Magazine/Annual Report 2010-2011 FALL 2011
FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILIES OF THE YORK SCHOOL / VOLUME 2, ISSUE 1 FALL 2011
Magazine/Annual Report 2010-2011
FEATURE STORIES
03 04 Student Services Faculty 06 New Profile: Urvi Shah and the 08 iPads Solar System in 10 Robotics the Classroom Innovative 12 An Gift 14 IXL Amazing 16 The ICE Race 20 Shutterbugs School 22 Upper Art Blog Profile 24 Alumni Adil Dhalla ’01 Upper 29 The School Mac Lab The Pulse 30 YorkTV: of The York School Welcome from Head of School
The York School
32 from 34 Message Chair of the Board from 36 Message Head of School York School 38 The Annual Benefit of Directors 39 Board and Committees from 40 Message Chair of the Finance Annual Report 2010-2011
Committee
42 Financial 2010-2011 from Chair 45 Message of the Advancement Committee
A coeducational, non-denominational International Baccalaureate World School for students from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12 Lower School campus (Junior Kindergarten – Grade 5) 1639 Yonge Street Toronto, Ontario M4T 2W6 Upper School campus (Grades 6 – 12) 1320 Yonge Street Toronto, Ontario M4T 1X2 T 416.926.1325 F 416.926.9592 Our mission: To develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who are engaged citizens of the world. York on Yonge magazine is published by the Advancement Department for the families and friends of The York School. Head of School Conor Jones conor_jones@tys.on.ca
from 46 Message Co-Presidents, Parent
Marketing and Communications Officer Marika Motiwalla marika_motiwalla@tys.on.ca
Campaign 48 Capital Donors York School 57 The Class of 2011 58 University Destinations
E-Communications Officer Kara Lysne-Paris kara_lysne-paris@tys.on.ca
Guild 2010-2011
Advancement Officer Pearl Goodman pearl_goodman@tys.on.ca Advancement Assistant and Alumni Relations Heather McNorgan heather_mcnorgan@tys.on.ca
WELCOME FROM HEAD OF SCHOOL
CONOR JONES
Welcome to York on Yonge Magazine Focus on Innovation Welcome to this, our fourth edition, of York on Yonge magazine. With our colour-coordinated ‘Y’ banners in front of the Upper and Lower Schools, The York School advertisements featuring our students appearing up and down the street and our students in their uniforms walking to their favourite lunch places, we really are York on Yonge. I am deeply proud of our school, students and community. Our faculty are amazing and this edition of our magazine highlights some of their efforts to ensure that our students’ experiences with technology will always be authentic and engaging. These stories and the people in them highlight just some of the amazing people in our school’s community. This magazine is divided into two parts. First, we focus on innovation. The York School prides itself on its innovative spirit: the first-ever Amazing ICE Race, our staff and student blogs, the use of iPads in the classroom, our new Mac Lab at the Upper School and the various uses of social media to connect with students and our wider community. These stories will give you a sense of what happens at our school on an average day and why being innovators, at every level, is an integral part of who we are. The second half of this magazine is our Annual Report for the 20102011 year. This report outlines our achievements over the past year. It also relates our sound financial footing and recognizes the generous support of our parents and many donors. Thank you for reading this magazine and sharing it with others.
Conor Jones, Head of School
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STUDENT SERVICES
”Since Facebook is part of students’ daily routine, it is a way of communicating that can’t be matched.” —David Hanna, Director of Student Services and University Relations
By linking social media with Student Services, David Hanna, Director of Student Services and University Relations, and his team are forging the path of communicating with students and parents on an immediate and efficient basis. ‘The Student Services@TYS’ Facebook page is a way to put up items of interest that students should be aware of and it ensures that they will get this info instantly. Mr. Hanna’s Twitter feed (@dhanna62) is another resource for both students and parents. Since Facebook is part of students’ daily routine, it is a way of communicating that can’t be matched. While the Facebook page is popular with students, Mr. Hanna also keeps the York community in the
loop about all things Student Services related through an animated and upto-date blog, ‘Hanna Helps,’ which is brimming with important information that parents and students can access whenever they want. His blog focuses on counselling issues, university placement and advice, and teen and social issues. Student Services offers services to students from Grades 6-12. During these years the counsellors work on understanding each student and appreciating his or her individual goals, talents and interests. Ultimately, counsellors work with students to construct a list of university choices that is as broad as it is deep and balanced. Through social media, York’s Student Services is bringing the information students and parents need right to their fingertips in a timely fashion. Please subscribe to Student Services by scanning the QR codes below.
Hanna Helps Blog
Student Services Twitter
Student Services Facebook
http://blogs.yorkschool.com/hannahelps 5
NEW FACULTY PROFILE
URVI SHAH Before joining The York School faculty, Urvi Shah designed a lesson plan to see how Grade 6 and 7 students would use robotics to design a water balloon launcher. Urvi is now bringing this innovative thinking and passion to all our classrooms, from JK-12.
Ms. Shah, our new Technology Teaching and Learning Coordinator, believes that students need to be more critically aware of what they are doing. Because there is so much technology out there, she believes that it is important for parents to understand the impact of technology and that teachers will benefit from a variety of options on how to incorporate technology into the curriculum. She received her undergraduate degree in Biology from the University of Toronto, a Bachelor of Education in Digital Technology from University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) and finally a Master’s in Education and Digital Technologies from UOIT. During
her research for her Master’s degree she designed the lesson plan for students to use robotics to design a water balloon launcher. She designed this experiment to see what impact robotics had in the classroom. Her findings showed that robotics had a huge impact on students’ non-conceptual learning skills, such as problem solving, higher order thinking, critical thinking and inquiry-based thinking. “Technology is growing exponentially. One of the biggest areas in our society that we are lacking is that education is not on top of those trends,”
said Ms. Shah. Ms. Shah’s work at York aims to change this and bring York up to date with the newest technologies as they fit into our curriculum. Whether through her favourite type of social media, Twitter, or through classroom activities using iPads, Ms. Shah is dedicated to informing students and showing teachers the far-reaching potential of technology and how incorporating it into the curriculum can be helpful to teachers. “We need to make our students more savvy and globally aware about technology than they have been in the past.”
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iPADS AND THE SOLAR SYSTEM by Elyse Feaver, Grade 3 Teacher
This year, Grade 3 students collected information about the planets, constellations and solar system using information from the NASA app for iPads. In addition to the iPads, the students explored books, videos and visited the Ontario Science Centre to get a wellrounded idea about the solar system and space exploration. Gone are the days of opening up an encyclopedia and turning to ‘S’ for space. With the iPads the students were able to access cutting-edge material from NASA and hear live interviews and findings from the astronauts themselves. They
also witnessed the re-entry of space junk into our atmosphere in real time. The lesson was created quite organically from a need for new information. The need to stimulate visual learners is something we always take into consideration with our lessons. By combining the stunning visuals of the iPad with relevant and exciting information from NASA, the research project was a great success. This also led to studentinitiated activities outside of class. The students took what they learned from the research project and created meaningful learning activities on their own time. The students loved the exercise and were very engaged when working with technology.
OUR iPAD APPS Early Readers Green Eggs The Lorax Oh, the Places You’ll Go Happy Bday to You! I Just Forgot What Was I Scared of? The Sneetches The Berenstain Bears and the Golden Rule The Big Brag Fairy Tales Sleeping Beauty Grimm's Rumplestiltskin Goldilocks Rapunzel 3 Little Pigs
News The Globe and Mail The New York Times The Economist CBC News CBC TV Geography Maps Google Earth National Geographic Magazine World Atlas Handwriting ABC Print ABC Cursive Letter Practice Big Trace ABC Letter Tracing Musical iTriangle MLM Tanpura Tambourine SlitDrum
Triangle Jingle Bells Classical Guitar GarageBand DrumSet Xylophone Bongos MelTouchLite Persuasive Pianolo HD Sound Drop Music Theory Sound of the Orchestra Piano Monkey Treble Clef Kids Deluxe Treble Clef Rhythm 2 Treble Clef Kids Keys and Scales Treble Clef Kids Intervals and Ear Training Treble Clef Kids Rhythm Kids Juke Box Song Writer iPad Simple Songwriter
Books/Magazines Marvel Comics iBooks Audible Zinio Alice in Wonderland Archie How to Train Your Dragon Our Choice National Geographic Kids Magazine Art ArtHD Do Doodles! artDatabase MoMA Science iNSTINC HD Life Cycles for Kids! A Seed Grows 3D Brain HDecology HK Five Senses Go Sky Watch Bugs! WeatherEye HD NASA
French Learn French! Numbers The Red Hen EN FR play2learn French French Words for Kids HD Math Everyday Mathematics – Tric Trac Everyday Mathematics – Addition Everyday Mathematics – 1-6 facts Everyday Mathematics – Divisibility Sequencing Everyday Math Multiplication Everyday Mathematics – Top-it Everyday Mathematics – Numbers Everyday Mathematics – Fractions Math Bingo Kids Math Free Intro to Math by Montessorium Spelling Sight Speller King Speller ABC Pocket Phonics Time Tell Time Kids Tell Time Unit of Inquiry Bloki BrainPop Utilities Animoto First Class Evernote iChromy Diigo Flipboard 9
ROBOTICS IN THE CLASSROOM
by Urvi Shah, Technology Teaching and Learning Coordinator
Robots have become increasingly ubiquitous in society, from pop culture to bettering human life through technological innovation. The ever-evolving role of robotics in our world suggests that robotics should at least be present, if not play a large role, in our education system. Teaching and learning with robotics encourages creativity and collaboration through a problem-based and inquirybased approach within a social constructionist environment. Integrating robotics into the curriculum has pedagogical value as students can develop their conceptual learning (core subject matter) and non-conceptual learning (soft skills such as problem solving and critical thinking) by working with the technology. Using robotics in the classroom also provides a means for teachers to design open-ended and inquiry-based tasks to develop their students’ understanding. In problem-based learning, there is no single correct answer because the problem presented during the unit is open-ended and numerous solutions can be applicable, limited only by student creativity. An effective manner to design authentic open-ended activities is by basing lessons on the Middle Years Programme design cycle. Students learn to design, build and program robots through the four components of the design cycle: investigating, planning, creating and evaluating. Robotics integration lends itself well to the International Baccalaureate model of learning but, in addition, learning through robotics relates to theories and practices in computer science and engineering,
so introducing robotics at a young age may in turn encourage students to choose career paths within these fields. This past summer I researched the impact of Lego Robotics on student learning in a Grade 6/7 science class. In groups, students designed, built and programmed a robot to launch a water balloon the greatest distance possible. Students were encouraged to use their knowledge of the principles and properties of air and flight (part of the Ontario science curriculum) to develop their robotic devices. The greatest outcome from this project was that students’ non-conceptual learning (soft skills), including problem solving, critical thinking, group work, higher order thinking and self-confidence, were positively impacted by integrating robotics into the science unit of study. A significant outcome of the study was the positive impact robotics had on students’ motivation to learn and to be actively engaged in the lessons. It was also noted that student learning and motivation were positively affected when provided with the newer NXT Lego Robotics kits compared to the older RCX version. A great deal of research conducted on educational robotics at the secondary and post-secondary levels indicate similar outcomes and in some cases demonstrate greater learning through significantly increased test scores. The social constructionist learning environment provided by educational robotics provides a means for educators to help students become technologically savvy and innovative. Learning in this environment encourages students to engage in collaborative work and build their knowledge both through social interaction and experiences with technology. 11
AN INNOVATIVE GIFT by the Advancement Department
LEFT:
Matthew Barry with Myrna Weinstein
We have an amazing community of donors at The York School. What is special about our advancement programme is that because we are still so young, we have a lot of flexibility in how donations can be used. One innovative opportunity that donors created was establishing a Chair in Mathematics. The Myrna & Percy Weinstein Chair in Mathematics, established in September 2007 by Karen Weinstein and Jason Hanson, is the first of its kind at The York School. It was created to continue The York School’s commitment to improving the teaching and learning of mathematics by attracting and retaining exceptional faculty members in this field, all the while honouring Myrna and the late Percy Weinstein, loving grandparents of three York Alumni and three current students. Every three years, a new Chair is established. In the spring of 2011, Matthew Barry completed his term as Chair and in September 2011, Brian
Eaton was appointed as the new Chair. We are so honoured to have innovative philanthropists as a part of our community. Their efforts help create a community of donors who are strategic in how they give and invest in the legacy of the school. During the three years in which Matthew Barry held this position he was able to work closely with Lower School faculty members to improve their overall understanding of the developmental progress required for students to become competent and confident mathematicians. “The Myrna & Percy Weinstein Chair in Mathematics has been an incredibly enriching experience for me both personally and professionally. I am honoured to have held this position. The role has positively impacted students, parents and faculty, especially those who previously felt trepidation towards mathematics. Thank you to the Weinstein/Hanson family for their willingness to create such a wonderful opportunity to give back to the York School community,� said Matthew.
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IXL
”Everything in the math department is going digital... IXL is just another avenue into the digital world.” —Matthew Barry, Math Teacher
By subscribing to IXL, a comprehensive math practice site that allows students to practice their math skills through interactive math questions, students from Grades 3-9 are able to have an individualized experience in math class that will promote their success. By using IXL for homework questions or in-class exercises, students can work at their own pace and IXL will automatically provide them with answers and explanations for each question. This allows math teachers like Matthew Barry to tend to each student’s personalized needs. “I can log in and see the pattern of what each student is doing if they are having trouble. It also allows me to flow to where I’m needed most during class time,” he said. Using IXL also allows students to
create customized notes by using the screen capture option. Mr. Barry believes that the value of the programme is that each child becomes accountable for his or her work, and by incorporating this programme into lessons, a teacher is able to differentiate between students and help each one where they need it most. Since there are many levels, students can work at their own pace. If they are strong in one area they can accelerate to the next level or if they are struggling they can revisit previous levels and solidify foundations. Students receive online certificates as they move from level to level through IXL. This is the first year The York School has used IXL and there are many options for its role in classrooms in the future. “Everything in the math department is going digital—from answer keys, to solutions, video tutorials, to journals and formative assessments—IXL is just another avenue into the digital world. It has a lot of potential,” said Mr. Barry.
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THE AMAZING ICE RACE ”I realized how much there actually is to the history of Toronto.” —Zakariya, Grade 9 Student
On September 16, 2011, York’s Grade 9 students took to the streets of Toronto for the Amazing ICE Race. Their challenge was to get to know Toronto by using public transportation while working together to solve clues, complete activities and navigate this great city. The Amazing ICE Race was the result of teachers coming together and brainstorming. Teachers have been encouraged to create collaborative ideas which span as many subjects as possible in the Middle Years Programme (MYP). The Integrated Canadian Experience, or ICE, is a programme that aims to immerse Grade 9 students in Canadian
history, geography, stories, politics and culture in search of the idea of a ‘Canadian Identity.’ “York is about being innovative —that is one of the huge things we strive to be—inside and outside of the classroom” said Fatima Remtulla, Chair of Mathematics and the coordinator of the Race. The result of the teachers’ collaboration, Grade 9 students’ enthusiasm and the leadership of Grade 11 and 12 volunteers was an adventure of intense planning proportions, epic creativity and sensational teamwork. Throughout the whole adventure across the city, the 20 teams—three or four Grade 9 students led by a Grade 11
or 12 student—raced around the city while constantly updating the Amazing ICE Race Twitter feed and got video footage and took photos using their smartphones. The list of places the students visited included the MuchMusic building, the Art Gallery of Ontario, Trinity Bellwoods park, Kensington Market, Queen’s Park, the University of Toronto campus, Mackenzie House and the Hockey Hall of Fame. By navigating the city and inquiring about its history, students familiarized themselves with much of what the city has to offer. “I always believed that I had a good base of knowledge about the city but then I realized how much 17
THE AMAZING ICE RACE there actually is to the history of Toronto,” said Zakariya Ali, Grade 9 student. The challenges the students faced included writing limericks, using chalk to create renditions of Canadian art, outfitting themselves in hockey gear as well as convincing University of Toronto students to join them in a game of hopscotch. By the end of the day, the Grade 9s learned how to navigate the city and experienced what Toronto has to offer. “The Amazing Race gave us an opportunity to interact with our city and the people in it. The Race gave me a chance to bond with my peers and it also gave us an opportunity to meet
some older students in our school who have limitless advice for all of us!” said Kailey Kimsa, Grade 9 student. Next year, a new route will be mapped out, new activities will be planned and interesting connections to the curriculum will be made. “My advice for students embarking on the Amazing Race next year is to enjoy the day! Teachers put so much work into planning out the Race, Grade 11 and 12 students take a day off from their hectic schedules to escort you, and teachers have to leave their classrooms to be positioned around the city—so make the best of the experience!” Kailey said.
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landmarks were found and explored
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teachers mapped a route around the city and provided clues and activities along the way
Grade 9 students participated
135 183 2000 photos were posted
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Grade 11s and 12s were student leaders
tweets sent out about the race
unique photo views taken
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SHUTTERBUGS
”You can take pictures in rain or sunshine and just switch buttons.” —Avery, Grade 3 Student This year we will be able to see the Lower School through a student’s eyes thanks to an After-Four programme. ‘Shutterbugs’ is a programme that focuses on teaching students how and when to use every aspect of their digital cameras. The photos they take will ultimately be used in the Lower School Yearbook. Avery, Alim, Maddie, Matvei, Isaac and Graeme are led by Sara Spencer, Lower School Librarian, through informal lessons on how to take great photos and be confident using their digital cameras. Each student loves their camera and taking photos but most of all loves knowing how to work all the buttons on their camera—something, they said, they would never have known without this club. The photos that the club takes at the Lower School will be used in the Lower School Yearbook. It will be a way to display their work and get a student’s perspective on how they see their surroundings during school. Students get to express themselves through their photographs within helpful guidelines provided by Ms. Spencer. For example, students are taught a certain skill such as using the timer function on their cameras and then are
given an assignment to take a photo of something using that skill. “They are a great group and they are always enthusiastic and help each other,” said Ms. Spencer, who has always enjoyed taking photos at school events and in her own personal life. Each week, the students get more and more confident about using their cameras and taking photos. Past assignments have included learning to take close-ups of their favourite insects, landscape photos of trees in the nearby Mount Pleasant Cemetery and taking photos in the Lower School playground. Future sessions will include editing photo collections and creating a photobook. Advice from the Shutterbugs “You’re supposed to put things into thirds for good pictures.”—Alim, Grade 5 “If you’re taking a picture it’s best to take it more than once to get the perfect picture.” —Maddie, Grade 4
“You can combine other things you love with photography—I love cats and books about cats so I take lots of photos of my cat at home.”—Matvei, Grade 5 “Aim directly at the shot that you are taking. If you are taking a different kind of picture, look at your settings and see what suits the photo. It is good to have a second battery in case the first one runs out. Lastly, delete any photos that are blurry or the wrong angle.”—Graeme, Grade 4 21
UPPER SCHOOL ART BLOG
The Upper School Art Blog has been revamped to include all grade levels. This year, every Upper School art student and art club member will have one or more pieces of their work displayed online. “It shows the parents, students and public what we’re doing in the Visual Arts programme and also references the unit the paintings have come from,” said Effie Balomenos, Chair of Visual Arts. By archiving which unit each painting comes from, it becomes possible for students going into the upper years to decide if they want to pursue art or not. The focus for Grade 9s and 10s is teaching techniques and then watching as they apply them in creative ways. In Grades 11 and 12 the students go deeper as they look for symbolism and the expression of the human condition in art. In the Middle School, art class has a lot to do with fostering an interest in and love of art. Students are able to test a variety of different materials and do
things they never would have expected. “My goal is to have fun while teaching them the elements and principles of design and the history of art,” said Jody Roberts, Visual Arts teacher. The blog is a way of showcasing the students’ work in a way that is accessible to all. It is an extension of the idea that technology and computers can enhance art. It is a convenient way for parents to stay connected with the school and have updates on their child’s progress and accomplishments in art. For the students, it is a way to see their work displayed in a new way that is accessible to many people. Pieces created in Art Club (a voluntary club for students to join as a co-curricular) will also be displayed on this blog. “Art Club is great because students get to choose their canvas size and if they want to paint. It’s an open studio so it is not as regimented as class can be,” said Ms. Roberts. Please scan the QR code to visit the US Art Blog and see for yourself! http://blogs.yorkschool.com/art
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ALUMNI PROFILE
ADIL DHALLA ’01 by Marika Motiwalla
The idea came from our community—we just actualized it.” —Adil Dhalla
Alumnus Adil Dhalla is truly at the heart of social innovation in Toronto. As the co-founder of My City Lives (MCL), Adil is bringing information to the people of Toronto through video. His office, located in The Centre for Social Innovation, at Bathurst Street and Bloor Street, is the hub of the company. What MCL aims to do is answer the fundamental question: ‘where should someone go in a city?’ Toronto, like many other places, offers an abundance of things to see and do. Whether someone is picking the best coffee shop, restaurant, art gallery, historic site or public park—the choices are endless. While many have taken the approach of answering the question through traditional text and images, MCL strives to answer this question through video. Adil graduated from The York School in 2001, and he then went on to receive his undergraduate degree in History from Queen’s University and his MBA from Wilfrid Laurier University. After receiving his MBA he travelled to Tanzania, where he worked with a nongovernmental organization called Operation Tech Start. One of his responsibilities was
to run open houses to teach people— mostly children—how to use computers. The children would always ask him what Canada was like and Adil felt as though he could never really show them in an authentic way what went on in Canada. It was here Adil realized that to truly show what Canada and Toronto were like, text and images would not suffice. This is where the seed of the MCL idea was planted. After returning to Canada during the recession, Adil and his friend, now co-founder of MCL, Adam Ben-Aron, started a collective organization called Creativity Killed the Recession. They wanted to create a forum for people to come together once a week and talk about ideas and see what good could come of it. “We didn’t like the conversations going around during the time of the recession and wanted to do something about it,” said Adil. The group consisted of a vibrant bunch of artists, entrepreneurs and scientists. The problems they discussed ranged from ‘how do you stimulate the local economy?’ to ‘how do you support arts and culture?’ and ‘how do you invigorate a sense of pride in your city and its people?’
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Adil maintains that MCL was born from a collection of ideas and aims to solve all these problems. “The idea came from our community—we just actualized it,” he said. MCL launched in February 2009 after receiving funding from the Canadian Media Fund and since then it has been on an upward trajectory. Today, it combines professionally produced content for clients as well as user-generated videos. It has partnered with former Toronto mayor David Miller and Nuit Blanche on special projects and it recently launched an application for mobile phones. This app will surely take MCL to another level. The app allows people to have an updated video feed that can be sorted by ‘Nearby’ (based on proximity to an area) or ‘Related’ (based on tags). It automatically populates videos from where you are to show what is around you. MCL has also taken a proactive stance when it comes to the quality of mobile videos. They educate people about techniques like flipping their phone so the video is horizontal, and the app also has a built-in video editor. “We have removed the need for taking a video and uploading it— through our app you can film, edit and upload all in one.” All of these strides are to achieve the ultimate goal of “positioning MCL as the leader in mobile video companies.”
They have the organization that YouTube lacks and the sense of discovery that is missing from Vimeo. Their innovation lies in making sense of it all. To Adil, pursuing a path of innovation means being relentlessly resourceful and believing in teamwork and collective ideas. Even at a young age while Adil was still at York, his spirit for collaboration and leadership was apparent. Adil was York’s first Head Boy. Although he says that York is physically unrecognizable to him because of the facility improvements, from his current position as Chair of the York Alumni Association he is happy to see that the ethos is the same as when he attended. “Everyone is [still] committed to and investing in students to become leaders,” he said. The future is very bright for this young entrepreneur and leader. Now with the app launched and the website traffic growing exponentially by the week, MCL will be undergoing some exciting changes. The team (now consisting of Adil, Adam, Ameera Dhalla and Paul Jara) will grow, they will begin a campaign to raise a million and a half dollars and continue to set their sights on having MCL spread globally. “I see a very long road ahead in terms of our vision. I see us as becoming an archive of humanity around the world.”
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THE UPPER SCHOOL MAC LAB
With the new Mac Lab up and running, each Upper School student has the opportunity to be a moviemaker. Upper School students have access to production equipment and editing software including iMovie and Final Cut Pro. Projects so far have included a Grade 9 French class using a green screen to become virtual tour guides of Paris. After shooting they will superimpose images of Paris on the background using the editing software. Another project was the Group 4 ‘Mythbusters’ video. The whole school participated in the concept of this video by suggesting different scientific myths they wanted to see tested. The Grade 12s then went on to create a video
montage of their science experiments. In addition, the Grade 10s will create product parity videos and the Grade 9s will make a documentary as part of the Integrated Canadian Experience programme. Each student who comes through the Mac Lab is able to create a video from scratch. The process includes coming up with the concept, creating a storyboard, shooting the video, editing the video and finally publishing it. “To compete in today’s world you have to be literate in oral, written and visual communication and the bar has been raised across the world in terms of video communication—our resources allow our students to have invaluable experiences from a young age,” said Mr. Medved.
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YORKTV: THE PULSE OF THE YORK SCHOOL
TOP:
Aya Schechner, Grade 12 student, videographer and editor for YorkTV.
The YorkTV crew is changing the way students communicate with students. Now, you can get announcements about student life twice a week through YorkTV, which airs online. The announcements present information in a fun and visual way, and the occasional interviews and skits connect students with what is going on in their school. This endeavour is entirely student run with the supervision and support of Megan Gardner Ross, the Communications and Finance Faculty Advisor, and Justin Medved, Director of Instructional Innovation. The show consists of two hosts —Thomas Marrone and Nick Tueni in Grade 11—and reporter Sarah Marrone in Grade 8. There is also the occasional guest, either being interviewed or presenting his or her own short segment. Aya Schechner, Grade 12 student,
is the videographer and editor for YorkTV. She is also the Director of Communications and Finance for the House Council. “It’s my job to form the connection between the House Council—school events, dances, sports games, assemblies, house challenges—and the rest of the school community. It struck me as unfitting, especially at a school as technologically developed as York, to accomplish this goal using the triedand-true paper posters,” she said. The spirit of collaboration and ideasharing is strong for the YorkTV crew, and Aya has opened up the opportunity for others to edit YorkTV episodes. Making sure York students get important messages in a dynamic and engaging way is what YorkTV is all about. You can catch new YorkTV episodes in the morning twice a week. http://blogs.yorkschool.com/yorktv
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