Of the 88 students in Level I, 38 – or 43% – opted to take the Pascal math test, as part of the Canadian Mathematics Competition. Like the other two tests for older students in the competition series, the Pascal assesses logical thinking and mathematical problem solving skills, and is not based on a common body of knowledge.

30 of the 38 students performed above the average mark of 63%, with 12 of the 38 receiving a distinction for results over 74% and two students, Michelle L. and Arthur L., the Médaille d’honneur for achieving 95%! In fact, of the 1400 schools who participated in the Pascal, TFS came in 33rd for all of Canada and 7th in the GTA.

TFS Mathematical Stars

Shortly after receiving these impressive results, the Math Department learned that Arthur L. had also tied for second place in the Canadian Math Kangaroo Contest for 2012.

For her part, Michelle was recently invited by the Competitions Committee (comprised of the Math Department of York University, the Toronto District School Board, the Canadian Mathematical Society and the Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing at the University of Waterloo)to attend the five-day Math Experience 2012 camp at York University this summer. The invitation was issued to Michelle as a result of her outstanding performance in the Canadian Intermediate Mathematics Contest in November 2011.

Congratulations to all students involved and their proud teachers and parents!

Following the presentation, guests are invited to attend the MAD (Music, Arts, Drama) Night festival at the Senior School, 318 Lawrence Avenue East.

Join us for le Banquet des anciens élèves on Friday, May 11, as we honour Dr. Karandeep Sonu Gaind '86 with le prix de distinction des anciens élèves, and celebrate the classes ‘77, ‘82, ‘87, ‘92, ‘97, ‘02 and ’07! Don't forget that the fun continues on Saturday, May 12!

Join us as we open our doors to the public for the first time as an official participant in Toronto's wildly popular Doors Open weekend event.

Creating theatre magic in less than three months

Like all annual productions put on by the Mississauga Grade 5 class, the auditions were held at the beginning of January, knowing that the stage curtain would rise just over eight weeks away.  And of the 23 actors involved, 10 took on double roles.

Recalled Louise Soucy, Grade 5 teacher and theatre impresario extraordinaire, “We rehearsed every day or other day and on two Sundays, we rehearsed for six hours straight!”

During those many rehearsals, students received a primer on theatre basics: how to regulate pacing, articulate lines, exaggerate expressions and, most importantly, to wait until your audience finished laughing before resuming your lines.

Who can resist chocolate?

Audience members at both performances – the first for all Mississauga students and staff, the second for parents – were told that golden tickets were hidden under the chairs. When the number was called, the person holding the winning ticket then received a special, five pound Hershey’s chocolate bar.

Part of the Primary Years Program

Serendipitously, the production aligned with a PYP unit focused on writing. The unit of study examined different genres, such as mystery, and children’s literature, and kinds of writing, including scientific papers and dialogue.

Bravo and thanks!

The annual production would not be possible without the astounding creativity of Mme Soucy, and the talents and commitment of many others.

Mme Soucy typically writes the script, in French, over her summer vacation, usually based on musicals such as The Lion King. In the case of Charlie et la chocolaterie, she reformatted a French version of the story for the theatre, then composed all of the lyrics for the songs herself, in English and French.

Her able team included staff from Mississauga and Toronto, parents and Senior School student volunteers. Congratulations to all who helped make this production a delectable one!

Reporting direct from La p’tite école

Stories are based on observations from the young journalists, who also took photos at events. They then wrote descriptions and contributed photos, illustrations and even puzzles of their own creation. Helping them lay out Le Journal was Carole Dejoannis, Coordinator of Information Technology at La p’tite école and the Junior School.

March’s edition showcased Chinese Week (which coincided with the Chinese Lunar New Year), the 100 days of class, which they celebrated by stringing together a necklace with 100 Fruit Loops and creating a decorative serpent with 100 paper bands, and Valentine’s Day, when students raised money for breakfast programs for other children.

Every student is a leader

Not many Grade 1 students find themselves as part of a committee, but at La p’tite école, all students in Grade 1 must join one of six leadership committees. In addition to the Newspaper Committee, the committees they can choose from are: Masters of Ceremonies and Assemblies Committee, Fundraising Committee, Announcements Committee, Environment Committee and School Spirit Committee.

No doubt these young students will be well prepared for the many leadership roles to come at TFS!

View the latest student newspaper at Le Journal de La p’tite école.

If the world was a village

As students entered the gym, some were handed a number, from 1 to 100. The presentation began with a video: If the World Was a Village. The video, interspersed with commentary from the students, explained that if the world was a village represented by 100 people, 61 would be Asian, 13 would be African, 12 would be European, 8 from Central and South America, 5 from North America and 1 from Oceana (Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific Islands).

In that village, there would be 38 school-age children, but only 31 of them would be able to go to school, because of the need to work, the lack of a school or if they were a girl.

The presenters continued to explain the availability of things like electricity, computers (only 10, in this village), food and water (75 would have safe drinking water). At each point, students who held numbers were asked to stand up. Some were then instructed to sit down – representative of those who would have to do without.

Giving water – a life necessity

Mr. Poon Tip told the students about his own personal experience. He said that through his eco-tourism travel company, he became aware that right outside the special resorts his clients visited were many people in need.

He spoke of a group of islands in Panama called Bocas del Toro. With its beautiful beaches, it is one of the most visited areas in Central America. But just outside its gates, 20,000 people have no access to safe drinking water.

We can make a difference

Partnering with Mr. Poon Tip’s Planeterra Foundation, students at the Junior School will raise money to help bring water to Bocas del Toro. Through a campaign to raise $10,000, Junior School students will fund the installation of 10 water tanks. These tanks catch clean rain water and would serve 4,000 people in total, an amazing 20% of the region’s population.

The Grade 5 House Heads then came out dressed as different celebrities and announced a journée chic challenge: come dressed on March 2nd as your favourite celebrity, raise money for our water project and earn points for your house.

In total, the students raised $2,080 from the March 2nd journée chic. They are well on their way to giving the gift of water!

TFS Junior School rules

Of the U10 Boys Basketball Team, Junior School physical education teacher and coach, Walid Berrahal, said “Our story is about a team of good athletes who initially didn’t know a lot about basketball. The final tournament at Crescent School reflected the improvements the team had made in spectacular fashion.”

The players and coach had prepared fully for the event; their goal was to have fun, play with a smile and, above all, defend. After winning their first game against Sterling Hall School 20-8, the boys then faced the York School team, whom they had lost to all season. In the end, TFS prevailed 18-12. The morning finished with an outstanding 24-6 win over Upper Canada College.

The first game of the afternoon, against host Crescent, was very close, with Crescent scoring in the last minute to win 32-30. The final, deciding, game of the tournament was made even more difficult by the fatigue the boys were experiencing. However, as Coach Berrahal said, “Our team found the resources to finish well, facing Bayview Glen and winning 22-12!”

U12 kings of the court

Going into the tournament at Country Day School, TFS’ U12 Boys Basketball Team was in 5th place and due to play two rivals who had defeated them in the regular season: Crestwood Preparatory College and Upper Canada College.

And how did they do?

Said Matthew Connors, Manager, Information Technology, and coach, “We played the first game against Crestwood and won by about 20 points, using our much improved full court pressure defense, so I knew our team might have a chance against the great UCC machine. We played even better against them in the semi-final, winning by one basket!”

The final game was against Country Day School, a team they had never played before. After a strong start by our team, CDS became reinvigorated and took a five-point lead. But intense defensive pressure from TFS brought the score to within one point with only six seconds on the clock. “Our amazing defense then caused another CDS turnover with only three seconds left. We inbounded the ball to Francois B. and he nailed a 10-foot jump shot to win the game by one point!”

Congratulations to our TFS championship players, their coaches, parents and all supporters!

A slow build to success

In the intervening years, however, the number of students involved in the program has grown. In 2011, three students achieved Bronze, five students achieved Silver and two students achieved extraordinary Gold – Riley M., Level V, and Vernis C., Class of 2011!

So far in 2012 three students have submitted applications for Gold awards.

What’s it all about?

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award program, for students age 14 and up, is all about self-motivated personal development. It is centred on four areas: community service, personal skill development, physical recreation and adventurous journey. To achieve Gold, students must also complete a residential project where he or she lives and works with others they are not familiar with for five days. Says recently-retired Head of TFS’ Guidance Department, Angela Phillips, a champion of the program, “It allows students to go above and beyond, to stretch themselves, and they like the challenge.”

A great fit for TFS

These four areas intersect with many activities that already take place at TFS. For instance, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award program is introduced to Level II students in guidance class, the same year they can participate in the spring Outward Bound trip to Algonquin Park – which qualifies as the adventurous journey for the Duke’s Bronze award. Similarly, the Level III Outward Bound winter challenge and dog-sledding expedition qualifies for the Silver adventurous journey.

Even more similarities emerge with the IB Diploma Program’s Creativity Action Service (CAS) component. Says Ms. Phillips, “Creativity corresponds to personal skill development, action to physical recreation and service to service. They can be done concurrently.”

Golden achievers

Those who achieve Gold are “super-special” according to Ms. Phillips. It takes a commitment of between 12 to 18 months to complete all the qualifications for Gold and everything has to be documented.

Gold award recipients from around Ontario attend a special ceremony at Queen’s Park each year, where they are presented with their award by an official designate of Prince Phillip, often another member of the Royal Family.

“They become part of a unique group in the world,” says Ms. Phillips, who adds that such leadership and hands-on experience is extremely valuable on university supplementary applications!