When the global pandemic hit North American shores in mid-March, schools across the GTA responded in different ways. We sat down with Justin Medved (Director of Learning Innovation & Technology) at The York School to learn about their “Continuity of Learning Plan” and how a small school responded to the challenge. Before the school went … Continued
It’s been an unusual year for graduating classes of 2020, who have been home schooling since March. As student’s graduate and prepare for their future, Jaymie Heller, Valedictorian from Toronto Prep School leaves an encouraging message to the graduates of 2020. “I would like to wish a huge congratulations to my fellow graduates. I am … Continued
By Nikki Gill
Food Network Canada’s new series highlighting the best and brightest young chefs across the country has a homegrown star. Ten-year-old Patrick Nicholson is showcasing his chef skills on Junior Chef Showdown and has made it all the way to the finale which airs on Sunday, June 7 at 9 p.m. The Owen Public School student … Continued
By Nikki Gill
With overnight camps cancelled for the summer due to COVID-19, and most day camps going in the same direction due to strict physical distancing protocols still in place, some city programs, camps and grassroots organizations have gotten creative with new ways to deliver a camp-like experience to kids at home. Here is a list of … Continued
It’s June and there are a lot of things outside of our control right now. The future is unpredictable. For the high school graduate who has university waiting on the other side of summer, it can be an especially anxious time. They should be feeling exuberant, but instead they are stepping out of the comfort … Continued
By Nikki Gill
A north Toronto student has been using the 3D printing skills he learned in school to create face shields for frontline health-care workers — with a twist. When 13-year-old Upper Canada College student Warren Richmond-Kalaci saw that the company of the 3D printer he owned, Prusa, had put out a design guide for printing face … Continued
By Nikki Gill
When Erin Elfassy, mother to three children under the age of nine, heard that overnight camps would not be happening this summer and possibly the same for day camps as well, she says it felt like her world had been flipped upside down. “It was just this feeling of, ‘Oh no, how are we going … Continued
By Ron Johnson
Every year, hundreds of thousands of kids engage in team sports of all shapes and sizes. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the best one could hope for is kicking a ball against a brick wall at the school, or trying to get Mom and Dad out to sling a frisbee. As the Ontario economy starts to … Continued
By Ron Johnson
While overnight camps have been cancelled by the province of Ontario, one such organization hasn’t given up the fight just yet. Camp Timberlane has sent an email to its clients suggesting that there could be overnight camping this summer if they get the go-ahead for a pilot project signed by owner and director Corey Mandell. … Continued
By Nikki Gill
Parenting columnist Joanne Kates is an expert educator in the areas of conflict mediation, self-esteem and anti-bullying, and she is the director of Camp Arowhon in Algonquin Park. What exactly is a silver lining? First thought: It’s that thing we’re supposed to find under the cloud cover, to try to be okay with bad stuff. … Continued
By Nikki Gill
Cat and Nat tackle motherhood with wit and wisdom. Find them at catandnat.ca or @catandnat. COVID hit like a ton of f**king bricks and it took us with it. When we thought about COVID, when we thought about being locked in the house, we thought we would be a specific kind of mom. At the beginning, we jumped … Continued
In an effort to ensure important rites of passage aren’t overlooked during the COVID-19 pandemic, some students and schools across Ontario are making plans to celebrate student achievement. Although proms and graduation ceremonies have been cancelled en masse across the province, the Minister of Education Stephen Lecce has asked schools to pick up where they … Continued
