Head’s Blog: Time To Celebrate!
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
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, […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
One of my favourite Albert Einstein expressions runs something like this: “Not everything that can be counted counts and not […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
In a typical fall, the arrival of Thanksgiving is an important milestone that signals the end of the transition to […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
Ask anyone who really knows me and they will tell you that Mr. A is an unabashed history and genealogy […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
On behalf of our teachers, thank you for taking the time to view the presentations shared last night during our […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
Take my word for it. Our new school addition will never get old. Until you have a chance to see […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
It is with cautious optimism that I welcome everyone back for what we hope will be a year of uninterrupted […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog, General News
Please review our plans for September HERE.
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog, General News
Read Mr. Anderson’s Closing Remarks and enjoy our Final Newsletter of the school year HERE including Reflections by our Longest […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog, General News
Please read Mr. Anderson’s latest letter and our school news HERE.
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
Read Mr. Anderson’s Letter and check our our School Newsletter HERE.
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
Read the latest letter from Mr. Anderson HERE.
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
Read Mr. Anderson’s latest letter HERE.
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
Mr. Anderson’s weekly update can be found HERE.
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
Please read a letter from Mr. Anderson (and a House Challenge!) HERE.
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
Please read Mr. Anderson’s weekly update HERE.
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
Human beings are incredible learners. This is especially true of children who love to learn new things. They love it […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
“Just as young children generally don’t want to be carried around while they are learning to walk, early adolescents don’t […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog, Co-Curricular
This week I have found myself reflecting on a concept that I have often considered during my close to 30 […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Campus Renewal, Head's Blog
Even though we are in the midst of our post-holiday dip, we are not about to let the January weather […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
Welcome back to – what we hope will be for you – a great new year! Resolutions aside, the beginning […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog, Performing Arts
It is sometimes said that a good children’s book must accomplish two things: (1) it must appeal to parents, so […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
In school, as in life, part of our job as adults is mastering the complex “arts of peace” on behalf […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
With the arrival of December, many families are getting ready for a busy time of the year. Activities, gatherings, and […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
As the days grow shorter and drearier, a desire for hearth and home can dominate the activities of many families […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog, Athletics
I don’t know how the kids are doing it, but there is no question: today’s elementary school volleyball players are […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog, Academics
Today our teachers met with parents to discuss their child’s progress during the first weeks of the school year. Some […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog, Academics
Today students will receive a progress report card that provides an update on their work to-date. It is not meant […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog, Academics
According to Wikipedia, “a spelling bee is a competition in which contestants are asked to spell a broad selection of […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
This week I had the privilege of representing our school in the company of our Board Chair, Nate Fehrman, at […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
As we prepare to celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend, it seems like an appropriate time to reflect on being […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
As we get set for the weekend, World Teachers’ Day (WTD) is upon us. Ironically, it falls on a Saturday […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
Einstein famously said that information is not knowledge. I was reflecting on this earlier in the week after watching some […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog, Academics
It was a pleasure to see so many of you at last night’s Parent-Teacher evening, especially the day after […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
As we get set for the weekend, we are just about to see a beautiful fall sight: the harvest moon […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Campus Renewal, Head's Blog
Welcome to another exciting year at Matthews Hall! By choosing to send your son or daughter to learn with us, […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
This evening we have the privilege to travel back to the future as we spend a few moments in the […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
We are in the home stretch! A week from today we will gather at the site of our school’s founding, […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
Years ago, I had the opportunity to attend a conference in Vancouver organized by CIJSHA (Canadian Independent Junior School […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
Today was Grandparents’ Day at Matthews Hall – an opportunity for our entire school community to celebrate the importance of […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog, Academics
Scientists have known for years that being “tested” on what we’ve been learning boosts long-term memory. Many studies show that people […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog, General News
I read an article this week in the Financial Post claiming that weather can have a significant impact on mood, […]
Written by Jen McKay
Posted in: Head's Blog
“Here is my secret. It is very simple: it is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what […]