Dear Cedar Families,
With the holiday break fast approaching, the school has taken on a festive feel, thanks to parent volunteers who annually transform the Atrium into a winter wonderland. It is a reminder of the many ways our parents contribute to the Cedar experience. On that note, the PTA will hold its Annual General Meeting next Wednesday, December 9 at 7:00pm at the Tortola Sports Club. Whether you intend to run for PTA Council or not, attending this meeting will help you learn about the many ways you can help. We have been fortunate to have a committed and very positive veteran team leading the PTA in recent years. These individuals will continue to be involved, but as as their children advance through the grades I know they are keen to have parents with younger children also represented on the PTA Council. This will bring balance to the team and also ensure sustainability for the future, enabling students to continue to benefit from their good work!
Another way parents contribute each year is by serving as coaches for our football teams. Year in, year out we have an incredibly dedicated group of coaches who partner with Athletic Director John Reilly to help develop our young athletes on the pitch—both in the BVI and abroad. In November, we sent both a boys and a girls team to the Bahamas for a tournament hosted by Lyford Cay International School. It was the fourth year in a row we’ve sent a boys team, and the second year for the girls. Meanwhile we also had multiple teams of varying age levels competing in the BVIFA league, as we do each year. These are great opportunities for our students that bring important balance to our programs, and we are grateful to the coaches for making them possible.
With the holidays almost here, there is still plenty to do between now and the start of break. The coming week will see an official visit from our accrediting bodies: Council of International Schools and Middle States. Representatives will be on campus Tuesday to Thursday to meet with members of the school community and observe the school in action. The purpose of the visit is to evaluate and advise Cedar as we prepare to embark on a year-long self-study, which will usher in the next 10-year cycle of accreditation. It is all part of the ongoing process of school improvement and validation, and we look forward to welcoming the visitors this week. They will find a vibrant school community, as exhibited by the upcoming events listed below. Thank you to the many people who make it so.
Sincerely,
Scott Crawford, Director