Community First: The Power of Human Connection in Learning and Growth

By Vicky Boomgaardt Assistant Head: CoCurriculars At Lakefield College School, we are known for the quality of relationships that exist between and among students and staff, parents and alumni, on campus and around the world. Relationships are the cornerstone to deep learning and the lens of Community First allows us to focus on, nurture and grow these qualities that LCS students and families most value about our community. We recently shared with our students how we plan to strengthen our community through the creation of 'house families.' It’s part of a strategic initiative outlined under the Community First pillar of our strategic plan: Vision. Direction. Focus. 2019|2024.  Our vision ensures that we continually strive to fully know each and every one of our students; that we create strong connections between day and boarding, Canadian and international students; and that we continue to offer a well-rounded and enriching program including an advisory program that…

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Lakefield College School Earth Day Address

By Mike Arsenault, Lakefield Environmental Action Force (LEAF) Coach, Values Advocate: Environmental Stewardship and Biology Teacher We are a school that has always been deeply connected to our environment. The sun, water, land, and wind that nurture life—nurtures us. Our Lakefield environment is vital and it connects us together. It is important to us and right now we acutely feel that something is missing. It has shaped who we are, it informs our growth, and it anchors our community. For some of us it's sacred. To me, it feels like LCS has been quietly celebrating Earth Day since our birth as a school, 141 years ago. Springtime and camp Lakefield has lifted the spirits of many students. Those of you new to LCS are missing that experience right now, and those of you who have been here longer know precisely the magic that springtime at LCS brings. We all feel a loss.…

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Finding Our Motivation and Rekindling Our Fire During Tough Times

By John Runza, Assistant Head: School Life https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8r7XjZwR54 We are heading into our fourth week of Learning With Lakefield - Remotely.  At this point science, and researchers who have studied learning in this environment, tell us that the honeymoon phase may feel like it is ending, if it isn’t over already, and the ‘dog days’ of remote learning begin to bark louder.  The novelty of the program is gone and motivation wanes.   How do we rekindle the fire? Where do we find the strength to dig that much deeper? Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with Chaplain’s from other Ontario schools and we all identified the fact that our schools are grieving.  We are grieving the loss of being together, the loss of our community.   In his recent Harvard Business Review article That Discomfort You’re Feeling Is Grief  Scott Berinato speaks to this exact issue. He calls us to acknowledge…

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