Marcelle DeFreitas Bursary Endowment Fund

Marcelle arrived at Little Flower Academy in the summer of 2003. The school was very excited to welcome a highly respected education professional from Ontario, who had experience at two other girls' schools being the first lay head of school. In selecting Marcelle, the Board set Little Flower Academy on a path of both professionalization and modernization.

The school has come such an incredibly long way since those early days of Marcelle's leadership. Most visibly, we have a stunning new campus. Though trained in school administration and education, she worked with the Board and contractors to ably lead the school through the building process. Apart from the bricks and mortar (or reinforced re-bar and seizmic engineering), it is the evolution of our programs that best reflects her leadership. Vastly expanded co-curricular opportunities exist for our students, with an emphasis on experiental learning--whether the students are helping teach English at an orphanage in Peru or reading to an elderly lady at Balfour House. She guided us through a transformational curricular shift with the introduction of the Advanced Placement program, while maintaining a remarkably diverse course selection for a small high school.

The school had also transformed its communications to students, parents and alumnae. The alumnae program has grown by leaps and bounds. Much of the quiet behind-the-scenes administration has also been modernized, whether it is a new student information management system or the clear policy around student intake that formally embraced sibling and alumnae connections. The school has also embarked on a coordinated advancement program to ensure the school's viability and reputation for the future.

Through her unwavering integrity and sense of purpose, the school remains as closely aligned as ever to the mission and vision. One of Marcelle's favourite quotes is from Sr. Mary Providence and encapsulates her hopes for the students who attend LFA: "A woman's influence is not limited; life will be mostly what women truly wish it to be." The tradition, history and values that have made the school what it is remain our sole purpose for being. It is in this balance of moving forward while retaining our character that is the blessing of Marcelle's leadership.

Support this LFA endowment
In recognition of her leadership and commitment to the mission and vision of the school, Little Flower Academy's first named endowment has been established. The Marcelle DeFreitas Bursary Endowment Fund will provide financial aid to worthy students in perpetuity. To support this endowment, please call Ben Fitch, Director of Advancement, at 604-738-9016 ext. 104 or give securely online.