rothesay netherwood school - The Canadian Business Journal

ROTHESAY
NETHERWOOD
SCHOOL
www.rns.cc
2
CB
MUNICIPAL
Rothesay
Netherwood
School
Learning the
Rothesay way
New Brunswick’s Rothesay
Netherwood School is more than
a school—it’s a lifestyle.
4
MUNICIPAL • Rothesay Netherwood School
That was the message parlayed by Paul Kitchen,
would merge with a nearby all girls’ school, begin-
Head of School, when speaking with The Canadian
ning the co-gender education campus that still
Business Journal earlier this month. Based in
exists today. In 2011, enrollment numbers have
Rothesay, N.B., Rothesay Netherwood School
pushed to more than 250 students, with just more
accentuates not only academic excellence to its
than half of that number being boarding students.
student body, but teaches these same students to
develop as better individuals as a whole.
Its 200-acre campus is utilized by both staff
and students for both educational and recre-
An Atlantic Canadian boarding, university
ational purposes. At Rothesay Netherwood School,
preparatory school, Rothesay Netherwood School
the passion of teaching is even more so apparent
began in 1877 as a co-ed school. Over time, the
among the school’s cultural diversity. According to
school shifted to its present-day campus in 1891,
the Rothesay Netherwood’s website, the diversity
rebranding as an all boys’ school. Years later,
of cultures represented at the school creates a
Rothesay Netherwood School would no longer
sense of understanding for each student of his or
operate as a single-gender school, but rather it
her place in the global community.
JULY 2011 • The Canadian Business Journal
“Rothesay Netherwood School is a vibrant and
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boarding school himself, Kitchen understands
dynamic community. We encourage our students,
and appreciates the value of such an educational
faculty, and parents to involve themselves in all
atmosphere. Away from the classroom, Kitchen
aspects of school life. Our school community be-
also emphasizes the importance of one’s charac-
comes stronger through our interaction and con-
ter, full believing Rothesay Netherwood School has
tributions, and we all benefit as the school contin-
embodied this extracurricular spirit.
ues to improve,” reads the website.
“Mutual support and dignity is a crucial issue,
so we’ve focused on that with a consistent phi-
Embracing the Rothesay lifestyle
Head of School at Rothesay Netherwood since
losophy over 25 years,” Kitchen stated.
“No one has a program quite like us. There
1987, Kitchen leads by example, clearly believ-
is a warmth and atmosphere and that creates
ing that Rothesay Netherwood School and its
that sense of community. I hope we’re more
Atlantic Canadian atmosphere provides plenty
successful than most, but I also think we put a
of advantages to students. A former student of
disproportional amount of effort into it,” Kitchen
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MUNICIPAL • Rothesay Netherwood School
JULY 2011 • The Canadian Business Journal
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breathes its core values, embracing both lifestyle
and community.
“We are a school that works very hard. Every
student is involved in the international baccalaureate program, which creates an extraordinary academic commitment,” Kitchen summarized. “There
is a huge commitment from everyone involved to
make it all work.”
International exposure and extracurricular
commitment
Today, about 25 per cent of the students at Rothe-
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said, adding that about 80 per cent of the
say Netherwood School are international, making
up 10 per cent of the student population.
“I think it’s healthy and it contributes to what
school’s faculty lives on campus, a sign of the
our students see as the world, having someone
total commitment to both education and lifestyle
from Germany, or Korea, or China as your neigh-
provided at Rothesay Netherwood School. As
bour is a pretty healthy and positive thing. We’re
such, the high ratio of faculty to students at
fortunate to have this flavour, but it doesn’t domi-
Rothesay Netherwood School creates a system of
nate our Atlantic Canadian atmosphere,” Kitchen
interaction and support. The faculty at Rothesay
said. “We hope we are very much exclusive of
Netherwood School commits to more than
everyone, embracing the community.”
teaching, but rather a way of life.
“This isn’t a job you drive into. Any human
Additionally, Rothesay Netherwood School is
a member of the Round Square, an organization
being who chooses to live with 250 teenagers is
of international schools from around the world
probably nuts,” Kitchen joked, “but we’re all com-
which arranges many trips and exchanges with
mitted to that same sense of wellbeing and help-
Rothesay Netherwood’s global partners. This
ing the students in our school to grow.”
serves as a primary example of the difference
Rothesay Netherwood School lives and
between a typical boarding school and Rothesay
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MUNICIPAL • Rothesay Netherwood School
JULY 2011 • The Canadian Business Journal
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Netherwood School, illustrating its commitment
way we operate. All the awards at are school are
to its extracurricular programs, involving daily
designed through effort, never through academic
participation, whether it is in an athletic form, or
marks. These are the cornerstone values we oper-
a musical form, or more.
ate with on a day-to-day basis.”
Next year, Rothesay Netherwood School will
Rothesay’s golden rule
celebrate its 135th anniversary. With such a
Understandably the golden rule at Rothesay
celebration, the school recognizes its growth and
Netherwood School is that each and every
plans to continue moving forward, believing that
student must treat his or her peers with dignity
Rothesay Netherwood School of 2015 needs to be
and respect.
different than its present day version. The school
“I don’t care if it’s the person who serves
French fries, or the person who cuts grass, or
must adapt to the student of 2015.
“A successful boarding school has to continu-
the person who teaches, you still treat them with
ally revamp its programs to be relevant for the
dignity and respect, and if you can’t do that, you
students of today and that is one of the remark-
can’t be part of this community,” Kitchen said.
able things about Rothesay Netherwood School,”
The second golden rule is that students
Kitchen said. “We hope people can attend Rothe-
must perform their best, with all effort, at what-
say and get that opportunity to grow. We hope
ever they do.
the school is here for another 135 years to serve
“If you’re not willing to work hard and do the
Atlantic Canadians and teach those young people
best you can at math or chemistry or singing in the
the values. Our plan is to keep the school in this
choir, then again, you can’t be part of this school.”
mode of continuous improvement.” CB
According to Kitchen, Rothesay Netherwood
School defines excellence as a student who
makes the most of his or her ability.
“My classic thing to parents is that if you’re an
85 per cent student in math, and you get 75 per
cent, then that’s a failure to me. But if you’re a 65
per cent student, and you get 70 per cent, that’s
excellence; that is the very definition. That’s the
www.rns.cc
AS SEEN IN THE JULY 2011 ISSUE
OF THE CANADIAN BUSINESS JOURNAL