I have been a Millie for 41 years. When I first walked into Mrs. Murray’s Grade 6 class, a shy, awkward girl newly arrived from England, I never imagined that my parents had given me a lifelong gift. It’s funny to think that my eight student years are actually such a small part of my overall Millie experience. While the closeness of my connection to the school may have ebbed and flowed through the years, my Millie friends have always been my nearest and dearest. A little over eight years ago, my connection to the school changed again when my youngest daughter Amelia became a Millie too. I have loved re-experiencing the school, rekindling memories as I see her enjoying everything the school has to offer. (I’m quite envious of the girls’ opportunities today in comparison to the “old days.”) I’m thrilled that this year Amelia will join our ranks as an SMLS Alumna when she graduates in June with the Class of 2024.
I think that the prospect of Amelia becoming an alumna was part of what inspired me to first join the Alumnae Association Executive Committee several years ago and to step into the role of President this year. I want to ensure that our Alumnae Association continues to flourish so that we can support each new generation of Millies following in our footsteps.
We naturally maintain our bonds with our closest friends, but there’s so much more to the Millie community. The broad networks of alumnae of all ages, across industries and countries are an invaluable source of community and connection. My biggest goal as President is to build our sense of connection.
Our network is facilitated through alumnae news shared in our social media and monthly newsletters, as well as the bonds fostered by class reps and in-person events. This year’s Alumnae Association Executive Committee are working on increasing the ways that we can connect both online and in-person. Our collective aim is to meet you where you are. You’ll see more options for events tailored to subsets of our wider alumnae population. For example, a moms and tot’s coffee morning, a young professionals networking night in the city, and virtual meet-ups for the many Millies that aren’t local to the GTA.
The marquee Alumnae event of the year is always our Reunion Event in early May. This year, we’re expanding several aspects of the reunion experience. We’ll be hosting multiple events over the weekend of May 2nd-5th, 2024. Also new this year will be the anniversary recognition of every five years from graduation, i.e., if your grad year ends in 4 or 9 we are going to be celebrating you. Block your calendars and start making travel plans for a weekend of all things SMLS.
The other way that we can keep connected with each other is by sharing news and updates. Please let us know what is going on in your life that we can share back out through our various communications (e.g., our monthly newsletter,
Facebook,
Instagram, or
LinkedIn). Most importantly, when your contact information changes, please
let the school know.
I love connecting with Millies of every age and stage. If you’d like to chat about ideas for alumnae events, how to volunteer, or to share some news, I hope you’ll get in touch -
alumnae@smls.on.ca Remember, “
once a Millie, always a Millie!”
Kind regards,
Sarah REEVES Sims ‘90
President, SMLS Alumnae Executive