Angela Burgos has been the Head of School for Centennial Academy and Director General of Centennial College since 1998.
Her tenure at Centennial has been characterized by a period of renewed growth, reflection and the realignment of Centennial’s goals and objectives with a strengthened mission and vision.
With over 30 years of experience in both public and private education, spanning the elementary, secondary and pre-university levels, Angela has acquired a wealth of knowledge in teaching techniques and strategies, student services, community relations, project management, strategic planning, and Universal Design for Learning.
Angela holds a Master of Education degree from McGill University. She is the past president of the Québec Association of Independent Schools and has sat on the Board of the Canadian Association of Independent Schools since 2005.
Above all, Angela is passionate about learning, teaching, innovation and collaboration. She brings energy, a sense of humour, and a no-nonsense approach to her job at Centennial.
Administration Team
Kristina Campanelli
Wellness and Learning Strategies Coach
A message from our Director General, Angela Burgos
Here is an all-too-common scenario:
A student enters Cegep at age 17, having coasted successfully in high school without having to think about self-managing her studies. After a few weeks, as mid-terms approach, she discovers that she is overwhelmed by her course load and fails an exam or two. She doesn’t ask for help because she has never had to before, so she falls further and further behind. She feels hopeless and depressed, because she never experienced any difficulties in high school. She blames herself and does not know where to turn. She considers dropping-out.
At Centennial College, our goal is to stop this cycle.
We know that successful students are made, not born, and that you can’t expect students to develop effective learning behaviours and become autonomous and resilient learners on their own. That’s why we teach our students how to develop the skills they need to succeed in college, such as planning, time-management, self-discipline, perseverance, stress management, and self-advocacy – skills that will serve them for the rest of their lives.
In Quebec, students graduate from high school a full year earlier than their counterparts elsewhere in North America. This means they are heading to college with a full year less schooling and a full year less maturity than the rest.
So, it’s really no wonder that nearly 60% of students fail courses in their first semester of Cegep, or that only about 65% of students entering Cegep end-up graduating from Cegep at all. In fact, it’s entirely predictable.
At sixteen or seventeen, most students have never experienced what it means to study independently, without the guidance and structure they relied on in high school. What’s more, when a student enters Cegep, his or her parents are no longer kept in the loop about their performance or attendance, so the role they may once have played in coaching their child is greatly diminished. They may assume that everything is fine, when, in reality, it isn’t.
Why do we do it?
Because the 21st century is the age of knowledge-based economies, and we want to break down any barriers that get in the way of a young person acquiring the knowledge they need to be successful and contribute to society. We can’t afford to lose any bright, creative, young minds just because they are not mature learners.
Our results speak for themselves: over 85% of Centennial College students obtain their DEC and go on to study at the university of their choice.
Centennial College helps all students become the best learners they can be. If you choose Centennial, we will provide you with the coaching you need to make the transition from high school to university. So, whether you are looking for a Cegep that will support you in becoming a more autonomous and resilient learner, that will increase your chances of getting accepted into a particular university programme, or that will help you to get back on track with your studies, then consider Centennial College.
We’ll empower you to reach your goals.