Annual Report 2020-2021 by Hillfield Strathallan College

Hillfield Strathallan College Annual Report 2020 2021

Creativity in our Community Joyful and Engaged During a Year Like No Other

Cover: Artwork by Devin Mensinkai Inside Front Cover: Artwork by Alia Wahban

HSC Annual Report 2020–2021

Creativity flourishes at HSC, and as such, we showcase our extremely talented artists throughout this year’s report. Please enjoy the beautifully crafted pieces by our students of all ages.

Governance at HSC

Message from the Head of College

Message from the Chair, Board of Governors

Board of Governors

Board of Trustees

Alumni Association

Parents’ Guild

13 Engagement at HSC

Lessons Learned from Ndaba Mandela

Strategic Plan

Montessori School

Junior School

Middle School

Senior School

27 College Initiatives

Scholarships and Bursaries

HSC House Endowment

Inspirational Teacher Fund

Prizes and Awards

Annual Fund

The David Tutty Joy and Innovation Fund

Sustainability @ HSC

Improving the Learning Experience

38 Thank You to Our Donors 41 Financial Highlights

Learn with joy. Live with purpose. 2020–2021 ANNUAL REPORT

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Governance at HSC

HSC has a governance model in keeping with the guidelines and requirements set out by the Conference of Independent Schools, as well as the Canadian Accredited Independent Schools organization.

The role of the Board of Governors is to establish and direct policies for the College and oversee HSC’s financial affairs; it is also responsible for appointing a Head of College and conducting his/ her review. It is not an operational board, leaving responsibility for day-to-day operations to the HSC administration team. The Board of Trustees is responsible for monitoring the investment of the HSC Endowment and, along with the Board of Governors, providing advice and direction on fundraising initiatives from the Advancement Office. Members of both boards are highly accomplished individuals widely representative of key school constituencies and are committed to the mission, vision and values of the College. Pg. 2 Artwork by Celina Imerti

Governance at HSC

2020–2021 ANNUAL REPORT

Message from the Head of College

Creativity, Resiliency and Innovation The HSC spirit leads the way The 2020–2021 school year at HSC might have been the truest test ever of what we value most about HSC: the community. We often speak about the importance of the parent-school partnership in the education of our students. This partnership was more important than ever this year. With the College starting the year in modified face-to-face programming, class and grade cohorts and a contingent of remote learners, we truly strove to meet the needs of the whole College. Of course, we were forced to move to completely remote learning a couple of times, but I’m proud to say that we didn’t miss a beat. From an enrolment perspective, we had a very strong year with a College-wide student population of 1,240. We saw an incredible amount of student success, particularly with our 2021 graduates gaining admission to some of the most elite programs around the world. For the first time ever, we had graduates win both the President’s Scholarship at Western and the Chancellor’s Scholarship at Queen’s! We also spent a great deal of time working with the community to develop our next strategic plan and explore the development of a campus master plan. We are seeing the strategic plan develop around four key goal areas: Personalized Learning, Purposeful and Sustainable Learning Environments, Wellbeing and Resiliency, and the commitment to a College-wide approach to

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a Diverse and Inclusive Community. We received some incredible feedback from all constituent areas on these developing goals and we are thrilled to be unveiling the completed plan in the fall of 2021.

While we don’t know exactly what the 2021–2022 school year will bring, we are approaching the year with great confidence to ensure we can meet any challenge that is thrust upon us with creativity, adaptability and the HSC spirit of finding a way. We would like to thank all of our many donors and volunteers for all they do to keep HSC strong and together. Marc Ayotte Head of College

Message from the Chair, Board of Governors

A Dedicated and Determined Community Ensuring student growth and prosperity This fall, we reflect on a momentous year at HSC, a year where yet again, our strength and resilience as a College community were put to the test. I’m proud to share that with the dedication and determination of our entire HSC community, we not only survived in the face of a global pandemic but also thrived. I am truly amazed by the grit and relentlessness of our community in its entirety, particularly our students, who pivoted with grace and understanding through oscillations of in-person and remote learning. Despite these challenges, we have continued to see outstanding student achievements, which is a true testament to the superior education and learning experience that HSC continues to deliver. Though I have been a member of the HSC community for some time, the 2020–2021 school year was my first year serving as Chair of the Board of Governors. Having been embedded in the operations of HSC, working closely alongside the Finance Office, I have garnered a deeper insight into the operating expenditures and the measures taken by HSC to ensure that every child, regardless of financial stress caused by the pandemic, was able to continue their educational journey. Our College has offered tuition credits to compensate for the difference between in-person and remote learning, waived Expansion Fees for the 2020–2021 school year, and created an Emergency Bursary Fund to support families in short-term need; these measures redefined the

meaning of community. Thank you to all our families who generously donated their tuition credits back to the College to support these efforts. As for the Board, we have been deeply ingrained in the oversight of the latest strategic plan. Our sincere gratitude extends to the members of our community who participated in valuable surveys and retreats and to our formidable leadership team who have proven instrumental in developing the vision of the College and driving actionable plans to ensure our students have the best outcomes possible. We are confident that this informed plan truly reflects the needs of our community looking forward, and remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring that all our students continue to have the support and resources they need to grow and prosper. On behalf of the entire Board, I would like to extend our genuine thanks and appreciation to the College, our community and donors. With renewed strength and focus garnered from persevering through adversity, we know that our HSC community is stronger than ever.

May you all continue to embody the HSC spirit in all you do as we embrace another new school year full of possibilities and aspirations. Bruce Pearson Chair, Board of Governors 2020–2021 ANNUAL REPORT

Governance at HSC

Board of Governors Individuals committed to the successful stewardship of the College Board of Governors

Board of Trustees

Honorary Life Member

Chair Mr. Geoffrey Reiner ’03

Mr. Gary W. DeGroote ’74 Executive Committee Chair Mr. Bruce Pearson Past Chair Mr. Andy Kain Secretary, and Chair, Board Development Committee Ms Mary Williams Chair, Finance Committee Mrs. Christine Mills ’94 Chair, Board of Trustees Mr. Geoffrey Reiner ’03 Governors Dr. Olabode Akintan Ms Cindy Clarke Mr. Andrew Hammond ’98 Ms Meagan Hill ’07 Mr. Pheroze Jeejeebhoy Dr. Randi McCabe Mr. Erik Schaefer ’91 Mr. Charlie Sherman ’03 Ms Sonia Shi

Board of Governors’ Representative Mrs. Christine Mills ’94 Members Mr. Mark Bentham Dr. Martin Doble Mr. Eric Nanayakkara ’99 Mr. James Tiong Ms Alexandra Weaver ’02 Ms Kathryn Yates Non-Voting Members Head of College Mr. Marc Ayotte Director of Finance Ms Liz Davidson Advisor Mr. Bruce Heagle ’76 Parents’ Guild Representative Mrs. Sherri Morris Alumni Association Representative Ms Susan M. Owen ’85 Director of Advancement and Communications Ms Zahra Valani

Non-Voting Members, Ex Officio: Head of College Mr. Marc Ayotte Director of Finance Ms Liz Davidson Pg. 7 Artwork by Rianna Mercer 6

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2020–2021 ANNUAL REPORT

Governance at HSC

Alumni Association A group that thrives through connectivity The HSC Alumni Association, our long-standing network consisting of any graduate who was enrolled for a minimum of one calendar year, continued to adapt to the changing climate of COVID-19. As a group that thrives through connectivity, the Alumni Association found meaningful ways to connect. We created opportunities to stay together as a community through virtual Trivia Nights, Musician’s Showcases and online activities through the College. We look forward to once again celebrating in person when the time comes and, in the meantime, we will continue to lean on one another and come together as only our HSC community could!

Virtual Events Virtual events replaced our in-person events for the 2020–2021 school year. These events helped foster a sense of community and keep ongoing connections between the College and the alumni community during COVID-19.

Take a look at the virtual events we held in 2020–2021.

Virtual Homecoming Week: May 3–8, 2021 Homecoming Reunions Adapting to the ever-changing virtual times, our community celebrated Homecoming Week online with six consecutive reunions celebrating classes ending in ’0, ’1, ’5 and ’6. The turnout was great, with alumni and retired faculty joining us from all over Canada, the United States, the Bahamas and the United Kingdom. Pancake Breakfast Celebrating HSC Homecoming 2021, we invited HSC families and alumni to mix up their favourite pancake recipe and cook up some fun and creative designs on the griddle! Photo submissions were shared across HSC social media platforms during Homecoming Week. Hektor’s Home Run Participants printed off their running bib and certificate of completion and laced up their sneakers to celebrate Hektor’s Home Run. Whether choosing to run a 1km, 3km, an obstacle course, inside or outside, students, faculty and alumni joined in the fun and got moving! HSC social media platforms featured participants’ photo submissions during Homecoming Week.

Alumni Trivia Nights Alumni tuned into our virtual Trivia Nights and enjoyed catching up with fellow alumni from their classes and generations before and after the friendly competition. The monthly connections consisted of two rounds of general trivia knowledge, mixed in with some fun HSC trivia and fantastic house and spirit gear from the Campus Store for the winners!

Alia Wahban 8

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Governance at HSC

Alumni Musician’s Showcase Our inaugural virtual Musician’s Showcase saw two talented musicians return to HSC to perform for fellow alumni, parents of alumni, current parents, students, faculty and friends of HSC. It was a great night with trumpeter Darren Johnston ’91 leading off the evening; pianist and singer Sasha Paikin ’17 followed with a setlist built for everyone to sing along!

2020–2021 Alumni Executive President Susan Owen ’85 Past President Charlie Sherman ’03 Vice President, Golf Committee Co-Chair Rob Alexander ’89 Awards and Recognition Co-Chairs Daniel Coutts ’01 Erica Otaguro ’07 HSC Connect Chair Stephanie Scicluna ’11 Young Alumni Representative Daniela D’Ambrosi ’16 Golf Committee Co-Chair Angus Gordon ’97 Board of Governors Liaison Erik Schaefer ’91

Darren Johnston ’91

Sasha Paikin ’17

Parents of Alumni Chair Toni Simpson

Committee Members

HSC Connect After the launch of our rebranded mentorship program last year, the HSC Connect committee, in collaboration with the HSC Alumni Office, decided to take the networking experience to the next level. Capitalizing on the networking interface LinkedIn, HSC Connect established its association on the platform to bring more alumni together for career opportunities, networking, mentorship and reconnecting friendships. The next HSC Connect projects include developing career panel discussions, career workshops and collaborations with current Senior School students looking for deeper, established connections with our alumni community. If you would like to support this great initiative as a guest speaker, please contact Bianca Barton ’03, Alumni Relations Officer, at alumni@hsc.on.ca.

Patrick Chalkley ’03 Justine Fedak ’89 Trisha Harrison ’67 Lauren Jackson ’03 Judith King-Siganski ’62 Sunjay Sharma ’98

Committee Advisors David Simpson ’73 John Simpson ’75 Herbert Wodehouse ’71

2020–2021 HSC Connect Chair Stephanie Scicluna ’11 Daniela D’Ambrosi ’16 Lauren Jackson ’03 Natasha Paikin ’13 Zackery Zika ’11 HSC Faculty Advisor Nick Timms

2020–2021 ANNUAL REPORT

Governance at HSC

Parents’ Guild Funds raised enhance the HSC learning environment The HSC Parents’ Guild (PG) welcomes all parents and guardians to help foster school spirit and support fundraising efforts. All parents and guardians of students enrolled at HSC are members of the PG, with the level of involvement determined by each individual. While the PG usually hosts countless fundraising events throughout the year, the 2020–2021 school year was a little different. Entirely volunteer-run, the PG held a Monster Mash, Trivia Nights and holiday celebrations virtually. Typically, funds raised from certain PG events are allocated to enhance the HSC learning environment. We look forward to resuming these events in the future.

Virtual Monster Mash Traditionally, Monster Mash would be celebrated with haunted hallways, mad scientists, scary escape rooms, games and creepy crafts. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the PG shifted to a virtual experience, challenging HSC families to a Halloween costume contest with a variety of frighteningly fun categories for participation. As a safe alternative to our typical Monster Mash festivities, the PG compiled a list of spooky movies to watch, offered ghoulish craft ideas and designed a hair-raising scavenger hunt to enjoy from home.

Virtual Holiday Season Celebrations Holiday crafts and games are only a small portion of what the Holiday Season Celebration typically entails. In 2020–2021, the PG sent out a holiday-themed newsletter containing their favourite craft ideas, holiday movie suggestions and baking recipes from previous Winterfest events. Coulson Family

Olivia and JP Camporese 10

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Jia Khera

Governance at HSC

2020–2021 Parents’ Guild Committee Chair Sherri Morris Vice Chair Daniela Roque Past Chair Jan Whitelaw Staff Appreciation Marney Morgunov Teresa Thomas Used Uniforms Jing Guo NISPA Rep Dianne Parsons

Social Connect With community at the forefront of our special HSC identity, it is only fitting that our PG organizes activities for parents to foster new relationships with fellow HSC parents. Getting creative, the PG hosted many virtual bonding nights in 2020–2021, including: • March Madness when PG members moved together in online fitness classes with Every Body Fitness with Cari each Thursday in March;

PG Homecoming Virtual Family Trivia Students and their families were invited to join the Parents’ Guild in collaboration with the Alumni Office for a fun-filled evening of family-themed trivia to celebrate Homecoming. Families from all four schools participated with the winning family taking home some spirit gear from the Campus Store!

• Book clubs; • Trivia Nights, including an ’80s-themed night!

2020–2021 ANNUAL REPORT

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Engagement at HSC

While 2020–2021 was far from a typical year, our community demonstrated their unceasing commitment to learning with joy and living with purpose.

The resilience of our community members shone as we navigated a new virtual terrain. This past year was challenging, but we continued to create meaningful ways to engage our community. Everyone—faculty and staff, students, their families, volunteers and donors—showed continued generosity, not only towards our fundraising efforts but also with their talents and professional contributions. As a result, our students thrived in the ever-changing COVID-19 climate. Pg. 12 Artwork by Peri Giacomelli

Engagement at HSC

2020–2021 ANNUAL REPORT

Engagement at HSC

Lessons Learned from Ndaba Mandela Students bring important questions to light On February 26, 2021, more than 1,300 people logged on to Zoom to join in a once-in-a-lifetime live presentation featuring Ndaba Mandela—the grandson of South African political leader and revolutionary Nelson Mandela. Organized by HSC student-led groups the Black Students’ Association (BSA) and E2@HSC in collaboration with Empowerment Squared (E2), the event was both inspiring and actionable, helping spark year-round conversations about civic engagement, inclusion and diversity at HSC and beyond. BSA President and Grade 12 student Oyin Aderibigbe was among the group of students that kicked off the event. In her welcoming remarks, Oyin highlighted the theme of Black History Month: More Than a Movement, and called on our community to think about the Black experience beyond the month of February. “I encourage everyone to consider what lessons you can take away

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from this event and how you can apply them in your life to make positive changes every day,” she said. In his address to virtual viewers, Ndaba highlighted the important role that young people can play in building equity and making positive change in the world. “It is up to each and every one of you to make active contributions to your community.” Ndaba answered questions from viewers on a range of topics including anti-racism, political activism and social change. Informed by a childhood spent sharing meals with his grandfather Nelson Mandela, Ndaba offered viewers insight on ways to move forward as global citizens, reminding us that by coming together, people have the power to make real and lasting change. “It’s important to recognize our common interests and work together to put pressure on governments to change the systems that oppress all marginalized groups.”

Engagement at HSC

In addition to Ndaba’s keynote address, the event featured the artistic talents of Eddie Lartey from the Hamilton Youth Poets as well as HSC’s Grade 11 student Peo Boitumelo, who shared a powerful vocal performance of Cynthia Erivo’s song “Stand Up”. Over the months leading up to the conference, Matt Bolis and Ife Aderibigbe, the executive leaders of E2@HSC collaborated with Lisa Marie and Joana Fejzaj at Empowerment Squared on fundraising initiatives in support of the HOPE project in Liberia. HOPE supports economically and socially disadvantaged Liberians through digital literacy, financial literacy, and basic entrepreneurship skills, as well as provides them with holistic psychosocial counselling and seed funds to experiment with self-employment. “It was an enlightening experience to have been able to be mentored by Lisa-Marie and Joana,” shared Matt. “I learned essential outreach and business skills from them that will be an asset to my educational journey.” Together, Matt and Ife contacted a list of companies in and around the Hamilton community who were eager to support the cause. Ultimately, through student-led sponsorships and donations, the team raised more than $1,300. And the fundraising did not stop there. After the event, Matt heard there is not an adequate clean source of water in Paynesville, Liberia, where the HOPE project will be facilitated. He collaborated with Flow Hydration to secure roughly 1,860 bottles of Flow alkaline spring water to be sent to Liberia.

Pg. 14 (left) Ndaba Mandela Pg. 14 (right) Artwork by Inayah Kamran Pg. 15 (top left) Artwork by Nour Abdelghaffar Pg. 15 (top right) Artwork by Sofia Nella Pg. 15 (bottom) Artwork by Macy Johnston

2020–2021 ANNUAL REPORT

Engagement at HSC

Strategic Plan HSC puts a high priority on giving back Our mission as a College is to teach the whole child. This is why, since August 2019, we have been working to define a clear path forward for both the students and staff of HSC. Members of the HSC community have spent many hours working to update and develop our new strategic plan, and with their help, we have created the best vision to support our Joyful, Engaged and Inclusive Community. This process has been lengthy because, as a College, we have prioritized transparency and inclusivity over expedience. We pride ourselves on being forward-thinking, adaptive and inclusive. HSC’s Towards 20/20 launched in 2015 and provided us with an ambitious and successful fiveyear strategy. Accomplishing that strategy allowed us to move our organization forward and make targeted improvements across the College. The new framework operates around four central and interlocking themes: Resilience and Wellbeing, Purposeful and Sustainable Learning Environments, A Whole College–Inclusive and Connected, and Personalized Learning. No one theme stands alone, and each theme ultimately supports our goal of a Joyful, Engaged and Inclusive Community. Each of the four themes works with three goals in mind: Enhancing the Learning Experience; Reimagining Time and Space; and Diverse, Inclusive, Equitable, Lifelong Community. This strategic framework is the basis of how, as one College, we will move forward.

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Strategic Themes: Resilience and Wellbeing The development and nourishment of the whole child, with attention to the wellbeing of our entire community, will be our daily focus. We will focus on implementing and prioritizing programs and practices that focus on the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing of students, faculty and staff. When we can direct our focus on these areas and channel our energies towards maximizing our potentials, we reach a state of body and mind that allows us to feel invigorated, motivated, successful and ready to face all of life’s challenges with confidence. When this happens, we have reached that enviable state of wellbeing that enables us to perform at our very best.

Purposeful and Sustainable Learning Environments All of our learning environments enhance the College experience in purposeful and sustainable ways. Prioritizing environmental sustainability on both the physical campus and in operations decisions is just one way in which we plan on creating a purposeful and sustainable learning environment. All spaces on campus are potential learning spaces and sources of creativity. We understand that educating students on a sustainable future is essential to the fate of our society. This is why we intend to use the entire 50-plus acre campus as a learning environment.

Engagement at HSC

PURPOSEFUL AND SUSTAINABLE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

PERSONALIZED LEARNING

Strategic Goal: Enhance the Learning Experience

Joyful Engaged Inclusive

Strategic Goal: Reimagining Time and Space

Community

A WHOLE COLLEGE – INCLUSIVE AND CONNECTED

RESILIENCE AND WELLBEING

Strategic Goal: Diverse, Inclusive, Equitable, Lifelong Community

A Whole College–Inclusive and Connected

Personalized Learning

A connected community, offering a seamless educational experience from 18 months to 18 years that fosters a sense of belonging.

Enhanced student engagement through authentic experiential opportunities.

At HSC, we strive to build, deepen and truly value our relationships. We understand that relationships and connections across the College can have a significant impact on our community members as a whole. In many ways, we work to create an inclusive campus for all of our students, and that commitment remains steadfast. We recognize, celebrate and honour our diversity and ensure that all members of our community feel safe and welcome.

Understanding that students aren’t always best served when being constrained by their age, HSC will emphasize the importance of self-reflection and selfevaluation, with a focus on student progress and the mastery of skills. In addition, we will allow students to engage in interdisciplinary and cross-grade learning opportunities, and allow students to learn at their own pace and in ways best suited to their wellbeing, academic development, and personal goals and aspirations. This next chapter for HSC is exciting. The best learning happens when students are excited to come to school, have opportunities to explore their passions and participate in deep learning experiences that challenge them. We look forward to watching this strategic plan come to fruition over the next five years. 2020–2021 ANNUAL REPORT

Engagement at HSC

Montessori School Expanding lessons on Indigenous and Black lives in Montessori School Students enrolled in HSC’s Montessori program are encouraged to explore and learn through personalized and self-directed activities using materials developed specifically for their age and stage of development. Among its many goals, the Montessori curriculum aims to cultivate values of moral development, respect for others, empathy and peacefulness. So it’s no surprise that an initiative to foster diverse and inclusive learning opportunities, specifically about Black and Indigenous life in Canada, has been well received in both HSC’s Montessori classrooms and by others across the country. Montessori School Principal Ms Danielle Hourigan describes a conscious move to bring more attention to the lives of Canada’s Black and Indigenous people: “We saw a need to expand on the once-a-year, month-long focus on Black History by offering materials that would allow year-round learning about experiences both past and present.” One of their first moves was to develop materials that would share lessons on Black History

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and culture from a Canadian lens. “A lot of the existing text and materials that cover Black History topics come from a U.S. perspective,” explains Ms Hourigan. “So we decided to customize our own materials.” Modelling the materials after existing Montessori methods, Ms Hourigan worked collaboratively with faculty, staff and students to create custom “Who Am I” flashcards, featuring prominent Black Canadians, as well as a timeline that shares the history of Black people in Canada, from slavery in New France to today’s Black Lives Matter movement. Ms Hourigan describes the need to design these materials to match existing tools in the classroom. “The Montessori program has a variety of civilization and evolutionary timelines, so we created the Canadian Black History timeline in a similar fashion so children can connect historical descriptions with the images to place them in a larger historical context.” The timeline and flashcards come with control booklets so the kids can check their work.

Engagement at HSC

In the same vein, faculty have adapted the Montessori civilization timeline to reflect Indigenous Nations. They plan to apply lessons on the fundamental needs of humans (e.g., food, shelter, clothing, arts, transportation etc.) across different Indigenous groups. For example, students will learn about traditional forms of shelter for Six Nations, Haida, Inuit, Métis and others to compare and contrast how the needs were met in differing nations. Ms Hourigan points to the flexibility of the materials as an added benefit. “These streams can be studied horizontally, by looking at all the needs from, say, an Inuit perspective, or vertically by looking at food for all the nations.” This work will augment Indigenous materials already being used in the Montessori classes. Depending on a student’s stage of learning, the materials can be used in different ways to spark further exploration. As Ms Hourigan notes, “the ‘Who Am I’ cards were used by younger students as a jumping-off point for additional research on prominent figures, whereas older students used the timelines to pick and choose events of interest to research.” The popularity of the materials with HSC students inspired Ms Hourigan to share the learning kits with Montessori schools across the country to support awareness and understanding of the Canadian Black experience.

Pg. 18 (left) Artwork by Casa student collaboration Pg. 18 (right) Artwork by Austyn Graci Pg. 19 (top left) Artwork by Casa student collaboration Pg. 19 (top right) Artwork by Casa student collaboration Pg. 19 (bottom) Artwork by Annabel Gough

2020–2021 ANNUAL REPORT

Engagement at HSC

Junior School New hands-on programs enrich learning for HSC’s youngest HSC’s Pre-Kindergarten (PK) students are reaping the benefits of the David Tutty Joy and Innovation Fund with the launch of three new programs in the Junior School: the wellness garden, outdoor wonder wagons and Zumbini. Marlo Flewwelling, the lead Early Childhood Educator for our PK students, has seen firsthand the excitement and wonder from students as they dig into the wellness garden. “They have been very enthusiastic about planting, watering and watching seedlings sprout into foods for them to eat,” says Tmea Strifler, PK teacher and program coordinator for the wellness garden. With the wellness garden, children learn by doing and are taught valuable lessons on harvesting food and enjoying the fruits (or vegetables) of their labour. The garden also provides an opportunity to teach students about whole foods and explore the many varieties of flavours and textures that can come from the ground. For some, foods they would otherwise turn their nose to on the plate become a much more appetizing treat when they get to pick them fresh off the vine. In another move that takes advantage of HSC’s outdoor campus, teachers have welcomed mobile libraries of sorts called wonder wagons to extend literacy activities beyond the classroom. “Our outdoor wonder wagons

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have enriched students’ learning by providing various seasonal activities and materials,” says PK teacher and program coordinator Laura Macri. “The children have been very engaged while using the new materials, and as a result, we’ve witnessed an increase in their language, gross motor and social development.” Similar benefits have come from the introduction of Zumbini classes (like Zumba but for children) in which the students interact with instruments and explore movements through lively and upbeat music. Aayesha Ahmed, PK teacher and Zumbini instructor, explains that the combination of music and movement nourishes a variety of childhood development areas, such as intellectual, social-emotional, motor, language and overall literacy. The children learn to dance, sing and move with their whole bodies using instruments, scarves and rhythm. “As soon as the instruments come out, the children have big smiles on their faces and are ready to learn and explore,” describes Ms Ahmed. Combined, these added programs have allowed for immense enrichment to the PK curriculum. Each program offers a unique opportunity for students to learn outside of the box. “The entire PK program is overjoyed to be offering these exciting new programs,” says Ms Flewwelling.

Engagement at HSC

Pg. 20 (left) Artwork by Ella Adams Pg. 20 (right) Artwork by Hasanayn Merali Pg. 21 (top left) Artwork by Sloane Richter Pg. 21 (top right) Artwork by Miles Sarraino Pg. 21 (middle right) Artwork by Arthur Wilson Pg. 21 (bottom) Artwork by Arohi Banerjee

2020–2021 ANNUAL REPORT

Engagement at HSC

Middle School Inspiring creativity and confidence: putting students @theHelm “Middle School students love to tell stories,” explains Mr. Adrian Hoad-Reddick, Middle School principal and faculty co-lead for @theHelm – HSC’s Middle School student-led publication. The magazine was given its name as both a reference to the helm on Hektor’s head and its connotation to being in charge. As the title suggests, @theHelm is produced by students, for students. Launched six years ago as an online project for a Grade 11 writing class, @theHelm has since blossomed into a cherished creative outlet and community connector for the Middle School community. With seven issues published during the 2020–2021 school year, @theHelm’s editors tapped into the talents of HSC’s young poets, short story writers, cartoonists and photographers to deliver a publication that continues to grow with each new issue. Ms Ona Gutauskas, Middle School French teacher and the other faculty co-lead for @theHelm, was blown away by the increased interest from students throughout the year.

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“We never intended or expected to publish a collection over 25 pages long,” she says, adding that they had to start capping each issue at 32 pages. “There is no shortage of ideas.” The team has since exceeded the self-declared maximum with March (34 pages), April (36 pages) and May (40 pages) issues. @theHelm is a digital-first publication, giving its student editorial team the opportunity to learn valuable writing, editing and proofreading skills. Though participation is optional, Mr. Hoad-Reddick and Ms Gutauskas tracked student engagement to award year-end certificates, house points, and custom pins for multiple contributors. “Once students see their work featured in a professional format, they quickly gain the confidence to continue creating,” says Ms Gutauskas. @theHelm also serves as a springboard to celebrate student creativity in other outlets. The Middle School began featuring recitations of student poetry on the video announcements each week and used the magazine as a means to promote

Engagement at HSC

creative writing contests and opportunities, including a call for submissions to the CITE writing competition, the New York Times Student Editorial Contest, and the Royal Ontario Museum’s #mypandemicstory initiative.

services specialist Tracy Espinola, recent @theHelm issues feature “The Crow’s Nest”, a wellbeing section with advice for students on dealing with stress and tips for keeping a positive mindset.

Most of the feature articles and story ideas come from student interests. Video gamers critique new games. Avid readers share recommended reads. Budding chefs cook up recipes. And some students offer thoughtful opinions on topics such as the merits of a meat-free diet. As Mr. Hoad-Reddick notes, a lot of this year’s content proved a testament to the times.

@theHelm proved to be the ideal COVID-19 co-curricular, with manageable online shared Google documents and asynchronous scheduling. This allowed students to complete assignments on their own schedules.

“One issue featured Zoompers (Zoom-bloopers) on the front page with student testimonials of embarrassing moments in online classes,” he says. In another feature, Grade 8 student Jacey Goldberg beautifully captured the COVID-19 story from a student’s perspective in her poem titled, “I Remember…” and followed that up with another poem reflecting on her Middle School experience (including the COVID year). Our Middle School teachers also help champion submissions, forwarding potential contributions, like exemplary student artwork. With help from learning

“We were always delighted to receive unsolicited articles in the form of stories, poems and visual art,” says Mr. Hoad-Reddick. “It validated @theHelm as an ideal creative outlet for students struggling through the pandemic. I have to admit, it helped to sustain me, too!” The ISSUU link for each edition of @theHelm can be found on the Middle School myHSC resource page, where PDF editions are also available in the download section. Printed copies are also posted in the covered hallway adjacent to the Heaven building. Mr. Hoad-Reddick also keeps a colour paper copy in his office for the days when he can welcome visitors again.

2020–2021 ANNUAL REPORT

Engagement at HSC

Senior School Senior School students find their fit in competitive health science club In October 2019, then-Grade 11 student Emily Foxman kicked off the inaugural meeting for HSC’s Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) Chapter–a group made possible with help from the David Tutty Joy and Innovation Fund. Founded in 1976, HOSA now has over 200,000 active members worldwide and over 2.5 million alumni. As a Chapter member, HSC students are given the opportunity to explore facets of the healthcare industry and learn about its many careers by preparing for and competing in one of 30 unique events. Emily describes it as the ideal extracurricular program for science enrichment: “Many of us are interested in science but may not necessarily know how that can translate into a post-secondary career, and HOSA is a great resource for us to find our fit.” During its first year at HSC, HOSA was limited to just eight members as a test run to see if students liked the group’s activities and if the commitment was manageable for Senior School students. Evidently, HOSA was a hit and, after opening it up to the entire

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Senior School, membership grew to nearly 40 students. Although HOSA centers around health sciences, students with interests in many other subjects have found their niche within the Chapter. For example, there is a competitive event called Medical Math, which has attracted many students who plan to pursue postsecondary education in mathematics, bioengineering and computer science. Or take the Behavioural Health competitive event, which caters to topics in psychology and sociology–a perfect bridge to the arts and sciences. Even Senior School students with an interest in law and humanities can join in, with an event called Medical Law and Ethics. HOSA allows students to explore what they want, enriching their coursework beyond the more linear curriculum goals. Emily also points to the unique breadth and flexibility of HOSA as a factor for its success. “We are an inclusive Chapter that encourages curiosity, leadership, and learning, no matter what your educational passion may be.” Though registered as a team, HSC’s HOSA Chapter allows members the

Engagement at HSC

opportunity to compete independently in their chosen specialty. Fields of interest range from Dental Terminology and Biomedical Laboratory Science, to Epidemiology and Researched Persuasive Speaking. There are also teamwork events for those students who enjoy working collaboratively. Finally, months of preparation, study and review culminate in the annual Leadership Conference, where HSC students compete in their chosen event against other secondary school students from across Canada. While the pandemic forced all competitions online, the group was able to compete in the fall and spring conferences–while normally there is only one conference, this year they offered two. In both conferences, HSC members gained recognition for their achievements, with Vikram Arora placing second in Medical Math in the fall conference and fifth in Medical Math in the spring conference, and Matt Bolis placing tenth in Researched Persuasive Thinking in the spring conference. When asked about how HOSA factors into her plans for the future, Emily is confident that her involvement will prove beneficial in her aspirations to become an emergency medicine physician. “Although there is still lots of time before that, I stand solidly in my belief that medicine is where I can make the biggest impact on the world [and] no matter where I end up, I am confident that my experiences as Chapter President of HOSA and a general member of HSC’s community have prepared me well for the road ahead.”

Pg. 24 (left) Artwork by Lucie Osborne Pg. 24 (right) Artwork by Hayley Mun Pg. 25 (top left) Artwork by Rianna Mercer Pg. 25 (top right) Artwork by Christina Ferraro Pg. 25 (bottom) Artwork by Tom Voss

2020–2021 ANNUAL REPORT

HILLFIELD STRATHALLAN COLLEGE

College Initiatives

Your contribution to the Annual Fund provides support that spans time and space with our College.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, some of our needs became immediate, and as we pivoted to meet those needs, we were greeted with the consideration, support and philanthropy that we have come to expect from our HSC community. Above all, we continue to support the future of our College. Our generous donors understand and continue to support our initiatives, including the David Tutty Joy and Innovation Fund, the Emergency Bursary Fund, Scholarships and Bursaries, and our HSC Endowment. We are grateful to our donor community for their commitment to the growth and development of our students and College. Pg. 26 Artwork by Audrey Hutchinson

College Initiatives

2020–2021 ANNUAL REPORT

College Initiatives

Scholarships and Bursaries Pg. 28 Artwork by Joe Miller

Scholarships and bursaries are an increasingly important part of the fabric of the HSC community as we continue to grow and evolve. The combination of merit scholarships and needs-based funding allows us to enrich the HSC community with outstanding scholars, artists, athletes and community-minded leaders regardless of socio-economic background. Thank you to our generous donors who supported the HSC scholarship and bursary program at HSC in 2020–2021. Last year 54 students from 46 different families received financial aid support, totalling 4.6% of the student body.

HILLFIELD STRATHALLAN COLLEGE

The Bear Family Scholarship The Bear Family Scholarship was generously created by Scott and Jill Bear in June 2021 to recognize the importance of the incredible opportunities the HSC environment can provide to students. “We wanted to play a role in helping to ensure that these opportunities are available for well-rounded students, and to recognize the importance of leadership and athletics as key skill sets for success in school and the community.”

The Connell Family Bursary The Connell Family Bursary was established by Ross Connell ’60 in September 2020 to celebrate exemplary students who embody the College’s mission, vision and values, and who require financial assistance. When Mr. Connell and his family immigrated to Canada from Scotland in 1952, his father began working around the corner from the old HSC campus—at the time, a boys-only College. His parents were motivated to provide Mr. Connell with the best education possible and were not thrilled with the offering at the local public school. The tuition for HSC was beyond their means, but with the help of a bursary from the College, Ross was enrolled in the fall of 1952, and proudly graduated in 1960. “I will forever be grateful for the personal and academic growth afforded to me by the many elements of my education at HSC. My education there set me on a very satisfactory trajectory, and I hope my donation will provide other deserving families with a similar opportunity.”

College Initiatives

The Man/Gu Bursary

The Schaefer Lazier Bursary

The Man/Gu Bursary was endowed by Hengbao Man and Ying Gu in June 2021 to provide support to exemplary students who qualify for financial assistance.

The Schaefer Lazier Bursary was established in January 2021 by Erik Schaefer ’91 and Amy Lazier Schaefer ’93 to provide funding for promising exceptional students who otherwise wouldn’t be able to attend HSC.

“We have thoroughly enjoyed our time at HSC, and wanted to help extend that privilege to students who would not otherwise have had access to this opportunity. We hope this bursary will allow more excellent students from different family backgrounds to join HSC, enriching the student community and eventually benefiting everyone.”

The Manbert/Serniuk Family Scholarship Heather Manbert and Kevin Serniuk were motivated to establish The Manbert/Serniuk Family Scholarship in February 2019 to offer assistance to a student who showed incredible hard work and passion for their community and in sport to join HSC, and to make a difference. “Making an application for this Scholarship allows the students to self-reflect on what they have already accomplished in their young lives, and provides an opportunity to dream about who they wish to become. The process is really what it’s all about. Earning the title of the Scholarship is just as important as the financial award,” says Heather Manbert and Kevin Serniuk. The Manbert/Serniuk Family Scholarship: “Offering the opportunity to dream big and to join an incredible learning institution.”

The Paton/Puig Bursary The Paton/Puig Bursary was graciously founded by Dr. Pedro Paton Morales and Josefina Puig Fontbona in December 2020 to support financial aid bursaries for deserving students in need. “When we arrived in Canada six years ago, we were warmly welcomed by the HSC community. We felt fortunate and privileged to land in a school that offered such opportunities to learn and grow. Giving the same opportunity to another child is our way of expressing gratitude to the entire HSC community, and supporting talent that can help make the world a better place.”

“We both greatly benefited from our time at HSC, from the strong academic program to the many and varied extracurriculars. We wanted that same community for our children, and have been delighted to see how the school has evolved in the intervening years to become a truly world-class institution. Even during the difficulties of the pandemic, HSC has maintained its commitment to its students and community as a whole. With this bursary, we hope to help extend the opportunity to other kids to attend this amazing place.”

HSC is pleased to offer several merit and needs-based scholarships and bursaries annually. For more information on these opportunities please contact: scholarships@hsc.on.ca or visit: HSC Scholarships & Bursaries www.hsc.on.ca/admissions/scholarships

$445,598 Total $ donated

100

Total gifts 2020–2021 ANNUAL REPORT

College Initiatives

HSC House Endowment

What is the HSC Endowment Fund? Endowment funds offer a stable source of financial support for HSC, enabling the College to attain excellence by attracting outstanding and mission-appropriate students regardless of their socioeconomic background. These funds give deserving students the opportunity to have an outstanding education. A bursary assistance program also encourages a diverse pool of talent and philosophies, which benefits the entire community. All gifts are great. Every dollar helps support the future leaders of tomorrow.

Pg. 31 Artwork by Senior Kindergarten

We challenge you to some friendly HSC competition! Which House will have the largest impact on the future of HSC?

In support of the HSC Endowment Fund, we are stirring up some friendly House competition between current families, alumni and parents of alumni. Birch/Earn, Cedar/More, Maple/ Tay or Pine/Yre: Which House will have the largest impact on the future of HSC? The HSC House System is a long-standing tradition, in which each student bonds for life with fellow brothers and sisters from their House. All HSC students and alumni from all four schools belong to one of four brother/sister House combinations. To make a donation, please contact advancement@hsc.on.ca.

HILLFIELD STRATHALLAN COLLEGE

Birch / Earn

Cedar / More

Maple / Tay

Pine / Yre

2020–2021 ANNUAL REPORT

College Initiatives

Inspirational Teacher Fund

Gifts received

Dedications

Teachers Honoured

So often it is a teacher who plants the seed that fosters a love of learning. Many HSC alumni credit their teachers for inspiring their path to success, whether through encouragement, support or guidance. This unique bond is something every student should be able to experience. Perhaps this describes a current HSC teacher who is building meaningful memories with your child. Showing your appreciation with a donation is what the Inspirational Teacher Fund is all about. Andrew Hammond ’98 and Nora Nolan Hammond ’98 started the Inspirational Teacher Fund in support of HSC’s Endowment Fund, in loving memory of former HSC English/drama teacher Bryan Wylie and music teacher John McGuirk—both of whom recently passed away. Andrew and Nora established the fund in 2020 with the hope that it will help make an HSC education possible for students who may not otherwise have the opportunity. “The creation of this fund provides donors an opportunity to enhance the education of HSC students while also paying homage to the dedicated educators who have made the HSC experience such a meaningful one for so many over the years,” said Andrew. This fund not only elevates education at HSC but also pays tribute to a dedicated educator who has made the HSC experience such an exceptional one. Since its inception, 14 teachers have been honoured. Each donation allows teachers to know the impact they are making and provides an opportunity for a life-changing experience for deserving students.

Pg. 32 Artwork by Carsten Abrams

HILLFIELD STRATHALLAN COLLEGE

College Initiatives

Prizes and Awards

131 *

College-wide awards

131

Ontario Scholars graduated in the Class of 2021

Across Middle and Senior Schools

Middle School

*These awards represent multiple recipients.

Middle School

Honour Pins

Grades 5 to 7

Grade 8

Senior School

396

Senior School

Honour Pins

92 97

Grade 9 Grade 10

100 107

Grades 9 to 10

Grade 11

Grades 11 to 12

Grade 12

Special Awards

Annual Fund 2020–2021

549 $218,519 Total gifts

Total donated

Special Awards

10 20 16

23 33 29

General Endowment

Gifts this fiscal year

$314,417 Total raised

2020–2021 ANNUAL REPORT

College Initiatives

The David Tutty Joy and Innovation Fund The David Tutty Joy and Innovation Fund was established in 2015 to honour and celebrate scientist David Tutty, a dedicated father and HSC community member whose zest for life and love of learning inspired all who met him. The fund invites students, faculty and staff to submit bold, creative proposals that will make a mark on HSC and the world beyond. The intent is to inspire innovation and to demonstrate how dreams can become reality. The fund committee meets each year to review the applications and ensure submissions are aligned with HSC’s principles of “learning with joy and living with purpose.” Your participation makes a difference. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, 13 programs received a total of $50,690 in funding in 2020–2021. » » » » » » » » » » » » »

LivingPlanet@School HSC Bee Hive HSC Food Forest Pre-Kindergarten Wellness Garden Kemper Lounge Art Gallery Outdoor Classrooms for M5s Vertical Writing Surfaces in Kindergarten Outdoor Seasonal Wonder Wagons Zumbini Materials Student Pergola Heaven Quad Experimental Hoop House/Potting Seed VEX IQ Robotics HSC Investment Club Fund

HILLFIELD STRATHALLAN COLLEGE

College Initiatives

Since the fund was created in 2015

105

Pg. 34 (top) Artwork by Samson Graci Pg. 34 (middle) Ray Sims, Maverick Blake, Rose Sims Pg. 34 (bottom) Artwork by Elena Lorincz Pg. 35 (top) Artwork by Boh Banks Pg. 35 (bottom) Artwork by Riley Franklin

applications have been received

67+

projects have been realized

1,069 gifts have been received

$363,997 has been raised

2020–2021 ANNUAL REPORT

College Initiatives

Sustainability @ HSC There are many ways HSC encourages sustainable living and teaches our students the importance of a healthy ecosystem. In the 2020–2021 school year, the HSC community worked to bring these ideas to life, thanks to The David Tutty Joy and Innovation Fund. LivingPlanet@School In partnership with World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the LivingPlant@School program is intended to enhance our community’s understanding of the importance of our campus as part of the watershed of Cootes Paradise Marsh and adjacent to the UNESCO World Biosphere Niagara Escarpment. Through project-based learning, students will learn what it takes to ensure healthy, natural ecosystems while increasing their interest in environmental issues and inspiring environmental leadership and action.

HILLFIELD STRATHALLAN COLLEGE

HSC Honeybee Hives Beehives have been installed near HSC’s ancient orchard trees as a way to educate students on the vital impact bees have on our food sustainability. The initiative is in partnership with BackedbyBees, who manage and care for the beehives. The bees are bred to be non-aggressive and are located away from all play and student areas. HSC Food Forest HSC’s Food Forest will mimic a natural ecosystem in which food-producing plants are chosen for specific reasons, and include trees, vines, bushes, understory plants, groundcover and annuals for maximal output throughout the growing year. The main focus of a food forest is producing food during the spring and fall. The area will also include benches for natural outdoor space. This food forest will work in conjunction with the beehives on campus.

Pre-Kindergarten (PK) Wellness Garden As a whole, the PK program runs on the philosophy that the environment is the third teacher. The wellness garden will contain two gardens: one with three small planters home to native Ontario plants, and the second with a raised garden bed growing fruits, vegetables and herbs. The children will learn responsibility and the pride that comes from working hard and then enjoying the fruits of their labour. Pg. 36 (left) Artwork by Anthony Valeri Pg. 36 (middle) Artwork by Bronx Warburton Pg. 36 (right) Artwork by Jax Goemans Pg. 37 (left) Artwork by Meera Ghelani Pg. 37 (right) Artwork by Sophia Cober

College Initiatives

Improving the Learning Experience Each year, HSC brings to life the mission statement: learn with joy and live with purpose. Each of the following projects was designed to inspire our students to live out this mission. Kemper Lounge Art Gallery The Kemper Lounge is an area frequented by students, their families and visitors to the College. By displaying students’ artwork in the area, it will help create a warmer, more colourful atmosphere, while also allowing Grade 12 students to showcase their Legacy paintings. Outdoor Classrooms for M5s Learning extends beyond the classroom to allow M5s more opportunity for nature studies, artistic projects and building/design work with natural materials.

Vertical Writing Surfaces in Kindergarten Vertical writing surfaces will help children aged three to six develop their core strength, posture and shoulder/ elbow stability—all of which aid in a child’s ability to hold a writing utensil properly. Incorrect pencil grip can quickly cause fatigue in a student’s arm and hand. Training the muscles used for holding a writing utensil is crucial for motor skill development. Outdoor Seasonal Wonder Wagons Wonder Wagons carry seasonal books and various learning tools to be used outside to support early literacy and enhance students’ fine and gross motor skills. This project supports student learning by providing opportunities to extend their knowledge in all areas of their development for children in PK2 to Grade 4.

Zumbini Materials In PK, students sing through transitions. They use music as a way to express themselves. Zumbini is a mix of music and Zumba for children and has been a great success thus far. Singing and dancing along with instruments and an instructor is a perfect way to get students ready for the music program in Junior School. Student Pergola Heaven Quad An open pergola walkway provides students space for sitting in shade and will support vining plants that attract hummingbirds. Experimental Hoop House/ Potting Seed This is a way to get Middle School students gardening earlier and longer in the year by introducing a simple Hoop House to host plants for propagation, potting etc. to support the vegetable gardens and more in an extended season. VEX IQ Robotics VEX IQ allows students to build their own robot and program it to complete a variety of increasingly complex tasks for students in Grade 5. HSC Investment Club Fund The HSC Investment Club is a collective group of students who are focused, driven and passionate about learning more about financial markets as well as other forms of investing. The main goal of the club is not only to provide knowledge on these topics but also to help students prepare to make real-life applications of the knowledge gained.

2020–2021 ANNUAL REPORT

College Initiatives

Thank You to Our Donors

July 1, 2020–June 30, 2021

$100,000–$500,000 Judith King-Siganski ’62 Bob Lawrie & Nicole Lawrie Morgan Family

$25,000–$99,999

Batrynchuk Family Scott & Jill Bear Cerello Family Ross Connell ’60 & Christina-Anne Connell Doble Family Barbara J. Lazier ’67 Bo Lui MacLeod Family Hengbao Man & Ying Gu Manbert & Serniuk Family Susan M. Owen ’85 Paton-Puig Family Erik A. Schaefer ’91 & Amy Lazier Schaefer ’93 Ventresca Tutty Family

$10,000–$24,999

Ayotte Family Margaret Banfield* Andrew Hammond ’98 & Nora Nolan Hammond ’98 Anne Louise Finch McDougall ’48 Margaret Morison ’47 Paikin Family

$5,000–$9,999

Anonymous Brett F D Sampson Senior School Memorial Award Danielle Hourigan ’82

Kain Family Dr. Andre L. M. Matos & Dr. Luciana T. Ribeiro Pearson Family Zahra Valani

$2,500–$4,999

Christopher Clark & Karen Clark Dr. Stephen Dyment & Dr. Heidi Kunze Robert Forbes & Mary Williams Shan Mo & Jin Lin Ruth Moseley Murray ’66 & Barbara Weaver A. Ben Young ’47

$1,000–$2,499

Bruce B. Bates ’47* Dr. Vladimir Belostotsky & Irina Belostotsky Dr. Luis H. P. Braga & Dr. Manoela F. B. Braga Zhifeng Chai & Yuxia Huang Henry B. K. Chan & Lucia M. Y. Chan Warren Dakin ’78 Evgeny Dolgy & Elena Dolgy Dr. Clifton W. Farrell ’69 J. Peter Foster ’42 F. Hope Gibson ’70 & Elizabeth Simpson ’71 Dr. Shiny Gunasekera B. Guyatt Tanis Hall John F. Hammond & Elyse W. Hammond

HILLFIELD STRATHALLAN COLLEGE

John S. Hedden ’69 Jiangui Hu & Yan Song Xin Jiang & Xiangfang Zeng Dr. Ekkehard Kasper & Ines Kasper Geoff & Ana Knapp Robert Krull & Kathryn Yates Weixiong Lai & Yan Zhang Edwin M. Mills ’45 Christopher Osborne & Cindy Clarke Wei Qian & Xiaojing Shen Julie G. Rosenthal ’88 David Scantlebury & Inna Scantlebury Dr. Paul Szpakowski & Dr. Agnes Chmiel Thomas-Weir Family Joshua & Liam Thorne Nick Timms Yong Wang & Yangqi Wang Herbert Wodehouse ’71 & Margaret Wodehouse Dr. Haibo Xu & Lei Ren Brenda Zwolak

Up to $999

Asher and Carsten Abrams Gregory Adams & Jennifer Adams Anna-Marie Almonte Peter R. Annable & Pamela J. Annable Dr. Carrie Annable ’97, Jason Kovacs and Miss Callie Kovacs Anonymous x 9

Orhan Baladin St. Clair Balfour Jr. ’59 Bianca Barton ’03 Tudor Beattie ’63 & Lyn (Parry) Beattie ’68 Ian F. Brissett ’92 Heather Campbell-Palm ’85 Patrick Chalkley ’03 Andrea K. Charlton ’92 Shaomin Chen & Cuicui Li Ning Chen & Yuanyuan Cui Vincent Cheung & Dr. Beverley Chan ’98 Daniella Ciapanna Taya Cicchetti Jeff Cober & Denise Cober Darcy Collins & Kathleen Collins D’Hondt Family William S. Dalley ’71 Liz Davidson Michael Dean ’01 & Renata Dean Maria Di Febo J. Edward Dillane ’55 & Carol J. Dillane Rod Douglas ’62 Dr. Gail Erlick Robinson ’60 Orkhan Eyyubov & Gunay Bayramova Faggion Family Paul J. Falco ’85 Stephen Fenton & Kathryn Fenton Vanessa Ferguson Fraser Family Katelyn Galer

*Deceased

College Initiatives Buyang Gao & Rongrong Zhu Stephanie Giannini Ethan Goldberg & Hilary D. Munn Angela Gordon Sylvia Griffin Don Haag John Hannah Dr. Will Harper & Dr. Randi McCabe Trish Harrison ’67 Chick Harvey Julia Hillyer ’98 Carrie Hinich Michal Hodal David N. Hodgetts & Sylvia Hodgetts Luther Holton ’71 Dr. Seth Houwer & Kate Boose HSC Montessori Staff Laura Hubner Hutchinson Family Cathy Innes Dr. Nader Jahshan & Paulette Jahshan Jarrett Johnston & Sheriann Heath-Johnston Robert D. Johnston ’45 Sanjit Katoch & Kavita Singh Deb Kennedy Hugh F. Ker ’75 Ann Lang ’65 Dr. Yili Li & Dongmei Zhao Bin Liu & Yuexing Han Rebecca Llewellyn Lucas Family Franco Macchiusi & Wendy Jones John E. Marck ’71 Geoffrey Marsden & Lisa Marsden Paul Masotti Jock A. McGregor ’65 Colin H. McNairn ’56 Dan Miller ’91 & Kate Miller Warren K. Mills ’94 & Christine L. Mills ’94 Claudette Milmine Nash ’57 Colin Milne Mark Mitchell & Lisa Mitchell

Mike Moore Jeffrey W. Mulvey & Carol Mulvey Drew Nameth & Susan Nameth Eric C. Nanayakkara ’99 Neibert Family Jordan M. Neysmith ’94 Coulter Osborne ’50 Erica Otaguro ’07 Marnie & Larry Paikin Dr. Sumithra A. Peeris Samantha Peeris ’85 Lou Petrash & Dr. Linda Ullman-Petrash Linda Pillinini M. Poremba Amaris Pozeg Huiyu Qin & Lili Yang Gina Ranger Yvonne Reitmeier Gary Repta ’63 Dr. Eric Robertson & Holly Robertson Amanda Rogers Bradley Sawyer & Fiona Sawyer Dr. Bert Schaefer & Dr. Gudrun Schaefer Susan Scott Adela D. Sepe Lynn Sharpe Charlie Sherman ’03 & Alexandra Weaver ’02 John C. Simpson ’75 & Toni Simpson Gwynneth & David Simpson ’73 Sheila Skinner James Smith & Beverly Edwards-Smith Shailau Spivak Peter G. Steel ’75 Xiantao Sun & Yingli Chen Jacqueline Teggart Timmer Family James Tiong Anne Townsend & Uwe Schaub Marisa Trignani

Dr. Scott Tsai & Astrid Tsai Doug Tutty Judith Tutty Brandon ’98, Heather, Esme & Clara Vedelago Mark Verbeek & Amanda Verbeek Paul Vicano & Dr. Oona St-Amant Gerald E. Vrooman ’68 Charles Wain Nancy Wands Tony Wang & Lynn Feng Headmaster Emeritus M. B. Wansbrough & Michaele Robertson Dave & Linda Watson Dr. E.S. Werstiuk

Dwaine Whalen & Deetra Whalen Robert E. Wray ’64 Gerald Wright ’58 XiaoGeng Xia & Wei Gao Jin Zang Kris Zelinsky & Sarah Zelinsky Hong Zheng & Jing Sun Hongjun Zhou & Jiping Ma

Pg. 39 Artwork by Gabriella Karmiol (top left) Artwork by Bosco Harriot (top right) Artwork by Mark Ma (bottom)

2020–2021 ANNUAL REPORT

HILLFIELD STRATHALLAN COLLEGE

Financial Highlights Pg. 40 Artwork by Alan Tian

Financial Highlights

2020–2021 ANNUAL REPORT

Financial Highlights

Investments Towards The Future As another year draws to a close and we take time to reflect on the events of the past, it is amazing to see how a year full of uncertainty led to so much opportunity and became a true rallying of the HSC spirit and community. We started the 2020–2021 school year with strong levels of student enrolment. We offered our students a blend of on-campus and remote learning options to ensure the utmost safety while preserving and delivering academic excellence. With student safety top of mind, we made sure our spending was strategically aligned, which meant addressing the required operational expenditures as a direct result of the pandemic. In keeping with this direction, the College made investments in COVID-19 related improvements during the 2020–2021 school year as follows: » $326,000 in pandemic expenditures of which $116,000 is related to investment in capital spending; » Capital expenditures included: touchless water bottle filling stations across all schools and in College-wide common areas, removal of carpet in all schools and common areas in favour of tile or vinyl, creation of early education classroom spaces with full integration to outdoor classrooms, additional air purification systems, outdoor furnishings for outdoor instruction and class break periods; » Additional pandemic expenditures incurred included schoolwide PPE, such as medical-grade masks, hand sanitizer and additional hand sanitizer stations, continual Hepa filter replacements, face shields, sterile gloves, Virox disinfectant cleaner, signage related to social distancing and wayfinding. We hired a third registered nurse to support safe school start-up, acquired single-use lab equipment to support science curriculum, prepared individual art kits for students 5 to 12 as well as individual equipment to support year-round outdoor play and physical education; » Operationally, we added enhanced daytime cleaning staff to ensure a continuum of cleaning for the high-touch surface areas, added in one additional bus run each day for a total of four runs per day for social distancing of students, added internet boosters in several areas across the Campus to allow for 42

HILLFIELD STRATHALLAN COLLEGE

greater connectivity during periods of outdoor learning and additional kitchen staff to support food delivery to individual schools; » Our Board approved tuition credits of $1,500 for eligible students as of June 30, 2021, representing the ancillary services that the College was unable to offer as a result of the Government mandated lockdown; » Further to our Board of Governor’s commitment that no student should be left behind as a result of the pandemic, we are pleased to announce our bursary program was also able to support 54 students through awards totalling $438,000 during the 2020–2021 year. With the support of our Board of Trustees, our Advancement Team placed a renewed focus on growing the HSC Endowment Fund and secured $171,000 in donations—bringing the total net assets of this fund to $3.76 million. Our Endowment Fund is managed in a manner that preserves the capital to every extent possible, allowing for the future ability to fund scholarships and bursaries. Our David Tutty Joy and Innovation Fund provided funds for several student-led initiatives and brought the start of the HSC food forest and the Campus’ very first beehives! We are also grateful and fortunate to be welcoming our fourth Morgan Family Scholarship student this coming year—four students attending HSC, all through the generosity of one donor. We have renewed our focus on both our multi-year strategic plan and our campus master plan, both of which were paused as a result of the pandemic and will provide the roadmap to lead us on our path forward into the future. We are happy to announce that despite waiving the expansion fund fees for the 2020–2021 year, we have been able to maintain the expansion fund at the previously planned level, leaving net assets in this fund totalling $1.45 million. This expansion fund will support the overall campus master plan. These assets will be integral as we pave our way forward and design the campus of the future—a campus that will serve many generations of students to come. The net assets of our operating fund total $5.23 million, of which $1 million has been internally restricted by our Board of Governors as it relates to our emergency bursary and COVID-19 enhancement funds. Through prudent fiscal management and a critical eye on spending, we can keep these funds intact, which will be utilized as we continue to weather the storm of the pandemic and plan for the future. Our operating fund not only assists in supporting key strategic directions, such as those outlined in our HSC strategic plan, but also serves to support the long-term sustainability of the College.

Financial Highlights

2020–2021 Operating Revenue

Tuition Fees

96.21%

$ 32,959,632

Ancillary Revenue

3.62%

1,238,633

Fundraising

0.18%

60,951

$ 34,259,216

Salaries, Wages and Benefits

2020–2021 Operating Expenditures

Academic

44.99%

$ 14,356,566

Administration and Operations

14.15%

4,515,847

Employee Benefits

13.21%

4,215,497

General and Administration

7.39%

2,358,334

Bus Operations

2.78%

888,272

Facility Operations and Maintenance

4.93%

1,572,323

10.09%

3,218,198

2.46%

783,784

Operating Expenses

Scholarships, Bursaries and COVID-19 Tuition Credits Capital Expenditures

$ 31,908,821

2020–2021 Designation of Gifts Across Funds

Capital Campaign

35%

144,880

Annual Campaign

14.73%

60,951

8.88%

36,769

41.39%

171,317

413,917

The David Tutty Joy and Innovation Fund Endowment

2020–2021 ANNUAL REPORT

Financial Highlights

2020 Statement of Revenue and Expenditures and Changes in Net Assets year ended June 30, 2021 (in thousands of dollars) 2021 Operating Expansion Capital Fund

Fund

–

Endowment Fund

Consolidated Total

Revenue Earned revenue

35,118

–

1,568)

171

377

721

33,927

–

23,127

1,989

8,824

1,989

31,951

1,989)

686

1,976

$ 42,287

3,089

48,584

34,567

1,568)

145

–

33,060

146

–

Salaries, wages and benefits

23,127

Operating expenses

6,799

29,926

3,134

145

350

COVID-19 tuition reimbursements and credits Donations and fundraising

550

Expenditures

Excess of Revenue Over Expenditures Net assets, beginning of year

2,858

Changes/purchase of capital assets

793)

Transfers

973)

Transfer to internally restricted COVID-19 Emergency Bursary and College-wide enhancements Net assets, end of year

–

793

–

956

–

1,451

$ 41,108

Expansion Fund

Capital Fund

– $

4,226

–

3,775

50,560

Balance Sheet as at June 30, 2021 (in thousands of dollars) Operating Fund

Endowment Fund

Consolidated Total

Assets Current assets

3,235

Investments (recorded at market value)

13,345

Capital assets

–

3,261

–

451

–

3,751

17,547

–

$ 41,117

–

41,117

$ 41,117

3,757

61,925

18)

10,365

18)

10,365

–

4,226

16,580

471

11,354

980)

11,354

980)

Unrestricted operating

4,226

Internally restricted – COVID-19

1,000

Liabilities & Net Assets Current liabilities Long-term debt

–

Expansion Fund

–

Invested in capital assets

–

HILLFIELD STRATHALLAN COLLEGE

– – $

–

1,000

1,451

–

1,451

–

$ 41,108

–

41,108

–

3,775

5,226

1,451

$ 41,108

3,775

51,560

16,580

471

$ 41,117

3,757

61,925

Endowment Fund Net assets, end of year

–

Financial Highlights

2019

Statement of Revenue and Expenditures and Changes in Net Assets year ended June 30, 2020 (in thousands of dollars) Operating Fund

Expansion Fund

Capital Fund

Endowment Fund

Consolidated Total

2020

Revenue Earned revenue

33,850

1,709)

103

32,244

Salaries, wages and benefits

23,241

Operating expenses

COVID-19 tuition reimbursements and credits Donations and fundraising

34,863

–

1,709)

369

33,523

–

23,241

1,987

8,955

1,987

32,196

1,987)

1,327

3,054

48,257

971

–

260

–

1,231

–

6,927

30,168

2,076

1,229

Expenditures

Excess of Revenue Over Expenditures Net assets, beginning of year

–

2,589

665)

$ 43,279

Changes/purchase of capital assets

781)

189)

970

Transfers

26)

25)

Transfer to internally restricted COVID-19 Emergency Bursary and College-wide enhancements

1,000)

2,858

Net assets, end of year

–

350

$ 42,287

Expansion Fund

Capital Fund

–

1,000)

3,089

48,584

Balance Sheet as at June 30, 2020 (in thousands of dollars) Operating Fund

Endowment Fund

Consolidated Total

Assets Current assets

2,140

Investments (recorded at market value)

10,631

Capital assets

–

2,183

–

289

–

3,080

14,000

–

$ 42,323

–

42,323

12,771

321

$ 42,323

3,091

58,506

8,913

29)

8,913

–

8,913

8,922

2,858

–

2,858

Liabilities & Net Assets Current liabilities Long-term debt Unrestricted operating

–

Internally restricted – COVID-19

1,000

Expansion Fund

–

Invested in capital assets

–

1,000

350

–

350

–

$ 42,287

–

42,287

–

3,089

3,858

350

$ 42,287

3,089

49,584

12,771

321

$ 42,323

3,091

58,506

Endowment Fund Net assets, end of year

–

2020–2021 ANNUAL REPORT

HSC Annual Report 2020–2021

Respect. Integrity. Community. Individuality. Determination. Our core mission is to develop joyful and engaged students who live life with purpose. The best learning happens when students are happy to come to school, have opportunities to follow their passions, and participate in deep learning experiences that challenge them. Joyful, engaged students develop strong relationships with their peers and with the caring adults who spark and support their learning both inside the classroom and beyond.

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this report. If, however, any errors or omissions have occurred, please accept our apologies and advise the HSC Advancement and Communications Office so that corrections can be made. HSC is registered as a charitable entity with the Canada Revenue Agency and is authorized to issue tax receipts to qualified donors. Our charitable registration number is BN11895 7810 RR0001.

Their journey at HSC prepares students to live with purpose — to understand their world, inspire, lead, act, and make a difference in their own unique ways.

Published by: Hillfield Strathallan College and the Advancement and Communications Office Director of Advancement and Communications: Zahra Valani Editorial Adviser: Katelyn Galer Photography: William Vipond Tait Design and Production: Bhandari & Plater Inc. Printing: Barney Printing 46

HILLFIELD STRATHALLAN COLLEGE

HSC Advancement and Communications Office Hillfield Strathallan College 299 Fennell Avenue West Hamilton, ON L9C 1G3 Phone: 905-389-1367 Fax: 905-389-6366 E-mail: advancement@hsc.on.ca hsc.on.ca

Annual Report 2020-2021

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