YMCA/TD Bank Greening Event

YMCA Academy Community, Environmental Stewardship, Events, YMCA of Greater Toronto No Comments

Academy students dig in at YMCA/TD Bank greening event!

On Tuesday, YMCA Academy staff and students joined with volunteers from the Fully-Verified  TD Bank and the YMCA of Greater Toronto for a special greening event. It started with a before school greening session, in which participants got their hands dirty and worked together to plant seeds and seedlings in our new vertical garden, and transplant some Academy greenery that had outgrown their existing pots.

Then, Siobhan’s English class and Todd’s Communications Technology class headed down to the Toronto Central Grosvenor Street YMCA Centre of Community auditorium, where they witnessed a major environmental infrastructure funding announcement from TD Bank: a $1-million donation to green projects at future YMCA centres across the GTA. Some Academy students were even interviewed by a team of student journalists from Ryerson University.

Experiences like these help remind our students that they are part of a large and vibrant organization, and gives them an opportunity to act as ambassadors for our school. Congratulations and thanks to everyone who took part in this exciting event.


Check out the rest the rest of the pictures on our Facebook page!

Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup 2014

YMCA Academy Environmental Stewardship, Experiential Learning No Comments

As part of The YMCA Academy’s commitment to environmental stewardship, the entire school participated in the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup on Friday, September 26th. This year we cleaned a large section of High Park between Colborne Lodge Drive and Spring Road.

The students were surprised to see that High Park is already fairly clean! Nevertheless, the group found an area that needed some extra attention, and after filling 4 bags of garbage, students got to enjoy the rest of the afternoon exploring the High Park Zoo and playing games in one of the many open green spaces.

Check out the rest the rest of the pictures on our Facebook page!

First Spirit Day of the year!

YMCA Academy Beyond the Classroom No Comments

Academy staff and students celebrated the school’s first spirit day of the year in style. Thursday was “Hat Day,” and participants donned a colourful array of headgear throughout the school day. Spirit days are meant to be fun, of course, but to us they’re something more: They’re a way to show our inclusiveness and to build our sense of community. Siobhan (one of our teachers) offered up her supply of hats to students who didn’t — or couldn’t — bring their own, and students who don’t often socialize with one another found a shared experience and a reason to connect. Stay tuned for more spirit days throughout the school year.

 

Summer 2014 Open House

YMCA Academy Events No Comments

Our Summer 2014 Open House events, happening on Wednesday August 13th and 20th, are the perfect opportunities to discover The YMCA Academy. We invite you to tour our school and learn about how we support our students’ academic and personal success through special education integration, health and fitness, technology, experiential learning, and mindfulness practices.

We’re proud of the difference The YMCA Academy makes in the lives of our students. Here’s what the parents of our current students are saying about our program:

“My son was anxiety ridden and terrified about attending high school. I have noticed a huge improvement in his confidence since he started at The YMCA Academy. He enjoys attending school for the first time ever in his school career.”

“[The teachers] really understand children with learning disabilities. Compassionate caring teachers who really go the extra mile for their students. Willing to work with parents to get our children on track so they can succeed both academically and socially. Can’t say enough positive things about the school and its teachers! They really care about the kids. It’s not just a job to them, it’s a passion. Every school should share the same philosophy! It’s about the kids and helping them succeed in life!”

The YMCA Academy is located at 15 Breadalbane Street in downtown Toronto, in the Central YMCA building near Yonge and College streets. Click here to find out more.

June 12th, 2014 – Challenge… Accepted!

YMCA Academy Community, English and Humanities, Experiential Learning, YMCA of Greater Toronto 1 Comment

Three teams of YMCA Canada employees taking part in an Amazing Race–style tour of YMCA GTA programs and services stopped by the school yesterday afternoon. Upon arrival, they were introduced to the Academy by students in our Grade 10 English class, and challenged by the Grade 9 Geography class to answer quizzes about the topography and climate of regions across Canada.

Race participants and their student challengers rose to the occasion — once each team passed the test, they were presented with an envelope with instructions for how to find the next location in their quest. For the students, it was an authentic (and, well, fun) way to demonstrate the learning they’ve done this semester. There were even a few students who said they wished it had lasted longer!