When considering the importance of relationships, it could be perceived that how effective a school we are at the end of the day is judged not by our many successes, but by how we handle the situations that challenge us most. Communication between all stakeholders at our school is at an all time high as we value the relationships that combine to make our community as warm and welcoming as it is. One of the joys of my role at Whitby is to talk with our students, our faculty and staff, and our parents. The strong sense of belonging and commitment that our community promotes has been highlighted through our strategic planning process.
As we face challenges, we rely on those relationships to see our way through. For one notable example, our buildings approached capacity, increased enrollment and program enhancements necessitated building four new classrooms and a new Athletics Center. The relationships with our families are providing the resources to make that happen, with the classrooms built and a shovel going in the ground for the gym expansion later this month.
In addition to philanthropy, we continue to build this sense of community by providing many opportunities for interaction both related to learning (as seen in the conferences and parent workshops) and to enjoyment (such as the Benefit and Mayfair). While we embrace digital communication in many ways, we still strive to keep sight of the power of direct face-to-face communication and the importance of developing meaningful and positive relationships between all members of our school community.
Whitby truly is a community of learners focused on providing more than just academic excellence. We want to inspire a passion for learning and empower each child to take responsibility as open-minded, principled citizens in a global community. Now that is a mission worthy of a school!