Phoebe A. Wasfy is the Principal of Philopateer Christian College (PCC), a well-known member of the Association of Christian Schools International and one of Canada’s fastest growing private Christian schools (ACSI). PCC was created in 1999 and is North America’s first private school founded by the Coptic Egyptian community and is available to all students. Phoebe was born in Alexandria, Egypt, and emigrated to North America when she was nine years old. She is a member of both the Ontario College of Teachers and the Ontario Principals Council (OPC). Mrs. Wasfy has been nominated for the Order of Ontario for 2019 and 2020, which is one of the highest honors bestowed by the Province of Ontario and its Governor General for community service. Phoebe was also accepted into The Marquis Who’s Who in America for her professional integrity and great performance in her field. She is also the 2021 Vision Builder Women of Inspiration Award winner.
A Glorious Background
Phoebe graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in History and Religious Studies (University of Toronto 2002). She completed her Professional Program in Education (D’Youville College, New York, USA 2004). She acquired additional qualifications in “Reading”, “History”, “Religious Studies” and “Teaching Kindergarten-Grade 12” as well as completed her Principal Qualification Courses (PQC) in 2011. Phoebe received her Master of Education (MEd) (University of Western, Ontario 2014) and completed a Higher Education Teaching Certificate from Harvard University, USA in 2019. Her love for academia and her active involvement in the field has earned her the Arab Women of Excellence Awards in Academia from Life Transformation Academy (Calgary, Alberta, Canada).
Phoebe has been on the board of ACSI-Eastern Canada since 2017. She is an adjunct faculty member of the Canadian Coptic Center’s Youth Ministry Certification Program (YMCP), which is run in collaboration with YouthTrain New Zealand. Phoebe has been selected to attend the World Youth Forum 2018 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. Phoebe likes engaging with other educators, students, and parents, and she is dedicated to developing leadership and professional growth in her team. Phoebe is in charge of various activities and is in charge of school youth missionary travels all over the world, all while collaborating with other governments, global charity groups, and global assistance organizations. She just launched the first fundraising campaign for the Egyptian presidential initiative, Decent Life, organized by a group of 16 and 17-year-old pupils.
Philopateer Christian College
Philopateer Christian College (PCC) was launched in September 1999 with 40 students ranging from JK to Grade 8. Today, we have approximately 360 students from Pre-K to grade 12.
PCC created the first Pre-JK (Pre-Kindergarten) program in 2002, allowing children as young as three to participate in the entire school experience. Since 2005, PCC has welcomed foreign students from Korea, China, Brazil, and the Middle East.
PCC opened its high school doors in 2007 with only three pupils enrolled in grade 9. The Good Samaritan program was established in 2008 for kids with learning disabilities and special needs.
In 2020, it became innovative during the pandemic and began its hybrid/virtual high school recruiting, recruiting students from all over the world to join its school from the comfort of their own country. Phoebe states, “Our qualified, caring teachers and staff work hand in hand with families to support the healthy growth of all our students. We care for our students’ spirituality and academics, and mentor them to serve their families, their communities, and their respective countries. Cherishing family relationships, friends and respect towards adults and each other, are part of our school values.”
The team at Philopateer Christian College develops its students to be well-rounded leaders of tomorrow. The team does this by assisting students in believing in and developing their God-given skills in the appropriate atmosphere, under the supervision of highly competent teachers.
Philopateer Christian College has held the top place as Diamond Winner in the city of Mississauga Readers’ Choice Awards for Best Private School in 2019, 2020, and 2021.
Institute’s Exclusive Offerings
The Philopateer Christian College School Board, the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI), and the Ontario Ministry of Education set the policies and philosophy for the school.
Within such guidelines, the staff of Philopateer Christian College is committed to helping each student to:
- Develop a responsiveness to the dynamic processes of learning
- Develop resourcefulness, adaptability and creativity in learning and living
- Acquire the basic knowledge and skills needed to comprehend and express ideas through words, numbers, and other symbols
- Develop physical fitness and good health
- Gain satisfaction from participating and from sharing the participation of others in various forms of artistic expression
- Develop a feeling of self-worth; develop an understanding of the role of the individual within the family and the role of the family within society
- Acquire skills that contribute to self-reliance in solving practical problems in everyday life
- Develop a sense of personal responsibility in society at the local, national, and international levels
- Develop esteem for the customs, cultures, and beliefs of a wide variety of societal groups
- Acquire skills and attributes that will lead to satisfaction and productivity in the world of work
- Develop respect for the environment and commitment to the wise use of resources
- Develop values related to personal, ethical, and religious beliefs and to the common welfare of society
Major responsibilities as Principal
Phoebe has pledged to be a servant leader first, a teacher second, and a school administrator last as principal of Philopateer Christian College. These things have defined her day-to-day responsibilities, which range from meeting parents to speaking to students who need someone to listen and encourage them, disciplining with firmness and love, assisting teachers with professional development, and simply leading the school to become a place where tomorrow’s leaders are today’s students.
Phoebe believes that, like in any other growing academic institution, the three areas that must always be worked on are: 1) communication 2) Professional development 3) and proper marketing tools that will help to showcase the school in a proper way. She adds that competition has always existed and will continue to exist in private schools, but the institution has made the decision over the years to let its actions speak louder than words and to keep improving itself in order to stay on top of the game.
Risk taken as a Professional
Taking over as head of the school at such a young age was a major risk, but Phoebe was eager and ready for the job. The epidemic, however, posed the greatest threat to her career in 2020. Keeping staff, students, parents, and the board together during a period of uncertainty was difficult, but resolving the question “what comes next?” was much more difficult. She had two choices: sit around and blame everything on COVID, or become inventive while not knowing what was going to happen next. Her team and Phoebe chose the innovation choice and created a fully accredited virtual high school program, allowing students from all around the world to join the school and come fully immersed in its program. Phoebe asserts, “As for our elementary division, we expanded our program to include a full French stream and an English stream. Taking those risks has brought us to continuous success stories.”
Vision for the company
Phoebe’s vision as an educational leader is divided into three areas. The first is to enable every student to be the best they can be in order to become school ambassadors. The second element of her vision for the school is to stretch her wings and reach out to other regions of the world in order to assist as many students as possible in reaching their full potential and becoming world leaders who will make a genuine difference in the world we all live in. She states, “In order for these two parts of the vision to be achieved, integrity in all that we do is the core value that we build everything on.”
“Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” Colossians 3:23
Written by Steve Sanchez.
