l Office of the Principal, July 9, 2010
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Dear alumna,
I am eager to share with you
some news about your alma mater. Last year, Branksome Hall was asked by the South
Korean government if we would participate in its new Jeju Global
Education City, which is being developed on Jeju Island, South Korea. It is a
national project aimed at providing world-class education in an environment
where the official language will be English.
Following extensive research, the
South Korean government identified and approached 12 top independent
schools worldwide to see if they would consider opening a school on Jeju Island. Branksome Hall is honoured to
have been selected as one of those schools.
After in-depth research, our Board of Governors recognized
that there would be significant benefits to our school in accepting the South Korean
government's invitation to open Branksome Hall Asia on Jeju Island. On July 7,
we formalized an agreement with officials from Jeju Island and plan to open the new school in September 2012.
This is really exciting news for Branksome Hall.
An international campus will be in keeping with our vision
to be globally minded and with the spirit of the International Baccalaureate
Program. We know that our graduates will proceed to post-secondary studies and
careers in a global environment. As such, increased access to international opportunities
and global understanding will only help our students in their efforts to shape
a better world.
Branksome Hall Asia will complement our existing programs
through student exchanges, residential trips,
and specialist facilities. The new campus will also allow access to a Branksome
education for students throughout Northeast Asia and other parts of the world.
Not
only will the Jeju project expand our international reputation, it will help
generate revenue for Branksome Hall in Canada. In order for our school
to continue to stay competitive in the Toronto market, we must ensure that our
facilities match the calibre of our faculty and our programs. This new project
will help with plans to enhance and update our campus in the years ahead. It is
important for you to know that Branksome Hall Asia will be guaranteed by the
South Korean government; there is no financial risk for our school.
If you
who would like to learn more about this project, I will be hosting a
reception for interested alumnae in late August at Branksome Hall. I will forward the date and
other details to you in the very near future. In the meantime, I hope that you join me, our faculty and staff in the sense
of pride that we feel over the invitation by the South Korean government and
over the promise of Branksome Hall Asia.
For your interest, coverage of the signing ceremony can be viewed on our website. There will also be more photos and coverage of this news in
the Fall 2010 issue of The READ.
Wishing you a safe and happy summer.
Sincerely,
Karen Murton
principal@branksome.on.ca
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