Principals Message, 2011/12 School Year

Dear Parents,

Welcome to the 9th year for the Mediated Learning Academy. We are enjoying a successful and rewarding start to the new school year. Our Variety Child Care Centre at our annex facility is starting its second year and the Variety Learning Centre celebrates its 20th birthday this year!

As we start a new year we must remember that staff, students and parents are on this journey together. Nurturing a the whole child is complex, requiring a great many people, programs, and services specifically in place to address each child’s unique needs. Students and teachers must engage in a respectful dialogue and mutual learning experiences through Mediated Learning Interactions.

When considering the whole student there are many key pieces: a counseling department that provides supportive psychological and emotional services, an athletics department that offers physical options that meet varying interest levels and abilities, a plethora of extracurricular clubs and activities that facilitate the investigation of students’ individual interests and provides and opportunity for students to learn and socialize, specialists such as our Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Pathologists, and Physiotherapist that offer individualized treatment, and the list goes on! Indeed all programs are developed with a consideration for the overall student “wellness”.

Wellness is often defined in terms of balance: balance between school and home, work and play, stress and relaxation, academics and arts, activity and reflection. Only through giving painstaking attention to, and having an awareness of the needs of each child, in their fullest and most complete and complex expression of themselves, can wellness truly be achieved.

Our school is looking forward to a wonderful new year with continued fine arts activities from many outside performers at both of our schools as well as many wonderful anticipated field trips. We anticipate many more special events, both in and out of school, from now until the end of the year.

Please remember to look at our school calendar and parent pages, which are posted on this website, to check for important dates and date changes. Teacher assigment postings and contacts are also a useful tool.

Thank-you for your continued support!

Kathleen Jeffrey, B.A.A, B.A., M.A.

Principal

Educational Psychologist