The Head’s Up

THE HEAD’S UP FROM THE RED CHAIR AT

a time when the world ground to a halt, school remained a staple. And, at St. Andrew’s, we are doing our best to offer a sense of normalcy to our students.

We remain committed to physical activity, the arts, clubs, councils, outdoor education, leadership (Cadets) programming, and, up until midApril, in-person academics. We have been successful because we have the unwavering support of our students, parents, faculty, and staff.

Creativity has been endless, leading to such implementations as Wellness Wednesday in the Upper School, where students focus on non-academic pursuits. Avant-Garde Wednesday in the Middle School brings curriculum into the real world as interdisciplinary and project-based learning takes centre stage. You can read more about this on page 16. Our biggest challenge will be maintaining this incredible timetable when students return to interschool sports and competitions, hopefully in the fall.

We have learned that almost anything can be done virtually. Besides providing students with synchronous and asynchronous learning through SACFlex, our online learning platform,

we have hosted reunions, trivia nights, parent coffee hours, parent-teacher interviews, chapel, achievement assemblies, and guest speakers. Even the Red & White Gala makes its virtual debut this year!

Pre-pandemic, when only local prospective families could visit the campus for an open house, we now capture families from all around the globe with our virtual open houses. When COVID-19 is in the rear-view mirror, this is one recruitment strategy we will maintain.

To great fanfare from the boys, we have also been more relaxed. Their blue blazers and grey flannels have been replaced with SAC wear. We also implemented weekly casual dress days through the winter to support our community partners, such as the Aurora Food Pantry and Inn From the Cold, where students would typically volunteer through our Community Giving Project. From the photo to the left, you can see that even I have sported jeans, normally reserved for weekends.

With students unable to come and go so easily through the school year, our weekend activities have expanded. This was never more evident than when Ontario went into lockdown on December 26, and again on April 12, and students were thrust into government-mandated online learning.

Unlike in the 2020 spring term, more than 90 boarding students remained in residence. We effectively created a boarding bubble similar to professional sports leagues with mandatory masks and physical distancing still strongly enforced. Because no one else was allowed in or out, our boarders were granted access to all 126 acres of our facilities. Snowshoeing, tobogganing, rock climbing, skating, cross-country skiing, open gym, and outdoor survival skills were just some of the activities they enjoyed.

Understanding just how much we could offer on-campus demonstrated that we could provide many more opportunities to our students through the Weekend program moving forward. Our faculty and staff who live on campus were enthusiastic and willing to keep our boarders happy and active.

When our students were officially allowed to resume in-person learning in February, they returned to find the McLaughlin Hall science and technology renovation completed. They quickly began building robots, participating in online computer challenges, and testing all the new science equipment. It was a flurry of activity and a great way to reintegrate into the classroom. You can read more about the finished project on the next page.

We also completed the Bedard renovation that features a new vestibule, the Gatehouse at the bottom of the driveway is ready for tenants, and preconstruction has begun on St. Anne’s School. The Town of Aurora’s boardwalk project, which runs through our Willow Farm property, is nearing completion. The parcel of land along Yonge Street for which we provided an easement will be naturalized, similar to other Aurora trail systems. It will be a beautiful walking and cycling path that offers our students many scientific and artistic opportunities.

So, while it might be easy to latch onto those gloomy feelings of isolation, we chose to focus on the silver linings, and there have been many, as you will find throughout this issue. But if the past 14 months have taught me anything, it’s that I never want to miss out on hearing the band strike up, watching a shot cross the goal line, high-fiving a student or colleague in the hallway, or looking on while a masterpiece takes shape. These are crucial human connections none of us should live without. X

Kevin R. McHenry, Head of School