We are pleased to help keep our community up to date on everything going on at The Sterling Hall School!
Check back here for upcoming events from Open House to Assemblies, and for the latest news about everything that’s happening at SHS.
Today, the SHS community came together in true Sterling Hall fashion as over 40 parent volunteers rolled up their sleeves to create our much-loved Shark Bark. With aprons on and plenty of enthusiasm, they transformed an abundance of chocolate into hundreds of beautifully packaged 10-ounce boxes of our signature treat.
Today, we proudly celebrated our SHS athletes during the Fall Athletics Assembly! The Assembly highlighted the skills, dedication, and character traits our boys have developed and showcased throughout the fall season in soccer, volleyball, and cross country. Witnessing their growth and teamwork fills us with immense pride.
Senior Kindergarten students kicked off the week with a fantastic outing to see Maurice Sendak’s classic Where the Wild Things Are. The interactive show took our boys on an exciting adventure, bringing the story to life through guided play.
Our SHS boys are deeply committed to service learning, and together with our community, we've come together in a show of support for cancer research. Today, during Friday Assembly, we proudly presented a donation cheque to Pranav Adnani from the Terry Fox Foundation.
Today, our boys led two powerful Remembrance Day Services to honour those who have served and continue to serve our country. With confidence and poise, they found meaningful ways to commemorate those who sacrificed for our freedom.
Receiving their graduation sweatshirts has traditionally been a cherished moment for the Grade 8s at SHS. Earlier this year, the Class of 2025 received their sweatshirts from their Homeroom teachers in recognition for the leadership, positivity, and the strong character strengths they have demonstrated.
This week, in celebration of Diwali, students shared their personal experiences with this meaningful holiday by presenting to many classes from JK to Grade 5.
Yesterday was Halloween at SHS—a magical day filled with costumes, treats, and Halloween-themed fun that our boys have been eagerly anticipating!
The 2024 COSSOT Middle School Leadership Conference, co-hosted by St. Clement’s School and The Sterling Hall School, welcomed over 120 students from 13 independent schools for a dynamic leadership experience. Fourteen Grades 7-8 SHS boys participated in the event that centered around the theme, “Small Actions, Big Impacts,” exploring how leadership can manifest in various ways.
Today, we gathered for our beloved Dads & Lads & Family Ties event, a tradition that holds deep significance for our boys and the Sterling Hall community. The day began with a hearty pancake breakfast, where our boys had the chance to bond with their dads and father figures while strengthening connections with fellow SHS families.
A big thank you goes out to all the families who contributed to the success of the Pre-Loved Halloween Costume Sale! Your participation, whether by donating, shopping or volunteering to sort and sell, helped to make this event a great success and allowed us to promote sustainability.
Congratulations to our U13 Soccer Team on their performance in the CAIS National Tournament. What a nail biter! After winning their first game and losing their third, our Sharks came back with a vengeance, leading most of the fourth game. After defending hard, two goals managed to squeak by in the final minutes.
On Wednesday, October 9, in recognition of World Mental Health Day, SHS hosted a half-day well-being event called Discovering Your SHARKS, organized by Ms. Van Haarlem and supported by our faculty and staff. This event aimed to raise awareness of our boys’ well-being journey while offering hands-on activities to promote positive mental health.
Today our community came together in a meaningful way, uniting in support of the Terry Fox Foundation while paying tribute to the Founders of Sterling Hall. Founders' Day Terry Fox Run, made possible by weeks of preparation and community effort, celebrates their legacy and highlights the strength and spirit of SHS.
Each year, we proudly celebrate our exceptional faculty and staff who reach Years of Service milestones, adding their names to a plaque that honours those who have dedicated 20 and 25+ years to SHS. This tradition recognizes their profound impact on our boys and families.
Throughout the school year, students from Grade 8 and Junior Kindergarten will be meeting regularly to foster a sense of belonging and strengthen our community. These Reading Buddy sessions provide a wonderful opportunity for our older boys to demonstrate leadership through peer mentoring.
Our JK classroom had a wonderful time learning about Rosh Hashanah this week! The boys shared their own experiences with this special celebration and created beautiful artwork to enrich their understanding.
During last week's Friday Assembly, we recognized the outstanding achievements of last year’s Grade 6-8 students who made the Principal's Honour Roll for Academic Achievement and those awarded the Principal's Award for Academic Progress.
September 30 was National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a time to honour the lost children, Survivors, their families, and communities affected by residential schools. On this day and every day, we commit to listening, learning, and taking action.
Thank you to our PA President Brooke Han, VP Jessica Schwarz, Communications Director Maryse Thomas, Community Relations Director Aly Tsourounis, Principal Parsons and everyone involved in making our first PA Coffee & Conversation of the year a success! We appreciate all the parents, coffee in hand, who joined us on Wednesday.
On September 24, Toronto police service officers visited SHS to present impactful content to our students. Officers met with our Grades 6-8 boys to share online and offline safety information.
On Tuesday, the SKs went on an exciting community walk to explore our neighborhood and to practice spotting letters and numbers along the way. The boys enjoyed looking at signs and waving to our neighbours; people and animals alike!
At SHS, we are dedicated to continuous learning, growth, and positive change, both as an educational institution and as a community. We recognize our important role in modeling the values we want to instill in our boys, while also expanding their knowledge and fostering a deeper understanding of the complex issues surrounding systemic biases and injustice.
This week, as our co-curriculars kicked off, the campus buzzed with energy as our students practiced bravery, curiosity, and a love of learning through a wide range of activities.
Our first Family Movie Night, hosted by the Parents Association, was an evening to remember! Last night, families gathered under the stars on the SHS Field to enjoy the feature film, The Bad Guys.
At SHS, we believe in the power of experiential learning to provide our boys with exciting and impactful real-world experiences. Whether it's tree top trekking, visiting art galleries, or camping, these trips enhance critical thinking, build stronger bonds, and broaden perspectives.
Yesterday our Class of 2024 officially became SHS Alumni! Congratulations to our boys on their Graduation and on a spectacular last year at SHS. We wish you all the best on your high school journey.
Congratulations to our JK to Grade 7 boys! This week, they each had their Closing Ceremonies, a significant milestone for our students and their families. A remarkable year of hard work, perspective, kindness, and love of learning has led to incredible academic and personal growth for each of our boys.
Today, our graduating students enjoyed a spirit-filled softball game complete with play-by-play announcing from the boys. Students, teachers, staff and parents came out...along with the sunshine to cheer them on! Thank you to our Class of 2024 for hosting the annual Freezie & Chips Sale; proceeds will go toward the grad gift in support of the Robinson Family Fund.
Our Grade 1 boys have been eagerly anticipating the arrival of their SHS ducklings… and the wait is finally over! Last week, our new feathered friends joined the Grade 1 Homerooms, instantly becoming the center of attention and affection.
This year, we had over 75 Grades 2-7 boys in the Student Ambassador program. Being a Student Ambassador gives boys the opportunity to build confidence in speaking with new people and practicing eye contact and handshakes. For others it allows them to showcase their leadership and mentoring skills - we are extremely proud of and grateful for their participation.
Last October, we had the pleasure of hosting a talented artist and esteemed member of the SHS community in the Poile Art Studio. Elaine Gitalis, visual artist and grandmother of student Huddy G, generously shared her expertise by conducting a workshop with the Grade 7 boys. Last week, we proudly revealed the artwork with Elaine and Mr. Parsons in attendance.
It was with mixed emotions that we joined our final Friday Assembly of the year today! Together, we celebrated all those receiving awards and accepting new leadership positions.
Wednesday's musical performances brought a touch of magic to our school as vocal and band members, who practiced tirelessly, had their moment to shine at SHS’s end-of-year concert!
Today marked the conclusion of our end-of-year Athletics Assembly, a wonderful opportunity to celebrate all the participants in our SHS Spring Athletics programs! We extend our heartfelt congratulations to everyone involved—student-athletes, as well as, teacher and staff coaches.
What better way to close out a spectacular year than by inviting everyone to our school for a day of fun games, races, track and field activities, followed by a fantastic lunch. Playing and eating together is the perfect way to build community!
At SHS, we take immense pride in our volunteers. Their generous contributions of time, creativity, and talent have been instrumental in the success of our events and the strengthening of our community. To express our heartfelt gratitude for their dedication to our school and our students, we hosted a special Volunteer Appreciation Tea in the James Macdonald Studios yesterday.
This week offered all our boys an opportunity to learn and think more consciously about the world around us. It was Earth Week at Sterling Hall; a celebration that raises our awareness and asks us to protect our home for future generations. From Tuesday until today, we participated in conversations about how to adopt more sustainable practices for the benefit of our planet.
This Monday marked a milestone for our JK boys as they hosted an incredible Inventors Gallery Walk! Parents and guests were warmly welcomed to join in commemorating our students' exploration into the world of "Things that Go". During this inquiry, students researched, shared knowledge, and collaborated to learn new concepts about various vehicles and modes of transportation.
At Sterling Hall, we celebrated our House spirit once again with joyful energy and four very iconic colours; white, blue, red and black. House shirts, hats, and playful accessories were everywhere as our community rallied behind their fellow Knights, Hounds, Mustangs, and Pirates!
Our boys from JK to Grade 8 have been working hard this week on a special surprise in their classes to celebrate the important women in their lives.
Today, our SHS boys were decked out in their #1 Dress, looking smart and on their best behaviour for their very special guests. SHS Grandpals were warmly received this afternoon by Principal Parsons in the Eaton Shier Gym, and received a guided tour around our school, led proudly by our boys.
Relationships are the heart of our school and the experiential learning trips that we facilitate for our Grade 6-8 students demonstrate this perfectly. While museum exhibits, teaching farms, art galleries and bike tours all offer meaningful education, the magic of these experiences is in the time spent together and the ability to practice using character traits in a new setting.
The Sterling Hall School opened our doors today and partnered with Kingsway College School to host this year's Learning Resource Conference!
With Mother's Day just around the corner, our boys are gearing up to spread some extra love to all the incredible mom and mother-figures out there! Today, our JK class got a head-start on the festivities with their delightful Mother’s Day Tea.
This week, we had the pleasure of hosting the Network of Independent Schools Parents' Association (NISPA) at Sterling Hall. PA representatives from various member schools participated in an informative workshop focused on building community and creating connections.
In preparation for a successful trips week, the Intermediate boys spent a morning with Adam Shoalts on Thursday, April 25. Adam is a professional explorer and a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society.
Today, we were delighted to hold our annual SHS Has Talent Show, brought to us through the collaborative efforts by the Citizenship and Arts teams. This very special Friday Assembly provided a platform for our talented performers, 44 in total, to share their passions, their skills and also demonstrate courage and imagination.
On Tuesday, we welcomed Charles Bongers back to SHS to share his book and his insights as a professional writer with our JK to Grade 3 boys. Charles, whose son was a student at SHS for eight years, was more than happy to return to the Phelan Learning Commons to read and discuss his book, Do Trees Have Mothers?.
We are so proud to share that this year, SHS participated in the 37th annual CISMF – Conference of Independent Schools Music Festival—a collaborative celebration of music presented by students and music educators representing select independent schools across Ontario.
The Parents Association hosted a Faculty & Staff Tribute Day (FaST) to honour those at SHS who work so hard to support our boys. The full day of festivities began with a tasty breakfast thanks to the generosity of our Grade 8 families. The feast was then followed by a joyful and very heartfelt Assembly with a fun and energetic sports theme that brought smiles and cheers from the crowd.
Last week, the educator version of a recently published CNN article, focusing on the power of social connections for boys, came out. Experts in boy-specific behavior, including SHS guest author, Andrew Reiner, our very own Principal Parsons and also our Director of Student Success, Cat Gallienne, provided thought-provoking and useful insights on this topic.
Our Physical Education classes began their Movement Competency unit after the March Break. As the main focus of our PE classes is on physical fitness and healthy living, this unit helps to broaden the students’ skills in stability, locomotion and manipulation.
The Parent-Teacher Conferences this year were a wonderful opportunity for us to invite you, our parents, to meet with teachers to learn about your son’s unique learning journey here at SHS.
Sterling Hall opened its doors to independent schools, inviting their top Grade 7 and 8 speakers to compete for the prestigious Invitational Public Speaking award.
The Sterling Hall Advancement team organized a Grad Lunch at SHS, sparking excitement among our students for the next chapter of their educational journey.
Today, we had the opportunity to celebrate our SHS Athletes in our Winter Athletics Assembly - what a wonderful way to pay tribute to all their hard work and determination!
On Thursday, March 7, SHS invited a special group of performers to entertain our Grade 4-8 students in the Eaton Shier Gym. The Big Smoke Brass band gave a spirited and engaging performance that had the boys clapping and moving in their seats!
On Tuesday, March 5, the Grade 6 classes had a very special guest come to speak about her experience as a Holocaust survivor. Reny Friedman, a child survivor of the Holocaust, shared her personal and inspirational story where she talked about the importance of forgiveness and combating hate.
Before departing for March Break, the U14 basketball team hosted the faculty and staff in our annual Blue & White basketball game. It was an all-out battle for the win! Our U14 basketball team, fresh off a fantastic season finishing in second place in their league, was eager to showcase their skills and talent in front of the adults.
On Monday, March 4, our community of JK to Grade 8 boys, as well as our parents, had the pleasure of enjoying three live SHS theatre performances! We are so proud of our Grade 6-8 boys from the School Play Writing Elective - their wonderfully original one-act mystery, ‘Voyage of the Cartwright Express’, managed to capture the imagination of audiences both young and old.
The Parents Association was thrilled to once again host our annual Shark Raffle during today's Assembly! This year, we were delighted to have sold 4,199 tickets and raised over $10,000 that will go towards the PA gift to the school!
As we close out our Black History and Excellence Month, we welcomed a very special visitor. Errol Lee is a singer, songwriter, children's author, and advocate for youth who truly has a gift for entertaining and educating.
On Wednesday at SHS, a sea of pink streaming through our halls and classrooms was a wonderful symbol of what SHS stands for. Our boys, alongside our faculty & staff, proudly wore pink to commemorate Pink Shirt Day and to give voice to the national fight against bullying.
The start of the new term brings with it a new assortment of Clubs for our boys to enjoy. Clubs like, Coding with Python, Slimes and Potions, and Baking Club ignite new-found interests in our boys. They also provide the opportunity for leadership and teamwork, not to mention new skills development in particular areas of interest.
SHS is thrilled to share the outstanding achievements of three intermediate students who showcased their passion for science at the prestigious Toronto Science Fair on Sunday, March 24.
This month at SHS, we have been finding authentic opportunities for our boys to learn more about Black history and excellence. Last week’s Friday Assembly, saw our boys deliver a thoughtful and impactful presentation on the Black historical figures and current changemakers they have been learning about in class.
Valentine’s Day at SHS was a sweet occasion from start to finish. Our SHS boys were thrilled to drop by the hot chocolate booth during their morning recesses to enjoy an eco-friendly mug topped off with marshmallows. They ended their special day by picking up their tasty ‘Sharks with Hearts’ treats to bring home and share with their friends and family!
Leading up to the Mid-Term Break and Family Day, we made sure our boys got a big send-off with our February Spirit Week itinerary! From Tuesday until today, our boys dressed up in Valentine’s Day colours, their favourite team jerseys, and in House Colours too!
This year’s Lion Dance brought joy and excitement to all the boys, families and faculty who participated in this truly spectacular cultural display. Those in attendance had the opportunity to learn more about this special celebration.
Our latest citizenship endeavor, National Sweater Day, provided an excellent platform for students to raise awareness about climate change and energy conservation. Boys wore their sweaters, engaged in discussions about climate change, and wrote pledges showcasing the various creative ways they can personally reduce their carbon footprint and embrace sustainability.
Yesterday, CNN published an article focusing on the power of social connections and how parents can help their sons to build their social skills. Experts in boy-specific behavior, including SHS guest author, Andrew Reiner, as well as our very own Principal Parsons provided some thought-provoking and useful insights on this topic.
On Thursday, our boys, faculty and staff donned sweaters for more than just warmth - we wore them to support the movement to fight climate change! National Sweater Day is a wonderful opportunity for our community to learn about and participate in a social justice initiative that raises awareness of climate change and energy conservation.
Today, during Student-Led Conferences our boys had the opportunity to take the lead and showcase the remarkable academic, social, and emotional development they have experienced since the beginning of the school year.
Today, we paid tribute to International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Our boys spent time learning about and engaging in thoughtful discussions connected to hate, discrimination, antisemitism and the atrocities of the Holocaust. Boys from Grade 3-8 had the opportunity to listen to students presenting their learnings and personal reflections during our Assembly this morning.
For the last two weeks, our community searched their homes for old desktops, motherboards, docking stations, printers, scanners, keyboards, phones, coffee machines and even old TVs! In an effort to protect our planet and encourage recycling at SHS, our Grade 8 eco leaders partnered with an amazing non-profit organization called The Electronic Recycling Association.
This past week, our boys joined their morning circles to discuss what was on their minds along with mental health topics and the strategies they can practice to support their well-being.
On Wednesday, the Eco Club embarked on a frosty activity, turning the snowy landscape into a fun outdoor adventure. With the guidance of their Outdoor Education teacher River and some teacher-helpers and parents, the boys learned how to build a campfire in our Ferris Garden while also discovering the joys of campfire cooking!
Grades 3-5 students welcomed the author, Erin Silver who shared her book, Good Food, Bad Waste: Let's Eat for the Planet! Erin is a prestigious Canadian author and you may be surprised to learn that she has a unique connection to Sterling Hall.
We couldn’t be more excited to share that both our U12 hockey and U12 basketball teams came out on top this past weekend at the Boyd Caldwell UCC Tournament!
Happy 80th Birthday to our beloved school founder, Darlene Ferris! Today we celebrated her milestone day and enthusiastically shared our warm wishes and appreciation for her enduring dedication to education and to our school.
At SHS, our Thunderdome tradition stands out as a truly magical event, captivating our boys in a raucous all-out battle royale that's become an institution. Throughout the year, we cultivate unique challenges that foster leadership, confidence, and perseverance among our students. It is an opportunity to enhance character strengths while also having a whole lot of fun!
Our boys, along with our faculty and staff, showcased their most imaginative attire, marking the end of the term and the start of our much-anticipated Winter Break. From cozy pajamas to spirited jerseys to festive outfits, the week was a full parade of colour and creativity.
The Eaton Shier Gymnasium came alive on Wednesday afternoon with some holiday magic at Sterling Hall. It was the annual SHS Winter Concert - a time when our SHS community gets to sit back and enjoy a much-anticipated musical extravaganza!
The Parents Association hosted the annual SHS Bake Sale on Friday, December 8 - a fun and delicious initiative for everyone!
The best days for Outdoor Education are the rainy days because when it rains, it is MUD KITCHEN time.
Throughout this school year, students from Grade 7-8 are partnered with Primary and Junior boys in the popular Reading Buddies program at SHS. The boys, both young and old, enjoy reading together, as well as spending time playing fun board games and even participating in sports-related initiatives.
Today, our SHS volunteers embodied the true spirit of community! Over 60 SHS parent volunteers donned their aprons, to tackle the challenge of converting an enormous amount of chocolate into hundreds of 10-ounce boxes of beloved Shark Bark.
Sterling Hall had an exciting return of its Book Fair and it was a home run with the boys! This week, SHS hosted Another Story Bookstore, a local Toronto shop that filled our library with books for browsing and buying.
Today, we were thrilled to acknowledge our SHS athletes during our Fall Athletics Assembly! Witnessing the character traits and skills honed and exhibited by our boys throughout the fall season in soccer, volleyball, and cross country fills us with immense pride.
Today, our boys hosted, with great poise and confidence, two touching Remembrance Day Services to honour the brave people in our armed forces who have served - and are serving now - in times of conflict and peace.
For the past two weeks, our SHS community worked together to collect food for those in our local community who are in need. Thank you to everyone who donated and to the Agent of Change for dropping off the non-perishables to the North York Harvest Food Bank this past Wednesday.
Halloween on Tuesday was one of those magical days at SHS that our boys look forward to all year long. Costumes, tasty treats, and engaging activities set the atmosphere for Halloween at SHS!
We are proud to share memories and photos of our U13 boys trip to the CAIS U13 National Soccer Tournament in Halifax, where our Sharks showcased their tenacity and passion in a series of matches this past week.
Our newest leadership team, the SHS Eco Team, are challenging YOU - students, teachers, administration, facilities, parents and everyone who is a part of our amazing school community. The first eco challenge of the year was to design and make a GOOS Paper Bin to use! The goal is to educate and encourage everyone to use GOOS (good on one side) paper instead of a fresh piece whenever possible!
Yesterday, we celebrated one of our cherished traditions that brings joy to our community each year - the Dads & Lads & Family Ties event. Our boys accompanied their Dads and father figures for a delicious pancake breakfast followed by the annual tie-swapping ceremony. This day provided a special opportunity for our boys to bond with their fathers and connect with fellow members of the SHS community.
Thank you to Mr. Mitchell and Ms. Van Haarlem for planning a half-day well-being event called: Discovering Your SHARKS. The event, supported by our faculty & staff, was designed to bring awareness to our boys’ well-being journey and to provide hands-on experiences to promote positive mental health.
On October 6, we came together as a community for the 30th year to take part in the Annual Founders' Day Terry Fox Run. Today provided a unique opportunity for our community to unite in support of the Terry Fox Foundation all the while paying tribute to the Founders of Sterling Hall.
On October 4, Grade 6 and 7 Music classes welcomed a special guest, Indigenous musician Olivia Shortt. Olivia is a multi-instrumental artist, vocalist, composer, sound designer, video artist, producer and more!
Today marked a profoundly significant day for both our school and for Canada as a whole. National Day for Truth and Reconciliation provided us with vital moments to delve into the history of residential schools, paying tribute to the lost children and Survivors, along with their families and communities.
Congratulations to our boys who flexed their learning power muscles and employed their character strengths on their experiential trips these past few weeks!
Our Grade 8 boys set off today for their first big adventure of the school year - their week long trip to Temagami!
We welcomed our boys and parents back to school on September 6th. It was wonderful to see everyone back in our halls and classrooms, there was a feeling of lightness in the air. We are so happy to be back in the school that we love, and we are looking forward to a great year ahead.
Thanks to the efforts of the PA, we welcomed Dr. Shimi Kang, psychiatrist and author of The Tech Solution. Parents participated in an informative webinar aimed at learning how to raise children in this digital age and build healthy habits surrounding the use of technology.
On April 27,we welcomed our families to our first in-person PA Meeting in over 2 years. For a surprising number of our newer parents, this was their first opportunity to be face-to-face with our community! We also held our first in-person Friday Assembly on April 29!
April 22 was Earth Day around the globe! At SHS, students spent time discussing how one’s actions affect the earth. They read stories, did research and had meaningful discussions about sustainability and how they can make better choices.
The Parents Association hosted a Faculty & Staff Tribute Day to honour those at SHS who work so hard to support our boys. The full day of festivities began with a tasty breakfast, followed by a virtual Assembly, amazing luncheon and even a social media campaign!
Excitement was in the air as our Grade 7s and 8s boarded buses to enjoy their first school outing in a very long time! We are delighted to return to offering trips to our students and are pleased to be partnering with ALIVE Outdoors to plan exciting overnight trips for our Grades 3-8 this spring!
On April 4, the SHS School Play Club will premiere this year's new radio play, "The March Break Club". They have been hard at work writing, performing, and producing this year's original radio play for our school community. Stay tuned for 6 exciting episodes!
The PA was thrilled to present the annual Shark Raffle 2022. This year, our Raffle was a salute to the Winter Olympics with lots of cool prizes and something for everyone! Thanks to the generosity of our SHS community, we had lots of incredible prize packages this year - 14 in total.
Our boys find such creative ways to get involved in service learning here at SHS. On February 28, our dedicated Student Council put on their annual outdoor Hot Chocolate Sale for charity! The line-up for the treat was clear evidence of success!
As our month-long celebration of Black Excellence & History comes to a close, we recognize that our boys have gained much from their learning. They have gained new perspectives and knowledge of the diverse culture, rich heritage and impactful contributions made by the Black community.
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!
Wordle, the popular web-based word game that has taken the world by storm, has found its way to Sterling Hall! We love that it helps our students to build their literacy knowledge while flexing their teamwork and leadership skills. The boys love it because it's fun!
On February 3, our boys showed their support for National Sweater Day, a movement to raise awareness of climate change and energy conservation. In an effort to raise awareness, SHS thermostats were turned down and our boys participated in climate change learning.
Parents, teachers and students shared some laughs and demonstrated their creativity as they joined our Art Teachers for an evening of painting. The Connect*Create*Paint event held on Zoom was a wonderful opportunity for our PA to connect our community!
The SHS Thunderdome, a raucous all-out battle royale, is an event that fills our halls with cheers and boy energy that we encourage and celebrate! It is a playful way for students to grow their leadership, confidence and perseverance skills while having lots of fun!
Winter Break is almost here and our SHS Toy Drive helped to put us in the holiday spirit of giving. Our Grade 2 boys, in collaboration with the Agents of Change, hosted this initiative powered by the learning done in class relating to service and citizenship.
In an effort to keep our planet clean and protect the health of children around the world, our Grade 3 boys will be hosting the service learning initiative, "Zinc Saves Lives Battery Drive". Please send in your used batteries and help our boys make a difference.
The SHS PA held an online auction this November to raise money for the PA gift to school this year. Congratulations to the winners of the 12-person Scotiabank Arena box suite for a Leafs game, generously donated by the Montesanno family.
SHS Parents had the opportunity to explore their own VIA Character strengths during our school mindfulness initiative, led by current parent, Carla Weinstein. This unique opportunity allowed us to connect as a community and deepen our involvement in SHS's commitment to character development.
The Sterling Hall tradition continued this year with over 30 parent volunteers chipping in to make our much-loved Shark Bark! On Saturday, November 20, our dedicated SHS parents were safely back in our school, supporting our boys and our community.
On November 11, our boys found many ways to pay tribute to all the men and women who have and continue to serve our country. Art work, selling poppies and participating in a service were but a few ways to show our gratitude and respect this Remembrance Day.
Thank you to the Parents Association for generously organizing a pizza day and Halloween treat delivery to the classrooms today. It was a wonderful way to make Halloween an extra special time for the boys.
Sterling Hall’s first PA Pizza Day of the year was held on Thursday, October 29. And since it just so happened to also be Halloween, our Parents Association generously provided a special treat for all our boys to make the day extra special!
The SHS Parent-Teacher Conferences were a great opportunity to meet with parents to discuss each boy's academic and SEL progress and share observations about their goals and achievements. Thank you to all who participated!
The PA came up with a great new event to bring our new and returning families together. They hosted outdoor Parent Cocktail Parties by grade that provided an opportunity to meet and mingle with other families, as well as Principal Rick Parsons!
With only the boys able to run again this year, our parents were once again more determined than ever to demonstrate their own school spirit in exchange for House points! What better way to showcase their creativity and commitment to our school than to bring back the Terry Fox Car Rally this year!
On October 8, we came together as a community for the 28th year to take part in the Annual Founder’s Day Terry Fox Run. From planning activities, to setting up fundraising pages, to recording our opening ceremonies, so many of our SHS family had a hand in supporting this truly deserving cause.
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.
The time has come to welcome a new Student Council to SHS. Classrooms talked about the role of the Student Council at SHS and the great responsibility that comes with this job. We wish all candidates the best of luck and congratulate their efforts and leadership!
Our SHS boys eagerly participated in our Anchor Day program again this September! This modified version of Experiential Learning features fun outdoor activities that help to build community and trust in our classroom and our school.
On Sept 14, SHS parents joined our Faculty and Staff virtually for Meet The Teachers Night! It was a great opportunity for our parents to connect with their son's teachers, learn about homeroom routines and expectations, and just get to know each other!
On September 9, our first day back to school, we invited our New Parents to a morning coffee event to welcome them into our community. We will be continuing the tradition by inviting parents by division for good brew and conversation. Click below for the schedule.
After months of silent hallways and empty classrooms it was a moving experience for all of us at SHS to welcome back all our students for the start of the 2021-22 school year. We look forward to continuing our learning journey together!
Our Faculty and Staff were hard at work participating and leading sessions during our week-long professional development at SHS. From CPR training to curriculum planning, to classroom set-up, they spent each day working as a team to prepare for our boys’ safe return to school.
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!
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.
Friday, May 14, our school showcased its annual SHS Talent Show - and what a wonderful celebration of amazing and diverse talent we have at Sterling Hall. Our SK-8 boys and faculty & staff displayed their courage and imagination while sharing their passions with us all!
This year, many of our classrooms enjoyed some creative ways to celebrate their Moms on Mother's Day. Our JK class held their annual Mother’s Day Tea and our entire school honoured our Moms in the Friday Assembly.
At SHS, we wish to realize a crucial vision of actively educating and working for justice, equity, diversity and inclusion. On April 28, our VP and our Director of Curriculum, lead a meeting for parents that outlined the process SHS has taken to meaningfully implement JEDI into our classrooms.
On the evening of April 21, the SHS PA presented, "Mind(set) & Mindfulness with Carla Weinstein, an SHS parent and Founder of the Drop In Project. This parent education seminar is just another of the wonderful health and wellness offerings our PA has provided to our SHS community.
- Mindfulness
Volunteer Week was celebrated across Canada the week of April 19th and at Sterling Hall, we have many people to recognize. Thank you to our parent volunteers, PA members, BOG members, our Old Boys, and alumni families. This week also culminated in a Faculty & Staff Appreciation presentation and gift from our generous SHS families.
This year, Sterling Hall celebrated Earth Day by having open and thoughtful conversations about the importance of how we can protect our Mother Earth. Our classrooms enjoyed Earth Day activities and Mr. Hay and his team joyfully lead our Friday Assembly Earth Day Celebrations followed by his much-loved rendition of the Green Grass Song!
Beginning on Wed., April 21, the members of our school play club introduce their original 6-episode Radio Play "Among Us", to our community. Written, performed, composed, and edited by our boys, we are certain you will be impressed by their hard work and talent.
The Agents of Change, our Grade 8 leaders, play an integral part in community service and character education at Sterling Hall. In March, they welcomed our entire community to take part in a week-long food drive they organized in support of the North York Harvest Food Bank.
The SHS Board of Governors found a colourful way to thank the Faculty Staff for their service! Their thoughtful gift will be used and appreciated by all - what a creative way to welcome Spring to Sterling Hall.
Pizza and good conversation are the perfect ingredients for a Grad Lunch and our boys enjoyed both. This much-loved tradition at Sterling Hall enabled the Grads to engage with their classmates and celebrate their upcoming milestone.
During the month of March, our boys enjoyed their second SHS Anchor Day! It was a great opportunity to reconnect as a community, reflect on SHS’s values of Community and Character and enjoy some fun guided outdoor education activities.
Despite the lack of snow, our SHS boys thoroughly enjoyed their first-ever Snowlympics on March 4! We are so proud of our Student Council for conceptualizing and executing this fun-filled initiative - it was play-based learning at its best!
What's the best way to make the sun shine? Have a beach party with your JK class! The weather may be cold outside but our boys found a great way to lift each other's spirits by having a little fun with their Remote Learner pals!
Over 90 SHS families joined us on March 2 for a challenging and fun evening of virtual trivia organized by the SHS Parents Association! Thank you to our Roster Coordinators, those who donated prizes and everyone who made the night so special.
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.
SHS is excited to start a month-long journey of celebrating Black excellence. Our boys have been sharing their learnings and discussions of black history, global contributions, and heritage with each other and with our SHS community.
We welcomed our boys back to campus on Feb 16 after the government imposed school closure. Everyone is thrilled to be safely together again continuing our learning at the school that we all love! See our Photo Gallery Page for a look at our first day back!
To ready our boys for back to campus – we celebrated Spirit Week at SHS! Crazy Hat Day, House Colours Day, Red & White Day and Jersey Day were all fantastic opportunities to get everyone excited and in the spirit! Visit Photo Gallery Page.
This year, the Student-Led Conferences were held virtually. That didn't stop our boys from brilliantly showcasing both the academic and the social & emotional learning that is going on every day at SHS!
The SHS PA hosted their first JEDI workshop for parents lead by Dr. Campbell. The session aimed at fostering a deeper understanding of Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion to build both awareness and cultural competence.
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.
For the past 5 years, SHS has been proactively working with the non-profit organization ‘Get Real’, to educate our boys about inclusivity, acceptance and compassion for others, dispelling stereotypes and combating prejudice against those in the 2SLGBTQ+ community.
Thank you to Dr. Cambell for hosting our third JEDI workshop. Dr. ABC is helping our community to dive deeper into our growth and learning, regarding Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI). Please click below to register for any upcoming workshops!
- JediPA
To mark the last day of classes in 2020, the SHS boys were treated to a raucous all-out battle royale in the SHS Thunderdome! Holiday-themed games, a fun portal and Thunderdome kits were created for our boys to enjoy their last day before the holidays.
Nothing says Season's Greetings like a colourful holiday sweater & socks worn with a smile! Our boys, faculty & staff donned their most festive outfits today in celebration of their last week of school before the holidays.
It was a Shark Bark Weekend - On Dec 12th the boys got in the festive spirit with a Shark Bark-Making Zoom Party! Thank you to the Parents Association for taking this opportunity to pass along our much-loved tradition this season.
Our Grade 8 boys partnered with The Shoe Box Project - a global charitable organization that assists in the collection and distribution of gifts to women living in shelters. Their goal - to help these women feel less alone during the holiday season.
Our Sterling community demonstrated kindness and generosity by donating to our SHS Toy Drive. This year, an incredible 392 toy donations will bring smiles - and hope - to the children who receive them.
Our SHS Community was excited to pick up their Shark Bark and Cookie Kits this week - for our first ever Bakeless Bake Sale! Showing once again that we can still make things happen - with a little ingenuity!
Our very first snowfall of the year was on November 23rd and our boys took full advantage of it! For a look at their fun day and glimpse of their snow creations, you can visit our Photo Gallery Page. Welcome winter!
The SHS PA hosted The Mind, Stress & Your Mind(set) on Dec 2nd. This session, facilitated by Therapist, Rya Kirkwood Prozes was designed to bring calm and focus to our day-to-day lives.
- Mindfulness
SHS parents now have their very own book club thanks to the Parents Association! Sign up to discuss our second insightful and transformational read, Five Little Indians by Indigenous Author Michelle Good.
- JediPA
On November 11th, we offered thanks to the countless brave men and women for the sacrifices that they made. Our service featured music, letters to soldiers, artwork and poems created by our boys to commemorate this very important day.
Sterling Hall’s first PA Pizza Day of the year was held on Thursday, October 29. And since it just so happened to also be Halloween, our Parents Association generously provided a special treat for all our boys to make the day extra special!
This year, on October 29, something is a-brewing! Our boys were more than excited to trade in their school uniforms for Halloween costumes or a black and orange ensemble over their PE gear. This is a day that allows us all to let our hair down and have some fun!
There was concern that this eagerly awaited SHS tradition would not be possible this year, but our PA came up with a brilliant solution. Why not provide our SHS families with everything they need to make their very own Shark Bark at home!
Our SHS parents will have the opportunity to meet with faculty virtually from Oct 29-30, to learn about their son’s progress and come away feeling reassured and closer to our school and community. Parents will receive an email on October 28 that contains the Zoom links to connect with their boy’s teachers.
On Oct 28, our parents, coffee in hand, participated in a PA meeting via Zoom. They learned about "Sterling Hall Through the Years" in our session titled, "From JK to Grade 8: How SHS Uniquely Prepares Your Son for His Best Future."
Our Co-Curriculars are an excellent opportunity for boys to develop their interests in a subject area outside the classroom and build curiosity, teamwork and leadership skills. Most clubs, while virtual, allow boys to try something new and have fun.
Sterling Hall showed our recognition of the harm the residential school system inflicted on Indigenous children and communities by wearing orange shirts and exploring the history, the impact and the hope for generations to come.
SHS continues its proud tradition of participating in the Terry Fox Run on October 9. Since 2004, SHS has been one of the top fundraising schools in the world, raising over $1.5M in the fight to cure cancer.
Anchor Day, held on Sept 21, allowed each grade to engage in an exciting new outdoor program that helped to “anchor” our boys and our faculty to SHS as we build Character, Community, and a sense of Belonging.
We at Sterling Hall love our Friday Assemblies! After a summer away from them, we were excited to see what our boys and the SHS team had in store for us - and we were certainly not disappointed!
Faculty and Staff spent a day engaging in professional development to gain new and relevant insights and training in areas such as diversity and inclusion. Future PD sessions are already in the works!
Parents had an opportunity to get to know their son's teachers and learn about this upcoming school year on September 10. Thank you to all who joined us!
Our boys came back to school on September 9th and we are not sure who was more thrilled to have them in our classrooms again - them or us! Have a look on our School Reopening Page for more information!
SHS welcomed our newest boys on September 8 with a tour of the school, some quality time with their teachers and peers, and an introduction to life at Sterling Hall!
Have news to share?
Feel free to connect with Robin Kester at rkester@sterlinghall.com