Keeping P.A.C.E. | September + October 2023

Keeping P.A.C.E. | September + October 2023

Oct 31, 2023 | Uncategorized

THE PACE OF THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE

Here’s to new beginnings! This year has started exceptionally well with some familiar and new unique learning opportunities for our P.A.C.E. students and teachers alike! From our yearly Terry Fox participation to exciting farming and leadership adventures there have been many smiles and such an overwhelming eagerness to learn through exploration. We could not be more excited to see what the rest of the 2023-2024 school year brings!

SEPTEMBER + OCTOBER HIGHLIGHTS

On Tuesday September 12, Shea Coughlan (a Terry Fox School Run Ambassador) passionately shared Terry Fox’s story with our grades 1-6 students, inspiring them to actively engage in their community by participating in the Terry Fox Run held annually at P.A.C.E.

On Friday September 22, P.A.C.E. students began their annual competition for the coveted House Cup in a special school-wide event called “House Day” – each team hoping to earn house points through friendly competition against their peers. It was a fabulous, fun-filled morning for all students and staff!

We also hosted our annual Terry Fox Run on September 22 to help raise money for cancer research. We are grateful for all of the support from the P.A.C.E. community! Over the years, we are proud to say that P.A.C.E. students have raised $106,894 for cancer research.

On September 26, our grades 6-8 students competed against 11 other schools in the annual SSAF Ultimate Frisby tournament. It was a beautiful day and congratulations to all athletes for making it to the playoffs!

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On Friday September 28, we commemorated orange shirt day. Everyone was encouraged to wear an orange shirt as a way to raise awareness of the intergenerational impacts of residential schools. We aimed to honour the experiences of Indigenous Peoples and to celebrate their resiliency by recognizing ‘Every Child Matters.’

From October 4-6, our grade 8 students embarked on a leadership and team building field study at Olympia Outdoor and Challenge Education Centre. Through various custom designed activities, students worked on character development strategies to allow them to explore critical thinking, personal responsibility and integrity, as well as team leadership skills. The experience was challenging, enjoyable and memorable for all!

On October 11th, our grade 3 scientists visited Forsythe Family Farms to see soil in action! They fed the goats and sheep and learned about how the animals depend on soil to produce their food, while also helping the soil by providing fertilizer for it. Students had a chance to observe some soil experiments, including how rocks turn into soil through erosion and how water drainage is affected by the amount of space between particles. They also went on a nature walk and observed many different types of mushrooms helping decompose the organic matter back into soil. Students compared the black forest soil to the light grey soil found in the pumpkin patch while getting to choose their own pumpkin as a souvenir!

To complement their first unit in Global Perspective – Early Settlements and New France – our grade 7s enjoyed a field study at Sainte Marie Among The Hurons! Students had the opportunity to view the site of the Jesuit settlement and many historical buildings, such as a longhouse! They also enjoyed learning about quill making, and even had the chance to make their own quills and try writing with them.

Our grade 2s had a wonderful time on their field trip to the ROM.  Students thoroughly enjoyed exploring, researching, and drawing a wonderful variety of minerals, gemstones, meteorites, and rocks bringing everything they have learned in theme studies to life in a beautiful and magnificent way.

To complement their Science unit – Characteristics of Living Things – our grade 1s visited Round The Bend Farm. They learned about different vegetables and the growing process, took a wagon ride, explored corn mazes, and fed a variety of farm animals. It was an a-moo-zing day!

SETTING THE PACE

What a fantastic couple of months! We have achievements to be proud of but still have work to do. As we look ahead to November and December, we are excited for: 

  • November 1 – U12 Flag Football Tournament
  • November 3 – U14 Flag Football Tournament
  • November 8 – Beaver Computing Contest (grades 5-8)
  • November 10 – Remembrance Day Assembly
  • November 13 – Immunization Clinic (grades 7-8)
  • November 14 – U12 Indoor Soccer Tournament
  • November 16 – Canada Jay Mathematical Competition (grades 7-8)
  • November 20 – U14 Girls Soccer Tournament
  • November 23 – U12 Co-Ed Soccer Tournament
  • November 24 – Awards Assembly; Term 2 Begins
  • November 30 – U14 Boys Soccer Tournament
  • December 1 – Term 1 Report Cards Distributed
  • December 4 – U14 Dodgeball Tournament
  • December 6 – U20 Dodgeball Tournament
  • December 7-8 – Parent-Teacher Interviews (school closed)
  • December 13 – Holiday Music Concert
  • December 15 – School Closes at 12pm for Winter Break.
  • January 8 – School Resumes

Keep pace with what’s going on with our students with our bi-monthly blog updates. For an insider’s view into your child’s enriched learning experience, join the P.A.C.E. community on Instagram.

Keeping P.A.C.E. | May + June 2023

Keeping P.A.C.E. | May + June 2023

Jun 13, 2023 | Uncategorized

THE PACE OF THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE

This year has come and gone so quickly but the imprint will last forever here at P.A.C.E.! We’ve shared so many challenging and exciting learning experiences these past few months–thank you for always giving it your all P.A.C.E. students! Below we have recapped all the significant and exciting things that took place in May and June!

And let’s take a minute to acknowledge our amazing group of grads! Congratulations to our  graduating class of 2023 – we are confident as you move forward on your education journey that you will find success as long as you stay true to yourself! We will miss you, however, we will be cheering you on in your next adventure!

MAY + JUNE HIGHLIGHTS

Inspired by the story of “The Dot“, our grade 1 artists created their own stunning dot artwork. They used oil pastels to create such vibrant colours! Our students learned that everyone makes their own mark in the world and that no mark made is ever too small!

From May 3 to 5, our grade 5s visited Albion Hills Field Centre, where they had the opportunity to enjoy a nature-themed overnight field trip! Students participated in activities such as practicing wilderness survival skills, nature hike, thick tread mountain biking, ephemeral nature art, eco Jeopardy, campfire and a guided night walk!

You may have been wondering what all the “racket” was about this May–our very own Yannis and Bradley finished in 1st place in boys doubles at the SSAF U14 Badminton Championship!

To complement their Unit on the Middle Ages, our grade 4s traveled to Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament to observe the reenactment of Feudalism during that period of European history. It was a ‘Knight’ they will surely never forget!

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To finish their Theme Unit on Ancient Egypt, grade 3 students had the opportunity to be the teacher for the class! Each group collaboratively worked together to pick an Egyptian god/goddess, conduct research, put together a presentation, and share their findings with the class and teach their peers. The students were excited to compare what they learned in class to their findings on their field trip to the Royal Ontario Museum!

The P.A.C.E. community was treated to a special evening of music and dance on Wednesday, May 10th at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts.  After four years, students and staff returned to the stage to host the 30th Annual P.A.C.E. Music Festival. 

The memorable evening of music could not have happened without the hard work and dedication of our talented music students, and support from P.A.C.E parents.  Thank you for being a part of this musical tradition.

A heartfelt “thank you” to our Production Manager Ms. Reay; Stage Managers Ms. Taft and Mr. Obradovic; Assistant Production Managers Mr. Rovet and Ms. Abela; and Stage Crew Members Eleanor, Rohan, Polina and Matteo. Each of you helped from start to finish and assisted behind the scenes to create smooth transitions for an amazing performance.

A special thanks to our Choral Director Ms. Fuller and our Music Director Mr. de Lara for teaching and inspiring all students to embrace the art of music and performance. 

Finally, thank you to our producer and director Ms. Gruchy for providing the guidance and leadership with all of our programs and supporting all of our music endeavors! It was simply extraordinary to see P.A.C.E. return to the stage!

Our grade 6s worked diligently on creating their very own products and business plans. The teams presented their inventions to a panel of judges at our Panther Pit Competition (inspired by the hit TV shows Dragon’s Den and Shark Tank). We are so proud of their amazing creativity and innovative designs.

Our grade 3s went on a field study to the Royal Ontario Museum. Students explored the Ancient Egypt exhibit through a group scavenger hunt, had a private tour throughout the exhibit to learn more about the lives of Ancient Egyptians, and participated in a lab where they identified the ancient culture from which various artifacts originated.

On Tuesday, May 23rd, 80+ students consisting of grade 7, grade 8 and concert band music students returned to the stage and performed live at the annual Canada’s Wonderland Festival of Music.

Adjudicated by Garry Page, Mr. Page complimented all the students on their sense of music interpretation and attention to detail while performing all musical selections with true style and enthusiasm.

Thank you to Mr. Hosein for his assistance with supervision throughout the day, and to our Music Director and Conductor Mr. De Lara for sharing his guidance, knowledge, and gift of music to all P.A.C.E. students.

On May 26, our drama and music students came together to present P.A.C.E.’s 2023 school show, The Addams Family. This wonderful musical showcased our students’ talents in acting, singing, dancing, choreography, piano playing, costume and set design, and tech. It was a product of several months of hard work that truly paid off. This show had everything: enchanting costumes and make-up, captivating choreographies, quirky characters and incredible singing, all supported by stunning back-drops and effective sound and lights cues.

Thank you to to Mr. de Lara for his indispensable tech expertise that elevated the entire production; to Ms. Niece for her dedication in helping with everything from set and costume design to recording the show; to Ms. Fuller for her dedication to helping our singers improve and excel at their craft; and to Mr. Obradovic whose vision and stage mastery gave us another unforgettable theatrical experience.

 

A performance like this is a true celebration of P.A.C.E.’s talent and creativity and as we congratulate all the participants, we also thank them for sharing their artistry with us.

Cathy’s Crawly Composters brought vermicomposting to our grade 1 classroom! In their theme unit, The 4Rs, the grade 1s have been learning about our impact on the planet. They learned about the importance of red wiggler worms and composting. Students also had the option to have their own worm kit to continue vermicomposting at home!

SETTING THE PACE

We have had a very successful school year and are so proud of you! As we look ahead to July and August we are excited for:

  • Camp fires & S’mores
  • Swimming 
  • Movie nights
  • Beach days 
  • Great times with friends and family 

We wish all the same and more for our P.A.C.E. Community! Have a wonderful summer break!

Keep pace with what’s going on with our students with our bi-monthly blog updates. For an insider’s view into your child’s enriched learning experience, join the P.A.C.E. community on Instagram.

Keeping P.A.C.E. | March + April 2023

Keeping P.A.C.E. | March + April 2023

May 2, 2023 | Uncategorized

THE PACE OF THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE

April showers bring May flowers and a ton of community engagement, exciting learning experiences and personal growth and development! From the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts, a Science Odyssey, Badminton and French Speech Competitions to designing and building amusement park rides, we have been very busy bees! We cannot wait to see what’s in-store for the remainder of the year, but let’s recap some of March and April highlights.

MARCH + APRIL  HIGHLIGHTS

On March 3rd, 2023, P.A.C.E. competed in a French speech competition that took place at Branksome Hall at a regional level and was able to score first place in the core French category. P.A.C.E.’s representatives will compete once more on May 6th at a provincial level at Glendon campus. Best of luck to the participants.

Le 3 mars dernier, P.A.C.E. a participé à une compétition régionale d’art oratoire à Branksome Hall au centre-ville. Les deux élèves de P.A.C.E. Yustina et Lauren ont réussi à obtenir la première place au concours en Français de base. Les deux participantes vont représenter notre école à Glendon le 6 mai prochain au niveau provincial. Bonne chance aux deux participantes et à notre école!

Our grade 2s celebrated the end of their unit on Indigenous Studies! Students worked together to reach a common goal of brainstorming and recording facts about a specific animal. At the same time, they practiced group-work skills of listening and respecting the ideas of each other and took turns speaking as each student held the “talking stick”.

Our grades 1-5 students visited the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts for a cultural experience! Students saw the show Afrique en Cirque by Cirque Kalabante – a show that symbolizes the strength, agility and joy of life found in African youth. Students thoroughly enjoyed experiencing different African cultures through music.

For their Space Unit in Theme, our grade 3 students explored and investigated the effects that outer space can have on the growth of tomato seeds. With the help of their five senses, students used their investigative skills to observe tomatoes and their seeds. They created inquiry questions and made predictions about which pack of tomato seeds have gone to space, and how that environment might have an impact on the way the seeds grow.

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On April 12, the P.A.C.E. U12 badminton team competed in the SSAF North Qualifier. All team members are to be commended for displaying great sportsmanship throughout a tournament full of competitive matches. Special mention to:

  • Phyllis who came placed second in the girls’ singles 
  • Owen who placed second in the boys’ singles

And big congratulations to the following players who placed first in their division and went undefeated during the day:

  • Ayden and Shawn in boys’ doubles.
  • Michael and Marie in mixed doubles.
  • Zachary in boys’ singles.

Good luck to all players when they compete in the championship tournament in May.

A heartfelt thank you to Mr. Rovet for organizing and convening this qualifying round, and to the coach, Ms. Pajak, for her time and dedication to the team.

Our grade 7 science students have been using their engineering skills to design and build amusement park rides in their Structure and Design unit. Students presented their projects to the class and discussed the forces involved in maintaining a strong and stable structure.

P.A.C.E.’s Science Odyssey proved to be a wonderful success, with students sharing their discoveries in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. We had 80 exhibits, approximately 75 judges and a total of 400 evaluations! Parents, faculty members and senior science students volunteered their time to serve as judges. April 14th marked the culmination of months worth of work on the part of our burgeoning scientists who predicted, designed, executed and analyzed findings from a physical experiment or working model of their own interest. Congratulations to all on an outstanding celebration of the world of science.

Our grade 1s practiced their food vocabulary in French by creating menus for their very own restaurants! They had a blast practicing learned vocabulary in a creative and fun way!

From April 18-21, our grade 7s traveled to Quebec City to enhance their French cultural experiences as well as to complement the grade 7 History curriculum which deals with, among other things, “Building the Canadian Nation.” Students found the program to be challenging, enjoyable and memorable!

Our grade 8 science students embarked on a journey to space! The students spent 3 days at a space camp in Laval, Quebec, training to be astronauts by using simulators to mimic space walks, learning about the science behind surviving in space and conducting space simulated missions to Europa, a moon of Jupiter. The experience was out of this world!

SETTING THE PACE

What a fantastic couple of months! We have achievements to be proud of but still have work to do. As we look ahead to May and June, we are excited for: 

  • May 1-12 – AP Exams (grades 11-12)
  • May 3-5 – Albion Hills Overnight Field Trip (grade 5)
  • May 9 – U12 Badminton Finals
  • May 10 – Music Festival at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts
  • May 11 – U14 Badminton Finals
  • May 11 – Chem 13 Contest (grade 12)
  • May 12- Field Trip to Medieval Times (grade 4)
  • May 17 – Gauss Contest (grades 7-8)
  • May 17 – Jr. Reach for the Top Tournament
  • May 18 – Field Trip to the ROM (grade 3)
  • May 18 – Avogadro (grade 11)
  • May 19 – Formal
  • May 22 – Victoria Day (school closed)
  • May 23 – Canada’s Wonderland Music Festival
  • May 26 – U10 Track and Field Meet
  • May 31 – Matilda Performance
  • June 2 – House Day
  • June 8-9 – Fire Safety Workshops (grades 1-8)
  • June 14-20 – Final Exams (grades 9-12)
  • June 19 – Year-end Field Trips (grades 1-8)
  • June 20 – Last Day of School (school closed at 12pm)

Keep pace with what’s going on with our students with our bi-monthly blog updates. For an insider’s view into your child’s enriched learning experience, join the P.A.C.E. community on Instagram.

Keeping P.A.C.E. | January + February 2023

Keeping P.A.C.E. | January + February 2023

Feb 28, 2023 | Uncategorized

THE PACE OF THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE

HELLO to 2023! We’ve had so many intriguing learning experiences to kick off the New Year! We cannot wait to see what’s in store for the remainder of the year, but first let’s dive into January and February highlights.

JANUARY + FEBRUARY  HIGHLIGHTS

Our grade 7 science students have been learning about how elements in the periodic table bond with one another. Using molecular kits, they created 3-D models of molecules. This was also an amazing team bonding experience.

Our grade 8 science students observed electrons in an atom becoming excited. When atoms are heated, the electrons in the outer shell will move so quickly they will jump up to another energy level. This process converts heat energy to light energy, producing different colours of light. Two of the favourites were lead nitrate, which produced a beautiful green colour of light, while lithium nitrate produced a dark red flame. It was an ionic experience for sure.

Students experienced exciting live music and insightful video documentary, while learning about the challenges musicians encounter in practice, rehearsal, and performance. How do musicians prepare themselves and handle the pressure? Students had the opportunity to meet TSO musicians, learn how they mentally, emotionally, and physically prepare and cheer them on as they perform in their moments.

In their Oceanography unit, grade 3 students made predictions about the effects of salinity on the buoyancy of two different objects – an egg and old pennies. Students hypothesized, recorded observations through drawings, analyzed their data in charts, and drew final conclusions.

The grade 1 students went on a field trip to the Ontario Science Centre to participate in a workshop on strong and stable structures. There was no “tension” between these teammates while they engineered their strong and stable bridges, towers, and arches!

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Our grade 7 science students have been learning about mixtures in their chemistry unit. Following the procedure, they created mixtures, made observations on their physical properties and classified them as either a solution, suspension, emulsion or a colloid.

As part of their unit on forces, our grade 3 science students created arcade games using mostly recycled materials! Students created arcade style games and identified what forces would be used in the project and how Newton’s laws could be identified throughout.

Our grade 1 students read the story Enemy Pie, written by Derek Munson, and discussed the meaning of friendship and how people can quickly become friends, even if they were unsure about them at the start. After reading, they created their very own Enemy Pie Recipe to guide themselves in making new friends, especially new friends who they might not have thought could be their friend. The students were very thoughtful and creative in coming up with “ingredients” and images to match.

SETTING THE PACE

What a fantastic start to 2023! We have achievements to be proud of but still have work to do. As we look ahead to March and April we are excited for:

  • March 1 – Cultural Event (grades 1-5)
  • March 3 – School Closes at 12pm for March Break
  • March 20 – School Resumes
  • March 23-24 – Parent-Teacher Interviews (school closed)
  • March 27 – Graduation Photos
  • March 30-31 – P.A.C.E. Model UN
  • April 7 – Good Friday (school closed)
  • April 10 – Easter Monday (school closed)
  • April 12- Senior Reach for the Top Tournament
  • April 14 – Science Odyssey (grades 6-9)
  • April 18-21 – Quebec City (Grade 7)
  • April 19-21 – Montreal Space Camp (Grade 8)
  • April 25-28 – East Coast of Canada (Grades 9-12)

Keep pace with what’s going on with our students with our bi-monthly blog updates. For an insider’s view into your child’s enriched learning experience, join the P.A.C.E. community on Instagram.

Keeping P.A.C.E. | November + December 2022

Keeping P.A.C.E. | November + December 2022

Jan 9, 2023 | Uncategorized

THE PACE OF THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE

As we say Goodbye to 2022 and a Big HELLO to 2023 we just wanted to take a quick minute and look back on our students’ final learning lessons, achievements and personal successes of 2022!

NOVEMBER + DECEMBER HIGHLIGHTS

The grade 11 students presented their French work about the effects of social media on friendship. The presentations were excellent and very informative.

Les élèves de la onzième année ont présenté leur travail en français à propos des effets des médias sociaux sur l’amitié.Les présentations étaient excellentes et très intéressantes.

The grades 7-11 Music students visited Roy Thomson Hall  to experience MOMENTS – a live concert performed by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

Students experienced exciting live music and insightful video documentary, while learning about the challenges musicians encounter in practice, rehearsal, and performance. How do musicians prepare themselves and handle the pressure? Students had the opportunity to meet TSO musicians, learn how they mentally, emotionally, and physically prepare and cheer them on as they perform in their moments.

Our grade 5s prepared themselves for their Science Odyssey which took place on November 29th. Students were required to follow the scientific process to either create a working model or conduct an experiment on a topic in science. 

In order to help them prepare for this endeavour, the grade 11s and 12s mentored them by listening to their progress and giving them feedback on their projects. Many of the grade 11s and 12s have also participated in the Science Odyssey, which gives them a wealth of knowledge to give to the budding, young scientists.

Our grade 3s are learning how to code! Students have been practicing a hands-on approach by using code to navigate through a maze of their own creation.

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Our grade 2s had a wonderfully ‘pawsitive’ and exciting learning experience meeting a wide variety of interesting and unique animals from Pawsitively Pets! They enjoyed holding the animals, petting them and learning about each one and their unique characteristics.

And congratulations to the U20 dodgeball team in their nail biting finish against TCMPS to clinch the finals and win the championship! Fighting back from an 0-2 deficit in the sets, the team persevered and fought back to win the next 3 sets. The team showed commitment, sportsmanship and teamwork. Thanks for making your coach and your school proud!

Our grade 5s went on a field trip to The Community Safety Village located within Bruce’s Mill Conservation Area! They participated in three workshops run by first responders – Emergency Preparedness, CPR Basic Training, and Internet Safety.

After creating their own sequels for their novel study on The Summer of the Swans, grade 3 students had the opportunity to share their new books at their class book fair. From designing a new title and front cover, to writing a persuasive “trailer” and critic quote for the back cover, students warmed up by the fire to share their creations.

Just before the holiday break our grade 7s had started their chemistry unit! Their first experiment involved the students mixing together different substances to determine if a physical or chemical change took place. They used precision and accuracy when collecting the data from each reaction. Well done Grade 7s!

SETTING THE PACE

What a fantastic end to 2022! We have achievements to be proud of but still have work to do! As we look ahead to January and February we are excited for: 

  • January 3 – School Resumes
  • January 24 – Cultural Event (grades 6-7)
  • January 27 – Festival of Words at the RHCPA (grades 1-7)
  • January 30 – Session 2 Extracurriculars Begin
  • February 1 – Musical Theatre Performance
  • February 2 – UT MUN
  • February 8-10 – Albion Hills (grade 6)
  • February 9 – Graduation Photos (grade 12)
  • February 15 – Canadian Computing Contest (grades 10-12)
  • February 15 – CPR course (grade 9)
  • February 20 – Family Day (school closed)
  • February 22 – Cayley, Fermat, and Pascal Contests
  • February 23 – P.A.C.E. Innovation Challenge

Keep pace with what’s going on with our students with our bi-monthly blog updates. For an insider’s view into your child’s enriched learning experience, join the P.A.C.E. community on Instagram.

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