June 30, 2021
Dear SMCDSB Staff and Families,
It was November 1st when I began in my new role as the Director of Education for the wonderful Simcoe Muskoka Catholic family and it is still hard to believe everything that has happened in just eight short months.
As a school board community, as a province and as a global society we have faced many challenges this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other tragedies including the recent mass grave discoveries at residential schools. These challenges and traumas have manifested themselves differently for everyone - some people have experienced feelings of tremendous loss and grief, for others their physical or mental health has suffered and of course isolation and loneliness has impacted almost everyone at some point this year. Yet through all of this the students, staff and families at SMCDSB continued to demonstrate incredible resilience, hope and faith.
I am so grateful and blessed to serve the Simcoe Muskoka Catholic community - in the face of so much uncertainty and adversity, I witnessed daily examples of what it means to be a compassionate and faithful member of society. Time and time again, we asked our students and staff to change direction, to adapt, to transition and to make sacrifices - sometimes with very little notice and sometimes when people were dealing with other more significant challenges in their life. None of this was easy . . . but everyone delved deep and did what needed to be done with grace, kindness and care.
In September, we are sincerely hoping and praying for a more typical school year and all signs are pointing in that direction. We are looking forward to in-person connections between friends, colleagues and peers and for a return to a more full and vibrant school and work-life experience for our students and staff. We are also excited to begin next school year with a new multi-year strategic plan, which was recently approved by our Board of Trustees. At the bottom of this message you will find our new vision, mission and priorities, with more details to be shared in the fall when we officially launch our plan.
I thank you for welcoming me so warmly into your family this year and I am truly excited about what the future holds for our Catholic school communities. We continue to pray for all those who are experiencing pain and suffering and I do wish everyone a safe summer where you can enjoy the blessings and gifts around us.
Yours in Faith,
Frances Bagley
Director of Education
Vision Statement
Our Faith. Our Students. Our Future.
Mission Statement
Faithfully, inclusively and equitably, we inspire every student to realize their God-given potential.
Priority One
Fostering Well-being
A culture of spiritual, physical, social-emotional and mental wellness.
Priority Two
Strengthening Equity and Inclusion
Communities that welcome, accept and provide opportunities for everyone.
Priority Three
Nurturing Engagement and Learning
Communities who grow through partnership, innovation and continuous improvement.
Priority Four
Developing Leaders
Individuals who will shape our future.
Guiding Principle: Guided by our faith, these priorities are achieved through the effective stewardship of resources, and by consistently reviewing, revising and reporting our progress.