List of 15 news stories.

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  Grade 11s Gain Greater Understanding of Abrahamic Faiths

  By Jayne Wyvill Abubakar
  

   

  On February 20, the Grade 11 World Religions class spent the day visiting places of worship associated with the Abrahamic Faiths.

   

  We began our excursion at St David's Roman Catholic Church, where Fr Jesus talked us through his journey toward becoming a priest. He told us of a time that he turned away from the church, but was able to find mercy through the sacrament of confession. His own experience made him want to show compassion to folks that are struggling. His belief is that suffering is part of a much bigger plan. Though the visit was short, Fr Jesus took the time to tell us about the parish and the types of activities the parishioners participate in weekly, including: a number of masses in English and Italian, as well as youth outreach, charity work and Bible study groups.  
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  JS Chess Tournament Success

  By Chloe Ma, Grade 6

   

  Last Thursday, select students in Grades 4 to 8 competed in the 28th annual Optimist Club of Aurora Chess tournament. All students who attended competed with a positive attitude, great sportsmanship and displayed excellent skills. 

  
  

  It was impressive to see how supportive and dedicated all of the participants were. 
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  Maddie Martin ‘15 Visits Careers Classes

  Since her time at CDS, Maddie Martin has focused on the intersection of social services and career development. After graduating from McGill University with a BA in Sociology and Humber College with a degree in Social Service Work, she has worked in many fields and now has transitioned into the professional recruitment space.
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  Junior School Sticks Together Quilt

  The Junior School proudly celebrated Pink Shirt Day with a meaningful anti-bullying initiative centered on the theme of sticking together. Each student decorated a single popsicle stick, representing how one small act of kindness can make a difference. On their own, the sticks seemed simple and unimportant, but with the help of Grade 6 art teacher, Ms. Kuchmak, and several Grade 6 students, they were carefully glued together into a beautiful quilt-style display.
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  “Get Ready for Spring” JS Book Fair

  By Mrs. Johnson

   

  The Junior School Library is excited to host a “Get Ready for Spring” Book Fair February 25–27 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with special evening hours on February 26th during Student-Led Conferences.

   

  We are delighted to welcome Blue Heron Books from Uxbridge, who will offer a wonderful selection of fiction, non-fiction, and picture books carefully chosen for our Junior School readers.
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  OSSLT Retests

  By Sarah Williams
  
  Any Senior School students who missed or were unsuccessful on the OSSLT (Literacy Test) in November will take the test on Tuesday, March 31. 

  
  

  In order to best prepare, students have been directed to the full practice test on the EQAO website. This Study Guide also tells students exactly what to expect on the day of the test. All of these resources - and many more - are still posted on their English class sites from November. 

  
  

  Students must be in S17 by 8:00 am the morning of the test. They will be reminded to check in with their teachers to see what they are missing in class that morning and to bring wired headphones, a clear water bottle and something to read in case they finish early. 

  
  

  Please contact Sarah Williams with any questions. 
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  Student Workshop - Generative Artificial Intelligence

  By Danny Viotto
  
  

  In order to ensure a consistent learning experience for all of our students in Grades 9–12, and to provide meaningful context around the opportunities and challenges that Generative AI presents for student learning, a series of workshops has been developed and will take place next Thursday and Friday, Feb. 26 and 27. Topic ideas were informed by input from members of our AI Faculty Task Force and AI Student Advisory Group.
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  3-2-1… blast off! SK's Space Learning Day

  By the SK Teachers

   

  Last Friday, both of our SK classes participated in an exciting Space Learning Day filled with hands-on learning and out-of-this-world experiences. Students had the chance to “go to space” right in the JS gym with Astronomy in Action, where they explored the universe inside a giant planetarium dome. While travelling through space, students visited different planets, learned about constellations, and were reminded of how important it is to take care of the one special planet we call home.
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  CDS success in Nationals Speech and Debate Championship

  By Kerstin Wyndham-West

   

  Last weekend, Grade 11 student, Adhya Chandradat, travelled to Winnipeg to compete in the National Public Speaking and Debating Championships held at St. John’s-Ravenscourt School. 

   

  Her persuasive speech on the dangers of artificially scented products was particularly well received and her humorous interpretive reading got rave reviews. 

   

  Adhya finished in the top third at this highly competitive tournament with over 60 competitors, and she will be heading to Bristol in the U.K. in mid-April to compete in the World Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championships representing CDS and Team Canada. 

   

  Congratulations on an excellent performance, Adhya!
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  Kern Carter Visits Writer’s Craft

  By Anya Sood '26

  
  

  On Monday, February 12, the Grade 12 Writer’s Craft class was visited by published author and motivational speaker, Kern Carter. With his diverse experience, Kern shared the ins and outs of the creative writing process, with a particular focus on the Young Adult (YA) market, the fastest-growing sector of the publishing industry. 

  
  

  Having been both self-published and then signed by different publishing houses, Kern explained the importance of the editing process, publishing cycle, and marketing in the modern writing world. 

  
  

  With five YA Novels and over a decade of storytelling experience, Kern's words have had a huge impact on his readers and his invaluable advice helped inspire the Grade 12’s as they embark upon writing the opening chapters of their own Young Adult novels. 
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  More Than a Market: GY Filmmakers Capture the Human Stories Behind the Holiday Fair

  By Jen Weening

   

  One of my favourite things about the Grade 12 Communications Technology curriculum is that it reads a bit like a blank slate: the course requirements are open and flexible enough to respond to student interests from one year to the next.

   

  Back in early November, I spoke with my class about which skills they wanted to develop next, and what type of project they would want to work towards. They responded with a resounding vote for a large-scale video project, so with that, we dove into the theory and practice behind documentary filmmaking and set about determining a subject for our own documentaries.
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  Six Students Qualify for Internationals at DECA Provincials

  By Anahita Maghsoudi ‘27

  
  Seventeen CDS students joined 7,000 peers from across Ontario in Toronto from Feb. 5–7 to compete at the DECA Provincial Championships. The weekend was filled with fun, including a team dinner, bowling, and shopping sprees at the Eaton Centre. Students competed in case studies, oral events, and written events. The events are extremely competitive, with only 6-7% of participants making it to internationals in Atlanta, Georgia. 

   

  This year, six CDS students qualified for Internationals: Lukas Speranza, Michael Polygenis, Sienna Dell’Elce, Mariella Tsiolis, Sophie Yuan and Yolanda Sun. We congratulate everyone for their hard work and wish our finalists all the best at DECA ICDC at the end of April! 
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  Barrie Legion Honours Bethany Wu

  Congratulations to Bethany Wu ‘29 for placing second in the Royal Legion's National Youth Remembrance Contest for her French literary essay, “La Promesse” (The Promise). She was recognized at a ceremony at her local Barrie Legion on Tuesday.
  
  According to Bethany, her literary essay is “about a young veteran writing a letter to his family on the night before leaving for a long military deployment. It explores his deep love for his wife and three-month-old daughter. It is also about his struggle between his fear of not returning and his sense of duty to protect his country. In brief, it highlights the sacrifice, courage, and quiet heartbreak of leaving loved ones behind to serve.”
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  World Read Aloud Day

  By Kelly Johnson

  
  

  The Country Day School is celebrating World Read Aloud Day this week, Tuesday - Friday. What exactly is World Read Aloud Day? It all started back in 2010 when a group called Lit World decided that sharing stories out loud is basically a superpower! It’s a special day to celebrate how reading together brings us closer and to remind everyone that every child in the world deserves the chance to learn and love books. 
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  JS Hour of code

  By Lara Gee

   

  Last week’s Hour of Code was an outstanding success in the Junior School! From JK to Grade 6, all students dove headfirst into the world of computer science. Our youngest learners had fun coding with VEX Robotics. JK helped Bob find his way back to the music room, while SK programmed robots on a space adventure!

   

  Grades 1 & 2 brought stories to life with Scratch Jr. and busted a move with Dance Party coding. Grade 3 tackled AI and ocean conservation, Grade 4 remixed beats in Music Lab, and Grade 5 explored the magic of Microbits. Grade 6 debated the ethics of AI and tested their critical thinking using different applications.

   

  It was a week filled with fun, learning, and future-ready skills!