Pastoral Care

Ask any Strathcona parent or any Strathcona student. There’s something special about this school … a warmth and friendliness that is palpable. It is a very supportive, very interconnected network of family, teachers and friends.

Pastoral Care is a cornerstone of Strathcona. All are charged with the responsibility of nurturing the students—our leaders, Chaplain, our teachers and all who assist the girls.

From humble beginnings in the mid 1920’s, Strathcona has developed the character of a “family school”, and this ethos is very much alive and well today. The considerable growth of the school in recent years has not diminished our teachers’ commitment to knowing all the girls well, and the close-knit school community is as strong as ever.

Pastoral care at Strathcona is designed to develop self-esteem in our students, to encourage the girls to participate, become part of a team and to take on leadership roles. Ultimately, it is about valuing and respecting each student…nurturing her confidence and giving her a strong sense of belonging. With our range of cross-age programs, Strathcona is an extension of the home environment. Girls are given exciting choices, encouraged to take on challenges and are provided with a support network to ensure that any concerns that they may have are resolved quickly. Such care gives them every chance of success.

Throughout her school years, each student at Strathcona is mentored to assess her specific needs. Charting the progress of the girls is more than a means of assessing academic development; it’s our way of ensuring that the personality of each girl comes to the fore. To achieve this, we rely on a talented team led by the Dean of Students, our Counsellor and our Chaplain who provide counselling when needed and are constantly in touch with the ebb and flow of school life to follow student development.

Our commitment to Pastoral Care underlies all our programs, our curriculum and co-curricular activities. Success in life is not just about giving the students the confidence to achieve academically; it’s about each girl developing her emotional intelligence—her resilience, confidence and compassion.