The Maple Bear school network, now 20 countries strong, has proven its efficiency since 2005 no matter the culture or the language. There are over 420 Maple Bear schools all over the globe and over 41,000 students, and the network keeps growing.
Opening the school year 2019 – 2020, the global family has extended to Europe, Romania in the city of Sibiu. The first Maple Bear School in Europe will start the implementation of the Canadian educational methodology with 45 children at pre-school level. Maple Bear Sibiu has plans to open an elementary school for 300 children as well, by the end of 2020 in a brand new building, which was presented for a first time during the opening event.
The Inauguration of Maple Bear Sibiu
The opening of the first Maple Bear Canadian School in Europe took place on September 2nd, 2019 at Astra Museum in Sibiu. In the presence of his Excellency Mr. Kevin Hamilton, Ambassador of Canada in Romania, Mrs Maria Minea, Prefect of Sibiu Region, along with the school teachers, the students and the parents’ community, Maple Bear Sibiu officially started the school year 2019 – 2020.
Mrs. Ileana Vranceanu, Owner and Director of Maple Bear Sibiu, welcome the children, parents, officials and the media to the first Maple Bear School in Europe. Maple Bear Sibiu was officially introduced to the global schools network by Mr. Rodney Briggs, President of the Maple Bear Global School.
“I feel I’m investing in our future by bringing in the community the best models to be followed. To me, Maple Bear is the bilingual education program that I would have needed when I was in my school years. It’s a joy that I can now make it available to my children’s generation”, says Ileana Vranceanu, owner of the first Maple Bear School in Sibiu, Romania.
Maple Bear conforms to the local education regulations and offers a fully-articulated local curricula in addition to the Canadian program.
“We are growing children respecting their cultural identity and we provide them with a global citizen mindset. Preparing children for the 21st century, lifelong learning and being global citizens has become the foundation of Canadian educational methodology, which is designed to educate the whole child – physically, intellectually, emotionally, and socially” says Yann Bidan, General Manager of Maple Bear Central and Eastern Europe.
Countries in Central and Eastern Europe have developed massively for the past decades. International corporations have local offices and local businesses are expanding to international markets. Therefore, the demand for locally-based global citizens speaking fluent English has increased for the past years.
“There is demand for our schools among the growing middle class who are highly educated professionals,” says Rodney Briggs, President of Maple Bear global schools. “These parents are seeking out the key elements of what Maple Bear offers: a modern education system that will engage their children in critical thinking, and will strengthen their English language skills.”
Maple Bear Central and Eastern Europe aims to open 10 educational centres at preschool and primary school levels in Romania. Following the official inauguration of the Romanian-Canadian school in Sibiu, Maple Bear will open a kindergarten and an elementary school in Sofia, Bulgaria, in 2020.
