The end of a great year and the beginning of new adventures.

As the Head of School at a small independent school in the Annapolis Valley, I see things every day that make me proud. Our students finished the school year in great style yesterday, presenting at Horton High School's Performance Centre for the first time. I was impressed by the confidence and ease with which our students presented. From our Grade 8 masters of ceremony, to our Pre-Primaries dancing 'The Nut Song' in front of their families, our students stepped up and took this on with true Booker passion!

Performing a song as a whole school, great work Ms Sarah!

Our school goes from Pre-Primary to Grade 8 and now, 13 years in, we are starting to see students graduate who been through our whole program. This year, I said goodbye to a group of five Grade 8s as they head to high school. Two of which are skipping Grade 9 to go into the Pre-IB program in Grade 10! Our school puts emphasis on Leadership, and each of those Grade 8s demonstrated strong leadership throughout their time at our school. One student led the choreography at our annual musical, others volunteer at every event the school hosts. These students have started book clubs, initiated change through the student council, and have demonstrated a desire to succeed and improve consistently! I am so proud of the role models these students have become. The teachers confess that they have learnt so much from the students throughout our time with them. Good luck next year Grade 8s!

Grade 8 Graduates

The Grade 5 performance focused on the attribute of Bravery this year and it was well-chosen. As a small school, some of our students will leave us after Grade 5 to head to Kings Edgehill in Windsor. Ms Katherine and I decided that we needed to recognise this transition, from the end of Elementary into Middle School, with something symbolic. So this year, the Grade 5 class planted a tree together on the school campus. It shall be recognised with a plaque and each year our Grade 5 students will follow this new tradition!

Grade 5s starting a new tradition at The Booker School.

We do not give out a lot of awards at The Booker School, but we do have one that is very important to us. We have the 'Robinson Award'. Each year the teachers nominate a range of students who have demonstrated the Core Values of our school. Teachers have a chance to discuss these nominations and then the Pedagogical Leadership Team narrows it down to one. This year, our award goes to Max Wheeldon, a student who has demonstrated exemplary leadership, compassion, and resilience. Max has only been with the school for a couple of years, and while he credits the school for its positive environment and caring community, he should recognise that he has played a key role in this! Max demonstrates a desire for self-improvement and is a strong academic across all subjects. He has a strong set of values and faces challenges to these values in a very mature and levelled manner. I know I can speak for the entire teaching team when I say that we are very proud of Max and will miss his presence at the school as he heads to High School.

Max Wheeldon (G8) accepting the Robinson Award from Mr James Weekes

I have had the privilege of leading this small school for eight years now. We have been through growing pains and challenges throughout this time. I can honestly say that this was one of the most rewarding years with an incredible set of students, parents and teachers. We have seen initiatives from parents and support with a range of areas in the school. Our gardens and grounds are looking better than ever, our musical production of Beauty & The Beast Jr was one of the most professional yet, and our Board of Directors has grown in number, skill-sets and experience. I am looking forward to the future of this school as it continues to find its place in the beautiful Annapolis Valley. I am always happy to share what we do, as it is easy to talk about what you love. Please feel free to reach out and book a tour with us!

I hope everyone has a rejuvenating summer, whether that's restful, or adventurous, or a mix of both. Thank you all for being a great community. Our alumni community has just grown even stronger!

Mr James Weekes Head of School