Balmoral Hall School

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Balmoral Hall School
Address
630 Westminster Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3C 3S1, Canada
Information
Principal Claire Sumerlus
School type Private all-girls school
Grades Nursery - Grade 12
Language English
Motto Meliora Petens
Seeking better things
Founded 1901
Enrollment 500
Homepage www.balmoralhall.com

Balmoral Hall School is a private school for girls in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The school is divided into three main sections, based on grade:

Contents

[edit] Mission

"Balmoral Hall School, a university preparatory school, educates, encourages and empowers young women who excel academically, possess a passion for learning, set high standards for personal achievement, and who will be self-confident leaders of tomorrow."

[edit] History

Balmoral Hall was founded in 1901 as Havergal College, located at 122 Carlton Street. The name was changed in 1917 to Rupert's Land College to end the confusion with the institution of the same name in Toronto.[2]

Sir James Aikins gave his home, known as Aikins House, to the United Church of Canada upon his death in 1929. In his will, he requested it be used as a girls' school and bestowed further funding to be used to that end. The school was named Riverbend School and opened in September 1929 at Balmoral Hall's present site.[3]

In 1950, due to declining enrollment at both schools, Rupert's Land College amalgamated with the Riverbend School at its site on Westminster Avenue. The new school was christened Balmoral Hall School, after Balmoral Castle in Scotland and classes began in September 1950 under the direction of Miss Gwedolyn Murrell-Wright.[4]

The two schools' mottos, Ad Meliora, or "To Better Things," and Alta Petens, "Seeking New Heights," were combined to form the school's new motto, Meliora Petens, which meant "Seeking Better Things."[5]

In 1955, the Senior School Wing was opened, and in 1967 the school expanded to include the Richardson Building, which housed a new gymnasium as well as new science labs and facilties.[6]

Since then, there have been several other expansions which brought new computer and science laboratories and classrooms, as well as athletic facilities, a theatre and a communications technology centre.[7]

[edit] Campus

The school is located along the banks of the Assiniboine River at 630 Westminster Avenue.

The 12-acre campus includes:

  • Library equipped with CD-ROMs, Internet, computer access to online databases and over 14,000 books
  • Internet access in all classrooms, offices and residence
  • Two computer science centres (IBM and Mac)
  • Media Technology Resource Centre (iMac)
  • Physics, Chemistry, Biology laboratories and greenhouse
  • Athletic Centre with weight room
  • Performing Arts Centre and dance studio
  • Music Room and private music lesson rooms
  • Dining Hall
  • Common Room for Senior School students
  • Aikins House residence

[edit] Residence

The residence building at Balmoral Hall has 22 apartment-style suites which can house over 55 students. There are currently around 50 international students at the school.[8]

In the past, the school has had students from across Canada and the United States, Japan, Hong Kong, China, Britain, Mexico, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Taiwan, British West Indies and Germany.[9]

[edit] Academics

Balmoral Hall School provides non-denominational education to 500 students, with class sizes ranging from 18 to 22. Balmoral's stated mission is to help "build well-balanced foundations for personal and professional success in a changing world" [10].

The academic program is an enriched form of the Manitoba curriculum. An average of 98% of Balmoral Hall graduates attend the university or college of their choice, and over 50% benefit from scholarships.[11]

Students at Balmoral Hall wear uniforms, which consist of kilts made from the MacLean Ancient Hunting tartan.[12]

[edit] Athletics

Balmoral Hall's school team is called the Blazers. [13]

The school offers such sports as:[14]

  • Hockey
  • Soccer
  • Volleyball
  • Basketball
  • Badminton
  • Curling
  • Cross-country
  • Track and field
  • Golf

As well, the school has four Houses, named Ballater, Braemar, Craig Gowan, and Glen Gairn, after the districts which surround Balmoral Castle. Each new student is assigned a House and receives a House pin. Houses compete in athletics, debating and various competitions and receive points which accumulate throughout the year. The House Trophy is presented to the winning House at the end of the year.[15]

[edit] Academy of Arts

Visual and Performing Arts has been a component of the education program at BH since its founding. With the establishment of the BH Academy of the Arts, Balmoral Hall School is the first independent school in Manitoba to provide a comprehensive musical theatre and visual arts curriculum[citation needed]. While arts programming is usually an optional, often extracurricular activity, BH is expanding course offerings in the daily timetable.

Starting in the fall of 2007, the BH Academy of the Arts will offer exploratory to advanced courses in Junior, Middle and Senior School. Studio art and multi-media courses will emphasize the applying design principles to the emotional content of artwork. Dance courses will be offered, using the Royal Academy of Dance curriculum. Multiple choirs, vocal and dance groups, annual musical theatre productions, and formal recitals will also appear. BH artists, dancers, and musicians will be offered opportunities to participate in regional and national competitions and festivals.

[edit] Notable Alumnae

[edit] References

  1. ^ About Balmoral Hall School
  2. ^ BH History
  3. ^ BH History
  4. ^ BH History
  5. ^ BH History
  6. ^ BH History
  7. ^ BH History
  8. ^ School Facts
  9. ^ School Facts
  10. ^ Advantages of attending Balmoral Hall School
  11. ^ Advantages of attending Balmoral Hall School
  12. ^ School Facts
  13. ^ Blazers Athletics
  14. ^ Blazers Athletics
  15. ^ House System
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