Magazine Fall 2013 Annual Report 2012-2013
for friends and Families of The York School / VOLUME 4, ISSUE 1 Fall 2013
Magazine Fall 2013 Annual Report 2012-2013
Contents
02
Welcome from Head of School
33
Annual Report 2012-2013
04 06 08 10 12
Collaborating with Chromebooks
34
Message from Chair of the Board
IT Integration
36 37 38
Message from Head of School
16
Grade 5 Ambassadors in Action
40
Financial Information 2012-2013
18
Alumni Profile Nikki Toten ’06
from 43 Message Chair of the
20
Champions Celebrate
22
Reflection on Outdoor Education
26
Q&A with Counsellors/ Parents
30
Coaches Collaborating Mentoring 101 A Material World
Dealing with Stress and Anxiety
Board of Directors Message from Chair of the Finance Committee
The York School 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 Schools (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.
Advancement Committee
York on Yonge Magazine is published by the Advancement Department for the families and friends of The York School.
44
Message from YPA President
Executive Director of Advancement Hallie McClelland hmcclelland@yorkschool.com
45 46 48 51 53 54
Cumulative Donors Annual Donors Gift-In-Kind Donations Volunteer List Class of 2013 University Map
Marketing and Communications Officer Principal writer Marika Motiwalla mmotiwalla@yorkschool.com E-Communications Officer Principal photographer Kara Lysne-Paris klysne-paris@yorkschool.com Advancement Officer Jennifer Dickie jdickie@yorkschool.com Advancement Assistant Annie Koshy akoshy@yorkschool.com
1
Welcome from head of school
Conor Jones
Welcome to the Fall 2013 edition of York on Yonge Magazine When I was in school collaboration meant being in the same classroom with my partner or group and perhaps calling one another on the phone as we sat at our kitchen tables, phone cords stretching from the wall. It is safe to say those days are long gone. Now, our students are collaborating with their peers, teachers and experts around the world in every subject area, all the time and more importantly, in real time. With every lesson or experience students are finding new ways to listen to each other and problem-solve using the latest technology for group work and research. In this edition of York on Yonge Magazine you will find collaboration at the core of many of these success stories. Whether it is winning a match on the soccer field, peer-editing on a Chromebook, being a part of the Peer Mentor Programme or changing the look of Toronto’s sidewalks by collaborating with local entrepreneurs, the stories in this magazine will open your mind to the amazing things that come from The York School community’s cooperative spirit. Thank you for reading this magazine and sharing it with others.
Conor Jones Head of School
3
Collaborating with Chromebooks Under the tutelage of Director of Learning, Innovation and Technology Justin Medved and his team, our school is constantly looking for new ways to incorporate the right technology, in the right place, at the right time. The recent purchase of class sets of personal web-based computers called Chromebooks marks a new layer of technological literacy introduced to our students. With these innovative and economical computers, Grade 5 students now have the full benefits of interactive, real-time cloud computing at their fingertips. Chromebooks support information sharing resources such as Google Docs/ Drive, Gmail, Google Calendars, Google Presentations and Google Search. Since Primary Years Programme (PYP) Exhibition and other collaborative projects occur throughout the Grade 5 year, having access to these programmes is an innovative way of keeping students on task while encouraging them to work with their peers and receive feedback from their teachers. “I was able to view their work and provide real-time feedback fast
and effectively. It allows for the students to work efficiently and see what others are doing,” says Grade 5 teacher Ryan Hewgill. Some examples of projects that have already been enhanced by having Chromebooks available include weekly journal entries based on current events, student presentations on “Secrets to a Long Life”, research on municipal, provincial and federal government websites for a Law and Order unit, combining reading comprehension answers in French classes and using YouTube to search for lyrics and music tutorials. As well, peer-editing can now occur easily for all of these projects because of the ease and efficiency of the sharing and commenting features of Google Docs/Drive. “They are so much fun to work on and so easy to use,” says Grade 5 student Lieveke Bax. Thanks to the foresight and innovative spirit of our technology department, these lightweight machines are welcome new additions to the Grade 5 classrooms. They are helping build a culture of collaboration, which is an essential component of a successful final year in the PYP.
5
It Integration
left top:
Members of the Learning, Innovation & Technology Department, from left to right: Kathleen Peak, Justin Medved, Afzal Shaikh, Dan Taylor and David De La Huerta Grade 5 students working on Chromebooks
left middle and bottom:
@ In March, 2012, The York School moved to the world of Google Apps. This infographic shows how fully integrated Google technology is at our school.
18,509 DOCS 14,234 FOLDERS 4406 SPREADSHEETS 864 PRESENTATIONS 789 USERS 648 GROUPS 217 SURVEYS/QUESTIONNAIRES 50 CHROMEBOOKS 7
Teacher Heather Swanson & Community Coach Marko Milanovic Rise to the Challenge
Coaches COLLABORATING
Before every practice this fall the Under 14 Boys Soccer team greeted their coaches and each other with a handshake, hug or high five. Teacher Coach Heather Swanson and Community Coach Marko Milanovic worked together seamlessly to set a culture of positive energy and confidence among the diverse team of Grade 6, 7 and 8 boys. For this team the key approach was mentally preparing for matches and developing a strong work ethic which propelled them to have the best season in the history of the team. Both coaches encouraged communication between all players as a means to develop confidence and respect. The players were often given freedom to make their own decisions and work together to solve problems on the field. It did not matter if a player was shy, outgoing, highly skilled or just getting introduced to soccer; many benefits were experienced on the field when the boys learned how to communicate with each other, according to Marko. “If they talk more with each other, know about each other’s days, care about each other, then they are going to play better than before,” he says. Marko lives and breathes soccer and has his whole life. A native of Serbia, Marko has played on many teams including the Serbian White Eagles, the Ryerson Rams, Metro Lions and the first division team in Belgrade, Serbia. He is currently the Academy Director at North Toronto Soccer Club and coaches both young boys and girls. Being passionate about the sport, Marko continues to educate himself every year by attending coaching conferences and training sessions all over the world.
Director of Athletics Rick DeMarinis knows that having seasoned experts like Marko coach our student athletes is important because they can offer specialized training and an indepth understanding of a sport that contributes to a player’s athletic development and a team’s ranking. The Under 14 Boys Soccer team reached the semi-finals this season and although there were several matches where players shone, the highlight of the season for Coach Marko was when Grade 7 student JP Briggs (after just returning from an overnight retreat with the school) made it to practice with a smile on his face and was ready to play even though he was tired. “For me, the values I’m looking for in a student athlete are to be honest, hard-working, disciplined and to do everything with passion because otherwise what’s the point?” says Marko. While Heather is passionate about supporting student athletes, working with Marko has helped her become “a better coach.” “He brings the expertise and I bring the organization. It worked really well and it’s really neat to see how he tailored the practices to what the students’ needs were. As a result I think the boys worked better together because they know their own strengths and how they can support the team. Marko always got my input and I always fulfilled my other role of cheering really loudly,” she says with a laugh. When on the topic of working with Heather, Marko breaks his stoic demeanour and smiles. “She’s really amazing. She fits right in with my positive energy, she’s a very positive person by nature, she’s very organized, she’s great with kids so with all of that it was a perfect match,” he says. 9
Points of view
Mentoring 101
This year sixteen Grade 11 students and fourteen Grade 12 students were chosen to be mentors because they demonstrated strong leadership skills, approachability and the promise of being great role models for students in Grades 6 to 9. They are now part of a Peer Mentoring Programme that is led by Guidance Counsellor Alison Champ and Middle School Counsellor Glen Blair. The role of the mentors is to offer advice to younger students throughout the year on academic, social or emotional issues they may be facing. Both Alison and Glen attribute the success of this programme to the dedication of their mentors and the fact that younger students look up to older ones and will listen to what they have to say. “We want the mentors to have a presence in the school and to get to know younger students on a personal level so those students will talk to them about topics they might not want
to come to see a teacher or counsellor about,” says Alison. Grade 12 student Paula Murmann is a mentor to Grade 9 students while Grade 11 student Dan Schechner is a mentor to students in Grades 6 to 8. They each shared their thoughts on the programme. Why did you choose to become a mentor? Paula: Through my years at the Middle School I looked up to the mentors; they were my role models. I chose to be a mentor because of the opportunity to interact with younger students who are now in a place I was many years ago. It’s a chance to talk to them, but to also help them both socially and with school work. Dan: I chose to become a mentor because of my great experiences with my own mentor when I was in Grade 9. He helped me adapt to the school environment which was different from anything I had seen before. I’d like
to help new students to the Middle School in the same way I was helped. What is the most rewarding aspect of being a Mentor? Paula: The best part is always seeing how happy and grateful the kids are when they see us, but also to act as another support system besides the guidance counsellors and teachers. Dan: The most rewarding aspect of the programme is definitely seeing the students look up to you. While our age difference may not be very big, they think of us as leaders and role models. They listen to us and want to be our friends. Give me an example of a session you have had with a younger student and how it was successful. Paula: Last year a group of mentors went into a Grade 6 class to do a session on teamwork and leadership. We brought in a tarp and instructed the entire class to fit on the tarp as we kept making it smaller. All of us were so impressed by how successful they were—some students came forward as leaders by instructing other students and coming up with ideas like giving each other piggy backs. Dan: Recently the Grade 11 mentors went to Camp Oochigeas and planned activities for students in Grades 6 and 7. We planned colour wars, splitting half the kids into the blue team and half into the red team. Each team had three mentor captains and there were various activities planned as competitions. The kids enjoyed themselves and stepped a little out of their comfort zone, as many of them were new to the school and had to collaborate with kids who they didn’t know well. The kids’ level of enthusiasm was actually very surprising and the colour wars were probably the highlight of their trip to Camp Oochigeas.
What are some ways you collaborate with your fellow Mentors? Paula: We collaborate by planning mentor sessions together whether it’s trivia, games or talking sessions. Another big way we collaborate is when we go up to Camp Oochigeas. When the Grade 12 mentors went up with the Grade 9s, we needed to collaborate to plan campfires and afternoon games. Dan: This programme is all about collaboration and cooperation between the mentors. We plan school-wide activities as a group and meet every cycle to organize new initiatives. We also work in smaller groups with more specific tasks: for example, each Middle School homeroom has two mentors who are assigned to it and visit it one to two times a week before school. What are the three most important aspects of being a role model? Paula: I believe it’s important to be a leader, someone who people look to for help or guidance. Also, it’s important to be a positive participant in the community and an approachable person who is easy to talk to. Dan: The three most important qualities in a role model are being approachable, a leader, and patient. Being approachable is important because it allows one to create better relationships with those being mentored. Having leadership skills is also crucially important because it allows those being mentored to see how good planning can lead to effective outcomes. A mentor who is a poor leader will not be able to sufficiently teach the children what they need to know and give them advice on their future. Finally, it is important to be patient because sometimes longlasting relationships take a long time to form and it is essential for the mentor to be patient with this. 11
A Material World Yellow and orange leaves crunched beneath their boots as the Grade 1s filed into The York School classroom at the Evergreen Brick Works on October 28. With the morning sun shining and a crisp wind blowing, the stage was set for an artistic encounter with nature.
13
This visual arts field trip was part of the Primary Years Programme Unit of Inquiry called A Material World. This unit explores how the world works by understanding the development of materials, the ways different materials are used, the manipulation of materials for specific purposes and the environmental impact of the human use of materials. Visual Arts teacher Joanne Schwindt wanted to introduce students to materials that can be found in their homes and in the natural world and develop art projects to showcase them. She collaborated with homeroom teachers Julie Selley and Anne Bell to develop a holistic learning experience for students. Once at the Brick Works students spent the morning out in the fresh air on a hike to the natural clay grounds and then returned to the classroom to build their own
clay sculptures, while at the same time reflecting on the relationship humans have with the environment. “Whenever students learn, it’s not just in the classroom—it’s on a tactile level as well, so it becomes really well-rounded and is a nice cohesive way of building their knowledge,” says Joanne. Parent volunteers joined the hike and got to enjoy the awe shown by the students as they came across and picked up different plants and wildlife. The Grade 1s saw clay in its natural state, learned about plant life such as the staghorn sumac, the last flower of the fall called the aster and touched insects such as a fuzzy caterpillar known as the “Woolly Bear.” “Through exploring their relationship with the environment students can see how much control they have over the planet and that is a great lesson for them to learn at a young age,” says Joanne.
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Grade 5 Ambassadors in Action “ I became an ambassador because one of the jobs I want to be when I grow up is Canadian Ambassador, so I’ll get some practice for that.”—Sam Barnard “ I like talking to new people and meeting new people.”—Lieveke Bax “ My favourite room in the school is the Junior School Library because I love the subject and there’s a lot of cool projects and I used to not like reading, but after I came to The York School, I love reading.”—Lauren Pollack “ You will always make friends at The York School and the teachers are really nice and everything is awesome about The York School.”—Christian Walker “ My favourite thing about this school is probably my friends because they are really kind and are always there to support me.”—Eliana Pascolo
“ I really like (The York School) because all of the teachers are so nice and everybody loves to play with everyone.” —Jordan Hausman, Grade 5 student
“I’m so excited, I can’t wait!” says Grade 5 student Cleo Bushell. Around her, 25 of her Grade 5 compadres fidget excitedly in anticipation of the task ahead. Some get into partners and practice their opening lines, which range from “Welcome to York!” to “My favourite room is the art room!” and “What grade is your child in!?” This group will be tour guides for parents and families attending the Junior School Open House. With fact sheets in hand and discarded maps strewn about on tables (“I already know the school by heart—I don’t need the map!” says Ella Mathison) they all have one eye on the door and are ready to show guests around the Junior School with their own personal flair. All of these students are part of the Admission Department’s Grade 5 Ambassador Programme. They greet visitors, give tours and most importantly share their perspective on life at The York School with families visiting the school for the first time. “I really like (The York School) because all of the teachers are so nice and everybody loves to play with everyone,” says Grade 5 student Jordan Hausman.
By taking on the role of Ambassadors, these young students share the stories they have experienced within the walls of the school in a way that only someone who has lived it can, and that is powerful for prospective families. Parents looking to send their child to an independent school have many choices to make and meeting students plays an important role in helping them truly understand the culture of the school. “In order to find the right fit for your child, you need to take the time to get into the hallways and classrooms to gain insight into what would be the reality of the day-to-day experience for your child,” says Head of School Conor Jones. Having a Grade 5 Ambassador show you around does exactly that while providing a candid look inside the Junior School. This initiative has received very positive feedback since its inception. “Prospective parents and families see in our Ambassadors what they want their own children to be like: articulate, engaged, knowledgeable and kind students. That, I believe, is why it’s a special opportunity when prospective families get to be toured by a Grade 5 Ambassador,” says Admission Officer Natasha Estey.
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Alumni Profile
Nikki Toten ’06 Certain moments encapsulate why Nikki Toten, Manager of Development and Community Engagement at Scadding Court Community Centre and York School alumna, loves her job. One such moment was when the Kitchen Away from Home programme was born. The story goes like this: about six months ago a woman came into Scadding Court and began using a slow cooker in the lobby to make her dinner. Instead of telling her this was a fire hazard and turning her away, Scadding Court staff inquired why she needed to do this at the centre and how they could help. Not long afterwards, the Kitchen Away from Home programme was established. The programme allows
women living in a shelter across the street to use the Scadding Court kitchen to make home-cooked meals and store them in a communal fridge—something that was not possible at the shelter. Nikki says that stories like this happen all the time at the centre and is just one reason why the last two and a half years have been extremely fulfilling. She adds that the centre’s ethos, to reach out and collaborate to achieve solutions that benefit everyone involved, is aligned with her own beliefs and fits well with her educational and volunteering background. Nikki’s penchant for volunteerism started young. While at The York School she took part in the Service Learning Trip to India. She describes her three weeks volunteering at the Families for
“ The more time I spent being away the more I was interested in coming back home and seeing what challenges Toronto faces.” —Nikki Toten
Children orphanage as an experience that impacted her profoundly and changed her life so much so that she chose to return that year for a month with two of her classmates during their summer vacation. “India was a completely different world and was something that we had never experienced before. We got so much out of it while we were there and I learned so much about the culture, what life was like for people there and what struggles they were facing,” she says. After graduating from York in 2006, Nikki then attended the University of Chicago for one year before transferring to Bryn Mawr College, where she could study Growth and Structure of Cities. During her time at Bryn Mawr she interned at the Village of Arts and Humanities in Philadelphia and volunteered at the Benevolent Society in Sydney, Australia. Nikki attributes much of what she knows about communities and urban centres to the people she met and learned from during her volunteerism. However, one thought kept presenting itself during all of Nikki’s experiences and travels: “The more time I spent being away, the more I was interested in coming back home and seeing what challenges Toronto faces. I wondered why I was travelling around the world to address challenges in different countries when my own communities have challenges too,” says Nikki. Now, in her role at Scadding
Court, Nikki addresses concerns of Toronto residents in need every day. The centre has everything from early years programmes to programmes for senior citizens. Nikki’s eyes light up when she speaks about the variety her job offers—an average day can be filled with grant writing, meetings with colleagues, partners, funders or programme staff and projects that range from $200,000 grants to $10 transactions with vendors. One project Nikki manages is Market 707, a venture that places retrofitted shipping containers in front of the community centre and transforms them into vending stalls. These stalls are rented out for $10 to $25 a day and they can be used for everything from a bicycle repair stall to an art studio or food vending station. The idea is to provide affordable retail space in Toronto for entrepreneurs who wouldn’t otherwise have access to space to get their ideas off the ground. Today, there are 11 different kinds of street food vendors and a variety of other businesses operating out of Market 707. This is a passion project for Nikki as she is constantly working with vendors and city officials to nurture and grow the programme. When asked what she sees herself doing in ten years, Nikki pauses. She is not exactly sure, but she can say with confidence that she sees herself in Toronto working with others to better their communities. “It just works for me,” she says. 19
Champions Celebrate
Under the guidance and training of Teacher Coach Brian Eaton and Community Coach from the North Toronto Soccer Club Octavian Ghidanac, the Senior Boys Soccer team finished the season as undefeated champions this fall.
first-time player and gave me different exercises and suggestions on how to fix them, and by the end of the season I felt a large improvement in my understanding of not just the game, but more so what was going on around me at all times. —Christian Byrne, Grade 12
The final match against Albert College was a huge triumph with a score of 5–1. This was the first time this team had reached the championship match in the history of the school. Every player improved individually, but perhaps more powerful was their solidarity and cohesion as a team.
“The most important lesson I learned from our coaches was patience, selflessness and trust. I am glad that I was a part of a great team.” —Ali Amirzadeh, Grade 11
Here are some thoughts on the season: “Winning the championship was the single greatest moment of the season. However, it was made exponentially better due to the atmosphere created by the fans who came out to watch... it really provided an extra boost to the team during the game. Winning for the school, in front of all our friends, made the game that much more special.” —Zakariya Ali, Grade 11 “One thing the Community Coach was able to help me with was my awareness both on and off the ball. Octavian understood my weaknesses as a
“The most important lesson I learned from my coaches is that everyone must be involved in order to be a successful team or else we won’t be able to play as a team.” —Muhammed Jallow, Grade 11 “We are brothers, regardless of age, on and off the field.” —Alex Sigel, Grade 12 “Octavian introduced a passing and possession game that resulted in us dominating time of possession and successfully creating scoring opportunities. His love and knowledge of the game was infectious and resulted in each player wanting to improve both as individuals and as a team.” —Teacher Coach Brian Eaton
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Reflection on Outdoor Education
by Trip Coordinator Mercede Rogers
Being outdoors challenges students in different ways from what they might experience in the classroom. The natural world is constantly changing and filled with unknowns. This leads to an increased need for awareness and requires a student to make many decisions that will have immediate results. I believe that when students are immersed in the outdoors, incredible things can happen.
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While outdoors I have witnessed students coming together and collaborating in a variety of amazing ways. This fall, our Grade 6 students were tasked with working in small groups on an area of land at Camp Oochigeas. The activity was linked to their in-school study of the book Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen in which a young boy must live off the land on a Northern Alaskan Island. Their tasks were to make a shelter, find a water source, identify hazards in the area, explore any animal signs, identify edible and medicinal wild plants, offer a gift to the space and hopefully have some fun along the way. To accomplish these challenges, students were given freedom of movement and could self-select which tasks were of interest to them as long as all tasks were accounted for within their group. At one point I sat in my group’s shelter and listened to four students openly discuss what changes they would make the next time they built a shelter and what materials were better for making a roof. They checked in with other group members to see how their tasks were coming along and gave tours to one another showing what they had accomplished. They compromised, listened to reason and were open to the views and opinions of others. The programme was set to last for an hour and forty-five minutes; two and a half hours later I was crow calling 49 dirty Grade 6s out of the forest so we wouldn’t be late for lunch.
I remember sitting in a field on that sunny day with some of the students. We discussed how the time had flown and what discoveries we had made. We shared stories of walking on logs, making natural containers, building fires and the things we found funny. Their voices were filled with accomplishment, pride and energy. One student realized that in order to climb up a rock he needed to keep his body low and trust his footing; another learned that using natural lean-to’s and crevices was a good way to begin building a shelter instead of starting from scratch. Some mentioned that sitting on soft moss was more comfortable than a rock and that sticks shaped in certain ways can be used as good digging tools. The Council of Outdoor Educators of Ontario identifies four components of Outdoor Education: education for character, curriculum, environment and well-being. At The York School we seek to offer diverse experiences and embody these components. At the end of the day the results are undeniable. I see youth being active, making good choices, being kind to one another, exhibiting good judgement and problem-solving. I see them interacting positively with the natural world, self-selecting and listening to one another. At the heart of it all I see children being children and exploring their place in the world. Before heading to dinner that same day, we shared one last experience —this time it was voicing what we were grateful for. The group agreed—we were thankful for the earth. 25
Why York?
Q&A with Counsellors/ Parents
left: The York School counsellors/parents and their children, from the top: Middle School Counsellor Glen Blair and son Aidan Blair, Grade 10 Social Worker and Junior School Counsellor Elissa Kline-Beber and son Sam Beber, Grade 10 Middle School Counsellor Liz O’Dwyer and son William O’Dwyer, Grade 12
Three York School counsellors have their children enrolled at The York School, giving them a unique perspective on social, emotional and academic aspects of a student’s life. Please read on to learn about what brought each family to The York School, as well as current perspectives now that they are here. Why did you choose The York School for your child? Liz: We had been overseas for six years living in the Netherlands and William was at the American International School in Rotterdam. We knew we were coming home to Toronto and I wanted him to continue with the International Baccalaureate Programme even though he was only going into Grade 7. We knew we wanted a co-ed IB school in Toronto. William has an older brother and sister as well so it was great that they could all be in the same building. I also wanted him to be in a small community environment. All of those things make The York School. Elissa: Sam came to The York School in Grade 9 which was a year after I started working at the school. We made the decision to wait until after I had spent a year at the school because I felt it would give me a really good opportunity to understand the school ethos. After
having been in the school for a while I felt as though its community was a place where Sam could be successful. Glen: We were in Africa for three years, China for ten and Bolivia for two, so my son has never been anywhere but at an international school. Last year we came back to Canada. The move to Toronto was a hard transition. He was in a public school to start but it wasn’t the right fit. When he came to visit The York School and he met Music Teacher Fabio Biagiarelli, it was within five minutes that he had made the decision to be here. Additionally, the IB programme was always something I planned on having him participate in so it just made sense. What did you like about The York School when you visited? Elissa: I liked the size of the school. I liked that the kids were working hard and were really engaged in what they were learning and I thought that kind of learning would be really relevant for Sam and the kind of learner he is. For Sam I think technology is very appealing and I think that at the school they use technology in a way that really augments learning. I knew that would really resonate with him and I think he really likes the collaborative nature of the school. Liz: We came to visit and we loved it; just the feeling when we walked into the building was amazing. 27
Does a certain aspect of your child’s experience at The York School stand out in your mind? Elissa: I found it really exciting watching Sam take charge of his own learning and be responsible for his own learning. One of the things that I think has been most meaningful for me is seeing that his high school teachers really know their students and have really made an effort to get to know him as a person and understand how he ticks as a student. I think that sends a really important message to students about teachers’ willingness to support a child wherever they are in their learning. Glen: Aidan has only been here a little while and he has already joined the cross-country team, made the basketball team and performed a saxophone solo in his class, so I mean what he has already accomplished is amazing. He has put himself out there and the community is favourable to that. A highlight would just be the acceptance he has experienced and that he has picked up right from the moment he started. As a counsellor, what is the most important aspect of any child’s experience at school? Liz: My feeling is that if a student does not feel like they belong or they don’t feel that anybody cares about them, then they are not going to take that risk or ask the questions they want. There has to be a very nurturing and caring environment in the school and I think that’s something that counsellors can help students with. They need to know
that someone is in their court when things are turning upside down for them and to champion them as we do here. Elissa: I really think it’s so important for kids to have a place at school to learn about themselves and to learn about the people around them. I think generating respect for yourself as a learner, for yourself as a member of the community, for people in authority and for your classmates are all really important. Glen: I think that safety creates confidence and so a student has to feel safe, that they can take risks and that they can push and challenge themselves. So as a counsellor I’m looking for the self-esteem aspect and can a school create capable, confident children. That was the key piece I was looking for in a job. I was looking for a school that had counselling and a programme that I felt was developing kids in a way that I could support and then once I found that it was this way at The York School, then I felt comfortable bringing my child here. What is something that you’ve noticed The York School does differently from other schools? Glen: What’s interesting for me is that I looked at my daughter possibly coming here next year for Grade 9 and was so impressed with the Integrated Canadian Experience (ICE) programme that I would shout out loud from the treetops that we have the best Grade 9 programme in Toronto. It is an awesome, experiential programme where students get to know Toronto.
new students and really find people that he connected with. Emotionally I’d like him to see himself in a positive light and see the endless options available to him. I think that’s a model we really adopt at the school, that we really want to keep our kids’ eyes open to whatever path they choose to take. Elissa: One of the greatest strengths of our school is that the kids are known for who they are to the staff and to each other. I don’t think it’s easy to be a teenager and I think it’s so crucial to have a safety net of knowing who a child is so we can notice if a child is having a hard time or struggling. Liz: The teachers find out what a student’s strengths are and boost those and also where you need to improve and they help students with that as well. What do you hope your child is equipped with academically, socially and emotionally when they graduate? Elissa: Academically, I hope that Sam’s equipped with really good pre-university skills and I feel really confident that he is going to be. Socially, I think Sam naturally is a child who has always nurtured friendships and I’ve been really pleased to see that the school was a place where he was able to meet a whole group of
Liz: I would like William to be confident in the knowledge that he’s acquired and in his ability to make the right choices down the road. Glen: The social and emotional aspects I’m hoping for are the transferable skills. So the ability to hone and develop skills that they will then transfer to and be useful at university or in their first jobs. Simply, if you look at the IB Learner Profile and you say if my kid has those attributes and is focused on them, they are going to be successful in life. What is the best part of being a York School parent? Liz: I would say the community, everyone was welcoming and it was a great network when we came back to Canada, so it became our family. Glen: Communication is strong and really it’s knowing your child is happy going to school. Living with a happy teenager is great. 29
CAMH Panel: A Discussion on
Dealing with Stress and Anxiety
from left to right:
Valerie Pringle, Dr. David Goldbloom and Dr. Joanna Henderson
“With growing pressure to perform at school and fit in socially, stress and anxiety are common problems teenagers face today. The Globe and Mail reported that ‘Today’s teenagers report being significantly more anxious than their mothers and fathers were at the same age—and they are certainly the most medicated generation of under-18-year-olds in history.’ This fact has grabbed the attention of schools, universities, doctors and the media as it is a very real problem and can significantly impact teenagers’ well-being in the short and long term. Earlier in the year dedicated and long-time York School parent and
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) volunteer Liza Mauer and Bishop Strachan School parent Susan Caskey brought forward the idea of hosting a panel discussion on the topic and the school welcomed the opportunity to bring this conversation public. The esteemed Valerie Pringle moderated the panel of experts who included: Dr. David Goldbloom, Senior Medical Advisor, Education and Public Affairs at CAMH and Dr. Joanna Henderson, Clinician Scientist and the Head of Research, Child, Youth & Family Program at CAMH.” —Conor Jones, Head of School. To watch the entire panel discussion please visit: www.yorkschool.com/camh