Magazine Fall 2012/Annual Report 2011-2012
FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILIES OF THE YORK SCHOOL / VOLUME 3, ISSUE 1 FALL 2012
Magazine Fall 2012/Annual Report 2011-2012
CONTENTS
03
Welcome from Head of School
04 Kindergarten Community 06 Mindfulness 08 Peacemakers Beyond 10 ATheLook Classroom 12 Action Morning 14 Service Afternoon Profile 16 Faculty Rick DeMarinis Lesson in 18 AStage Combat Photography 20 Project
22
Justin Medved Google Certified Teacher
The York School
42 44 Production Storyboard 46 Right to Play Learn How to 48 Parents Drop the Worry Ball First LEGO League
Athletics 50 Fall Highlights Report 52 Annual 2011-2012 from 54 Message Chair of the Board from 56 Message Head of School of Directors 57 Board and Committees
58
Message from Chair of the Finance Committee
60 Financial 2011-2012 24 Pop Art Message from Chair the Advancement 26 Alumni Parents Q&A 63 ofCommittee Parent Profile 28 Derek Kent from 64 Message Co-Presidents of Hold Back the Snow the YPA 2011-2012 30 Ultimate Tournament Donors 66 32 China Trip York School 71 The Profile Class of 2012 36 Student Lucas Sheiner 72 University Destinations 38 Grade 9 Trip to Toronto Islands
A coeducational, non-denominational International Baccalaureate World School for students from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12 Junior School (Junior Kindergarten – Grade 5) 1639 Yonge Street Toronto, Ontario M4T 2W6 Middle & Senior School (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. Executive Director of Advancement Hallie McClelland hmcclelland@yorkschool.com Marketing and Communications Officer Marika Motiwalla mmotiwalla@yorkschool.com E-Communications Officer Kara Lysne-Paris klysne-paris@yorkschool.com Advancement Officer Pearl Goodman pgoodman@yorkschool.com
WELCOME FROM HEAD OF SCHOOL
CONOR JONES
Welcome to York on Yonge Magazine Bodies and Minds in Motion Schools are changing. For years students attended school to get an education, which essentially meant absorbing content. Why memorize a list when that information can be called up accurately within a second? The sheer volume of information students have access to at any moment through the internet cannot be memorized. As such, content is no longer king at school. Today major universities post entire courses and lectures on the web for everyone in the world to access. They are not hoarding the content, they are sharing it. A modern school has to be concerned with content but also concerned with how students learn to access, navigate, relate to and contribute to that content. This edition of York on Yonge Magazine illustrates what it means to be a place of education in today’s content-rich society. While we still have traditional classrooms with desks, this magazine looks at all of the ways our students are learning about the world, interacting with it and understanding it. We call it authentic learning because it leads to analytical skills, understanding of relationships and group dynamics. These are transferable skills necessary for a healthy and happy personal and professional life. These pages show our students are well connected to authentic learning— their bodies and minds are in motion. The focus here is on content and context. I hope you enjoy reading about our school. Yours,
Conor Jones, Head of School
3
KINDERGARTEN COMMUNITY
Production Station
The range of experiences to be had in the Discovery Zone allow our Junior and Senior Kindergarten students to exercise their bodies and minds in a meaningful way and have fun while they are doing it! During this time children can choose from a wide variety of projects, including:
Lighting Station
Engineering Station
Construction Station
Reading when students read out loud, their eyes, ears and mouth are working; studies show that even infants learn things faster when they engage more than one modality.
Time with iPads and the SMART Table
Sensory Experiment Station Dramatic Play Station
includes sandbox, water and other hands-on experiments.
Junior and Senior Kindergarten students spend time in the new Discovery Zone twice a week for Kindergarten Community.
All of these activities lead to questions and encourage students to be active learners —another way we ensure our students be themselves and be great from a young age.
5
MINDFULNESS
”It is hugely important for children to develop these skills and build an understanding of empathy.” —Mary Moffat, Senior Kindergarten Teacher
Our Senior Kindergarten classrooms are filled with compassion. Mary Moffat, Senior Kindergarten Teacher and Elissa Kline-Beber, Junior School Social Worker have spearheaded an initiative to teach children what empathy is and how this can lead to a more compassionate classroom as well as a more compassionate Kindergarten area, school and ultimately world. Mary describes this as the ‘butterfly effect’ of learning empathy at a young age.
The duo use elements from The Hawn Foundation’s MindUp programme which “seeks to help transform children’s lives by providing them with opportunities to acquire vital social and emotional skills to improve academic performance, enhance the quality of their lives, and help others in their community.” The weekly programme that teaches students in Senior Kindergarten how to better communicate with each other, using words to express how they feel and tools to understand how others are feeling. Every Monday morning students gather to have a class on Mindfulness.
This class can take on many forms from yoga and stress-reducing exercises to play time. Classes have also discussed different emotions and how to see these feelings register on their classmates’ faces. The goal is to have students develop ways to read body language, identify their own feelings in others, be mindful listeners and be mindful speakers. “It is hugely important for children to develop these skills and build an understanding of empathy. It will help them in their social interaction whether it is on the playground or later on in life,” said Mary.
7
PEACEMAKERS
”It is amazing to see the kids take on these roles and care about others.” —Elissa Kline-Beber, Junior School Social Worker
The Peacemakers initiative at the Junior School is a pioneering effort that actively involves students in the process of creating a happy and inclusive community. The Peacemakers are a group of 16 Grade 5 students who have been trained to help problem-solve on the playground. They had three training sessions with Elissa Kline-Beber, Junior School Social Worker where they learned about conflict resolution and problem-solving techniques through skits, role playing and thoughtful discussion. These remarkable and caring young students are the backbone of the programme and Elissa couldn’t be prouder of their hard work and spirit. “It is amazing to see the students take on these roles and care about others,” said Elissa. After every recess the students speak with Elissa about issues that came up on the playground and tell her how they resolved the situation. For example, a Peacemaker recently told Elissa how she encouraged two students who didn’t have anyone to play with to get involved in an activity with other students. The two students took the Peacemaker’s advice and ended up having a wonderful time playing with a group of students. These moments are what make the programme worthwhile for Elissa. She believes that The York School’s proactive approach to creating healthy
and happy social situations is what sets us apart, and ahead of other schools. “The strength of this programme lies in the lesson that children need to be involved in resolving their own conflicts or looking to an older child for support. It shows that children have the capability to help resolve conflict among their peer group,” said Elissa. Our students have proven this to be true. Carly Bongard, Grade 5 student, sees her role as a Peacemaker as one of a leader and she enjoys learning from it. “I like being a Peacemaker because I like having the experience of working with little kids and helping them with their situations. I learned not to choose sides and to make sure that I am fair when helping them resolve their conflicts,” she said. Part of the reasoning behind this programme is Grade 5 students have a different perspective than adults do around the negotiating on a playground, said Elissa. Since becoming a Peacemaker, Charlie Sheiner’s perspective on playground problems is a positive one. “I have learned that when the kids have a problem it is not usually a huge problem. It is usually a fixable problem and they go back to playing happily which makes me feel good,” he said. With the help of the Peacemakers, the Junior School will continue to be a happy and inclusive place to learn and play.
9
A LOOK BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
with Mercede Rogers, Trip Coordinator
Mercede Rogers understands that time and immersion are essential to having an authentic experience on a trip. She brings this understanding and passion for the outdoors to her job as Trip Coordinator for the Middle and Senior School. “My experiences on outdoor trips, meeting new people and discovering new places are what connect my mind with my body and the fact that our students have so many opportunities to experience that from a young age is exciting,” she said.
Before joining The York School in May 2012, Mercede experienced many trips from backcountry canoe trips to service trips in Ecuador. With a Bachelor of Education with a focus in Outdoor and Experiential Education from Queen’s University and a wealth of experience as a trip leader, guide and teacher, Mercede shows our students what the range of opportunities at The York School can offer. From Camp Oochigeas, to Challenge Week, to exchange trips, to Global Programming and Service Learning trips, Mercede finds herself at the centre of students’ growth beyond the classroom.
“The goal is to allow students to have the time and space to learn what it means to be yourself and be great,” she said. Every student from Grade 4 to Grade 9 experiences Camp Oochigeas in some form and for many it becomes a home away from home. Students are exposed to hiking, canoeing, mapping, high-ropes and naturalist education over their time at Camp Oochigeas. Here, students work on character development, and social interaction, develop problem -solving skills and resilience and have time to work with their peers. These are directly aligned with our school’s mission to “develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who are engaged citizens of the world.” “We are developing the child and looking at the kind of adults we want them to be,” said Mercede. The progression of skills and introspection students will experience from Grades 6 to 12 is remarkable, according to Mercede. For students in Grades 6 to 10, Challenge Week offers a wide variety of opportunities from local endeavours, to national exploration. Challenge Week trips for students in Grades 6 to 8 are based on the International Baccalaureate’s Creativity, Action and Service component. Grade 9 trips are aligned with the Integrated Canadian Experience curriculum and students discover different areas of Canada. In Grade 10, Mercede describes Challenge
Week as an opportunity for a student to find a lifelong passion. “We are always looking to our community and to students to develop new trips based on interests,” said Mercede. The same applies for the exchange programmes which may add other destinations in the future. Currently on the list of countries are: Australia, New Zealand, France and South Africa. Mercede believes the importance of the exchange programme for students in Grade 9 or 10 is paramount as they are learning how to be independent, how to advocate for themselves, be a problem-solver and how to communicate effectively in a new environment. These skills tie directly into Service Learning trips offered in Grade 11. This year 13 Grade 11 students will participate in the annual Service Learning trip to Tamil Nadu, India where they will volunteer at an orphanage. Along with faculty, Mercede ensures that students are prepared for the trip and will learn valuable life lessons from the experience. Other global trips include a Service Learning trip to Tanzania and a French immersion trip to Martinique. No matter what grade the student is in or what trip they are experiencing one thing remains true for Mercede. “I get to see students at their most capable and their most challenged, and that is the real joy of my job.”
11
ACTION MORNING
Middle School Students Work Hard and Play Hard
York School students proved that they are most certainly morning people one day this fall. The York School kicked off another successful Action Morning as Middle School students embodied the idea of ‘healthy bodies and healthy minds.’ All students in Grades 6 to 8 had the opportunity to practise yoga, play Capture the Flag, dodgeball or soccer and get to know people in other grades. The teams were organized by House, allowing Grade 8 students to be leaders and Grade 6 and 7 students to learn valuable lessons while showing House spirit!
“It is important to have good examples of how to lead and how to be a good peer; events like these help to create friendships among all grades and strengthen our community,” said Christine Pouliot, Counsellor, Guidance and Special Education Specialist. Being active stimulates the brain and educates students in a variety of ways. “They have been able to work on physical skills such as cardiovascular fitness, coordination, passing and shooting, and flexibility while also developing valuable skills such as teamwork, focusing the mind and strategy formulation,” said Beth Macintosh, Physical Education teacher.
”They have been able to work on physical skills such as cardiovascular fitness, coordination, passing and shooting, and flexibility.” —Physical Education Teacher
13
SERVICE AFTERNOON Middle School Students Work Hard and Play Hard
Community engagement is one of the Middle School’s guiding principles and during Service Afternoon students in Grades 6 to 8 put this principle into practise. Each group of students worked with non-profit organizations in Ontario and had a valuable hands-on learning experience. “I learned a lot about the different levels of society and how people can help. I have never done anything like this before,” said Anitra Bowman, Grade 6 student. The Grade 6s visited either the North York Harvest Food Bank to sort food and work in the community garden or New Circles Community Services where they sorted donated clothing. The Grade 7s visited the brand new Regent Park Arts and Cultural Centre and worked on ArtHeart’s exhibit for Toronto’s Nuit Blanche. ArtHeart is an organization that provides visual arts
education to youth, adults and seniors living in the Regent Park community. Grade 7s also had the chance to watch some of the Regent Park Film Festival’s films and create a collaborative art piece for the Centre for Social Innovation, which is an organization that provides work space and support for social entrepreneurs and people who want to make positive social change. The Grade 8s were one-on-one with nature during their Service Afternoon activities. This group went to Everdale Farm, an organic teaching farm that supports sustainable agriculture and local food located in Hillsburgh, Ontario. This service learning experience connected with an upcoming unit on food and had students doing field work so as to get a first-hand experience on how to farm organic produce. What was Anitra’s advice to other students who will participate in this afternoon next year? “Be prepared to learn, have fun and have an eye-opening experience.”
15
FACULTY PROFILE
RICK DEMARINIS Rick DeMarinis is on a mission to spread physical literacy. He describes this as a state where someone can understand how their body moves and how to use it correctly when they get involved in certain sports and activities. Rick truly talks the talk and walks the walk. He has been playing sports his whole life, focusing on volleyball and basketball, the two sports he is most passionate about. Rick leads by example when it comes to physical fitness and health,
and his passion is being recognized. This fall Rick was inducted into Hillfield Strathallan College’s (the independent school he attended) Hall of Fame. He was nominated for his achievement as a high school student and his continuing commitment to sports. During his time on Hillfield Strathallan College’s basketball team, Rick’s team won their first-ever provincial medal for OFSAA basketball in 1994-95. He later attended the University of Western Ontario and then transferred to McMaster University where he was a varsity athlete on both campuses. He took pride in being part of a smaller team and putting his school on the map
while triumphing over larger teams. He continues to bring this pride and passion to his coaching and teaching at The York School. Rick is now the Junior School Athletic Director and has been teaching at The York School for eight years. He has taken what he learned on the court and from his coaches and has applied it to his roles here, especially when teaching Grades 3, 4 and 5 and coaching Under 11 Soccer and Senior Girls Volleyball. Rick tries to focus on offering a variety of activities in his teaching and understands that if an individual has a negative experience with sports early on there is a good chance they will shy away from that activity. As a teacher he works to ensure that every student has a positive experience with sports. In addition to gym classes, students have the opportunity to play tennis, intramural sports, basketball, and yoga during lunch periods. “Being active is so important to your whole life whether you are four or 94, so it is important that children get the right start and find a sport or activity that they love,” he said. In addition to his work at The York School, Rick continues to further his knowledge of physical literacy through working on his Master’s in Physical Education from Memorial University of Newfoundland. His dedication to keeping people healthy and active doesn’t end with his education, classes and teams. Rick
recently spearheaded a Health and Wellness Programme for the adult community at The York School. This programme offers staff and parents a chance to get healthy and be active with guidance from experts. The eight-week pilot programme is offered on Monday evenings by Rick, Lisa Mitchell, a York School parent and yoga instructor, and Trionne Moore, a nutritionist at the Sports Medicine Clinic at Yonge and Eglinton. The trio collaborate to bring unique classes to our community free of charge. Under the guidance of Rick and his team, programme participants will have their fitness assessed, experience fitness circuits, use TRX extension training, practice yoga and learn healthy eating practices under the guidance of Rick and his team. Rick believes this programme has been successful in building relationships among parents, and has given them an excellent introduction on how to maintain a healthy active lifestyle. Whether he is training adults or coaching students Rick believes that to encourage people to be active one has to do the following: “You have to get people to buy into your system by setting out expectations, having real conversations, being honest, and getting them to believe in one another if they are on a team.” With these coaching philosophies at play the sky is the limit, according to Rick. “I don’t believe there is a ceiling to the success The York School can achieve.”
17
A LESSON IN STAGE COMBAT
” There is real joy in sharing knowledge and seeing the penny drop. Teaching allows me to identify the important parts of technique.” —Brandon Wall, professional actor and musician
This fall, our Grade 12 IB Drama class discovered first-hand that violence on stage is as choreographed as a dance routine. Brandon Wall, Toronto-based professional actor and musician, taught a lesson in stage combat, describing it as “choreographed dance” and “physical storytelling.” Wall, a 16-year veteran of acting and stage combat for theatre and film, is currently covering 14 parts in War Horse as one of the show’s supporting cast members. Students learned how to work
together to figure out the most realistic yet safest ways to fight on stage. It is all about creating “fail-safe mechanisms,” which Wall describes as a way for the actors involved in the onstage violence to disguise the fact that they are a safe distance apart and to ensure no injuries take place. During this hands-on workshop, Wall helped students choreograph a fight scene in the play Wrecked by Chris Craddock. Being able to learn stage combat through first-hand interaction and coaching from a seasoned expert supports the delivery of authentic learning in the IB Drama programme.
19
PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT
”This is not your traditional art class.”
That is how Middle School Art Teacher Jody Roberts describes the Photography Project Grade 8 students are undertaking. The project is part of an architecture unit of study, and will have several phases. First is photography, then Photoshop, then learning how to draw the photograph, and finally, students will take the photo and create a mixed-media painting in November that will be showcased at our end of term Arts’ Night. The project began with students zooming in on buildings surrounding The York School to photograph architectural identities and understand a little more about their surroundings. “It is important that students recognize the community and history
around us, and that there is a history to where our school stands,” Jody said. Through projects such as this students are developing many skills at a young age that will help them as they continue through high school, including photography skills, darkroom techniques and painting. Jody has added an interactive parent aspect to this project as well. Each student and their parents receive a list of local historic buildings to research, and then they are asked to go out as a family to find and photograph them. “This project allows students to appreciate their surroundings and notice details and intricacies that they may never have before, and it is a great experience for their parents to watch their children in action,” said Jody.
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JUSTIN MEDVED
Google Certified Teacher
Justin Medved, Director of Instructional Innovation, works with our teachers, students and parents preparing and educating them for the demands of the 21st century. He brings a wealth of experience in the International Baccalaureate’s Middle Years Programme, experiential education and curriculum design to his position. He is an active coach, supporter of community outreach and a former leader of The York School’s Service Learning trip to India. He has taught in schools all over the world including England, Egypt and Thailand.
This fall he was one of only 59 participants at the Google Teacher Academy held in New York City. This is an intensive two-day programme that recognizes educators who, like Justin, are doing innovative and exciting things in their schools with technology. Only ten percent of applicants from countries around the world were accepted and participants came from as far away as Singapore, the Czech Republic and South Africa. Six months ago The York School ‘went Google’ by switching to Gmail and using collaborative tools such as Google Docs and Google Forms to share information and enhance learning. While at the Academy, Justin had the opportunity to learn directly about the latest technology from Google product
managers and previous graduates of the programme. “This professional opportunity was a chance to collaborate and network with educators from all around the world who are using the same platform. I returned with my mind blown and so excited to implement and share all the wonderful things I learned,” said Justin. Since the Academy, Justin has put the knowledge he acquired into action. He has guided the Junior, Middle and Senior School Principals in using a teacher evaluation system that leverages Google Docs and Google Forms in a way that allows teachers to get immediate feedback on classes so they can optimize the students’ experience. Justin has introduced Slide Rocket,
a professional-quality presentation platform, to students in Grade 10 and has taught them how to use it to present projects in innovative ways. He is also looking forward to further integrating video into classrooms by using YouTube’s extensive features and creating opportunities for students to collaborate on making videos. Justin believes that the topic of integrating technology into education is vital for the development of young minds in today’s world and is excited to lead The York School in this endeavour. You can read Justin’s thoughts and ideas on education, technology and leadership here: http://blogs.yorkschool. com/tystechsessions or follow him on Twitter @jmedved. 23
POP ART
This year’s Grade 1s learned about movement by combining dance with painting. Marjorie Willoughby, Junior School Art Teacher created a lesson called “Dance Party� where students moved their bodies but also learned about the power of bold colours and lines to create one simple image.
This class was inspired by the artist Keith Haring and his iconic pop art pieces. Students learned about the artist and worked with partners to express themselves artistically by freezing in a funky pose, tracing the pose on large sheets of white paper, painting the pose and finally cutting out each pose and arranging them together. The final pieces are on display in the Junior School cafeteria and the playground. Well done to our Grade 1s!
25
ALUMNI PARENTS Q&A
with Sara Bellamy, Erin Marcus, Lindsay Smith and Katherine Wasserman
We sat down with these four alumnae to ask them about their experience attending Junior School at The York School during a time when the school only went up to Grade 8, and why they chose The York School for their own children.
What is your fondest memory of The York School? ERIN: Two moments that come to mind are going to Sherwood Park, specifically building bridges over the river (I think this was inspired by our art teacher), and the second is learning how to manage stress. I remember learning breathing techniques and being shocked that I had fallen asleep on the floor! KATHERINE: Too many to count! I do remember having the lead in the play and performing at a theatre at the University of Toronto.
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Sara Bellamy with children Fiona Bellamy (Grade 1) and Thomas Bellamy (Grade 4), Erin Marcus with son Solly Marcus (JK), Katherine Wasserman with daughter Alexandra Nodder (SK) and Lindsay Smith with children Luke Smith (SK), Abigail Smith (Grade 2) and Callie Smith, Susan Charron, Junior School Principal.
SARA: I remember happy memories of good friends, great teachers and some healthy competition from the still-remaining houses: Champlain, Johnson, Simcoe and McClung. LINDSAY: I remember having caring teachers, amazing musical opportunities such as singing Beatles medleys, playing the recorder and ukulele and participating in the Independent Schools’ Music Festival. Why have you chosen York for your children? KATHERINE: I left The York School with a sense of confidence and reassurance that wherever I ended up I would have the skills and ability to take on any challenge in any environment. I want the same for my daughter, and York is the right learning environment that will embrace her love of learning. ERIN: I chose The York School for my son because when I was here I learned what I consider some of the most valuable skills that I use every day in life. The York School taught me how to be dedicated to my education, to athletics, and I always had a sense of being part of a community. The projects I was inspired to take on while at The York School were a result of the environment that was created: to be yourself.
Describe the most noticeable changes since you attended the school. SARA: All three of my children have had such positive experiences at York. While all three children are extremely different, each one has been able to find their strengths and York has nurtured each one. Although a much different school than when I attended (the facilities have changed a great deal), it’s still a school that has maintained its passion and enthusiasm for kids and provides the tools for its students to become engaged and confident adults. LINDSAY: Although the physical space of The York School is very different from the school I attended, there is much about York that remains the same. York’s view of education and its understanding of children have always been cutting-edge. We had wonderful teachers who utilized teaching methods which at the time were considered unconventional or different. These methods are praised and encouraged in today’s schools. Our teachers treated us with respect and understood each student’s unique needs. They knew what needed to be done to ‘be great’ in a changing world.
27
PARENT PROFILE
DEREK KENT
Chief Marketing Officer for the Canadian Olympic Committee
Derek Kent believes sport can change lives, and he works to reinforce that belief every day both personally and professionally. As the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) for the Canadian Olympic Committee and the parent of two daughters (one in Junior Kindergarten at The York School) Kent knows all about the impact sport can have on a person and how inspiring professional athletes can be to a fan of any age. Born and raised in Montreal, Kent attended the University of Western Ontario, where he received a degree in Political Science. Since school, Kent has
worked for the Canadian government, at a communications agency in Toronto and as the head of Corporate Communications at Nike Canada. During his tenure with Nike, Kent worked at the Nike World Headquarters in Portland, Oregon and then was the United States Media Relations Director for Nike in New York City. During his time with Nike, Kent represented the company at the Olympic Games in Athens, Torino and Beijing. In his current role at the Canadian Olympic committee Kent developed the highly successful “Give Your Everything” Canadian Olympic campaign, which introduced Canada’s athletes to our nation via a 15-week national multimedia
”I would encourage every young person to get involved in a sport in one way, shape or form because there are many life lessons to be had on the playing field.” —Derek Kent, York School parent
advertising campaign for the London Olympic Games held in the summer of 2012. Part of Kent’s mandate is to tell athletes’ stories and inspire young Canadians through their amazing athletic endeavours. “It’s a dream job,” said Kent. While developing the campaign, Kent and his team discovered the extent to which Olympians trained every day and how hard each of them worked to achieve their goals and “Give Your Everything” summed up the athletes’ journey perfectly. Kent attributes much of the success of this campaign to the fact that they used authentic athletes’ insights to tap into people’s passion. He believes that the raw honesty and dedication of these athletes are what is inspiring about the campaign. The goal was to pull back the curtain on how much effort it takes to become an Olympian and let Canadians engage with these compelling stories. The campaign accomplished this and more as hundreds of thousands of Canadians interacted with the campaign’s online content. It was the largest and most digitally-integrated campaign ever carried out in the Canadian Olympic Committee’s history and it is a testament to the affinity the audience had with each athlete’s story. By the end of the campaign, there were 50 videos
showcasing Canadian athletes and they received 325,000 views. The entire campaign included digital content, billboards, TV, print and radio ads. From children to professional athletes, Kent believes sport has undeniable benefits. He has seen first-hand how it can teach an individual teamwork, self-discipline, sportsmanship, how to win, how to lose and how to overcome adversity. As parents, Kent and his wife Joanne, ensure their children are active and healthy. One of the reasons the family chose The York School for their daughter is that it offers a great range of experiences at a young age. The family plays soccer every weekend; they also do gymnastics and try to be as physically active as they can. Kent has run two Toronto marathons, has played hockey his whole life and enjoys golf and skiing. Kent is continuously in awe of the athletes he meets. He strives every day to find the best ways to share these stories with Canadians and in turn inspire them to get involved in athletics. “I would encourage every young person to get involved in a sport in one way, shape or form because there are so many life lessons to be had on the playing field.” To find out more about the “Give Your Everything” campaign and the Canadian Olympic team, please visit olympic.ca. 29
HOLD BACK THE SNOW ULTIMATE TOURNAMENT
”Ultimate is now my favourite sport to play. I have a great time doing it.” —Hilary Notkin, Grade 11 Student
The York School’s Under 20 Ultimate team played their best game of the season at the Hold Back the Snow (HBTS) tournament in Winnipeg this October. True to its namesake, the HBTS tournament began with no snow on the ground and the second day even saw some sunshine. The team was comprised of both new and veteran players which provided the perfect combination of experience and enthusiasm. Coaches Jody Roberts and Gerald Feeney saw excellent disk handling by everyone and could feel the players palpable excitement as the victorious chant of Y-O-R-K rang out across the
field during games. “We need to play hard!” said Riley Hanson, Grade 11 student. And they did. For the past seven years, The York School’s team has attended the tournament and every year ranks higher than the previous year. In 2011, they ranked eighth in the tournament and this year the team went home with fourth place overall. “Ultimate is now my favourite sport to play, I have a great time doing it and it just goes to show that even though you may not be familiar with something, it may be worth trying it out and experiencing something new,” said Hilary Notkin, Grade 11 student. Congratulations to the team on a great season.
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CHINA TRIP
This past August, five students from The York School took part in the Chinese Summer Bridge Camp to further their Mandarin skills and learn about Chinese culture.
The students went to Beijing, visited the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, Yu Garden, the Pearl Tower and Tiananmen Square. They also engaged with Chinese culture through puzzle-making, Chinese knotting, calligraphy and singing. They were exposed to many experiences and met many Chinese people, who showed and taught them about their culture and language. All of the students used their time to form new friendships, visit Chinese students in their homes and soak up all of the culture, language, sights and new experiences they could manage during this trip!
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STUDENT REFLECTION ON CHINA TRIP
by Michael Gosnell, Grade 12 Student
”I achieved my goal of getting myself from Shanghai to Toronto without needing English to communicate at all.” —Michael Gosnell, Grade 12 Student
When I first signed up to study IB Mandarin I was doing it for a host of reasons—one being I was captivated with Chinese characters —but first and foremost I was doing it because I always had a fascination with China and Asia. When the chance came up to go on a trip to China, I made sure I got a spot as soon as I could. In the year leading up to the trip, I didn’t have too much time to think about it; I was always busy cramming the next set of Chinese characters into my head and it wasn’t until the weeks leading up to it that I started to think about the trip and the experiences I was going to have. I thought that I was going to go to the tourist spots, stay in a hotel and when it was all done I would come home and check China off of my list of places to go and that would be it. However, when I actually experienced the trip it turned out there was a lot more to it. The trip started with two days in Beijing which really blew me away as we managed to see more sights than I thought possible, including the Great Wall, the Summer Palace, the Forbidden
City and the 2008 Olympic Park. Despite all of these incredible places, it wasn’t until we got to Shanghai that the best part of the trip began for me. It was amazing because we stayed in a school there that was just like The York School and they did everything to make us feel at home. We had class every morning, and in the afternoons and evenings we would go out and experience the city. I particularly enjoyed hanging out with students who were from Shanghai because we really got to see the differences in our lifestyles and at the same time got to know one another and become friends. While we had fun with our friends, the classes were just as large a part of the trip as anything else. They managed to be fun while still teaching me things I could never have learned without being immersed in the culture. Everything I learned allowed me to achieve my goal of getting myself from Shanghai to Toronto without needing English to communicate at all. The look on the flight attendant’s face was priceless! This trip expanded my understanding of China, its language and its people more than any textbook or lesson ever could.
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STUDENT PROFILE
LUCAS SHEINER
Founder of bustasports.com
Lucas Sheiner turned his Personal Project into Bustasports, a website that gets 100,000 views a month and has had 560,000 hits overall. Lucas, a Grade 10 student, predicts his site will get one million hits by the summer of 2013. A lifelong sports fan, Lucas wanted to venture into the world of online sports for his project. The Personal Project is the culminating task in the Middle Years Programme; it is a significant piece of work that is the product of the student’s own initiative and creativity produced
in Grades 9 and 10. His plan was to become a writer for the site bleacherreport.com, a large sports site that receives millions of views each day. The problem was that it only accepts 10 percent of applicants. Instead of being discouraged by these odds, Lucas was motivated to create his own sports blog. He then took a huge risk to gain big rewards. “I wrote a couple of very controversial articles that I knew would get people riled up,” he said. His idea worked, bringing a flurry of activity, some irate, to his blog, which
”As a student athlete he is dedicated and hard-working. He is a leader on and off the field. It was no surprise that Lucas transferred these same skills to his writing and sports media empire.” —Mr. Medved, Director of Instructional Innovation
in its first month received 100,000 views. With guidance from Justin Medved, Project Advisor and Director of Instructional Innovation, Lucas decided to upgrade the blog and create his own sports website and from there, bustasports.com was born. Once Lucas had chosen a domain name and layout for his website he began contacting writers from popular sports sites and convincing them to write for him. Bustasports.com is a unique site that covers all professional sports, but also provides entertainment and interesting perspectives to readers. Lucas serves as editor for the site and writes articles, primarily about basketball and baseball. “I try to avoid letting anyone find out I’m just 15 years old but one time I told a writer I was 15 and I expected him to be angry, but instead he started talking about how kids are always the industrious ones and how they have the drive to be successful because they don’t have the fear of failure. It was pretty cool,” said Lucas.
When not writing or curating content for bustasports.com, Lucas can be found playing competitive squash or on York’s basketball team. He has channelled his passion for sports into his work. “As a student athlete he is dedicated and hard-working. He is a leader on and off the field. It was no surprise that Lucas transferred these same skills to his writing and sports media empire,” said Mr. Medved. So far, Lucas has had incredible experiences through his hard work and entrepreneurial spirit. He has interviewed the owner of the Toronto Blue Jays and the Commissioner of the CFL and the number of views his site receives is a testament to his industriousness and dedication to sports. Lucas thinks he will likely pursue a business degree at university and would ultimately love to combine this with his deep love of sports. “It’s hard to explain why but sports are very important to me. And they give me something to argue with my friends about and laugh with my dad about.”
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GRADE 9 TRIP TO TORONTO ISLANDS
The Grade 9 Integrated Canadian Experience (ICE) excursion to the Toronto Islands allowed students to experience a part of the city in a new way. Students saw how the island functions, its historical significance to Toronto, how the geography of the land has shaped the growth of the island community and finished the experience by camping out on Snake Island overnight. Prior to the trip, students read engaging articles that examined the diverse geographical make-up of the Island, the rich history it holds, and the struggles its residents have faced historically and currently. “The experience of being there
and conducting the work themselves allows for stronger connections to be made to the content,� said Chris Deighton, Grade 9 Teacher. During the day the group explored the islands. They spoke to locals as well as tourists, navigated the island on a quest to find the answers to a curriculum -based scavenger hunt, went on hikes and bike rides. While biking across the island, students worked both independently and collaboratively on investigating the island’s use of land, geographical changes, significant geographical points, municipal services, historical buildings, diverse environment, and current struggles. By experiencing the islands in a hands-on way and speaking to people
who live there, students were able to make a strong connection with their community and foster a deeper understanding of the content in their curriculum. Here is what Grade 9 students had to say about their experiences: “I learned some valuable skills like navigation and map usage. I also learned about the history of Toronto Island, and it gave us a good look at how Torontonians live their lives there, having this natural beauty around them.”—Stefan Jovanovic “My experience on Toronto Island with the rest of the ICE group was spectacular from the moment I arrived to the moment I left. The beauty of the island and the view of Toronto’s skyline are truly breathtaking. The most memorable part of my experience on Toronto Island was viewing the city
skyline at night with my friends. We stood on the shore in the dark with the bright city lights across from us. It was almost like the island was not a part of Toronto because it had a warm camp feeling to it.” —Sydney Turk “I met a lot of different people on the island, like tourists and residents. A lot of the people who I spoke to told me how much they loved it there and how it is such a special and diverse place.” —Lindsay Katz “To me the most memorable part of this trip was getting the opportunity to explore the island on bikes. I thought that it was a great way to take part in different educational activities while bike riding across the island. I was able to learn a lot of new and interesting information while taking part in fun activities.”—Emi-Lee Commisso 41
FIRST LEGO LEAGUE
The First LEGO League is an international competition that exercises students’ brains and technological abilities. They participate in designing, building and programming robots and then put them to the test in various challenges. Twenty-one York School students in Grades 6 to 9 compete with other schools throughout the fall. This dynamic group of students is “curious, high-energy and innovative” according to Urvi Shah, Technology Teaching and Learning Coordinator and the team’s coach. The team practises twice every week and put on their game faces to attend challenges at schools including Crescent, Bayview Glen and The Bishop Strachan School. The students have already learned to design a robot that
meets a variety of specifications and have built stable, creative and efficient robots to compete in a number of different contests. Once the robot is built, the students take on the challenge of learning how to “think like a robot” using programming software. However, possibly the most important skill learned is teamwork. Throughout this exciting process these students communicate with their team members and with their coaches in order to make improvements to their robot’s ability to complete challenges. For Urvi, all the hours of practise and tournaments are special because she can see the students learn not only to build and operate a robot, but to listen to one another. “They are learning to work collaboratively within their teams to make decisions and work towards the same goal,” said Urvi.
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RIGHT TO PLAY
”I joined Right to Play because I really believe that I can change the world in many different ways.” —Souhila El Sheikh, Grade 10 Student
Right To Play’s mission is to use sport and play to educate and empower children and youth to overcome the effects of poverty, conflict and disease in disadvantaged communities. York students are helping this mission to be realized locally. “In my opinion the world needs fair and good leaders so I thought it was a great opportunity to learn how to be a great leader in the community.” This is the reason Souhila El Sheikh joined The York School’s Right to Play team. Every Thursday, eight students go to Flemington Public School to play games with students in Grades 1 to 5. The students become physically healthier because they are being active
and enjoy their time interacting with York School students and their peers. Team-work and leadership are paramount in this programme and students at Flemington look up to York School students and see them as mentors. “The students we play with are learning how to be strong and be themselves,” said Souhila. When asked by Flemington students why they are there, York students answer, “We want you to be healthy, active and enjoy yourselves!”
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PARENTS LEARN HOW TO DROP THE WORRY BALL
Dr. Alex Russell, a Toronto psychologist and parent, spent an evening with York parents discussing how they can support and encourage their children to be successful, but also give them enough freedom to grow into responsible young adults who do not have a fear of failure. This is a topic he covers in his new book Drop the Worry Ball: Parenting in an Age of Entitlement. He discussed how children can disengage from reality because they have not been given the opportunity to positively struggle and are sheltered from experiential opportunities provided by what he called “non-catastrophic failures.” Dr. Russell facilitated meaningful conversation among our parents and raised some important questions. He noted that anxiety disorders are on the rise, and this is evidenced in disengagement from reality or related disorders such as OCD or eating disorders. He explained that what children and teenagers are not learning is how to
take on anxiety in an adaptive way. He then outlined ways parents can help avoid these situations. He promoted an approach to parenting that lets the parent be supportive, mindful and encouraging which confirms the child’s sense of taking on the world. Dr. Russell explained that this parenting approach does not take full responsibility, nor control of, a child’s actions or choices, but rather encourages parents to sympathise with the child’s “tale of woe,” but then allows the child to deal with the natural consequences. The examples he gave of natural consequences included incomplete or no homework, lost competitions, disappointment at not making a team or admonishment from a person of authority. He explained that these respective experiences teach a child to make good choices as they grow up. It was an informative evening for those who attended and we thank Dr. Russell for visiting our school.
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FALL ATHLETICS HIGHLIGHTS Junior School 1st place: Evan Jardim @ Under 10 Cross Country Meet at Crescent School 5th place: Cleo Bushell @ Under 10 Girls CISAA Cross Country Championship 5th in Division 1 League: Under 11 Boys Soccer Middle & Senior School Under 11 Girls Basketball Championship 3rd in Under 15 CISAA Senior Cross Country, 42nd out of 265 at OFSAA Provincial Championship: Gabriella Banhara, Grade 9
2011-2012 ANNUAL REPORT
MESSAGE FROM STEPHEN KARAM CHAIR OF THE BOARD
I am pleased to present the Board’s Annual Report for the 2011-2012 school year. The York School continues to provide an exceptional education for our students, improve the experience for everyone in our community and is on sound financial ground. We have many accomplishments of which to be proud, some of which I would like to share with you. The Board is pleased with the progress The York School has made under Conor Jones’ leadership and fully supports his vision and overall direction for the school. Conor’s passion for education and for The York School has had a positive effect on all aspects of our school, from the delivery of curriculum in the classroom to the energy evident at events in the wider community. In his first year as Head of School, Conor, with the help of his executive team, planned a major restructuring of the Upper School into dedicated Middle and Senior schools in order to better meet the needs of our students. Updated plans for Athletics, Student Life and Student Services are well under way. Our enrolment for the 2012-2013 academic year currently sits at 605 students, surpassing our record enrolment from 2011-2012. We are at or near capacity in most grades. The Senior School has experienced greater than usual growth for Grades 9 and 11, with the IB Diploma in particular being a draw for international applicants. Overall, the school’s enrolment is healthy and interest for next year is already strong. Our Advancement team raised approximately $320,000 through the Annual Fund and events in the 2011-2012 school year. Some school improvements directly related to these funds include: upgrades to the Junior School Art and Music rooms, the installation of the Junior School gardens, a significantly upgraded sound system for the Senior School gym and a new Design and Technology Lab for the Middle School, the creation of a key student gathering space with the Middle School Commons and the benches and stonework in the courtyard. In addition, funds were used to support the TEDx conference, classroom guest speakers and workshop leaders, and for the purchase of documentary video equipment. All of these initiatives were made possible by the generous support of our community, which included over 45% of our parent population (up from a 40% participation rate last year). The Advancement team worked with 170 parent volunteers to run 27 events throughout the year, including the introduction of The York School Annual Benefit, an event which raised over $90,000 for the school’s Annual Fund. This past year was extremely successful on the academic front. The York School’s overall International Baccalaureate Diploma average score of 32 continues to be well above the world average of 29.85. Our graduating class gained
admission to 19 different universities in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. Our Middle School branched out in the area of design and technology, hosting our first Pinewood Derby and attending our first Lego robotics challenge. The Junior School implemented new math skills tracking with IXL and is rolling out new guided reading and math units to track specific skills attainment. In Athletics, 93% of students in Junior Kindergarten to Grade 3 participated in our Sports Development Clinics and 86% of our students in Grades 3 to 5 participated on at least one athletic team. The Middle and Senior schools supported 40 athletic teams and over 200 students participated in competitive sports (representing 80% and 70% participation rates for Middle and Senior School students, respectively). This was one of our strongest years in The York School’s history in terms of making and placing in championships. Our U20 Ultimate team won gold at the CISAA Division 1 championships, while our Girls U14 Soccer team, Girls U16 Volleyball team, and Boys U13 and U10 Basketball teams all won silver medals in their respective championships. As I look back on a successful year I want to say farewell to two friends and outgoing Board members. Mary Pat Tillmann joined our Board in 2007. She has served as Governance Chair for several of those years and through her tireless efforts is largely responsible for the strength and breadth of expertise currently on our Board. Eugene McBurney joined our board in 2006 and lent his expertise to our advancement efforts. Mary Pat and Gene’s dedication and commitment to The York School have helped leave a legacy that will benefit our community for many years to come. Both will truly be missed. My personal best wishes go out to our 2012 graduating class as it embarks on the next stage of life’s journey. I have every confidence that each of them will be successful in whatever path they choose. I encourage all of them to remain connected with our school’s community. Thank you to each of the members of the Board as well as the many parent volunteers who have selflessly given their time and expertise to The York School during the past year. Lastly, a special thank you to Warren Bongard and Ann Glazier Rothwell who have agreed to succeed me and Lynn Clarfield as Board Chair and Vice-Chair, respectively. Respectfully,
Stephen Karam
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MESSAGE FROM CONOR JONES HEAD OF SCHOOL
It says a great deal about The York School that the Annual Report you are reading is incorporated in our Fall edition of York on Yonge Magazine. It indicates that the business aspect of our school is well and properly connected to the life of our school. Andrew Kay’s report from the Finance committee does a terrific job of outlining the solid financial footing of our school, and that news is best viewed alongside the stories on mindfulness and our Kindergarten community. We are a solid business and our main directive is supporting our students as they become aware young people who are cognizant of their role in the world. Stephen Karam’s report from the Board Chair outlines the continuing progress we are making relative to our strategic plan. This evolution is illustrated by the stories that make tangible how our students take action and understand the necessity of service to the community. Our Senior School students fighting for the less fortunate to ensure they have the “right to play” provides proof of how we move from classroom concepts to action. The report on our Advancement activities from Lynn Clarfield spells out the generosity of everyone in our school community. The fact that every event in this magazine has been touched by the names in that report provides a tangible reason to continue supporting and improving the quality of education provided daily for our students. Our students are truly bodies and minds in motion and the facts in this Annual Report benefit from their juxtaposition to actual events shown in the York on Yonge Magazine. If you want to see the numbers in action, come by the school any day of the week and see for yourself—you won’t have to look far for the active expression of these concepts. Our school is a great place because of the commitment of the parents, volunteers, faculty and staff to the ideal of developing inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who are engaged citizens of the world. This Annual Report indicates that we are a solid enterprise with good management and appropriate Board oversight. As the Annual Report is intrinsic to our Fall magazine it also says the Board, management and community recognize that at the heart of this school is the most precious commodity we can imagine—the life, happiness and health of our children, and through them our community and future. Sincerely,
Conor Jones
BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND COMMITTEES
Board of Directors 2011-2012 Chair: Stephen Karam Vice-Chair: Lynn Clarfield
Members: Sara Bellamy Warren Bongard John Brown Lynn Clarfield Joel Feldberg Andrew Kay Gene McBurney Allison Menkes Lloyd A. Perlmutter
Ann Glazier Rothwell Liz Schad Andrew Sheiner Tim Thorsteinson Mary Pat Tillmann Ex-Officio: Conor Jones Annette Whiteley Robin Storfer
Board of Directors 2012-2013 Chair: Warren Bongard Vice-Chair: Ann Glazier Rothwell
Members: Sara Bellamy John Brown Lynn Clarfield Joel Feldberg Stephen Karam Andrew Kay Allison Menkes Lloyd A. Perlmutter Deanne Saunders
Liz Schad Andrew Sheiner Tim Thorsteinson Ex-Officio: Conor Jones Annette Whiteley Katie Leopold Leslie Giller
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MESSAGE FROM ANDREW KAY CHAIR OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
The York School had continued success during the year 2011-2012. Conor Jones’ leadership in his first year as Head of School allowed us to take some strategic leaps forward as we plan for the future and continue to provide our students with unmatched experiences in the classroom and beyond. The fiscal year ending June 30, 2012 encompassed renovations to all levels of the school and included a new Design and Technology Lab and an AstroTurf covered area behind the 1320 Yonge St. building. We have enriched the student experience by exposing them to inspiring guest speakers and an extensive e-book library and we continue to be committed to keeping our teachers on the cutting edge of their subjects through constant professional development. 2011-2012 was also the first year our Junior School students got to play in the new playground behind the 1639 Yonge St. building. The 2011-2012 school year enrolment was at an all-time high, with most grades at or near capacity and an overall increase of approximately 6.0% over the previous year. Even with such high enrolment we still maintained low teacherto-student ratios. It will continue to be our intention that tuition fees be based on the operating needs of the school, while remaining competitive with other GTA independent schools. Balance Sheet Net assets grew by $831,000 as a result of a very positive financial year for the school. This was mainly due to a surge in enrolment that generated higher than expected tuition fees and one-time registration fees. After adjusting for additional scholarships and the hiring of additional teachers required for the larger student population, our enrolment success contributed $315,000 to our bottom line. Other contributing factors included a one-time refund of property taxes going back to the time we purchased the two buildings that are now the Junior School, as well as continuing record low mortgage interest rates. Our continuing history of prudent fiscal management, combined with generous
donations from our community, has allowed us to complete our strategic plan with a strong balance sheet and provides us with the financial flexibility to continue to invest in facilities, technology and the quality of our teachers in the future. Revenue Revenue from all sources was $18.8 million. Student enrolment increased by 34 students, resulting in an increase in revenue over last year of $2,020,000 or 12%. Tuition fees accounted for 87% of the total. Registration fees, ancillary services and donations made up most of the balance of revenues. Expenses Expenses totalled $18 million. Operating expenses, which exclude mortgage interest and amortization, were 6% higher than the previous fiscal year. This percentage increase was expected and well within reasonable limits given the increase in faculty salaries and benefits. Strong Financial Governance Our Finance team, led by Annette Whiteley, Chief Financial Officer, has done an excellent job of controlling our costs while ensuring the school has access to all the necessary resources to meet the ever-changing needs of our students, faculty and staff. Further, our positive financial results have allowed us to contribute $580,000 to a new Facility Fund dedicated to ongoing repairs, improvements and debt reduction, affording the school greater financial flexibility in the years to come. Congratulations! Respectfully submitted,
Andrew Kay Chair, Finance Committee
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FINANCIAL 2011-2012
Balance Sheet (as of June 30)
2012
2011
6,842,384 22,334,789 29,177,173
7,131,281 22,946,932 30,078,213
11,678,299 10,073,896 21,752,195
11,199,515 12,285,339 23,484,854
764,547 6,660,431 29,177,173
146,274 6,447,085 30,078,213
2012
2011
15,051,618 1,188,540 946,593 1,581,247 18,767,998
13,479,696 1,178,690 800,776 1,290,093 16,749,255
9,439,249 1,901,257 1,257,459 1,203,255 910,218 668,263 704,558 650,302 1,201,818 17,936,379
8,136,297 2,021,652 1,495,968 1,182,263 869,906 720,829 719,266 603,036 1,236,588 16,985,805
831,619
–236,550
2012
2011
182 580,500 250,937 831,619
–281,372 0 44,823 –236,550
ASSETS ($)
Total Current Assets Capital Assets LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS ($)
Total Current Liabilities Total Long-Term Liabilities NET ASSETS ($)
Designated Unrestricted
Statement of Financial Position REVENUE ($)
Tuition Fees Extracurricular Activity Fees Ancillary Services Other Revenue EXPENSES ($)
Teaching Costs Administration Property Extracurricular Activity Expense Ancillary Services Advancement Information Technology Other Expenses Amortization EXCESS OF REVENUE OVER EXPENSES ($)
Allocation of Excess of Revenue Over Expenses (Expenses over Revenue) for the Year UNRESTRICTED ($)
Unrestricted Board Designated Facility Fund Restricted—Head’s Initiative Fund
Revenue 2011-2012 Tuition fees Other revenue Extracurricular activity Ancillary services
80% 9% 6% 5%
Expenses 2011-2012 Teaching expenses Administration Property Extracurricular activity Ancillary services Advancement Information technology Other Amortization
Expenses 2011-2012 (Salaries shown separately)
53% 10% 7% 7% 5% 4% 4% 3% 7%
Academic salaries and benefits Non-academic salaries and benefits Extracurricular activities Amortization Administration costs Teaching costs Other Ancillary services Property expenses
48% 18% 7% 7% 6% 4% 4% 3% 3%
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MESSAGE FROM LYNN CLARFIELD CHAIR OF THE ADVANCEMENT COMMITTEE
The mandate of Advancement at The York School is to support the school’s mission of developing inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who are engaged citizens of the world. As we uphold this mission we support the many endeavours undertaken by York School students and faculty. Our fundraising priorities have supported improvements for both of our campuses, including the transformed playground at the Junior School and the new turf at the Senior School. In addition to facilities improvements, we have helped finance co-curricular programmes like TEDxIB@YorkSchool and computer lab updates. We also introduced the Annual Benefit, a fundraising event that raised $90,000 for the school’s Annual Fund and had great support from our parent community. Our community’s commitment to the school is reflected in the generous donations which fund improvements for our students today and in the future. In June a new Executive Director of Advancement, Hallie McClelland, was hired. Hallie oversees The York School’s fundraising, communications, marketing and strategic planning. On behalf of the Board I thank The York School community, parents and alumni for their support and participation in the life of the school. The volunteer hours and donations-in-kind have helped make The York School a place where students can be themselves and be great. I must also take this opportunity to thank the current and past members of the Advancement Committee for their dedication and leadership. Sincerely,
Lynn Clarfield, Chair of the Advancement Committee and Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors
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MESSAGE FROM NARGESS KHOSROWSHAHI AND ROBIN STORFER, CO-PRESIDENTS, YORK PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION 2011-2012 On behalf of the 2011-2012 York Parents Association (YPA), we would like to take this opportunity to communicate the YPA’s accomplishments during the 2011-2012 school year. It was a wonderful year, full of amazing events that further enriched our strong school community. We carried over many of the popular events from previous years, as well as offering new and exciting activities for both parents and students. Once again, we enjoyed the special Parent Social event, of which we are particularly proud. We had an exciting evening of cocktails with Mark McEwen, followed by a delicious dinner created by Chef Bryan McMillan, which took place in the Junior School cafeteria. The event was a huge success and brought Junior, Middle and Senior School parents together, further enhancing our sense of community at The York School. Another success was the Junior School Social evening, which was held at Breakout Studios. This social event for the younger students allowed them to come together away from school for some dancing, games and fun. Other events sponsored and run by the YPA were the Second-Hand Uniform Sale, Movie Nights, Treats for Teachers, the Halloween celebration and haunted playground, the Fun Fairs, and the festive decorations at both school sites to honour the winter holidays. In keeping with our mission of service and community-building, the YPA was able to make significant contributions to the school this year. Our fundraising efforts from last year allowed us to support several school initiatives, including the purchase of furniture for the new Middle School lounge, the sound system in the Junior School gym and teacher appreciation gifts.
The YPA held its first Annual General Meeting in May 2012, at which time the new YPA Executive was elected. We’d like to take this opportunity to introduce and welcome the new YPA Executive team who will be serving the York School parent body for the 2012-2013 year. They are: President: Leslie Giller Junior School Vice-Chair: Grace Neal Middle School Vice-Chair: Kim Thorsteinson Senior School Vice-Chair: Linda Lazzam Secretary: Lindsay Smith Communications: Andrea Cohen-Solish Treasurer: Cathy Hampson We would also like to officially extend our gratitude and heartfelt thanks to the YPA Executive team of 2011-2012 (Mary Ann Stallings, Susan Bedford, Arlene Williams, Christy Moorhead and Jennifer Mackintosh). This dedicated team worked tirelessly on behalf of York School parents and students to ensure quality events that built community and relationships. Finally, we would like to extend an enormous thank you to all of the volunteers who helped support us this past year. The events at the school run so smoothly because of the dedication of our parent population—we truly could not have done it without you. An extremely special thank you is extended as well to our York School liaison, Pearl Goodman. Pearl is our backbone and beyond helpful, both on the front lines and behind the scenes, in ensuring that all events run smoothly. Our very best, Nargess Khosrowshahi and Robin Storfer 2011-2012 YPA Co-Presidents
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CUMULATIVE DONORS BY CATEGORY
The following list represents the members of The York School community who have generously supported the school with cumulative gifts totalling $25,000 or more.
$250,000+ Friend of The York School $100,000 - $249,999 Melissa and Joel Feldberg Friends of The York School (2) Maxine Granovsky and Ira Gluskin The Bellamy and Green Families The Hanson Weinstein Family The McBurney Family Theresa and Seth Mersky Robert, Elizabeth and Mike Schad The Sheiner Family Carolyn Sifton Foundation Inc. Kim Emerson Thorsteinson and Tim Thorsteinson The York School Parents’ Guild $50,000 - $99,999 Sarah Everett and Don Barber Cindy and Shon Barnett Martin and Bedford Families Renita Greener and Alan Bender Catherine Smith and Ted Bibbo Melanie Edwards and John Brown Keddy Williams and Eric Bushell Brad Cameron Susan Paul and Ken Engelhart Friends of The York School (3) Pat Meredith and Stephen Karam Brian and Joannah Lawson Edward and Nancy Nash The Rothwell Family Donna and Gary Slaight Louise and Gary Sugar The York School Staff Campaign Angela and John Vavitsas
$25,000 - $49,999 John Anderson and Marilyn Andrews E.W. Bickle Foundation Wendy M. Cecil Lori McGoran and Michael Cohl James F. Crothers Family Trust Karine Krieger and Daniel Daviau Sandra and Leo Del Zotto Maureen Flanagan and David Denison Friend of The York School The Grant Family Janet and David Greyson and Matthew Wencke and Juan Gutierrez Jasmine Vujasinovic Hartog and Adrian Hartog Hanna and Mark Kassirer The Kassum Family Andrew Kay Howard Kerbel Jae-Jung Kim and Hyea-Kyung Han Helena Mitchell and John Long Beth Malcolm Leslie and Duncan McCallum Peter and Allison Menkes Linda and Kevin O’Leary Martha and Mike Pedersen Sheila and Michael Royce Nancy Sprott Ken and Teresa Toten Henry and Ann Louise Vehovec Marianne and Wil Verheyen Richard, Matthew, Charlie and Robert Walker Susan Esplett and Jim Walker Lindy and David Williams
ANNUAL DONORS BY CATEGORY
The following list represents the members of The York School community who have generously supported the school through the Annual Fund with a gift of $500 or more between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2012.
The Educator’s Club $10,000 - $24,999 Dimitra and Michael Davidson The Neal Family Robert, Elizabeth and Mike Schad Stephen and Anne Marie Walker The Hanson Weinstein Family** Friends of The York School (2) The Curriculum Club $5,000 - $9,999 John Brown and Melanie Edwards* Pat Meredith and Stephen Karam Andrew Kay* Kevin Kimsa* Leah Leon* The Sheiner Family Friends of The York School (2) The Scholar’s Society $2,500 - $4,999 Deb Kimsa and Howard Atkinson* Jennifer and Philip Chown The Seefuss-Cowdrey Family* Laurie and Alexandra Felesky John and Chantal Graham* Alan Bender and Renita Greener Tim and Roberta Hague The Kiessling/Isaak Family The Lazzam Family Daniela Tixi and Bryan Loewenthal Peter and Allison Menkes** Martha and Mike Pedersen* Heather and Stephen Rider** The Rothwell Family The Thorsteinson Family* Jonathan and Amal Wolfe* Friend of The York School
The York Society $500 - $2,499 Joni and Lawrence Adelberg The Ali Family Amy Lengyel and James Andrews John Anderson and Marilyn Andrews* Mary Ellen & Lowell Aronoff* Greg and Giselle Ball The Bellamy Family Susan and Lenny Bitondo Tracey Lawko and Peter Blaiklock The Boggs Family* Warren & Kelly Bongard Richard Brayley Shannan Levere and Geraint Breeze Kathy and Peter Byrne Patrick Dessert and Lisa Caldwell Deanne Farrar and Sean Capstick Dan and Dafna Carr Brenda and Terry Cassaday Andrea Wood and Peter Cavanagh Susan Charron** Kimberly Chase ’12 Jong Seok Choi The Clarfield Family Kate and Sean Clutterbuck Laurel Ann and Luc Corneli Alexandra Webster and Robin Cruickshank Mary Pat Tillmann and Gerry Dancyger* Sylvie Charest and Osprival Descomme Rosa and Enrico De Pasquale Jordan & Amanda Dermer The Brenzel Dinnick Family Glen Johnson and Anne Donald Natalie and David Duncan Susan Paul and Ken Engelhart
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ANNUAL DONORS BY CATEGORY continued
Melissa and Joel Feldberg Kerstin Lueck and Frederick Francis The Fraser Family* Jacqueline and Tom Friedland The Gelgoot Family** The Gliklich Family Bill & Gina Goings James H. Grout* The Gutcher Family David Hamilton** Michael Baker and Gillian Hamilton* Linda Plumpton and Krista Hill Subrata Bhattacharjee and Erin Iles Paula and David Jenkins Kosara & Predrag Jovanovic Sam Kohn and Mary Ciolfi-Kohn Brian and Joannah Lawson Graydon & June Lau The Levitt Family Barbara Henders and Jeffrey Lloyd The Martin Family Mitch & Marcy Massicotte Kelly Dobbin and Scott Mathison Maria Thompson and Mariette Matos The McBurney Family The McKinney Family John Melodysta Elizabeth Boyd and Scott Meredith
The Connolly-Mingay Family** Sean Mitchell** Conor Jones and Emmeline Morse* The Murmann Family* Jennifer Leitch and Anthony Novac The Notkin Family Linda and Kevin O’Leary Leslie Pace and Thomas Long The Tempesta/Paul Family The Perlmutter Family Dr. Heidi Roberts Susan Hummel and Andrew Robinson Craig Ross The Rozells Family Adam & Elora Schatzker Morris and Lili Shawn Dr. Jordan Cheskes & Samantha Sherkin Sandi and Jordan Soll Beth Weingarden and Paul Stein** Jenny Chu Steinberg and Richard Steinberg* Tim Murphy and Jane Thompson Alison and Jay Thompson Annette Whiteley** Kevin Tureski and Jill Williams Angela and Tat Wong Olivera and Branko Zatezalo Alfred Wu and Eileen Zhang Friends of The York School (6)
* Indicates donors who have given consecutively for 5 years or more. ** Indicates donors who have given consecutively for 10 years or more.
GIFT-IN-KIND DONATIONS
Mercedes Benayon and Derrick Abraham The Ali Family Gila and Ronnie Altshuler Amy Lengyel and James Andrews Art and Design Audienceview Avenue Road Showcase Maria Barnden Be There Promotions Anne Bell Hendrikus Bervoets Julian Bharti ’04 Subrata Bhattacharjee and Erin Iles Susan and Lenny Bitondo Blow Dry Lounge BMW Canada Ilena and Mark Borinsky Don Bradley and Nadia Binesh The Brenzel Dinnick Family John Brown and Melanie Edwards Nicki Campbell Canada’s Wonderland Canadian Tire #654 Dafna and Dan Carr Morgan Carroll Federico Cervantes Susan Charron Jennifer and Philip Chown The Clarfield Family Paul Cobban Shannon Connors The Corneli Family Robin Cruickshank and Alexandra Webster Cupcake Sally Dimitra and Michael Davidson Rick DeMarinis Sophie Doig eenimod & lu
Vanessa Emer Amy Faba Brandon Fahy and Ying Wa Ip Liz Falconer Fandangle Jewellery Fantasy Fair Elyse Feaver Melissa and Joel Feldberg Florigens Design Inc Levi Folk and Liza Thomson The Fraser Family Adam and Sharin Froman Sara Gardner Liz Gilbert Gliss Bill and Gina Goings Pearl Goodman Shelley Gopal grade eh design Grain-Free JK Gourmet Inc. Grano Lidija Grkovic Rana Gupta Haircuts on Wheels Gillian Hickman Jamie Holcomb Stephanie Hord IML Nicole Irwin and John Wilkin Ian Johns Mark and Teresa Johnson Kosara and Predrag Jovanovic Just Bounce Anne Irwin and Jonathan Kahn Al and Brigitte Kavanagh The Kiessling/Isaak Family Elliot and Perri Kirshenblatt Elissa Kline-Beber
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GIFT-IN-KIND DONATIONS continued
Dr. Bruno Lacaria and Mrs. Frida Lacaria Graydon and June Lau Eric Laurin The Lazzam Family Leah Leon Marion and Thomas Lichtenberger Leslie Pace and Thomas Long Susan Bedford and Jason Martin Justin Medved Media Magic Medisys Merben International Mercedes-Benz Midtown The Conolly-Mingay Family Sean Mitchell Mary Moffat-Johansson Moms To Be and More The Neal Family Suzanne Newell Jan Noestheden Miriam O’Brien Rabideau Gerald O’Leary and Karel O'Brien One of a Kind Craft Show Orange Dot Kara Lysne-Paris Pauline’s Pastries Pellini Milano Paris Julie Prentice Roots The Rothwell Family Salon Dew
Julie Selley Alison and Arvind Sharma Signature Fine Foods Silverbells and Cockleshells Sole Power Productions Andrea and Nowell Solish Sandi and Jordan Soll South Street Burger Company Joanne Spadafora-Schwindt Sara Spencer Heather Swanson Tamae Shioguchi The Canadian Press The Cashmere Shop The Global Total Office The Massage Therapy Studio Laura and David Thomas Kim Emerson Thorsteinson and Tim Thorsteinson Total Wellness Urban Wellness Clinic John and Angela Vavitsas Want Boutique Mary Ann Stallings and Reg Watson Karen Weyman and Sid Feldman Jaime White Annette Whiteley William Ashley China Marjorie Willoughby Angela and Tat Wong Olivera and Branko Zatezalo
THE YORK SCHOOL CLASS OF 2012
John Acker Nauman Ahmad Ellen Aiello Alex Baldissera Domenic Bitondo Spencer Blaiklock Jonah Burke-Kleinman Macaulee Cassaday Kim Chase Matt Clarfield Erin Conway Patrick Cowdrey Charlie Creery Roberto De Pasquale
Rachel Dinoff Siwan Doyle James Duncan Camilla Faragalli James Feitelberg Madeline Goldberg Hanna Grover Katie Haas Russell Hanson Daniel Kahn Samantha Kay Elizabeth Kondo Matthew Norman Adam Nowaczynski
Tony Paap Michaela Patafio Jake Perlmutter Gillian Piltz Emma Reedijk Stephanie Rider Aya Schechner Julia Schneider Megan Skinner Robert Sniderman Haley Steinberg Lakshmi Tarun Alexander Tong Benji Wiseman
Grad Gift The Graduating Class of 2012 was given the opportunity to vote on where they would like to designate their Grad Gift, and they chose an upgraded sound system for the gymnasium. The gym (which occasionally moonlights as York’s performance space) is now better suited for musical performances, plays and conferences, such as our annual TEDx event. Thank you to the Graduating Class of 2012 for this amazing gift!
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“The York School prepared me by showing me what I could possibly be facing in the near future. It showed me the tricks of when to study, how to study and the importance of studying.”—Matthew Norman ’12, University of British Columbia “The York School has prepared me for university by allowing me to develop time management skills. I now know how to get all of my work done and still have time to have an active social life.”—Jake Perlmutter ’12, University of Michigan “One of the best things York helped me do is get my work to the level that it needed to get to by the time I got to university, so the transitioning out of high school was very smooth.”—Rob Sniderman ’12, University of Toronto, Trinity College “One of the most important things I have taken away from my time at York is balance; with such a strong emphasis on student leadership and extracurricular activities, as well as a challenging academic environment, I had no choice but to effectively prioritize my time in high school. Now that I am in university, I feel prepared for life both in and out of the classroom.”—Aya Schechner ’12, McGill University
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Gifts to the Annual Fund help York students in many ways, enabling enhancements to the curricular and co-curricular programmes and enriching the student experience. Your gifts make a daily impact on each and every student, and we thank our annual donors for their leadership and generosity. DONATE BEFORE DECEMBER 31 AND RECEIVE A TAX RECEIPT FOR 2012!
Please donate to The York School www.yorkschool.com/about/support