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.
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