New Era for Brentwood College School
Yesterday, Head of School Andrea Pennells sent the following letter to all alumni, current parents, students, and staff members:
Exciting news . . .
At last Thursday’s Board of Governors meeting, we made the historic decision to establish Brentwood College as a Grade 9-12 university preparatory school. This coming school year, 2008-2009, will be our last with Grade 8 students. While we look forward to working with the thirty-eight Grade 8s already enrolled for this September, we anticipate even more their return as Grade 9s in September 2009, the first of our leading edge Foundation 9 programme. This is exciting news for our school and for future generations of Brentonians. Here are only some of the reasons why.
Starting in September 2009, our Grade 9-12 school will create a unique focus for each grade. As the new Foundation year, our Grade 9 students will develop their skills in information technology, organizational and time management, studying and test taking, debating, moral and ethical reasoning, stewardship, empathy and teamwork. While some of these skills will be honed through academics, athletics and the arts, we will create several experiential learning opportunities on and off campus, specifically designed for Grade 9 students, culminating in an all grade field trip to the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre on the west coast of Vancouver Island.
With a focus in Grade 10 on Choices, in Grade 11 on Planning for, and in Grade 12 on Transition to university and college, each year will be a distinct, but inter-connected learning experience. Grades 9 and 10 will be our main entry years, with only a very limited number of spaces available for Grade 11 and 12 students.
The Brentwood curriculum will continue to exceed B.C. Provincial graduation requirements, offer challenging Advanced Placement (first year university level) courses, and prepare our graduates for post-secondary study. At the same time, we will place increasing emphasis on curricular experiences designed to match and enhance adolescent development. Howard Gardner’s work on multiple intelligences and Daniel Goleman’s on emotional intelligence will help shape some of our curricular innovation, as will the latest research on the adolescent brain.
I will have much more to share as our plans unfold. Meanwhile, as parents, students, alumni and friends of our school, I wanted you to be among the first to know this exciting news. Of course, many outstanding American boarding schools and Canadian middle schools have already established the Grade 9-12 model. In Canada, however, I believe Brentwood is, again, at the leading edge as independent boarding school educators. In 1972, Brentwood was the first Canadian boys’ boarding school to enrol and welcome girls. Imagine the drama which attended that decision!
Our Grade 8s enrolling as members of the Class of 2013, will be a special group, the last of our five year lifers, the first, to be joined by others, of our Foundation 9 class. In September 2009, our new Dining Room/Student Services Centre will also open, and Brentwood College will become a Grade 9-12 university prep school, with a dynamic 21st century curriculum.
De manu in manum, however, we will also remain faithful to the vision and tradition of our founders. As Governor Norman Yarrow envisioned in 1923: “Right here, the leaders of tomorrow will be given their start in life.” Our century needs global citizens, stewards and leaders of integrity even more than in the past. I am confident that Brentonians will be given an even better start in a Grade 9-12 school model, and ever hopeful that our graduates will go forth as leaders who can and will and must make a difference.
Warmest regards,
Andrea Pennells
Head of School
At last Thursday’s Board of Governors meeting, we made the historic decision to establish Brentwood College as a Grade 9-12 university preparatory school. This coming school year, 2008-2009, will be our last with Grade 8 students. While we look forward to working with the thirty-eight Grade 8s already enrolled for this September, we anticipate even more their return as Grade 9s in September 2009, the first of our leading edge Foundation 9 programme. This is exciting news for our school and for future generations of Brentonians. Here are only some of the reasons why.
Starting in September 2009, our Grade 9-12 school will create a unique focus for each grade. As the new Foundation year, our Grade 9 students will develop their skills in information technology, organizational and time management, studying and test taking, debating, moral and ethical reasoning, stewardship, empathy and teamwork. While some of these skills will be honed through academics, athletics and the arts, we will create several experiential learning opportunities on and off campus, specifically designed for Grade 9 students, culminating in an all grade field trip to the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre on the west coast of Vancouver Island.
With a focus in Grade 10 on Choices, in Grade 11 on Planning for, and in Grade 12 on Transition to university and college, each year will be a distinct, but inter-connected learning experience. Grades 9 and 10 will be our main entry years, with only a very limited number of spaces available for Grade 11 and 12 students.
The Brentwood curriculum will continue to exceed B.C. Provincial graduation requirements, offer challenging Advanced Placement (first year university level) courses, and prepare our graduates for post-secondary study. At the same time, we will place increasing emphasis on curricular experiences designed to match and enhance adolescent development. Howard Gardner’s work on multiple intelligences and Daniel Goleman’s on emotional intelligence will help shape some of our curricular innovation, as will the latest research on the adolescent brain.
I will have much more to share as our plans unfold. Meanwhile, as parents, students, alumni and friends of our school, I wanted you to be among the first to know this exciting news. Of course, many outstanding American boarding schools and Canadian middle schools have already established the Grade 9-12 model. In Canada, however, I believe Brentwood is, again, at the leading edge as independent boarding school educators. In 1972, Brentwood was the first Canadian boys’ boarding school to enrol and welcome girls. Imagine the drama which attended that decision!
Our Grade 8s enrolling as members of the Class of 2013, will be a special group, the last of our five year lifers, the first, to be joined by others, of our Foundation 9 class. In September 2009, our new Dining Room/Student Services Centre will also open, and Brentwood College will become a Grade 9-12 university prep school, with a dynamic 21st century curriculum.
De manu in manum, however, we will also remain faithful to the vision and tradition of our founders. As Governor Norman Yarrow envisioned in 1923: “Right here, the leaders of tomorrow will be given their start in life.” Our century needs global citizens, stewards and leaders of integrity even more than in the past. I am confident that Brentonians will be given an even better start in a Grade 9-12 school model, and ever hopeful that our graduates will go forth as leaders who can and will and must make a difference.
Warmest regards,
Andrea Pennells
Head of School