A warm welcome to the Graduating Class of 2022, the newest members of our Crofton House alumnae community! I want to start by saying that I could not be prouder of you all, not just because graduation is an achievement under any circumstances, but because of the resilience, creativity and kindness I have seen you all display in the last three unique years. I trust that you will harness the privilege of your education and the CHS values of creativity, courage and citizenship to piece together a fairer, kinder, brighter and more joyful new normal for us all. As you embark on the next chapter of your life, I encourage you to embrace your responsibility to shape the world around you with boldness and hope, and without fear. As hard as it may be, I hope you choose to do the right thing—not what is easy or convenient. And that, wherever you go, you build a community. Remember that we are here to celebrate with you, and hope you look to Crofton House School as an opportunity to lead, inspire and share your stories with the next generation of CHS students. I hope that you enjoy this, your first, edition of 1898. Ena Harrop 
Thank you to the alumnae who volunteered to support the girls this past year. This year we had a record number of alumnae volunteering their time to support Crofton House School. Seeing so many of you share your work and life experience with the girls has been genuinely inspiring. This year’s Capstone Project series did not disappoint! The Grade 12 students presented on topics ranging from the arts to STEM, and we had over 70 Capstone audience positions filled by alumnae who participated in this year’s event. While most of the Capstone event took place online, we did have the opportunity to have some in-person sessions. Prabhroop Chawla ’15 was one such alumna, coming back on campus as a Capstone volunteer for Lucy Jagger’s ’22 presentation. We were fortunate to connect with Prabhroop in person as she took a break from her graduate studies in Boston. The Capstone event continues to be a favourite event amongst alumnae, so please reach out to alumnae@croftonhouse.ca if you would like to be part of next year’s event.
Thank you, Dr. Isla Myers-Smith ’98 and Jackie Law ’13, for visiting CHS and speaking to the girls about your varied STEM careers! The students benefited tremendously and learned about two paths that STEM can take you on, from a career in ecology to software engineering for Google.
Margaret Mortifee Saby ’63 visited Ms Uyen Ta’s Advanced AP Grade 11 French class to discuss her experience living in France for the past 50 years as an artist and raising her family. Ms Mortifee Saby shared some of her work and provided the students with tips on relocating to a new country. Thank you, Margaret, for being generous with your time! The students certainly enjoyed hearing from you and asking questions en français. Alumnae, if you would like to visit campus and share a skill with the class, please let us know!
This year’s CHS Golf Classic was another successful day! Held at the University Golf Club and with dinner on campus in Manrell Hall, we raised over $200,000 for the CHS Athletics program! Shoutout to alumnae Jennifer (Connell) Fotheringham ’84, Gillian (Will) Reynolds ’90 and Monique Badun ’84 for winning Best All-around Women’s Team, and Deborah Money ’77 for winning Alumna Closest to the Pin.
It was a pleasure to recognize Mrs Susan Hutchison for her 29 years of service and leadership as Director of the Junior School. May we remember to “Be Bold” and “Choose Kindness”; After all, “words are like bubbles”–once you release them, they’re gone forever. Thank you, Mrs Hutchison, for being an exemplary educator and mentor.
Reunions are back in-person! I met with some alumnae from the Graduating Class of 1962 who had a stellar turnout of alumnae for their event. Many thanks to the reunion committee—Bunny Vagg ’62, Ina Guse ’62, Georgia MacAdams ’62, Natalie Erskine ’62 and Joanne Hutton ’62—for rallying your classmates! The event was hosted at Joanne Hutton’s home, and special attention was placed on every detail of décor, including a CHS tree! The ladies had a wonderful time laughing and chatting as though no time had passed.
It was a pleasure to host the Graduating Class of 2012 in July as they celebrated their 10-year reunion! Alumnae had great fun seeing old friends and connecting with Head of School Ena Harrop. We hope to see you back on campus again soon!
As a reminder, if your graduating year ends in a 2 or a 7, this is your milestone year to celebrate! We would be happy to help you celebrate; please reach out to us at alumnae@croftonhouse.ca or lcampbell@croftonhouse.ca. Thank you for an amazing year! Warmly, Lesley Campbell
On May 13, Crofton House hosted an alumnae versus students field hockey game–the first event of its kind in CHS history! Alumnae competed against the Crofton Falcons varsity team in a matchup on Kent Field—cheered on from the stands by parents, students, fellow alumnae, staff and community members! Over 30 current and former Crofton House athletes came to play in the match-up and enjoy a post-game BBQ in the Felix Liu Family Rose Lawn Terrace.
“It was awesome. It was great to hear the supportive communication on the team–they're having fun with it but still taking it seriously and cheering each other on. So it was a really great experience. Very humbling–I can't believe I used to be that fit!,” Lauren Taylor ’12 said post-match. Thank you to all who came to play or cheer and support this new CHS event! We look forward to seeing even more of our Crofton Falcons and their fans out on the field next year. 
This isn’t a goodbye but a ‘see you soon!’ to our Manager, School Store & Alumnae Uniform Shop, Lishe O’Kiely ’75, who is retiring this year. Lishe has a long family history with CHS, dating back to her great-aunt Annie Bell-Irving ’12 and grandmother Mary Bell-Irving ’15. Her family has played an essential role in Crofton House’s evolution, including Elizabeth (Bell-Irving) O’Kiely ’41, who authored Crofton House School: The First Ninety Years 1898 - 1988. Lishe carried on in her family’s commitment to service as an active CHS alumna volunteer and, when she was looking for a new challenge, as manager of Crofton House School’s Uniform Shop. Given Lishe’s propensity for ultra marathons, we should know by now that she is all in when she commits—she shared her humour, expertise and wit with the girls, parents and staff for 16 years! Lishe, we thank you for your years of service and know that you are looking forward to uninterrupted summers at the cabin and travel with your family. We wish you well on this new chapter in your life.
Message from Kelly (McCarthy) Eng '90, CHS Alumnae Association President Year in Review Hybrid is the new model. Local and global are now a possibility. The 2021-2022 school year has been all about restarting and refreshing for the Alumnae Association. Armed with results from the alumnae survey, alumnae discussions and feedback around CHS’s new strategic plan, we had reason to experiment, inaugurate and celebrate. Highlights While technology enables many things, it does not beat the opportunity to share in person, whether on a refreshing walk in Pacific Spirit Park, laughter over coffee and tea, or inquisitive exchanges on technologies, design or science of the future. That wasn’t more evident than the alumnae and alum mums supporting the 2022 CHS Golf Classic by baking treats for attendees and those who helped the Association to host the Mother-Daughter Tea for graduates and their mums (in person once again!) at Hycroft Manor. All of these events were possible with the help of many alumnae who came together to connect with each other and with the Crofton House community, to encourage the graduating class of 2022–Titanium ’22–onto the next phase of their lives.
The Year Ahead New committees are building around events and outreach, networking and careers, governance and communications. There will be many opportunities to contribute to or learn more about how the Association works with and for its members, who now number over 4,500 Croftonians worldwide. Social and professional opportunities to connect will be woven through in-person and virtual initiatives, enabling alumnae and current students to share and learn from each other. The School and Association are hoping to foster connections with new, recent and longer-time alumnae at different university campuses and key locations such as Vancouver Island, Toronto, New York and Hong Kong. If you are interested in hearing more, please connect with us on www.croftonconnect.ca or via email at alumnae@croftonhouse.ca.
Happy 100th birthday, Mrs Margery Kellett, who turned 100 years old this past May! Mrs Kellett was a key contributor to the life and fabric of Crofton House School as a parent, grandparent and teacher. She was first involved as a parent during the years her daughter, Rosalind Kellett ’67, was Head Girl, but her daughter’s graduation did not mark the end of Mrs Kellett’s interest in Crofton House. Mrs Kellett became a valued member of CHS staff in September 1967, teaching English. She was appointed Head of the English Department in 1970 and, for the next 11 years, oversaw Crofton House traditions such as Summer Reading, Essay Competitions, and the Palfreymen Debates. Rosalind Kellett’s daughter and Margery Kellett’s granddaughter, Naomi Adams ’00, also graduated from Crofton House and attributes her working on the Crofton Chronicle to her granny’s English teaching skills. Thank you for everything you gave us while being a parent, grandparent and working at Crofton House School. Congratulations to Amy Lo ’93 for her work as lead engineer creating the sunshield for the James Webb Telescope. The sunshield is vital for keeping the telescope’s infrared-sensing instruments at subzero temperatures as they scan the universe for new stars and galaxies, and examine the atmosphere of alien worlds for possible signs of life. Congratulations to Rebecca Marino ’08, who returned to Wimbledon to play for the second time in her tennis career! You might have seen Rebecca play in the Davis Cup this past April at the University of British Columbia, where she defeated Paula Ormaechea of Argentina 6-4 6-3. Congratulations Ambassador Aliya Mawani ’91, for being appointed as the Ambassador of Canada to the State of Kuwait! Ambassador Mawani’s appointment makes her the first Muslim woman to serve as a Canadian Ambassador abroad. Congratulations Peyton Thomas ’11 for winning the International Literacy Association Award in the category of Young Adult Fiction for his debut novel, Both Sides Now. The New York Times called Both Sides Now a young adult book to watch for, and the CBC and Globe and Mail named it one of the best young adult books of 2021.
With heavy hearts, we report that alumna Kathleen May (Ostrom) Forster ’83 passed away on June 2, 2022, after a lifelong struggle with lupus and other health conditions. On August 3, 2022, there will be a Graveside Service in North Vancouver from 1:00 - 2:00 pm at First Memorial Funeral Services, 1505 Lillooet Road, North Vancouver, BC, V7J 2J1. Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on February 11, 1965, she was raised by her loving parents, Dale Ostrom and Jean Lukianchuk, and grew up alongside her older brother Brad and younger sister Kim. She spent her formative years in California and Hawaii, and her adolescence as a boarder at Crofton House School, where she met her dearest and lifelong friend Trish Dundas ’83. Kathy graduated with honours in 1983 and studied accounting at Simon Fraser University, where she graduated with her CGA in 1997. She started K.M. Forster & Co. and built her business into a successful practice she sold in 2020. She is remembered by her clients and employees fondly. Kathleen loved puzzles and mystery novels and enjoyed music and dancing whenever she could. She was a vegetarian for over 30 years and a passionate advocate for animal rights. She was also fiercely loyal and will be remembered for her beautiful smile. She is predeceased by her mother Jean and her sister Kim and survived by her children Chelsea and Jason, her father Dale, her brother Brad and her dearest friend Trish.
With sadness, we write to inform you of the passing of Mrs Avril Abakhan, former Crofton House School teacher and coach from 1967 to 1990. Mrs Abakhan first joined the staff at Crofton House School in 1967 as a part-time field hockey coach. Her skill as a coach soon paid off as CHS won the BC High School Field Hockey Championships in 1968. In 1980, Mrs Abakhan joined CHS as a full-time staff member and became the head of the Physical Education (PE) Department. As head of the PE Department, Mrs Abakhan's enthusiasm for sports guided the program. She continued to coach field hockey, sending teams to the BC Championships on many occasions. She put together championship badminton teams along with a colleague from St. George's School and sponsored the swim team and dragon boat team. She is fondly remembered for her early morning badminton groups and her enthusiasm for folk dance displays. Mrs Abakhan will be remembered by staff and students for the warmth, enthusiasm, energy and commitment she brought to every aspect of Crofton House.
Alumnae who graduated in 2021 and earlier and who are still using their CHS email account, please be informed that as of January 2023 the account will be closed. Please feel free to email us at alumnae@croftonhouse.ca if you have any questions or if you would like to update your contact information. |
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Alumnae Relations Lesley Campbell |