The Path of Preparation

Collingwood School's personalized education plan ensures students get exactly where they want to go

By Kimberly Rupnarain |

INFORMATIONAL SUPPLEMENT

Figuring out the future is a stressful task, especially for students trying to work out a potential career path. That’s why the staff at Collingwood School in West Vancouver have focused on helping students avoid the stress of last-minute post-secondary planning, by preparing a detailed university plan and providing individual guidance counselling throughout their time at the school. Collingwood’s executive director of advancement, Susan Hazell, says the school’s university preparation mandate was designed to let students engage in a multi-year program of university guidance, which is structured to allow them to make informed decisions about both their choice of post-secondary institution and their intended program of study.

“While introduced to university guidance initially in Grade 9, in subsequent years our four full-time professional staff continue to meet with students both individually and in small groups,” says Hazell. “Our guidance department offers multiple evening information sessions for parents and students looking to apply to Canadian, American or international post-secondary institutions. University tours are offered to students in Grades 10, 11 and 12 and provide an opportunity for students to visit a wide range of schools, meet admissions staff and benefit from the experiences of current Collingwood alumni attending these schools.”

On average, approximately 90 per cent of Collingwood students are accepted to their first choice of post-secondary school. With more than 70 organized visits to individual colleges for lunch-hour information sessions, and visits to the Canadian Universities Event and the Vancouver Area Independent Schools Fair, Collingwood ensures students are made aware of all of the options.

Additionally, Grade 12 students have a dedicated weekly class in which to work with the guidance office on their post-secondary and scholarship applications.

“With an extremely low guidance counsellor-to-student ratio, Collingwood is able to offer a personalized experience to our students,” says Hazell. “By working with our students continuously over a four-year period, counsellors are able to effectively guide students through the process of selecting university programs best suited to their individual interests and strengths.”

The individual counsel offered to students is just one of the ways Collingwood adapts to the needs of its student body. With flexible academic programs — designed for students who are pursuing highly demanding fields such as dance, hockey and figure skating — and a broad banquet of co-curricular activities such as vocal and instrumental groups, Collingwood embraces the idea that every student has an individual path.

As such, its individual learning plans cater to the needs and goals of each student. “Students learn in an environment built around the curriculum fitting the child, rather than the child fitting the curriculum,” says Hazell. “Students at all grade levels have the opportunity to build on their strengths and passions, as well as acquiring the necessary expertise to be successful in the academic arena, both at Collingwood School and beyond.”

Alumnus Takes Off

Dr. Riley Senft (’97), an alumnus of Collingwood School, recently completed a run across Canada to raise awareness for prostate cancer. Motivated by the disease’s impact on his father, grandfather and two close friends, Senft knew he had to step up and find a way to address the condition. He recalled the story of Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope, and was immediately inspired by the idea to fundraise with a run of his own, Step Into Action.

“Anytime I think of cancer and fundraising, I think of Terry Fox and his run across Canada and that was where the idea initially came from,” he says. “I wasn’t convinced at first though that it would be something that I could actually do, but the more people I talked to and the more I looked into it, the more it just seemed to be the right fit for me.”

Senft, who attended Collingwood from Grade 1 all the way through to Grade 12, recognizes how much his educational experience shaped the rest of his life.

“Collingwood had a huge impact on my life. Not only because of the strong academics that served as a springboard for the rest of my studies, but also because of the emphasis on life outside of academics in athletics, arts and service, which drove home the importance of a well-rounded education,” he says.

In addition to learning to live a life that balanced academia with athletics and service, he also took away a lesson that would later help him accomplish an extraordinary run across the country.

“The most valuable lesson I learned while at Collingwood was that if I had an idea or a dream that was really important to me, then as long as I was willing to do my best and work hard towards that goal, then I could do anything,” he says. “I really did have the feeling when I graduated from Collingwood that I was prepared for the next stage in my life and was looking forward to my next challenge.”

Senft completed his cross-Canada run from Cape Spear, N.L., to Vancouver in early October, and has already raised over $475,000 for the Vancouver Prostate Centre, with pledges still to be processed.

>> stepintoaction.ca

» For more information on Collingwood School, call 604-925-3331 or visit collingwood.org •

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