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One week from today, we will mark the official completion of the academic year for the students and teachers of Matthews Hall. For decades, these traditional Closing Exercises have taken place in downtown London at St. Paul’s Cathedral (SPC) – the original home and starting place of our 104-year-old school. Generations of students and parents have gathered there to bring to a close the efforts and accomplishments of a year of learning. It is a fitting place for such an occasion because this special place honours our School’s past, respects its present, and looks forward to its future with confidence, inclusion, optimism. After a two-year “pandemic hiatus”, we are looking forward to gathering with you again and grateful to the St. Paul’s Cathedral community for sharing their church and grounds with us, as we celebrate another year at the school founded by Miss Kate Matthews.
Next week will be a busy one and we will need your help to keep everything running smoothly. Please review the schedule for the week for details about how to participate and join us for each special event. After graduation for the Class of 2022 on Monday night , the week will build to a crescendo as we look forward to Friday evening downtown. Please be sure to anticipate the challenges with parking, traffic, and road repair, as you plan your arrival next Friday evening. A downtown special event in the summer always has its unique complications.
For many students and families, this year’s Closing Exercises may be a new experience! Students and teachers will be taking some time throughout the week and on Friday morning next week to rehearse and work through all the details to help things go smoothly that evening. If you have any questions, please contact the office during the week and we will happily assist you.
The main thing to remember about the last week of school is that it is meant to be a time to celebrate our students and our community. As the teachers of your children, it is an important opportunity for us to reflect on the year – especially after all that we have been through. The ups and downs of a “pandemic lifestyle” have demanded many adaptations that have not always been easy on our teachers or school families. With a near-normal end in sight, it offers all of us a chance to imagine a new start when classes begin again in September.
It goes without saying that the next few months will not be quiet ones at Matthews Hall. Our new Early Primary Learning Centre (EPLC) is rapidly approaching completion and we are so excited to launch this new and inspiring space for little children to begin the next school year. It will truly be unique – and just wait until you see the new dedicated playground for kindergarten!
And so it goes. One school year ends and another is already underway. While the surface of the water might appear calm, there continues to be a lot of kicking and paddling beneath the surface.
Thank you to all the “kickers” and “paddlers” who are already preparing everything for a successful and “normal” beginning to the 2022-2023 school year! It will be here before we know it!
Ric Anderson, Head of School