School Leadership

Our vision right now is to help teenagers to inspire teenagers to become leaders who figure out what they care about. The important part is then contributing back. And I think that’s where we are forcing students outside of the bubble and realizing that they have a responsibility to give back. I think when you’re surrounded by such compassionate staff that influences the students, and so they know it’s not good enough to live within your own self in your own world—you’ve got to expand your mind and give back.

This is our school, and it’s a great school because we’re all committed to making it even better—the best it can be. My time is really spent listening as much as possible—listening to students. It’s a priority for our school. It’s a real priority for me that they feel a sense of ownership. And we’ve all bought into that culture. It’s not for everyone, but it works because we’re just a tight-knit community. We say ‘Community First.’

I chose to come back and work here at Lakefield in part because of the influence that students have here, including on student discipline. We live according to our school life guide, but our students are very much part of figuring out the peer-review process, and what the consequences of actions will be. We’re a community that holds each other accountable to those high standards, and I think that it’s a safe community, in part because students are sometimes harder on each other than adults are, and they take that job really seriously.

The way leadership is structured at Lakefield is not necessarily through a "hierarchical" system like most schools. Each grade 9-11 has a “grade representative” program where 2 boarding and 2 day students get elected to represent their class, meeting regularly with the co-head students and school life team to ensure the atmosphere of the student body and overall school spirit stays high. These representatives also work with the grade 12 class through retreats and other programming to practice their leadership skills in order to prep them for greater responsibilities in grade 12.

"Respectful" was the first word that comes to my mind when I think about Lakefield. I feel like that comes from the community; that the heads of house basically support all their students and teachers support all their students. And I feel like having those opportunities to reach out to other people builds your network and how you should be presenting yourself and how you should be caring for others.

We have a house model at the school, and so I meet with students by house, and that’s something that I do throughout the year. Every fall I spend my evenings going into the houses and having snacks with them. So I get to see them in their environment. And then with our Day Students, I have them into my house for cookies and chocolate milk. And then in the winter, I have all the houses through into the living room.

We wanted to break down the obstacles that were separating the Day Students and the Boarding Students, and so with the house model, now all of the Day Students will have a spot in one of the 12 houses. That way they’re going to get the benefits. I’m coming to the end of my third year as Head of School and in my first year I saw a really big divide between Day Students and Boarding Students in the younger grades. We’re a school that’s only Grade 9 to Grade 12, and by Grade 12 you couldn’t tell the difference between Day Students and Boarding Students—but you could in the younger years. So one of our big initiatives was with a house model.

Now more than ever, I think it’s important that students have deep connections with kids from a variety of countries. The way to learn global competencies isn’t sitting in a training workshop. We’re from about 45 countries on this little campus of ours, so the more that the Day and Boarding Students can be integrated and together, I think that’s one of the huge benefits of a boarding school education. Nothing makes me happier than when I see that the kids are going to each other’s places on weekends or March Breaks or holidays. There’s a lot of that that goes on. I think that’s what we mean by ‘authentic learning.’ It’s real. This is about life—not just going to university.

We don’t avoid conflict at the school. We’ll have difficult conversations. I think there’s just a lot of trust within our community. We’re a little bit different. Because we have a house model, all of our Advisors are also tied into the house model, and I would say our parents really understand that the first point of contact is with their son or daughter’s Advisor. And those relationships are tight: they start right in Grade 9.  And so I don’t want to say we have no conflict, but I think because we establish relationships early on, and they’re real, and we have a value here where we believe that we’re co-parenting with students and parents and our staff.

Lakefield is unique because of the relationships between students and staff. Your head of house could also be your French teacher, basketball coach, and debate team leader. At this level, there is a certain amount of respect that has to be held within the different roles your teachers may play in your life at Lakefield. In the classroom environment, teachers are held to a higher standard because of the potential other relationships you have with that individual. After taking a variety of classes, both at the advanced level, academic level, and online summer programs. What I noticed is there was not a difference in the engagement teachers had in their materials between the different levels of academics I took part in. Every teacher, regardless of the subject or level, was there for their student’s success. If extra time or support was needed the teachers (without hesitation) would set aside time in their day (even if it affected their personal life) to help the student.

The size of the school has grown since I attended in 1993 but they have kept it from getting too large. The day students are really well integrated with the boarding students now and many of my daughter's best friends are day students. This was not the case when I attended LCS so they have done a great job with this! They have many spirit events and they are all part of a house (including day students) and a 'paper house' which is different from their main house. This gives them the opportunity to interact with a whole other group of kids of different age groups. The dynamic of the students seems positive to me. It's always hard for a parent to really know, but our daughter has formed a strong group of friends from on and off campus and she is thriving socially. The school and staff spend time addressing mental health and wellness within their houses and the head of school addresses the whole school about how important it is to be kind and respectful to each other.

One of the most surprising things to me about Lakefield is how involved everyone is in everything. It’s almost like no one holds a single job title. It’s not even an expectation. It’s just that everybody feels the sense that they want to have their hands in everything. They want to be a part of it. People are coaches, they’re teachers, they’re advisors, they’re tutors, they’re running partners. You kind of wear all of these different hats and everybody does it in a way that is with such ease. That’s just such a huge part of Lakefield to me—that everybody loves being a part of everything and wants to give back in all these ways.

We’re a school that does a lot for the environment, but the students felt like there were a number of areas that we could do even better. Our Co-Head Students made that their mission this year—and it was amazing. We have a program that’s committed to environmental activism called LEAF (Lakefield Environmental Action Force), and they prepared a presentation and brought it to the leadership team, so that we could do more composting and recycling in all of our twelve houses. And the students raised it, we talked about it, our students took it on, and they saw that one through.

Through meetings and discussions, even many meals shared with teachers, head of school, and counsellors, I have found respect and love for all they do for the school. Coming to Lakefield is one of the first times where I have felt and experienced a mutual-respect relationship between students and staff. They have continuously taken the time to check in with us in small groups and individually to see what they can improve on and make sure we always feel safe and heard. It is a school that truly cares about checking in with everyone and hearing about recommendations and changes that could be made and then encouraging students to be part of that change.

Trying to really take advantage of everything that the school has to offer is awesome. There’s a lot of beautiful things on this campus. The leaves are turning colours right now. It’s quite beautiful right now. What I tell my boys in Cooper House every day is to just take a deep breath. Just a deep breath. Because there’s a lot going on here, and I see them running a million miles a minute, running up and down the hallways. Taking a deep breath is also a bit of me, like, trying to manage them, but it’s also to look around at the environment that they’re in because it goes by quickly. And there’s so many incredible opportunities here.

I think we’re seeing an increased interest in mental health support, and it’s top of mind for me as we’re launching a health and wellness initiative. We have so many programs here: we’re committed to positive psychology, positive education, we’re committed to the outdoors. We have a Thrive program. Our teachers have been trained in all kinds of character education and leadership programs, and we’re going to do a big review because we just think schools can’t do that well enough.

Lakefield is the type of place where, the more you give, the more you get back; the more you join, the more you feel engaged, and so on. So in terms of the change I saw in him, it would definitely be leadership and the independence that he grew into. Living in a residential environment and being responsible for waking up, getting to places on time, completing his homework. One example would be the decision-making skills that he has developed. So, my son was a rep hockey player for the last eight years. That was our life. And then he goes to Lakefield and he phones us and says, ‘I might play basketball’. We were so surprised.  He said ‘I’ve spoken with a coach and I’ve talked to some of the seniors, and I’ve looked at the schedule, and I’ve evaluated this, and this, and this, and this—and I’m going to choose basketball’. And to watch this 13- or 14-year-old go through that decision-making process is not something I would have seen in Grade 8. I don’t know that I would have seen it if he stayed here. There was just a new level of responsibility and decision-making skills.

Lakefield College School allows the students to develop their own sense of independence all while ensuring the students are making good decisions along the way. LCS's leadership and administration team were in constant contact with the parent body. School newsletters, messages from head of school or weekly house updates from the house parents kept us in the "loop" almost daily. We had access to all levels of staff at any given time, like texting a friend. LCS has a no-tolerance mindset and is quick to discipline when required. The safety of their students is forefront always. Students are given the tools to develop a mature and responsible mindset. I appreciated LCS's approach to discipline, as a parent of a boarding student I never had to worry about his safety or actions - not once. Our son had lots of fun, will have his LCS memories forever.

I think LCS is a very innovative school. And I think the pandemic was a testament to how the school was able to pivot in short order and deliver an exceptional experience considering the massive headwind that the pandemic created as a student experience, as a faculty experience, and then just the overall complexity that the pandemic created as an environment to be able to go to school overall.

Lakefield is an inspiration. It's inspirational to see what they're doing, to see the innovation that they're trying to do, the approach that they're trying to use in developing our kids, and preparing them not just for today, but for an unknown future so that they can succeed in their own individual ways.

Starting summer, 2021, we’re going to open up the school and make it optional for students and staff to continue their studies through the summer. The school year is September to June, and the crazy thing about our school is that it’s beautiful in July and August. We have also just made a commitment to make our campus our priority.  We’re just excited about that. We’re excited about offering teenagers a more flexible learning environment—so you could take math, and then go for a sail, or go for a stand-up paddleboard, and see an eagle.

Building a strong and broader community is one of the high priorities of the LCS leadership team. In late 2021, LCS deployed a dedicated resource who can speak Chinese to strengthen the connectivity with the LCS Asia/Chinese community since most of the parents of this group of international boarding students live far away from the LCS. This is a great example that the school leadership highly values the community and broader community involvement. LCS does a lot of workshops and quite often they invite parents to join in. And there is live streaming of school events like sports games and theatre performances to allow parents to join remotely and see how their kids are performing. LCS is very good at utilizing the technology to connect with boarder community. Parents are given a lot of opportunities to support and sponsor community activities.

My first-hand experience is that involving the parents and keeping them updated about things happening in the school environment is a priority for the LCS faculty and management team. ... There were opportunities for parents to volunteer for or become involved in the new family welcome program, parent socials, teacher/staff appreciation or events hosted at the campus, such as significant sports events like Nordic Skiing competitions on the school's course. For any parent that wants to connect, there is also parents week and various information sessions to help parents better understand the best ways they can get involved. Regular newsletters for the parents also provide a wealth of information and links with opportunities to engage with the school.

This year was the first year having Anne-Marie Kee as Head of School. She has become a great part of the community almost immediately. She supports the students and staff wanting everyone to have a great experience. The administrative staff is supportive, easy to work with and has the students' and families' best interest at heart. There doesn't seem to be red tape to deal with anything and parents have access to all levels of staff and administration at all times.

As it is a boarding school many parents cannot participate. However, those close enough to volunteer are welcome to join the parent crew called the grove society that helps out with many events throughout the year. This year the head of school Anne Marie Keys invited as many parents as she could to events at her house on campus to have round table discussions about the school. The school does workshops for the students and often includes parents to join in when they are about mental health, living independently, picking universities etc. When there are school events such as sports games, plays and concerts parents are welcome to come and cheer on the students. The staff quickly get to know the parents and make you feel welcome when you come to campus or an off site event.

LCS is an elite school with an approachable and down-to-earth school leadership team. As a parent, it’s comforting to know that our son is well taken care of and to watch him consider the future with an increased sense of optimism. We pride ourselves in knowing that our values of community involvement are not only encouraged, but structured into our son’s school life. ... Through zoom calls, focus groups, forums, surveys and emails we felt included in the decision-making and path LCS was going in response to the changing world. They continuously communicated the possible directions and updated us immediately with approved changes. Should a discipline issue arise, students should expect to meet with both adults, their peers/student mentors in a “Standards Meeting”. The members of the team uphold the values of the school while having the required student perspective to help guide the student to reform. The consequences are fair and based on the school life guide which is clearly shared with frequency. Overall, the discipline model is proactive by keeping students engaged in activities and involved in a community they feel proud to be a part of.

Ms. Anne-Marie Kee, Head of the school is living on campus and she is regularly talking to students and listening to their feedback on various subjects. She is a great part of the community. In terms of communication, we feel well engaged by the school leadership and administration team (the LCS team). They provide regular school email newsletters, Zoom meetings with the head of school, and student house updates to keep the whole community updated on all levels of subjects and topics covering the school’s long-term strategic development plan to daily activities. ... The whole community and students are safe, and international students return home safely. We appreciate the LCS team’s approach to discipline, direct but responsible.

We really appreciate the communication, always on time and transparent, most important in the last couple of years given the environment. The school head makes the communication personal, with weekly emails full of content and monthly Zooms with parents (several schedule options to accommodate geographies which requires more dedication on her side). Whenever we have needed any support the response has been prompt and always positive. And whenever there has been an unexpected event, LCS has been proactive in addressing and always with a solution at hand.

We always think LCS has a very professional leadership and administration team, they use their long years of education experience to manage the school. They could respond to problems appropriately, and foster a positive school environment. They handle discipline issues fairly and judiciously. They communicate effectively with students and parents, online meetings with parents are the normal way for them to communicate with us, meanwhile, they arrange different meeting schedules for the parents from different countries because of the time difference.

Generally speaking the quality of student life at Lakefield College School is full of happiness and love. My daughter does love to go to school and is proud to be a member of the campus. The professional management team and the passional teachers and staff are trying their best to improve the quality of life of its students. They communicate with the parents and students in different ways, including inviting the parents to the campus or having the meeting online, hosting the students at Anne's home and boat to sharing the idea with each other, the school members try lots of ways to improve the quality of school life. The long history of the school and professional team make excellent school life possible and continue improving.

The school is very focused on the broader community and the parent community. We are often attending the parent meetings online as we can't participate in the meeting onsite. Anyway, the school welcomes the parents to get involved in the life of the school. One more thing: the school arranges for one Chinese teacher to service the communication between the school and the parents beside one teacher responsible for the international students. She shares lots of information in the Wechat group and also some parents would like to present their ideas and suggestions to the school management through this teacher. Sometimes the parents would like to contact the school management by email directly by themselves. I feel the school could provide more opportunities for parental involvement in the life of the school, anyway the school has done a good job in this area.

The leadership of the school is strong and dedicated. You can send a mail with any question (even a logistic one) and you get an answer within the day. The way LCS managed the pandemic rule is for us the best example of LCS fostering a positive school environment. I mean, our son did actually enjoy his quarantine, alone!!!! He got so many zoom calls from staff members or other students that were volunteering to support the quarantine kids.... that the 2 weeks of quarantine were too short! The communication is clear, transparent and very straightforward. Zoom meetings hosted by the principal are organized with all parents and this gives you a feeling of belonging, wherever you are in the world. As per the fairness and problem-solving part, it is just AMAZING. When you start LCS, every student and parent gets a value/rules booklet. These values (totally in line with society's common sense) are ruling the school. The consequences are known, and the students are aware of them, and also aware of the execution of the consequences in the case. And this is for us parents, one of the strengths of LCS. The students become responsible. You can tell so many times a teenager that its act and behavior always have consequences, but when they never see the consequences, the saying becomes a tale.

From what I can see the leadership and administration at LCS strive to be transparent. They work hard to address issues within the school community and share this with the parents as well as the students. When an incident arises, we hear about it promptly and if and when there is a mistake or an oversight, we quickly address it. Whenever I have a question for one of the staff, they respond right away and always ask if there is anything else they can do to clarify or to help. Our daughter's houseparent is great at providing newsletters with photos and updates of what they do in their house as a group. She and the Don have been very supportive, especially when our daughter was injured and needed extra attention. I also enjoy the monthly Zoom calls with the head of school and love the topics that she chooses to focus on, which are all relevant and helpful.

We live 7 hours from the school but somehow managed to be there quite often! I was able to connect with many of the day student mothers which was incredibly helpful! I have not been able to meet many other parents but look forward to the closing for that reason. There are plenty of opportunities to get involved if you live in the area or will be in the area for certain events. The school does a great job in the parent announcements to advertise opportunities for parental involvement. We loved attending the student conferences and got to meet some parents during that time. I imagine we will meet more and more parents over the years as well. There is also the opportunity to see some parent faces on the monthly Zoom with the head of school. I wonder if there might be an opportunity for parents to continue the zoom afterward to connect?