Please send comments and suggestions to Tracy Yan at tyan@hts.on.ca.
View from the Top by Barry Hughes
Crowther
VIEW from the TOP
by Barry Hughes
At HTS,
Our Students are Shaped by Experience
“We know you don’t just enroll your child at HTS; you enroll your entire family, and school becomes an extension of home, creating the path for the journey through life.”
Iget a great deal of feedback about our school. Some of it formal, say, through an accreditation visit, but mostly when parents and students talk to me in the corridor, at a function, on the sports fields or in the parking lot.
I am delighted to say that the message that comes across loud and clear is that HTS is a very special place. Surrounded by an atmosphere of acceptance, kindness and humility, everyone in the school shares a strong sense of community, and the students are able to develop their confidence and purpose. I am proud that ours is a school where we live our values every day, and so enable our students to become well-rounded individuals, prepared for living a meaningful life. This well-roundedness is developed by encouraging students to follow their passions; by offering a vast array of opportunities beyond academics, including art, music, drama and athletics; and by ensuring they are supported by talented and dedicated teachers who care deeply about making the HTS experience truly meaningful for all. The very strong connections that are built enable teachers to ignite the spark in each boy and girl as they strive for excellence.
We care deeply about how we tell our story to our families and to the community, and we want to be sure that we are sharing the best of what it means to be part of HTS. Consequently, in early 2014 we embarked on a journey to learn how our stakeholders truly feel about the school. We are grateful to the generous sample of our parents, students, faculty, staff and alumni who gave up their time to meet with our research team and share their passion for the school, and their hopes and dreams for the future. We could not have embarked on this project without everyone’s support. The results of the research are profound. Many things that we
knew to be true about the school were reaffirmed and we were delighted to hear of the great pride in the school. The whole family is a part of HTS and being part of our community is an honour for parents and students, who recognize the importance of honouring our history and preserving our core values. Clearly, our founding principles and morals – honour, integrity, charity, respect, forgiveness, selflessness and compassion – continue to light the many paths we explore.
Our community acknowledges that HTS students take thoughtful risks, explore the edges, and go beyond the boundaries. We also know that we must continue to give them “the courage to become,” to enable them to find their purpose. This is also true for the entire organization. It is important that we continue to evolve, as we have since our inception in the church basement: a learning community dedicated to excellence, honouring our values and traditions, and maintaining our relevance as the world changes around us.
These explorations led us to consider the language and graphic images we use to represent our school, and complement the existing HTS logo and school colours. The result is that you will now see our “HTS Shaped by Experience” language and images around the school, on the electronic sign generously provided by the Parents’ Guild, and in our marketing materials. These words truly represent our aspirational and inclusive culture.
At the heart of the “Shaped by Experience” concept is the family as a key component of each student’s success. We know you don’t just enroll your child at HTS; you enroll your entire family, and school becomes an extension of home, creating the path for the journey through life.
We take huge pride in the role our parents have entrusted us to play in shaping their child’s journey. Thank you.
Class of
2014
The Class of 2014 was a group of remarkably talented and successful students. Of the 84 graduates, 37 achieved academic honours (80%–89.9%) and 31 achieved academic excellence (90% and higher).
In addition, these students received acceptances to very competitive programs at prominent Canadian and international institutions. In total, 503 university offers were made to this year’s graduates, and 69 students were offered scholarships, worth an impressive total of just over $1,700,000.
We extend our heartiest congratulations to the Class of 2014. We are confident that these young men and women will continue to grow and flourish, as they launch into their post-secondary experience.
Class of 2014 University Offers and Destinations
(Destinations highlighted in bold)
Ontario
Brock University
Carleton University
King's University College
Lakehead University
Laurentian University
McMaster University
Nipissing University
OCAD University
Queen’s University
Ryerson University
Sheridan College
Canada
Concordia University
Dalhousie University
McGill University
International
King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi (Thailand)
Parsons The New School for Design (USA)
Queen's Bader International Study Centre (UK)
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (Ireland)
Trent University
University of Guelph
University of Guelph-Humber
University of Ontario Institute of Technology
University of Ottawa
University of Toronto
University of Waterloo
University of Windsor
Western University
Wilfrid Laurier University
York University
Simon Fraser University
University of British Columbia
University of King’s College
University of Debrecen (Hungary)
University of South Carolina (USA)
University of St. Andrews (UK)
Areas of Study for the Class of 2013
A Word from Father Crowther HTS Confirmation Retreat: Appreciating the gift of time
Iasked the colleagues who assisted at the annual HTS Confirmation Retreat if they had thoughts to share regarding the weekend. A common theme amongst their responses was the gift of time –time to reflect, time to be together and time to be by oneself.
It made me think of how the gift of time has been a cen tral blessing since our confirmation retreat began some 20 years ago under the direction of Father Wally Raymond and Mr. Rod Voss. It is a gift the 49 students in attendance appreciated. It was a rare and wonderful treat to be able to spend downtime with a group of highly motivated, hard-working and busy young people.
We especially enjoyed the students’ response to our guest speaker Christian Harvey’s leadership during his four talks on the basics of Christianity. They were engaged, enthusiastic and thoughtful as they shared their learning and expressed their concerns. Each of the sessions began with music led by five students on piano and guitar under Mr. Storey’s leadership. A strong contingent of Grade 10 boys sang with such inspiration that they were invited to present one of their songs at Friday Chapel the following week.
Students from the various grades enjoyed the weekend in different ways. The Grade 11 counsellors were helpful and creative when leading games, supervising students and making sure cabin time included sleep. The Grade 12 students appreciated their time of friendship and reflection before the final drive toward graduation. The Grade 9 and 10 students made the most of their opportunities to chill with friends and to participate in the varied sports activities offered by Muskoka Woods Resort. Finally I want to say how well the students honoured the trust that was placed in them by making good decisions.
In summation, the weekend was appreciated with thankful hearts by all who attended. Our annual Confirmation Retreat was an “island of peace,” giving us time to reflect on where we came from, where we are going and how we should thus live.
Yeung Virtuoso
by Tracy Yan, Marketing & Communications Coordinator
Christopher Yeung is not one to talk your ear off. In fact, it is hard to reconcile the reticent young teen with the accomplished pianist who is such a commanding presence onstage.
Clearly, it’s a talent shared early in the Yeung household. Christopher was just five when his parents introduced him to the keyboard. With an older sister also playing piano, and two younger sisters hooked on violin, the Grade 9 student –who also plays trumpet in the HTS band – is well aware that music is in his DNA.
Still, the relationship between Christopher and those 88 keys is something special. He has received his Associate of The Royal Conservatory (ARCT) diploma for Performers and Teachers, the highest academic standing awarded by Canada’s prestigious music academy. The internationally respected diploma is rarely bestowed on one so young. But teachers at the Conservatory are not the only ones to recognize Christopher’s exceptional talent.
Last November, he was invited to attend the Sberbank Debut International Music Competition and Festival in Ukraine. After submitting a video of himself at the keyboard, he was one of only 15 musicians under the age of 13 chosen from all over the world. He was the sole competitor from Canada.
For Christopher, the highlight of the trip was meeting celebrated Russian pianist Denis Matsuev. Ranked among the best performers in the world, Matsuev was artistic director of the competition. Christopher had the opportunity to attend several of the maestro’s concerts while in Ukraine, which left a lasting impression. “It’s one thing to listen to a recorded performance, but it’s something completely different to see it in person,” he explains.
Not yet certain if he will leverage his musical talents into a career, for now Christopher is content to play for pleasure while balancing his other HTS co-curricular activities, which include basketball, tennis and golf. He is also quietly focused on emulating the qualities he admires in the HTS Prefects, in hopes of being chosen to join their ranks one day. When it comes to achieving his dreams, Christopher Yeung knows the value of practice.
& T ommy ammy T made HTS Gala a night to remember
by Pam Shanks, Executive Director of Advancement
The creation of the HTS Gala is a sweeping, epic journey that follows a long-standing and time-honoured tradition. More than a year before the actual date of the event, Gala co-chairs boldly accept the challenge to lead an intrepid committee in pursuit of the perfect party. Committee members are lured to join in, a venue is secured, and perhaps the most significant decision of the entire process is made: What will the theme for the Gala be?
Our 2014 Gala co-chairs, Adriana Baldassarra and Patrizia Guglietti, accepted the challenge with open and generous hearts. When faced with the question of selecting a theme for the Gala this year, they were inspired by the success of the school’s Chinese New Year celebration. They reached back into their own heritage, and a crazy time of over-the-top weddings of decades ago,
and settled on the theme of Tommy and Tammy’s Wedding Gala. For Gala attendees, enjoying the antics of “Tommy” and “Tammy” and their crazy family added a new element of fun to the evening.
Adriana and Pat assembled around them a wonderful committee of experienced volunteers, who handily rose to the challenge. Committee member Lora De Meneghi described her own experience: “I quickly discovered that our animated Wednesday morning meetings provided a gateway for new friendships with shared interests in benefiting our children’s school. Being on the Gala Committee allowed me the unique opportunity to be a part of something larger. As I was often in or out of the school promoting Gala ticket sales, I had the time to chat with so many of the HTS families I have known for years and to meet so many of the families that I had not met before.”
Lora continued: “This was such a rewarding and unexpected benefit of being on the Gala Committee. I would always read the Friday News religiously, but being in the hallways, seeing other parents and children, and observing the flurry of everyday classroom experiences solidified the very essence of HTS – its community feel. Most importantly, volunteering on the Gala Committee brought me closer to several wonderful ladies who also generously gave of their time and resources and who I thoroughly enjoyed working with. Each and every one of them committed themselves to enhancing HTS’s library facilities ultimately to benefit their own children and the future generations of students to come. It was a truly unique experience that brought me closer to the women on the Gala Committee and to the school community in general, and more importantly, I felt that I was sharing in my son’s school experiences and connected to him ultimately!”
There are many, many elements that go into making a successful Gala, and the school is very grateful for the outpouring of support from the many sponsors, live and silent auction item donors, advertisers and bottle donors. Without them, the show would not go on! Live auction donors Jaguar Land Rover Canada & Jaguar Land Rover Thornhill, Highland Farms, Brightspark Travel, Bannermans, and Paul Gauthier helped to make this portion of the evening one of the most successful ever. Over $50,000 was raised just in the live auction!
Within the HTS community, families and friends went the extra mile by becoming Gala sponsors. HTS is very
grateful to Melrose Investments Inc. (Silvio & Patrizia Guglietti), Starlane Home Corporation (Mauro & Adriana Baldassarra), Lormel Homes (Ivonis & Lora De Meneghi), Tubco Whirlpools Ltd. (Massoud & Gelareh Ghahremani), Commercial Bakeries (Phillip & Laura Fusco), Highland Farms (John & Domenica Coppa), and Simbul-Lezon Wealth Management Group (Ronald Lezon & Marita Simbul-Lezon).
The night was a roaring success, with fine food, great music and friendly faces. The Pick-A-Bottle draw sold out early, and those who did not win the bottle of their dreams could drown their sorrows in the Vice Vodka Icewine Fountain or save themselves for the sweet table. Competition for the great items donated to the Gala heated up right until the closing of the silent auction tables. And it was a perfect opportunity to dance the night away.
The Gala raised over $100,000 to transform both HTS libraries into learning commons, which have already begun to enhance the lives of HTS students.
Patrizia Guglietti summed up her Gala experience well: “It was an honour co-chairing the Gala Committee this year. I worked alongside some wonderful ladies and made some new friends. Most importantly, I did it for my children, not just so they would be able to benefit from an upgraded learning commons, but to show them the importance of volunteering and philanthropy.” A powerful message. We are so grateful to Patrizia and Adriana for their leadership and congratulate them on a tremendously successful Gala!.
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
The Journey to Harvard FARAH NAAZ MANJI ’02
by Meagan Alderton-Suckling ’08
Asshe walked through Harvard Yard for the first time, Farah Naaz Manji was overwhelmed by the magical atmosphere of one of the world’s topranked educational institutions. “All I could think about was the brilliant minds that had walked there before. It was overwhelming and exciting at the same time. I felt very lucky to be there.”
Luck, however, was not what brought Farah to Harvard. A bright, driven and high-achieving young woman, Farah has worked long and hard to pursue her dream of a career in health care and her interest in education about health policy in Canada.
After graduating from HTS in 2002, Farah completed her Bachelor of Science with a specialization in genetics at Western University. She was accepted to medical school at UWO, a path she had wanted to pursue since schoolgirl days. “The teachers at HTS always really believed in me and were very supportive of my academic pursuits. The classes were challenging and provided me with an opportunity to cultivate my strengths and prepare for university and beyond.”
While at med school, Farah noticed a gap in the undergraduate medical curriculum when it came to learning about health policy. To try to fill this void, she and a fellow resident developed a course to teach students about how the Canadian health care system works. This course was well received by her peers, so she decided to pursue this interest further and explored avenues to formalize her education in health policy. With two years remaining in her medical residency, Farah viewed attending Harvard as the perfect opportunity to pursue her passion and work with some of the pre-eminent thinkers in the field of health policy. She applied to the Harvard School of Public Health to earn a Master’s degree in Public Health with a concentration in health policy.
“The Harvard School of Public Health is known to be one of the best centres of learning about public health in the world, so I knew that the educational opportunities would be unparalleled.”
life. She fondly remembers some of the incredible speakers she had the opportunity to hear by virtue of being a Harvard student. A personal favourite was a lecture series called “Science and Cooking,” which featured world-renowned chefs talking about food and the science behind its preparation. “I even had the chance to hear Ferran Adrià speak about his philosophy on cooking. He is arguably one of the most talented chefs in the world!”
Farah returned from Boston this past year to continue her residency training in anesthesiology at Western University. Her job requires her to react quickly when things go wrong and be ready to save a life in a critical moment. “My work is really resuscitation medicine,” she says. “I describe it to people as hours of calm, punctuated by minutes of terror. We are trained to be constantly vigilant and ready for crisis.”
“ I encourage current HTS students to figure out what you love to do, and don’t be afraid of the hard work it takes to get there. And of course, don’t forget to make time for the important things in life as you go through the journey. Remember your family and your friends, and take care of yourself.
”
Farah remembers receiving her acceptance letter to Harvard after a particularly long and gruelling day as a medical resident in the operating room. “It was the best feeling in the world!” she exclaims. “I was definitely surprised, because it’s Harvard! I was never entirely sure I was going to get in.”
During her time at Harvard, Farah worked with some of the top researchers in her field. “Harvard really encourages the exchange of ideas,” she explains. “I worked with people … who had written papers I had studied when I was at Western.”
Outside of school, Farah immersed herself in Harvard campus
Farah looks forward to a career that combines her vocation as an anesthesiologist with her interest in Canadian health policy. She aspires to a position in a teaching hospital affiliated with a university. “I want to have a strong clinical practice, but also would like the opportunity to pursue teaching and my other academic interests. It will be important for me to balance all of those things in the future.”
Beyond the operating room, Farah still finds the time to catch up periodically with former HTS music teacher Brian Crone. “My music classes with Brian are some of my best memories from HTS. I still meet with Brian for dinner every so often. I really respect him and like to hear his thoughts on things.”
“I’m very thankful for the experiences HTS gave me. I encourage current HTS students to figure out what you love to do, and don’t be afraid of the hard work it takes to get there. And of course, don’t forget to make time for the important things in life as you go through the journey. Remember your family and your friends, and take care of yourself.”
GRADE 9 ENTRANCE BURSARY AND SCHOLARSHIP
HTS endeavours to provide financial support to exemplary students who would not otherwise be able to attend. Two separate bursaries are available to students applying to Grade 9. The bursaries cover 100% of tuition fees for four years, from Grade 9 to Grade 12. Candidates must be academically strong and show a willingness to commit to a challenging program that leads to university application. The ideal candidates will have a commendable record of involvement in co-curricular programs in areas such as athletics, arts, student government or community service.
All families must have a financial assessment completed by Apple
Financial Services to determine eligibility. Applications must be submitted online at www.applefinancialservices ca no later than January 31, 2015. All bursary and scholarship candidates must write the HTS Scholarship Exam on Saturday, February 7, 2015, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
The deadline for the 2015–2016 Bursary and Scholarship Application is January 31, 2015. Application forms can be found online on our website www.hts.on.ca under the Admissions tab.
For further information or to receive an application, please contact the Admissions Office.
Financial Aid
HTS is pleased to provide bursary assistance to eligible families of students who have been enrolled at the school for at least one full year. To determine eligibility, applications must be submitted online at www.applefinancialservices.ca no later than January 31, 2015. Apple Financial Services will complete a financial assessment and provide a recommendation to the HTS Financial Aid Committee for consideration. Bursaries are intended to be for shortterm assistance and are available for up to 50% of tuition costs.
What’s Better Than a Championship? Two Championships!
by Neil Morgan, Assistant Director of Athletics, and Shantel Popp, Science Teacher
Focusing on small goals helped team score the big one
HTS
Senior Girls Soccer won the CAIS (National) Championship in late September and capped the season with a CISAA Championship one month later. Our team entered the CAIS National Tournament, hosted by the Montreal schools, with the mindset of achieving one small goal at a time. Ranked 11th out of 16 teams, we set a realistic goal of advancing to the top eight and the championship round.
This meant placing in the top two of our four-team pool. Our first hurdle was jumped as we defeated St. Mildred’sLightbourn School 2–1. We then met our tournament nemesis, The Sacred Heart School of Montreal, and trounced them 2–0. This win was enough to secure our spot in the championships.
Our next goal: advance from top eight to top four.
We began to feel momentum and a sense of accomplishment. Adopting a “proactive, not reactive” strategy on the field, we overcame Toronto’s Branksome Hall in a nerve-racking 2–1 game.
Next came the goal that most at the tournament thought impossible. It was to win the semifinal and send Stanstead College – a much bigger, more experienced team – home early. After playing to a 0–0 tie in regulation time, and holding our own for two overtime periods, we toppled them 4–2 in a penalty shootout. The girls had kept their foot on the gas and were not about to let up. We maintained our focus as we prepared for the finals.
The ultimate goal was now within our sights. Exhausted and battered, we refocused. With the leadership from our captains and Grade 12 players, younger team members were energized. They were reminded that this was an opportunity to embrace and cherish, win or lose.
The stage was set. HTS was about to face Rothesay Netherwood School from New Brunswick, the odds-on favourite as they had won their semifinal handily.
As Ms. Popp played “Eye of the Tiger” from her phone, the girls began their preparation. Our warm-up concluded with our ritual of one penalty shot each, and we were set to play. This pre-game practice proved to be the game-maker, as three penalty shots were awarded during play. We were the victors of two of them, triumphing over RNS in a dramatic final in front of all 14 tournament teams.
As the banner was awarded and medals placed around our necks, the sense of accomplishment was surreal. The goal of winning a national championship had been fulfilled. Our girls realized they were experiencing a true team moment. Egos had been set aside and positions played to achieve the shared goal rather than individual glory. This is a coach’s dream. Our girls sat on our bus ride home and reflected on their amazing feat. They were bringing home the school’s second CAIS title, adding to the one earned by Senior Girls Soccer in 2006.
Now that the national goal was a “fait accompli,” our team set the bar even higher. We were on a mission to make true HTS sports history. The Senior Girls Soccer team had never won a CISAA Division 1 Championship, let alone in the same year as the CAIS Championship.
Two days after arriving home, we tied up our cleats to prepare for two playoff matches. Winning our first semifinal against archrival The Country Day School, we headed into the final game against St. Clement’s School – a team with a perfect season behind them.
The Senior Girls Soccer team did it again! The girls won gold with a final score of 4–1. It was a classic finale. St. Clement’s scored first and had our girls on their heels momentarily, but Hawk Pride prevailed and we tied it up 1–1 in regulation time. After two scoreless 15-minute halves, the game went to penalty kicks. Our girls scored three in a row, clinching the match and the CISAA title.
As the girls ran from all parts of the field to congratulate each other, they were stunned and elated at their accomplishment. The plaque was awarded and a medal placed around each girl’s neck.
As the dust settled, parents cheered, tears were wiped, photos were taken and our team gave one last cheer.
“Hawks on three…1, 2, 3, HAWKS!!”
HTS Theatre The pursuit of ritual and a place of happenings
by James Darling, English Department Head
In his groundbreaking book The Empty Space, British dramatist and innovator Peter Brook described the “ritual” of theatre as something that had, over time, been forgotten. Though Brook was writing over 40 years ago and reflecting on a world fraught with different challenges than today, the essence of that concern could still find its way into the average high school theatre production of 2014.
By ritual, Brook was referring to the absolute and “holy” ability of a dramatic performance to transform human experience and understanding. He worried that too much theatre was being produced that was not capable of living in the hearts and minds of its audience. Brook craved a theatre of “happenings,” where the “invisible was made visible.” While high school theatre should always strive to expose new actors to the joys of the stage and the power of the form, HTS theatre productions have also believed there is another level, Brook’s theatre of ritual, which young actors are eminently capable of attaining.
In this year’s major school production, Fortune’s Fools, students of all levels of experience were asked to take a journey that, by all accounts, was a quest for those same Brooksian qualities of transformation and happening. The final product, an original tale of fate told by weaving three of Shakespeare’s greatest plays together as one, asked for a level of creative commitment to the ritual, right from the onset of rehearsal.
While all HTS productions strive to transcend the theatrical experience both for actor and audience, this year’s production was built entirely around the desire to perform it in the round. As a new and very challenging staging opportunity, the decision to situate the play in the middle of the theatre floor surrounded by seats on all four sides immediately upped the ante for actor and production team alike. Lighting in a “round” performance is four times more difficult than traditional staging. Sightlines and volume are a constant issue, so set and blocking must change as a result. Stage combat must be far more vigilant in terms of protecting the audience. Backstage space for storage and travel is limited and requires imaginative reinvention of the use of space. The list of alterations to a more traditional approach was long, but in those challenges forever lurked the knowledge that we were creating a theatrical “happening.”
In fact, the pursuit of ritual found its way into all areas of the production. Teams of students spent six weeks scrutinizing every line of each script, editing for length and meaning. The actors playing the sisters
of fate met in after-hours sessions, mapping scene order, writing original dialogue and philosophizing on the role of fate while building layers of symbolism into their roles. Backstage, crew members sweated the details of designing a three-dimensional performance space, creating costumes that had to be inexpensive but multi-use, and building set pieces that had to do triple duty. Theatre professionals offered their talents in lighting, sound, combat and language, pushing both cast and crew to consider the possibilities of creating a performance beyond the obvious. Thus, despite the myriad of challenges, or perhaps because of them, we always felt we were working on hallowed theatrical ground, tapping into a world quite often left invisible to the high school actor and audience.
At times, a school play is seen as a chance for kids to put on a costume, learn a line, alter their voice and have some fun. There is merit in that approach, and theatre arts should exist in that form rather than not at all. However, Peter Brook’s contention that theatre should truly strive to create happenings is an important part of the approach at HTS. It is why we perform plays in the round even though we have a stage. It speaks to why adapting three of Shakespeare’s plays makes for a richer moment than just performing one. It is also why we lean on professionals from the greater theatre community to help guide our students: because it is the people who have been part of such journeys, such happenings, who are more likely to know how to return.
Harnessing the new tools of learning
by Vince Delisi, Director of Innovation & Technology
The Future is Now M
any people tend to think of Information Technology (IT) as nuts and bolts – servers, computers, networks and infrastructure. Or perhaps they think of gadgets and applications. At HTS all of these exist but not for their own purpose. They are tools of learning and exist solely to help students learn better. That is the driving idea behind technology at HTS
In the past three years we have had many significant upgrades to the IT infrastructure, including a massive bandwidth upgrade and upgrades to our servers and WiFi. Why was this done? Because the changes that were already happening in classrooms required these updates in order to function reliably and seamlessly. Why go to this expense? To support the teaching and learning that is at the core of our programs today, as well as what we imagine for the future.
As a result, there are so many examples of outstanding teaching and learning that use technology appropriately. Subject areas that might seem to have no connection to each other (or to real life) are blending through the use
Mr. Voss with his four grandchildren
of technology. One example is a Middle School project connecting math and art. Last December, Grade 8 math students visited with well-known Canadian artist Micah Lexier during his show at Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre. They used his art to explore a variety of math concepts and created e-book projects based on their study and findings.
Our school is visited throughout the year by educators from other schools and school boards who have heard about the work we are doing with technology. One thing that we always emphasize is that any technology without teacher support and professional development is a waste of money and time. HTS supports our faculty of lifelong learners. Last year’s introduction of a blended learning professional development platform for teachers (called DRIVE – Daring Resources to Inspire Visionary Educators) continues to provide an example of excellent pedagogy, while giving teachers the ability to focus their own learning in areas where they need it most.
In today’s schools, IT is more about leading, learning and encouraging than it is about wires, chips and buttons. At HTS we are all the better for it.
Lower School JASON WOOD, SCIENCE TEACHER
TEACHER SPOTLIGHT
1. What inspired you to become a teacher?
While working in a public relations firm in downtown Toronto, I stopped by a local bookshop, looking for some motivation after a long, hard day of work. Quite by chance, I stumbled upon a DVD that a university professor had recommended. It was Cosmos by Carl Sagan, and it sparked in me the desire to make a difference. I became determined to become a teacher and inspire students to create a better world, just as Carl inspired me.
2. How long have you taught at HTS?
This is my fourth year at HTS. It has been a wonderful experience.
3. What hobbies or interests do you have outside of teaching? How might these outside interests inspire or influence your teaching style?
I try to live a very active lifestyle outside of school. I play hockey and softball, mountain bike and run. Running has a profound impact on my teaching. Not only do I get the benefits of extra energy to maintain my enthusiasm in class, I also find that running parallels life. Some days my mind and body make it difficult to get out and run, but by maintaining my commitment and setting goals, I’m able to progress and feel good about it. In education we call this grit, and I try to bring that set of values into the classroom. Hard work and perseverance are underrated skills.
4. What HTS co-curriculars are you involved with? How do you think co-curriculars complement students’ school experience?
I’ve coached soccer, basketball, track, junior robotics and now Minecraft. I think the students at HTS have wonderful choices when it comes to our co-curricular program. Even I’m torn when deciding whether to coach and promote an active lifestyle or support informal science education like robotics and Minecraft. Luckily I’ve been able to juggle both, as many HTS students do!
Co-curriculars are an essential component of the HTS experience. They offer students the opportunity to interact with their peers and teachers on another level. Friendships are forged in the classroom but strengthened on the playing field or in the heat of a robotics competition.
5. What has been your greatest teaching highlight?
It’s difficult to pinpoint one major teaching moment to highlight. As all teachers would confess, the greatest highlights are often found in the recognition of students’ “aha moments.” Nothing makes me happier as an educator than to hear the conversations of students as they collaborate during an experiment. When students are fully engaged in the inquiry process, that’s a powerful thing to witness.
6. What has been your greatest teaching challenge?
Education is a dynamic, fluid practice. Technology has impacted it further by accelerating the rate at which we learn. In this environment, teachers must adapt quickly and efficiently. I’m constantly reinventing myself to keep the stories, projects and experiments in class fresh, exciting and engaging.
THE CAIS ACCREDITATION SUCCESS STORY
by Pam Shanks, Executive Director of Advancement
HTShas once again received a ringing endorsement of the school’s commitment to excellence and ongoing improvement from CAIS (Canadian Accredited Independent Schools*). During the past year, the school participated in a rigorous accreditation process, which reviewed all aspects of our programs and operations, and measured them against the 12 National Standards and Procedures identified by CAIS. Through this process a school is able to identify strengths and weaknesses, and to appraise strategic plans against national and global standards. The outcome is an arm’s-length evaluation of the school that enables us to be even more accountable to our constituents.
A critical aspect of the accreditation process is the Internal Evaluation. This step involves broad input from representatives of the academic and administrative school community in the creation of a final written report. In our case, at almost 400 pages long, the document took nearly a year to write and covered all aspects of the school’s operations.
Led by Chris Shannon, Headmaster of Lower Canada College in Montreal, the 11-member Visiting Team spent four very busy days at HTS in April of 2014. The wellqualified and experienced group consisted of educators from schools with missions and values similar to those of HTS. As part of an inclusive and collaborative process, they met with students, staff, parents and Board members, observed classes and activities at the school, and challenged us to reflect on how we could make improvements.
We are very pleased to report that CAIS has verified that we are working highly effectively to fulfill our mission.
In particular, we were delighted with the commendation from the Visiting Committee about the pervasiveness of our commitment to Christian values. The Committee noted that they bind our school community together in a manner that is genuine, broadly understood and widely celebrated. These core values act as a source of great strength for the school community.
The Visiting Committee enjoyed the opportunity to observe confident, articulate, enthusiastic and welcoming students, and noted that HTS demonstrates a deep commitment to the well-being of all students. Many students expressed genuine interest in the visit and were eager to share their work samples when visited in their classrooms. Throughout the school, the Committee observed numerous examples of mentoring by teachers who demonstrated sincere care and concern for students, which reflects the school’s values and ethos from Kindergarten to Senior School.
An important aspect of the review process is the articulation of areas where the school is striving to improve. For instance, we are asked to assess how drama could be integrated as a subject across each grade in the Middle School. Another area of focus is student support, and we have been invited to consider implementing additional learning services for students who require greater support. On the school administration front, we have been asked to review our human resources plan so that it better aligns with our new strategic plan.
The school is striving to continually improve, so we will carefully review all of the recommendations and integrate them into future plans where appropriate. Head of School Barry Hughes says, “The accreditation process is hard work, but the contributions of the community and feedback from the Visiting Committee serve to reinforce
that HTS is delivering the high standard that we aim for. We are proud of the commendations that we have received but are ever-mindful of our duty to innovate, to bring out the best in our students, and to develop wellrounded young people who will go on to succeed in their post-secondary studies and in life.”
Special Note:
CAIS schools provide more. The National Standards and Procedures are congruent with the internationally accepted criteria and model core standards adopted by the NAIS International Commission on Accreditation and updated annually based on current research and exceptional practices. The Standards Council of the Board reviews and approves all changes to the Accreditation Guidelines.
What Do Parents Look for in an Independent School?
• Quality of facilities
• Access to faculty
• Value for the cost
• Safety of the school
• Small class size
• Academic reputation
• Personal attention to students
What Do the Experts Say Is Important to Nurture in Our Students?
• Critical thinking and problem solving
• Collaboration
• Agility and adaptability
• Initiative and entrepreneurialism
• Oral and written communication
• Accessing and analyzing information
• Curiosity and imagination
Commendations:
1. There is a general feeling of wellness and contentment that exists among all people who attend, work at and live at HTS. There is a general sense that students and faculty alike live a happy, enriched and stimulated life.
2. The Visiting Committee commends the school on the multiple ways of sharing two-way communication and its impressive culture of open dialogue.
3. The Visiting Committee commends HTS on the work undertaken to embed the arts in school culture and curriculum, and in particular, the response of the Music Department in producing high-quality performances across the year.
4. The Visiting Committee commends the school on developing a broad service-learning program, which underpins the service and citizenship tenets of HTS.
5. The Visiting Committee commends HTS teachers and administrators for their ability to be adaptive to their students’ needs and for their ability to embrace change, especially in using IT within classroom delivery.
6. The Visiting Committee commends the Senior School for the directed and meaningful ways it has cultivated student leadership and related initiatives. Senior student leaders are clearly engaged and effectively engaging others in the vibrant school life at HTS.
7. The Visiting Committee commends the Facilities Department for the school’s excellent facilities maintenance program. The school facilities are clean, attractive and meticulously maintained.
8. The Visiting Committee commends the school for its focus on safety during student drop-off and pickup, implementing an active traffic management program that includes dedicated safety staff.
9. The Visiting Committee commends the courageous ability of the Senior Leadership Team, Extended Leadership Team, faculty, staff and parents to rally for the school during a most challenging year.
*CAIS is a not-for-profit charitable organization representing over 90 accredited schools in Canada, Bermuda, Dominican Republic and Switzerland. CAIS is a member of NAIS International Commission on Accreditation and the Association of Accrediting Agencies of Canada, and sets a high standard for independent school education.
The Eyrie
The Hawk has landed at HTS’s new digital newspaper
by Alisha and Natasha Nanji, Senior School students and co-editors of The Eyrie
We have a strong passion for writing and believe that students should have a place to express themselves, so it is not surprising that we became interested in editing the HTS student paper. It seemed to us that there were not many avenues where students could voice their opinions openly to their peers. Becoming the co-editors of the student newspaper gave us the opportunity to create a forum for the student voice, student art and student ideas.
The Eyrie was previously known as The Hawk Gazette and published in print form only. In 2011 and 2012, our older sister Safiya, currently a sophomore at Tufts University in Boston, was the editor-in-chief of the school newspaper. She tried to introduce a digital edition of the paper, but the idea was not considered practical at that time. Now that we are all more tech savvy, the idea of going online was revived, and this year people loved it. The shift from print to digital was not easy. We faced many challenges. Luckily,
we had an able team to help. Senior School students with a passion for writing and sharing their thoughts with the HTS community had the opportunity to become subeditors. In addition to these talented contributors, we had a great faculty advisor, Mr. Michael Storey, to guide us.
Mr. Storey approved the print-to-web idea and continued to motivate us and support The Eyrie
All the challenges we faced paid off when the first edition was released; it received over 4,500 views and plenty of positive feedback in less than a week. We also heard favourable comments from HTS faculty and parents. Overall, student response has been enthusiastic. We hope to grow and improve future editions by encouraging every student to get involved. At the end of the day, the students make The Eyrie what it is. The Eyrie can be viewed at www.theeyriehts.wordpress.com.
We both have loved working on The Eyrie. It has given us the opportunity to get involved with the students in a way that was truly rewarding.
Praise for Lord Carey
by Michael Storey, English and Social Sciences Teacher
Former Archbishop of Canterbury graces HTS Prestigious Speakers series
Last November, HTS was blessed to have former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey of Clifton visit for several days. He was a gracious participant in our HTS Prestigious Speakers series, which was started last year to inspire the HTS community and challenge us in our thinking.
Given the opportunity to seek truly great speakers, Head of School Barry Hughes approached Lord Carey, whom he knew through the latter’s role as President of United Learning in the UK.
For an Anglican school, the dignitary’s visit was an honour akin to a Catholic school receiving the Pope Emeritus. He spoke of some of the challenges he had faced throughout his career, from championing excellence in education in Britain to encouraging acts of global citizenship through the World Economic Forum.
Asked how he managed the delicate balance of politics and religion, Lord Carey acknowledged some pride in having helped steer the Anglican Church toward the admission of women to the clergy, a divisive issue during his tenure. He stressed the importance of acting with integrity in matters of conscience, rather than choosing what is easy or popular
While he was here, Lord Carey officiated over our All Saints communion service, spoke to the Senior School and participated in a number of more intimate visits with HTS
World Religions classes. He also shared in the worship at Holy Trinity Church of Thornhill, the school’s founding church.
“It was really something that a person of that stature came to speak with us,” reflected HTS Senior Kenna Panikkar. “It really helped us make connections to what we are studying.”
Contemplating the impression Lord Carey made during his short stay, Father Crowther remarked, “This man, who has been a leader the world over, reminded us that what we are doing here is vital, essential and eternal.”
Or as Grade 11 student Heili Kelly put it, “It was both inspiring and humbling that someone so influential, someone currently in the British House of Lords, came to be with us and see what we are doing. And he seemed so impressed. That’s humility.”
Iteration: Re-envisioning Success
by Katie Young, English Teacher
If at first you don’t succeed, you might be on to something!
Iteration. It’s an interesting word and not one that you might be prone to use unless you are a computer programmer, architect or mathematician. Many entrepreneurs frame iteration as an integral part of growth and development in their businesses. Yet to many of us, iteration is something we fear. It’s a harsh word to be avoided at all costs. In essence, iteration is equivalent to one of the most inevitable aspects of the human experience: failure.
In my educational practice I am often surrounded by, and must assuage, the anxieties many students experience as a result of their fear of failure. All too frequently, when students are faced with a challenging activity or a topic to explore, one of their primary questions is “Does this count for grades?” or “Will I be tested on this?” Often, I cannot help but reflect on how this culture of our classroom stems from our inability to encourage students to fail, or, perhaps better expressed, iterate. We must, as educators, mitigate these questions by encouraging students to allow themselves to experience the joys and growth associated with failing.
Much of this fundamental shift of the notion of failure also necessitates that we as classroom teachers reframe what constitutes learning. Encouraging
children to see learning not as a linear progression, but rather as malleable ideas in action, is essential to this reframing process. In his TED talk entitled “Build a Tower, Build a Team,” Tom Wujec illuminates the importance of this mindset when he shares the outcomes of what he calls the “marshmallow challenge.” In the marshmallow challenge, teams of four are given 20 sticks of uncooked spaghetti, one yard of tape, one yard of string and one marshmallow. The challenge is to create the largest free-standing structure. Surprisingly, it isn’t the most experienced and most educated segments of society who tend to build the tallest and most innovative structures – aside from architects, thankfully. It is children in kindergarten. They spend less time jockeying for leadership, they plan less, and they try more prototypes. They aren’t afraid to fail. Kindergarten students are, by nature, iterators.
In his book Creating Innovators: The Making of Young People Who Will Change the World, education expert Tony Wagner discusses at length the need for a paradigm shift in education toward a culture of innovation. In order to create innovators, he argues, we must foster collaboration, interdisciplinary problem-solving and intrinsic motivation in students. Foremost, students must remove their notion that failure is to be avoided at all costs. That begins by creating a safe classroom environment that provides the opportunity for intellectual exploration unfettered by the constraints of believing there is “one way” to achieve the desired answer. As counterintuitive as it may seem, we must fundamentally imagine and instill the concept that failure is integral to, and not diametrically opposed to, success. Ironically, it is the subtle, nuanced lessons that can be found within failures that could be the most impactful to our future innovators and their success.
The Garden Where Learning Grows
by Jacqueline Butler, Science Teacher and Environmental Sustainability Coordinator with Grace Osmond, English Teacher and Guidance Counsellor and Shantel Popp, Science Teacher
Middle School teachers create a new tool to keep students engaged
In addition to establishing a beautiful new flagpole perennial garden in the front of the school, the EcoTeam has been busy collaborating with two very keen Middle School teachers to create an exciting new learning tool, right in our own backyard.
As a sustainability coordinator and biology teacher, I am always looking for ways to encourage young people to learn about the environment while in the environment. Imagine my excitement when I was approached by Middle School teachers Grace Osmond and Shantel Popp to discuss creating a raised garden bed around the theme of The Science of Bulbs. The garden was built and planted by their students last fall. By spring, the young gardeners were anxiously waiting to see the fruits of their labour and get their hands dirty in the name of science.
I asked Ms. Osmond and Ms. Popp to share their thoughts during the first year of the garden project.
What was the inspiration behind this project?
Ms. Osmond: One of my favourite plants, the dahlia, blooms late in the season, just when school begins. I bring cut dahlias into the classroom each week so that we can all enjoy them. These blossoms are huge and spark curiosity in the students. One student in particular was fascinated by the blossoms. She is an artist, and a blossoming gardener, so we began to discuss the science of bulbs: soft bulbs (such as the dahlia) and hard bulbs (such as tulips), the differences between the two, how to plant them, and how to draw them. We drew dahlia bulbs on the board to understand the word “tubers,” and I then brought in gladioli bulbs and showed her how to separate them.
How do you envision it enhancing the learning experience for your students?
Ms. Osmond: All teachers try to make connections for the students. We can’t translate our love for something to the students by simply telling them – they must create the connection for themselves. This is what happened as we began to discuss bulbs. Also, every teacher hopes that his or her students will be curious and yearn to gather information. Again, this is what happened in the classroom, completely unexpectedly. The students were exceptionally engaged: within minutes of planting the garden, they had created a Twitter account, which attracted an instant following
How does the garden support the Middle School science curriculum?
Ms. Popp: In Grade 7, we study Interactions in the Environment, and our garden allows us to examine the relationships between living things, right outside our doors. Another Grade 7 unit is Heat in the Environment. We can manipulate the plant life in our garden to investigate how greenhouse gases impact living things, and use this information to make predictions about how this may affect our planet.
The garden provides connections for our Grade 8 students too. Part of our time in class is spent examining plant cells under the microscope. Students can collect their own samples from the plants they grew, and compare and contrast differences between species at the cellular level. In Grade 8, we also study the Earth’s water cycle, so our garden is monitored for how it drains and how much watering it needs, as well as what happens when plants are deprived of water.
Can any innovative practices be developed from this kind of learning experience?
Ms. Popp: A garden can be appreciated in many different ways. For students interested in how pesticides impact agriculture, we can run tests comparing natural repellents to chemicals. Investigating why some plant species grow so well together helps us learn about soil chemistry. There are also teaching opportunities in explaining how pestrepellent plants such as garlic, onions and even fresh herbs can impact the vitality of the garden.
Haven’t you created more work for yourself, maintaining a garden just to cover the curriculum standards?
Ms. Popp: Not at all! This garden allows students to connect with something that is meaningful to them, and they’ve been a part of the planning, planting and maintenance of the garden. This makes their learning both inside and outside of the classroom relevant, and creates broader connections to the world around them.
Ms. Osmond: Also, as the warm weather arrives, what better way to encourage students’ love of being outside than to give them a worthwhile project of their own to take care of. And we are two teachers who don’t mind getting our fingernails a little bit dirty either!
Middle School SHANTEL POPP, SCIENCE TEACHER TEACHER SPOTLIGHT
1. What inspired you to become a teacher?
Like many teachers, I have been inspired by the teachers that I had as a student. I learned from incredible teachers, including those who challenged me, read to me and coached me. The ones that I remember most developed a culture in the classroom that was caring, inclusive and positive – and it made me want to do my best every day! I bring these qualities to my classroom, as I know how important it is to have a personal connection with each and every student. Currently, I’m inspired to be a teacher by my colleagues at HTS and all of the fresh and exciting things happening in education today – from the new types of instruction to the implementation of leading-edge technologies in the classroom. I find the newness energizing and inspiring.
2. How long have you taught at HTS?
I have taught at HTS for two years, and I’ve been able to experience many exciting things during this time. I remember the day I was hired and the genuine feeling of happiness that overwhelmed me. I have my dream job, and I get to work alongside incredible people at a world-class school every day – I’m very lucky!
3. What hobbies or interests do you have outside of teaching? How might these outside interests inspire or influence your teaching style?
Outside of teaching I love to cook, spend time outdoors at my family cottage and read the day away. I also really enjoying kayaking
– especially on Georgian Bay. I really love anything that has to do with being active. I think these outside interests influence my teaching because I try to have students learn about the environment – in the environment. My Middle School classes are outside every chance we get, studying the world around us. This is also how my physical education and health classes run – we are outside in the sun and snow at different times of the year.
4. What HTS co-curriculars are you involved with? How do you think co-curriculars complement students’ school experience?
I coach Senior Girls Soccer in the fall with Neil Morgan, and just this past year we had the incredible experience of bringing home gold with 18 girls from Grades 10, 11 and 12 in our CISAA division as well as our CAIS division.
In the winter term, I run a weekly club where students use computer software to design and build different types of bridges. The ultimate experience for students in this club is to compete against 11 other CIS schools to design the best bridge under specified challenges. Our Middle School students have always proved themselves as great competitors.
In the spring term, I coach Senior Girls and Boys Badminton. We visit many different schools for matches and even host matches ourselves. Our season culminates at York University with a tournament-style final. Coaching these teams, especially at the Senior level, has allowed me to get to know students that I don’t always get to teach on a day-to-day basis and really has developed my sense of community within the school. The co-curricular program is such a great complement to the school day, as students get to engage in a different way with their peers and teachers – and be active while doing so.
Putting our Art into it
by Kim Cimetta, Art Department Head
Celebrating the wild and wonderful possibilities of creative expression
The Visual Arts Department showcases the talents of our students throughout the year, and May was our tour de force. Filling the hallways, display cases and even an elevator shaft, student exhibits were both eye-catching and thought-provoking. Moving beyond the idea of paint on canvas, young artists at HTS are challenged to think critically and communicate thoughtfully using the medium of visual art. Every May, we highlight and celebrate the creativity and skills of our astonishingly gifted young artists.
The celebrations began with workshops for Senior School visual arts students. Professional artists – including architect Rob Short from Pellow Architects, photographers Frank Mazzuca and Tobi Asmoucha, painter and mixed media artist Colin Whitebread, felting artist Sue Firkser, clay artists Vivian and Sherman Ha, acrylic transfer artist Didi Gadjanski and animator Kent Burles – visited HTS, giving students the opportunity to explore the artistic medium of their choice. Members of the HTS community were encouraged to have their caricature done by artist James Gain. Students of all ages lined up for an intricate henna tattoo by artist and calligrapher Dave Rankine, an experience that broadened their understanding of this cultural tradition.
The HTS Arts Council was an integral part of the week and organized an interactive bulletin board where students responded, on a sticky note, to the question “What inspires you?” Colourful squares filled the space with inspiring and heartfelt statements from all levels of the school.
Our Evening of the Arts featured a student art exhibit, followed by the HTS Arts Awards. With jazz and hors d’oeuvres creating a gallery ambience, parents, friends, students and teachers gathered to appreciate the intriguing and imaginative display of paintings, photographs, mixed media pieces, conceptual art, video installations, fashion displays and street art. Installed along an entire hallway were faux lockers, covered with street art. Exercising both their democratic rights and their social awareness, Grade 12 students voiced important messages in the form of provocative “tags.”
The talents of HTS alumni who have gone on to pursue careers as professional artists were showcased as well. Rachael Stableford ’05, a multidisciplinary artist living in Vancouver, presented a time-lapse video installation that captured the creation of a painting from beginning to end. Fashion designer Tara Rivas ’10 featured her first line of women’s clothing, TMR Collection, a limited edition of high-quality garments, proudly manufactured
in Canada. Maggie So ’13 exhibited her designs as a student of Ryerson’s School of Fashion. Appreciation of art and art history shone through in conceptual artworks by Caroline Murphy and photographs by Christina Fiorillo, both ’10. Completing her studies in architecture, Caroline presented a conceptual study of architectural cupolas in her series of coloured photographs. Christina’s dramatic images of grand European icons such as the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral revealed her keen “photographer’s eye.”
The celebrations continued throughout the month with the Lower and Middle School Art Shows. Visiting artists and handson workshops provided yet more opportunity for our younger students to explore, experiment and develop artistically.
The HTS Art Department encourages students to embrace their creative potential and remain open to all the wild and wonderful possibilities of artistic expression. The imaginative and untiring efforts of my colleagues, Carol Anne Calderone and Jennifer Cameron, are evident in the charming and intriguing student art exhibits their classes produce. As a department, we will continue to challenge our students – through workshops, artist visits and field trips to galleries both at home and abroad – to develop their vision and their voice.
The visual arts provide rich opportunities for students to nourish creative and cognitive skills that will help them become engaged, critical and active 21st-century Canadian citizens. As renowned educator William Bennett (1987) asserts, “The arts are an essential element of education, just like reading, writing, and arithmetic.… Music, dance, painting, and theater are all keys that unlock profound human understanding and accomplishment.”
HTS students have important messages to share through their artwork. With your encouragement and support, they will continue to produce creative and inspiring artwork while concurrently contributing their vital and important voices to contemporary social discourse.
Reference:
Bennett, William J. 1987. Why the Arts Are Essential. From Educational Leadership (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development), 45 (4): 4–5.
Dance Drama Soccer Adventure Discovery Basketball
Young Genius
Volleyball Musical Theatre
SUMMER PROGRAM
A happy, fun and productive summer starts here.
All Sports
HTS is a special place where students are encouraged to live and learn to their full potential. With our enthusiastic summer staff of HTS faculty, alumni and senior students, your child will have the chance to embrace challenges, develop skills, make new friends and build memories to last a lifetime.
Find out more at hts.on.ca/summerprogram
Senior School DAVE REHILL, SOCIAL SCIENCES DEPARTMENT HEAD TEACHER SPOTLIGHT
1. What inspired you to become a teacher?
Teaching is very much the family business. Both my father and uncle, and later my sister-in-law, were teachers. Growing up in a teaching household, I was able to witness the dedication and commitment of my father’s colleagues and the satisfaction they received from the profession.
2. How long have you taught at HTS?
That is a more complicated question than you may think. I started at HTS in September of 1986, 28 years ago, but left and taught in Northern Ontario from 1991 to 1998. If my math is correct that means I have taught here for 21 years.
3. What hobbies or interests do you have outside of teaching? How might these outside interests inspire or influence your teaching style?
My greatest passion outside of the school is genealogy, and this has definitely had an impact on my teaching. I have always enjoyed the detective aspect of family history, and when given an opportunity I have tried to incorporate that into my courses. When teaching events such as the arrival of the Mayflower, the American Revolution, the Civil War or World War I, I have discovered that describing how my family participated in these events makes the topics more memorable.
I am also deeply involved in my church community outside of school, and my
teaching philosophy is greatly impacted by my faith. No student is unredeemable; I have always striven to give students the benefit of the doubt.
4. What HTS co-curriculars are you involved with? How do you think co-curriculars complement students’ school experience?
Co-curriculars are a crucial component of both student and teacher life at HTS. I have been blessed to be involved in both athletics and music at the school. Though I have coached both basketball and tennis, volleyball has been my main co-curricular throughout my entire career at HTS. On the music side, I have accompanied ensembles to numerous competitions, in England and most recently Italy, Austria and Prague. On occasion, I have even performed with the ensembles.
When teachers and alumni get together, they rarely talk about classes – memories of tournaments, performances, trips, teammates and bandmates tend to be the topic of conversation. Whether on a team or in a band or choir, students bond with each other in a powerful way. Co-curriculars teach discipline, commitment and organization. I have always marvelled at our student athletes and musicians, for the more involved they are in their respective activities, the more they excel at academics.
5. What has been your greatest teaching highlight?
Singling out one highlight is virtually impossible. In the classroom, highlights include successful role plays, heated debates and outstanding student work. In the gym, I have had a fortunate run: seven CISAA championships and four additional CISAA final appearances, all but one at the Division 1 level. Like most teachers at HTS, I find the most satisfying experience is attending alumni reunions and discovering how successful our students have become. On occasion they will mention the influence you have had on them and their choices. This is by far the greatest highlight.
6. What has been your greatest teaching challenge?
Being born five years behind the advent of computers. I completed my academic degrees before computers made their appearance at university. Throughout my whole career at HTS, I have been playing catch-up with technology. In my first year at the school, all my assignments and tests were handwritten and duplicated on a Gestetner machine located in the “copy” room (now the entrance to the male faculty change room outside of Gym 1). Since that time, we have progressed through desktops, teacher-operated websites, laptops, Blackboard, Google Docs and now Edvance. The pace of change and the pace of the school have increased exponentially.
Reading Writers, Writing Readers Budding authors explore the writer’s craft
by Louise Fisher, Lower School Teacher and Reading Coach, and Nadia Warriner, Lower School Teacher and Librarian
In the Grade 1 classroom, Cindy is sitting quietly, without a pencil, flipping the blank pages of a booklet. When asked why she isn’t writing, she replies patiently, “Mrs. Warriner, I am planning my story first. I am touching and telling across my pages.”
Next door, with horror in her voice, Alessia demands, “Mrs. Csinos! We are out of glossary pages! How can I finish my information book without a glossary?”
In Grade 2 across the hall, Arman is proudly sharing his writing with his group. He announces the goal he has set for himself: “I am working really hard on my beautiful words.”
If you were to peek into Lower School classrooms during the 90-minute daily literacy block, these are conversations you might overhear. Students’ ability to talk about their writing and reading is changing. They are growing to see themselves as authors, with their own distinct voice and something important to say.
Consequently, when reading, students are beginning to examine texts more purposefully. Strong writers are almost always good readers first, but the reverse does not hold true. While it is often assumed that strong readers will be naturally good writers, many good readers still struggle to make themselves understood through their written work. Writing needs to be taught in an explicit, linear way, much the way math instruction follows a clear progression of skills. Taught in this way, writing becomes a vehicle to express ideas and opinions, to give voice to personal stories, and not just an assignment to complete and hand in to a teacher. In the Lower School, we have made a commitment to providing students with more dedicated reading time and the opportunity to write as authors do.
“Mrs. Fisher! Look! The author is using a personal story to get us hooked on learning about avalanches! I really feel like I am standing at the top of that mountain!” Kai says with excitement.
Lower School teachers are hearing their students talk about their reading with increased awareness of the writer’s craft. Students have traditionally seen the two as different “subjects” in school, but there is a strong and tangible connection between reading the work of an author and seeing oneself as an author. As a by-product of students focusing on specific elements of the writer’s craft, they develop their understanding of an author’s intent in their reading as well. Reading and writing skills develop in tandem and are interwoven. Through read-aloud, guided reading and independent reading, students focus on what is literally within the text, and they also develop their understanding of what is beyond the text, and their ability to talk about a text.
Through intentional use of mentor texts, classes focus not only on the structure and conventions of writing but also on elaboration and craft.
A 2010 Carnegie report on writing (Graham and Hebert 2010) states, “The evidence is clear: writing can be a vehicle for improving reading.… In addition, teaching writing not only improves how well students write…; it also enhances students’ ability to read a text accurately, fluently and with comprehension. Finally, having students spend more time writing has a positive impact on reading.”
We have often heard students say, “I don’t know what to write about” or “Is this enough?” By focusing more on providing choice and voice, students are being invited to live, observe, learn and work as writers. They are cycling through the writing process and receiving the personalized feedback that is essential to their growth. As Melissa in Grade 6 commented recently about her teacher’s approach to teaching writing, “I like how she went through it with us step by step and then let us do it on our own and see what we could do.”
Research bears out the necessity of teaching grammar and spelling in the context of students’ own writing, not in isolation. The authors of another Carnegie report (Graham and Perin 2007) found in their meta-analysis that “in the explicit and systematic teaching of the parts of speech and structure of sentences,” there was “an effect for this type of instruction for students across the full range of ability, but surprisingly, this effect was negative,” and “traditional grammar instruction is unlikely to help improve the quality of students’ writing.” By conferring with students individually, Lower School teachers are providing this evidencebased best practice. “Teaching students to focus on the function and practical application of grammar within the context of writing (versus teaching grammar as an independent activity) produced strong and positive effects on students’ writing” (Graham and Perin 2007).
Ultimately, effective literacy instruction gives students the skills they need to be critical consumers of information, media and the world around them. “The ability to read, comprehend, and write – in other words, to organize information into knowledge – can be viewed as tantamount to a survival skill” (Graham and Hebert 2010).
Reference:
Graham, Steve, and Michael Hebert. 2010. Writing to Read: Evidence for How Writing Can Improve Reading. A Carnegie Corporation Time to Act Report. Washington, DC: Alliance for Excellent Education.
Graham, Steve, and Dolores Perin. 2007. Writing Next: Effective Strategies to Improve Writing of Adolescents in Middle and High Schools. A Report to Carnegie Corporation of New York. Washington, DC: Alliance for Excellent Education.
Nicaragua World – March 2014
by Cheryl Savage, Science Teacher
Working, trekking and making every moment count
After months of planning, fundraising, gathering equipment and collecting donations, our group of 19 students, Mrs. Savage and Ms. Vangel set off on our long-awaited adventure, accompanied by Zack and Jake, our World Challenge guides. We landed in Managua, Nicaragua, and transferred to Lazybones hostel in León to spend a few days acclimatizing and preparing for our service project. We were able to spend a few hours walking around this unpretentious city, taking in its lovely cathedral, busy market and colourful street activity. Our group also spent some time getting to know each other, and planning how we were going to meet the needs of the project community.
Very excited to start the work phase, we set off early with our bags loaded high on top of the bus. The El Chagüe community is about 10 kilometres outside of León, in a small farming area. The teachers, children and their families were lined up waiting to greet us as we arrived, and we settled down to watch a short concert. It took no time at all for our students to begin to play
with the children – there was no language barrier as energetic games of soccer and baseball sprang up. Some of the quieter children were quickly engaged in painting and sticker books. Their teachers were appreciative of the books and sports equipment that the HTS community donated.
El Chagüe is a simple school consisting of five classrooms, four outdoor toilets and a handpumped water well. We set up camp in two classrooms and spent the next few days scraping the walls and doors of the three remaining classrooms, to prepare them for paint. When some of our students realized that the “playground” was an uneven dirt patch full of dangerous rocks, they set to work clearing the rocks and suggested we build new walled gardens for the classes. Bricks were purchased and arrived on a cart pulled by oxen, and several students learned how to mix cement and build low-walled brick gardens for each classroom. After each day of hard work, two families would collect us and take us to homes in the village for dinner. For many of us it was a highlight of the experience to eat tasty home-cooked meals with the local people. After one of these dinners, a vigorous and competitive soccer game broke out between HTS and the children in the family!
In addition to painting the classrooms a cheerful blue and white, and building gardens, we also used some of the money we had raised to pay for doors to replace the billowing curtains across the open toilets. When the children returned to school on Monday, several of the girls raced down to examine the newly pri-
Challenge
vate toilet facilities with lots of smiles and grateful chatter. A few of the students painted a lovely blue and white sign with the name of the school, and we hung it above the walkway before we left. It was very hard to leave the sunny Nicaraguan children that we had so quickly bonded with.
We returned to León for a few days to plan and shop for the trek phase. We had some time to sightsee, and a small group found an eccentric entomologist with a quaint museum of insects and beautiful butterflies. We started our volcano trek with a climb up Cerro Negro, the black volcano. It is a fairly young volcano, and it was interesting to see the smoke and smell the sulphurous gases wafting up as we climbed. It took about an hour to climb, and about two minutes to fly back down the volcano on a sled. For many of us this was a terrifying thrill ride, but there were several students who thought it was too slow! Our next volcano was El Hoyo, which means “the hole.” We took about four hours to climb the steep sides of the mountain in the afternoon of a very hot day.
The campsite was in the crater, a welcome sight as we came over the top. The views from the crater were spectacular, and we all felt the long, hard climb was worth the effort. In the morning we descended that volcano and set off for Momotombo, the largest of the three. We woke at 2:45 AM to hike to the summit before sunrise. As we huddled together in the cold at the top, the sunrise was a beautiful sight. We felt truly on top of the world.
After the trek phase, we travelled to the city of Granada for some R & R. Granada is a colonial city with many original Spanishstyle buildings with large verandahs, colourful facades and internal courtyards. We had time to explore, take part in an “Amazing Race” activity, enjoy a boat tour of the islands in Lake Nicaragua and visit a market and pottery studio. We took advantage of the opportunity to buy some souvenirs and local handcrafts.
We returned to Canada, tired and satisfied, having made new friends, challenged ourselves and helped to make a difference in the lives of the people in El Chagüe.
Annual Fund
Support HTS
Endowments
The HTS Annual Fund is crucial to enhancing the programs and facilities that provide our students with the very best education. The Annual Fund supports special projects that are not funded by tuition.
Your support to the Annual Fund can be directed to one or more of the following initiatives:
• Head’s Discretionary Fund – Support initiatives in the areas of greatest need as determined by the Head of School.
• Student Awards Endowment – Provide an HTS education to outstanding students who could not otherwise afford it.
All gifts are 100% tax deductible.
Charitable Registration No.: 122397417RR0001
The HTS endowments are crucial to providing financial aid to students in the form of bursaries and scholarships. Endowment is truly the gift that keeps on giving, as your gift is protected and only the investment income is spent. HTS currently manages six endowment funds. Anyone may contribute to:
• George Rutherford Scholarship Fund
• HTS Scholarship Fund
Grade 12 parents may contribute to:
• Graduation Endowment Fund
Other endowments include:
• Edwin Alexander Terbrugge Bursary
• Governors’ Fund
• Merritt & Margaret Harding Endowment Fund
• Timothy Pryce & Friends Memorial Fund
If you are interested in establishing a named endowment, please contact Pam Shanks, Executive Director of Advancement, at 905-737-1114 x274.
For more information on our endowments, please visit hts.on.ca/endowments.
Attn: Jessica Wroblewski
Bayview Avenue, Richmond Hill, ON L4S 1L4
Business Brought to Life
by Ronald Deane, Business & Computer Studies Department Head
Business at HTS is more than just a series of academic classroom lessons. It’s an opportunity to acquire real-life experience.
Afield trip to the heart of Toronto’s financial district affords students a glimpse into the workings of the business world. Presented annually by the Junior Economic Club of Canada, A Day on Bay includes presentations from industry experts, such as Ontario’s Finance Minister and CTV’s Consumer Alert host Pat Foran, as well as interactive workshops and seminars designed to convey the fundamentals of finance and personal money management. The experience gives students valuable insight into the role financial systems play in an increasingly complex global marketplace. At the end of the day, they are invited to enter the Financial Literacy Competition, to deepen their understanding of business-related topics.
Back at HTS, the Grade 9 program challenges students to develop an original business idea and bring it to life. Working with a partner, the would-be tycoons must dream up a marketable new product or service, formulate impactful marketing initiatives, prepare practical financial plans and draw up a realistic operational schedule for their business. The project culminates with the Trade Show, an HTS event attended by business professionals. Here, the teams present their work in a bid to be voted Best in Business.
As students continue their business learning throughout their Senior years at HTS, they delve into areas such as marketing, entrepreneurship, international business and accounting. The entrepreneurship course is designed around the development of a summer business plan. With help from the Small Business Enterprise Centre of Richmond Hill, budding entrepreneurs are shown how to apply for a grant from Ontario’s Summer Company program, enabling them to put fledgling business ideas to the real-world test.
The world of business is highly competitive, and the HTS program offers plenty of opportunity to develop the confidence and skills to shine under pressure. The Ontario Business Educators’ Association conducts competitions in which student plans are measured for everything from content uniqueness to thoroughness of research. HTS submissions consistently rank among the best in the province, placing first for Entrepreneurial Business Plan and second for both Entrepreneurial Business and Marketing last year alone.
With exposure to stimulating instructional material inside the classroom, as well as a wealth of valuable experience beyond it, HTS Seniors are building a strong foundation for success in the real world that awaits them.
by Helen Pereira-Raso, Deputy Head
WHAT’Sahead Partnership in Learning
Good schools become great when there is a learning partnership between students, teachers, and parents. Research continues to demonstrate that such a partnership between students, teachers and parents increases self-motivation in students, enables them to take greater ownership of their own learning, and positions them to succeed in a competitive workplace. One of the many strengths of our school is this kind of partnership in the learning journey.
The past year saw some great examples of this. Parent workshops about Twitter introduced parents to the social media tools their children are using in the classroom. These sessions led to great conversations about learning and ways we can be proactive in helping children to use social media responsibly. We plan to follow up with further collaborative learning opportunities, offering parents the chance to join as learners. Topics
“ We hope that even more parents will consider participating, as these partnerships are so valuable in enabling stakeholders to contribute to the development of our school as a true learning community.
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that have generated much interest include assessment, social media, parenting and technology. Parents should watch for further information in the Friday News and on the HTS website.
This year’s Learning Team Initiative also generated much authentic collaboration between parents, students and faculty. Progress was amply demonstrated at the end of the school year when each learning team presented their questions, research and ideas to the entire faculty and other guests. As we go forward, there will be additional opportunities for parents, students and faculty to come together as learners. We hope that even more parents will consider participating, as these partnerships are so valuable in enabling stakeholders to contribute to the development of our school as a true learning community.
Many young people today over-focus on what did or didn’t happen in the past, or worry too much about what the future might hold. As a consequence, they often fail to take full advantage of the present moment and can become overwhelmed.
In response to these concerns, in the upcoming school year Dr. Judy Turner, an HTS parent, has kindly agreed to deliver a Mindfulness program to our Grade 9 students. Mindfulness focuses on paying attention to the present moment, as we are experiencing it: being present for what is happening, as it is happening, and being aware of our thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations as they are in the moment, without judging them as good or bad.
The program will give our students the tools to reflect, pause and understand themselves better. The benefits of such an approach are well documented:
• An improvement in the ability to focus and pay attention
• A reduction in reactivity – students develop a pause position between events and their reaction to events, allowing healthier responses to occur
• An increase in attentiveness
• The development of compassion
• An improvement in communication skills and prosocial behaviour
• A reduction in anxiety and an increase in calm
• The building of good stress management skills
• An enhancement in emotional regulation
• An improvement in general health and well-being
Such partnerships are key to making HTS a great learning community. As the school year quickly unfolds, we hope more and more stakeholders will join us on this journey and help to make our school stronger still.
Shaped by Experience
Children learn from experience. Our environment allows them to go beyond academics to explore their passions in and out of the classroom, and live values at school that mirror those at home. We help them to thrive.
