This final edition of E-Calls draws the 2019-2020 school year and my first year at Crofton House to a close. I have very fond memories of the warm welcome you have all shown me and my family, for which I am very grateful.

It is fair to say that this will be a year that none of us will easily forget. I want to thank students, parents and guardians, faculty and staff for all their efforts during COVID-19. Despite the challenges, when I look back I see the depth of care in our community, and its capacity for resilience, creativity, and solidarity. I hope that we can all hold on to those moments of generosity and connection as we head into the summer.

Recent global events have sparked an important conversation about how we educate students on privilege and prejudice, and about how we, as a School and as individuals, can better support Black, Indigenous and other marginalized communities and help eradicate racism and inequities in our society. This week, we opened up a dialogue with some alumnae and current students. We remain firmly committed to listening to students, staff, parents and alumnae so the School can move forward in a thoughtful and impactful way. We will share our plans to engage with our broader community in the coming months and the actions we will take based on what we learn. In the meantime, I encourage you to reach out with any questions or contributions you may have: chsconversations@croftonhouse.ca.

As we end the school year, I want to extend my deep gratitude to Lois Rowe and Susan Hutchison for their service and dedication - and my personal thanks for their extraordinary efforts in this final term.

Lois has been at Crofton House since 2016, serving as both Deputy Head and Director, Senior School. She has been responsible for implementing many school-wide strategies related to teaching and learning and teacher professional growth, provided guidance and expertise to students and colleagues alike, and established an ongoing conversation with families through her “Week at a Glance” messages. During COVID-19 and the transition to remote learning, Lois' ability to focus on both the ‘big picture’ and the organizational details have been invaluable. She will stay connected to Crofton House through September to support the return to school.

Susan has served as the Director, Junior School since 1996. Under her inspiring leadership, the Junior School has become a learning environment based on collaboration, curiosity, and choice and, inspired by her vision, it has grown to include the Early Childhood Education Centre. To honour her legacy, a series of banners with some of Susan’s most well-loved lessons, such as Be Like Bamboo, will be hung in the Junior School. Planning for The Susan Hutchison Garden - Where Plants and Animals Can Talk is also underway; this will be an interactive space where students can learn and play. We look forward to safely celebrating Susan’s retirement in the fall and wish her the very best as she takes this next step.

Looking forward, we are excited to welcome Michelle Douglas as Director, Senior School, and Maria Trolese as Assistant Director, Junior School to Crofton House - and to welcoming Wendy Macken in her new role, Director, Junior School.

In closing, I would also like to congratulate the 103 students who make up this year’s graduating class: “2020 Vision”. The resilience they have shown in the circumstances this year has presented is humbling. They have truly displayed the values of Courage, Creativity and Citizenship over these last few months. I could not be more proud of these accomplished, compassionate young women. They are, right now, our greatest hope for a better, kinder, fairer, more joyful world. I wish them every success with their future lives and I look forward to welcoming them back as alumnae to the CHS community.

I wish you a safe and happy summer break.

Celebrating the Class of "2020 Vision"

Congratulations to the Grade 12 students who graduated this week, the Class of "2020 Vision". View the highlights gallery from the Grad 2020 ceremony and celebration. A complete gallery and a recording of the ceremonies will be shared with Grade 12 families by email.

Grade 7 Final Acknowledgement and Awards

At the Grade 7 Final Acknowledgement, Grade 7 students celebrated their final year in the Junior School. View the gallery for Group 1, Group 2 and Junior School awards.

Notices

CHS Parents’ Auxiliary Used Uniform Collection

The CHS Parents’ Auxiliary is collecting used uniforms from June 15 to June 26, Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. The collection bin is located just outside the receiving area, which can be accessed through the south gate on Balaclava Street. Time to clean out those closets and clear space for next year! We are collecting everything from PE strips to blouses and sweaters; tunics, kilts, and blazers are in high demand and would be greatly appreciated. Watch your inbox for information on the date and time of our next Used Uniform sale later this summer.

Updated Uniform Shop Hours and Ordering Procedures

The Uniform Shop will be closed to in-person appointments and drop-in visits for current families over the summer. In August, families will receive detailed instructions on how to order items online with a no-contact pick-up process. This will include information on sizing and fit. Any questions on sizing or the process can be directed to uniform@croftonhouse.ca. As always, exchanges will be permitted.

As there will be limited appointments in summer due to physical distancing, these will be reserved for incoming families. In the fall, access to the Uniform Shop will be determined by what stage of the "K-12 Restart Education Plan" the province is in.

Have a great summer!