Dear Parents / Guardians,
Just a reminder that Friday – March 7th is the last day of classes before March Break.
The first day of classes after the break is Monday March 24th.
Mar 5th, 2014 – LDAO Breakfast at the Sheraton
5 students from the YMCA Academy had the pleasure to attend LDAO’s 7th Annual learning & Leadership Corroborate Breakfast at the Sheraton Centre Hotel on the morning of March 5th. We were treated to a gourmet breakfast, and Jonathan Mooney’s inspiring story about his experiences navigating school systems throughout his youth. Thank you LDAO once again for the opportunity to participate! We had a blast!
A litte more about the LDAO’s learning & Leadership Corroborate Breakfast:
“This year’s event promises to be at once entertaining and educational. Welcome to a new world, where the good kid doesn’t sit still. A world where some of the smartest kids in the class don’t read well or don’t read at all. A world where the popular kids don’t make eye contact, don’t shake hands, and definitely don’t back slap. Renowned writer, neuro-diversity activist and author Jonathan Mooney vividly, humorously and passionately brings to life this wonderful world of neuro-diversity: the research behind it, the people who live in it, and the lessons it has for all of us who care about the future of education. You will leave this talk fundamentally changed and empowered.”
Mar 4th, 2014 – QSA student interest group
The YMCA Academy proudly presents our school’s first Queer-Straight Alliance student interest group. This group was inspired after Planned Parenthood’s T.E.A.C.H. program (Teens Educating and Confronting Homophobia) presented a workshop at our school last fall. The QSA meets every few weeks to discuss issues pertaining to gender and sexual identity and ways to ensure that our school community is a safe, inclusive place for everyone. This past week, staff and students worked on a mural inspired by artist and social justice activist Keith Haring. We had pizza, played tunes and enjoyed each other’s company. Stay tuned for more updates about the cool stuff we do in this club!
Mar 3rd, 2014 – Black History Month Assembly
The YMCA Academy proudly presented a series of assemblies to celebrate Black History Month this February. Students in drama, history, English and science classes engaged our school community in a variety of presentations about topics ranging from the history of Africville in Nova Scotia to short scripts depicting the life of boxer Rubin “Hurricane” Carter, and information about the achievements of African-American and African-Canadian scientists to readings of poetry from the Harlam Renaissance.
Check out the rest the rest of the pictures on our Facebook page!
Feb 14th, 2014 – NeuroTech Ontario Event
On Monday, February 10, 2014 at the Central YMCA in Toronto, Ontario, the Ontario Brain Institute celebrated the growth and achievements of NeuroTech Ontario — an initiative running in partnership with the Government of Canada’s Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario).
ThriverTM Inc. a FedDev Ontario and OBI supported project developed between the University of Windsor and OTEP Inc., made an official announcement in partnership with The YMCA Academy. Read the full press release.
YMCA Academy students participated in the event showcasing Thriver’s new online learning platform. Check out some of the great photos!
Check out the rest of the pictures on our Facebook Page!