Feb. 7th, 2011 – Valentines Bake Sale this Friday

Dear Parents and Guardians,

This Friday, February 11, the Academy students will be hosting a Valentines Bake Sale in support of the Strong Kids Campaign.  Strong Kids is the YMCA’s annual giving campaign which raises funds for Y programs like The Academy, summer camp and child care programs.  Last year, we raised close to $300 at our bake sale and we are looking forward to a similar success this Friday.

We would appreciate any baked contribution you are able to make and have placed a sign-up sheet for staff and students on our floor.

Thank you for your continued support of Academy events and Happy Valentines Day!

Feb. 3rd, 2011 – Brickworks Healthy Choices

Dear Parents / Guardians.

Starting next Monday, all YMCA Academy students will be involved in a very exciting project through one of our community partners, Evergreen.  Beginning on February 7 students will be participating in a field trip to Evergreen’s Brickworks (near the Don Valley) – the school has been divided into two groups, and students will go down with their classes every other week, on a rotating schedule. All of the students in the school will be participating with their classes, and the projects at Evergreen are mandatory in fulfilling course curriculum expectations for each of their afternoon classes.  It is important that students understand that this project links directly to each of their classes, and that they may miss key mandatory expectations if they do not attend a session at Brickworks.  This program will run until late May / early June.

The project is a “Healthy Choices” program and will take place at various locations on the Brickworks property – these may include, but are not limited to, planting in the greenhouse, cooking in the community kitchen, and engaging in hands-on learning about nutrition, cooking, food growing, native plant species, cycling, skating, and all things healthy and environmental.   Evergreen received funding from Health Canada to run this program at Brickworks, and we were very fortunate, due to our close relationship with them, to be asked to participate in this unique program.  It offers opportunities beyond those that we can offer on our premises and includes components of healthy lifestyles that are important for all students to learn.

All students who were at the Academy last term have already had their parents give consent to class related field trips within class time.  These field trips will be covered under the umbrella of that permission form.  Students will be released from the Brickworks – they have a shuttle bus that connects to the Broadview subway station (please contact us if you have a particular request).  Parents / guardians of new students should sign the attached permission form and return it to the school ASAP, or reply to this email.  If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact the school.  Please note that students who do not have a TTC card will require an extra token on these alternating Mondays.

Thank you very much,

Feb. 1st, 2011 – Academy closed for Feb. 2nd

Dear Parents / Guardians,

Environment Canada has issued a winter storm warning with the first major snow storm of the season expected to hit the GTA later this evening and tomorrow, The YMCA Academy will be closed and classes will be canceled tomorrow (Wednesday February 2nd, 2011).

Regular classes will resume on Thursday, February 3rd, 2011.

Jan. 28th, 2011 – 2nd Semester starts Jan 31st

Dear Parents / Guardians,

The first day of the second semester begins on Monday, January 31 at 9:30 and is a shortened day.  The morning will consist of 20 minutes classes followed by a short assembly.  Students will be dismissed before the lunch hour.  Tuesday, February 1 is a regular full-day (9:30 am to 3:45 pm).

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