Dear Parents,
Franz Jagerstatter an early 20th century Austrian Farmer wrote:
“Though difficulties may still lie ahead, whoever perseveres with love, will someday find that everything has turned out for the best”
Vaughan Secondary School is a community of learners that has undergone unprecedented change over the past few years. A new Vaughan has emerged. A one time school of 1800 students, we will be less than 1000 next year. Our enrollment has decreased and has meant decreased staffing & funding as a result some of our programs have been reduced. Yet, this year’s graduating class was one of the largest Grade 12 classes in the District.
Our academic successes in Science, Math, English & the Social Sciences are being celebrated weekly on the District, Provincial, National and International stage. The level of social activism at VSS, be it Earth Charter, cultural events celebrating our diversity, fundraising organizations, or awareness campaigns by one of our numerous student groups are all proof of our Humanistic Spirit as a community.
Our Arts programs are flourishing as seen by the success of our art students at the Quest Conference, in our yearbook, and every day in our atrium. The success of our Music Program is being recognized in the community through Enrichment Band and at the Provincial and National level. Similarly the Athletics Program has not only won acclaim at all levels but has helped our students realize their potential and be recognized across the District and Province
In a time of unprecedented contraction, it is a testament to the caring & commitment of our staff that our EQAO Literacy & Math scores have risen & stabilized. Our Advanced Placement Program has increased from just over 10 classes three years ago to over 20 this year. Our communication with our parents goes beyond Parent’s Night, phone calls and report cards; monthly Improvement Reports, a regular e-bulletin, and an up to date & relevant website are the new reality. Our credit accumulation rates for our Alternative Education Students have grown 10 fold and Alt. Ed. will be a Department of 28 sections next year.
Suspension rates have fallen, our Graduation rates are steadily climbing and through the work of our ABEL Team the use of technology in the building from Smart Boards to Moodels, to video conferencing and soon airliners, is unprecedented. The work of those who have gone before is not lost or ignored. It has served as the foundation for the success stories that we have been able to realize. Look at our School Plan on our Website, you will see numerous action research projects that have been going on throughout the building. Initiatives and programs have been established or are slated to begin; all in an effort to ensure our students achieve to their potential and realize success. These successes are born from the hard work of our students and the commitment & caring of parents and staff. Staff like Ms. Anita Drosis, who has been recognized this year with the Prime Ministers Award for Excellence.
When I arrived at Vaughan Secondary School, I asked through surveys and meetings what future vision people had for Vaughan. I heard over and over again, “We want Vaughan to be a caring, inclusive & academic school with high standards”. I also shared my personal vision that Vaughan be a place where all of our students are treated as I would want My children, Our children, to be treated from a perspective of caring and love. I asked staff to treat everyone of our students as they would want their child treated. I am pleased to report to you that this shared vision of a caring community is working.
We are a new Vaughan Secondary School and will continue on that Journey together. The introduction of French Immersion in September 2009 will increase our enrollment to the point that in six years we will be home for over 1400 students. We will have entrenched the high expectations and high standards we all want as parents, community members and staff. We will have established a culture focused on professional development in order to be the very best we can be as a staff because that’s the only way our students can realize their potential and will ever become the best they can be. We will have sent into the community thousands of literate, socially aware graduates who I hope will emulate the Character Traits modeled for them by their Parents, Teachers and Staff, to become the caring, committed, productive and self fulfilled citizens they can be.
Our code of conduct, “DREAMS” taken from our school motto, “Turing Dreams Into Action” exemplifies the character traits an ideal person should embody. Dedication / Respect / Empathy / Achievement / Moral Purpose and a focus on Success; at Vaughan it’s the way we conduct business on a daily basis. The extent of the changes at VSS, both completed and those pending serve as a reminder that in life “Adaptability truly is Resilience”.
Chris Sarellas,
Principal
Vaughan Secondary School
