Dear Parents,
As the Fall Term gives way to the festive season and we eagerly approach the holidays, we are so grateful for a wonderfully successful and productive start to our school year. Everyone has worked so hard to maintain a safe, happy, and healthy learning environment built on a foundation of gratitude, positivity, and kindness. It has been tiring and at times challenging, but everyone has risen to the occasion and all our staff and students have flourished since the return to campus. With the winter solstice now just days away, we are grateful to know that the days will soon be getting longer and that the chance to enjoy some long-awaited rest and relaxation with our family, friends and loved ones is just around the corner.
By the time we gather again in the New Year we will have navigated nearly two years of unforeseen and unprecedented challenges. A time of great uncertainty that we’ve weathered together, ultimately buoyed by a renewed sense of purpose and commitment. In fact, through this period we have experienced a profound growth in interest for our programs. Many parents are looking for more stable and secure learning opportunities for their children. The pandemic has in fact illuminated the reality that not all children in our community and across Halton region have experienced the same level of happiness and ease of transition back into classroom-based learning. Most of these families are looking for stability, attention to detail and strength of experience, the qualities of a Montessori education and the core values of a school community like ours. In short, we have a lengthy waiting list at virtually all levels of our enrollment. A waiting list that in fact rivals the scale of our total student population.
As we approach our 55th year of operation as Oakville’s third oldest independent school and our community’s original Montessori school, we are now planning the future steps essential to securing the growth and sustainability of Dearcroft’s long term path. The Covid journey upon which we have been traveling has revealed the vulnerability of all businesses and sectors in our economy including education, exposing the importance of operational efficiencies, strategic planning, and planning despite uncertainty. The word pivot, although now one we’re all likely sick of hearing, has in fact become a lexicon of everyday life.
With all these factors in mind, and after much consideration of the needs of our community, we are excited to announce that we are planning to open an additional location next September 2022, growing with our community in north Oakville.
Opening the 2022-2023 school year at Trafalgar Crossing, a beautiful and exciting new development at the SW corner of Dundas and Trafalgar, our new additional location will feature state of the art space created in partnership with the Sigma Group, one of Canada’s premier builders of hospitality space. Sigma’s founders are supporters of the Montessori model of education, and we are excited to work together to create this beautiful new learning environment, which is planned primarily to serve the needs of Toddler and Casa students.
With Dearcroft soon being able to offer quality Montessori education to more families in Oakville, we will strengthen our position as a leader in our education community, adding depth of programing and helping ensure growth of a balanced pattern of enrollment at of both our Lakeshore and new North Oakville campus.
As we move forward with the opening of the new location, we will be sure to share more details of the evolution of this exciting new project! In the meantime, on behalf of all our staff, the Phippen family and indeed all members of our school community, we wish you a truly magical holiday season. A special time of celebration, together with your family and friends. Be well, stay safe and warmest wishes for a healthy, happy, and uplifting year ahead.
Warmly,
Gord & Lynda Phippen