Grade 11 Biology Unit 3 – Genetics

Zareh Demirdji Academics, Beyond the Classroom, Science and Math No Comments

Jumping back into the thick of things after our break, the new virtual biology classroom delved into the brand new unit of genetics. We began the unit by discussing the structure of DNA and built up to what genes are and how they are expressed. Once we were comfortable with the structure and expression of DNA we looked at the process of how it replicates itself and then moved on to looking at the processes of mitosis and meiosis. Next we ventured into the world of genetic disorders, focusing more on the different types of disorders and looking at a few examples of each and how they manifest.

As the unit came to a close, we explored various reproductive technologies and their links to genetics and ended the unit by discussing the various ethical, social and legal issues related to genetics, genetics research and technology. This set up students to start thinking about genetic disorders and the various issues related to them, which is what their unit research project was centered around.

Grade 9 Science Unit 3 – Space Exploration

Zareh Demirdji Academics, Beyond the Classroom, Science and Math No Comments

As schools and students have moved to online learning, the grade 9 science class is fortunate to have had the opportunity to do so with a fresh start on a new unit called Space Exploration. In this unit we started off by discussing the history of astronomical discovery and the important roles it has played in the evolution of our societies. We then moved on to exploring our own backyard by cataloging some of the characteristics of the planets in our solar system by exploring NASA’s planetary website.

After we were done in our own backyard, we ventured farther and father out into the universe, looking at all of the vast structures it has to offer. Eventually we spent an entire class talking about stars, their characteristics and how they live and end their ‘lives’. Upon learning about stars, we went back into deep space and learned about various astronomical phenomena, from those close to us such as solar and lunar eclipses, to the more exotic ones such as black holes, quasars, and pulsars. We ended the unit by discussing the various challenges of exploring space which prepared students for their mission to Mars assignment.

Online Education: A Not So New Frontier with a New Twist

Zareh Demirdji Beyond the Classroom, Events, In the News No Comments

YMCA Academy moves to online classes - Students participating in clubs and classes

 

We are undoubtedly living in a period of time that will be written about in the textbooks of many disciplines. What is written about, however, is up to us. For a small, independent school like ours, history will say we gazed into the face of sudden change and uncertainty with confidence. There are many advantages to being big, but being small also has its benefits. Our small size affords us the ability to move quickly and decisively in order to continue offering our students with educational opportunities that will keep them on a path of earning credits.

We are now three weeks into this brave new world of online learning and Online courses, and with udacity nanodegree review we have experienced thus far is more than we had ever anticipated. The biggest and most surprising revelation from the first day, and one that has continued every day since, is the attendance record of our students in all courses across the board. Class attendances of 98-100% are the norm, an indication that our students are eager to continue learning, and that learning online, even with its expected shortcomings, gives our students a sense of normalcy that is psychologically and emotionally necessary in these bizarre times. Not only are students showing up for online classes, they are participating and getting work done.

After our first two weeks of online learning, we reflected on our collective experiences and introduced an entire day dedicated to the social and emotional well-being of our students by creating online clubs for them to attend. After school clubs are an important part of our school, and allowing our students to continue attending them was an easy choice to make. As such, we have several time slots for various clubs available to students from 10 am to 2 pm. Some of the clubs, such as Dungeons and Dragons and Cooking Club are old favourites, but we have also introduced new opportunities for students to socialize, such as board game club.

Learning online is not all sunshine and rainbows. There are obvious shortcomings and pitfalls. However, according to InstantInfo Systems website, these are the exception and not the rule in the virtual learning space we have been able to create for our students. The overwhelming feedback from our students and their parents/caregivers has been positive. We have taken their feedback and, along with our own experiences and observations, have prepared ourselves to be ready to continue offering the best possible experience for our students in order to afford them the opportunity to continue learning and earning credits. “Being challenged in life is inevitable, being defeated is optional,” said Roger Crawford. At the Academy, defeat is not in our vocabulary. Learn On!

Distance Learning @ YMCA Academy

Don Adams Head of School, Updates No Comments


 

For ten months each year, YMCA Academy provides vital, daily support for all aspects of our students’ lives. With the closure of all school facilities in Ontario due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the loss of such daily supports could negatively impact the lives of our students and their families. So, during March Break, Academy faculty and staff put a plan into place to continue offering its full range of supports while students remain safely at home. Each Academy course has an online presence. Here, students and teachers can continue to meet. With webcams and microphones, teachers deliver lessons, and students collaborate with their teachers and peers. Our Counsellor and Educational Assistant maintain their support of students in the same manner. We can even monitor physical activity while the gym remains unavailable. We were up and running immediately after March Break!

YMCA Academy and its students are able to move forward in their courses — with changes to be sure, but with little interruption. We are ready and able to continue the school year in this manner as long as is needed. We will be blogging about our experiences regularly, so stay tuned!

COVID-19 update: Temporary school closure

Don Adams Head of School, Updates No Comments


 

Dear Parents & Guardians,

As you might be aware, the Ministry of Education is closing all publicly-funded schools for the weeks following March Break as a precaution to help prevent the transmission of COVID-19. We think it is prudent for us to do so as well.

Therefore, YMCA Academy will be closed during the weeks of March 23-27, and March 30 – April 3. In order to support continued student learning, however, we are developing a strategy and schedule for students to continue classes through Google Classroom sites. Teachers will be available on their sites to support student learning, to give lessons, to assess, and to answer questions. We are presently developing the schedule for these online meetings.

I will communicate details about the plan as they are developed over the next few days. In the meantime, please stay safe and enjoy the rest of March Break.

Don Adams
Head of School