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New Parent Blog!
Brentwood College School is proud to announce our first Parent Blog Forum.
A group of our current parents will be blogging intermittently to help prospective families discover more about Brentwood by sharing personal stories, insights and advice. At Brentwood, students choose to be here; this blog, written from a parent's perspective, is designed to help families better understand the transition. If you would like to send us your own blogs and stories, please email karen.reburn@brentwood.bc.ca
Welcoming Comments at the T. Gil Bunch Performing Arts Centre, afternoon of Sept. 4, 2012
As I listened to the welcoming of new students and parents, I felt reassured and inspired. The Head Prefect Andjela S. told of her successful transitions & personal victories in her boarding school life. Her thoughtful and encouraging comments left me knowing I had made the right choice to send my child to boarding school. I felt convinced, and I hoped for that kind confidence, diplomacy, kindness & effective interpersonal style for my student.
My 16 year old is starting his 3rd great year at Brentwood College. I am so proud of him and so grateful to the school, the staff, the coaches, the friends, and the parents. I know from my own experiences that Brentwood has a wonderful support team, including the house parents and their families, the advisors, the orientation team, the student executive, the ladies in the laundry, and kitchen, the nurses, the medical team, the travel consultant, reception staff, and the grounds keepers of the beautiful fields.
When I visit the campus I am humbled by the beauty. When I toured the new Centre for the Arts and Humanities, I imagined that even I could be an artist. The rewards of boarding school life abound. The students benefit from the tripartite educational focus and are so fortunate and privileged to be immersed in the arts and music, the academic excellence, and the athletic possibilities, and all enhanced by themes of leadership, mentorship, and global cooperation. I’m sold.
As the clock was about to strike 4 p.m., on Sept. 4, we walked tentatively and with trepidation to the last house meetings before parents and students must say goodbye. A new student said, with poise and courage (the kind you use when you are trying so hard to be strong on behalf of your crumbling mother): “The other students will take care of the new students and support them.” We also reflected upon Mr. Backer’s words: “At Brentwood the older students will take care of you; it’s their job”. This young man’s mother, holding her head high, added: “At Brentwood you can reinvent yourself”, as Director of Arts, Edna Widenmaier had suggested earlier. You never know what your little life raft in life might be.
As I drove home, I sat in the driver’s seat, with my unsettled feelings. I know it’s the right choice to leave my child there, but why do I feel like this? Why am I crying in rush hour in Duncan? I reflected upon the 3 concepts that were presented by new Head of School, Bud Patel. I do trust the schooling with its academic excellence, the athletic opportunities, and the acclaimed arts and music programs, and I am hugely reassured by the university admissions track record, the leadership development, and the nurturing of fine values and relationships and with friends, instructors and staff. I trust the teachers who have proven to me that they have exceptional, almost magical talents. My boy from Parksville speaks Spanish. How did that happen? I trust the house parents who provide classy leadership and mentoring to impressionable students, and to the sometimes befuddled parents. I respect the partnership of the school with me; of the school with my child; and of my son with the world. And quite often, but not right this minute, I aspire to join with them in cultivating my son’s independence, in his thinking, actions, learning, and leadership.
By Jane M. Current Brentwood Parent.
A group of our current parents will be blogging intermittently to help prospective families discover more about Brentwood by sharing personal stories, insights and advice. At Brentwood, students choose to be here; this blog, written from a parent's perspective, is designed to help families better understand the transition. If you would like to send us your own blogs and stories, please email karen.reburn@brentwood.bc.ca
Welcoming Comments at the T. Gil Bunch Performing Arts Centre, afternoon of Sept. 4, 2012
As I listened to the welcoming of new students and parents, I felt reassured and inspired. The Head Prefect Andjela S. told of her successful transitions & personal victories in her boarding school life. Her thoughtful and encouraging comments left me knowing I had made the right choice to send my child to boarding school. I felt convinced, and I hoped for that kind confidence, diplomacy, kindness & effective interpersonal style for my student.
My 16 year old is starting his 3rd great year at Brentwood College. I am so proud of him and so grateful to the school, the staff, the coaches, the friends, and the parents. I know from my own experiences that Brentwood has a wonderful support team, including the house parents and their families, the advisors, the orientation team, the student executive, the ladies in the laundry, and kitchen, the nurses, the medical team, the travel consultant, reception staff, and the grounds keepers of the beautiful fields.
When I visit the campus I am humbled by the beauty. When I toured the new Centre for the Arts and Humanities, I imagined that even I could be an artist. The rewards of boarding school life abound. The students benefit from the tripartite educational focus and are so fortunate and privileged to be immersed in the arts and music, the academic excellence, and the athletic possibilities, and all enhanced by themes of leadership, mentorship, and global cooperation. I’m sold.
As the clock was about to strike 4 p.m., on Sept. 4, we walked tentatively and with trepidation to the last house meetings before parents and students must say goodbye. A new student said, with poise and courage (the kind you use when you are trying so hard to be strong on behalf of your crumbling mother): “The other students will take care of the new students and support them.” We also reflected upon Mr. Backer’s words: “At Brentwood the older students will take care of you; it’s their job”. This young man’s mother, holding her head high, added: “At Brentwood you can reinvent yourself”, as Director of Arts, Edna Widenmaier had suggested earlier. You never know what your little life raft in life might be.
As I drove home, I sat in the driver’s seat, with my unsettled feelings. I know it’s the right choice to leave my child there, but why do I feel like this? Why am I crying in rush hour in Duncan? I reflected upon the 3 concepts that were presented by new Head of School, Bud Patel. I do trust the schooling with its academic excellence, the athletic opportunities, and the acclaimed arts and music programs, and I am hugely reassured by the university admissions track record, the leadership development, and the nurturing of fine values and relationships and with friends, instructors and staff. I trust the teachers who have proven to me that they have exceptional, almost magical talents. My boy from Parksville speaks Spanish. How did that happen? I trust the house parents who provide classy leadership and mentoring to impressionable students, and to the sometimes befuddled parents. I respect the partnership of the school with me; of the school with my child; and of my son with the world. And quite often, but not right this minute, I aspire to join with them in cultivating my son’s independence, in his thinking, actions, learning, and leadership.
By Jane M. Current Brentwood Parent.