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Where Do
We Grow
from
Here?
Canadian author, Louise Penny,
has said, “Life is change. If you
aren’t growing and evolving,
you’re standing still and the rest of
the world is surging ahead.”
It was this premise that brought “Along with opening our doors and learn our culture through
the QMS leadership team to all genders, we have been excursions and activities outside
and Board of Governors to a provided with the opportunity of the school,” explains Natalia.
strategic cross roads in 2018. to enhance our evolution in “They will develop meaningful
Their work resulted in setting academics, athletics, the arts, friendships with our students
the School on a path that has experiential learning, clubs and and be streamlined into the
shown tremendous success, sports teams,” she outlines. “In regular school year once their
ensuring we are not standing the future, we will expand our language skills have been
still—instead, positioning QMS athletics program to hopefully developed to a level that will set
at the forefront of the crowd as include mountain biking, golf, them up for success.”
the world surges forward. tennis, racquet ball, men’s The first cohort of six to eight
As we enter our second year volleyball, wrestling, Senior students for this one-year pilot
School field hockey and skiing. program is marked to open
It will be exciting!” in February 2021, with the
This growth mindset inspired second intake scheduled for
Natalia during her recruitment September 2021. “I’m excited
meetings with families around about giving families and
the world, where she saw a students the opportunity to
relatively untapped market experience Canada and our
niche—language and cultural community,” she adds. “Our
exploration. In collaboration ability to work with families on
with Head of School, David such a personal level makes
Robertson, and her Admissions us stand out. Helping them
team, they have created the achieve their dream of post-
QMS Prep Program. This secondary education in North
program is designed to prepare America is one of our goals.”
mission appropriate students Along with the QMS Prep
in Grades 8–10 who normally Program, came the launch
would not have the opportunity of a new Boarding Program
to study in Canada due to model. The updated program
with a whole-school all gender language barriers. “It will be allows for school faculty to be
population, QMS Director of outstanding for non-English embedded in the residential
Admissions, Natalia Stewart, speaking students to have a life of our young boarders as
acknowledges that continual Canadian experience at a high teachers and on-site house
recruitment growth is a direct level academic institution where parents, providing more
result of this strategic shift. they can engage in education dedicated pastoral care. “This
24 CONNECTIONS
