Rothesay Netherwood School
Encyclopedia
Rothesay Netherwood School is an Atlantic Canadian, independent day and boarding university-preparatory school
for grades 6-12 located in Rothesay
, New Brunswick
, Canada
. It has been an International Baccalaureate World School since April 2007. It is an accredited member of CESI (Canadian Educational Standards Institute), a leading member of CAIS (Canadian Association of Independent Schools), a founding member of the ACIS (Atlantic Conference of Independent Schools), a member of CIS (Conference of Independent Schools) and a member of TABS (The Association of Boarding Schools). RNS is the most recent Canadian addition to the international organization Round Square
. The current Head of School is Paul G. Kitchen (appointed 1987), with Paul McLellan and Dean Van Doleweerd as Assistant Heads of School. The school is noted for its comprehensive curriculum integrating information technology, Outward Bound
excursions, and daily participation in sports for all students.
Rothesay Netherwood School is an independent private school offering both the Canadian High School Diploma as well as the prestigious International Baccalaureate Diploma. For a number of years, the students of the graduating class have received 99% - 100% university placement. The school's campus is located on a sprawling 200 acres (809,372 m²) overlooking the Kennebecasis River
in Rothesay, New Brunswick
.
was formed in Rothesay, an affluent suburb of the prosperous city of Saint John, New Brunswick
. Originally called Thompson's School, this day school was housed upstairs in Whelpley Hall near the Rothesay train station
. In the 1880s the school was bought by George Lloyd, later leader of the group of colonists who founded the town of Lloydminster, Alberta and Bishop of Saskatchewan
, who renamed it Rothesay College for Boys.
In 1891, the school was put on firm financial footing by local prominent citizen James F. Robertson, who renamed it Rothesay Collegiate School and moved it to its present location while adding boarding facilities. Lloyd remained headmaster until 1900. In 1907 Robertson handed the school over to the Synod
of the Anglican Diocese
of Fredericton and Rev. W.R. Hibbard was appointed headmaster the following year. Dr. Hibbard was succeeded by Dr. C.H. Bonnycastle in 1938 but the school was run by his assistant, Dr J.F.L. Jackson, while Dr. Bonnycastle served as an officer in the Royal Canadian Navy
during World War II
.
In 1963, the school was incorporated and leased to an independent Board of Governors. Following Dr. Bonnycastle's retirement in 1970, a series of five headmasters presided over the school for next 17 years.
at a time when it had only nine students. One of the most important people in the school's history, Dr. Ganong purchased the facility in 1912 and built it into an internationally recognized institution of high scholastic standing. She presided over Netherwood until her retirement in 1944 when she sold the school to the Netherwood Foundation Limited. Dr. Ganong was succeeded by several headmistresses that presided for relatively short terms.
government began investing heavily in the public education system and RCS and Netherwood were subsequently challenged to maintain enrollment. In 1972 the schools formed a partnership that led to shared classes but separate campuses. Nevertheless, financial difficulties continued and were exacerbated by the lack of long-term strategy caused by a series of short-term Heads at each school. In 1984, RCS and Netherwood announced that they would both be closing. A group of parents and alumni came forward with a proposal to obtain financing and combine the two schools. The schools, now merged into RCS-Netherwood, were saved but this success came at the expense of the sacrificed Netherwood Campus.
Update: In 2009, a dining hall was added to the campus, Heritage Hall.
. The campus is situated on 200 acres (809,372 m²) of land in the Kennebecasis River
valley, with much of this space is given over to woodlands and sports fields. The campus consists of:
The school's chapel features several stained glass windows including `Resurrection of Christ`; `Virgin and Child` (1946); `Light of the World` (1945); `St. George`; `Military figure`;
and `Boy Christ in the carpenter's Shop` by Robert McCausland Limited.
In 1985, the RCS campus served as the backdrop for the William Hurt feature film "Children of a Lesser God". Many of the buildings on campus were prominently featured in the film.
school year are as follows:
All fees are quoted in Canadian Dollars (CAD)
University-preparatory school
A university-preparatory school or college-preparatory school is a secondary school, usually private, designed to prepare students for a college or university education...
for grades 6-12 located in Rothesay
Rothesay, New Brunswick
Rothesay is a Canadian town located in Kings County, New Brunswick. It is a bedroom community of Saint John along the Kennebecasis River.Located along the lower Kennebecasis River valley, Rothesay borders the city of Saint John to the southwest, and the neighbouring town of Quispamsis to the...
, New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It has been an International Baccalaureate World School since April 2007. It is an accredited member of CESI (Canadian Educational Standards Institute), a leading member of CAIS (Canadian Association of Independent Schools), a founding member of the ACIS (Atlantic Conference of Independent Schools), a member of CIS (Conference of Independent Schools) and a member of TABS (The Association of Boarding Schools). RNS is the most recent Canadian addition to the international organization Round Square
Round Square
The Round Square Conference of Schools is a worldwide association of more than 80 schools that allows students to travel between schools,tour foreign countries, involve themselves in community service and discover cultures along the way.-History:...
. The current Head of School is Paul G. Kitchen (appointed 1987), with Paul McLellan and Dean Van Doleweerd as Assistant Heads of School. The school is noted for its comprehensive curriculum integrating information technology, Outward Bound
Outward Bound
Outward Bound is an international, non-profit, independent, outdoor educationorganization with approximately 40 schools around the world and 200,000 participants per year...
excursions, and daily participation in sports for all students.
Rothesay Netherwood School is an independent private school offering both the Canadian High School Diploma as well as the prestigious International Baccalaureate Diploma. For a number of years, the students of the graduating class have received 99% - 100% university placement. The school's campus is located on a sprawling 200 acres (809,372 m²) overlooking the Kennebecasis River
Kennebecasis River
The Kennebecasis River is a tributary of the Saint John River in southern New Brunswick, Canada. The name Kennebecasis is thought to be derived from the Mi'kmaq "Kenepekachiachk", meaning "little long bay place." It runs for approximately 95 kilometres, draining an area in the Caledonia Highlands,...
in Rothesay, New Brunswick
Rothesay, New Brunswick
Rothesay is a Canadian town located in Kings County, New Brunswick. It is a bedroom community of Saint John along the Kennebecasis River.Located along the lower Kennebecasis River valley, Rothesay borders the city of Saint John to the southwest, and the neighbouring town of Quispamsis to the...
.
Introduction
Rothesay Netherwood School was originally founded in 1877 and is the result of the merger of two separate schools, Rothesay Collegiate School for boys and Netherwood School for girls. The two schools had a history of co-involvement since the 1890s and officially merged in 1984 for financial reasons. The merged school was known as Rothesay Collegiate School Netherwood until 2002 when the current name was adopted. The current campus is that of the original Rothesay Collegiate School. The campus of Netherwood School for girls was sold and developed at the time of the merger.Rothesay Collegiate School
In 1877 a co-educational school intended to prepare students for enrollment into the newly-chartered Royal Military College of CanadaRoyal Military College of Canada
The Royal Military College of Canada, RMC, or RMCC , is the military academy of the Canadian Forces, and is a degree-granting university. RMC was established in 1876. RMC is the only federal institution in Canada with degree granting powers...
was formed in Rothesay, an affluent suburb of the prosperous city of Saint John, New Brunswick
Saint John, New Brunswick
City of Saint John , or commonly Saint John, is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the first incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 74,043...
. Originally called Thompson's School, this day school was housed upstairs in Whelpley Hall near the Rothesay train station
Rothesay Railway Station (European and North American)
The Rothesay Railway Station is one of the oldest standing railway stations in Canada, built between 1858 and 1860. It is a National Historic Site located in Rothesay, New Brunswick. The building offers an example of the standard station design of its era with its wooden two storey configuration...
. In the 1880s the school was bought by George Lloyd, later leader of the group of colonists who founded the town of Lloydminster, Alberta and Bishop of Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
, who renamed it Rothesay College for Boys.
In 1891, the school was put on firm financial footing by local prominent citizen James F. Robertson, who renamed it Rothesay Collegiate School and moved it to its present location while adding boarding facilities. Lloyd remained headmaster until 1900. In 1907 Robertson handed the school over to the Synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
of the Anglican Diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
of Fredericton and Rev. W.R. Hibbard was appointed headmaster the following year. Dr. Hibbard was succeeded by Dr. C.H. Bonnycastle in 1938 but the school was run by his assistant, Dr J.F.L. Jackson, while Dr. Bonnycastle served as an officer in the Royal Canadian Navy
Royal Canadian Navy
The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
In 1963, the school was incorporated and leased to an independent Board of Governors. Following Dr. Bonnycastle's retirement in 1970, a series of five headmasters presided over the school for next 17 years.
Netherwood School
Girls were first enrolled at Thompson's School until its move in 1891. The Netherwood School for girls was founded in 1894 by Miss M. Gregory who was succeeded in 1895 by her niece, Mrs. J. Armstrong. In 1903, Miss E. Pitcher became co-principal with Dr. Susan B. GanongSusan B. Ganong
Susan Brittain Ganong B.Sc., LLD was a widely respected Canadian educator and proprietor of the Netherwood School for girls in the Province of New Brunswick....
at a time when it had only nine students. One of the most important people in the school's history, Dr. Ganong purchased the facility in 1912 and built it into an internationally recognized institution of high scholastic standing. She presided over Netherwood until her retirement in 1944 when she sold the school to the Netherwood Foundation Limited. Dr. Ganong was succeeded by several headmistresses that presided for relatively short terms.
Merger
In the 1970s the New BrunswickNew Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
government began investing heavily in the public education system and RCS and Netherwood were subsequently challenged to maintain enrollment. In 1972 the schools formed a partnership that led to shared classes but separate campuses. Nevertheless, financial difficulties continued and were exacerbated by the lack of long-term strategy caused by a series of short-term Heads at each school. In 1984, RCS and Netherwood announced that they would both be closing. A group of parents and alumni came forward with a proposal to obtain financing and combine the two schools. The schools, now merged into RCS-Netherwood, were saved but this success came at the expense of the sacrificed Netherwood Campus.
Recent years
Between 1984 and 1991 over 2 million dollars were raised in the Call to Excellence Campaign led by Jack Hickman, allowing the school to continue operation; since the end of this first campaign the school has increased its enrolment by two-and-a-half times. From 1995-1996 the Building for the Next Century Campaign led to the construction and renovation of several buildings. In June 2002 RNS's newest boys residence, Kirk House, opened. Collegiate Hall was opened in May 2005 and now houses the school's offices and conference rooms. The newest addition to RNS is 'Netherwood' House. It opened on October 4, 2006 and is the Junior Girls Residence.Update: In 2009, a dining hall was added to the campus, Heritage Hall.
Campus
Rothesay Netherwood School is located in Rothesay, New Brunswick, approximately ten minutes east of the city of Saint John, New BrunswickSaint John, New Brunswick
City of Saint John , or commonly Saint John, is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the first incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 74,043...
. The campus is situated on 200 acres (809,372 m²) of land in the Kennebecasis River
Kennebecasis River
The Kennebecasis River is a tributary of the Saint John River in southern New Brunswick, Canada. The name Kennebecasis is thought to be derived from the Mi'kmaq "Kenepekachiachk", meaning "little long bay place." It runs for approximately 95 kilometres, draining an area in the Caledonia Highlands,...
valley, with much of this space is given over to woodlands and sports fields. The campus consists of:
- Four boarding residences housing up to 140 students: Mackay House, Quinn House, Kirk House and Netherwood House;
- Thirteen houses and nine apartments for faculty;
- Heritage Hall - newest dining hall, with 3 giant projecter screens.
- South House, providing faculty offices and housing student artwork;
- Collegiate Hall, the main administration building;
- Fawcett Hall - newest library;
- The Memorial Chapel, designed by G. Ernest FairweatherG. Ernest FairweatherG. Ernest Fairweather was a prominent Saint John, New Brunswick architect. While also he built residential structures, he is best known for his commercial buildings.-Saint John:* 200 - 206 Germain Street * 114 and 116 Wentworth Street...
and F. DeLancey Robinson in 1923; - School House, with seventeen classrooms;
- Hibbard Hall (The English and Science building) with four laboratories;
- The Susan B. Ganong Theatre, with seating for 200;
- The Memorial Arena;
- The Irving Gymnasium, with regulation basketball, volleyball and badminton courts and a climbing wall;
- Five soccer and rugby fields;
- Two squash courts;
- A fitness center;
- Numerous walking trails
The school's chapel features several stained glass windows including `Resurrection of Christ`; `Virgin and Child` (1946); `Light of the World` (1945); `St. George`; `Military figure`;
and `Boy Christ in the carpenter's Shop` by Robert McCausland Limited.
In 1985, the RCS campus served as the backdrop for the William Hurt feature film "Children of a Lesser God". Many of the buildings on campus were prominently featured in the film.
School fees
Tuition fees for the 2010-2011school year are as follows:
- Day Student (Grades 6-8): $17,600
- Day Student (Grades 9-12): $18,800
- Canadian Boarding Student (Grades 6-12): $31,100
- US & Caribbean Boarding Student (Grades 6-12): $38,650
- International Boarding Student (Grades 6-12): $46,300
All fees are quoted in Canadian Dollars (CAD)
Notable alumni
- Duncan Hewitt, first Canadian shot down in World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
's Battle of BritainBattle of BritainThe Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
. - James IrvingJames IrvingJames K. Irving, OC, ONB is the eldest son of industrialist K.C. Irving. J.K., as he is normally referred to, along with his brother, Arthur, share the ownership of what is known informally as the Irving Group of Companies...
, leading member of the Irving family and head of the J.D. Irving pulp and paper and shipbuilding comglomerate. - Derek Oland, CEO and majority owner of MooseheadMooseheadMoosehead is Canada's oldest independent brewery, located in Saint John, New Brunswick. The brewery was founded in 1867 by Susannah Oland and is still operated by the Oland family, now in the sixth generation of ownership under Derek Oland...
brewery, the largest 100% Canadian-owned brewery.