Board of Trustees

Early on in the discussions that were to become Halcyon, co-founders Achim, Julie, Pamela and I were inspired by a number of overlapping visions of why we needed to create Halcyon. As we reflect on our first ten years, I’d like to share with you what led me on this journey which, frankly, has become a life-defining achievement for me. I hope it has been an equally life-affirming experience for those who have become involved with Halcyon; as student, staff, parent or otherwise.

Thinking back on the early conversations, we were committed to creating an innovative, student-centred learning environment. One based on current research and modern thinking. We read books and articles, attended talks and conferences, visited other schools and were attracted to the educators who spoke of making education more relevant and innovative, such as Sugata Mitra and Sir Ken Robinson. Both of these educational leaders spoke endlessly about how student-centred learning allows students to take ownership and raises their level of engagement. That spoke to us!

Education seemed to be one of the very few sectors whose approach had barely changed in decades. Yet we all expect and want the “latest” thinking when it comes to healthcare, engineering and more. Why did society seem to accept yesteryear for education - which should be our investment in the future - when the rest of the world constantly evolves?