Mennonite Educational Institute
Encyclopedia
Mennonite Educational Institute (MEI) is an independent school consisting of four day schools — a preschool, elementary, middle, and secondary school — in the city of Abbotsford
, British Columbia
, Canada
. Founded in 1944 as a private high school by a group of Mennonite
churches, governance, at a board level, is provided by representatives of 14 Society churches.
The committee met with Dr. Samuel John Willis, British Columbia's long-serving Deputy Minister of Education, who pointed out the advantages of integration into the public Canadian school system for students of Mennonite origin. Eventually, however, he stated that the government had no objection to the establishment of an independent school, if three conditions were met: there would be no financial support from the government, qualified teachers must be hired, and the English language must be used. In addition, Grade 12 students would be required to write departmental examinations.
However, further obstacles surfaced. Due to wartime restrictions, no building permits
could be obtained to erect a new building. On July 3, 1944, representatives from ten churches met to discuss this. It was decided to enlarge South Abbotsford Bible School
, allowing Grades 9 and 10 to be offered in the fall. Mr. Isaak J. Dyck of Winkler, Manitoba was hired to teach at a salary of $1,500 per year. Mr. F.C. Thiessen taught as well, and served as principal for the first year.
A 26'x46' addition was hurriedly built onto the Bible School at a cost of $1,500. Churches which had pledged support were levied a $1 per member fee, thereby raising $2,300 to cover the costs of building and outfitting the school with desks, blackboards, and basic library and lab equipment. Student tuitions were set at $80.
Interest in MEI that first year exceeded expectations, with sixty students wishing to enroll. Since some Grade 11 students also wished to attend, a third teacher, Mr. H. Nikkel, was hired. However, the war intruded again, and several of the young men who had begun attending received their conscription
notices and were forced to leave.
In order to help the fledgling school get on its feet, all three teachers accepted salaries at 50-70% of those paid in the local school district. The 44 remaining students generated only $3,520 of the $4,200 required for their salaries that year. Despite such a meager beginning, the project continued to move forward.
It was assumed right from the beginning that the Bible school annex was a temporary solution, and discussions about whether the school should be located in Abbotsford or Yarrow continued. Eventually, 2 acres (8,093.7 m²) were purchased at the corner of Clearbrook and Old Yale Roads, and blueprints were drawn for a six-room school.
site, allowing the high school to expand into the entire Bible School building until the new facility was ready for occupancy.
The building period appears to have been very difficult. Some materials, such as kiln-dried lumber
, could not be obtained due to war shortages, volunteer labour (which was needed to keep the costs down) was not always readily available, and money from churches to support the project was slow coming in. Several large bank loans were necessary and anxiety about the school's future ran high. However, despite setbacks and difficulties, the building was occupied in December 1946, and grew steadily over most of the next 34 years, both in physical size and in student enrollment.
prevailed across the continent. All these reasons sparked serious debate about whether MEI should continue or whether the public system would better meet the needs of modern students.
and Grade 1. A complete elementary school opened its doors in 1997 on the Abbotsford campus, the site of a former soccer field for the secondary school, and offered Kindergarten to Grade 7. By 2003, this school had 608 students enrolled.
The new middle school had 370 students enrolled, with space available for approximately another 100 students. This addition also meant that the portable classrooms could finally be removed. With the Grade 8 classes moved into the middle school, the secondary school's enrollment has been lowered to a more manageable 635 students.
, British Columbia
, Canada
at the corner of Clearbrook and Downes Roads. The three facilities on the 18 acres (72,843.5 m²) primary Abbotsford campus offer kindergarten to Grade 12 instruction and have a total of:
’s per student operating grant from the Ministry of Education. The school receives no government funding for capital costs. Governance is provided by a board of directors, consisting of 6 executive and 15 non-executive members members elected by members of MEI's 12 supporting churches.
. Students in Grades 4, 7 and 10 exceed public and private school average results in standardized Math & Academics Reading test and in 2004, MEI graduating students were recognized as a finalist in the Fraser Institute
's recognition of Academic Excellence in the province. The school's stated commitment is "the assurance that all MEI graduates are qualified for admission into universities, colleges, technical, and Bible schools." Over 50% of MEI's students complete their year on the school's Honour Roll, and more than 2/3 of graduates move on to post-secondary institutions. The Fraser Institute's 2008 report card on school performance gave the secondary school 8.3 out of 10 and an overall ranking of 31 out of 316 schools in the province.
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49°4′34.62"N 122°20′49.09"W
Abbotsford, British Columbia
Abbotsford is a Canadian city located in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, adjacent to Greater Vancouver. It is the fifth largest municipality in British Columbia, home to 123,864 people . Its Census Metropolitan Area, which includes the District of Mission, is the 23rd largest in Canada,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, 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...
. Founded in 1944 as a private high school by a group of Mennonite
Mennonite
The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after the Frisian Menno Simons , who, through his writings, articulated and thereby formalized the teachings of earlier Swiss founders...
churches, governance, at a board level, is provided by representatives of 14 Society churches.
Beginnings
In May 1944, representatives of fourteen Mennonite churches in British Columbia were invited to a meeting to discuss starting a Mennonite high school. Support for this concept grew very slowly. Only seven churches were represented at the first meeting, and one of these was strongly opposed to the idea. However, at a second meeting on June 5, 1944, representatives from nine churches voiced their support; this group of supporters became the MEI Society churches. At this meeting, Mr. C. Toews, Mr. G. Sukkau and Mr. A. Bauman were elected to go to Victoria to present the plan to the provincial government.The committee met with Dr. Samuel John Willis, British Columbia's long-serving Deputy Minister of Education, who pointed out the advantages of integration into the public Canadian school system for students of Mennonite origin. Eventually, however, he stated that the government had no objection to the establishment of an independent school, if three conditions were met: there would be no financial support from the government, qualified teachers must be hired, and the English language must be used. In addition, Grade 12 students would be required to write departmental examinations.
However, further obstacles surfaced. Due to wartime restrictions, no building permits
Construction permit
A construction permit or building permit is a permit required in most jurisdictions for new construction, or adding on to pre-existing structures, and in some cases for major renovations. Generally, the new construction must be inspected during construction and after completion to ensure compliance...
could be obtained to erect a new building. On July 3, 1944, representatives from ten churches met to discuss this. It was decided to enlarge South Abbotsford Bible School
Bible college
Bible colleges are institutions of higher education that specialize in biblical studies. Curriculum is Bible-based and differs from that of liberal arts colleges or research universities. Bible colleges generally exclude the study of philosophy, unlike seminaries and theological colleges...
, allowing Grades 9 and 10 to be offered in the fall. Mr. Isaak J. Dyck of Winkler, Manitoba was hired to teach at a salary of $1,500 per year. Mr. F.C. Thiessen taught as well, and served as principal for the first year.
A 26'x46' addition was hurriedly built onto the Bible School at a cost of $1,500. Churches which had pledged support were levied a $1 per member fee, thereby raising $2,300 to cover the costs of building and outfitting the school with desks, blackboards, and basic library and lab equipment. Student tuitions were set at $80.
Interest in MEI that first year exceeded expectations, with sixty students wishing to enroll. Since some Grade 11 students also wished to attend, a third teacher, Mr. H. Nikkel, was hired. However, the war intruded again, and several of the young men who had begun attending received their conscription
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
notices and were forced to leave.
In order to help the fledgling school get on its feet, all three teachers accepted salaries at 50-70% of those paid in the local school district. The 44 remaining students generated only $3,520 of the $4,200 required for their salaries that year. Despite such a meager beginning, the project continued to move forward.
It was assumed right from the beginning that the Bible school annex was a temporary solution, and discussions about whether the school should be located in Abbotsford or Yarrow continued. Eventually, 2 acres (8,093.7 m²) were purchased at the corner of Clearbrook and Old Yale Roads, and blueprints were drawn for a six-room school.
New MEI Campus
It was decided that for 1946-47, South Abbotsford Bible School would move to property which had been purchased north of Clearbrook, on the present Columbia Bible CollegeColumbia Bible College (Abbotsford, British Columbia)
Columbia Bible College is an institution of higher education in Abbotsford, British Columbia. The college states that its mission is to prepare people for a life of discipleship, service and ministry...
site, allowing the high school to expand into the entire Bible School building until the new facility was ready for occupancy.
The building period appears to have been very difficult. Some materials, such as kiln-dried lumber
Lumber
Lumber or timber is wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural material for construction, or wood pulp for paper production....
, could not be obtained due to war shortages, volunteer labour (which was needed to keep the costs down) was not always readily available, and money from churches to support the project was slow coming in. Several large bank loans were necessary and anxiety about the school's future ran high. However, despite setbacks and difficulties, the building was occupied in December 1946, and grew steadily over most of the next 34 years, both in physical size and in student enrollment.
Setbacks
During the late 1960s, student enrollment dropped, largely because of reorganization in the public system which moved Grade 7 to the elementary level and Grade 13 to the college level. The Mennonite community also shifted towards greater support of public education. MEI's building was old and in need of repair, and the facilities it offered did not meet rising standards. Career-oriented course offerings in the surrounding public school district had expanded, but financial restrictions kept MEI's course offerings narrowly academic. Turmoil in the youth cultureCounterculture of the 1960s
The counterculture of the 1960s refers to a cultural movement that mainly developed in the United States and spread throughout much of the western world between 1960 and 1973. The movement gained momentum during the U.S. government's extensive military intervention in Vietnam...
prevailed across the continent. All these reasons sparked serious debate about whether MEI should continue or whether the public system would better meet the needs of modern students.
Move to Current Site
In April 1973 several concerned businessmen in the community formed a new society called "Friends of the MEI", with the goal of providing financial assistance to the school in order to expand its program offerings and to renovate or relocate the school building. For the first several years of operation, the "Friends" contributed exclusively to the school's operational budget. But discussions about moving the school to a new campus burgeoned, and in 1976, the Society resolved to begin actively searching for a possible new site. It was the vision and drive of the Friends of the MEI that provided the impetus for relocation to the present site at the corner of Clearbrook and Downes Road; the school moved in 1980. In keeping with the "tradition" of continual expansion, the new school building has already seen two additions: one at the east end in 1988, and another at the west end in 1992. These additions give the secondary school a total floor area of over 70000 square feet (6,503.2 m²).Elementary School
MEI expanded its program offerings beyond the secondary grades for the first time in 1993, with the introduction of KindergartenKindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
and Grade 1. A complete elementary school opened its doors in 1997 on the Abbotsford campus, the site of a former soccer field for the secondary school, and offered Kindergarten to Grade 7. By 2003, this school had 608 students enrolled.
Chilliwack
MEI Chilliwack, established in July, 2001, helped the Society address one of their goals for the next ten years — to build a satellite campus in that area. The Chilliwack campus was founded in 1990 and operated under the authority of Valley Christian School. In 2001, the Parent Society of financially troubled VCS released the school so that it could become part of the MEI Society. MEI Chilliwack offered Kindergarten to Grade 9; students of high school age who wished to continue their education at MEI were compelled to travel to the main campus in Abbotsford. On July 1, 2010, the Chilliwack school became independent once again, under the name of Cascade Christian School.Middle School
In 2003, construction began on a middle school on Downes Road, next to the secondary school building. In the fall of 2004, the doors to this latest addition were opened, reducing the number of students in the elementary school to 450 by limiting it to Grades K - 5.The new middle school had 370 students enrolled, with space available for approximately another 100 students. This addition also meant that the portable classrooms could finally be removed. With the Grade 8 classes moved into the middle school, the secondary school's enrollment has been lowered to a more manageable 635 students.
Campus Locations and Facilities
MEI's elementary, middle, and secondary schools are located in AbbotsfordAbbotsford, British Columbia
Abbotsford is a Canadian city located in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, adjacent to Greater Vancouver. It is the fifth largest municipality in British Columbia, home to 123,864 people . Its Census Metropolitan Area, which includes the District of Mission, is the 23rd largest in Canada,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, 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...
at the corner of Clearbrook and Downes Roads. The three facilities on the 18 acres (72,843.5 m²) primary Abbotsford campus offer kindergarten to Grade 12 instruction and have a total of:
- 4 Libraries
- 5 Science Labs
- 1 Fitness Center
- 4 Tennis Courts
- 1 Cafeteria
- 3 Double Gymnasiums
- 2 Art Studios
- 2 Counselling Areas
- 3 Music & Band Rooms
- 3 Athletic Fields
- 6 Computer Labs
- 3 Food & Textile Labs
- Tech Ed & Industrial Ed Departments
- 2 Performance Halls
- 1 Beach Volleyball Court
Independent school status and governance
MEI is classified as a Group 1 school under British Columbia's Independent School Act, and as such receives only 50% of the Abbotsford School DistrictSchool District 34 Abbotsford
School District 34 Abbotsford is a school district in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia. The district is located in the city of Abbotsford.It has seen steady growth as a result of Abbotsford's place as one of the fastest growing cities in North America....
’s per student operating grant from the Ministry of Education. The school receives no government funding for capital costs. Governance is provided by a board of directors, consisting of 6 executive and 15 non-executive members members elected by members of MEI's 12 supporting churches.
Mission and Core Values
MEI's stated mission and core values are that the school:
MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of MEI, in cooperation with the home and our supporting churches, is to equip young people to live a life of excellence through service to God's kingdom and society as faithful disciples of Christ.
MEI CORE VALUES
- MEI values its Christian foundation as understood from an evangelical Anabaptist perspective.
- MEI values a holistic educational focus aimed at educating the students as a complete person - academically, spiritually, socially, emotionally and physiclly.
- MEI values excellence and integrity in all areas of its work.
- MEI values affirmation and lutual accountability throughout the entire organization.
- MEI values fiscal responsibility in the fulfillment of its mission.
- MEI values the dignity and worth of each individual.
- MEI values its partnership with both the home and the supporting churches.
Academics
MEI has maintained a tradition of academic excellence throughout its 60-year history, consistently ranking in the top 10% of secondary schools in BC for student performance on provincial examsProvincial examinations
Provincial examinations are province-wide examinations, held in April, June, August, and January, for students between the grades of 10 to 12, most commonly known in the province of British Columbia, but also taken in other provinces in Canada. Most students write these exams in January and June,...
. Students in Grades 4, 7 and 10 exceed public and private school average results in standardized Math & Academics Reading test and in 2004, MEI graduating students were recognized as a finalist in the Fraser Institute
Fraser Institute
The Fraser Institute is a Canadian think tank. It has been described as politically conservative and right-wing libertarian and espouses free market principles...
's recognition of Academic Excellence in the province. The school's stated commitment is "the assurance that all MEI graduates are qualified for admission into universities, colleges, technical, and Bible schools." Over 50% of MEI's students complete their year on the school's Honour Roll, and more than 2/3 of graduates move on to post-secondary institutions. The Fraser Institute's 2008 report card on school performance gave the secondary school 8.3 out of 10 and an overall ranking of 31 out of 316 schools in the province.
Athletics
After adding basketball to its academic offerings in 1946, the school has attained excellence in a number of sports, hanging BC Provincial Championship Banners on the gym wall in basketball, volleyball, tennis, and golf. Individual MEI athletes have also won gold at the high school swimming and track and field championships.| Year | Sport | Team or Athlete | Provincial Rank |
| 2008-09 | Volleyball | Junior Boys | 2nd |
| Volleyball | Senior Boys | 1st | |
| Volleyball | Senior Girls | 2nd | |
| 2007-08 | Volleyball | Junior Boys | 1st |
| Volleyball | Senior Boys | 1st | |
| Tennis | Senior Boys & Girls | 3rd | |
| 2006-07 | Volleyball | Junior Boys | 2nd |
| Volleyball | Senior Boys | 1st | |
| Track & Field | Ivan Staeheli | 3rd | |
| Track & Field | Natasha Miller | 1st & 2nd | |
| Tennis | Senior Boys & Girls | 1st | |
| 2005-06 | Volleyball | Junior Boys | 1st |
| Volleyball | Junior Girls | 1st | |
| Volleyball | Senior Boys | 1st | |
| Volleyball | Senior Girls | 2nd | |
| Track & Field | Natasha Miller | 1st & 3rd | |
| Track & Field | Dave Kostelyk | 3rd | |
| Track & Field | Grade 9 Girls | 3rd | |
| 2004-05 | Volleyball | Senior Boys | 3rd |
| Volleyball | Senior Girls | 3rd | |
| Golf | Senior Boys | 1st | |
| Swimming | Senior Boys | 1st | |
| Tennis | Senior Boys & Girls | 1st | |
| 2003-04 | Volleyball | Senior Boys | 1st |
| Volleyball | Senior Girls | 2nd | |
| 2002-03 | Volleyball | Junior Boys | 3rd |
| Volleyball | Senior Girls | 3rd | |
| Volleyball | Senior Boys | 1st | |
| Basketball | Grade 8 Boys | 3rd | |
| Basketball | Junior Girls | 2nd | |
| 2001-02 | Volleyball | Junior Girls | 1st |
| Volleyball | Junior Boys | 2nd | |
| Volleyball | Senior Boys | 1st | |
| Basketball | Junior Girls | 2nd | |
| 2000-01 | Volleyball | Senior Boys | 2nd |
| Basketball | Grade 9 Boys | 3rd | |
| 1998-99 | Basketball | Junior Boys | 2nd |
| Basketball | Senior Girls | 1st | |
| 1997-98 | Basketball | Junior Girls | 3rd |
| 1996-97 | Basketball | Junior Girls | 2nd |
| 1994-95 | Basketball | Senior Boys | 2nd |
| 1993-94 | Basketball | Junior Boys | 1st |
| 1988-89 | Basketball | Senior Boys | 3rd |
| 1987-88 | Cheerleading | Senior Girls | 2nd |
| 1986-87 | Basketball | Junior Boys | 2nd |
| Basketball | Senior Boys | 2nd | |
| 1977-78 | Basketball | Junior Boys | 2nd |
| Basketball | Senior Boys | 3rd | |
| 1975-76 | Volleyball | Senior Boys | 3rd |
| 1972-73 | Basketball | Junior Boys | 3rd |
| 1969-70 | Basketball | Junior Boys | 2nd |
| Basketball | Senior Boys | 1st | |
| 1968-69 | Basketball | Senior Boys | 3rd |
| 1966-67 | Basketball | Junior Boys | 3rd |
| 1964-65 | Basketball | Junior Boys | 1st |
| Basketball | Senior Boys | 3rd | |
| 1963-64 | Basketball | Senior Boys | 3rd |
| 1962-63 | Basketball | Senior Boys | 1st |
| 1960-61 | Basketball | Senior Boys | 3rd |
| 1959-60 | Basketball | Junior Boys | 1st |
Notable alumni and former staff
Entertainment and the Arts:- Karen-Lee BattenKaren-Lee BattenKaren-Lee Batten is a country music singer from British Columbia. She is a three time winner of the BCCMA's "Female Vocalist of the Year" award , and she was also a top 10 finalist in the first season of Canadian Idol.-Canadian Idol:...
- Country music singer - Larry NickelLarry NickelLarry Nickel is a Canadian composer, conductor and singer who devotes much of his focus to choral music. He has composed for a wide spectrum of genres; electronic and computer music, string quartet, woodwind and brass quintet, Symphony Orchestra, Symphonic Wind Ensemble and choral ensembles,...
- Composer and conductor - Leonard RatzlaffLeonard RatzlaffLeonard Peter Ratzlaff, CM, AOE is the choral conductor for Edmonton's Richard Eaton Singers. He obtained his graduate degree in choral conducting from the University of Iowa, and his doctoral dissertation on Anton Bruckner's Te Deum earned him the American Choral Directors Association Julius...
- Professor, Choral Conducting; Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada - Brian DoerksenBrian DoerksenBrian Robert Doerksen is a Canadian Christian singer-songwriter and worship leader from Abbotsford, British Columbia born in 1965.-Musical career:...
- Christian singer-songwriter and worship leader
Media:
- Dan Murphy (Sportscaster)Dan Murphy (sportscaster)Dan Murphy is a Canadian sportscaster currently working for Rogers Sportsnet.After graduating from the University of Ottawa with a degree in Communications in 1992, Murphy attended BCIT’s Broadcast Journalism program where he graduated in 1995...
- Rogers Sportsnet - Randall Mark (Peters) - radio & TV host; writer; corporate trainer; university instructor
- Ray Dirks - Gallery Curator, Winnipeg
- Claire NewellClaire NewellClaire Newell is a travel expert, author, travel consultant on Global BC and president of Travel Best Bets by Jubilee Tours and Travel.Claire has appeared on the Today show, where she was interviewed by Matt Lauer, Fox & Friends, Good Day New York, ABC Morning News – Chicago, Martha Stewart Living...
- travel consultant, writer, Global BC
Politics:
Sports:
- James LeppJames LeppJames Lepp is a Canadian professional golfer.Lepp was born in Abbotsford, British Columbia. He began his collegiate golf career at the University of Illinois. In 2005, he won the NCAA Division I Championship while playing for the University of Washington, the first Canadian male to do so...
- Golfer - Randy Bartsch - World Cup Freestyle Skier (1980, 1981)
- Natasha Miller - Track & Field
Author:
- John SawatskyJohn SawatskyFerdinand John Sawatzky is a Canadian author, journalist and expert on interviewing techniques.-Early career:Born in Winkler, Manitoba, he graduated from Mennonite Educational Institute in Abbotsford and attended Simon Fraser University in the late 1960s. Graduating in political science, he...
- Author, journalist and expert on interviewing techniques
Business:
- Peter Wall
- Bev (Plank) Brown - President of Envision FinancialEnvision FinancialEnvision Financial, a division of First West Credit Union, is a member-owned financial institution based in British Columbia, Canada. Founded in 1946, Envision Financial was established in 2001 through a merger between Lower Mainland-based Delta Credit Union, whose roots were in the fishing...
External links
49°4′34.62"N 122°20′49.09"W