Speech Details Home / Speech Details

The late President Nelson Mandela stated “Education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor; that the son of a mineworker can become the head of a mine; that the child of a farm worker can become the president of a great nation”. It is against this background that the Bishop Matthew Norwood School prioritized education first above others. We believe in the principle goal of education which is to create people who are capable of doing new things, not only repeating what other generations have done. Our philosophy is to inspire all students to develop marketable 21st-century skills. These skills include reading, writing, mathematics, computer knowledge, collaboration and the integrity of being a responsible and productive citizen. Our mission is to develop young men with active and creative minds, a sense of understanding and compassion for others, and the courage to act on their beliefs. We stress the total development of each child: spiritual, moral, intellectual, social, emotional, and physical. This community school recognizes that each child is an individual; that all children are creative; that all children need to succeed. Therefore, Bishop Matthew Norwood School respects the individual needs of children; fosters a caring and creative environment; and emphasizes the social, emotional, physical, and intellectual development of each child. Bishop Norwood School's role is to help each child come into confident possession of his/her innate talents, improve the skills needed for success in secondary school, and establish values that will allow him/her to act with thoughtfulness and humanity. We are committed to ensuring learning experiences that will assist our students to achieve their greatest potential to adapt and adjust to a diverse and ever-changing society. We are dedicated to serving our students with the understanding that diversity of gender, physical or mental ability, culture, and background is the strength to be respected. Each person affiliated with our school is a valued, needed member of the Bishop Matthew Norwood Viking community. Every Viking is responsible for promoting positive learning opportunities in a coring equitable manner. This environment will enable all to develop full their academic, emotional, social and physical potential and, thus be empowered to assume responsible citizenship in our local, national and global communities. To this end, we value achievement, respect and concern for others, affiliation and pride, diversity, equity and opportunity, communication, safety and order, collaboration, responsibility and accountability, and trust as cornerstones of our learning community.