The UMEI Story

UMEI began as a Bible school in the winter of 1944 – 45. The programme soon expanded to include grade nine and ten courses and after it was incorporated in 1946, UMEI offered a complete high school education. In its more than fifty years, UMEI has provided a wholistic education providing for the spiritual, intellectual, and physical needs of the student.

As a church school, specifically a Mennonite secondary school, UMEI infuses learning with a distinctive Anabaptist/Mennonite world view which includes living a life of peace and non-resistance, nurturing a respect for life in all of God’s creation and living a life of discipleship and service. UMEI offers a high school programme leading to an Ontario Secondary School Diploma. The school is inspected by representatives from the Ministry of Education and Training who regularly approve our programme and awarding of diplomas.

As a secondary school, UMEI is unique in this community offering opportunities such as service project assignments, concert choir visits to area churches, daily chapel services, choir festival tours, class trips involving the entire student body, whole school social events, and a friendly small school atmosphere.

UMEI is funded solely by the generous contributions of the supporting community and by tuition, which covers about one third of the budget. Approximately half of the student body comes from churches affiliated with a Mennonite Conference. A significant number of the students attend other Christian churches in the area.