Corridors 2022

CORRIDORS

Living and Leading Educational Transformation

“What transformations have you experienced in your time at HTS? In what ways have they impacted you?”

PUBLICATION DIRECTORS

Sandra Herbst

Scott Lougheed

CONTRIBUTORS

Tyler Braganza

Shelley Charles

Daniel Cheng ’98

Chris Cody

Brian Csinos

Antoinette DeSimini-Caruso

Irene Dongas

Donita Duplisea

Tracy Faucher

Ava Gallimore

Sandra Herbst

Danielle Hitchcock

Irene Hou ’18

Joseph Michael Howarth

Tara Irani

Matthew Iu

Waqas Khan

Angela Lanni ’01

Jeslyn Li ’22

Scott Lougheed

Joseph Lucchese

Adam Maingot

Dwayne Matthews

Debra McCrory

Erin Morawetz

Rohini Pasricha ’16

Helen Pereira-Raso

Andreas Schleicher

Niv Shimshon

Sejal Shukla

Stephanie Stephens

Ania Szabo

Yvonne Tain ’22

Nicola Thompson

Susanne Tsafoulias

Karl van Kessel ’88

Vanessa Wade

Ronnie Wei

Katie Young

Maggie Zhu ’18

Corridors is produced annually under the direction of the Head of School. This publication is a recognition of our past and present, with an outlook toward our aspirations for the future of learning at HTS. It is a collaboration of perspectives, experiences and research from staff, students, parents, alumni and professionals in various industries.

Please send comments and suggestions to Scott Lougheed at slougheed@hts.on.ca HTS.ON.CA

Welcome from the Head of School

Transformation: A Necessity in Our Commitment to Excellence

HTS transforms lives.

HTS is a world-class learning ecosystem that inspires individuals to live their best self. By providing an inclusive environment where learners experience selfdiscovery and connection, HTS allows individuals to ignite, explore and fulfill their curiosity. HTS knows that transforming lives transforms the world — this is both our purpose and promise.

Learning is a journey not a destination. HTS’s strategic aspirations offer a vision and tools to design learning experiences that foster intellectually agile problem-solvers with a strong ethical foundation ready to make an impact on the world. These competencies enable learners to thrive in all aspects of their life. We prepare our students for more than the next milestone; we prepare them to embrace all the moments that await them. As we modernize learning experiences for our learners, we ensure that they flourish. When human flourishing is the priority of our learning ecosystems, students journey towards becoming the best version of themselves making the world a better place for all.

As an educational leader, HTS continues to be bold in its quest to transform learning. To truly transform systems, one needs to take a multifaceted approach transforming experiences, spaces, pedagogy and practice. So, as we look to the future, HTS will build relevant, personalized, accessible and impactful learning environments for learners and leaders, both young and adult. HTS’s global learning community will not only transform learning at our Richmond Hill campus, its impact will break through borders and boundaries, giving access to more learners.

This year, we launched the HTS Learning Network, which consists of three key pillars that function separately but are deeply interconnected in vision, purpose and organizational values: Holy Trinity School Richmond Hill, HTS Global Online Campus and the Centre for Transformative Learning and Leadership. With this innovation, we are transforming both in-person and online learning, and through our Centre for Transformative Learning and Leadership, we will support the modernization and development of educators and leaders across industries and the globe.

The sentiment “That’s the way we’ve always done it” brings comfort and safety sometimes the easiest path forward. However, the past two years have tested our resilience, forcing all of us, worldwide, to change and be more flexible and adaptable. At HTS, we have never gone backwards or been satisfied with what was. We have always moved forward towards where we aspire to go forward in our commitment to transform the lives of those we serve in the most impactful ways. HTS has been on a transformational journey to redefine learning for over ten years and, as with all change, it takes time, commitment and cohesion to be realized. Change is a process, not a single event or moment. As leaders from classroom leaders right up to myself as a system leader our role is to manage the transition from the current state to the future state. We have been building towards the school we are

To truly transform systems, one needs to take a multifaceted approach transforming experiences, spaces, pedagogy and practice.

today one at the convergence of leaping into the future, while honouring our history and traditions of academic excellence and character development.

practices’ lead to dead ends; the best paths are new and untried.” Our call to action is to stop simply tweaking around the edges and begin charting new paths to explore, to

are charting new pathways and leading the learning every step of the way.

Enjoy the collection of articles in this edition of Corridors highlighting the ways HTS is a leader, how we’re illuminating paths not yet taken and setting the course to impact learning and the lives of learners here at HTS and soon across the world, as we launch our online campus in 2023.

Yours in learning,

We aspire to an educational experience that is rooted in deep, healthy and joyful relationships with our learners, while breaking all the barriers of where, what, how and when we learn. Students need to believe in and be committed to their learning, while educators and support staff act as coaches encouraging students and providing them with opportunities to learn knowledge, competencies and mindset that will support them in achieving their goals.

Here is what we know: learning cannot take an “either/or” stance or single modality; it is not a dichotomy. No person learns the same way, so no single approach to learning will be impactful for every learner. We need robust, dynamic and differentiated approaches that honour the diversity of the incredible humans whom schools are privileged to serve. Peter Thiel wrote, “Today’s ‘best

try, reflect and iterate, until these paths are right for the learners we serve. A world-class learning ecosystem grows and nurtures impactful systems and programs that, in turn, foster impactful citizens who make this world a better place.

Our students are ready and they are flourishing! They want to engage with the world in authentic and meaningful ways they want to be the changemakers of tomorrow. They also want to make the world a better place now. HTS is on a strategic pathway to empower them in this learning journey, showcasing all of their potential to the world.

Our staff are also ready and they are leading the way! They continue to evolve their instructional design, and assessment and evaluation practices, while leveraging technology to make learning more adaptable, flexible and connected across all boundaries. HTS staff

Helen Pereira-Raso Head of School

Our call to action is to stop simply tweaking around the edges and begin charting new paths to explore, to try, reflect and iterate, until these paths are right for the learners we serve.

“What separates HTS from other schools is that HTS is a very open community. You can confidently share your ideas and thoughts. I have come to understand being a leader in your community does not only mean that you have to do something really big. Leadership is in the small interactions as well.”

RONNIE WEI, GRADE 12 STUDENT

TRANSFORMATIONS

FROM

THE HTS COMMUNITY

The Case for 21 st Century Learning

By: Andreas Schleicher, Director for Education and Skills, and Special Advisor on Education Policy to the Secretary-General at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

Article Reprinted with Permission: Schleicher A. (2021), The case for 21st-century learning, OECD, https://www.oecd.org/general/thecasefor21st-centurylearning.htm.

out of schools because they cannot relate what is going on in school to their real lives.

If you were running a supermarket instead of a school and saw that 30 out of 100 customers each day left your shop without buying anything, you would think about changing your inventory. But that does not happen easily in schools because of deeply rooted, even if scientifically unsupported, beliefs that learning can only occur in a particular way.

In 2021, the world is now more indifferent to tradition and past reputations of educational establishments. It is unforgiving to frailty and ignorant of custom or practice.

We live in a fast-changing world, and producing more of the same knowledge and skills will not suffice to address the challenges of the future. A generation ago, teachers could expect that what they taught would last their students a lifetime. Today, because of rapid economic and social change, schools have to prepare students for jobs that have not yet been created, technologies that have not yet been invented and problems that we don’t yet know will arise.

Anyone wondering why knowledge and skills are important to the future of our economies should consider two facts.

First, jobs: employment rates are higher among people with more education than among those with less. This has continued to be the case during the crisis. Also, in those OECD countries where college education has expanded most over recent decades, learning differentials for college graduates have continued to rise compared with school leavers, for instance. Their pay did not decrease, unlike that of low-skilled workers. So from a jobs perspective, it pays to study.

This is a good, concrete argument for skilling up. But the case for 21st century learning goes deeper than this and is more abstract. It is about how knowledge is gen-

erated and applied, about shifts in ways of doing business, of managing the workplace or linking producers and consumers, and becoming quite a different student from the kind that dominated the 20th century. What we learn, the way we learn it, and how we are taught is changing. This has implications for schools and higher level education, as well as for lifelong learning.

For most of the last century, the widespread belief among policymakers was that you had to get the basics right in education before you could turn to broader skills. It’s as though schools needed to be boring and dominated by rote learning before deeper, more invigorating learning could flourish.

Those that hold on to this view should not be surprised if students lose interest or drop

Think back 50 years: could educators then have predicted how the Internet, which emerged globally in 1994, or the mobile phone, which appeared a few years later, would change the world? These technologies have not just become tools of learning, but networking and knowledge sharing, as well as innovation and entrepreneurship.

How do we foster motivated, dedicated learners and prepare them to overcome the unforeseen challenges of tomorrow? The dilemma for educators is that routine cognitive skills, the skills that are easiest to teach and easiest to test, are also the skills that are easiest to digitize, automate or outsource. There is no question that state-of-the-art skills in particular disciplines will always remain important. However, educational success is no longer about reproducing content knowledge, but about extrapolating from what we know and applying that knowledge to novel situations.

Education today is much more about ways

HTS students designing in Vex Robotics.

of thinking which involve creative and critical approaches to problem-solving and decision-making. It is also about ways of working, including communication and collaboration, as well as the tools they require, such as the capacity to recognise and exploit the potential of new technologies, or indeed, to avert their risks. And last but not least, education is about the capacity to live in a multi-faceted world as an active and engaged citizen. These citizens influence what they want to learn and how they want to learn it, and it is this that shapes the role of educators.

Conventionally, our approach to problems was to break them down into manageable bits and pieces, confined to narrow disciplines, and then to teach students the techniques to solve them. Today, however,

imaginative skills to connect the dots or to anticipate where the next invention, and probable source of economic value, will come from. Yet most countries, with the possible exception of the Nordic countries, provide few incentives for students to learn and teachers to teach across disciplines.

Traditionally, you could tell students to look into an encyclopaedia when they needed information, and you could tell them that they could generally rely on what they found to be true. But today, literacy is about managing non-linear information structures. Consider the Internet. The more content knowledge we can search and access on the web, the more important the capacity to make sense out of this content becomes. This involves interpreting the frequently conflicting pieces of

orchestrators must step in. Innovation in particular is the outcome of how we mobilise, share and link knowledge.

The knowledge world is no longer divided between specialists and generalists. A new group-let’s call them “versatilists”-has emerged. They apply depth of skill to a progressively widening scope of situations and experiences, gaining new competencies, building relationships and assuming new roles. They are capable not only of constantly adapting, but also constantly learning and growing in a fast-changing world. In a flat world, our knowledge becomes a commodity available to everyone else. As columnist and author Thomas Friedman puts it, because technology has enabled us to act on our imaginations in ways that we could never before, the most important competition is no longer between countries or companies but between ourselves and our imagination.

knowledge advances by synthesizing these disparate bits. It demands open-mindedness, making connections between ideas that previously seemed unrelated and becoming familiar with knowledge in other fields. The Nobel Prize for Physics was awarded in 2010, for instance, to two UK scientists for their discovery of graphene, a new material with groundbreaking properties and potential applications. Known for their playful approach to physics, the two researchers’ breakthrough came from a 2004 experiment involving a block of carbon and some scotch tape.

If we spend our whole lives in the silo of a single discipline, we cannot develop the

information that pop up on the web and assessing their value, a skill rendered essential by the appearance of the Internet.

Rather than just learning to read, 21st century literacy is about reading to learn and developing the capacity and motivation to identify, understand, interpret, create and communicate knowledge. Only a few countries promote such a broad concept of literacy in their instructional practices and assessments, but more will surely follow.

Another changing tradition is for students to learn on their own and be tested at the end of the school year on what they have learned. The more interdependent the world becomes, the more collaborators and

TRANSFORMATIONS FROM THE HTS COMMUNITY

Value is less and less created vertically through command and control-as in the classic “teacher instructs student” relationship-but horizontally, by whom you connect and work with, whether online or in person. In other words, we are seeing a shift from a world of stocks, where knowledge is stored up but not exploited, and so depreciates rapidly, to a world of flows, where knowledge is energised and enriched by the power of communication and constant collaboration. This will become the norm. Barriers will continue to fall as skilled people appreciate, and build on, different values, beliefs and cultures.

Success will go to those individuals and countries that are swift to adapt, slow to resist and open to change. The task for educators and policymakers is to help countries rise to this challenge.

“In my early years of high school, I always felt uncertain about my future and what direction it would take me. Then, HTS gave me the opportunity to learn, grow and experience all aspects of life, which showed me my passion for business. From preparing for DECA competitions to taking a variety of business courses offered at HTS, I was able to gain invaluable experience that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. The endless amount of support and guidance I received at HTS helped me navigate periods of uncertainty.”

MAGGIE ZHU

There is no question that state-of-the-art skills in particular disciplines will always remain important. However, educational success is no longer about reproducing content knowledge, but about extrapolating from what we know and applying that knowledge to novel situations.

Authentic, Student-Led, Passion-Driven Learning

by Stephanie Stephens, Executive Director of Learning Innovation and Technology, HTS

Janet Sun, one of our Grade 11 students, was struggling with a question to which I did not have the answer. To be specific, I did not have the expertise to show her how to use nitinol, a superelastic metal that could be used to make her “interactive blossom” project come to life. Shortly after checking in with her, I met with Claire Hua, a Grade 11 student, who wanted to use fibre optics as part of the anatomical heart installation she was designing. I did not have all the answers for Claire either.

These students’ work is part of their yearlong projects in our Technological Design course (TDJ3M). The premise of the course is quite simple learn how to use fabrication tools in the context of a design process. In HTS’s version of the course, we build on this idea and ask students to build an impactful solution and connect it to something that matters deeply to them. Now, halfway through the course, all of the students were immersed in a learning pathway that they had constructed for themselves, moving well beyond the expectations of the Ministry of Education, and motivated by their own incredible driving questions and interests.

For example, Luca Di Felice, a Grade 10 student, has been working with a team to design an Augmented Reality (AR) admissions app for HTS. As part of the process, he found himself learning about branding and marketing, graphic design, laser cutting and

movie editing, not to mention navigating the complexities of coding with Unity and using the Vuforia AR development app. He has been learning the challenges of leading a team of students to develop this work and wondering how he might best leverage their strengths and collaborate effectively.

Incredibly multidisciplinary, layered and complex, student-led, passion-driven learning is magical. There was a time in my teaching career when I would have felt that I was letting my students down if I didn’t have all the answers right away. Now I know that quite the opposite is true. My role has changed, along with the now ubiquitous access to knowledge and global connectivity that our students benefit from in unprecedented ways. Now I see my job as enabling my students to find the resources and connect with the experts that will help them solve problems. I see it as my job to inspire my students so that they can face new challenges with confidence. I want them to have the capacity to work together with peers and experts to make the most of one another’s experiences and strengths and to create something remarkable. I am no longer at the centre of their learning experience. They are.

At HTS, this model of authentic student learning is becoming commonplace. Our teachers are walking alongside and sup -

TRANSFORMATIONS FROM THE HTS COMMUNITY

porting students to develop their own learning pathways. The incredible young people in our midst are leveraging these opportunities to make our world a better place and solving problems that make a difference. No one has better ideas, energy, enthusiasm and potential to help us more than HTS students.

For example, in this year’s Hack Against Hate challenge, sponsored by the DMZ (Digital Media Zone) at Toronto Metropolitan University, Grade 11 students Kelley Liang, Edison Han, Nichole Hill and Sydney Choe designed “Journyl,” a smartphone application that prompts students to reflect on their frustrations and enable safe, confidential sharing with those struggling with similar issues. Their app paves the way for students to understand that, in a world filled with anger and hate, they can take comfort in knowing that there are other students who care as deeply as they do and want to make things better. I encourage you to listen to their remarkable presentation at bit.ly/Journyl.

Sometimes the foundation for a project comes from a co-curricular or club, or builds on students’ interests. The work then evolves into an incredible learning experience in a variety of disciplines, connecting required coursework and even co-curriculars. For example, Grade 9 students Vanessa Wang, Chloe Su, Madison Choe and Ella Yeh were excited to build costumes for this year’s drama production through their participation in

“At HTS, we foster our students’ love of learning, encourage them to try new and exciting things, and give them a solid foundation on which to build. This ethos allows me to help my students build transferable life skills, like independence, confidence and resilience, to support each child in achieving their potential and to make a smooth transition to post-secondary education and society itself.”

SEJAL SHUKLA, BUSINESS FACULTY

Learning with Dr. Rob Gorbet.

Fashion Forward and the HIVE Internship credit program.

As more and more students dig into similar projects, our evolving micro-credential and certification wallet system will enable us to better acknowledge the ways in which

developed a Global Cultural Competence micro-credential. She says, “It is the beginning of their understanding of their own positionality, and how this viewpoint influences the lens with which they see the world and their approach to social-action projects.” Through our part-

their connections with external organizations.

our students are going above and beyond. Some of the credentials and certifications are offered through industry experts (e.g. Adobe, Google) and some are built by our own experts at HTS. Donita Duplisea, head of our Global Studies department, recently

nership with Convergence Tech, students receive their certification transcript, which can then be shared with post-secondary institutions and potential employers to see and learn more about what they have accomplished both through their time at HTS and through

If we are opening the door to students choosing their learning pathways, educators and students need a significant support system of experts, research and databases to help them. Thanks to the easy use of video-communication platforms and the incredible reach of social media, learning from members of our global community is now almost as simple as walking up to the teacher’s desk. Gone are the days when we would need to ask an expert to take the day off work and join us at the school, much less make a long journey. Our incredible HTS community is a robust network, ready and willing to support our students with “just in time” responses sometimes in the middle of the workday, sometimes in the evening. Other tools streamline the process as well. With Janet and Claire, I encouraged them to reach out to an incredible partner at the University of Waterloo: Dr. Rob Gorbet, associate professor, who leads the Knowledge Integration program and has a wealth of experience in engineering, particularly as it

I see it as my job to inspire my students so that they can face new challenges with confidence. I want them to have the capacity to work together with peers and experts to make the most of one another’s experiences and strengths and to create something remarkable. I am no longer at the centre of their learning experience. They are.

Janet ’23 working on her Locked Lotus project.

relates to microcontrollers, robotics, control systems, and technology art. He frequently collaborates with a number of our students via Slack, a platform that allows him to review their questions and respond with links and timely feedback.

Last year, Team Soulscape, a group of Grade 11 students, worked to design and market a virtual-reality application to

also helping students to better understand the challenges of project design, meeting customer needs and pitching their ideas effectively. Team Soulscape also connected us with Lisa Manser, the global operations director of COMO Shambala. Even with a five-hour time difference, Lisa supported their design by reviewing their scripts to guide meditation and helping the students to de -

help young people meditate and focus, with the goal of improving wellness. You can learn more about their project at bit.ly/TeamSoulscape. One key aspect of the work was to access ongoing support from another incredible HTS partner, Imran Mouna, owner of the innovative company InStage. InStage creates interactive and immersive VR simulations designed to help people practice and develop communication skills. It is particularly focussed on helping people enter the workforce. He was an invaluable guide to the team, not only sharing his expertise as a software developer but

velop a unique meditation experience. Student-led, passion-driven project work is an authentic context for what some would describe as the “hidden curriculum ” the unwritten, unofficial, and often unintended lessons, values, and perspectives that students learn in school. Students are challenged to manage projects, negotiate team dynamics, track progress and ensure accountability from each team member. They provide and receive constructive and meaningful feedback from external experts and user groups, and meet professional expectations and responsibilities in order to achieve their goals.

To further prepare students for these opportunities, HTS is well on its way to building a full continuum of programming, starting with our very youngest learners. For example, in the Middle School, we have launched “interdisciplinary afternoons,” during which we introduce students to different challenges for them to solve together in groups. We coach them to use different frameworks, like Integrative Thinking (Rotman School of Management), Design Thinking (IDEO) and Project Based Learning (Buck Institute for Education). In the Lower School, students are encouraged to better understand who they are as learners and how they best acquire and measure that learning in the context of the “six C’s” (collaboration, communication, critical thinking, creativity, citizenship and character). In the Senior School, students are encouraged to launch initiatives and programs that are meaningful to them, and the HTS community has benefitted from this process through the introduction of new programs and initiatives, like Feminism for Change and the Passion Project Club.

I believe, without reservation, that we, as adults, owe our students every opportunity in this regard. Not only will it prepare them for the future, but it will provide us all with hope for a brighter tomorrow.

“At the university level this is what education should look like being a learning facilitator as opposed to a teacher, a guide helping students to self-explore, learn to reflect, teaching them design thinking, the idea of trying, and failing and learning and trying again.”

DR. ROB GORBET, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AND CHAIR, KNOWLEDGE INTEGRATION, UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO

Above: HTS alumnus helping students with their projects.

Our Vision for Transformational Learning

COMMUNITY

In our nurturing world, everyone’s unique experience is valued and embraced.

CURIOSITY

We stand for the limitless freedom to discover, create, imagine, and inspire this in others.

SELF-ACTUALIZATION

An inclusive space where learners experience the journey of becoming their true self. An acceptance of self and others as they are. Confident and independent, yet always mindful of others.

OurValues

We are a borderless, inclusive global learning ecosystem where the world is the true classroom and the most rewarding, important learning is through experience. We inspire the courageous to expand their curiosity for the benefit of themselves and all of us.

HTS is an inclusive learning network where learners are inspired to become their best self. By experiencing self-discovery and connection, learners can ignite, explore, and fulfill their curiosity because HTS knows that transforming lives transforms the world.

COMPASSION

Ours is a culture of respect and dignity, where we strive to walk in each other’s shoes.

COURAGE

HTS embraces openmindedness, fearlessly trying new things, and speaking your truth.

HTS learners are inspired by ideas and driven to know themselves, others, and the world. They embody the HTS belief that Curiosity changes everything—and when that curiosity is expanded, it leads to:

• A new, evolved perspective

• A greater sense of self in the context of others and the world

• Intellectual agility

• Ability to make meaningful change

• Creating with intention

• Development of character and values as the foundation to lifelong learning

HTS offers a world-class educational experience in every sense. But it’s the way we think about and build that experience — captured here in four fundamental approaches — that elevates it into the values-driven, character-shaping, personally transformational experience it has become for students from all walks of life.

BELONGING We’re not only open to who you are, we’re driven by you becoming it. With open access, opportunity, and advancement for every learner, HTS thrives on a diversity of perspectives and lived experiences as it strengthens our community.

CURATED EXPERIENCES One of the most powerful things you can do as learning professionals is to give agency and ownership over learning itself, its processes, pace and decisions, to our learners. This allows HTS to deliver intentional, curated experiences based on learners’ desires, strengths and curiosities.

COMPETENCIES FOR LIFE A diploma isn’t enough: We seek to nurture and instill the skills, knowledge and disposition that will guide our students in all aspects of their lives, here and beyond. So ingrained in our learning experience are the HTS Six Competencies for Life: communication, collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, character and citizenship.

AUTHENTIC LEARNING As the the next generation of world citizens, our students face having to navigate life’s complexities, detours, and interconnectedness on a much greater scale than ever before. It calls for a learning experience that leaves them agile and adaptable for today’s world – to gain multiple levels of knowledge, the ability to own a broad perspective, and the development of a critical mind.

Back to the Future

by Dwayne Matthews, Head of School, Innovation & Partnerships, Ontario Virtual School

Where it started

The current form of K-to-12 education, as we know it in Western countries, is one of the many iterations of the Prussian education system pioneered in the late 1700s. The framework for this education system was decreed by Frederick the Great in 1763, making Prussia one of the first countries in recorded Western history to introduce compulsory education at scale. The model made it mandatory, for the first time, for all children between the ages of 5 and 14 to attend school. Children would learn to read and write from a professionally trained teacher; at an additional cost, students could also learn mathematics.

This pioneering form of the Western education system was enhanced after the defeat of Prussia in the early 1800s, and reforms were implemented with nation-building in mind. The creation of a unified education system helped to usher in a new economic era for Prussia. To create greater economic cohesion and increase the chance of regional prosperity, the model used a series of standardized tests that would help to categorize and organize a small selection of students for post-secondary education and provide a means to place the remaining majority of students into the various articulated segments of economic life. This model was the rudimen-

tary precursor to the education systems we have around the world today.

The framework that I have just described leveraged the curation of critical-learning innovations and technologies that were available during this time period to capture the thoughts and ideas of thinkers across time, cultures and space, while empowering the user to aggregate information in a manner that allowed for the creation of new knowledge and value. The keystone technology

was the printed book. While China had printed books for hundreds of years, this technology was now widely available in Europe because of the Gutenberg printing press. The 600-year-old technology was supported by the innovations of pencil technology from 1662, blackboard technology from 1801, and pen technology from 1888. This collection of technologies and innovations was leveraged strategically to establish formal education and resulted in the transformation of our spe-

TRANSFORMATIONS FROM THE HTS COMMUNITY

cies, helping to create new social and economic realities. Once upon a time, 98 per cent of the planet’s population were farmers; today, it’s 2 per cent. We have an abundance of food (although we still struggle with effective global distribution), and one of the main reasons for this abundance is an innovative, paradigm-shifting technology: the printed book. Consider the power of the printed book. It started us down the path of being temporally agnostic. Books allowed us to aggregate ideas and the minds of thinkers through time. It also added complexity to how we connected locally, because we had more options for exploration and ideas. Once we selected a focus and purpose for this technology, we created an entire strategy around it and insisted that, for the first 15 years of their life, our children learn from this technology and its ability to transfer semiotic constructs.

The weight of books no matter how amazing their contents prevented us from carrying more than a few at a time. This meant that we spent a significant amount of time focused on memorizing different collections of information, in a series of books, organized in a siloed subject matter. To be successful at school, one had to deliver a perfect, or near-perfect, demonstration of memorized content by way of summative evaluation. This

“One of the transformations was the urgent need for robust technology in our classrooms to make remote/hybrid learning a reality during COVID-19. We required telecommunication tools in each classroom, such as the OWL, laptops, TV, Google Meet and Access points. We quickly realized that introducing this new tech into our classrooms meant a full infrastructure overhaul was needed to support these new tools effectively. Finding the right solutions involved a lot of research, implementation, troubleshooting, support and ongoing maintenance. I can now comfortably say that HTS is better equipped to offer exceptional learning experiences to our students, while also ensuring we are fully prepared for any challenges that we might face in the near future.”

WAQAS KHAN, DIRECTOR OF IT OPERATIONAL SYSTEMS

Within this tension, we find patterns of innovation adoption that sustain and others that disrupt.

model made sense because our economies were primarily limited by current technological advances and the financial boundaries of geographic borders. As a result, economies were also constrained in the creation of value.

This education model was highly effective for a time, but it created significant inefficiencies within our systems and limited the types of contributions students could make to their collective societies. The reduction of friction between information and the distribution of information, coupled with a growing ability to see and understand each other, has created a series of circumstances that encourage a significant and emerging desire for change.

We are here.

Today, we are witnessing the birth of the fourth Industrial Revolution, where we have a number of paradigm-shifting technologies converging at an exponential rate. This convergence will have a profound impact on the future economy of life. Educational institutions around the world will require strategic adjustments. Regions, countries and schools that understand and prepare for this convergence will position students to maximize the emerging opportunities and solve some of our more persistent global challenges. These students will have a chance to co-create the new emerging economy.

It is worth mentioning that technology and innovation have always created an opportunity for us to express more of our humanity. In some instances, this expression has had a very negative impact; however, in more cases, it has had a very positive impact. Technological change and innovation have led us to grapple with balancing the forces of rapid change with the status quo and, by extension, stability.

Within this tension, we find patterns of innovation adoption that sustain and others

that disrupt. We create habitual behaviours based on which technology adoption we focus on and then create intersubjective realities to support our habits. Some innovation-adoption pipelines are closed due to the absolute authority of the gatekeepers or those in charge. Other innovation-adoption pipelines are more open, with authority constantly negotiated between gatekeepers and innovators based on strategic intentions and value-driven objectives.

However, the fourth Industrial Revolution comes with significant complexity. This iteration comes with exponential speed driven by computing power and data storage. The speed of innovation makes it increasingly more difficult to create semiotic structures and intersubjective realities. For example, the smart device in your pocket is still referred to as a phone, even though the word “‘phone”’ fails to adequately describe the device. Technologies and techniques are not ends in themselves; they are tools that can be used to build strategies and protocols to unlock more of our humanity. Seeing them as tools, as opposed to ends, helps educators, parents and students foster a better sense of purpose and prudence.

The future of education is not a question of the metaverse or screen time, of in-person versus online. It is not a question of gaming in the basement versus playing outside. These are tactical questions that need to be based on bigger guiding strategic intentions.

Rather, we should be asking ourselves strategic questions, like:

• What are the articulated outcomes?

• What qualities and character traits would we like our students to have to allow them to adapt to constantly evolving innovations? What tools do we curate to help us achieve those outcomes?

• How do we know when we are on the right path?

• What are the milestones on the roadmap?

• How can we leverage digital technology and neuroscience to provide more access for more children everywhere?

• How do we provide more access for more of our students inside a sustainable disruptive model?

How can we personalize learning at scale to allow every student to flourish during and after school?

• How do we ensure confidence, trust and optimism, while reimagining the forms of outdated systems that no longer serve us?

• How can we use traditional and novel technology to personalize learning at scale, while helping us to provide for the socio-emotional connections we need to thrive?

Where to next?

This is an exciting area for growth because we now have a number of technologies and techniques that allow us to transform the future of work and the future of value creation, all of which have the potential to increase quality of life. Many of these innovations will also drive dramatic changes in the future of education, while providing the means to further unlock the human imagination. The standardized, centralized-location model of education is being transformed to one that is more personalized, geographically agnostic, and connected physically, virtually and everything in-between.

To meet this opportunity, leading global-minded schools like HTS are being transformed into learning ecosystems that not only meet academic requirements and augment cognitive abilities but also expand experiential learning across time and space. The timed orchestration of delivering personalized education, academic requirements, neuroscience, digital technology and economy is an imperative moving forward for K-to12 schools, because it will allow students to have a voice in the co-creation of new social and economic paradigms. This orchestration will allow students to uncover new passions, secure future personal prosperity and find novel solutions for persistent global challenges. Paradoxically, the right curation of learning innovations and models will provide students with more opportunities to delve deeply into their own humanity. The future of education is not technology-led. The future of education is human-led, purpose-driven and technology-augmented. I am radically optimistic about the possibilities.

Future learning is now at HTS.

Deepening Transformation at Holy Trinity School:

Reflections on 40 years of Leadership

By Erin Morawetz, Alumni Relations Coordinator, HTS

More than four decades ago, when the Holy Trinity Church community seven individuals, our future Founders, at the forefront — banded together to launch an independent school that would provide a different experience for its students, they were told they were creating a “miracle school”.

It’s a funny thing, though, how miracles do happen.

More than four decades ago, when the Holy Trinity Church community —seven individuals, our future Founders, at the forefront banded together to launch an independent school that would provide a different experience for its students, they were told they were creating a “miracle school”.

It’s a funny thing, though, how miracles do happen.

Over the last 40 years, HTS has evolved into a learning ecosystem where more is possible where academic excellence, supported by the traditions and resources of a bricks-and-mortar, state-of-the-art campus, has been the inspiration for HTS to leap confidently into the future.

HTS’s educators stewarded a new way of teaching and learning throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Their commitment to professional growth, from augmenting learning through technology integration to adopting new models of instruction, assessment and evaluation, has been recognized across the global educational community. This professional reputation is the reason why we now have a Centre for Transforma -

tive Learning and Leadership, a place where we honour the excellence of our HTS staff as they teach and inspire other educators and professionals in their learning journey.

At the same time, in September of 2023, HTS will launch a virtual high school that will disrupt the model of online education by providing a rigorous learning experience with a careful blend of synchronous and asynchronous learning. Through the HTS Global Online Campus, the same personalized academic program that flourishes on our campus will be available to students around the world who want an independent school education but need a more flexible environment.

By creating a learning network that consists of our campus, our professional hub and our online learning spaces, we are setting out to redefine education much like our Founders did over 40 years ago. It’s a far cry from the Holy Trinity Church basement, the first physical iteration of HTS, and yet, in many ways, its essence is largely the same: progress, in the face of challenges, for the betterment of students of any age, in any place.

So, how did we get here?

The “we” is key; indeed, it has truly been the people along the way the leaders, the educators, the supporters that have not only inspired the evolution of HTS, from its physical spaces to its transformative programs, but have also pushed to make it happen.

Within every era of HTS, there have been leaders who have moved the needle; who have stood ahead of the curve and seen the road in front of us. They each had the bravery to say, yes, that’s where we need to go. From the launch of HTS itself to where we are now in a post-pandemic era of connection and re-imagination, we are indebted to the many people who have dedicated themselves, their ideas, passion and drive, to this: our miracle school.

From the very beginning, HTS set out to do something different. The community leaders at Holy Trinity Church who became our seven founders knew they wanted a different education for their children and those of

their neighbours. It all started with finding a leader who could guide this vision for learning from the top.

They found this in Jack Rose, HTS’s founding Head of School.

we are because of other people,” he persuaded forward-focused teachers to make their mark at HTS by telling them: “You have an opportunity here. This is your classroom: you run it.”

educators forged their own path in a sea of sameness; when they were encouraged to think outside the box when it came to their virtual teaching approach.

Because, at its core, HTS has always been about placing the student at the centre of our “why”.

“From day one, HTS was about our students,” says Helen Pereira-Raso, HTS’s Head of School since 2017. “When we had to suddenly close our physical doors in March of 2020, we had a choice do we look at this as something happening to us, or happening for us?”

From the beginning, Jack put an emphasis on defining the school through its educators. With a guiding belief that “we are what

Today, this approach still holds true; and perhaps it never did more so than during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when HTS

“Our educators took the opportunity and ran with it. It wasn’t easy far from it but they made sure our students knew they had agency and voice,” Helen says. “During a pe -

Richard Simpson, Carol Matson and Les Parker, three HTS Founders.

The “we” is key; indeed, it has truly been the people — the leaders, the educators, the supporters along the way that have not only inspired the evolution of HTS, from its physical spaces to its transformative programs, but also pushed to make it happen.

riod of time when it was easy to become disillusioned, they modelled to our students the importance of finding the “why” behind their learning and stewarded our students to own their education.”

Today, HTS educators are encouraged to try new things, and in turn, to encourage their students to see what happens when they sit in states of ambiguity. But getting to this place where creativity, discovery and empowered learning are at the forefront of who HTS is did not happen overnight. Rather, each leader lay the groundwork for the next each Head of School defining and redefining a vision for a better way of teaching and learning, supported and emboldened by Boards of Governors that have continuously pushed the envelope of what, and who, we could be.

As Jack Rose so wisely said we are what we are because of other people.

George Rutherford was one of the individuals who answered Jack’s call for develop -

ing a new way of teaching. Joining HTS in 1984, George bore witness to the opening of HTS’s Bayview Campus the next year and its subsequent renovations over the next eight. Later, as Head of School from 1992-2010, he ushered in yet another era of transformation and growth, seeing through an exponential expansion of the school that reflected its growing population’s need for modern learning spaces.

This was a time of transformation all around: as York Region developed around the school, the region’s infrastructure growth, such as the creation of Highway 407 in 1997, made it easier to bring children from farther afield. HTS grew from 66 students in 1981 to nearly 750 by 2010; at the same time, the use of technology in classrooms was beginning to become more common, and a large part of HTS’s expansion in the early-to-mid 2000s was focused on recognizing the need to allocate resources to this development.

“The expansion was the school community’s highest moment,” reflects John Fursey,

TRANSFORMATIONS FROM THE HTS COMMUNITY

who served 10 years on the Board between 2002 and 2014. “Now we could have a lunch program, fine arts, state-of-art capabilities for science and IT. Our Lower School could have a unique place and identity. We could compete as potentially a top-tier school.”

George Rutherford is credited by many with stewarding a strong volunteer culture and sense of community at HTS, one where parents and alumni were and still are inspired to take on leadership positions and join the team of visionaries moving the needle forward. Indeed, when the headship passed from George to Barry Hughes in 2010, Barry worked in partnership with the community to open the door to new approaches of progressive learning.

“Barry came in with an outside perspective and made us realize we could be what we wanted to be,” recollects Summer Filgiano, whose tenure on the Board of Governors spanned from 2005 to 2013. “We weren’t a traditional school. We didn’t have an old boys/girls network, or old buildings to maintain. You could try things, and no one discouraged you.”

With the support of the school community, Barry and the Board shifted the momentum and focus of the school’s academic vision, which led to HTS becoming an Apple Distinguished School and to a major investment in teacher training and development. Together, this team of leaders, educators and governors explored ideas of flexible student schedules and credentials as “mastery transcripts” to demonstrate proficiency of subject matters — forward-thinking ideas that remain vital and prioritized at HTS today.

It was around this time that HTS transformed from a “little start-up school into a world-class entity,” says Maneesh Mehta, who served on the Board from 2007 to 2016. With Barry and Helen, then Deputy Head, leading the way, the school’s governing body set out to position HTS as a global leader in the academic space. They put into words and

“It is amazing to observe the enjoyment and growth of students over the course of just a few years of school. Since 2017, our campus has been in a state of ongoing transformation, with a new building structure, renovated classrooms, re-imagined outdoor spaces and new student amenities. This transformation required years of planning and foresight to turn the initial vision into a unique, student-centred learning environment. I appreciate the opportunity to participate in this team that planned and renewed Holy Trinity School.”

CHRIS CODY, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

HTS Lifers (students who have been part of our community since Kindergarten or Grade 1) and their Grade 1 buddies and teachers.

into action the pillars upon which HTS still stands: student learning, sustainability, relationships and reputation, amazing spaces and, above all, incredible people.

“We wanted the plan to do three things: take note of the future context of schooling; improve on current practice; and cherish what the school stands for,” Barry recalls.

When Helen became the Head of School in 2017, the groundwork was laid for an unparalleled future. According to Rob Wittmann, who sat on the Board from 2014 to 2021, “Helen took everything Barry was working on and continued to accelerate and innovate not only to keep pace with but to outpace the world.”

Outpace the world HTS did, particularly when the world itself shut down. Our physical spaces shifted and changed form, yes, but educators and leaders alike were relentless in their insistence that student-centred learning be prioritized at all costs.

HTS’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic “established the character of the school as being fearless in education,” Rob says. “We were adamant in investing aggressively in initiatives Helen championed, mitigating the effects of the pandemic with seamless movement between home and class learning.”

“The constant was change. The kids embraced it; they weren’t afraid of it.”

Now, as the HTS campus has resumed fully in-person learning, our leaders and educators are excited for all the possibilities and connections that students on our campus will experience, as well as those students in the new HTS Global Online Campus, where the powerful learnings of the last three years are informing the next generation of virtual learning. Across all mediums, what has remained consistent is HTS’s profound commitment to honour all learners.

“The school prepares kids for life, not just for university,” Rob adds. “It’s educating kids for jobs that don’t exist yet.”

Indeed, Joseph Adamo, current Board Chair, notes that academics are as important at HTS in 2022 as ever, but today, rather than acquiring an education, HTS students are experiencing an education.

“When students can choose the topics they want to learn and have a voice in how they want to learn, they develop their own core confidence,” Joseph says. “They become better able to face the challenges of life.”

“In the past, it was about maintaining

a strong educational foundation. Now it’s about, ‘What is the future of education?’”

For Helen, the future of education is being built at HTS each and every day.

“With our students, we are in co-creation to solve the world’s problems,” Helen says. “We are creating exceptional, future-facing learning programs that empower every learner to own their educational journey no matter where that journey is taking place.”

As HTS expands beyond its physical walls and the vision of our original Founders to offer something different – becomes realized yet again in yet another iteration, Helen is the first to admit that it’s a big, sometimes scary, step. But, she says, “We are ready. We are here. This is our story.”

In many ways, taking those first steps, blazing new trails, has always been HTS’s story.

TRANSFORMATIONS FROM THE HTS COMMUNITY

“As a parent, I am tremendously proud to see HTS in a different way. For the past four years, we have heard our children bragging about their incredible experiences at HTS, which brings me a true sense of pride and joy as an alum. As a family, we have been actively involved in the HTS community in many ways. We cannot wait to see how our children will continue to transform with their HTS experience, and we are so proud to continue to be part of this HTS family.”

DANIEL CHENG ’ 9 8, HTS LEGACY PARENT

Our new gallery was completed in 2021. It is a space that brings our community together.

Learning to be Learners

Reflections from teacher learners

Katie Young, Global Studies Department Head, HTS & Donita Duplisea, Academic Director, HTS

a teacher was and how to encourage our students to learn. Often, we imagined that teaching was a process of culminating expertise the more you taught, the more you understood and were able to share with your students as experts in your field. The more knowledge that we acquired and could impart to our students, the greater impact we could make on their achievement. In this sense, teaching (and learning) was a one-way transmission from teacher to student that was perfected over the course of years in the profession. Could they give the ‘right’ answer on a test? Did students know the exact dates of the Battle of Vimy Ridge? Could they memorize and rewrite Macbeth’s final soliloquy (Shakespeare 5.5.19-30) on a final exam?

In 2019, those ideas fundamentally shifted when we were presented with an opportunity to start a course without a template and without walls or barriers both literally and figuratively. Our dream began with the idea of an interdisciplinary course in English and Social Justice, underpinned by a learner-centred and equitable approach. We embarked on a journey of decentring the teacher and creating a decolonized classroom¹ in which we all became learners. Our course no longer belonged to us; it was fluid to reflect the flow and urgency of social issues. Our course belonged to all our learners and we became facilitators, which sometimes required us, as teachers, to get out of their way. In doing so, our role shifted, allowing the students to explore and learn in a safe environment, while we learned alongside them and grew with them. In this dialectic relationship, one might expect that our students would be the most transformed, yet that is the furthest from the truth.

The main project of the course was to execute a social justice action plan that students created in an area about which they were passionate and in which they discerned an identifiable need. We expected that our learners would be enthusiastic about the content, knowing that it was in their field of interest. In truth, their work in the course redefined what we imagined was possible for a learner to achieve. Their projects were far-reaching and inspiring, and exemplified the highest

TRANSFORMATIONS FROM THE HTS COMMUNITY

manifestations of learner engagement and local and global citizenship.

Now we think…

Having just completed the third year of this course, the most difficult part for us, as teachers, is that it is never the same from one year to the next. By the same token, the best part has been that it has never been the same. The students continue to mould and influence not only the learning of their peers but that of their teachers every day. The reality is that students have transformed every piece of the way we teach, learn and evaluate because we incorporated multiple layers of feedback loops.

Infinite possibilities exist for young people once adults step aside and when adults recognize what we can learn by listening to young people’s voices, interests and present needs. Not only did the content and subject matter of the course provide opportunities to value and foster the dignity of every human being, but by focusing on personal passion projects, the voices of young people were elevated and promoted. Difficult conversations continue to be engaged in, and power dynamics and systems, and cultural impacts and nuances are revealed. Authentic learning happens in a process of continual unfolding. By learning to be better teachers, we unlearned the walls and barriers that had been blocking students from deeper learning.

“I am so proud of the strides our community is making to prioritize diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) education in all aspects of school life. It is the work of our students, through initiatives like the DEI Council and so much more, that has most inspired me to transform the way that I teach, speak and listen, both as an educator and a father. Since arriving at HTS four years ago, I have become a father to two wonderful children. This has been the greatest transformation of my life. Every day I think about the world that I wish for them to grow up in.”

ADAM MAINGOT, BUSINESS FACULTY

fromReflections learnersstudent JeslynLi‘22

allowing the students to control. Every day, as we entered class, either by opening a door or clicking a “join meet” button, we began a trip of thrilling challenges and reflective thinking. During class discussions, we were reminded that this differs from a debate where the goal is to present correct answers or conclude an agreement. Instead, we were encouraged to listen and empowered to share our experiences, voices and whatever we felt needs to be said. These classroom activities gave us more agency over our education and more confidence in our possibilities.

How this classroom transformed our learning and our project

One of our biggest takeaways from the interdisciplinary course was the development of our Social Justice Action Project. Right from the name, we see how it is distinct from any “action plans,” which highlight the intended ideas; an “action project” focuses on the actual efforts dedicated to accomplishing our passion. Thus, over six months, we developed a bilingual monthly magazine, a podcast series and a two-day student-led conference. Still, the measure of our project’s success didn’t rely on the number of listeners, length of publication or other numerical stats. What we truly achieved was the ability to discover, commit, connect and lead. Towards the end of the course, when we saw our classmates’ works, we realized we were not looking at school projects; we were looking at an exhibition of vitality, courage and the endless potential of 21st-century learners.

What we were able to do

Our experience in Ms Young and Ms Duplisea’s classroom can, arguably, be summed with two words: personalized and supported. Like other students enrolled in the course, we were able to tailor the curriculum to fit our Social Justice Action Project and had the (much-needed) support of our teachers every step of the way. The synchronous parts of class, such as the salons, quite simply became the foundational knowledge we leveraged to join society’s perpetual fight for social justice. Whether this was through amplifying our voices in our slam poem “Enough” to debunk the model-minority myth or striking up important conversations about mental health to challenge the stigma around the topic, the classroom opened up a gateway for us to call out injustice and call in the community to take action.

Our suggestions for improvement

Though our time in this interdisciplinary classroom has ended, we hope to continue this into the future. We, therefore, believe that it is vital for the learning and practice of social justice to continue beyond just one course, one semester or one year. If students are able to begin their journey earlier on in their studies and encouraged to continue their ‘assignments’ afterward, the true purpose of this class would be sustained. Furthermore, we appreciate the collaborative nature this class adopts. Nothing is more perfect for co-construction than activities where students bring in materials they found, should this be a book by an author from a marginalized group or a movie depicting a recent controversy. Such engaging and intellectually challenging undertakings will all lead to the betterment of this class.

& YvonneTian‘22

Transforming Our View of Neurodiversity

By Debra McCrory, Lower School Teacher, HTS and Vanessa Wade, former Academic

As teachers, we are graced with a diversity of learners in our classrooms. Diversity allows for different perspectives, which invariably adds depth and value to students’ interactions, discussions and critical-thinking skills. At HTS, we are blessed to have students who come from a variety of different backgrounds and identities it is what makes each of them unique. It is our goal as teachers to ensure that each student feels represented in the work that we do as a class, as a school and within the community at large. Sometimes, though, an overlooked dimension of diversity among our learners is “neurodiversity”. In simple terms, neurodiversity is defined as the natural variations in human brains. In even simpler terms, there is no “normal” brain. As such, when we consider the students we teach, it is imperative that we recognize that, cognitively, not all learners learn and think the same way. The pace, the teaching style, each person’s strengths and weaknesses these are all important factors that, when valued, contribute to developing a psychologically safe classroom for all students. In these safe spaces, learners feel like they can ask questions without fear of making

mistakes, develop a growth mindset, increase their confidence, and, in general, feel more emotionally secure.

This approach to seeing neurodiversity among learners as beneficial and as something to be celebrated is a stark cry from how students with developmental and/or cognitive differences experienced learning in the

TRANSFORMATIONS FROM THE HTS COMMUNITY

education system just a few decades ago. Historically seen as challenges and something needing to be overcome, learning disabilities, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or autism made students feel “other than”, further alienating them from their classmates. Transforming our view of neurodiversity from a deficit to an asset has been critical to the health and well-being of all students. Strategies to support teachers working with neurodiverse learners in their classrooms are provided through professional development promoted by the government, faculties of education, and school and system leadership. These strategies have changed the attitude towards neurodiversity held by all constituents involved in schooling (teachers, students, parents and the community). At HTS, we know that we are #bettertogether. And this slogan rings true in the context of neurodiversity as well.

To further illuminate these ideas, let’s take a look at the incredible work happening in the Lower School. Kindergarten to Grade 5 are critical years for building the foundational blocks of executive function

Director, HTS

“Normal is just a setting on the dryer.”

PATSY CLAIRMONT

“In Human Resources, we look at ways to include our students in the hiring process for key leadership roles. The questions they bring to the table always amaze me. I have also been lucky enough to participate in the HIVE program, as well as a class Q&A session on HR issues. Interacting with our students broadens my thinking and allows me to get a better understanding of what our teachers face in the classroom.”

SUSANNE TSAFOULIAS, HUMAN RESOURCES GENERALIST

and social-emotional skills, while also developing each child’s growth mindset. We will highlight four different, yet symbiotic, areas of focus that support neurodiversity: pedagogy, relationship-building, developing acceptance and the “Circle of Care”.

Pedagogy

In almost every classroom, in every school, there are children who experience learning differently. HTS is no exception. Through professional growth and development, our understanding of the abilities of our neurodiverse students has grown exponentially. As teachers, we walk alongside our students and learn from them. Teachers at HTS collaborate with our Student Success Coaches to support each student in their care. In addition, educators work to reduce stigma by identifying the strengths of each of our students and creating individualized learning opportunities to build on those strengths. By following the three guidelines of the Universal Design for Learning (UDL), we can design our learning with multiple means of engagement, representation and action, thereby allowing teachers to intentionally plan for the growth and development of all our students.

Relationship-Building

From Kindergarten on, we emphasize the importance of relationships and of building a sense of community that lasts throughout the Lower School years. We examine our roles in our communities, at home, at school and in the world. These discussions help build relationships that enable teachers to develop deep connections with their students, creating an atmosphere of acceptance. Teachers and parents work together with outside agencies to modify and adapt the curriculum to support each child. Teachers are sure to check in with students and their families; this collaboration fosters an understanding of the importance of teamwork and often gives the educator insight into how students respond to particular learning modalities.

Developing Acceptance

Our young students develop by leaps and bounds while in the Lower School. Many of our students enter Kindergarten at 3 or 4 years of age and they join a safe and accepting environment for students where the conditions are created for them to be comfortable asking for help or accommodations without being singled out as different. Students are taught to advocate for themselves and to get the support they need.

HTS actively encourages students to learn with a “growth mindset.” From Kindergarten through Grade 5, students are encouraged to take risks, acknowledge their strengths and set goals. The “power of yet” and “mistakes are proof you are trying” are phrases our students adopt throughout their HTS years. Recognizing that a child’s self-confidence and psychological well-being are as important as reading and writing is a core tenet of life in the Lower School.

The “Circle of Care”

At HTS, we are lucky to have many support systems for our students, which we call the “Circle of Care”. Our teAch Team provides innovative ways to support our students and engage their passion. Providing technology to support students, such as voice-totext dictation, computer-assisted reading and augmented reality to overcome fears, can expand the opportunity for continued growth in all our students. These tools can provide multiple entry points for all students and often can spark interests or passion. Student Success Coaches are a touchpoint for students, families and teachers. These coaches work directly with families to identify strengths and needs. In this way, they ensure that our students’ needs are at the forefront of our planning and teaching.

Lily’s Story

Below is a vignette of one of our current Lower School students who would identify as being neurodiverse. We are grateful for Lily’s honesty and openness, and for being a shining example of how and why neurodiversity is important:

Lily J. is a student in the Lower School. She came to HTS in Grade 1, and she says she struggled through Grades 1 and 2. She did not understand why reading was so difficult. Even though she worked hard with Louise Fisher, our reading specialist, she continued to find it challenging once she was identified as having dyslexia, Lily's world opened up. She began to recognize her abilities. As humble as Lily is, she knows she is great in math, giving presentations, and collaborating in group projects. Working with her family and teachers, Lily learned to advocate for her needs. Through in-class accommodations, reading

support and teacher education, Lily felt more supported.

Lily says it is not easy to struggle with reading, but she finds the most helpful tool is to build relationships. When reflecting upon her years in the Lower School, she says the most important thing that has helped her is the relationships with her teachers. When they understand her, check in with her and provide varying kinds of instruction, she knows they are supporting her. According to Lily, her teachers began using Google Classroom more, chunking lessons and instructions into smaller parts, and providing quiet,

focused work opportunities. These techniques have helped her develop strategies for coping with a growing workload as she progresses through the Lower School. Lily works hard, takes responsibility for her learning and is proud of her excellent academic performance over the last five years at HTS. Lily hopes to mentor other students and is Prefect and a leader in the Lower School.

Lily is just one of many children at HTS receiving support and encouragement from the amazing teachers and Student Success Team in the Lower School.

Reinventing the Science Program at HTS

By Tara Irani, Science Department Head, HTS and Matthew Iu, Senior School Science Teacher, HTS

Science educators often aim to make our classes relevant, placing what we teach in context so that students are convinced of its importance. According to this criteria of excellence, one could argue that the COVID-19 pandemic has been the greatest science teacher of them all. It has proven that science is not just a curious body of knowledge but a vital humanitarian tool.

instilling in students a sense of wonder as well as impressing upon them the obligation of scientists to work in the service of others. Our students are entering an era of big data, artificial intelligence and a host of other innovations that will enable impactful discoveries for years to come. We, in the science department, are thrilled to prepare them for this exciting new world!

concepts so central to science. However, one of the most frequent pieces of feedback we receive from students is the desire to have more hands-on labs. We are therefore excited to share that such an opportunity is at hand: Biochemistry Laboratory (IDC4U) is set to launch in 2022–23 as our first, entirely labbased course in the Senior School. Students will augment their enthusiasm for science by seeing it in action on a regular basis. By performing labs such as PCR (polymerase chain reaction), students can appreciate why PCR is the gold standard for COVID-19 testing and narrow the divide between the classroom and the real world. This course will also empower students to undertake their own independent lab research. By doing so, students will foster an appreciation of the scientific method and cultivate scientifically literate minds, which is so desperately needed to counter the misinformation that abounds during the pandemic.

Teaching students how genes are decoded, for instance, has become more urgent, given it forms the basis for mRNA vaccines, which have been and continue to be so instrumental for lessening the impact of the pandemic. Here at HTS, we believe that science education is not just preparation for future studies at university. Rather, it involves

An ongoing priority for us has been to offer a range of diverse courses that enable students to examine the entire scope and beauty of science. We currently provide comprehensive studies ranging from biology, chemistry and physics to earth and space, and environmental science. Such courses deliver a robust foundation in the theories and

Science carries an unfortunate reputation of being an esoteric subject, one that is studied by those who are seemingly disconnected from humanity. Yet nothing could be further from the truth. No discipline exists in a vacuum. At HTS, we believe that science is at its best when working alongside other fields. To that end, the science department has intentionally sought to establish greater interdisciplinary connections to enrich the educational experience for our students both internally, within the school, and externally, with partners in the broader community.

This school year, we were delighted to form several collaborations across the school. Andrew Johnson’s Grade 12 physics class and Matthew Iu’s Grade 12 biology class partnered with Cameron Eby’s Grade 12 kinesiology class to show our students how theoretical principles in science can be directly used in the context of exercise. What is the optimal angle to throw a ball? Why does intense exercise rapidly lead to muscle pain? These questions and more were addressed with greater clarity and relevance than ever before because of the interdisciplinary approach. Grade 9 science teachers

TRANSFORMATIONS FROM THE HTS COMMUNITY

“HTS has helped me to be the kind of person I didn’t even know I could be. I understand you get out of something what you put into it. In the past, I may have treated schoolwork like a chore, but now, I put time into it to make it something that I can be proud of. Also, HTS has nurtured me to become a caring person. You would think a school like this would be competitive. Rather, it is a place where you can ask your peers for help… and they do. They do more than that. They support you, encourage you, and cheer you on.”

JOSEPH LUCCHESE ’ 12

Science is so thrilling precisely because there is still so much to be discovered and explored. In parallel with our pursuit of teaching excellence, the HTS science department is committed to nurturing our own continued passion for science. We are all inspired to learn alongside our students.

Cheryl Savage and Amanda O’Neill collaborated with Elissa Gelleny in the Innovation Lab to allow students to demonstrate their learning about outer space in novel ways. They invited students to push themselves beyond their comfort zone to learn a new skill and to present what they learned in ways that matched their interest and talents; in response, students created a giant game of “Black Holes and Rockets” using floor stickers; window clings to show the life cycle of a star; and an interactive museum display using QR codes, just to name a few.

Interdisciplinary opportunities external to HTS were also taken up. One notable example was our recent collaboration with the Canadian Synthetic Biology Education Research Group (CSBERG), a group of educators and scientists based out of the University of Toronto. The CSBERG team hosted a lecture series for our Grade 12 biology students, presenting on an eclectic range of fascinating topics; each week featured a different speaker with a particular scientific expertise. These external connections were a fantastic vehicle for interdisciplinary studies. Several of the talks underscored the importance of mathematical modelling in biology. Others discussed the ethical, political and economic factors involved in the pharmaceutical-drug approval process. Yet another unveiled how DNA could be converted into an electrical circuit with engineering applications. One session even demonstrated how music might be encrypted using genetic code! Experiences like these cannot be found in textbooks or even using online resources and they reveal to our students how science intersects with so many human endeavours.

Some believe that science teachers can and should possess all knowledge about their subject. Such a view not only sets an unattainable bar for teachers but actually does a disservice to students. Science is so thrilling precisely because there is still so much to be discovered and explored. In parallel with our pursuit of teaching excellence, the HTS science department is committed to nurturing our own continued passion for science. We are all inspired to learn alongside our students, whether it be by collaborating with scientists or volunteering in research laboratories. We are hopeful that our passion for science emanates to our students and motivates them to embark upon this great adventure into the unknown.

“When I started at HTS, it was during COVID-19, that really affected me. I didn’t know anyone; learning was online and, when we did come to school, we were all wearing masks. But now all of that has changed. I have friends who are important to me. Most importantly, my teachers have taught me to ask good questions when I am not sure about something. You shouldn’t be scared of asking questions or asking for help, because that will help you move forward as you go through life.”

TYLER BRAGANZA, GRADE 8 STUDENT

TRANSFORMATIONS FROM THE HTS COMMUNITY

Transformative Learning Begins with Strong Relationships

By Tracy Faucher, Deputy Head, HTS

The idea that a positive relationship in the classroom helps students to learn better is not new. However, this idea becomes transformative when it goes beyond greeting students at the classroom door and asking them about their weekend. What does attention to strong relationships really mean for the intentional design of the teaching and learning experience for students? What does it look, sound and feel like when educators construct transformative learning experiences for their students using key elements of strong relationships like trust, independence, respect and love? Most importantly, how does this approach change students’ learning?

As an essential component of the thriving student-centred program at HTS, the relationships that educators cultivate are as im-

portant as the content they teach. And, when the relationship between student and teacher is at the heart of instruction, student learning improves and students are more engaged.

Relationship-centred instructional design

The role that relationships play in the classroom and student learning is a known aspect of education. In Middle School, Grades 6–8, this is especially important as students become more discerning, more critical and more aware of their own needs as learners. For some, if they do not feel a connection to their teacher, it may not be enough to love a particular subject; a weak relationship can impact their level of engagement. When engagement decreases, so too does the deep learning that is crucial to students’ ability to apply what they

have learned across the various areas of their learning and in life, more generally.

The question then becomes, how does a teacher intentionally design their learning environment to create this connection? And further, how does a teacher create a space, through their instruction, that is safe for students, allowing them to take risks at a time in their life when they have become very selfaware and acutely conscious of how they are viewed by others? To develop this safe space, educators look towards the truest principles of personalization, placing them front and centre, from the moment they start a lesson until they finish it.

For Gillian Martin, designing for connection means that she invites her students into the planning cycle. At the beginning of the year,

Students and their teachers on Breakaway at Camp Timberlane.

she lays out the course for her students and, together, they analyze it. As Gillian explains, “I now know there are so many ways that something can be taught, and it is more important that students have a hand in what the teacher ultimately chooses.” This consultation is not a one-time exercise. Gillian revisits this plan with her students multiple times each year to make sure it is still meeting their needs. In order not to lose sight of this goal, she intentionally devotes classroom time to this task to make sure it does not get forgotten in the tyranny of the immediate.

Another important aspect of student-centred design is allowing them to decide how they will demonstrate their mastery of the course content. Gillian invites students to think about how they can best show what they have learned and how they have grown throughout the unit. Gillian observes that students’ eyes light up with this invitation; there are always a few ideas that totally surprise her, because they are so original. This singular shift in her instructional design the deliberate centring of students communicates to her students that they all belong, no matter how they learn.

Marisa Tassone, a French teacher and the assistant head of the Middle School, uses her understanding of her students to tailor the lessons for each class she teaches. In her planning and design of each lesson, she knows she has to address the needs of the students in each class. It cannot be a “rinse and repeat” experience. As Marisa explains, “I teach three classes with the same lesson content, but how I deliver it is different for each class because each of my classes needs different things in order to get the most out of the day.” This fine-tuning strengthens her relationships with students in her classes, because she takes the lead from the students

who are in front of her; as a result, students are able to learn in deep and powerful ways.

Elicia Pavan ‘11, a Middle School science teacher who also uses the practices described above, has a very strong opinion as to why relationships are both central and crucial to student learning: “When relationships have been cultivated, communication skills improve. Students are comfortable speaking in class. More ideas are shared, and this deepens the learning experience for everyone. The positive relationship negates the awkwardness that can be present in Middle School and levels the playing field, so to speak. We are all here together.”

Do students notice?

Does this intentional focus on relationships pay off for students’ learning? Several Grade 8 students were more than happy to share their thoughts on the importance of the relationships with their teachers and the resulting learning space that is created.

At the most basic level, students know when a teacher cares, not just about them as a person, but also about how they learn. The students I spoke with all agreed that this feeling of connection was hard for them to describe it was something they felt. For these students, the sense of safety and of being included made a difference when it came to learning it made them want to participate, to pay attention and to try. One student said that even if the topic was boring, if they were in a class where they felt connected to the teacher and to the other students, they would still do whatever the teacher was asking because they felt their opinion was valued.

All of the Grade 8 students I spoke with emphasized how critical it was to have choice in their learning. Renee Chung was clear in

TRANSFORMATIONS FROM THE HTS COMMUNITY

their opinion: “Teachers who give me choices show me that they really care. When teachers give me choices, that also proves that they trust me and believe that I know myself best to make the choices that will work for me and the way I learn.” Upon hearing this, many students were quick to agree. Enzi Shah added, “When teachers show they trust me, it also makes me feel like they are giving me more responsibility, which I really appreciate. This also makes me care more about the class and what we are learning.” The connection these students have to their teachers is undeniable. And the decisions teachers make when designing their learning experiences can be a powerful tether for the students, who find themselves connected through such insightful and intentional instruction.

Designing Learning in a Post-Pandemic World

The last two years have unveiled to all of us that, in every aspect of our lives, the bonds we form with those around us shape how we are able to shoulder the pressures of the world. What has also become explicitly clear as we listen to our students is that creating a learning-driven ecosystem, whose foundation is rooted in the principles of personalization, is more important than ever. It could be said that designing learning in any other way is simply not an option if we want our students to have a learning environment that not only allows for a wide understanding of what is possible, but also helps to support their mental health and their journey of self-discovery. As Middle School English teacher, Gillian Martin, says passionately, “Nothing else in teaching and learning works if you, as an educator, haven’t figured out who is in the room.”

“One of the main transformations I have experienced at HTS is in my teaching practice. Since HTS has shifted to a more personalized approach to learning, I have been able to engage my students more in their educational journey. This pedagogy has allowed my students to be at the heart of what I teach. They have agency and choice in what they want to learn, how they want to learn it and how they will showcase their learning. As one of the only teachers of colour at HTS for many years, it was a isolating at times. It has been amazing to see new teachers from different backgrounds becoming part of our staff. Our focus on equity, diversity and inclusion has made HTS more diverse. Students can see themselves in their teachers.”

NICOLA THOMPSON, DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS

Connecting People and Place: Learning from the Chippewas of Georgina Island

By: Brian Csinos, Director of Experiential Learning, HTS

Laurie Lane-Zucker defines place-based education as “the pedagogy of community, the reintegration of the individual into her home ground, and the restoration of the essential links between a person and her place” (cited in Vander Ark et al., 2002). Place-based education can help to engage learners to more deeply understand the history, culture and geography of their area and community.

In pursuit of that deeper connection, HTS staff collaborated to draft an inaugural HTS Land Acknowledgement:

At Holy Trinity School (HTS), we have the responsibility to honour and respectfully acknowledge that we are gathered on the ancestral lands and waters of all Indigenous Peoples who have left their footprints here before us.

Holy Trinity School is located on the traditional lands and territory of Williams Treaty First Nations including the Chippewas of Beausoleil, Georgina Island and Rama as well as the Mississaugas of Alderville, Curve Lake, Hiawatha, and Scugog Island. We recognize the Chippewas of Georgina Island as our closest neighbouring First Nation. We will be responsible stewards in protecting these lands today, and for future generations who have yet to walk upon it.

This Land Acknowledgement was shared with Chief Donna Big Canoe of the Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation for her feedback during a visit to Georgina Island in the fall of 2018; it was at this important visit that we began a relationship with the community to intentionally create a pathway towards reconciliation and restoration of good relations.

Recently, I had the privilege to speak with Elder Shelley Charles from Georgina Island First Nation on Lake Simcoe. She is a member of the fish clan, Muskinozhe Giigohn. Elder Shelley is trained in both horticultural science and Indigenous philosophy, earning a master’s degree from the Seven Generations Education Institute in Fort Frances in the latter subject.

This conversation is one of many that connect HTS to our closest neighbouring First Nation. Elder Shelley’s responses to my questions were powerful and reminded me of the importance of connecting place and people so that, collectively, we can better understand the lands upon which we learn and begin reconciliation with the peoples who have lived upon these lands for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Here are some of the highlights of that conversation:

BC: From your perspective as an Ojibwa Anishinaabe from Georgina Island on Lake Simcoe and a member of the fish clan, please tell us why it is important to know your identity and where you are from.

SC: Identity and belonging are central to Indigenous people across Turtle Island (North America). It helps us all to understand our connection to the land, extended family relationships and our responsibilities to our families and the community as a whole. Belonging to a specific clan, such as the fish clan, not only extends our relationships beyond the community but also provides us with teachings and characteristics on how to be a good person and live a good life: Mino Bimaadiziwin

BC: At HTS, we strive to live by our Character Creed, which includes our four core moral values of Courage, Empathy, Integrity and Respect. The Seven Grandfather Teachings of Respect, Courage, Honesty, Wisdom, Humility, Truth and Love are also important lessons to live by. Which of the Seven Grandfather Teachings do you feel best supports the HTS core moral values?

TRANSFORMATIONS FROM THE HTS COMMUNITY

SC: Humility is a core value that is often misunderstood as it doesn’t put individual needs over or above another; it helps to guide us in listening, creating space and validating the issues and concerns of others. Humility provides us with a way to lift up compassion and to draw out love for our fellow humans, as we aspire to lend a hand and operate from the pillars of kindness, honesty, sharing and caring.

BC: When you visited virtually with our Grade 6 students last fall to speak about the significance of the Sharing Circle, you mentioned that the Seven Grandfather Teachings “centre kindness”. Can you elaborate on kindness and how it is central to the Seven Grandfather Teachings?

“I have learned empathy, and that means to think about what it feels like if I were in someone else’s shoes. To have courage means to try something bigger than yourself, even if you are not sure how it will turn out. The opportunities that I have had when I was younger have prepared me to be the leader that I am now.”

AVA GALLIMORE, GRADE 6 STUDENT

SC: The Seven Grandfather Teachings are often referred to as a bundle of knowledge or gifts on how to live a good life that is informed by gizhewaadiziwin the spirit of kindness. Kindness informs how we engage with others and embrace the values and teachings of respect, love, honesty, truth, courage, wisdom and humility. Kindness also helps us to understand gratitude for the very breath of life itself and, in that way, leads us to become the best possible person we can be, with reverence to all of creation.

BC: At Holy Trinity School, we state that “we value respect, compassion and dignity the underpinnings of our Christian beliefs and everything that we do. With these values, we develop knowledge, skills and empathy for others in our students. HTS welcomes every person without discrimination because of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, family status, or disability.” How do you think that the HTS commitment to inclusion can be supported by the Unity Symbol?

SC: The Unity Symbol is often referred to as an Indigenous symbol of peace and kinship, in that we are all related and have gifts to share in relation to the circle of life. Each one of us is important to the circle and has a personal relationship and connection with the earth, natural environment and [other] human beings. The Unity Symbol is inclusive, honours and accepts all people wherever they are from in the four directions, and each one of us has gifts and knowledge to share in aspiring to reach out and live our best life.

BC: At HTS, we believe that “the learner is at the heart of everything that we do and that transformation is only possible when we design for learner personalization and growth.” We also offer opportunities for students and staff to participate in a variety of experiential learning opportunities with the hope that they become stewards not only of our

campus, but of humanity as well. Given your education in Indigenous philosophy, please tell us why it is important that we are good stewards for those who follow after us.

SC: It is important for us to be good stewards of the land because this is our home, it is where we were born and where our ancestors came from. From an Indigenous perspective, we have a mutual responsibility to nurture our families but also the natural environment for today and into the future. When we embrace the notion of the Seven Generations principle decisions being made about our energy, water, and natural resources, and ensuring those decisions are sustainable for seven generations in the future — we are including the youth as central to that teaching. We aspire to ensure that we provide the knowledge and tools to live a good life, while thinking about our collective future and caring for and being stewards of the earth today.

BC: At HTS, we understand our need to be transformed through reconciliation with the original peoples on the land. And so, I am wondering, is there a final message you want to share with our HTS community?

SC: The foundation of Indigenous knowledge and worldview is based on harmony in creation and how we are all related and interconnected to each other. Living a good life, honouring our parents and our extended family relationships, and embracing our role as stewards of the land provides us with all of the ingredients necessary to be a good person, and to know love and respect leaving good moccasin tracks seven generations into the future.

“Living a good life, honouring our parents and our extended family relationships, and embracing our role as stewards of the land provides us with all of the ingredients necessary to be a good person, and to know love and respect — leaving good moccasin tracks seven generations into the future.”

ELDER SHELLEY CHARLES

Transformation and the Parent Association

by: Antoinette DeSimini-Caruso, HTS Parent Association President

an internal organization of the school and a name change. More importantly, the new Parent Association can consider how best to support the Head of School in fulfilling school goals.

Never underestimate the power of a parent volunteer. Forty incredible years of success at HTS rest in large part with those who committed their time and effort to a vision of something bigger, something greater for our school community. The Parents’ Guild, now known as the Parent Association, was born in November 1981, when a parent approached the Head of School to ask if there was anything with which she might assist around the school; he invited her to co-ordinate a Christmas luncheon. From there, parents asked to join in and help as they could, and the group grew and was formalized as the Parents’ Guild.

The needs of the school over its 40 years have evolved and so have the undertakings of parent volunteers. What started out organizing carpools, co-ordinating hot-dog days and bake sales to raise funds, and providing

refreshments at sporting events has grown, just as the school has grown. Even though duties such as bussing, the lunch program and community events have transitioned to internal duties of HTS, parent volunteers still have the same strong and passionate willingness to jump in and help where needed. This commitment is evident in the volunteer engagement in our community, which even extends beyond the Parent Association to learning teams, subcommittees of the Board of Governors and more.

The largest body of volunteers, those who spend their time brightening the days of students and staff alike, falls under the umbrella of the newly renamed HTS Parent Association. The Parent Association has transformed over the years to meet the needs of our school; however, it continues to serve a fundamental purpose within our community to enhance the social, physical and spiritual environment of the school, while fostering community spirit among students, staff and friends of HTS.

In 2018, the Community Relations and Development team worked with the Governance Committee of the Board to more clearly define a volunteer strategy at HTS. As the largest volunteer body at the school, this presented an opportunity to more closely align the work of the Parents’ Guild to the work of the school, and resulted in the formal incorporation of the Guild into

During this transformative process, the Parent Association worked to redefine volunteering opportunities at HTS; it refined its programming and updated its organizational structure and position descriptions. While the volunteer initiatives may have changed over the years, and some were paused as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Parent Association still assists with fun activities that build community at HTS, including organizing the Running and Walking Club, hosting the Supper Club and decorating the campus for holidays.

As ambassadors of the community, the Parent Association executive is supported by HTS with professional development to ensure alignment between their volunteer work and the goals of the school. In the 2020–21 school year, the executive worked with Sandra Herbst, former Chief Strategic Officer, to develop skills in effective team collaboration. What emerged was a new meeting structure that focuses on sharing external learning with the group, utilizing paraphrasing and mediative questions, and in adopting a new agenda structure to increase meeting efficiency. To support the ongoing commitment at HTS to create a more equitable learning and working environment, the executive, along with HTS staff and members of the Board of Governors, participated in a series of three “Deep Diversity” professional-development sessions with Anima Leadership in 2021. Through these sessions, the group learned about how identity and bias, power structures feed into institutional and systemic racism. The Parent Association Executive met again with Sandra Herbst, Chief Strategic Officer, in early 2022 to consider the learning of the last few years and to imagine new ways to connect and better serve the HTS parent community in the coming year.

The Parent Association continues to find meaningful and purposeful ways for volunteers to contribute to and enhance our community, while supporting the school’s mission, vision and strategic aspirations. The Association will work closely with the Head of School and the Community Relations and Development department to introduce initiatives, events and programming that align with annual school goals and contribute to their achievement, while having fun and continuing to build and support the incredible community for which HTS is so well-known.

“ I feel fortunate to have my three boys walk the corridors of a campus that means so much to me, and to see them grow into confident and respectful boys. I enjoy watching them push themselves academically and socially and, most of all, I see the qualities that will set them apart when transformation is required of them resilience, determination and focus.”

ANGELA LANNI ’01 , HTS LEGACY PARENT

TRANSFORMATIONS FROM THE HTS COMMUNITY

Coaching: Can It Work For Me?

By Karl van Kessel ‘88 and Sandra Herbst, former Chief Strategic Officer, HTS

Coaching has been described as conveying a valued colleague from where they are to where they want to be. It is a way to position those being coached to perform at incrementally higher levels by transforming the manner in which we talk with one another. At HTS, there is a focus on coaching as an integral part of leadership development. During the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 school years, two ninepart professional development series were offered to alumni to help them develop their coaching capabilities. What follows is an exchange between Karl van Kessel (‘88) and Sandra Herbst, former HTS Chief Strategic Officer and the facilitator of the coaching training.

Karl van Kessel

Coaching

To: Sandra Herbst

Dear Sandra,

While I have not had the privilege of taking one of your coaching sessions, I have been fortunate to have had some wonderful managers over the years who have coached me and provided me with some great insights on how I can be a good leader. I have done my best to use those insights together with my own experiences to support my staff by coaching them through the challenges they face on the job. It is very important to me that I always take the time to listen to the needs of my staff and I provide them with the information they require to be effective and successful in their role. As a leader and a mentor, I am always looking for ways to collaborate effectively with my staff so that together we can solve problems and I can use my experience and knowledge to offer helpful advice and guidance.

Of course, there are times when I have to do more than just provide advice and guidance, and it is necessary to make it very clear what went wrong and what needs to be done. However, I always strive to communicate my concerns effectively, to review the situation and to be constructive so that we can determine what is required to move forward. Thankfully that doesn’t happen nearly as often as my coaching discussions.

That being said, I am writing to you about a recent situation where I know your expertise in coaching would be very helpful.

For 2–3 months, I noticed that one of the intermediate staff members in my group was struggling to meet his deadlines and maintain a high standard in his deliverables. His difficulties directly affected my ability to deliver because I rely on the information generated by this individual to do my reporting; therefore, I needed the situation resolved. However, I know this person and he is extremely capable and hard-working, so I wondered why he was struggling. I spoke to his manager, who reports directly to me, and found out that this individual just had too much on his plate and wasn’t managing his work effectively. I told his manager to look at the problem as an opportunity for this individual to take on some leadership of his own by delegating some of his work to junior staff and then managing that staff to get the work done on time and to a high standard. He agreed and we moved on.

However, two months later the situation had not changed. I decided to follow up with his manager and make it clear that I expected this situation to be resolved by the end of the month. I have since been reflecting on whether I should have taken responsibility for this situation myself by speaking directly with the staff member, rather than working through his manager. Did I make the right choice?

Regards, Karl

Karl van Kessel

Sandra Herbst

RE: Coaching

To: Sandra Herbst

To: Karl van Kessel

Dear Karl,

It is hard to tell you whether you have made the right choice; however, as I reflect on your question, I find myself returning to four phrases that you used that exemplify the four support functions that we find ourselves taking as leaders. Some even call them the “hats” of leadership. All are necessary and suit differing contexts and outcomes. So, for example, there are times when we need to, through conversation, cause a recalibration (“it is necessary to make it very clear what went wrong and what needs to be done”); other times, we offer advice, counsel and serve, almost, as a consultant (“to offer helpful advice and guidance”). Still other times, we enter the exchange as an equal; we “co-labour” or collaborate (“I am always looking for ways to collaborate effectively with my staff”). In these instances, leaders do not have a predetermined destination or solution; rather, we work collectively to create a pathway or to identify next steps. And finally, even as leaders, we can serve as coaches (“…by coaching them through the challenges they face on the job”).

Too often, we think that we are coaching, when we are actually collaborating or consulting. The coach’s role requires us to use our skills and allow the other person to identify their own next step; it is void of suggestion or advice. As a coach, we focus on helping our valued colleagues to access their own internal resources to amplify their efficacy. To some it might seem counter-intuitive. I am the leader; I have experience and I know what could work in this instance. As I stated earlier, each of the four support functions serves a purpose. And yet, as we scan organizations in all sectors, we recognize the resources being used for the development of highly capable people; employees who are able to think, dream and resolve problems without a perpetual dependency on someone whose position is just a bit higher on the organizational chart.

So, what would happen if we coached just a bit more … and provided advice just a bit less. Might the need for recalibration decrease? Might the collaborative opportunities result in even better outcomes?

Let’s have a coaching conversation and, afterwards, let’s see how you might respond to your question, “Did I make the right choice?”

Regards, Sandra

Transcript from a Google Meet: March 23, 2022.

Sandra: So, you indicated the urgency of this situation and a timeline. You were also thinking about your decision to respect the corporate hierarchy, which led you to go to that person’s manager, rather than going to that person directly. Additionally, the person who is struggling is one with whom you have a personal relationship. And so, you made the decision you thought was best and now you are reflecting on it and wondering if, in fact, it was the best course of action.

So, as you think about the decision you made, what other factors may have contributed to your choice to “fall in line” with the corporate hierarchy, rather than going to that person directly?

Karl: Since we are a smaller group within a larger organization, I was trading off my relationships with both of these staff members. Ultimately, I chose to fall back on the organizational chart to provide me with guidance, rather than perhaps pursuing a personal de-

cision, which was a non-corporate decision. Had I done that, I might have undermined the authority of that individual’s manager. So, I chose not to go that way.

Sandra: What you are talking about is a sense of respect for the corporate structure but also the corporate relationship that exists between the staff member and manager. Respect played a huge role in the decision you made. What are some of the aspects of the conversation that you had with the manager that you think might have served your ultimate goal well, both in the short and long terms?

Karl: That conversation also reflects my responsibility to develop and mentor the manager. So, through that conversation, I am providing guidance; not only does the manager recognize the respect that I gave to him, but I also made sure to listen to what he had done and what he was planning to do about the situation.

Sandra: You are talking about alignment not only the kind of alignment that you want between the staff member and his manager, but also the alignment you have with the manager. So, you want to be in a place and space of coherence you “walked the talk.”

As you reflect on that conversation, what might you have had to draw upon in yourself as a leader in order to be in a place of respect and alignment, while, at the same time, hoping for an outcome that would be positive?

Karl: I drew upon the aspects that I have cultivated in myself over the years of growing and developing under good mentorship. I thought: if I were in this individual’s shoes, would I want the most senior individual in my group to come talk to me about my performance, or would I rather have a more productive, and perhaps, more positive discussion with my manager, who is the individual that I have been working with day-to-day on growing and developing? This question takes us back to the idea of respect and putting myself into that person’s shoes.

Sandra: On top of respect and alignment, perhaps another word to offer here is empathy of being in a place of understanding what the other person is experiencing.

Given this experience, what might you consider doing the same, or perhaps differently, if you are faced with a similar situation in the future?

Karl: Things I would do the same: I think that I made the right choice, one that showed empathy and respect, which are important to me.

Things that I would do differently: I think there was an opportunity for me to check in and follow up with the manager earlier, rather than assuming that the situation was improving. So, taking a more active role in the process could have avoided the delays and inefficiencies that waiting has caused.

Sandra: What you are left thinking about is that if you could go back in time, there might have been more frequent and regular touchpoints that could have followed the

Karl van Kessel

RE: Coaching

To: Sandra Herbst

Dear Sandra,

initial conversation with the manager. Yet, at the same time, you remain firm and certain that the decision to speak with the manager was the right decision to make.

As we begin to wrap up this conversation, what insights might you be gaining as a result of being able to pause and think about this more deeply?

Karl: I thank you for that question because I had not thought about it from that perspective. The insights come from the opportunity to dissect aspects of my decision-making process that I was not necessarily consciously aware of. These things are entrenched in the ways that I approach things. Often, that can be based on good habits that come from strong learning experiences and continual improvement. But, as I reflect on the motivations, which is really what I hear you asking me to do, it helps me to recognize where there are opportunities for improvement. Perhaps the way that I do things regularly, I haven’t stopped to think as often as I should.

Sandra: So, what you are really talking about is that these few moments have allowed you, perhaps, to make conscious what was a bit unconscious, while illuminating and bringing to the surface some things that you can now be more conscious of.

As we reach the end of this conversation, how might you know that this was time well spent?

Karl: Great question! I realize that this conversation has allowed me to grow, by increasing my awareness of how I make decisions. I don’t think that, as leaders, we take enough time to have these kinds of conversations. We might try to in our mind and on our own; however, that is one-sided and not nearly as illuminating as interacting with someone who pushes you to pause and think.

Sandra: The point you are making is that when you pause to deliberately reflect, there is learning to be gained.

I had to write to thank you for our call and let you know just how much I appreciated your insights. By guiding me through a true coaching session, you have given me the awareness that I needed to understand what it means to “coach.” Since our conversation, I have been reflecting on the questions you asked me, and I recognize that what I thought was “coaching” wasn’t. I have not been coaching my staff.

I have also come to realize that coaching is not limited to how I work with my staff, but that I can use the knowledge and techniques you have taught me in all of my interactions at work, including in the boardroom! Thank you!

Regards,

Karl

Sandra Herbst

RE: Coaching

To: Karl van Kessel

Dear Karl,

I would like to offer one final thought. When we take the role of coaching, rather than of calibrating, consulting or collaborating, we hold and create space for valued colleagues to think and reflect. It is an act of discernment when leaders decide which stance best suits the emerging situation.

At the same time, we want members of our team to grow and increase in their efficacy. This cannot happen when coaching is routinely pushed to the side, because the default of consulting or calibrating seems more efficient or expedient. I know that when I coach what simultaneously results is an increase in the quality of work produced AND capacity developed.

How many leaders see their role as developing the cognitive capital of their colleagues and those whom they serve? Imagine how leadership might be approached if that were, in part, the goal. As you work with people this week, a great place to start is to use your coaching skills to enhance the effectiveness of those in your workplace and, as you say, even the boardroom.

Regards, Sandra

The HTS Global Online Campus

by Sandra Herbst, former Chief Strategic Officer, HTS

We marvel at their accomplishments and are impressed by the pathways that they have chosen for themselves. But this June, there is something different. There are students present who have rarely been on campus. As

parents and members of the broader community, you haven’t seen them getting out of their cars in front of the school each morning or visiting you at home on weekends. Yet, they are part of the class of 2026 the first cohort of the HTS Global Online Campus to graduate.

As you sit in the gathered assembly and watch the students cross the stage to re -

ceive their diploma as well as a smile and handshake from Ms Pereira-Raso, Head of School, you find yourself wondering what they experienced. Did they feel a part of the HTS family? Did they have the same graduation requirements as the students did from this physical campus? Are they, too, receiving an Ontario Secondary School Diploma?

The simple answers to those questions are yes, yes and yes! However, to get a more complete picture of their experience, let’s delve into what it would mean to be part of the very first graduating class from the HTS Global Online Campus.

The HTS Global Online Campus will open to Grade 9 and 10 students in September 2023, as one pillar in the not-for-profit HTS Learning Network that includes the Richmond Hill Campus and the Centre for Transformative Learning and Leadership ( see Corridors, 2020-2021 for an article about the Centre). Though a separate entity from the Richmond Hill Campus it will have its own Principal, Academic Director, and faculty it will still be Canadian Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) accredited and Ontario Ministry of Education inspected. It is a full high-school program for Grades 9–12. Students who want to accelerate their academic progress could enrol in all three semesters (winter, spring, summer), if they would like.

More excitingly, this campus will bring HTS its ethos, culture and promise to the world. Though it will start with five or six classes of 20 students each in Grades 9 and 10, it will quickly grow over the ensuing years to include Grades 11 and 12 and attend to 400 students.

Imagine that you live in another country and are interested in an exemplary Canadian independent-school education. Maybe you reside in another province or, even, a part of Ontario that is too far from the Richmond Hill Campus to attend daily. Perhaps you are a high-performing athlete or a student who is currently being homeschooled and would like a larger community with which to connect. Attending the HTS Global Online

June 2026. Just like every June, the HTS community gathers to celebrate its graduates.

Learn

from anywhere.

Campus, you are now able to experience the same personalized, student-driven learning environment as in Richmond Hill. In other words, students have the opportunity to receive an exceptional Canadian education without boundaries or borders.

Receiving a world-class HTS education, students at the HTS Global Online Campus will also be part of a community where individuals will learn how to learn. It is a community that honours self-discovery and helps individuals grow as a whole intellectually, emotionally and socially. Just like at the Richmond Hill Campus, students will be inspired to be the best version of themselves.

At HTS, the faculty has come to deeply understand how to engage students online in incredibly impactful ways. As a result, students attending the HTS Global Online Campus will benefit from carefully blended synchronous and asynchronous instruction. Unlike more traditional online schools, where students register for a self-paced course, at the HTS Global Online Campus, students can expect to meet with their classmates to work, solve problems and generate new thinking together. They will connect with their teachers not only through recorded videos and lessons, but more importantly, they will meet with them in real time, so that their teachers can come to understand who they are and how they learn best.

The courses will be competency-based and interdisciplinary. Each student will take part in experiential learning, whether that is a cultural immersion, professional practicum, service program or research-based internship. Like at HTS Richmond Hill, each student will also have an advisor who will be dedicated to a small group of students throughout their high school journeys and will provide specialized post-secondary counselling services. And just like at the Richmond Hill Campus, students attending the HTS Global Online Campus will be able to participate in co-curricular programming that will be delivered in partnership with international organizations.

Let us return to the graduating class of June 2026 and, specifically, those who are part of the HTS Global Online Campus. This will probably not be the first time these students have visited HTS Richmond Hill, as they will have been invited to orientation sessions that have taken place on campus at the beginning of each school year. Even if they have not been able to physically travel to Richmond Hill, they will have been immersed in a metaverse experience that provided a virtual 3D iteration of the HTS Richmond Hill Campus. They will feel connected to their class-

SMALL CLASS SIZES 15-20 students

Graduates will receive the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD)

HIGH-TOUCH PERSONALIZED EXPERIENCE 1:1 and small group instruction

mates and teachers, who they will recognize immediately. And, most importantly, they will know what it feels like to be part of the HTS community.

Talk to any alumnus or their family members and what emerges time and time again is that HTS needs to be “felt” to be understood the sense of safety and the resulting courage to take learning risks; the sense of compassion, love and care that carries people through difficult times; the sense of curiosity that is nurtured and cultivated; and the sense that each student is seen for who they are and who they want to become. This is the HTS brand that is no longer limited to the

Richmond Hill Campus. It is what the 2026 graduates of the HTS Global Online Campus will already know and understand; they will have experienced it firsthand through the thoughtful and deliberate design and curation of their online education and through the relationships that they have built.

So, look at those graduates from the HTS Global Online Campus and wonder no longer. They are the first group of students who have enjoyed, benefited from and contributed to the HTS learning experience, which has now been brought to the world.

To find out more about the HTS Global Online Campus visit hts.on.ca/htsonline.

TRANSFORMATIONS FROM THE HTS COMMUNITY

“The years I spent at HTS were a catalyst for me to grow into who I am today. It created a community that was nurturing, yet pushed me to find my own form of independence in and outside of academics. The supportive environment gave me the confidence to try new things without being scared to fail. The variety of opportunities helped me discover what I am passionate about. The diverse experiences allowed me to step out of my comfort zone and try things I wouldn’t have imagined. I am grateful I had a community that supported me on any decision I chose to make.”

IRENE HOU ’ 1 8

We Asked, You Answered

by: The HTS Community

I think, honestly, what separates HTS from other schools is that HTS is a very open community. You can confidently share your ideas and thoughts. When I look back to the time that I was in Grade 6, I see that I didn’t have the confidence that I now have. I also didn’t participate as much. But, because of my teachers, their encouragement and the experiences they created for me, I can now speak up and communicate clearly, and this helps me to step into my community and contribute in different ways, like being a club leader. This has also allowed me to be more approachable and doesn’t everyone need someone in their lives who is open to talking to them? You really see that in the teachers at HTS. They are approachable. You don’t need to worry what they think of you; you can say what you need to say. The inclusive environment at HTS, along with the curriculum that the teachers use, create that sense of openness.

HTS is also a place where I can explore things that interest me, not only on the academic side of things. I have been encouraged to join clubs and teams, and those experiences have taught me that I can face the future, no matter what it may hold.

Finally, I have come to better understand that being a leader in your community does not only mean that you have to do something really big. Leadership is in the small interactions as well; for example, it is in the connections that you make in the hallway and in the two-minute conversations that you have with others.

RONNIE WEI GRADE 12 STUDENT

As an HTS graduate and now a parent of two HTS enthusiasts, I can personally attest to the tremendous growth opportunities and community experiences that HTS offers to its students and their families. Even though my experience as a HTS student was many years ago, in multiple ways, I can still relate my transformation at HTS to my professional career and can attribute my growth to the valuable experiences and opportunities I had during my years at the school. The opportunities to lead or to be an active participant in academic

and sports-team settings gave me the confidence to further develop my skills once I graduated from HTS these opportunities are the foundation, or the transformation, that HTS offered us.. Now as a parent, I am tremendously proud to see HTS in a different way. For the past four years, we have heard our children bragging about their incredible experiences at HTS, which brings me a true sense of pride and joy as an alum. As a family, we have been actively involved in the HTS community in many ways, adding a multifaceted dimension to our experience at the school. We cannot wait to see how our children will continue to transform with their HTS experience, and we are so proud to continue to be part of this HTS family.

DANIEL CHENG ’98 HTS LEGACY PARENT

My role in Facility Operations connects me across the wide range of HTS people and places.

In my office, from my first day, I saw very happy primary students going to the playground. It is amazing to observe the enjoyment, growth and transformation of students even over the course of just a few years of school.

Since 2107, our HTS campus has been in a state of ongoing transformation, with a new building structure, renovated classrooms, re-imagined outdoor spaces and new student amenities. This transformation required years of planning and foresight to turn the initial vision into a unique, student-centred learning environment. I appreciate the opportunity to participate in this team that planned and renewed Holy Trinity School.

CHRIS CODY DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

At HTS, I have grown to become a leader because I have had leadership opportunities, like being part of the Eco Team and being a Library Leader. These are really fun experiences because I can help students younger than I am. I am responsible and committed. I have also learned empathy, and that means to think about what it feels like if I were in someone else’s shoes.

When you are a leader, you need to be respectful and have integrity, and that is also what I have learned. Sometimes, it even means that you have to be courageous. To have courage means to try something bigger than yourself, even if you are not sure how it will turn out. The opportunities that I have had when I was younger have prepared me to be the leader that I am now.

AVA GALLIMORE GRADE 6 STUDENT

In my early years of high school, I always felt uncertain about my future and what direction it would take me. However, HTS gave me the opportunity to learn, grow and experience all aspects of life, which showed me my passion for business. From preparing for DECA competitions to taking a variety of business courses offered at HTS, I was able to gain invaluable experience that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. By providing me with these resources, HTS helped pave a path forward and I am grateful for the skills I gained by trying new things and getting involved within the school community. The endless amount of support and guidance I received at HTS helped me navigate through periods of uncertainty. Reflecting back on my time at HTS, I can confidently say that there were many positive transformations that made my high school experience unforgettable and have, all in all, shaped me into who I am today.

MAGGIE ZHU ’18

“What transformations have you experienced in your time at HTS? In what ways have they impacted you?”

IN THIS ISSUE WE ASKED

At HTS, we foster our students’ love of learning, encourage them to try new and exciting things, and give them a solid foundation on which to build. Some examples of learning experiences that come to mind are the Trade Show in Business Studies, Oil Sands Symposium in Geography and film analyses of movies in English.

This ethos allows me to help my students build transferable life skills, like independence, confidence and resilience, to support each child in achieving their potential and to make a smooth transition to post-secondary education and society itself.

HTS’s focus on experiential education enables me to purposefully engage with learners in direct experience and focused reflection in order to increase knowledge, develop interpersonal and intrapersonal skills, clarify values, and build their capacity to contribute to their communities.

HTS allows me to transform my instructional practice by creating a learning environment in which everyone is equal and all achievements are celebrated. We maintain an inclusive environment, which acknowledges and respects learners from diverse family and cultural backgrounds. This is a happy place where everyone is known and valued staff and students alike and where differing needs are acknowledged, accepted and met. Our school empowers all students and teachers to embrace learning, achieve their personal best and build their emotional, social and physical well-being.

SEJAL SHUKLA BUSINESS FACULTY

One of the transformations that I experienced during my time at HTS was the urgent need for robust technology in our classrooms to make remote/hybrid learning a reality for our teachers/ students during the time of COVID-19. We required telecommunication tools in each classroom, such as the OWL, laptops, TV, Google Meet and Access points. We quickly realized that introducing this new tech into our classrooms meant that our backend infrastructure also required a full overhaul to support these new tools effectively. We needed powerful upgrades to both hardware and software to handle the heavy bandwidth demands on our network. This change impacted me personally because I had to quickly figure out what technology was required to make hybrid learning work for our teachers/students, while keeping security and privacy at the core of every decision. Finding the right solutions involved a lot of research, implementation, troubleshooting, support and ongoing maintenance. I can now comfortably say that HTS is better equipped to offer exceptional learning experiences to our students, while also ensuring we are fully prepared for any challenges that we might face in the near future.

WAQAS KHAN, DIRECTOR OF IT OPERATIONAL SYSTEMS

As people, we are constantly growing and evolving. I truly believe the years I have spent at HTS have been a catalyst for me to grow into the person I am today. HTS created a community that was nurturing, yet it also pushed me to find my own form of independence in and outside of academics. The supportive environment gave me the confidence to try new things without being scared to fail. The variety of opportunities that were offered to me have helped me discover what I am really passionate about and what I want to pursue in the next chapter of my life. Being provided with such diverse experiences allowed me to step out of my comfort zone and try things I wouldn’t even have imagined trying. When I reflect upon my years at HTS, I am truly grateful that I was able to be surrounded by a community that supported me on any decision that I chose to make.

IRENE HOU ’ 18

I am so proud of the strides our community is making to prioritize diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) education in all aspects of school life. It is the work of our students, through initiatives like the DEI Council and so much more, that has most inspired me to transform the way that I teach, speak and listen, both as an educator and a father.

Personalization and creating space for students to take agency in their learning are important ways that I try to cultivate inclusivity in my classroom and to support the diverse voices of my students. However, I strive to continually improve toward the goal of being a better ally to those whose voices are, and have historically been, underrepresented.

And finally, since arriving at HTS four years ago, I have been blessed to become a father to two wonderful children. This has been the greatest transformation of my life. Every day I think about the world that I wish for them to grow up in: a world that is just and inclusive for all peoples.

ADAM MAINGOT BUSINESS FACULTY

Over my five years at HTS, I have experienced a shift in the level of collaboration, specifically with regards to how staff (non-teaching faculty) are collaborating with both students and teaching faculty alike. In Human Resources, we have recently looked at ways to include our students in the hiring process for key leadership roles. The questions that they bring to the table always amaze me. I have also been lucky enough to be asked to participate in the HIVE program, as well as a class Q&A session on HR issues. Interacting with our students broadens my thinking and allows me to get a better understanding of what our teachers face in the classroom.

SUSANNE TSAFOULIAS HUMAN RESOURCES GENERALIST

When I started at HTS, it was during COVID-19, and so that really affected me. I didn’t know anyone; learning was online and, when we did come to school, we were all wearing masks. But now all of that has changed. I have friends who are important to me.

I have also learned to focus on my work more and to become a better listener. Most importantly, my teachers have taught me to ask good questions when I am not sure about something. You shouldn’t be scared of asking questions or asking for help, because that will help you move forward as you go through life.

I have really learned about responsibility. For me that means that I do what I say I am going to do. I am on top of things; I get things off of my to-do list; I complete my work to the best of my ability. I have also learned that it is so important to treat others the way that you want to be treated. That is empathy. There is no room to make fun of someone or to be unkind. That is not the HTS way. All of this is going to help me in the future. I am now prepared to be on the Student Council and to be a prefect.

TYLER BRAGANZA GRADE 8 STUDENT

One of the main transformations I have experienced at HTS is in my teaching practice. Since HTS has shifted to a more personalized approach to learning, I have been able to engage my students more in their educational journey. This pedagogy has allowed my students to be at the heart of what I teach. They have agency and choice in what they want to learn, how they want to learn it and how they will showcase their learning. This has impacted my teaching in a positive way, because the work my students produce is much more authentic and they have fun in the creation process.

As one of the only teachers of colour at HTS for many years, it was a bit isolating at times. It has been amazing to see many new teachers from different backgrounds becoming part of our staff. Our focus on equity, diversity and inclusion has made HTS more diverse. Students can see themselves in their teachers. I come to school with a sense of pride and optimism, enabled to feel more comfortable on a day-to-day basis.

NICOLA THOMPSON DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS

During the four years that I have been at HTS, the school has helped me to be the kind of person that I didn’t even know I could become. I have always found success at school, but my time here has allowed me to know exactly the person whom I want to be and how to get there. I have learned that focus and hard work pay off. Now I better understand that you get out of something what you put into it. In the past, I may have treated my schoolwork like it was a chore, but now, I look at it like a skill that needs to be developed. Instead of pumping out mediocre work, I put time into it to make it something that I can really be proud of.

Also, HTS has nurtured me to become a caring person. You would think that, at a school like this, the environment would be competitive. Rather, it is a place where you can ask your peers for help … and they do help. In fact, they do more than that. They support you, encourage you, and cheer you on. HTS is a community that welcomes you immediately. It isn’t only a place where you get to learn how to do work, but you get to learn how to do life.

I am confident that, because of my time at HTS, I am ready to do what I want to do. I am equipped for whatever lies ahead. In other words, I am now better able to be open to what’s around the corner— even if I am not certain about what lies just ahead.

JOSEPH LUCCHESE ’ 12

I like to share my story often with my children, so they understand the importance of success and perseverance. Simply put, if we don’t fail, we don’t overcome.

After graduating from HTS and pursuing a degree in business accounting, I successfully made it through the first two of three exams in the chartered-accountant professional-designation stream. I was determined to pass the final Uniform Financial Examination (UFE), and then to move to Edmonton to join my soon-to-be husband and begin my career.

I failed my first attempt at the UFE. This experience knocked me down, but I quickly changed my attitude. I decided to write it again, because if I started something, I would finish it. I was not successful on the next two attempts. Despite the repeated feelings of shame and disappointment, I decided to give it one final attempt: while I wasn’t sure what the outcome would be, I believed that I could be successful and was determined to not have any regrets.

By then, I was married and VERY pregnant with my first-born child in fact, I thought my water broke on day two of writing the exam! I vividly recall learning I had finally passed the UFE and finally getting to that point meant more to me than I ever imagined.

The mentality instilled in me as a student at HTS helped me understand accountability and perseverance, and ultimately led me to achieve that moment of success. I feel fortunate to have my three boys walk the corridors of a campus that means so much to me, and to see them grow into confident and respectful boys. I enjoy being able to watch them push themselves academically and socially and, most of all, I see the qualities that will set them apart when transformation is required of them resilience, determination and focus.

ANGELA LANNI ’01 HTS LEGACY PARENT

Adaptability and confidence: looking back, HTS fostered a safe and encouraging environment in which we could develop these life skills, both in and out of the classroom. I remember the very supportive teachers who not only encouraged me to excel in my beloved game of soccer, but also pushed me to step outside my comfort zone by trying something new like auditioning for the school musical, despite having no drama experience. What came from this leap was four years of unforgettable experiences that built my confidence in public speaking and on-stage performance. Fast forward six years: despite being the youngest graduate in my medical program at Queen’s, the confidence that I gained at HTS has allowed me to engage fully with my peers and the broader medical community. I am honoured to be selected as the youngest chair of WONCA Polaris (World Organization of Family Doctors North American Region Young Doctors’ Movement), a position that will allow me to contribute to family-medicine initiatives on a global level. Thank you, HTS, for everything you have done to give me the confidence and values that will guide me each and every day.

ROHINI PASRICHA ’ 16

Thank you for reflecting on your experience at HTS and sharing with us. We are so grateful for the wonderful HTS community we are all so lucky to be part of.