Branksome Hall News

Dr. Carolyn Mak, Branksome’s Director of Well-Being and School Counselling, has been honoured with the Ontario Association of Social Workers’ 2023 School Social Work Achievement Award. The award is in honour of her support in the development and delivery of social-emotional learning (SEL) content school-wide, as well as leading the school’s team of School Counsellors and Social Workers. This is Dr. Mak’s ninth year at Branksome Hall, and she spent her first seven years as the Junior School Social Worker, working closely with the Junior School teaching team to provide in-class programming for students around development of social-emotional learning skills, as well as counselling and consultation to students and their families. As Director of Well-Being and School Counselling, Carolyn holds a key role in developing and implementing school-wide well-being programs and curriculum; supervising and building expertise in our counseling and social work team; and strengthening and developing parent education.

Each fall, Branksome Hall welcomes Grade 9 students from Branksome Hall Asia (BHA), our sister school on Jeju Island, South Korea, to campus for a week of hands-on learning in the Arts. From creating beautiful animations during the Interdisciplinary Unit Week (IDU), which took place from Monday, October 16 to Friday, October 20, 2023, to bonding with new friends at the Boarding cultural dinner, their most recent visit was one to remember.

Excitement was in the air on September 21, 2023 as Branksome Hall launched the Centre For Strategic Leadership (CSL), led by Karrie Weinstock, Head, Centre for Strategic Leadership, and Patricia DiNicolantonio, Head, Talent Management. The first of its kind at a JK–Grade 12 school in Canada, the CSL plays a key role in the school's strategic priority to invest in the growth, development and retention of its employees by taking a strength-based approach and using values-driven practices to uplift teams and build school-wide leadership capacity. 

Student leadership is an important aspect of student life at Branksome Hall. From Junior School Action Leaders to Prefects, every student has the opportunity to learn and grow in a leadership position, and each fall, Branksome holds its Junior School and Senior & Middle School Installation Ceremonies, kicking off a year of student leadership. 

After a successful return to in person performances during the 2022–23 school year, the Branksome Hall Senior & Middle School Integrated Arts Team is pleased to announce its latest season of student arts performances.

On September 22, 2023, Branksome Hall celebrated the start of the new school year with the Welcome Back Event and the $30-million Make Way Campaign Launch— the biggest campaign in the history of the school. The centrepiece of the campaign is the new Innovation Centre and Studio Theatre (iCAST), a 32,000 square-foot first-of-its-kind space for JK to Grade 12 students to develop the STEM- and entrepreneurial-related skills that will be so valued in tomorrow's workplace. That afternoon, students emerged from their classes to see the Branksome campus fully transformed into a wonderland of fun. From food vendors to an update on this year’s exciting fundraising campaign, there was never a dull moment—and those moments are ones that this community will never forget.

Congratulations to Hilary MacMILLAN'05, who was nominated for the 2023 CAFA Womenswear Designer of the Year Award.

“Ready, Aye, Ready”: The sailors of the RCN stand always ready to defend Canada and proudly safeguard its interests and values whether at home or abroad. (RCN Dec 16, 2021)

Last July, 230 Royal Canadian Navy sailors and officers welcomed 14 Canadian Leaders at Sea (CLaS’23) aboard the HMCS Winnipeg. Having participted in this rare and exciting opportunity to learn first-hand about life in the Navy, I am in awe of the commitment and talent of the women and men who serve our country.

Siena IANNI-PALARCHIO’20 is the daughter of Branksome's very own Michael, who is Head, Innovation & Strategic Projects. The third-year student at the University of Western Ontario’s Civil and Environmental Engineering Program credits Branksome with instilling her love of STEM, and knows iCAST will light that path for even more students.

The Canadian Accredited Independent Schools (CAIS) has announced that Branksome Hall Principal Karen Jurjevich has been selected to receive a CAIS Lifetime Achievement Award. The Lifetime Achievement Award is given to an individual who has served 25 years as a Head of School, with a minimum of 20 years in a CAIS school. This recognition is a timely and meaningful way to acknowledge Karen’s 25 years of passionate, visionary and innovative leadership at the school. As she shared with the Branksome community in October 2022, she will be stepping away from her role as Principal in June 2024. 

Debate and public speaking have been long-standing traditions at Branksome Hall. The school was one of the first girls' schools to become a member of the Fulford Debate League and the first Canadian school to host the World Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championships in 2019. In the first full year back to having in-person competitions since 2019, the Branksome Hall Debate and Public Speaking Society continues to prove their excellence, having had one of the most successful seasons in the program's history.

Since May 2020, the Noodle accelerator program has inspired and developed the business ideas of Branksome Hall’s young entrepreneurs. The 38-week accelerator program is the first of its kind in a Canadian school—and ever evolving! Noodle has grown from eight students to 36, and this year Branksome also launched Noodle Junior for students in Grades 5 and 6, with 32 students participating. Guided by niche experts and mentors, students work towards sustainable solutions to real-world problems. 

The Branksome Hall Highlanders give it their all in every sport they take part in, and for some Highlanders, their dedication to their sport extends far beyond Branksome. Grade 9 student and squash player Zoe’s efforts have paid off in a big way this year!

At Branksome Hall, three game-changing centres inform and advance our teaching, innovation and leadership. One of these is The Garage, an incubator that invites teachers and staff to ideate, experiment and prototype new ideas and initiatives, helping to spark new cross-functional and school-wide innovation.

Branksome Hall has always worked to destigmatize conversations surrounding mental health, which is crucial for effective learning and overall well-being. As part of Branksome’s Well-Being Speaker Series, and thanks to the Class of ’86 Mental Health Initiative–a fund that allocates resources towards the well-being of our community–the school was able to secure the rights to the award-winning documentary Angst.

Branksome Hall and the Get Ahead Project (GAP) School in Queenstown, South Africa have been in a close partnership for the past 20 years. From the exchange program that has fostered life-long friendships between students, to the fundraising support carried out by the Branksome community every year, our two schools have always been close. This year, the partnership grew even stronger as our students came together for one of the most important competitions in the world.

From painting a masterpiece in the art studio to running weekly clubs, creativity gives students the ability to do incredible things both inside and outside of the classroom. In January 2023, four Senior School students saw their creative efforts recognized for one of the most prestigious awards in North America. 

There are many characteristics that make Branksome Hall the institution that it is today, including its supportive teachers and staff, inclusive environment and the incredible facilities that the community enjoys every day. With such a big campus, it takes an incredible team of individuals to keep Branksome running smoothly.