Mission Statement

Westgate Mennonite Collegiate is a Christian school grounded in the Anabaptist tradition. It is the mission of the school to provide a well-rounded education, which will inspire and empower students to live as people of God.

Vision

As a Christian educational community within the Anabaptist Mennonite tradition, Westgate Mennonite Collegiate integrates sound academic learning with growth in character and faith, together with peacemaking and service to God and all creation. Westgate seeks to provide a quality academic education in the context of a faith community, upheld and undergirded by our Christian values. We are convinced that learning, at its best, occurs when academics are bound together with faith and positive relationships. This is the vision that has nurtured Westgate for more than 50 years.

Westgate Mennonite Collegiate will strive to:

• enable students to achieve excellence in academic studies by providing wide opportunities for study and work.
• nurture spiritual growth and stewardship through study and questioning within our Christian Studies courses, weekly chapels and Spiritual Emphasis week.
• provide creative opportunities in academic programs, music, student leadership, athletics, the arts, outdoor education, exchange and service programs.
• create an environment in which students can grow and be exposed to their world and to prepare students for congregational  involvement, Christian service and involvement in the wider world. We recognize the importance of the continued support of families and our Mennonite churches in Winnipeg in this endeavour.

Goals

Excellence in Education:

 Westgate will provide an academic environment which encourages academic excellence within the context of our Anabaptist faith. We will:

• offer a program of academic excellence recognized by both the Manitoba Ministry of Education and institutions of higher learning.
• inspire academic achievement in order to broaden, enrich and challenge students' learning and world-view.
• enrich classroom learning with diverse extra-curricular opportunities for participation and leadership development.
• enable students to weigh educational, life-style, vocational and voluntary service choices that offer healing and hope in a world of disparities.

Faith Development:

Westgate strives to provide an environment that encourages students to explore, understand and claim their own faith in Jesus Christ. Westgate will:

• partner with the families and local Mennonite Church Canada congregations in the mission of Christian education.
• teach the Bible as the story of God's relationship with us and encourage students to choose the way of Jesus in daily life.
• lead students to understand, appreciate and identify with people of faith throughout  history, with emphasis on the Anabaptist Mennonite witness of faithful discipleship and service.
• encourage students to belong to and actively participate in their local churches and provide opportunities for students to be involved in service, both locally and globally.
• equip students to discern values in the world in order to responsibly participate and lead in their church, community and global society.

Nurturing Community:

Westgate will provide a safe, nurturing community where every student is included and encouraged to explore their gifts and find places of involvement and belonging. We will:

• foster a stimulating and safe school environment where students, faculty and staff reconcile individual freedom with mutual accountability and learn a wholesome  respect for self and others.
• help to develop respectful and ethical relationships, where each person is valued and where we are accountable  for our actions, decisions and behaviours.
• encourage and affirm students to do their very best, whether in academics, leadership, service, athletics, music or the arts.
• give students the direction and the grace they need to succeed. The education of children is a shared responsibility of the school, the home and the church. Parents and teachers are partners in this endeavor and work together with mutual respect and support.

Positive Relationships Within the Local and Wider Community:

We will promote healthy relationships between Westgate and the local and wider community. To that end, the school will:

• foster opportunities for students and teachers to give back to the local community.
• inform and invite participation from the community in Westgate events.
• encourage interaction through drama, athletics, music and service.
• engage and consult the local community regarding initiatives which may impact them

Westgate will strive to instill a respect for creation and a sense of responsibility  for our time and gifts. We will:

• encourage healthy living.
• encourage global awareness, working toward fairness and equality in the world.
• teach students to be generous stewards of their time and resources, and to respect the earth and value creation.

It is well that we regularly commit this enterprise to God.