With school out for the summer, CDS Chefs Richard and Julie had the unique opportunity to visit Haven Greens — Canada’s first fully automated hydroponic greenhouse, located just minutes from campus in King Township.

At the final Junior School Assembly, Junior School art teacher Ms. Kuchmak shared a heartwarming story of a “wonder” project that connected students from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 9. The Monster Project was a year-long, cross-grade collaboration that began with the imaginative minds of our JK students and came to life through the creativity and talent of students in Grades 5, 7, and 9.

By Mr. David Huckvale & Ms. Darby Moreau

We are thrilled to announce the details of our annual GY Trip for Grade 12 students taking place in September 2025.  Year after year, our students tell us that this trip is instrumental in helping inspire them to find a post-secondary destination that is a true fit.  

By David Huckvale

In what promises to be a new tradition, our graduates gathered on campus to watch the sunset before their last day of high school classes. While we will miss them dearly, we are excited that they are about to ride off into that sunset and start the next phase of their educational journey at wonderful colleges and universities across Canada and beyond. 

For Junior School Students: Check out this 2025 SUMMER READING GUIDE for a variety of suggestions to get you started!
Mrs. Kelly Johnson, CDS Junior School Librarian

For Middle/ Senior School Students: Check out this Sr. Library's Summer Reading Guide 2025.
Mrs. Rutledge, Middle/Senior School Librarian

Monday’s final Junior School Assembly was truly uplifting, marked by heartfelt moments including the announcement of retirements. We celebrated Elred Hopkin, who faithfully served behind the scenes for 26 years as the bus driver for Route 2, and Mr. Michael Moore of the Music Department, whose kind and gentle spirit brought music to life for our Junior School students over the past three years.

On Tuesday, the Junior School recognized the accomplishments of our third term athletes and coaches and reflected on what a great year it has been in Junior School sports. This term, the Grade 4-6 students participated in Boys Slow-Pitch Softball, Girls Softball, and Co-ed Track and Field.

By Aidan Scholten ‘25

I always knew that I wanted to do something creative, but it wasn’t until early high school that things started to fall into place. That’s when I picked up a camera and started experimenting with automotive photography—what was once a hobby quickly turned into something more serious. As I started to master light, composition, and editing software, I found how much I loved visual storytelling. That interest led me to examine media arts more closely, and that’s when TMU’s Image Arts program first came onto my radar screen. It looked like the perfect combination of everything I was interested in. I started aligning everything I did with the goal, not in a forced way but because I genuinely wanted to get better at the things I loved.

Since the summer after Grade 9, Brianna Torrealba ’26 has been volunteering weekly at Mackenzie Health Hospital in Richmond Hill. Her dedication has taken her through various departments, from assisting patients in the Medical Imaging Unit—prepping for MRIs, ultrasounds, and nuclear medicine appointments—to supporting laboratory operations, processing requisitions, and restocking essential supplies.

What a party we held last Friday here in our CDS SaddleDome. From the start of the evening, everyone was kicking up their heels and ready to celebrate and support CDS. The night featured a vibrant live auction and an extensive silent auction that truly had something for everyone - from Blue Jay tickets to a trip to Morocco and everything in between.

Elliott Lambakis ’27 has been playing soccer since he could walk. In his formative years growing up in West London, England, he trained with both the Fulham and Chelsea Academies—prestigious programs known for developing top-tier talent. Four years ago, Elliott and his family made the move to Canada, where he began a new chapter both academically and
athletically.

On Monday, we recognized our student athletes and celebrated all three terms of athletics at the MS/SS Spring Athletic Assembly. Individual team awards, major athletic recognitions, and CISAA plaques were presented with sports commentary provided by our GY co-anchors Diya Mangat and Jack Brown.

This week the Parent Association held our AGM  and Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast where we had an opportunity to recognize all members of the community who have volunteered their time throughout the school year.  At the AGM we introduced the new slate for the 2025-2026 Parent Association with Paola Baldassarra-Juhasz taking over as President. Paola has been a part of the community since 2022 and has two children at CDS, Lucas in Grade 9 and Portia in Grade 7.

Our Annual CDS Dinner & Auction is just a few short weeks away and we are excited to be able to offer our guests some amazing items and experiences up for bid. From spa and dinner certificates to your own personalized putting green or cold plunge tub - and everything in between! 

CDS’s Arts & Literary publication, Portraits, is hot off the press and features a wonderful array of Middle School and Senior School student artwork, poetry and writing submissions from close to 50 students, all artfully presented in a student-designed magazine format.

This year’s editor, graduating student Angelina Cai ‘25, helped choose this year’s theme – inspired by the Rorschach inkblot – which in her words, “is all about seeing different perspectives, in both the symmetry and the ink. The fun thing about anthologies is that they bring creative works together for an audience to see and interpret and celebrate.”

By Andrea Davidson

This past weekend, 12 students travelled to Branksome Hall in Toronto to participate in the annual Nora McRae Public Speaking competition. Students have been working hard for months writing and memorizing speeches as well as practicing readings and impromptu speaking to prepare for this competition. For many of our junior competitors in Grades 7-10 this was their very first time competing in a tournament. Additionally, this year's Nora McRae saw one of the largest pools of competitors in years with over 60 students from various schools participating.

By Sarah Barbanchon


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By Sarah Barbanchon

By Mark Rafferty

On Tuesday, the Senior Jazz Band participated in a workshop with Canadian Composer and Trombonist, Christian Overton. Christian has composed a piece called "The Lady of the Lake" specifically for our Senior Jazz Band and worked with our students on refining it. This piece will be performed for the first time at our MS/SS Spring Concert on Thursday, May 15th. Another reason to get your tickets! 

By Meghan Weinroth ‘26

Last Thursday, the Senior School students gathered at the Learning Stairs for the 2025 Spring Coffee House. It was a night filled with entertainment, laughter, and community. Students chowed down on delicious snacks and hot drinks while enjoying musical and comedic performances by their peers. There were many returning performers, but many new ones as well.

In celebration of Earth Day this week, a dedicated group of CDS students from Grades 8, 9, and 11 rolled up their sleeves and dug alongside King Township and planting partner LEAF (Local Enhancement and Appreciation of Forests). Together they helped plant a variety of native trees and shrubs, contributing to the growth of our local tree canopy and a healthier ecosystem.

Last week, our Junior School students embraced Earth Week with enthusiasm and purpose, setting the stage for Earth Day celebrations this week. While Outdoor Education is already a cornerstone of our curriculum, Earth Week gave us a special opportunity to deepen our connection to the natural world—and we’re fortunate to be able to do that right here on our beautiful campus.

The week featured environmental challenges, including a Lights Out challenge on Monday and House Food Waste Challenge Wednesday where students sat with their Houses in the Dining Hall and with their peers from other classes in the primary grades to track food waste as a House competition.

• Thursday, May 1st: No extracurriculars for JS only. Buses will depart at 4:45 PM.
• Friday, May 2nd: No classes for Junior School ONLY. MS/SS classes will proceed as scheduled.

CDS proudly celebrates an extraordinary achievement as all three of our debaters advanced to the finals at last week’s 37th World Individual Debate and Public Speaking Championships (WIDPSC) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This marks the 18th consecutive year that CDS has qualified at least one student for the prestigious World Championships — and the fifth time we’ve sent three.

Earlier this week, 82 of our Junior School students wrote the Mathematica Mathematics Contests which are open to students across North America from Grades 3 to 9. We had 13 Grade 3 students who wrote the Thales Contest, 21 Grade 4 students wrote the Byron-Germain Contest, 19 Grade 5 students wrote the Fibonacci Contest, and 29 Grade 6 students wrote the Pythagoras Contest.

This week, CDS had the privilege of hosting the Tour for Humanity — a mobile classroom created by the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FOSW). Led by passionate educators Simon and Ariel, this travelling learning experience delivered impactful and age-appropriate workshops to students in Grades 6, 8, 10, 11 and 12, as well as a dedicated CDS parent group.

Tickets go on sale tonight at 7pm!

The Mayor of King’s Youth Action Team is hosting a Youth Opportunity Fair on Thursday, April 10th from 3:30 - 6:30pm at the Zancor Centre (1600 15th Sideroad). This is a chance for students to connect with local businesses, community groups, colleges and universities to see what youth opportunities are available. 

Arts Society King Presents The Mayor’s Celebration of Youth & Arts is one from  March 24-April 17, 2025 featuring SS Students from CDS. The opening reception is March 26th from 6:00-8:00pm. Vote for your favourite piece for the People’s Choice Award. Visit artssocietyking.ca for more information

On Monday, March 4, and Tuesday, March 5, the Paul C. Duckett Theatre was filled with anticipation and excitement as CDS Middle School students showcased their eloquence, critical thinking, and persuasive skills in the inaugural Middle School Debate Championship. This two-day event brought together young orators from Grades 7 and 8, who demonstrated their ability to craft compelling arguments, engage with complex topics, and present with confidence.

From November to February, this cast and crew worked hard to prepare for the show. They started with a read-through where they discussed the obstacles that might come up. The large cast of characters, quick changes, and time leaps were some of the topics brought up. Ms. Bevacqua, Ms. Pozzebon, and Ms. Cicchillo even made spreadsheets to figure out which of the cast members would play the many characters still uncasted. 

At Thursday’s morning Senior School assembly, Social Justice updated the students on the progress of the pop can tab collection that has been running at the school since September.

The Social Justice members poured another batch of tabs into the collection container and then said it was worthy of an impromptu dress down day in April. Not so fast, said Mr. Viotto. He noted that there had not been any consultation with administration about this, and that, in any case, the container was not sufficiently full to warrant a dress down day. After some good natured on-stage haggling, Mr. Viotto compromised with a challenge. Fill the container up to the level he chose and the Middle and Senior Schools could earn an additional dress down day. 

So there it is, CDS. Collect as many tabs as you can until the end of March and add them to the collection container in the Senior School office and see if you can win an extra dress down day. Tabs can come from canned beverages, but also from soup, pet food or tuna cans. They all count. Social Justice will donate the tabs and a cheque to the Robert Hampson Tabs For Kids Fund which purchases wheelchairs and other equipment for children in need. 

Each year, Ms. Moonan's Grade 12 Film class takes part in a competition to predict which films and individuals will win at the Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars. The Academy Awards took place on Sunday, March 2nd this year, with Sean Baker's Anora receiving the Best Picture award, making history for the first time that a single individual has won in four competitive categories for a single film (Best Picture, Best Director, Editing, and Best Original Screenplay).

According to My Life Online, today’s students are the first generation to grow up with text messaging in their pockets and social media at their fingertips. The average age for getting a smartphone is now just 11, with kids spending an average of six hours a day in front of a screen—while teens spend up to nine. Alarmingly, 52% of kids have regretted something they’ve posted online.

Join the CDS Parent Association on Friday, April 4th from 9:00 am - 10:30 am for a Sound Bowl Meditation and Healing Experience. Guided by Diane Gardilcic, this session promotes relaxation, resources balance and elevates your energy!

Join us and try something new and rewarding for yourself! Spaces are now FULL, email us to join the waitlist. 

On February 11th, students gathered for a unique and flavorful experience at our Cultural Dessert Taste Test Experience in the CDS Dining Hall, an event designed to celebrate global traditions through food. Hosted by the Senior School Diversity Club, the event featured eight stations, each offering a delicious dessert or delicacy from different countries, prepared by parent and staff volunteers.

Last week, students from Grade 1 and Grade 5 took part in an enchanting VEX Robotics activity that combined technology, teamwork, and a little bit of magic. The event was inspired by the wizarding world of Harry Potter, and our young wizards and witches couldn’t have been more excited to step into the roles of their favourite Hogwarts Houses!

• Sienna Dell'Elce '26, Ava Longo '26 & Mariella Tsiolis '26 – Top 10 Provincial Champions & Qualified for Internationals in Orlando
• Alyssa Gesualdo '25 & Olivia Budweth '25 – Top 10 Provincial Champions & Qualified for Internationals in Orlando
• Aneesa Khan '27 – Top 20 Case Study, Top 20 Overall
• Jessica Nigul '25 – Top 20 Case Study, Top 20 Overall

As well, Lily Chen '25 will be travelling to Internationals in Orlando and attending as a representative of DECA Ontario, quite an honour! We are so proud of everyone’s efforts—on to even greater success!

It’s 1926 and Radium is thought to be a miracle cure. Teenager Grace Fryer has joined the United States Radium Corporation as a dial painter in Orange, New Jersey. With two brothers fighting overseas, she wants to do her part to support the war effort. 

We are so excited to announce that tickets for the Boots & Bids Dinner & Auction 2025 will go on sale in two short weeks on Wednesday, February 26th. If you have not secured your tickets through sponsorship, we encourage you not to miss out on buying your tickets, as only a limited number are still available and will be sold on a first come basis beginning at 10:00 am. A few Sponsorship tables are available if you are still interested.

In 1926, radium was a miracle cure, Madame Curie an international celebrity, and luminous watches the latest rage—until the girls who painted them began to fall ill with a mysterious disease. Inspired by a true story, Radium Girls traces the efforts of Grace Fryer, a dial painter, as she fights for her day in court. Her chief adversary is her former employer, Arthur Roeder, an idealistic man who cannot bring himself to believe that the same element that shrinks tumours could have anything to do with the terrifying rash of illnesses among his employees. As the case goes on, however, Grace finds herself battling not just with the U.S. Radium Corporation, but with her own family and friends, who fear that her campaign for justice will backfire.

Last week, our two Senior Kindergarten classes had an epic adventure in space. The day began with our astronauts preparing for blast off by ensuring their helmets and jet packs were secure and ready. Then, they headed off to their rocket ship in the gym, where Astronomy in Action was waiting with their portable planetarium. 

Classes ended at 2:30 pm yesterday so that Senior School students could cheer on their friends and classmates at one of three sports games taking place on campus and support the Social Justice Bake Sale.

Cyclone spirit was evident throughout both Middle and Senior School gyms, where our U16 Girls’ Volleyball team defeated SJK in three straight sets, 3-0; our Sr. Girls’ Volleyball team hosted Lakefield College and battled it out for a 3-2 win; and our Sr. Boys’ Basketball team came from behind at the end of the third and proceeded to win a nail-biter against Crescent School, 45-42. The fans were jubilant!

We had excellent results from our students, and two of our teams, Jack Brown '25 and Audrey Jiang '26 & Sophie Yuan '28 and Yolanda Sun '28, qualified to compete in the Provincial Debate Championships on February 21-23 at Upper Canada College.

Congratulations to all the debaters who participated!

The Country Day School is embracing the transformative potential of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) to enhance education while maintaining a steadfast commitment to responsible use and technology with balance. As GenAI continues to reshape the educational landscape, CDS is taking proactive steps to ensure its integration benefits for both students and educators in meaningful and ethical ways.

Over the past two weekends, members of the Middle School robotics team had the chance to represent CDS at two different VEX IQ Robotics competitions. These competitions are full-day events that are chaotic, noisy, and lots of fun to take part in. 

At the Junior School Assembly this week, CDS Operations Manager Chef Julie Axford highlighted some new offerings being served in the Niczowski, Temovsky, Arrigo Dining Hall, including a beef burrito bowl, ramen bar, dumplings, and empanadas with beef wild rice and pico de gallo.

She then shared three key points about healthy eating with the students:

Thanks to an incredible gift, we planted 24 sugar maple trees on our back campus last fall to create a maple tree grove! This wonderful endeavour, with a "Sugar Shack" still to come, will be woven into our Outdoor Education program and provide yet another unique opportunity to inspire young learners at CDS!

View our Video

The Grand Opening Celebration for King Township's new Zancor Centre is Sunday, January 26th from 9am to 6pm. This free event will feature a ribbon-cutting ceremony, the Mayor’s Pancake Breakfast, recreational swimming, skating and more.

Recently, a mailing was sent to all CDS families pertaining to the In-Person Parent-Teacher Interviews taking place on Wednesday, February 12th. As a reminder, should you choose to attend these optional meetings, our students are greatly encouraged to attend with you and be active participants in the conversations.  

I hope that you all had an amazing holiday!  If you’re like me you probably enjoyed a lot of eating and drinking, which is why it was fun to get out last Thursday night and work up a sweat at our first of three CDS Parent Association Pickleball Nights!

Senior School students interested in participating in a three-day hike in the Bruce Peninsula National Park this May, should complete the form emailed to them by January 27th.

In honour of Mental Health Week, today’s Middle/Senior School Advisor morning featured an inspiring presentation by two guest speakers from YouthSpeak, a mental health organization based in York Region. Their session focused on empowering students to recognize the signs of being in “survival brain” – the state of feeling mentally and emotionally overwhelmed – and equipping them with self-care and coping strategies to navigate challenging moments.

The Senior Girls' Hockey team secured their first win of the season with a decisive 7-3 victory over Nichols School on a day trip to Buffalo, NY yesterday.

Last week, King Township’s new Zancor Centre opened just north of CDS and we are thrilled to share that The Country Day School has naming rights to Ice Pad 2 in this new multi-use recreation facility at the northwest corner of Dufferin and 15th Sideroad.

This week, our Grade 9 Communications Technology students had the exciting opportunity to connect with two exceptional Grade 12 students: Aidan Scholten ’25 and Mac Walmsley ’25. Both Aidan and Mac are currently enrolled in the Grade 12 Communications Technology course and have used their experiences gained from our ComTech program to help launch their own personal brands and real-world businesses.

Makeup and drama - what do they have in common? They are both huge parts of theatre; drama is the foundation of theatre while makeup adds another level of detail to any production, whether it’s to amplify an effect or to add to a character.

Congratulations to Tiffany Wu '25 for placing first (out of 23 branches from 527 entries) in the Royal Legion's National Youth Remembrance Contest (Literary category—poetry)! Over the holidays, she was recognized at a ceremony at the Royal Legion's headquarters in Everett, Ont., and will be recognized once again on Feb. 4th at her local Barrie Legion.

In November, students in Grades 5 and 6 participated in the Beaver Computing Challenge hosted by the Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing through the University of Waterloo. More than 12,000 contestants from across the globe participated in this year’s challenge.