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Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

As an educational community, SHS plays an essential role in eradicating bias and injusticeOur SHS boys have a bright future and they will go out into the world and shape it with their unique ideals and their individual views.  
As a school, we play a crucial role in building knowledge, developing a deeper understanding of the complex issues surrounding systemic biases and injustice and modeling the ethics we wish to see in our children. This is critical to delivering the educational values and experiences that our boys deserve—and the skills and perspectives they will need to successfully navigate the complex world that they will inherit.

At Sterling Hall, we are committed to learning, growth and change as an educational organization and as a community. We know that hope and change come from informed action and we have the power to affect the future through critical inquiry.

This is a very important part of our role as educators, so to help us in our own learning and unlearning journey, we have entered into formal relationships with Ontario Institute for Studies in Education/University of Toronto professors Dr. Andrew Campbell and Dr. Jennifer Wemigwans. This year, these educators are leading all SHS faculty, staff and even our parent community, in ongoing professional development in the areas of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion – what we now refer to as JEDI. They are providing us with enriching materials and guiding us in our selection and use of inspiring resources for ourselves and for our boys. 

As we learn more, we will set further goals towards enhanced curriculum development, ensuring we have anti-bias concepts and knowledge represented and that erased histories and perspectives are seen and understood. We believe that this depth of inquiry, reflection and understanding will enrich boys’ perspectives, reveal the complexities of human lenses and cultivate the growth mindset necessary for challenging ideas.

JEDI EVENTS AT SHS

Sterling Hall is a busy place! Find out more about the JEDI learning that is going on in our school and our community below.

Black History Month

As our month-long celebration of Black Excellence & History comes to a close, we recognize that our boys gained much from their learning; new perspectives and knowledge of the diverse culture, rich heritage and impactful contributions made by the Black community. 

Pink Shirt Day

We proudly wore pink to commemorate National Pink Shirt Day and to give voice to our fight against bullying. On February 23 and every day, our boys practice being kind, supporting others and standing up for what is right!

National Day for Truth & Reconciliation

September 30, was a very important day for our school and for Canada. The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation was an opportunity to recognize the devastating impact of residential schools and re-affirm our commitment to ensure that everyone matters.

Get Real Workshops

Get Real, a Canadian non-profit focused on combatting 2SLGBTQ+ discrimination, racism, and bullying, is returning once again to SHS. Get Real has diverse speakers and engaging interactive activities that will allow our boys to learn, connect with each other, open up and have fun.

PRIDE Month

SHS celebrated PRIDE Month with learning opportunities, challenges, and activities. The enthusiasm of our boys and teachers was infectious and they relished the chance to showcase their PRIDE spirit! This is, and will continue to be, a wonderful time for our community to learn and embrace!

In Memoriam

SHS has lowered its flag to half-mast in memory of the 215 Indigenous children who lost their lives and were found buried on the site of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School, Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation in B.C. Our thoughts are with the Secwépemc Nation and all members of Indigenous communities, as we mourn with them.

Our Agents of Change

The Agents of Change, our Grade 8 leaders, play an integral part in community service and character education at Sterling Hall. On March 29 - April 2, they welcome our entire community to take part in the week-long food drive they have organized in support of the North York Harvest Food Bank.

Indigenous Learning

Thank you to Dr. Wemigwans (OISE), for the professional development session she held for our faculty and staff. Her 'Understanding Indigenous Views and Knowledge' discussion, allowed us to explore very important concepts and related pedagogies in meaningful and constructive ways. 

Pink Shirt Day

February 24th marked our annual Pink Shirt Day at SHS where we publicly take a stand against bullying. Our boys proudly wore their pink shirts and participated in learning activities in support of this very important cause.

LGBTQ Segment on The National with SHS

Orange Shirt Day - September 30

Orange Shirt Day, now designated the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation by the Canadian government, is an important day at Sterling Hall. It is a time when our teachers, our staff and our boys wear orange shirts and share meaningful discourse about Truth and Reconciliation and the devastating impact of residential schools in Canada.

In class, our boys participated in sharing circles, enjoyed activities, watched videos, produced artwork and even created a website! These boys have been collaborating on it since last year in Grade 5, and have shown incredible perseverance and creativity in bringing it to life. What an impressive was to pay tribute to the lost children and Survivors of residential schools, their families, and communities. 

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