Building Excellence Campaign Newsletter

CAMPAIGN NEWSLETTER

April 2013

CONSTRUCTION CONTINUES TO BUILD MOMENTUM

Great progress continues to be made with the construction site at Morven changing daily! While the school was enjoying Spring Break our construction workers were busy each day, rain or shine.

As we watch the new school being built up, we are also witnessing the 'de-construction' of our 'old' gymnasium! Heatherbrae, our construction company, has been working diligently over the March Break to transform our old gym and incorporate it into the new building plan. The project continues on schedule, with a focus to ensure that disruption to our students and teachers is at an absolute minimum.

THE GALA AND THE CAMPAIGN

As you may know from the invitations mailed in February and recent promotions, Parents' Council's signature fundraising event, Gala 2013, is being held on Saturday April 20th. While you may be familiar with Collingwood's Gala event, you may have questions about the relationship between the Gala and the Capital Campaign.

The Gala has been a key fundraising event for Collingwood since our inception. Funds raised each year by the Gala have provided to our programs additional enrichment not covered by tuition fees. The Gala has always been a terrific party and a terrific resource for Collingwood!

Building Excellence: The Campaign for Collingwood is focussed on the redevelopment project at the Morven Campus. The funds raised from our Capital Campaign go directly to supporting the building of the new school and will have a profound impact on the future of Collingwood School. Gifts to a Capital Campaign are significant gifts, proportionate to a family's means, over and above a family's annual contribution. In the case of Collingwood's campaign, gifts can be pledged over a period of three years.

WHO ARE THE CAMPAIGN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE?

We have a dedicated team of volunteers reflecting the Collingwood community - present parents, past parents, and alumni. We are grateful to these individuals - their time and support to this transformative campaign are truly inspiring.

CECPhotos

To learn more about each member of our CEC please click here.

THE GONG FAMILY GRADE 7 SCIENCE CLASSROOM

Gong Family

Xiang Xue Gong, his wife, Shu Li Zhang and their two children, Kate and Andy are a brand new family to the Collingwood community this year, having moved to Vancouver from China last summer. Their daughter Kate was accepted into Grade 7 and their son Andy was accepted into Kindergarten this past September. Both Kate and Andy are thriving and Xiang Xue and Shu Li couldn't be more pleased.

When asked what Collingwood means to them, Xiang Xue and Shu Li said "Collingwood is our second family. Our children are very happy and are learning so much".

They heard about the plans for the new Morven Campus and Building Excellence: The Campaign for Collingwood and felt that it was important for their family to support the campaign. "We feel that the best educational environment will motivate students to learn and better prepare them for the future. Since Collingwood is our second family, it is our responsibility and duty to contribute and make everyone in the family happy and successful".

They can see that the new Morven will benefit their children and so many other children "with a modern and future-oriented environment that will not only help students to be more interested in what they learn, but will also improve the quality of learning and how well they will be prepared for post-secondary opportunities".

The Gongs, together with Kelly Che (Director of Canada AEG Education Services Centre Inc.) who assisted with translation, met with Headmaster Rodger Wright and Executive Director of Advancement Susan Hazell earlier this year to learn more about the project and the campaign and how they could help. We are extremely grateful to the Gongs for their commitment to Collingwood and their generous support of the campaign.

For a Mandarin translation of this article, please click here.