There is a strange silence at the YMCA Academy today, as more than half of our students participate in the Vow of Silence, an initiative of Free the Children. Students have become silent today to show their support and solidarity for those who do not have a voice in our world, and those whose human rights are being violated. They vow to remember and work towards everybody being a fully recognized and participating member of their society. In hallways that are normally filled with boisterous laughter and classrooms where there is usually excited discussion, today is quiet and somber as we remember those who are sometimes forgotten.
Nov. 18th, 2010 – Swing Dancing at the Academy!
On Monday November 15th, the History class turned into a dance class! As part of our Unit on the 1920’s and 1930’s, we were fortunate to have guests Dave Mott and Alexi Manis teach us the Charleston. The students had a great time, as they danced to classic Charleston music, then tested the timelessness of the moves by busting out the same moves to Daft punk. It was a fun class, and we’d all like to thank Dave and Alexi for teaching us a bit more about the culture and dance of the Roaring ‘20’s.
Nov. 12th, 2010 – RSVP for Prnt/Tchr Interviews
Dear Parents / Guardians,
Just a reminder that Parent / Teacher Interviews are happening next week on Wednesday November 17th (for Grade 9’s & 10’s) and Thursday November 18th (for Grade 11’s & 12’s). If you are still interested in coming in for an interview but have not yet made an appointment, please do so as soon as possible by calling us at 416-928-0124 ext. “0”. There are only a couple of times left on Wednesday however, there are still several available times on Thursday. Call as soon as you can to ensure you get the day and time you desire.
Please note: To accommodate Parent / Teacher Interviews, both days will operate on a shortened schedule so that all classes will finish at 12:10pm. See schedules below.
Wednesday November 17th
09:30am – 10:45am Period 1
10:45am – 10:55am Break
10:55am – 12:10pm Period 2
Thursday November 18th
09:30am – 10:45am Period 3
10:45am – 10:55am Break
10:55am – 12:10pm Period 4
Also, please note that students are encouraged to attend the interviews (or part of) with their Parents / Guardians. Report cards will be given to you at the time of your interview. If you do not come in for an interview, the report card will be mailed to the student’s home the following week. Should you have any questions or concerns about Parent / Teacher Interviews, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Nov. 12th, 2010 – Remembrance Day Ceremony
Yesterday the YMCA Academy presented our annual Remembrance Day ceremony to 42 Charles Street East. The ceremony included a minute of silence, traditional readings such as “In Flander’s Field”, a video from Veterans Affairs Canada, and student writing and poetry. We also paid respect to the contribution of Aboriginal people in times of both war and peace – this also included a native smudging. Thank you to all of the students who worked to make the ceremony so special. We received many positive comments from people in the building. Well done!
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Nov. 12th, 2010 – Exploring our local Geography
On November 10th, Grade 9 Geography students went on a walk to get to know our neighborhood. We noticed many buildings, plaques, parks and monuments that we had just walked by in the past. This is part of our unit on mapping and getting to know our local Geography and landforms.
