All School News - August 29, 2024
MESSAGE FROM STRUAN ROBERTSON, HEAD OF SCHOOL
2024/25 academic year starts next week!
Faculty/staff have been on campus all week preparing to welcome our students back!
Order your black fleece here and visit The York Shop.
A warm welcome to our new families joining The York School community.
This is the first Flash of the year and we encourage parents to review the divisional sections that apply to their children.
We are proud of our Class of 2024 IB results and encourage you to take a moment to read about them here.
We look forward to heading off to camp with our Senior School students next week and welcoming our Middle and Junior School students back on campus.
Have a great long weekend!
Cell Phone Policy 2024
Effective September 2024, please see our updated policy - Restrictions on Classroom Use of Personal Mobile Devices Policy. All students (including Senior School students) will be required to keep their personal mobile devices (cell phones, smartwatches, and AirPods) in their personal lockers during school hours. Students leaving school for lunch will be allowed to take their phones with them.
Athletics
Wow! TYS Athletics is Back! I cannot be more excited. Coming off a tremendous 2023 - 2024, we continue to look to build. Our schedules and start dates are out with Junior and Senior beginning on the morning of September 9 and our Middle School beginning on the morning of September 5.
The start of the year is loaded with our awesome weekend clinic series. September 20 to September 22 sees NBA skills Coach David Nurse return alongside Toronto Raptor Kelly Olynyk. September 28 and September 29 is our Volleyball Combine led by Momentum Volleyball. Our goal is quite simple for these weekends. We want every athlete in our school participating in these sports to participate in at least one session. It is a next level opportunity.
I love sport period. The benefits are endless and lifelong.
Take a look at this Ted Talk: Sport in Education.
Let’s absolutely dominate this year in Athletics through our commitment, passion and pride in the opportunities we all have at our school.
Mr.D
Student Life and Belonging
HONOUR NATIONAL DAY FOR TRUTH & RECONCILIATION ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30 BY PURCHASING AN ORANGE SHIRT
As part of our commitment to Truth and Reconciliation at The York School, we will be participating in the National Day for Truth & Reconciliation/Orange Shirt Day on Monday, September 30 by wearing orange to commemorate the residential school experience, witnessing and honouring the healing journey of the Survivors and their families. EVERY CHILD MATTERS.
Wearing orange relates to the experience of Phyllis Webstad, a Northern Secwepemc (Shuswap) from the Stswecem'c Xgat'tem First Nation. On her first day of residential school, she arrived dressed in a new orange shirt that was taken from her. It is now a symbol of the stripping away of culture, freedom and self-esteem experienced by Indigenous children over generations.
If you would like to support the Orange Shirt Society, which provides resources to Residential School Survivors, please purchase your child’s official orange shirt from the list of approved vendors below:
McCabe Promotional (Premiere Retailer)
Aritzia
Canadian Tire
London Drugs – Available in stores, while supplies last
Mark’s – Unisex adult
Mark’s – Unisex youth
Turtle Lodge Trading Post
South Island Crafts
Beaded Orange Shirt Lapel Pins can be purchased from Tribal Roots Imports.
As a school, we will also engage in divisional assemblies, classroom activities, lessons, and discussions that amplify indigenous perspectives while educating and promoting awareness about the intergenerational harm that residential schools have caused to Indigenous families and communities.
YORK’S 31st ANNUAL TERRY FOX WALK/RUN 2024 - SAVE THE DATE & FINAL DEADLINE FOR T-SHIRT ORDERS
On Friday, September 27 students and faculty will participate in our annual Terry Fox Walk/Run as we continue to support Terry's dream and raise money for cancer research.
Junior School Terry Fox Walk/Run, students, and teachers will participate in their classes by walking through the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery and onto the Kay Gardner Beltline (JK & SK 8:45am - 9:30am; Grade 3, 4 & 5 9:30am - 10:15am; Grade 1 & 2 10:15am - 11:00am) Families are welcome to join us for this community building event.
Middle & Senior School Terry Fox Walk/Run, we begin and end in David A. Balfour Park/Reservoir and walk down into the ravine from 2:00pm - 3:25pm. Specific route details and timing will be shared closer to the date.
THE FINAL DEADLINE TO ORDER your t-shirts is 10:00am on Tuesday, September 10. The Early Bird Order for families who purchased their shirts online in June or over the summer has been placed.
Junior School Families (entering JK-Grade 5 in September 2024): Please use this form if you are interested in ordering a Terry Fox T Shirt for your child.
*NOTE: At the Junior School, please fill out only one order form under your eldest child’s name. If you need to order shirts for any younger siblings or for yourselves, your whole purchase will be delivered to your eldest child in their homeroom.
Middle + Senior Families (entering Grades 6-12 in September 2024): Please use this form.
75% of every t-shirt sold goes directly back into supporting cancer research.
Youth sizes are $20.00 and adult sizes are $25.00.
The cost of these items will be charged to your account. No cash will be accepted.
Shirts will be distributed to student homerooms in time for the run.
Together, we can all make a difference! Thank you for your support! Let’s keep Terry’s Legacy alive!
If you have any questions, please contact:
Middle/Senior School: Kevin Villasenor Middle/Senior School Administrative Assistant, Trips at kvillasenor@yorkschool.com.
Junior School: Zachary Vito Junior School Administrative Assistant, Front Desk at zvito@yorkschool.com.
