Head’s Blog: Good Habits to Come!
I guess it probably comes as no surprise, but those of us who are teachers spend a lot of time […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
I guess it probably comes as no surprise, but those of us who are teachers spend a lot of time […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
This morning I was having a conversation with a friend about memories from elementary school. We both had the same […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog, Performing Arts
Tomorrow, November 11th, is Remembrance Day – the day Canadians remember the brave men and women who served, and continue […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog, Academics
As we sit back and reflect on our discussions from parent-teacher interviews, an important dimension of our work with students […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog, Academics
Today you will receive your child’s progress report, which includes important information about “how things are going” so far in […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
Now that we have passed the first checkpoint of the year (Thanksgiving weekend), it is an opportune time to consider […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Uncategorized, Head's Blog
Thanksgiving weekend is the first long weekend of the fall and the one that marks the end of our transition […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
Have you ever hosted a visiting child in your home who tells a tall tale that you suspect is not […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
As a parent myself, I experienced anxiety (…and frustration!) at times when each of my four kids was in elementary […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog, General News
It’s been a pleasure to welcome everyone to a new school year this week! Our returning and new students have […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
There is one week to go before we gather as a school community at St. Paul’s Cathedral in downtown London. […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
As we round the corner into the final weeks of school, it is a chance to update you on the […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), social practices, rituals, and festive events reaffirm the identity […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
As we get set to enjoy the May long weekend, it is a chance to take stock of what the […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog, Performing Arts, Co-Curricular
If you had the chance to see Annie on the Matthews Hall stage this week, you will have been reminded […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
Unless we’ve been completely off the grid during past several months, the topic of AI – artificial intelligence – has […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog, Performing Arts, Co-Curricular
At the 36th annual Conference of Independent Schools Music Festival (CISMF) on April 15th, the 1200 voice student choir, string […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
At CAIS schools, we all know that school fundraising is important because the relationships and resources that are cultivated ensure […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
As we step boldly into spring this week (…27°C!!), we are busily enjoying everything that comes with the return of […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
Do you see me? Do you know me? Will you grow me? Shouldn’t answers to these three questions be the […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
I have spent my career in independent schools and I am never more thankful for that opportunity than when I […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog, Performing Arts
International schools come in many different shapes and sizes and the term itself includes a variety of school systems encompassing […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
With the March Break only “steps” away, students and teachers across the land are looking forward to some time away […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
What a difference a week can make! The snow squalls and slippery roads of last Friday have given way to […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
While 2023 is still fresh, we begin together the work of articulating our next comprehensive strategic plan for Matthews Hall. […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog, Co-Curricular
This week our Grades 7s and 8s returned to the slopes in our annual Middle School ski trip. After a […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
This week I enjoyed watching our students compete in the House League French Challenge on Wednesday afternoon. Proudly wearing their […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
Welcome to 2023 and a “new year”! With the balmier temperatures this week, it’s been a “gentle” return to classes […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
We are almost there! Is anyone else going to be crawling across the finish line on their belly? If you […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
Have you ever heard someone complain about being pulled over by the police for speeding? A common response some people […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
According to our friends at Wikipedia, pain is a “distressing feeling caused by intense or damaging stimuli”. Seems about right. […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
As we prepare for the month of December in school, it is important for everyone to remember that the coming […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
When I was in Middle School, I remember a comment that would elicit an immediate and challenging look from our […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
As our school community gathered today to commemorate Remembrance Day, the theme of service was highlighted in memory of all […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
In his book A Mind at a Time, Mel Levine explains his belief that a big part of teaching and […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
“What makes the human unique in all the animal kingdom?” This question was asked by King Solomon, the wisest man […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
That perennial time of the school year is almost here – report card time. For teachers, it’s an opportunity to […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
If you are like me, you can probably remember childhood moments when you felt particularly safe (or unsafe) in school, […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
Even though we are into our second month of school, the year still seems brand new. There are many reasons […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
September 30th marks the end of the first month of school, which is always a time of adjustment for children, […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
“People care about you.” “Everyone is all on-deck and ready for anything.” “Matthews Hall feels like a home because my […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
After a two-year hiatus, it was a pleasure to see so many families and students gathered at last night’s Welcome […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
One week from today, we will mark the official completion of the academic year for the students and teachers of […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
“Academic excellence in a spirit of caring”. More than an aspiration for the future, these words are taken directly from […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
What you learn and who you become are equally important – especially in the life of a child. This dual […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
After more than two years of guests-at-a-distance, it was a pleasure for us to welcome more than 250 parents and […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
As we journey through the spring together, Matthews Hall will be undertaking a review of the foundational beliefs and principles […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Uncategorized, Head's Blog
As our students were reminded today, our planet is an amazing place! They also learned that it needs our help […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
As we prepare to enjoy the coming long weekend, we find ourselves in the throes of a classic wet spring […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Campus Renewal, Head's Blog
During the “COVID season of our discontent”, it has seemed like many of us have somehow been locked in a […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog, Academics
Public speaking, heights, and creepy crawlies – did you know that these are often cited as the top three fears […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
As you begin the March Break this weekend, we hope that you will be able to breathe deeply, relax fully, […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Campus Renewal, Head's Blog
“I have come to a frightening conclusion. I am the decisive element in the classroom. It is my personal approach […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
This week we were so pleased to be able to celebrate Founder’s Day with the Class of 2022 by hosting […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
Family Day Weekend has arrived! While originally created to give people time to spend with their families in several Canadian […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
I hope you all heard the good news last week on Groundhog Day – apparently Wiarton Willie says it will […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
I was recently chatting with a friend from childhood. We have not seen each other in decades and, in fact, […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
Looks like we’ve pretty much made it through January! With its false starts and hiccups, it was not the smoothest […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
While this week felt about twice as long as a normal week, we were SO glad to have our students […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
On Tuesday, January 25th, many people with Scottish roots will celebrate Robbie Burns Day, which commemorates the life of the famous […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Campus Renewal, Head's Blog, Academics
As I am sure we can all agree, the beginning of 2022 has given us a strange and stressful week. […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog, Performing Arts, Co-Curricular
As we prepare for the final week before the holidays, our students and teachers have been busily going about the […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
Have you ever heard the term “blackboard jungle” applied to schools? The expression originated with a 1950s movie of the […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
Some of you may know from your children that knitting is an activity that I enjoy. I have cultivated a […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog, Co-Curricular
Today is a significant day in the path forward for our youngest students, during our “shadow boxing” match with COVID […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
November is always a bit of a challenging month. For starters, the days shrink noticeably and somehow both the morning […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog, Academics
“Excellent performance! More effort needed! Pull up your socks! It is not too late to improve! You could have performed […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
This morning I read an article about how CBC North reporter, Pauline Pemik, was the first person to interview our […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Campus Renewal, Head's Blog
Soon, we will see a lot of action across the front and eastern sides of our school. Built in 1966, […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Campus Renewal, Head's Blog
There really should be more than one weekend per year dedicated to gratitude; however, Canadian Thanksgiving is still a time […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
With the arrival of October, the first month of school has officially ended. On behalf of the entire school team, […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
“Back-to-School” night (aka Parent-Teacher Night) is quickly approaching and, while it remains an important annual ritual for parents, teachers, and […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog, General News, Co-Curricular
Let’s just say it out loud: what a relief to be back together learning in-person this September! On behalf of […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
When I awoke to the local news on Monday morning, I was shocked and saddened. By the time I […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
Dear Parents: So, the other day I had the opportunity of a lifetime: I got the chance to chat with […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
In spite of the current stay-at-home order, have you noticed that (for the most part) people have been continuing to […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
Best wishes for the coming Victoria Day weekend! Having worked for several summers at Fort Henry in Kingston during high […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
There is a promise of warmer temperatures during the coming week. I am thankful for that because for all of […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
Over the past few months, I have been reading a book by American author, Anthony Esolen. It is a brave […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
On the shelf in my office, I have a short book by Todd Whittaker, an American educator and motivational speaker. […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
As we prepare for the upcoming Spring Break, we remain hopeful that our students and teachers will be able to […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
As we begin the spring term, I want to thank our teachers and the many supportive parents for helping us […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
Having spent my life in schools, I have been variously referred to over the years as pupil, student, and teacher. […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
When I awoke this morning, I read the news that Walter Gretzky, father of Number 99, had died at age […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
Normally, when we flip the calendar to March, we can look forward to a few things: the promise of longer […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Uncategorized, Head's Blog
This week we recognized the Grade 8 class during our annual Founder’s Day reception, a tradition stretching back many years […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
In a typical winter, our classes would usually have the chance to experience a foretaste of the coming year as […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
During the last several months, the word “pivot” has increased in use as organizations and individuals responded to global pandemic […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
As we change gears to a longer break from in-person learning this winter, parents everywhere are in the same boat. […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
How is everyone doing? I have been thinking about this question every day since our “return” to classes in January […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog, Academics, Co-Curricular
As we complete our first week “back to class” for 2021, I wish you all the best for the coming […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Campus Renewal, Head's Blog
Well, as I write these few lines on this final day of term, I am feeling thankful for all the […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog, Academics
For years I have followed the educational “tension” that has often accompanied conversations between proponents of the core knowledge movement […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Campus Renewal, Head's Blog, Academics
It’s been twenty years since the expression “21st Century Learning Skills” was coined. Two decades on, I wonder who can […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
Ah, December approaches. That most interesting of months in the school year. Projects are coming due, special seasonal events (…are […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
If there ever were a time when “stress” was commonplace across all sectors of society, it would appear that we’ve […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
As a child, were you ever admonished by a trusted adult about a way of behaving, acting, or speaking that […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
This week we were working to complete some videography to showcase our new addition and future phases of our campus […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
As we prepare for Hallowe’en this year, there is no question that things will be different. Different in schools. Different […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
Have you ever read one of those human interest stories about a person who, while renovating a home or building, […]