House System

“Cultural pluralism is the very essence of Canadian identity.” – Pierre Trudeau

“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.” – Martin Luther King

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” – Nelson Mandela

“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” – Mahatma Gandhi

These four men, after whom the houses at Bodwell are named, embody universal values:

• Respect for the dignity of each individual,
• Social justice,
• Compassion,
• Non-violent, peaceful solutions to conflict,
• Self-discipline,
• Adherence to morals,
• Service to others,
• Cross-cultural understanding, and
• Hope for a better world.

These are the values we seek to instill and have our students emulate through our House System. Each student and staff member is placed in a “House” at Bodwell, and remains in the House until they leave. Each House has an even distribution of language groups, cultures, boys, and girls. The goals of the House System are to:

• promote healthy participation and competition in many activities,
• provide opportunities for students from all cultures to interact and collaborate in a positive, constructive manner
• to inspire students to adopt the ideals and philosophies of the people after whom the houses are named, and to lead and contribute to society in similar ways