Mar 5th, 2014 – LDAO Breakfast at the Sheraton

YMCA Academy Beyond the Classroom

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

YMCA Academy Beyond the Classroom

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!

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Mar 3rd, 2014 – Black History Month Assembly

YMCA Academy Beyond the Classroom, Community

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

YMCA Academy Community, Events

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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!

Semester 1 Exam Information

YMCA Academy Updates

Dear Parents/Guardians and Students:

Our 1st semester is coming to a close, and there are several important pieces of information that we want to communicate to you.

Semester 1 Final Examinations:

The last day of regular classes for Semester 1 is Tuesday January 28th, 2014.

The examination schedule is posted below. Students will also be provided with a copy of this schedule.

As you will see, there are 3 examination days – Wednesday, January 29th; Thursday, January 30th; and Friday, January 31st. Examinations are held in the morning and in the afternoon. Not all students have an examination on each day, so please check the schedule carefully to ensure that your son/daughter comes to school on the right day for the right exam.

Turn Around Day / Semester 2

Monday February 3rd is Turn Around Day. There is no school for students; however, those who are interested in knowing how they did on their exams and/or finding out their marks for Semester 1, they can drop in to speak with their teacher(s) between 2-3pm (by appointment only). First day of Semester 2 is Tuesday, February 4th, 2014.

Absences: If a student is absent on a final exam day, a phone call from a parent/guardian and a medical note will be required and a make-up examination will have to be written as soon as possible. If no medical documentation is received, a grade of zero will be recorded for the examination.

Study Hall: We are providing a supervised Study Hall on all examination days, except for Friday January 31st afternoon. If students are in the school on an exam day, they are expected to be in one of two places: either writing an examination or in the study hall. If students are not writing an examination and do not want to attend study hall, they will be asked to leave the school, as we need to ensure an atmosphere of quiet and respect for the other students who are writing their examination.

Personal Items and Electronic Devices: Students need to be aware that during examinations, they will not be allowed to keep any of their personal items with them. This includes cell phones, iPods (and similar devices), electronic devices, classroom notes, textbooks, and/or personal calculators (unless allowed specifically by the classroom teacher and designated beforehand). Students need to come prepared with writing utensils.

Outstanding Materials: All outstanding library books and materials, as well as Academy-owned textbooks, are to be returned on (or by) the exam day.

If you have any questions about the upcoming examinations, please call the Academy at (416) 928-0124 ext “0”.

Regards,

Don Adams
Head of School

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