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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Jan 16th, 2014 – Holiday Talent Show

YMCA Academy Beyond the Classroom

Staff and students were treated once again to an annual Holiday Talent Show just before the break. We had performers doing a wide range of acts including lip syncing to a familiar Bon Jovi tune, playing compositions on the keyboards, strumming along on guitars and reciting the beloved “Who’s on First” comedy sketch. After the show our community celebrated the season with board games, movies, a craft station and a delicious array of treats brought in by staff and students. It was great way to “rock” into the holidays.

Check out the rest of the pictures on our Facebook Page!

Jan 13th, 2014 – Upcoming TEDx Event

YMCA Academy Events, TEDx

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YMCA Academy TEDx event highlights innovation in education

Education must innovate to keep pace with a rapidly changing world and the evolving needs of today’s students. That’s why The YMCA Academy is bringing together some phenomenal speakers to explore groundbreaking ideas in educating students who learn differently at Edumakers, the 2014 edition of the school’s annual TEDx event. You can be a part of it — and best of all, admission is free.

Edumakers begins at 10:00am on Saturday, February 1st in the auditorium of the Toronto Central Grosvenor St. YMCA Centre in downtown Toronto, home of the YMCA Academy. Click here to register to attend.

Featured ideas and initiatives include:
• an all-girls technology camp;
• uniting schools with their surrounding communities;
• rethinking classrooms as coworking spaces, purpose-built for collaboration;
• helping students connect with career options that don’t require university or college;
• connecting investment to the non-financial assets of young people;
• high school courses in which computer games are an essential part of the learning process — and much more.

The themes to be explored at Edumakers continue the discussion started at The YMCA Academy’s last TEDx event, which introduced educators to the concept of wrap-around services for youth. Schools operate within a community, but often schools have trouble reaching out to collaborate with outside agencies. Model schools, like The YMCA Academy, have envisioned and implemented a pedagogical experience where social and emotional supports and referral services are intricately woven into the school’s fabric.

Scheduled speakers include Zareh Demirdji from The YMCA Academy, Youth in Technology’s Ashley Lewis, Eric Rosenberg of Rosenberg Development Studio, York Region teacher Tom Seliotis, Peel teachers Douglas Vallance and Matthew Henderson, Hive Mozilla Toronto’s Kathryn Meisner, Ryan Burwell from the Centre for Social Innovation, Jennifer Chan, Rob Whent of Thriver Inc, and Juan Gonzalez of Fabspaces.

For more information, or to register to attend Edumakers, visit the TEDx YMCA Academy website.