Branksome Hall News

Pre-pandemic, it wasn’t unusual for professional development conferences to cancel a particular session due to low registration. However, thanks to the intimacy and immediacy of Zoom, and the opportunity for convenient, global participation, the power of virtual, small-group collaboration emerged at the first-ever International Baccalaureate (IB) Summer Virtual Workshops, hosted by Branksome Hall from July 27-29, 2021. 

When Bec Pecaut’11 was 14, they saw the classic coming-of-age film Juno, written by breakout screenwriter Diablo Cody. “I was so taken with it I turned to my dad and said, 'I want to do that.’”

With scooters for rent, right-of-way for bicycles and plenty of greenery along the river, Heilbronn, Germany is a youth-friendly place for teens, especially in summer. It’s no wonder then, that Grade 12 student Sophie Schreiweis gave it a score of 71 out of 100 for a recent Geography project that required students to investigate their neighbourhoods to determine what they want to see in their local, public spaces.

Branksome Hall has many qualities that make it a special place to learn and work. From state-of-the-art classrooms and heritage buildings to our respected IB program, the school provides students with a warm and caring environment alongside stellar teachers and enriching educational experiences.

Year-end teacher appreciation gifts are a thoughtful gesture, especially in a year when “frontliner” has unexpectedly been added to the faculty job description. Katherine Chen’21, who’s off to study economics at the University of Chicago this fall, went above and beyond this year—recognizing Diploma Program French teacher Nicole Hallett with a University of Chicago Outstanding Educator Award.  

A mix of rain and shine was in the cards for on-campus closing celebrations, but nothing could dampen the joyful sense of togetherness students, staff, faculty and parents experienced on June 15 and 16 at the Junior School, and June 18 for Middle and Senior School students, following this year’s virtual Green Carpet Celebration.

Did you know they serve instant coffee in cafes in Ecuador? Or that you would never give someone four gifts in Taiwan, because odd numbers and the number 4, specifically, are considered unlucky?

It took 50 years for Carlotta Walls LaNier to receive an invitation to a class reunion at Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas, the site of a historic turning point in desegregation in 1957. She was one of nine African-American students escorted daily into school by bodyguards from the 101st Airborne Division on decree of President Eisenhower, to protect them from local mobs outside and racist abuse inside. (The U.S. Supreme Court had declared all laws establishing segregated schools to be unconstitutional in 1954.)

They championed the right to go to school, 64 years ago, and it was a turning point in desegregation. Now, Grades 7 to 12 students are getting set to welcome Carlotta Walls LaNier, the youngest of the Little Rock Nine, the first African-American students at Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas in 1957. LaNier will speak virtually to students, parents, employees and alum on Wednesday, June 9 from 1:00-2:00 p.m., followed by a question-and-answer session.

Áine was likely among the first people in the 12-15 age group to be vaccinated, in the world.
 
Canadian kids were eligible for the Pfizer-BioNTech jab on May 5 and the BBC World Service was looking for one to interview. Her dad, Kevin Brennan, posted on Twitter after the Grade 6 student got her first dose, and one of his followers, a BBC associate, reached out. You can hear the radio broadcast, featuring Áine and Kevin, aired on May 28, here (27:07 to 43:15).

It was likely more than beginners’ luck. It was a wonderful showing for Mare & Clé Clé, the Branksome debating duo who finished seventh overall at the French National Debate Championships. Individually, Mare finished seventh and Clé Clé 11th. The French-language debate was hosted online by the Ontario Student Debating Union, May 7 and 8.

Her inspiration was a close friend, who died suddenly from meningitis at age 14. By describing how she coped, so vividly, Grade 10 student Sophie has earned second place in her grade category and will be published in INCITE, the annual anthology produced by the Conference of Independent Schools of Ontario (CIS).

A mentor to so many, Michelle Obama also inspired a visionary team of Grade 9 students, who ultimately placed fifth out of 10 finalists in a virtual high-school incubator competition.

Branksome Hall has a strong commitment to making our school one that fosters diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). This strategic priority ensures that our school community is a diverse, equitable and inclusive place to learn and work. In the fall of 2020, we began building out our work and exploration of issues related to DEI, including looking at all of the ways we connect with our communities.

Former English teacher Nora McRae would be proud of our students’ eloquence and poise. Our competitors won Top Team in both the Junior and Senior categories at her namesake Nora McRae Public Speaking Tournament, which took place on Saturday, May 1.

Clara Angotti, President of Next Pathway Inc. and a current member of Branksome Hall’s Board of Governors, has been named one of the Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Technology by the National Diversity Council. This impressive honour spotlights women who have reached the top of their professions and are effective leaders in their organizations.

“My favourite part about playing the cello is being able to express myself,” explains Yuna, a Grade 11 student. “I find there’s something very personal about music because we all interpret and play so differently, whether that’s in the perspective of a musician or as someone in the audience.”

Dr. Julia BLACK’10 has been busy loading her quiver with the arrows she’ll need to work toward equity for the underserved.

Even in a pandemic, the newest members on our Advancement and Community Engagement (ACE) team are here for you.

The U.S. has shown us just how perplexing elections can be. Jess SPINDLER'04 makes sense of election law, for all of us.

At first, it was a top candidate’s talent and work ethic that made her stand out. The psychology lab manager didn’t notice the Branksome ring until later.

With late-night judging and early-morning competing, the Branksome Hall debating team juggled international time zones along with formidable competition at the World Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championships, April 23 to 26. 

It was a weekend of learning and achievement for Branksome Hall Model United Nations delegates (MUN) who attended two virtual conferences, April 24 and 25.

When Mona Malone, Vice-Chair of Branksome Hall’s Board of Governors, was a little girl, she told her mom she wanted to be a teacher. Though her career path led to the upper ranks of BMO Financial Group—where she just earned one of 50 coveted Report on Business Magazine’s ‘Best Executive’ Awards, in the Human Resources category—her ambitions have remained constant since childhood.

Grade 12 student Maia has a passion for the classics—the Classical world, that is! Maia was recently selected as the Secondary School recipient for the coveted Classics prize, the Harry C. Maynard Scholarship, awarded annually by the Ontario Classical Association.

If you haven’t heard, CRISPR gene-editing technology is poised to change everything eventually—offering solutions for many degenerative and genetic diseases.
 
Now, two enterprising Grade 10 students, who took the initiative to enter the Toronto Science Fair themselves, have earned a silver medal—designing a theoretical prototype for contact lenses that delivers CRISPR technology into the eye to repair colour blindness.

She took a virtual portfolio of $30,000 on the stock market to $62 million in just 11 weeks — an accomplishment that makes any hedge-fund manager envious. Grade 7 student Abby placed second, beating out more than 100 students from seven countries in Explorer Hop’s Global Investment Competition. (Although the winnings aren’t real, the first place winner did take home $500.)

Emily MacLean has been appointed the new Head of the Junior School at Branksome Hall, effective July 1, 2021.

Pandemic learning has its ups and downs, but for Junior School students, a virtual author visit is the equivalent of an interactive television show with a famous personality. This means that for young readers, an author visit is more magical and engaging than one might expect.

Although 2021 has only just begun, Branksome’s talented student debaters are at it again. Competing in four tournaments over the past four weeks, the virtual platform was no match for these determined groups, who returned with impressive results in all categories. 

In these unpredictable times, the number Pi (Greek letter “π”) is a constant—a mathematical one, at least. Many people know it’s defined as the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter, but far fewer can recite its endless decimal representation. The record for its memorization is somewhere around the 70,000th digit.

Home cooking has taken centre stage, both as a pandemic necessity and creative outlet. Branksome Hall is no different—as the Virtual Baking Club has been one of the bright spots in a challenging year.

It’s been almost a year since Holly Clarke first rode her bicycle indoors for six hours straight, as part of her “Toronto Hustle” cycling team’s 24-hour, indoor stationary bike marathon to support frontline healthcare workers, last April.

“How can I be a better teacher?” It’s not just Branksome Hall students who pursue the “growth mindset” values at the pedagogical core of an International Baccalaureate school. Consider Geography and Design teacher Allison Campbell-Rogers, for example.

After urging workshop participants to set an intention for an act of small change, Esie Mensah immediately had her workshop participants rise from their Zoom boxes and get moving. The renowned choreographer, born in Hamilton, Ont. to parents who immigrated from Ghana, incorporated her signature, flowing movements into a segment of the workshop she calls Afro-healing.

Instead of dealing with jet lag, our 14 Model United Nations (MUN) delegates—who attended The Hague International Model United Nations (THIMUN) conference in January—had to rise at 6:30 a.m. to get online.

Branksome Hall is pleased to announce that Anima Leadership has been selected to conduct a comprehensive third-party Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) audit of the school’s environment, policies, plans and documents. The audit is a critical foundational component of its DEI strategy. 

When marketing expert Lindsay STRANSMAN’08 stepped up to volunteer in 2019, she had a question for her friend Melanie ARGIROS Breder’08 (now President of the Branksome Hall Alumnae Association): Why didn't our Alum Trivia Night have a Branksome-specific category?

Certain academic terms such as ‘post-colonial’ have entered the mainstream, but what do they really mean and how can people work together towards a ‘decolonial’ end where systems of oppression are effectively challenged and collapsed?

Agile, empathetic and steady leadership is needed more than ever in this extraordinary time. Branksome Hall is pleased to announce today that it is establishing a new Centre for Strategic Leadership, to build leadership capacity and development opportunities for our faculty and staff. Deputy Principal Karrie Weinstock will take the helm as Head of the Centre, and Junior School Head Amanda Kennedy will move into the Deputy Principal role, as of July 1.

Children’s laptops are the most essential learning tool right now, given the need to pivot between virtual and in-class learning this year. For under-served public schools, whose communities are facing increased economic hardship due to COVID-19, it’s just not possible for parents to step in and help out.

“Dear 2020, I think we should break up.” Surely Grade 10 student Elizabeth speaks for many in a prose poem that earned her First Prize from the Conference of Independent Teachers of English (CITE). Her work was selected from the entries of more than 90 students from 20 independent schools.

Intellectual curiosity is a powerful tool that can be applied to almost anything. That was abundantly clear this week at Branksome Hall, as the Grade 10 Personal Project Showcase hosted parents and students in the Open U virtual space, January 26 and 27. Virtual visitors enjoyed the opportunity for informal visits to individual “rooms,” with pre-recorded video installations.

In recognition of outstanding community initiatives and strategic leadership, Branksome Hall’s sister school in South Korea, Branksome Hall Asia earned “International School of the Year Award” at the prestigious ISC Research International Schools Awards 2021, streamed live on January 17.

As students scroll their way through social media posts, with fewer real-life socializing opportunities to provide a reality check due to the pandemic, unrealistic female bodies and impossible beauty standards can be more damaging than ever before.

It was a lesson in Indigenous spirituality, healing plants and self-care tools to navigate the pandemic, as Ojibwe Anishinaabe Elder Shelley Charles joined Grade 12 students in their Theory of Knowledge class on January 13.

When the pandemic is over, the first thing Nabila AZAD ’07 wants to do is safely travel home to Toronto and visit her parents.