bonjour!

We arrived safely in Montreal to beautiful sunny weather albeit, quite cold. We drove into a bustling downtown core of Montreal and quickly got settled into our Hotel in the heart of the old city of Montreal.

DAY 2 After breakfast at our hotel, we enjoyed a very sunny Sunday with a walk through the old city of Montreal. We took many pictures of Notre Dame Basilica (from the outside), walked through

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Chinatown and explored the underground city to take a break from the cold weather. We then spent the afternoon visiting the Archeological Museum, which was fantastic!

DAY 3 and 4 We had a unique and delicious experience at the sugar shack "La Montagne", located 1 hour west of Montreal. As we arrived there, the students were surprised by a horse carriage that was waiting to carry us to the sugar shack.

Stéphane, the owner, taught us how maple syrup is made!

The first thing we did that afternoon was visit McGill University, where we were taken on a tour of the campus.

Shortly after, we drove up to the top of "Mont Royal" to take some pictures of the city from above.

Day 5 This morning, we got to feel the wrath of winter. Waking up to light snow, we ventured outside into -11 temperatures! Like little penguins, we wobbled over to

Day 6 We finally arrived in Ottawa and immediately set off to the Houses of Parliament. Sadly, we were unable to catch a glimpse of the Prime Minister, but we did get a tour of the Senate and the library.

After a delicious meal at Zak’s Diner, we meandered over to meet our guide Julie, who took us on the spooky Ottawa ghost tour. The freaky tales were well presented, but the scariest aspect of the tour was that the prison is still used today as a hostel!

Day 7 Our second day in Ottawa was a snowy one! At the Canadian War Museum, a living memorial to those men and women who served in the armed forces, we had a chance to learn more about our military history inside a very modern building. The Diefenbunker Museum was the most fascinating and unique place to visit! In the afternoon, we had a guided tour at the Supreme Court of Canada, where students had the chance to be involved in a mock trial! It was an amazing experience that revealed some students' hidden talents in the legal field!

Day 8 Our last day started in a celebratory mood! Gathered in the hotel's breakfast area, we thanked our bus driver and tour guide with some gifts. All packed and checked out from our last hotel, we had

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a short self-guided tour at the MusĂŠe Nationale des Beaux Arts (Ottawa's National Gallery). Before heading to the airport, students had their last "independent lunch" in Ottawa's "Kitsilano": the Glebe neighborhood on Bank Street.

During our flight back to Vancouver, we surely had a chance to reflect on the amazing experience that had just ended.

We were lucky to be accompanied by an amazing guide, Christina, and a very friendly and flexible

bus driver, Hubert. Most of all, we as teachers, were lucky to accompany an amazing group of students on Stratford Hall's first QMO trip!

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KENYA BY: AMANDA LEMPRIERE, GRADE 5 TEACHER During our Spring Break, I had the pleasure of accompanying nine amazing Senior School students to Mombasa, Kenya. This unique trip contains so many layers of learning and teachable moments.

Throughout the trip, students had the opportunity to connect with students of various cultural backgrounds, develop compassion through service and return to Canada with plans of authentic action. As a chaperone, it was a pleasure to watch these students go through eye-opening experiences, leading to self-realizations and new outlooks on life.

“It made me realize how privileged we are, and how even the kids in such impoverished conditions are so eager to learn. It reminds me of how some people in the world waste their opportunity of being educated, and choose to waste all the resources that they have.”

- Ferguson, Grade 11 We were fortunate to be lodged at the Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa. Here, students had the opportunity to interact with students from across East Africa.

Stratford Hall was welcomed and encouraged to join in all the social events running at the Academy, including a student-run Coachella, Tajikistan dinner and theatre performance, a French talent show and many sports games and practices. We were all very impressed with the drive

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and ambition of the Aga Khan Academy students.

Throughout our time in Mombasa, we were able to visit a variety of schools, which gave students an understanding of the varying levels of education in Kenya. While it was encouraging to see successful schools, such as Jipe Moyo and KenCada, it was most impactful to see schools like Nuru where the need didn’t go unnoticed. Our students immediately felt the desire to help the students of the day school and orphanage.

The school has cracks in the walls and holes in the floor. The desks are broken and the teachers and students lack learning materials. This was a real-life learning moment for our students. They immediately felt their privilege in our world and the desire to help these children.

We left Nuru day school and orphanage contemplating what we could do.

The next day brought us to Kipevu, where the students’ spirits were lifted. The impact Stratford Hall has had on this school is undeniable. While there is still some need at Kipevu, the students have textbooks and workbooks and the school has recently been chosen to pilot a national technology initiative, receiving 80 tablets and two laptops. Our students were hopeful after seeing the impact their actions make.

We spent our two days at Kipevu painting classrooms and playing with the students. It was a unique experience to watch the Stratford

Hall students teach the Kipevu students to play rock, paper, scissors and Stella Stella Hola.

There were sounds of laughter and smiles all around.

The trip concluded with a safari, which reminded us of all the beauty Kenya has to offer.

We were mesmerized by the breathtaking landscape and majestic animals. It was wonderful to spend the last few days at a slower and more calm pace. While being on safari was amazing, the part of the trip that impacted the students of Stratford Hall the most was the interactions with other students and the connections they made. I was lucky to enjoy this life-changing adventure with such a wonderful group of openminded and caring students. It is an experience that will stay close to my heart for the rest of my life and I know it was a trip that strongly impacted the students who participated as well.

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Here's a little student advice to those travelling to Kenya next year: • Pack well, it’s going to be hot.

Keep an open mind.

• No matter how much you expect you will get out of this trip, you will always get more than that.

• BRING A WATER BOTTLE! Enjoy what you can, take lots of photos, be friendly.

• Do it!

“When playing with the students at the various school in Kenya, I realized that despite the many differences between ourselves, we can still all come together to have fun and enjoy each other’s company.”

The trip is truly an eye-opening experience, but also enjoyable and fun at the same time. You will experience so much in such little time, it is incredible. Go in with an openmind and you will definitely be very appreciative of the trip in the end. Although it is hard-hitting, the trip is extremely worthwhile and an amazing experience.

- Jenna, Grade 11

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COSTA RICA BY: NATASHA & ETHAN, GRADE 10 STUDENTS

This year, a group of Grade 10 students went to Costa Rica during the March Break, and it was an amazing experience. We got to experience and see so many new things, and we learned a lot about Costa Rica, and how different it is from Canada.

The trip was 10 days long. The first night we arrived, we stayed at a hotel where there was a pool and a balcony with a beautiful view of the city. That was where we met Milton and Diana, who helped us along the trip, arranging homestays and teaching us things about the native animals and plant species in Costa Rica. After that, it was a very long road trip, followed by a long, downhill hike to get to the ecological reserve, right in the rainforest. We stayed at the reserve for three days.

Here, we had free time and group activities. We did a lot of small hikes through the rainforest, and played ping pong. While in the reserve, there were a lot of bugs (especially at night in the rooms), which we ended up getting used to as time went on. The most memorable part of staying at the

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reserve was probably the long uphill hike we did on our way out.

It was raining the whole time, but it was still a great experience.

social media, so we could keep in touch with them and continue our relationship, even after we returned back to Vancouver.

After getting back from the reserve, we went ziplining before meeting our homestays. Ziplining was really fun and we had an amazing view of the rainforest.

A few of us had never ziplined before, so it was a really cool experience that we will remember for a long time.

During our last days of the trip, we stayed in villas, where there was a pool, and we could walk to the beach and restaurants for dinner.

This was probably the most relaxing part of the trip, and it was really fun. For our last night in Costa Rica, we stayed in a hotel room close to the airport. Even though we were sad to leave, we had a lot of fun while we were there.

When we met our homestays, many of us were very nervous but they were so nice. They really welcomed us into their home, and made us feel a part of their family. They let us take showers, they did our laundry, and they cooked. Being able to interact and communicate with them in Spanish was really awesome as it gave us lots of practice, strengthening our Spanish skills. While staying with our homestays we did volunteer work and community service at the recreation centre. When we left our homestays many of us exchanged addresses and

Costa Rica was an incredible experience for us as we learned so much about the culture and the people. Growing up in Canada, many of us had never been outside of North America, so it was a huge culture shock! In addition, we were able to strengthen our Spanish skills and build meaningful relationships with new people. We are so glad that we went on this trip, and would definitely recommend this trip to anyone who might be interested in going.

June 2017

APPROACHES TO LEARNING SKILLS BY: SARAH PHILLIPS, MYP COORDINATOR The Approaches to Learning skills are one of my favourite features of the Middle Years Programme. Often referred to as the “unwritten curriculum” the Approaches to Learning skills describe the habits of effective learners. The IB categorizes these skills into five main groups: Research Skills, Communication Skills, Social Skills, Thinking Skills and Self-Management skills.

Because these skills transcend subject areas, they are often excluded from lists of subjectspecific learning goals. Ironically, many traditional curricula are designed to benefit students who demonstrate these skills, but are not designed to cultivate

• • • •

the skills in students who might not demonstrate them automatically. By contrast, the intentional development of these skills is central to all three IB programmes, and teaching and learning here at Stratford Hall. By explicitly teaching the skills that “good students” employ intuitively, all students are equipped to learn as effectively as possible and realize their full potential.

Naturally, there are numerous opportunities to develop all kinds of learning skills in the classroom, but with year-end trips and summer holidays on the horizon, it is timely to

consider how experiences outside of the classroom can contribute to the development of essential skills.

As students in Grades 5-10 participate in their year-end camping trips, they are given the opportunity to develop a range of specific skills in the domains of Social Skills and Self-Management Skills (shown in the chart below).

The range of camp and OEE experiences across the PYP and MYP allow students to develop essential skills that will enhance their effectiveness in the classroom and beyond. As such, camp and OEE are fundamental to students’ development, both academically and socially.

ATL Skill

What it looks like at Camp

Bring necessary equipment and supplies Take responsibility for one’s own actions Evaluate and manage risk Consider ethical, cultural and environmental implications.

• Pack appropriate clothing and gear • Take responsibility for personal belongings and group equipment • Monitor one’s own safety and the safety of others

• Advocate for one’s own rights and needs • Practise being aware of body–mind connections

• Maintain a positive attitude • Get enough sleep, eat appropriately, stay hydrated • Ask for help when necessary

• Identify obstacles and challenges • Demonstrate persistence and perseverance • Practise “bouncing back” after adversity, mistakes and failures • Exercise leadership and take on a variety of roles within groups

• Cope with the unfamiliar (surroundings, food, routines) • Try new activities • Manage discomfort, homesickness • Share a tent or cabin • Participate in camp chores • Contribute to the enjoyment of everyone

• Practise delaying gratification

• Follow a shared routine, including common mealtimes, bedtimes and wake-up times

• Practise dealing with change

• Respond to changes in the weather; adjust plans to ensure the safety and enjoyment of the group

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TENNIS: THE PERFECT SUMMER SPORT BY: SPENCER MACKOFF, RESOURCE TEACHER Looking for a summer activity that the whole family can enjoy together? Tennis is the perfect summer sport and a great way to get active during the warm summer months. Tennis is a lifelong sport that you can play at any age whether you are 5 or 95!

Tennis is Canada’s fastest growing sport. The recent success of Canadian tennis stars such as Milos Raonic and Genie Bouchard have catapulted tennis into the national spotlight. Now, a younger generation of Canadians are rising the ranks - and it all starts with progressive tennis programs.

Progressive tennis has revolutionized the way the sport is learned, making it easier, safer, and more accessible.

Equipment and court size are scaled to fit the size and strength of the player, so that gameplay and proper technique are possible at every age and level of play.

Vancouver has some of the best public tennis courts in the country. While Stanley Park and Queen Elizabeth Park are well known tennis destinations with many courts, there are free tennis courts in every neighborhood, with over 180 spread across the city. Be sure to check the City of Vancouver's website for information about courts and rules of use.

Looking for somewhere to learn? Vancouver’s Parks Board offers programs and classes for all ages and skill levels. Take a lesson, register for a program, or join a drop-in class at a community centre near you.

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June 2017

KINDIE GRAD

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THE MYP PERSONAL PROJECT BY: SARAH PHILLIPS, MYP COORDINATOR

On Tuesday, April 11, the class of 2019 presented their Personal Projects to the Stratford Hall community. The diversity of the projects was reflective of a group of students who possess a range of interests and skills.

From skateboards and drones to short stories and online businesses, our Grade 10 students displayed innovation, artistry and entrepreneurship. While they were justifiably proud of the products they created, I was most impressed with the depth and honesty of their reflections about what they learned in the process.

The Personal Project is a balancing act in many respects and, as such, it is an excellent stepping stone to the Diploma Programme. The challenges of balancing multiple deadlines, pursuing their interests while also complying with specific requirements, and working independently in addition to drawing on the support available to them are common to both the Personal Project and the DP.

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As the Grade 10 students reflected on their Personal Project, many of them described how time management was difficult. They observed that Grade 10 was more academically demanding than Grade 9. In the face of many urgent deadlines, tasks relating to the Personal Project were the easiest to postpone. Unfortunately, some students let their Personal Project slide and had to scramble to meet the final deadline. In retrospect, many students who let interim deadlines pass as if they didn’t matter, came to realize that the interim deadlines were essential to completing the project in manageable steps. While they may have learned this lesson the hard way, it will serve them well in the Diploma Programme as they complete the Extended Essay and the Internal Assessment tasks for each subject. Like the Personal Project, these tasks come with somewhat flexible interim deadlines that break a big job into manageable steps ‌ if students adhere to the deadlines.

Many students also learned (sometimes the hard way), about the importance of balancing their own interests with the specific parameters of the project. Selecting a topic they are passionate about is essential to staying motivated throughout the project; however, it is also important that their project complies with the parameters of the project. Like many of the assessments in the Diploma Programme, the final Personal Project submission that is assessed for IB is a small part of the whole process. While the format of the Personal Project report can feel rigid at times, the parameters offer crucial guidance to students in presenting their work in a way that will maximize their achievement.

Like following submission guidelines for university papers, or requests for proposals in the world of work, following the Personal Project guidelines is an important part of tailoring communication to suit the audience.

June 2017 One strategy that was effectively employed by many students was strategic use of the appendix.

Students were able to include a variety of supporting material in their appendix, such as raw data, journal entries and photos of the product as it developed throughout the year.

In addition to adding variety to their report, it also facilitated a depth of analysis. For example, rather than describing how they managed their time to complete the whole task, students who included their timeline in the appendix were able include a deeper reflection about the strengths and weaknesses of their process. This is an essential skill in academia, and having had the opportunity to practice using an appendix as early as Grade 10 is a valuable experience.

Finally, and perhaps most difficult, is the ability to balance one’s own progress and sense achievement against the external measure of achievement. In a task as long and varied as the Personal Project, there are a lot of reasons why a student’s final grade might not fully reflect the depth of their engagement, what they learned from the process, or the pride they take in their final product. Often, the discrepancy is the result of having learned one of the aforementioned lessons the hard way. For example, some students created incredible products and learned a great deal from the process, but did not fully comply with the parameters of the final report. The ability to take pride in their work, recognizing when they have met their own personal goals even if they didn’t meet the goals of the assessment, is an important part of being resilient and a lifelong learner.

Similarly, the ability to take pride in having learned from failure or shortcomings is essential to ongoing progress, whether academic, professional or personal.

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BUSKERAMA

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June 2017

CARVING CLUB

BY MICHAEL MCGUIRE, OEE PROGRAM INSTRUCTOR

“Carving is easy, just go down to the skin and stop.”

- Michelangelo The IDEA Lab has attracted yet another unique activity – the Cedar Carving Club. Born out of the admiration of the amazing native carvings in the foyer of the DP building, this club is led by Native artist, Alex, who graced our school last year with his carving abilities. We are very fortunate to have Alex share his skills and wisdom with our students.

Each Tuesday after school, student club members gather to transform their piece of cedar into feathers,

animals, or pendants. “It was slow at first,” admits Jennifer, “but eventually the images take shape and we just can’t believe it.” Some students are even on their second carving!

Alex came to our school through the connection of Stratford Hall parent, Mark Brady. Mark met Alex while on police duty on the downtown eastside and was immediately impressed by Alex’s skill as a carver. Alex is Aboriginal Kwaguili (Kwak waka’wakw) from Alert Bay, and started carving when he was seven years old.

At first Alex carved for fun, then he used carving as therapy while recovering from substance abuse.

Now free from addiction, Alex has since achieved considerable success selling to personalities such as Robin Williams, Nancy Green, and Troy Carter. His dream is to eventually open up his own art studio and gallery and work to support developing native artists in Vancouver.

It is a real honour to have Alex work with us and share his time and wisdom with our community.

If you are around after school on a Tuesday, we encourage you to drop by the IDEA Lab and see the magic unfold.

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THINK TANK

BY CHRISTINE GIESBRECHT, VISUAL ARTS AND TOK TEACHER This past February, Stratford Hall art students in Grades 9 - 12 took part in a two-day Think Tank at the Vancouver Art Gallery along with 70 other high school students from Vancouver. During these two days, they had the opportunity to immerse themselves in the Vancouver Special Show, featuring up-and-coming local artists, currently on exhibit at the gallery.

Day one began with visits to two studios of artists in the show: First Nations artist, Charlene Vickers, and fabric artist, Colleen Heslin.

Once back at the gallery, students participated in a scavenger hunt that encouraged them to take a close look at the show, as well as a tour, before creating the first step of four in the workshop. Students worked with acrylic paint on canvas to create an abstract base for their artwork.

On day two, students participated in three additional workshops, each led by an artist in the show: Colleen Heslin (whose studio we had visited the day before), as well as Colleen Brown and Eli Bornowsky. Each artist encouraged further manipulation of the canvas

which included printing on the canvas, working collaboratively around possibilities for composition, and layering with paint.

In March, families of the participants were invited to join their children to visit the Vancouver Art Gallery in order to see their student works on display (in the education space!). After learning more about the process over the two days and viewing the artwork, students took their families into the gallery to give them their own private tour of the Vancouver Special show.

Thank you to the Vancouver Art Gallery for allowing us to be part of this fantastic opportunity!

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June 2017

DP ARTS EXHIBITION

BY CHRISTINE GIESBRECHT, VISUAL ARTS AND TOK TEACHER

In April, we celebrated the completion of the DP arts program by the Theatre and Visual Arts students.

Family, friends and teachers gathered to enjoy the DP art show and the collaborative theatre performances. A great evening was enjoyed by all while supporting the artists, performers, and directors in our midst. We are fortunate to be in a school where the arts are fully supported by Mr. Jason McBride, Mrs. Michelle Douglas and Ms.

Stefania Iacchelli, all of whom are committed to continuing to build these wonderful programs.

Thanks to Efrain Contreras and Julian Najera for all of their work putting up the new picture rails that allowed us to hang our exhibitions efficiently. Huge appreciation also goes out to Suzanne Chow who started the DP art students on their journey last year in Grade 11 and who was thrilled for the chance to have an extended conversation with each student about their work.

We could not have hosted the night without the support of our amazing Community Development team who organized promotional posters, our exhibition booklet, and arranged for food and drink to sustain us throughout the night. Finally, thank you to the parents and families of our students who helped students put up their exhibitions and for their ongoing support of their children throughout the two years in the DP art and theatre programs.

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CELEBRATIONS! ARTS, ATHLETICS, ACADEMICS, & OTHER FUN STUFF A special congratulations to Grade 11 student, Phyllis L., who won the following awards and scholarships: Gold medal, Senior; Genome BC Award and Scholarship Nomination; Neil Towers Award for Plant Biology; UBC Science Entrance Scholarship; BC Innovation Council Young Innovator Scholarship; and the John O’Connor Award.

For his community service project, Grade 3 student, Abe G., from the collection at school, dropped off 84 pairs of socks and 23 towels to the Raincity temporary winter shelter.

Thank you to all students and their families who donated and purchased books from our annual PYP Book Table! Just over $480 worth of books have been added to our PYP Library collection!

Congratulations to Grade 10 student, Devin M., on making the Canadian Junior National Swim team!

Congratulations to the Grade 8 girls for placing third in the GVISAA playoffs! All of their hard work this season has paid off.

Congratulations to these students who participated in this year’s Sun Run. Wesley T., Adrian C., Tammy T., and Allison C. all beat their personal best, crossing the finish line for the 2.5k run at the 20-25 minute mark!

We are proud to congratulate the following Stratford students who were specially recognized at the regional science fair: Arnima S., Adam G., Harrison L., Kaden L., and Alia B.

Congratulations to Grade 3 student, Sophia J., who organized a successful book drive, donating 500 books and puzzles to the South Vancouver Neighbourhood House. Well done, Sofia!

Grade 12 students, Jennah M. and Bijhan H., each received Scouts Canada’s highest award attainable in the Venturer Scout program, the Queen’s Venturer Award.

Thank you to all families for supporting our Stratford Hall World Partnership Walk team. As a group, we had over 70 team members and raised a total of $26,000!

In fact, we were the largest school team there and had the most funds raised for a school.

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Congratulations to the following Grade 12 students who received a Dogwood scholarship: Marine B., Bijan H., Derek M., Stephanie M., Margaret O., Olivia R., Harrison L., Jennah M., and Kelsey L. Stratford Hall student, Noam, celebrated his 7th birthday and in lieu of presents, he raised $260 for the Canadian Red Cross and BC Children’s Hospital. Well done, Noam!

Congratulations to all Grade 4 and 5 students who participated in the ISABC Speaking Competition. A special congratulations to Grade 5 student, Natasha M., who won first place in the Grade 5 division.

June 2017 Congratulations to all Grade 6 students who participated in the Cariboo Math Contest.

Satakshi S. came in the top 15%!

Well done!

A huge thanks to the parents that provided invaluable assistance during Spring Reign at the food tent! Without their help this trip would not have been possible.

Congratulations to the Graduating Class of 2017!

Thank you to the families who attended Family Day. A special thanks to our wonderful parent and student volunteers. It was a wonderful afternoon had by all.

Thank you to our Stratford Hall families and staff who billeted our Ultimate Peace family. The tour was a success. If you would like to learn more on Ultimate Peace, click here. A special thanks to those who attended the Ultimate Peace fundraiser, which raised more than $3000! It was a great night had by all. If you did not get a chance to attend the fundraiser and would like to donate, please click here.

Kindie students, Silas and Mara had a joint birthday party, and instead of getting presents, they decided to make a difference by collecting money to help animals in need. Half of all the money donated from their birthdays went towards the BC SPCA. Congratulations to the Grade 8 Sabres badminton team on a strong second place finish at the GVISAA championships.

Congratulations to the following Grade 11 students on being selected as our 2017.2018 Prefects. Oliana C., Taylor G., Harrison R., Avery L.P., Jenna M., Safeena S., Jeevan D., Luca S., Zoey J., and Emilie B.

Congratulations to Aidan H. and Emily X. who have been selected to be the 2017-18 Senior Editors of the Stratford Hall Yearbook!

Congratulations to the Grade 8 Sabres Ultimate team on winning the Spring Reign Middle School B Division! Spring Reign is one of the largest coed youth ultimate tournaments in the world, celebrating youth ultimate in the Northwest!

Congratulations to the following Grade 6 and 7 students who participated in the ISABC Speaking competition: Daphne, Satakshi, Arman, Anisha , Alaana, and Sahara. Stratford Hall tied with St. George’s for best overall school.

Congratulations to Grade 4 teacher, Ms. Todd, who delivered a healthy baby boy named Micah!

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3000 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, B.C. Canada V5N 4E2 Tel. (604) 436-0608 Fax. (604) 436-0616

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