The St. Jude's Academy Difference Magazine- October 2022 Issue

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Celebrating a Brilliant Start to this School Year

St. Jude’s Academy is different…

with our focus on creating student and community experiences. Starting with our Orientation Days, students, parents and staff quickly transitioned back to school routine. The SJA student educational experience includes an emphasis on both rigorous academics and a full range of student life and extracurricular opportunities. The first two months have been busy with Neophyte Week, which saw students from JK to Grade 12, as well as faculty and staff, enjoy our first SJA House Games and our first SJA House Spirit Day! Fun filled activities throughout the week kept students involved and created moments of joy. SJA came together to raise over $5,000 during our Terry Fox Run. The Fall Fundraiser included a week of themed events followed our community wide Welcome BBQ. The SJA Farm & Outdoor Education centre welcomed our overnight Survivor trips for Grades 7 to 12. More day excursions to this new SJA facility are planned for other grades. Assessment & Information Nights for Parents, Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation provided time for learning and reflection.

The SJA faculty and staff are dedicated to making this school year the best for all members of this tight knit community. While the safety of students our community remains our focus we are excited about all the upcoming planned events and student life experiences. We thank all our students, parents/guardians and staff of St. Jude’s Academy for your ongoing support and enthusiasm. We look forward to seeing you at our future events!

Sharing the Planet

Grade 6 students have been learning that society is responsible for how energy is used to sustain life. Students learned about the characteristics of current and static electricity, circuits and forms of energy. Students have investigated through experimentation how the flow of energy works. Students have built both parallel and series circuits and have even invented and created their own circuits. Grade 6 students are gearing up for the annual Science Fair, where they will be creating and building their own electric cars.

Relationships, Responsibilities & Rules

Unit of Inquiry: Who We Are

The Grade 1 students have been learning that people around the world all have relationships, responsibilities and rules. After brainstorming and discussing the importance of having rules, relationships and responsibilities, the students began to practice taking on more responsibility (i.e. cubby cleaning, bringing their agenda in daily). Students created a Responsibility Flower. Every petal on the flower includes one of their promises on how they will be responsible at home and at school.

The

Academy DIFFERENCE

First Days of School!

Students are welcomed back! Behind our students’ success is a strong community of parents and a faculty of IB World leaders, including specialists in Phys. Ed, the Arts and Languages, who care for each and every student. This individualized approach to learning encourages students to think critically, problem solve and inquire for themselves. St. Jude’s Academy graduates are equipped with the skills they need to excel in university and in life, and are inspired to confidently make their mark in the world. In our classrooms, students participate in hands on activities that enrich their understanding and unique, personalized support is always readily available.

Reading Buddies

Each week, JK and Grade 3 students meet to collaborate during Reading Buddies. The students look forward to this time! They are excited to read and interact with each other. The Grade 3 students take on a leadership role and read to the JK students, while the JK students learn early reading skills.

Oral Hygiene

Junior Kindergarten students had fun learning about oral hygiene as part of their Unit of Inquiry. Dr. Patel has been visiting our Junior Kindergarten students for over 15 years. He taught students about the importance of brushing their teeth and eating healthy foods to keep a healthy smile!

Learning all about Matter

Changes in the states of matter and how they are connected.

Grade 5 students developed a conceptual understanding of the form of the states of matter. Students learned about the change and connection between them that allow them to be applied to practical and useful situations. Through class discussions, group work and in class experiments, the students were encouraged to take charge of their own learning and consolidate their knowledge of the topic. The students then participated in a hands on, engaging and fun virtual workshop led by Scientists in Schools, using science to figure out the nature of a mystery substance!

Grade 4A and 4B students were inspired by Lebanese artist Nabil Nahas, who experimented and worked on this body of work between 1973 1981.

DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OF DESIGN THE LINE

Nabil Nahas

VISION BOARD

During the first week of school, our students in Grades 4, 9 and 10 collaborated on a series of Vision Boards. Students worked together to on the project. Together, they created original ideas and produce positive messages on the board. We were impressed but not surprised by the level of talent. Our Upper School students had a discussion about their work and participated in a critique. Students had lots to say and had a lively dialogue.

Student Life at SJA…

We are different!

While a rigorous academic foundation is at the heart of our school, the St. Jude’s Academy experience expands well beyond the classroom to offer balance and a versatile experience for each student. Our students can discover a range of interests and cultivate their talent in arts, athletics, citizenship and leadership.

St. Jude’s Academy’s inquiry based approach to life allows students to try new things to investigate, learn, inquire and find solutions. Whether it be assisting communities or groups in need, playing an instrument in the school band, creating a new club, competing for House points, joining a soccer or basketball team or travelling to Argentina, our students have the opportunity to attempt something new, gather genuine skills and to experience, learn and grow!

STUDENT LIFE NEOPHYTE WEEK!

UPDATE

Congratulations to our 2022-2023

Student Council

President: Saibya K

Vice President: Akash B

Serena F

Kaaya D

Leah D

Representative: Harveer S

Representative: Zak F

Representative: Suravi K

Representative: Melia R Theta Co Captains: Shubh J and Ayaana E

Captain: Gavin B Zeta Co Captains: Sania S and Judy N

Guidance Student Services

Physical Education

Physical Education Is An Important Part Our Student Experience

healthy, active living and running for a good cause with our Terry Fox Run

about how to co operate and play safely during gym class.

our running, jumping and balancing skills.

Inaugural St. Jude’s Academy Cross Country Meet

The month included the inaugural St. Jude’s Academy Cross Country Meet where we had runners from two schools competing from Grades 7 to 12. The younger age categories ran a double loop which was 3.2km and the older students battled it out in a really closely contested 5km run.

Results:

U14 Boys - 1st Benus R (SJA) 2nd Josh A (SJA) 3rd Rayne O (SJA)

U14 Girls - 1st Sadie S (SJA) 2nd Christina E (SJA) 3rd Kareena A (SJA)

U16 Boys - 1st Vishrut T (SJA) 2nd Edward G (SJA)

U16 Girls - 1st Keira H (SJA)

U18 Boys - 1st Ilias F (SJA) 2nd Artem (Erindale) 3rd Giovanni H (SJA)

PYP students were active and participated in a variety of activities this fall.

Building Awareness for the Terry Fox Run

Preparing for the Terry Fox Run Grade 5 students gather around the poster they created to educate their school community about Terry Fox's cause and the importance to raise awareness and money for cancer research.

SJA Athletics Basketball

Congratulations to our SJA Junior Boys Grades 9/10 vs Ridley College 93 to 79.

Terry Fox Run

We were very excited to be a part of this year’s Terry Fox Run. This was our opportunity to make a difference in the lives of those with cancer. We thank everyone who donated, raised funds and all those who took part in the run. Thank you for joining us as our school community banded together to raise funds for cancer research.

Orange Shirt Day

National Day for Truth & Reconciliation

The SJA community took this day to recognize and commemorate the intergenerational harm that residential schools have caused to Indigenous communities and to honour those who have been affected by this injustice.

Grade 5 students created art pieces inspired by the work of Norval Morisseau, a famous Indigenous artist of Ojibwe origins. The students put together a small presentation about the artist and his work to educate other PYP classes about Indigenous art and artists.

WELCOME BBQ

Our New Outdoor Education Centre

Why are Outdoor Educational trips important?

There are many reasons our students take part in day trips and overnight trips.

We do these trips to let the students get to know each other better the first activity usually involves naming each person in the group, something few can do at the beginning but most can do by the end.

We do these trips to cause students to stretch and grow in ways they aren’t often exposed to at St. Jude’s. We do these trips so that they can learn new teambuilding, leadership and critical thinking skills As they faced the various challenges ahead of them, most of the students didn’t think they could succeed. Yet, in the end they’d all did it. They learned they can do things they never thought possible, and that is a life skill worth embracing.

So, why do trips like this to our new Outdoor Education Centre?

Because life is so much more than what students are exposed to in their day to day lives, and this is a sneak peek at what else is out there and what they can accomplish if they simply step out and face the challenge head on.

nea archi New Beginning

Another tradition at SJA is to welcome all new parents and guardians to our school. The annual Nea Archi event provides SJA with an opportunity to introduce our entire faculty and staff to new parents in our community. This year’s in person event was well attended. All had a great evening mingling with staff and other new parents in an informal gathering.

Information Sessions