REPORT TO THE
Community 2022-2 0 2 3 S C H O O L Y E AR
STRATHCON A-TW EED S MUIR S CHOOL (S TS ) IS MOR E TH AN A GREAT S CHOOL – STS INSPIRES JOUR N E YS THAT LEAD OUR S TUD EN TS BEYOND AN YT HI N G THEY COU LD HAVE IM AG I N E D.
T A BL E OF CO N TE NT S BOARD OF GOVERNORS
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MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD
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MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
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FINANCE REPORT
T HE JO UR NE Y
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2022-2023 R EPORT TO T H E C O M M U N I T Y
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OUR VISION
STS inspires compassionate, curious, and creative global citizens who lead with courage.
OUR MISSION
A diverse community where students pursue lives of purpose, flourishing emotionally, physically, and intellectually.
OUR MOTTO
Nil nisi optimum: Nothing but our best
OUR CORE VALUES
Curiosity... as the first step in deep learning and innovative thinking. Creativity... as an authentic and entrepreneurial expression of self in relation to problem solving. Respect... for ourselves, others, and the earth as a fundamental commitment to how we live our lives. Kindness... as the well-spring for our shared sense of belonging. Pluralism... so we are open to, respect, and engage with diversity of thoughts, feelings, and people. Humility... in order to open ourselves to life-long learning and grow as human beings. Integrity... living every day with honesty and strong moral principles. Joy... as an inner feeling that celebrates personal success, well-being, and beautiful moments. Excellence... as the outcome of giving our best every day. Resiliency... through the hard work of learning to endure challenges and become stronger.
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2 022-2023 R EPORT TO T H E C O M M U N I T Y —
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This Report to the Community highlights snapshots of our achievements in the following strategic focus areas: bold future, deep learning and engagement, enduring sense of community and belonging, and global hub in a natural setting.
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2022-2023 R EPORT TO T H E C O M M U N I T Y
REPORT TO THE
Community This report also celebrates how we live our School’s vision, mission, motto, and core values every day. This annual publication reports on the September 2022 to August 2023 school year and is distributed digitally to STS parents, alumni, parents of alumni, and current and former employees. We hope you enjoy reading it and welcome your feedback. 2 0 2 2 - 2 0 2 3 R E P O RT TO T H E C O MMU NITY
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BOARD OF
Governors
September 1, 2022 to August 31, 2023
Patrick Aherne
Dana Lougheed ʼ90
Houston Peschl
IRM Committee Chair
Board Member
Board Member
Jill Angevine
Barbara MacIntyre
Graham Richardson
Finance Committee Chair
Board Member
Board Member
Aimee-Jo Benoit ‘97
Amy Meyer
Michael Rose
Ex officio, STS Alumni Association President
Community Relations Committee Chair
Board Member
Judy Fairburn
Tom Mix
Kam Sandhar
Governance and HR Committee Chair
Board Member
Board Member
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The Board of Governors continues to focus on a proactive view to build on the proven strengths of the STS heritage and capitalize on new opportunities to develop our children as leaders, thinkers and individuals capable of taking their places in the world.
Carol Grant-Watt
Jamila Nathu
Ex officio, Head of School
Ex officio, President of POSTS
2022-2023 R EPORT TO T H E C O M M U N I T Y
Todd Worsley ʼ88 Board Chair
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MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD
Todd Worsley ’88 On behalf of the Board of Governors of Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School (STS), I am pleased to provide the Report to the Community for the 2022-2023 school year. As noted in last year’s report, the Board established clear, near-term goals for the School within our Flourish 2031 framework during the Fall of 2022, including: 1. Better utilizing our existing space and timetable to add a minimum of 40 new students over the next two school years; 2. Establishing clear financial goals for the longterm sustainability of the School; 3. Paying off the School’s approximately $3.4 million in debt; 4. Ensuring that we have a thoughtful plan for Chair, Board, and Head succession as we go forward; and 5. Establishing a process and timetable for developing a new Campus Master Plan.
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2022-2023 R EPORT TO T H E C O M M U N I T Y
I am delighted to report that we have made excellent progress toward these goals during the 2022-2023 school year. In keeping with the first of these goals, the School completed a modest refresh of the Middle School area and has experimented with new, modular, and multi-functional furniture in some of the spaces for students in Grades 7 to 9. The plan is to deploy more of this furniture during the current school year and dramatically improve the teaching and learning environment in the balance of targeted classrooms across Middle and Senior Schools. Also, this past Fall, a new “semestered” timetable was introduced for Senior School. This change significantly improves the end-of-year exam burden on our students, allows greater flexibility in scheduling, and will help to better deliver both the Alberta and IB curriculum for our students. Present STS enrollment sits at 748 students, an increase of close to 20 students compared to last year. Our Head of School, Carol Grant-Watt, and the enrollment team are working hard to continue our strong progress. During the school year, the Board of Governors approved a new operating reserve policy to help address our second goal of having more specific financial targets. This policy, codesigned by the School and the Finance and Audit Committee, is intended to ensure our financial resilience in the event of a material economic slowdown that temporarily affects enrollment or an adverse change in provincial funding that requires a period of adjustment. Further bolstering our financial resiliency, the School achieved our third goal and retired our entire $3.4 million of debt in late 2022. Our ability to do so was entirely the result of a significant gift from a generous donor – setting an example for all of us to pay it forward and invest in our School, not just for today’s students but future community members. With no debt and a healthy operating surplus, we can look to tomorrow with a very solid financial position. 9
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Our fourth goal for the year was to establish a process and timetable for a new campus master plan, and I am happy to report that the School engaged GGA Architecture to help assess our potential needs. They have completed some initial consultations with the School Board, the Foundation Board, and the School, and we expect to receive some initial feedback in the new year. We look forward to engaging our community in further conversations around STS’s future. Our final priority is an ongoing process as we appropriately prepare for the succession of our Chair, Board Members, and, one day, Head of School. This Fall, we onboarded two highly experienced and passionate Governors in current STS parents, Sheila van Horne and John Mercury, who were identified through our outreach to the STS community. We look forward to working with them to help the School achieve its vision and mission. Unfortunately, we have said goodbye to two highly valued Governors: Patrick Aherne and Tom Mix. Both have been valuable contributors to the Board and the School over their respective six and three years on the Board, and we will miss their professionalism, wise counsel, and passion for STS. Mike Rose is our new Chair of the Board of Governors following our Annual General Meeting in November, and on behalf of the Board and the entire STS community, I would like to thank Mike for taking on this important role. I also want to express my gratitude to the Board, Carol, and the faculty and staff at STS for making my tenure as Board Chair productive, purposeful and enjoyable. As Past Board Chair, I look forward to helping Mike, the Board, and the STS community. Looking ahead to 2024, the Board has once again identified a number of key priorities. These are in addition to the myriad of other workstreams that the School is consistently moving forward: hiring and retaining our best-in-class faculty and staff, seeking opportunities to add to and improve our programming, driving academic excellence, upholding our commitment to students’ physical and mental health, and providing a safe learning environment among many others. 2 0 2 2 - 2 0 2 3 R E P O RT TO T H E C O MMU NITY
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I note that, on provincial achievement tests, year-over-year academic results show STS on a clear upward trajectory, and we look forward to continued progress in the years ahead. Our four key priorities for the current school year are: 1. Continuing to work on Board effectiveness and thoughtful succession. 2. Considering new strategic options to support our Flourish 2031 plan: • Our strategic plan envisions creative collaboration with new partners, deliver broader programming, and bring more people into our community and onto our unique campus to benefit our students and long-term financial sustainability. • Our extensive summer programming and the launch of STS’s STAND program, which offers innovative, flexible learning methods, are prime examples of this focus. • During 2023-2024, we will continue investigating other options to design new programs, new experiences, and new facilities and associated revenue streams to create a Bold Future where STS is a Global Hub in a Natural Setting. 3. Providing strategic input on a new Campus Master Plan and planning related community consultations: • As noted earlier, GGA Architecture has been retained to help us think through what we might want the campus to look like – including any needs and wants we might have – as part of our strategic plan. • During the 2023-2024 school year, we look forward to creating better visibility on what that plan looks like, along with associated costs and potential funding opportunities.
M E SSA G E FR O M TH E BO AR D
4. Working collaboratively with the STS Foundation Board toward achieving our 2031 plan: • The STS Foundation has been an essential part of the STS family for over 20 years, responsibly stewarding our assets and acting as passionate ambassadors for the School. A key focus for the 2023-2024 school year is to ensure the School and the Foundation are aligned around common goals and working collaboratively in fundraising, stewardship, and advancing the STS community for the long term. We look forward to reporting to and consulting with our community as we progress towards these goals in the year ahead. In closing, I want to thank everyone in the STS community for choosing to be a part of this shared journey together. Our families have many options available when considering academic institutions, and we are deeply grateful to everyone who has chosen Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School for their child. By sharing their diverse interests, talents and accomplishments, our students are defining our School’s legacy. Sincerely,
Todd Worsley ’88 CHAIR OF THE STS BOARD OF GOVERNORS 10
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OUR DESIRE IS TO ENSURE THAT THE BOARD IS MORE INCLUSIVE AND DIVERSE AND THAT WE CONTINUALLY ADD VALUABLE SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE THAT WILL HELP THE SCHOOL IN FURTHERING ITS MISSION.
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MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
Carol Grant-Watt A tiny moment observed today, no matter how insignificant it may appear at first glance, nevertheless contains unlimited potential: both to shape our immediate future and to have a lasting positive impact for decades to come. In preparing this Report, two pillars from the Flourish 2031 strategic plan immediately came to mind: Bold Future and Deep Learning and Engagement.The first speaks to a forwardlooking, big picture ideal, and the second brings our focus back to a foundational level and a consideration of the efforts of today. While they may appear antithetical, both are essential to our success. “WHEN WE TRY TO P ICK OUT AN Y TH IN G BY ITSELF, WE FIND I T HITCHED TO EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE U NIVERSE.” - JOH N MUIR
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2022-2023 R EPORT TO T H E C O M M U N I T Y
Conservationist John Muir once wrote, “When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.” Muir’s vision helped preserve much of the North American wilderness in the latter half of the 19th century and inspired the creation of several US national parks. He had a bold idea in his lifetime and laid the groundwork for others to follow. The legacy we experience can likewise be attributed to the countless contributions made over days, weeks, and years by those who shared in a vision. Since Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School’s (STS) beginning in 1971 and dating back even further to our founder schools, our success has been due in large part to an innate ability to balance our collective everyday roles with our desired outcomes. By placing our shared journey within a larger narrative, we can truly appreciate the lasting influence today’s decisions will have on tomorrow’s students and STS as a whole. Recent years have served as a continual reminder of our school’s rich history. We’ve celebrated our landmark 50th anniversary, as well as the 75th anniversary of Speech Day – a tradition dating back to the Strathcona School for Boys (SSB). I often wonder if our predecessors at SSB and Tweedsmuir: An Academic School for Girls truly knew where their work would lead. Many of the aspects of STS we enjoy today are the result of bold initiatives followed by thousands of hours of tireless support on the part of our students, parents and guardians, teachers, staff, and community. We remember the grand ideas, but we also strive to recognize those little, interconnected pieces that transform ideas into strategies and, ultimately, beneficial outcomes. Over the past half-decade, we have already seen our efforts to promote sustainable growth, as well as a strong academic foundation, bear fruit. To this end, we have completed a Campus Master Plan audit with exceptional metrics.
Visible innovations, such as the building of our new Elementary School and Arts and Innovation Centre, as well as the modernization of our Middle School facilities, are allowing each student to learn in an environment best suited to them. The STEAM program continues to exceed our expectations, both in terms of student achievement and enthusiasm. Most notably, our new STAND hybrid school has made it possible for students requiring more flexibility to benefit from an STS education while pursuing their passions outside of school. If the STS of 2031, 2051, or 2099 is successful, and I undoubtedly believe it will be, it will owe that success to the time, hard work, and financial support put forth by our incredible school community in 2023. This is the philosophy that guides us, a philosophy not traditional but essential. We are bringing these ideas together: examining, assessing, formalizing and honing our craft as educators. The dream provides a destination, and it’s up to us to choose the route. I, for one, cannot wait to see where the road will lead from here. With this in mind, it is my honour to share the 20222023 Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School Report with the Community. As part of this year’s Report, we are pleased to launch a new Flourish 2031 digital dashboard – a living account of the many initiatives currently underway or planned for the future, all tied to our Flourish 2031 strategic framework. This intuitive, user-friendly tool allows our STS community to check in on our progress at any time, tangibly connecting you to this exciting journey we are on together. Sincerely,
Carol Grant-Watt HEAD OF SCHOOL
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Finance Report The following pages include excerpts from the Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School audited financial statements.
REVENUE The primary revenue source for the School is tuition revenue of $17.8 million and other mandatory student fees of $472,500. Alberta Education provides the School with $4.05 million. Contribution from the STS Foundation includes funds received for scholarships, bursaries, awards, and grants.
Tuition
Alternate Revenue
Government grants
Rental Revenue
Bussing fees
Amortization of deferred contribution
Sundry
Contributions
Scholarship grants/bursaries/prizes & awards
Interest
Membership
COVID-19 Revenue
EX PENSES
T HE F I N ANC E RE P OR T
The primary expenses for the School are salaries and benefits representing 57.4 percent of our total expenses followed by bussing (5 percent), plant (5 percent), amortization (5 percent), and administration (3.7 percent). During this year, $1,589,749 was awarded for scholarships, bursaries, and other student assistance.
Salaries and benefits
Advancement
Scholarship grants/bursaries/prizes & awards
Academic
Administration
Information technology
Bussing
Rent and maintenance
Plant
COVID-19 Expenses
Amortization
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STATEMENT OF F IN A N C I AL PO SI TI O N
STATEMENT OF REVENUE AND EX PEN SE S
Audited
Audited
AS AT AUGUST 31, 2023
ASSETS
2023
FOR THE YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, 2023
2022
Current assets
REVENUE
2023
2022
Tuition
17,840,379
16,950,332
Government grants
4,053,624
3,684,387
Cash
1,430,488
5,735,919
Short Term Investments
4,010,400
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Bussing
1,402,969
1,393,668
Accounts receivable
1,811,315
1,958,472
Sundry
1,364,387
985,819
Inventory
160,876
92,515
Prepaid expenses
462,541
309,087
Scholarship grants/ bursaries/prizes & awards
589,081
584,789
$7,875,580
$8,095,993
Membership
472,500
451,500
Capital assets
5,700,999
5,915,642
Alternate Revenue
563,590
403,624
Long term A/R
84,340
96,613
Rental Revenue
509,813
373,575
$13,660,919
$14,108,248
Amortization of deferred contribution
205,054
203,406
48,742
141,160
-0
63,081
170,484
30,478
$27,220,623
$25,265,819
2023
2022
Salaries and benefits
15,204,436
14,204,471
Scholarship grants/ bursaries/prizes & awards
1,589,749
1,789,478
Administration
990,657
1,145,381
Bussing
1,329,627
1,296,653
Plant
1,595,046
1,231,032
Amortization
1,345,135
1,204,963
Advancement
727,555
740,624
Academic
2,519,391
1,393,291
Information technology
557,175
506,713
Rent and maintenance
550,000
350,000
57,848
205,016
$26,466,619
$24,067,622
$754,004
$1,198,197
LIABILITIES
2023
2022
Current liabilities Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
568,349
293,346
7,864,235
9,246,079
$8,432,584
$9,539,425
Employee future benefits
1,150,000
1,189,400
Deferred contributions
782,898
943,989
$10,365,482
$11,672,814
Deferred revenue
NET ASSETS Deficit Internally restricted net assets invested in capital assets
2023
2022
(1,622,664)
(2,536,219)
4,918,101
4,971,653
$3,295,437
$2,435,434
$13,660,919
$14,108,248
Contributions COVID-19 Revenues Interest
EXPENSES
COVID-19 Expenses Excess of revenue over expenses
A copy of the complete STS audited financial statements can be obtained from the School’s Finance Office by calling 403-938-8443. 2 0 2 2 - 2 0 2 3 R E P O RT TO T H E C O MMU NITY
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