KCS Annual Report 2019-2020: A Better Tomorrow. Together.

RESPECT | MANNERS | TRY YOUR BEST

A BETTER
TOMORROW,
TOGETHER.

ANNUAL REPORT
2019–2020

We are a resilient, positive school community,
committed to overcoming challenges, while always
keeping an eye on the future.

Our staff, students, parents and Our Four Doors to Learning program inspires
alumni are united in ensuring the our students to find their passions in the areas of
sustainability of KCS, even in the academics, arts, athletics and citizenship. We are a
most difficult times, just as we have leader among independent schools around well-
always done for the past 32 years. being for students and staff. Widespread student
leadership, extensive engagement in service,
Embrace learning, think flexibly, take student-led entrepreneurship, coding and notable
responsible risks, and make the student growth, as learners, artists, athletes and
world better are four of our twenty- citizens fuels our passionate community.
six habits that help our students to
reach their full potential. At KCS, we Together, we are responding to our changing,
recognize that established practices uncertain times with flexibility, optimism, empathy
along with teamwork, positivity and and cohesiveness. And through it all, we instill
community have value, and today’s our three school rules: Respect, Manners and Try
students need that and more. Your Best.

Kingsway College School students continue to
shine and work collaboratively as a team, even
through the most challenging times, with the help
of teachers, staff, families and alumni. We strive to
make a difference in our community and beyond.

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CONTENTS

05 MESSAGES 38 StEP

The Chair, KCS Board of Governors Growing Entrepreneurship StEP by StEP
The Head of School

09 STORIES 40 EAR LY LE AR N I N G P ROG RAM

Our Journey Continues at KCS Senior School Curriculum Night 2019
Re-Entry Task Force
KCS At-Home Learning Program 42 4 DOORS HIGHLIGHTS
Academics
15 ALUMNI Arts
Athletics
Alumni in Action
KCS Working Committee Citizenship
20th Year Reunion
Alumni Milestones 57 GRADS

20 SPECIAL EVENTS Messages from 2020 Valedictorians

Welcome Back BBQ 60 FINANCIALS
Humbertown Park 2019–2020 Financial Report
Orange Shirt Day
Terry Fox Run 6 2 PARENT NETWORK
Town Halls Updates
Grandparents and Special Friends Day Key Highlights

32 SPEAKERS & AUTHORS 64 BOARDS & COMMITTEES
Board of Governors
Robyn Meagher and Jason Dorland Governance Committee
Alan Cross Finance Committee
Tracy Schmitt Advancement Committee
Lynn Lyons Strategic Planning Committee
Chris Vollum Discusses Digital Intelligence Senior Campus Committee
Susan Mazan
Officer Nevills Visits Grade Six
Wab Kinew
Kenneth Oppel

3

MESSAGES

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FROM THE CHAIR

KCS BOARD OF GOVERNORS

Who could have imagined the
unprecedented things that have
happened this past year since
our children left the school for
March Break.

As we continue to deal with this pandemic and I want to thank all of our families for contributing
find a new normal in our homes and professional to an exceptional community that is ready to offer
lives, I assure you that our KCS Board has been in anything they can to make it possible for KCS to
continuous communication, working closely with become greater every year and let initiative soar.
Derek Logan, Head of School, Senior Administration
and faculty in dealing with COVID-19 as it evolves. In spite of all our successes, we continue to self-
As a Board, we fully support and are grateful for evaluate, pursue excellence and find room for
the outstanding work that has been accomplished improvement. The whole school has been hard at
to date. work for the last year in dealing with the effects of
the COVID-19 pandemic. We will continue to stay on
Each day, our children are making the world a track and forge ahead.
better place. As a community, we continue to be as
committed and passionate as we always have been. On behalf of the Board of Governors, thank you for
Our Founders were a small but dedicated group your ongoing support of KCS. It is my great privilege
who, with a lot of hard work and their own money, to serve as the Chair of the Board of Governors.
got this school off the ground. Our parents, alumni, I invite you to continue reading our Annual
grandparents and alumni parents continue to be Report with the theme of “Getting comfortable
actively involved in our community. being uncomfortable” to see more of the great
accomplishments from our students
Together, we inspire and community.
our students to
goodness, to make BRONWEN EVANS
the world a better Chair, KCS Board of Governors
place, each day.

5

FROM KCS HEAD OF SCHOOL

Since COVID-19 turned our lives upside-down back in March, I have felt like
a captain of a submarine. Everything that I took for granted about running a
school became anything but comfortable. All of it needed to be re-thought,
re-planned, and re-invented. We all had to get comfortable with being
uncomfortable, and quickly.

Getting comfortable being uncomfortable comes ability to regularly connect with our students was
from an article I read by an American nuclear the hardest part of this whole situation for me. At the
submarine officer. The reason submarines work is end of the day, it’s all about connecting with people.
very simple. It’s because of teamwork. Captains Every individual in our community matters, and
are only as good as their team of officers, sailors, maintaining that sense of connection between all of
and support staff onshore. Our KCS submarine has us at KCS has been a priority this past year.
been successful this past year for many of the same
reasons we’ve been successful in the past; we’ve I know that I’ll never actually be a captain of a
all been supported by an amazing community of submarine (I was in a Soviet submarine once,
students, faculty, staff, Board members, volunteers, but didn’t enjoy the tight quarters given my size).
and families. This experience in the last half of this school year
has shown me that becoming comfortable with
As soon as I realized that we would have to close being uncomfortable is not just a survival tactic
the school, I knew that everyone on our team would for submariners. It’s also a good reminder that
be ready to jump in, help out, and support each navigating choppy waters is a lot easier if you’ve
other. That’s because I’ve seen it happen again got teamwork, positivity, and a strong community
and again throughout my years at KCS. These are on your side.
intense times. They have reminded me how lucky
I am to be surrounded by such a great community As we did throughout this past year, I’m confident
of people. we’ll get through this together while maintaining
our tradition of excellence, one step at a time, and
That includes our parents and families as well. we’ll keep working as a supportive community in
Just like our faculty and staff, our families rolled partnership until we get to the other side.
up their sleeves and helped us make it through
this experience. I’m also very proud of how With respect and appreciation,
hard we worked as a school to give families the
opportunities to ask questions or raise concerns, as DEREK LOGAN
their experiences at home gave us valuable insights Head of School
and feedback that helped inform our thinking and
decision making. In many ways, not having that

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Navigating choppy waters is a lot
easier if you’ve got teamwork,
positivity, and a strong community
on your side.”

7

STORIES

THE JOURNEY CONTINUES
WITH KCS SENIOR SCHOOL

We could not have been prouder this Taking the students to our new site and introducing
January to announce the opening of them to the endless learning that’s within a minute’s
our Senior School to the community. walk was a highlight.
The best part of the announcement
is that we can at last share all the KCS now has two great campuses which our Junior
exciting project details. and future Senior School students can now embrace
as their neighbourhoods. There are so many
The Senior School website shares our new location possibilities. The learning has just begun for us all.
and many of the special features we have in mind
for enriched student learning. Our new Senior Here’s a sample of how students said they could
School e-newsletter has been getting steady sign- use this outdoor space for learning:
ups. We encourage every interested follower to sign
up on our website so you can be sure to learn about • Poetry and descriptive writing
our ongoing progress and any important dates
coming up. • Building a working model of the Stormwater
Management Facility
Earlier in the year, our grade 6 and 7 students met
with our architect, Oliver Beck, and participated in • Learning to sail
discussion around design. We arranged a short trip
to our site so they could see the building from the • Getting permission from the city to create French
outside and get to know the nearby greenspace. language versions of the many signs describing
They saw the Etobicoke Stormwater Management the area
Facility, with ducks and tagged swans swimming in
the frigid water, the Humber Bay Butterfly Habitat, • Painting and sketching
and the Home Garden that was distinctly designed
to support various species of butterflies in their • Hosting our “Wake Up With the Arts” events on
different life cycle stages. the boardwalk

Our grade 6s got a peek at the wetlands a little to • Calculating the volume of water in the
the west, and our grade 7s visited the Air India 182 Stormwater Facility
Memorial in Humber Bay Shores Park East. During
our walk, they were challenged to look, listen, • Investigating the history of Air India Flight 182,
and think of how this intriguing environment could the history of the neighborhood (including the
connect with each of their school subjects. Mr. Christie cookie factory), and the history of the
Indigenous communities that used to inhabit this
part of the city

We remain committed and continue to work towards
the opening of the KCS Senior School despite the
global pandemic.

9

STORIES

RE-ENTRY TASK FORCE

This pandemic and its evolution are new to In the spring, the Re-Entry Task Force made
everyone, and planning a school year with such significant progress towards a plan that
uncertainty is unprecedented. With many unknowns, contemplates how the school will function in an
planning for a return to our facilities was a complex environment that accommodates for physical
endeavour, which required time to implement safely distancing, changes to how we use the school
and effectively. building and the space around it, and significant
technology investments.
There were many decisions to be made, and
academic models to be developed and finalized for GUIDING PRINCIPLES
the 2020/2021 school year. A fluid process was also
required as the task force responded to changes in The following principles guided the Task Force’s effort:
the situation as well as government guidance and
directives. 1 HEALTH, SAFETY AND
OVERALL WELL-BEING
KCS followed global developments in pandemic
modelling and response for schools, as well as 2 MEETING OR EXCEEDING
best practices in education. In addition, senior DIRECTIVES AND
administrators attended provincial, national and RECOMMENDATIONS
global webinars and conference calls each week.
3 DELIVERING HIGHEST
Multiple sub-committees, that included additional QUALITY EDUCATION
board members and senior administrators, were
convened to support work in the areas of health, 4 REMAINING FLEXIBLE AND
safety and well-being; academics; facility upgrades; OPEN MINDED
and technology. External experts including KCS
parents Dr. Farid Mahmud, Staff Physician in the 5 TRANSPARENT
Division of Endocrinology at the Hospital for Sick COMMUNICATION
Children, Dr. Sergio Borgia, Medical Director and
corporate division head of the Infectious Disease 6 FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND
Program at William Osler Health System, Krystal RESPONSIBILITY
Pollitt, P.Eng, Assistant Professor of Environmental
Sciences at the Yale School of Public Health, as well
as architect Tye Farrow, were engaged both formally
and informally to provide insight and feedback on
the task force’s work.

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Throughout the spring and summer, TASK FORCE
significant time and effort was devoted to
the following initiatives: Alan Bowman, Governor and Task Force Chair
Bronwen Evans, Chair, Board of Governors
• Cohorting of classes Andrea Fanjoy, Head of Senior School
Anne-Marie Jarman, Director of Finance
• Small class sizes Tiffany Jay, Governor
Derek Logan, Head of School
• Staggered entry and dismissal Hallie McClelland, Director of Advancement
John McGraw, Governor
• Hiring of additional faculty Beth Shiferaw, Senior School Committee

• Hiring of a School Nurse STAND TOGETHER BY
STANDING APART
• Additional support in the area of mental
health We are doing our best to understand
for students and staff each individual student and staff
member, their strengths and
• Introduction of a screening process challenges, and support them to be
the best they can be during their
• Updated cleaning protocols during the day journey at KCS. We are investing to
and evening create a better tomorrow, together.

• Handwashing and sanitizing protocols for 11
students and staff

• Investments in improved ventilation
throughout the school facilities

• Investments in technology infrastructure
including additional devices, WiFi that
extends beyond the interior of the building,
and the introduction of high quality live
streaming technology, optimizing learning
for students at home and school

• Getting outdoors as much as possible
throughout the school day

• Teacher professional development in
online teaching

• Infection prevention and control

• Academic plan

• Physical distancing strategies

• Environmental control measures

STORIES

KCS AT-HOME LEARNING PROGRAM

Some would argue that it was impossible to prepare for an event like COVID-19
and the subsequent move to online learning. At KCS, we have actually been
preparing for situations like these for some time now. Over five years ago, we
created and put into place our comprehensive set of responses to a number of
drastic “what if?” scenarios that are audited and updated annually.

12 | Kingsway College School Annual Report

One of those scenarios outlined in the plan is a On the first Wednesday after March Break, we
situation where the school’s building is no longer officially launched the KCS At-Home Learning
accessible, but the technology infrastructure is Program with homeform Meets at every grade level.
still in place. And as we all well know, we found
ourselves in exactly that situation back in March of If these past few months have taught us anything, it
this year. Knowing that this situation – along with is that we are blessed with a culture of growth and
many others – could one day arise, we have been flexibility here at KCS. Our faculty and staff have
preparing for the worst by making regular strategic gone way out of their comfort zone and embraced
updates over the past few years to our technology this situation with positivity, professionalism, and
infrastructure. drive. Additionally, our families and students have
epitomized our third school rule: Try Your Best! All
We transferred workloads and data to the cloud, our students and families have worked incredibly
along with our email system. We drastically cut hard to take on these new challenges, and we could
down on local applications that have to be saved not be prouder of them.
on laptops, and moved instead to web-based
subscription programs. We also made an intentional
choice to move away from desktop computers and
towards a full fleet of microphone and webcam
enabled laptops for all faculty and staff. Additionally,
our faculty and students received a great deal of
tech training to help them get used to Sesame,
Edmodo, and the Google suite of apps. All of these
decisions meant that our technology was nimble,
mobile, and ready for remote teaching and working,
long before COVID-19 came onto the scene.

On March 25, KCS moved to an online learning
scenario and began our “KCS At-Home Learning
Program.” The academic leadership team developed
an at-home learning plan that incorporated strong
academics, mental well-being, and meaningful
connections between faculty and students. We
then took this plan and used it as a guide for our
next steps. We had all staff and faculty take part
in intense, focused, and scaffolded professional
development designed to help them make effective
use of Google Meet, Edmodo, and Sesame as
communication and teaching platforms.

13

STORIES

KCS AT-HOME
LEARNING PROGRAM

FLIPGRID PASSION DRIVEN LEARNING

Alongside our students and fellow teachers, we took Our commitment to passion-driven learning was
a responsible risk and piloted the use of Flipgrid in stronger in this unusual time. From day one of our
a number of different classes. Flipgrid is a way for KCS At-Home Learning Program, passion projects
students and teachers to communicate via short were a part of the Weekly Learning Plan (WLP) going
videos. It is highly customizable, has excellent home to every student. Encouraging students to
privacy settings, and is presented in a way that is devote part of their school week to pursuing their
very engaging and accessible for a generation that passions is as much about learning as it is about our
is growing up using apps such as TikTok other priority: well-being. Our facility closure and
or Snapchat. the physical distancing that removed much of what
used to bring happiness also took away much of our
It has proven to be a remarkable tool—­ not only in students’ healthy sense of control. Passion projects
drama classes, but in many other disciplines. We’ve that are rooted in one’s own passion and pursued
also incorporated it into student speeches, social in a way of their choosing, at a pace that’s right
studies projects, and games such as “All About Me” for them, brought a powerful sense of control and
and “Guess Who”. It was also used as the backbone source of joy back into our students’ lives.
of our KCS’ Got Talent @ Home Edition!
Balance has always brought value to the KCS
LIFELONG LEARNERS experience. Passion projects and “learning for the
love of it” bring value to student learning. They also
The teachers at KCS love what they do, and they bring happiness, motivation, and inspiration at a
are deeply committed to helping each and every troubling time. We’ll keep sharing internally and on
one of their students manage this new learning our social media channels (#KCSPassionProjects)
experience the best they can. They rolled up their where those passions take our students. And we
sleeves and developed entirely new lessons and hope our sharing will inspire all in education to find
programs, all because they wanted their students the balance all students deserve.
to not only keep learning, but to also have a degree
of normalcy in the midst of a time of uncertainty and
anxiety. Together, they kept working, kept figuring
things out and came out at the other end stronger
and more connected than ever.

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ALUMNI

15

ALUMNI HIGHLIGHTS

As the number of KCS alumni
increases year to year, so too does the
interest from alumni getting involved
with the school in some way.

We engage our alumni community at KCS in a
number of ways, including:

• Distribution of important school news
• Network and relationship building among alumni

and faculty
• Mentoring opportunities and engagement with

current students
• Citizenship and community outreach

KCS WORKING COMMITTEE

Jamie Cameron (‘97), alumni rep on the Board of Former Kingsway College School students are part
Governors started a working committee to flush out of a growing community who embody the KCS
opportunities for alumni of all ages to contribute values that we proudly recognize as an integral part
to KCS. Members of the committee include Jamie, of the school’s heritage.
Emily Burkart (‘07), Marianne Bulger (‘01), Austin
Cook (‘10), Caroline Gesualdi (Current Parent), John Please contact Hallie McClelland at hmcclelland@
Mason (‘04), and Susan Richardson (Alumni Parent), kcs.on.ca if you would like to participate in alumni
as well as Head of School, Derek Logan, and relations in support of KCS.
Director of Advancement, Hallie McClelland.

An Alumni Planning Day was held virtually in May,
where a number of priorities were discussed.
The committee felt the first priority should be the
creation and execution of an All Alumni Survey. The
alumni committee worked together to formulate the
questions, and alumni were invited to participate in
a survey over the summer.

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It’s important for current students to know
they are part of something bigger. It can lead
to an immense sense of pride and belonging.”

— Adam Horodnyk, Class of ‘99

20TH YEAR REUNION

One evening in November, KCS celebrated the
20-year reunion of the graduating class of 1999. It
was so wonderful to see former students, faculty
and staff. It’s truly a mark of our passionate and
engaged community that 20 years later, alumni want
to celebrate their time at KCS.

Thank you to all who came out to the Crooked Cue
to celebrate the Class of ’99 and for making it a
night to remember. Thanks to John Bulger and Jon
Sachs for their help organizing the event.

A FOUNDING FAMILY’S
CURRENT KCS CONNECTION

In September, we welcomed back our returning
students and greeted the 71 new students who
started this year. Among the group is Grace, a
grade 1 student whose family has a very special
connection to KCS.

Grace’s grandparents, Wally and Christine
Horodnyk, are one of our founding families, having
helped establish the school. Grace’s father, Adam, is
a graduate from the Class of ’98 and organized his
KCS 20th Reunion event.

17

2019–2020 ALUMNI MILESTONES

We love hearing what KCS alumni are up to, either in person, or by sending us
a note to [email protected]. We’ll share updates on social media, on
our alumni pages, and in our annual report.

DANNY Z

CLASS OF ‘19

Magician and KCS alumnus from 2019 performed
once again for KCS students mid-December. This
talented entrepreneur with a passion for magic took
advantage of the KCS pilot in entrepreneurship in
2018. Starting with the idea of creating a set of KCS
playing cards, his business evolved into a student
art contest, and 350 decks of high quality cards with
a unique gift inside via a QR code. Danny Z’s playing
cards were sold in the school store, with the funds
going back to the Entrepreneurship Fund.
Danny Z continues to do incredible magic,
performing in front of our entire school several
times, at our 30th Anniversary Gala last May, and at
other events around the city, and beyond. Watch this
young magician’s star continue to rise!

KATE PETRIW

CLASS OF ‘98

Congratulations to KCS Alumna Kate Petriw and
her co-author Nina Purewal on the success of their
book Let That Sh*t Go, a national Globe and Mail
bestseller! Nina and Kate take a no-filter approach
to mindfulness and share the wisdom they’ve
gained through decades of practising and teaching
others to find happiness and peace of mind. Let that
Sh*t Go is available in 12 countries worldwide and
has been featured in Refinary 29, Elle, The Daily
Mail and Toronto Star.

18 | Kingsway College School Annual Report

JACK SINCLAIR ANDREW MARTIN

CLASS OF ‘19 CLASS OF ‘15

Jack paid KCS a visit, lending a helping hand Andrew Martin stopped by KCS to visit and update
as he spent several hours sorting and scanning us on his first year at the University of St. Andrews
KCS archival materials. Jack has also played a in Scotland, where he is pursuing a Master of Arts
role as our first Student Advisor to the Senior (Honours) in International Relations. He’s enjoying all
School, dedicating time to planning for our of the traditions of Scotland’s oldest university, and
student-led cafe. Thanks Jack! keeps in close contact with all of his KCS friends.

ANDREW CORBETT ENTREPRENEURS AUSTIN, ‘10
AND HUNTER, ‘12 COOK, DO-
CLASS OF ‘12 NATE TO KCS GALA

Andrew Corbett, Class of 2012, stopped by KCS to Thank you to KCS alumni, Austin and Hunter Cook
visit and catch up with his past teachers. Andrew from their water sports and entertainment company
just started his career at CIBC as a Mortgage for their auction package donation to the KCS 30th
Advisor in Toronto. Anniversary Diamond Gala silent auction. All funds
raised at the auction were put towards our ground-
breaking Student Entrepreneurship Program.

THE SENIOR SCHOOL
EXCITEMENT GROWS

MARIANNE BULGER Alumni parents Lisa and Brian Burlacoff (Aaron ‘16
and Noah ‘18) had a wonderful update from Andrea
CLASS OF ‘01 Fanjoy about the KCS Senior School.

Congratulations to Marianne Bulger, KCS Class of
’01, and CEO/Co-Founder of Prospect, a free and
fully-aggregated career network built by-and-for the
Canadian tech startup ecosystem. Since Prospect’s
inception in 2018, it has helped over 10,000 unique
job seekers explore startup opportunities.

19

SPECIAL EVENTS

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SPECIAL EVENTS

OUR ANNUAL “WELCOME BACK” BBQ

A tradition like no other, thanks to our volunteers

On September 28, KCS kicked off the start of the both parents and alumni. Thank you to the
school year with the annual Welcome Back BBQ. many people who spent their time organizing the
Although officially fall, KCS was rewarded with event, setting up, energetically running our BBQ
summer-like weather for this memorable event that activities, showcasing their talents at the treat
saw our community of families, teachers, staff and stations and helping to pack up at the end of a
alumni come together for an afternoon of tasty food wonderful evening.
and fantastic fun.
We extend our sincere gratitude again to the Fulton
The success of the BBQ is due in large part to the family for the generous donation of Tim Hortons
generous contribution of time by our volunteers, timbits, hot chocolate and coffee!

BBQ BY THE NUMBERS

678 118

MEALS SERVED CAKES AND CUPCAKES WON

350 747

KIDS ATTENDED TREATS CONSUMED

3.5 2,850

HOURS OF ENJOYMENT TIMBITS ENJOYED

145 130

VOLUNTEERS HOURS VOLUNTEERED

21

THE RENEWAL OF We don’t stop
HUMBERTOWN PARK playing because we
grow old, we grow
The Humbertown Park Official Opening took place old because we stop
on the same day as the school’s Terry Fox Run, playing.”
Friday, September 27, 2019. Thanks to donors,
and partnerships with The City of Toronto, TriAxis — George Bernard Shaw
Construction, and Haig Seferian Design, Earthscape
Play, Aldershot Landscape Contractors and MTE Through the charitable support of our lead donors,
Engineers, the new and improved park opened to KCS alumni family Paul Vessey and Kathleen Flynn,
students, families and the community. as well as other investors in play in support of the
Humbertown Park Renovation Project, the dream to
The renovation included: transform this special park has become a reality.

• Two new playground structures designed with The park has been well utilized by KCS since the
all ages in mind: one structure for older children opening, as well as by families around the area,
to appeal to their sense of adventure and one after school and on weekends. The renovation of
structure for the youngest to nurture their Humbertown Park has made it a destination park
developing skills across Toronto’s West End, and will have a lasting
effect on our students, their families and
• Outdoor seating space for group learning or our community.
conversation

• Updated landscaping to create a tranquil green
space in the heart of the Kingsway

• A walking loop surrounding the perimeter of the
park as a dedicated walking/jogging space and a
marked route for athletics teams to practice

• A new drainage and irrigation system for the field
so children can get outside and be active all
year round

22 | Kingsway College School Annual Report

23

SPECIAL EVENTS

THANK YOU HUMBERTOWN PARK DONORS!

STUDENT DONORS PLATINUM

Abi Lee The Vessey Flynn Family
Abigail Leo The Fraser Family
Alessandro Maggie The Lund Family
Alex Mathilda The Laurin Family
Anara Maxwell
Beatrice Mia GOLD
Braedan Michael
Daniel Mila City of Toronto
David Monty The Marrone Family
Declan Nathan The Poulos MacDonald Family
Divya Nayan Roadsport Auto Group
Drew Nessa
Ethan Noah SILVER
Gregory Oliver
Hunter Olivia The Abols Family
Ian Rachel The Antosik Family
Jack Rhys The Baseball Zone and Terriers Baseball
Jake Scarlet The Bowman Family
James Thomas The Chernyak Family
Jordan Trenton The Gesualdi Family
Julian Tristano KCS Faculty & Staff
Kensington Tyler The Murphy Family
Lauren Zoe Scotia Wealth Management
Sporos Foundation
Turner & Porter

24 | Kingsway College School Annual Report

BRONZE Le Calvane – Pat and Jennier Di Capo
Leah Hladkyj and Mae Smith
Anonymous Family The Lipman Family
The Bombier Family Maddie, Sophie & Vivienne Feeney
The Bras Family Magoo’s Gourmet Burgers
The Burr Hourihan Family The Mazan Family
The Butters-Elder Family The McLaughlin Family
The Chafee Olbert Family The MacLellan-Jay Family
The Church Family The Mireskandari-Gomes Family
The Dalton Family Thaya & Kayla Miles
Diane, Ross, Audrey and Jack The Pantalone Family
The Dockrill Family The Papanikolaou Poulos Family
Doris and Lachlan MacLachlan Plant World
The Dunn Family The Richardson Burkart Family
The Edmonds Family The Shiferaw Taye Family
Ernst & Young The Sisouw Family
The Da Fonseca Lachapelle Family Steven, Deborah, Jessica, Jacob and
The Garvie Family Zachary Lamb
The Haick Family The Symons Family
The Hourihan Family The Children’s Place Dental Centre
Humbertown Orthodontics The KCS Parent Network
The Iantorno Family The Vesz Family
Jessica Lei The Wallace Family
The Karkic Family The Whelan Graves Family
Kingsway Dermatology & Cosmetic Care
The Kittel Family

25

SPECIAL EVENTS

ORANGE SHIRTS & STUDENT-DRIVEN LEADERSHIP

On September 30, KCS took part in the nationwide Orange Shirt Day for the
first time ever. It was all thanks to Liesl and Vivian, two young grade 5 students
who decided to make a difference at school and in their community. This is
their story, told in their own words.

VIVIAN’S STORY LIESL’S STORY

Orange Shirt Day is a day for honouring Indigenous My name is Liesl and I am 10 years old. My friend
people. Indigenous people had to go to horrible Vivian and I learned about the history of residential
schools, where their personality was unwillingly schools and the inequalities faced in education
changed. Their long hair was cut, and they in Canada today. We made a presentation to
were forced to change their original names educate our classmates last year, and this year we
to English names. decided that it would be a good idea to think about
Orange Shirt Day.
Liesl and I educated the grade 5 to 8 students about
these terrible residential schools. For the younger Our first job was to get our school ready for KCS’s
kids, we talked about how amazing our school is first Orange Shirt Day, which is a day to remember
and how lucky we are to be at KCS. We also created the impact of residential schools on Indigenous
Orange Shirt Day colouring sheets to get everyone people. We had to do a lot of preparation for Orange
into the spirit, and to help everyone remember Shirt Day, but we got help from Ms. Gaudet and our
the date. parents. We got together during summer to work
on a slideshow about Orange Shirt Day, which we
We realized that not many people have an orange would later present to grades 5 to 8 in Chapel.
shirt, so Liesl and I went through the process of We also made a slideshow that wasn’t as intense
making approximately four hundred orange pins. for grades 1 to 4.
We decided on doing a breast cancer-shaped
ribbon, cutting and gluing an enormous amount We then met up one weekend during the school
of ribbons. year, where we made our own handmade orange
ribbons for students and teachers to wear on
Orange Shirt Day was an amazing experience for Orange Shirt Day. We used orange ribbon and cut
Liesl and I. It took a lot of work to research and plan it 18cm long. Then we glued the ribbon to look like
the special day, but it paid off when we watched our a breast cancer ribbon. Finally, we put safety pins in
work unfold. It was incredible when everyone came the middle of the ribbon, so students and teachers
to school wearing an orange shirt! could wear the ribbon on their shirts.

26 | Kingsway College School Annual Report

It took a lot of work Everyone at KCS is incredibly proud
to research and plan of Vivian and Liesl’s leadership.
the special day, By taking on this challenge, they
but it paid off when reminded us that we don’t need to
we watched our wait for someone else to make a
work unfold.” positive change – we can all make
a difference! To read more about
We also had a lot of fun making announcements student-driven leadership at KCS,
on the P.A. system and at Chapel to remind students check out these blogs about student-
and teachers to wear an orange shirt school led projects, the power of student
on September 30. voice, and student-run clubs.

I am so happy that I am able to help educate KCS
about Indigenous peoples, their history, and their
culture. I hope I can do this until grade 8, because it
is so much fun!

27

SPECIAL EVENTS

KCS SUPPORTS
THE TERRY FOX
FOUNDATION IN
OUR ANNUAL RUN

Since its inception, the KCS community has raised
over $300,000 for cancer research and we have
been recognized by the Terry Fox Foundation as
one of its top ten fundraising schools. The annual
Run also allows our grade 5 classes to embrace an
important leadership role.

Under the guidance of Mr. Sawyer and Ms.
MacDonald, the grade 5 classes educate our school
community about Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope.
Combining art, research and public speaking, each
class prepares posters and presentations that share
Terry’s amazing story and promote our September
Run. The impact of this leadership opportunity
is undeniable.

Since its inception,
the KCS community
has raised over
$300,000 for
cancer research.

28 | Kingsway College School Annual Report

Here are some insightful observations from the
fifth grade leaders:

I was nervous at first, but when I
finished my message I was
happy that I did it. I was really
happy about how much the KCS
community has raised for such an
important cause. I was happy
that grade 5 had this role because
it helped younger students learn
about Terry. Terry Fox was just a
kid in many ways, he decided not
to think of himself but others. He
helped others realize that they
can [make a difference].”

I feel it’s very important to [stand up] and speak to the audience. Although
my hands were shaking, I was hoping the younger kids would understand
just what kind of a hero Terry really was! I knew about Terry Fox before,
but I was waiting for this exciting opportunity to help present the Run in
grade 5. I was very impressed by the impact that Terry Fox had on all
Canadians—I am surprised how so many years ago, word spread so
quickly about him and his amazing acts.”

Thank you to the grade 5s for their outstanding job. We look forward to continuing this wonderful
KCS tradition and celebrating the inspirational legacy of a true Canadian hero.

29

SPECIAL EVENTS

RE-ENTRY TASK FORCE
TOWN HALLS

KCS held its first virtual Re-Entry Task Force Town
Hall on April 30. Head of School, Derek Logan
welcomed families while Board Chair, Bronwen
Evans gave remarks on behalf of the Board.
Bronwen was followed by Dr. Peter Nord, the Chief
Medical Officer from Medcan, who provided a
medical perspective on what school may look like in
2020/2021. Following the presentations, there was
a Q&A session to respond to questions.

Significant progress was made towards a plan that
contemplated how the school would function in
an environment that accommodates for physical
distancing, changes to how we use the school
building and the space around it. In addition,
significant technology investments were attained,
accommodating and incorporating guidance from
Toronto Public Health officials and the Ministry
of Education.

A second Town Hall was held on June 18. In
addition to Derek Logan’s welcome, Re-Entry Task
Force Chair, Alan Bowman, Head of Senior School,
Andrea Fanjoy, and architect Tye Farrow spoke
about a number of topics. It was noted at the June
Town Hall that speakers represented many people
supporting a safe and successful re-entry plan. This
included members of the Re-Entry Task Force and
its subcommittees (which is made up of 20 people),
faculty, and external experts in the community.

30 | Kingsway College School Annual Report

GRANDPARENTS AND
SPECIAL FRIENDS WEEK

Each year, we always look forward
to this very special day when over
350 grandparents and special
friends tour the campus. This year,
due to the pandemic, we altered
our “Special Day” and made it into
a “Special Week”.

Students invited grandparents and special friends
to participate in virtual activities together such
as: making phone calls—asking questions that
encourage nostalgia, playing reporter, creating
collaborative playlists, reading together; video
chatting—digital feast/cooking together, virtual
sleepovers, teaching something new to one another
and family group chats; sending mail—writing
a letter, telling a story, sending artwork, social
distancing driveway chats, and more.

31

SPEAKERS

Shared experiences reveal pathways
to individual potential.

Thanks to the support of the KCS Parent Network, students and families
experience a variety of special speakers through our Encouraging Dialogue
Speaker Series and our student focused #TTM_Talks That Matter events.

32 | Kingsway College School Annual Report

SUCCESS REDEFINED We all deal with complex relationships every
day. Robyn and Jason’s message inspired the
In the first of our Encouraging Dialogue Speaker audience to better manage those relationships and
Series this year, we were fortunate to host Robyn understand the people in our lives.
Meagher and Jason Dorland on October 24,
two former Canadian Olympians, who shared To learn more about Jason and Robyn, please visit:
their powerful message about the importance of https://yourmindset.ca
relationships when it comes to coaching, teaching,
parenting, and life in general.

INTERACTIVE MUSICAL
EXPLORATION

Internationally recognized broadcaster, interviewer,
writer, consultant, blogger and speaker, Alan Cross
entertained a group of KCS parents and staff on
February 6 with his informative and entertaining
stories into music discovery. Alan focuses on the
world of alternative rock and what that music means
to the music of today. He spent a considerable
amount of time observing and commenting on the
intersection of music and technology.

33

If I can do it,
you can do it.
What’s your excuse?”

UNSTOPPABLE TRACY

On June 10, KCS was thrilled to welcome
Tracy Schmitt back, for an inspirational, virtual
presentation. Tracy Schmitt is a Canadian athlete
and motivational speaker. As a quadruple amputee,
she won a bronze medal in alpine downhill
para-skiing at the Ontario Parasport Games and was inducted into the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame. KCS
families Zoomed in to listen and watch this “Unstoppable” and motivational speaker, facilitator, athlete and
author who has helped inspire thousands of people in Canada and abroad. Her mantra is, “If I Can Do It,
You Can Do It. What’s Your Excuse?” All enjoyed learning about Tracy’s abundant resilience and her ability
to overcome obstacles.

HELPFUL PARENTING
GUIDANCE

“Parenting in Uncertain Times” was the subject of
an informative and insightful webinar presented
on June 15 by international speaker, author and
psychotherapist, Lynn Lyons. As the pandemic
landscape is constantly shifting, parents and
children have had to move from school to at-home
learning, with many anticipated and unanticipated
adjustments. Lynn discussed the consistent skills
we can use to help our children (and ourselves) in
dealing with everything from panic to agitation, loss
to boredom as well as adjusting emotionally.

34 | Kingsway College School Annual Report

CHRIS VOLLUM
DISCUSSES DIGITAL
INTELLIGENCE

In early February, the grades 1–3 and grades 4–8
students were treated to a super session with
Chris Vollum, who educates audiences about
Digital Competency, Gratitude and Empathy. This
presentation was all about “Digital Intelligence,”
teaching social media proficiency, online skills
development and core 21st century competencies.

His main message to KCS students was to represent
yourself online the same way you are in the
real world. Empathy, gratitude, mindfulness and
resilience matter in all you do, including when
you’re online.

SUSAN MAZAN OFFICER NEVILLS
VISITS GRADE SIX
Councillor Susan Mazan of the Township of Muskoka
Lakes addressed grade 8 students last October This past February, Officer Nevills visited the grade
about her experience running for municipal office. 6 students to share her perspective about online
The grade 8s conducted research for Student information. In her role as the Community Liaison
Vote and appreciated learning about Susan’s Officer, she visits many schools and handles multiple
political experiences. issues related to students’ online activities.

She discussed the lack of privacy online, the need to
‘think’ before posting, the tendency to ‘overshare’,
the difference between bullying and drama and to
be an upstander, not a bystander.

In this digital age where access to information
can be unlimited, it is important that our students
understand how their online actions affect others,
themselves and the options when they have
that ‘gut’ feeling that something is wrong.

35

VISITING AUTHORS

WAB KINEW

CELEBRATING SILVER BIRCH
EXPRESS WITH GRADES 3 AND 4

Roaming the halls of KCS on March 3 were bats, astronauts, Victorian
authors, mushrooms, dragons, professional runners and fairies—and
it wasn’t even Halloween or a spirit day! It was the annual Silver Birch
Express Celebration, a day to honour students in grades three and four
for all the reading of Canadian books they have been doing for the last
four months.

Students were treated to an extra special escape-room style
celebration in the library; where after working in teams to solve a
puzzle related to the books they had just finished reading, they were
directed to keys hidden throughout the library, which opened a box
on their desks. In those boxes were the answers to who they voted for
as the best book in the Silver Birch Program. This escape-room style
celebration was a fun way to prove their knowledge of the books, while
also getting a chance to announce the different winners.

After lunch, these same students met again in the MPR, where famed
indigenous author, broadcaster, and current politician, Wab Kinew video
conferenced with them from his office in the Manitoba Legislature. Mr.
Kinew read the students his Silver Birch Express Nominated book, Go
Show the World, and spent time answering questions the students
posed to him. It was a very engaging and informative session.

KENNETH OPPEL

VISITS GRADES 5 AND 6 STUDENTS

KCS Alumni Parent and author Kenneth Oppel (Sophia ’09 and Nate
’12) returned to KCS as part of our Silver Birch Celebration on March
5. Students came dressed as their favourite characters from books
nominated for this year’s Silver Birch and Yellow Cedar Awards.
Students were congratulated for their participation in these programs
and special recognition was given to students for completing all books
in one or both of the programs.

Mr. Oppel, author of numerous books for young readers and the
recipient of many awards, talked about one of his latest books, Inkling,
which is nominated for this year’s Silver Birch Award and is on the
New York Times 2018 Notable Books for Children list. As part of his
presentation, Mr. Oppel talked about his inspirations for Inkling, his
creative writing process, and completed some short readings with the
grades 5 and 6 students.

37

At KCS, we believe we all have a responsibility
to make a positive difference in the world.

GROWING
E N T R E P R E N E U R S H I P,
StEP BY StEP

The attributes exercised in entrepreneurship
(most of which are found in our KCS Habits) are
fundamental to making that difference. KCS students
are ready, able, and many are on their way.

In the spring of 2018, the pilot was launched and
included the groundwork for the playing cards,
plus the launch of Ace-Sox, an online customized
team sock business, as well as a marketing boost
to another online business that was already
underway pre-pilot.

Thanks to StEP, and the generous addition of time,
expert guidance, our partnership with Future Design
School and seed funding from our community,
entrepreneurship is blossoming at KCS.

ANDREA FANJOY
Head of KCS Senior School

38 | Kingsway College School Annual Report

StEP HIGHLIGHTS

In November, the KCS Entrepreneurship Program (StEP) and Makerspace club
welcomed Renata Vaccaro, Chief Technology Officer at @engineeringdotcom.
Co-founder of ProjectBoard, now known as “Make: Projects”. Renata’s passion for
coding is bringing value to millions of people around the world. KCS is so excited to
have her as a KCS Learning Partner.

We had a number of students working on business ventures in handmade winter hats,
jewelry, and a ‘Good News’ newspaper. We had a number of others still in the creative
stages of open product design, including two students who came up with a simple, low
cost solution to keeping locker doors closed that Dr. Mosun, Mme Lacroix, and Mme
Fanjoy were deeply keen to get into mass production!

And steps were underway for Sarah Prevette, entrepreneur, changemaker, and
Founding CEO of Future Design School, to provide a full day Deep Dive into
entrepreneurship for interested students. The pandemic interrupted our plans
but we look forward to picking up where we left off when time allows.

39

EARLY LEARNING PROGRAM

CURRICULUM NIGHT

Parents spent a night with their child’s teachers to see what a day in the
life of a kindergarten student is like at KCS.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NIGHT

The Kindergarten program is a child-centred, developmentally appropriate, integrated program that promotes
deep inquiry and wonder. The purpose of our program is to establish a strong foundation for learning that
promotes the physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development of all children. The intention of our
Kindergarten program is the following:

• Establish a strong foundation for learning. • Support the creation of a learning environment
Also, to extend learning through enrichment that allows all children to feel comfortable and
that will embrace literacy, numeracy as well as safe in applying their unique ways of thinking and
explorations in nature learning

• Honour student’s interests while ensuring play at • Seek expectations that are challenging but
school is complex and multifaceted. This is done attainable
by adding learning materials and tools to the
centres as their interests grow and evolve. The • Provide every child with the kind of support they
learning centres have extended time which also need in order to develop: self-regulation, well-
complicate the students play being, a sense of security; emotional and social
competence; curiosity, creativity, and confidence
• Allow children to reap the many proven benefits in learning
of learning through collaborating with peers while
engaged in play and inquiry • Support engagement and ongoing dialogue with
families about your children’s ongoing learning
• Set children on a path of lifelong learning that and development
they will need to thrive in the world of today
and tomorrow

40 | Kingsway College School Annual Report

The Kindergarten program reflects the belief that
our students are capable and competent learners,
full of potential and ready to take ownership of
their learning. The importance of early learning is
momentous and significant.
Quality early-learning experiences have the
potential to improve children’s overall health and
well-being for a lifetime. By creating, fostering, and
sustaining learning environments that are caring,
safe, inclusive, and filled with wonder, educators can
promote resilience. They can also provide a variety
of learning opportunities and experiences based
on assessment information that reveals what the
children know, what they think and wonder about,
where they are in their learning, and where they
need to go next.

Children succeed in
programs that focus
on active learning
through exploration,
play, and inquiry.

41

STUDENT LIFE

42 | Kingsway College School Annual Report

STUDENT LIFE

HEALTH & WELL-B EING

LEARNING IN MOTION STAND UP FOR STUDENT
WELL-BEING
Creating movement in the classroom helps meet
the diverse learning needs of our students. As more Every year, as part of the citizenship component of
teachers recognize the benefits of the kinesthetic their program, we ask our grade 4 students to be
classroom, more requests have come in for our “Anti-Bullying Heroes”. In order to help bolster
specialized tools. their understanding of why bullying prevention,
awareness raising, and intervention are key to
The Panto Move Chair continues to be the most stopping bullying, we invited Stand UP for Student
highly requested item for classrooms across the Well-Being to provide a one day workshop for our
school. Because these chairs rotate and wobble, grade 4s. The one-of-a-kind, stand-up comedy
they give students a full range of movement while programs are led by trained, professional comedian
they learn. The wobble movement of the furniture coaches who work as visiting artists in order
provides a kinesthetic outlet and removes the need to promote well-being and support youth with
to leave the chair and create a distraction for the strategies for coping with stress and anxiety.  Youth
rest of the class. The rotation of the chair benefits enhance their public speaking and creative writing-
students as they’re able to follow the teacher’s for-performance skills by shaping their own stories
movement while teaching a lesson. with a sense of healthy humour. 

This becomes especially beneficial for students with Bullying has a negative impact on the well-being
hearing issues. By rotating the chair, the student of not only those who are bullied but also on their
can follow the teacher with their “good” ear and not peers and classmates. It is vital that our students
miss any of the lesson. Thanks to the Health and understand the importance of standing up to
Well-Being Fund, we have been able to expand our bullies and building helpful strategies. By utilizing
collection of Panto Move Chairs across the school to the Health and Well-Being fund, we provided this
include grade 3 to 6 classrooms. training for our Anti-Bullying Heroes, equipping and
enabling them to share their messages. We continue
to educate the students of KCS about bullying
prevention and intervention.

43

STUDENT LIFE

THE EMPOWERMENT PROJECT THE 519 GENDER DIVERSITY
TRAINING
Thanks to financial support from the Health and
Well-Being Fund, we were once again able to In January, every member of the KCS faculty and
provide the Empowerment Project workshop for staff took part in an extensive workshop on gender
our grade 5 classes in the fall, providing them with diversity, thanks to the Health and Well-Being Fund.
a greater understanding of the science behind The workshop was facilitated by The 519 – a Toronto
stress and strategies and how to manage it during organization that promotes inclusion and respect of
changing times in their lives. The program featured the LGBTQ2S+ community. It was an eye-opening
a presentation of scientific research and the experience for many of us, as it asked us to challenge
practical application of tools and techniques aimed our own experiences and our understanding of what it
at giving the students an opportunity to take control means to be a “boy” or a “girl”.
and manage themselves in a more mindful manner.
With an annual student population of approximately
The sessions are 75 minutes and occur over four 400, we know that each individual is on their own
days, including seminar presentations, interactive unique emotional journey. We also know that kids
activities and a yoga workshop. can only learn when they feel that they belong and
are accepted. We must meet our students where they
The fund helped cover the costs of having the Yoga are, and the simple fact is that we will always have
Project, providing two sessions for staff (PE covers students who do not neatly fit into the traditional
the cost of them coming in for the students). In preconceived notions of gender.
addition to the Yoga Project, the fund enabled us
to purchase books about well-being, feelings, and We also recognize that LGBTQ2S+ people are at
diversity for the grade 1 classes that are also being a higher risk for suicide, substance abuse, and
shared with other grades and as needed. mental health issues due to the discrimination,
marginalization, and lack of acceptance that they face
in society. By building understanding and awareness
in our KCS community, we hope to foster greater
inclusion and well-being for all of our students and
their families.

In order to be as inclusive as possible, we will continue
to try our best to make KCS a brave space where
every individual can talk openly about who they are.
This means being aware of the language we use and
the preconceptions we carry around with us. Our
students deserve to feel accepted and understood,
and they must also learn to accept and understand
each other. In many ways, it’s the most important
lesson they’ll learn during their time at KCS.

44 | Kingsway College School Annual Report

4 DOORS HIGHLIGHTS

45

4 DOORS ACADEMICS

While we embrace change in the school, we
continue to focus on our academic growth.

STUDENT DRIVEN LEARNING ROBOTICS AND CODING

Student Driven Learning (SDL) is an optimal way Coding and robotics have been part of KCS for 11
to engage students, develop core knowledge and years and appear in an increasing number of grades
skills and hone the Habits of Mind, Body and Action. from JK onwards. Younger students are introduced
to block coding with Dash and Dot and Scratch
Project-based learning is one significant example Junior, developing their ability to break down
of SDL that engages student curiosity, develops complex tasks into smaller, concise directions.
question asking and research skills, and invites Older students use Scratch, Lego robotics, and
students to solve complex challenges. Arduino for creative building challenges.
Independent passion projects and student
leadership offer increasing opportunities for SDL.
Our At-Home program engaged students in a variety
of passion projects.

This summer, faculty participated in Future Design
Schools’ Future Skills Institute: Deep Dive into
Remote Inquiry that focused on relationship driven
teaching, problem driven learning, establishing
learning goals and authentic tasks, celebrating
student success, and reflection.

46 | Kingsway College School Annual Report

MAKING LEARNING VISIBLE INCREASING ENGAGEMENT
OF EXTERNAL EXPERTS
The third annual KCS Learning Exhibit was held
last November, showcasing student learning and One of the most effective ways for students to learn
reflections, and thereby sharing that learning is to be connected with experts in various fields.
with others. We continued to showcase student For this reason, the grade 6s have developed a
work throughout the pandemic and into the summer. program called Expert in the School, where invited
parents and other members of the community to
KCS students, grades PK to 5 used our e-portfolio come to KCS to facilitate a discussion in their area
to capture and share evidence of their learning in of expertise.
photo, video and words.
Students are exposed to a variety of topics to
ENTREPRENEURSHIP encourage critical thinking skills and awareness of
some of the possibilities in both academia and life.
Entrepreneurship continues to grow at KCS. Last Examples include actors, playwrights, marketers,
year, many more students in grades 5–8 began their professional athletes, entrepreneurs and more.
start-up journey, engaging in a process of sharing
ideas, developing conceptual solutions for real-
world problems, building prototypes, and learning
from experts.

Thanks to our generous community, a growing list
of KCS staff, parent and external partners serve as
mentor-entrepreneurs to support their ventures.

47

4 DOORS ARTS

Drama helps us tell stories in
ways that connect with our
need to be seen, heard, and
understood.

It is an art driven by facial expressions, tone
of voice, and body language —all elements
of a shared common language that we each
embody in our unique way.
In other words, drama is a universal language
that is also highly personal.”

— Teresa Pollett-Boyle, Arts Coordinator

48 | Kingsway College School Annual Report

ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
PROGRAM

This year’s Artist in Residence was
Lindy Kinoshameg, an Indigenous
Artist who works in partnership with
Young People’s Theatre of Toronto.

Lindy Kinoshameg is from Wikwemikong Unceded RESIDENCY HIGHLIGHTS
First Nation, and is a Community Engagement
Facilitator. As the artist-in-residence, Lindy facilitated • Indigenous Performances and Social Dancing
a series of Indigenous arts-based workshops with Lindy
tailored to each grade level and planned in
consultation with the school’s curriculum goals. • Teacher and student workshops

Every KCS student and teacher had the privilege • Seven Ancestral Teachings and Turtle Island
of working with Lindy. Together, we learned about Story telling
the Seven Ancestral Teachings: Honesty, Bravery,
Humility, Respect, Wisdom, Truth, and Love and • Land Acknowledgements and Land and Treaties
explored these themes through a wide variety of with Students
workshops. We are very grateful for the time Lindy
spent with us at KCS. By sharing his culture and • Turtle Back Mural
wisdom with us, we were inspired to learn more and
live with respect.

49

OTHER ART HIGHLIGHTS

ADRIAN YEARWOOD

• In October, a small group of grade 6 and 7
students worked with Professional Playwright
Adrian Yearwood and wrote a play for KCS.

• Students finished writing and had their first table
read the week before March Break.

• The play is about a group of teenagers in
Japan and North America who form an
online community.

• It is our intention to eventually produce this
student written, and hopefully, directed play.

SUCCESSES FROM OUR
WAKE UP WITH THE ARTS AT
HOME EDITION

Traditionally, this event happens in the KCS lobby
one more per month before school starts. Students
take the initiative to volunteer to perform a song or
dance, while staff, students and parents pause in the
lobby for coffee and culture.
Students in grade 4-8 participated in a live stream
version of this event in May which included eight
performers (violin, highland dance and piano),
while more than 80 families watched the event
from home.

50 | Kingsway College School Annual Report