the BSS magazine | vol. 2 · 2012/13

The Link2013 DOGA: Phyllis MANNING Creighton ’47A voice for global change and social justice

Leah and Gordon Pinsent on the artsBSS Heritage Dinner April 18, 2013

Grounded in community

FEELS LIKE FAMILY A look inside BSS Boarding pg. 6

THEN AND NOWA tradition of putting community first pg. 8

OLD GIRLS ROCKMentoring inspires young alum pg. 26

8  the LINK Vol. 1 · 2011/12

MEDICAL AND HEALTH PHYSICIST

TRIATHLETE AND NORDIC SKIER

KELLY SCHAD, BSS Teacher

When a girl uses her whole mind, she realizes her whole potential.When a girl uses her whole mind, she realizes her whole potential.

the LINK Vol.2 · 2012/13 1

Letter from the edItorsour community of students, old Girls, parents, past parents,

volunteers, staff, writers and photographers helped make this

issue of The Link a vibrant reflection of the spirit of BSS. From

digging up (and re-enacting) archival photos, to soliciting the

participation of family members, to talking about the family

they feel they have at BSS, these generous contributors have

shared their time and the valuable stories that demonstrate

just how grounded in community we are.

With thanks, The Link Editorial Team

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contentsVoL. 2

• 2012

/1322

6Opening nOtes 3 Deryn Lavell explores the concept of community and the impact it has on BSS.

OnLine COMMUnitY 5 BSS is plugged in. And ready to roll on all platforms.

insiDe Bss 6 Boarding: Beyond borders.

in tHe COMMUnitY 8 Building character in the service of others is part of our history.

OLD giRL spOtLigHt 11 Q&A with Dr. Naida COLE ’91.

COMMUnitY spOtLigHt 13 Leah PINSENT ’83 and her father Gordon on our country’s arts community.

DOgA pROFiLe 16 How Canon Phyllis MANNING Creighton ’47 has changed the world.

pHiLAntHROpY spOtLigHt 19 How the BSS financial aid program changes our world.

spOtLigHt stRAtegiC pLAn 22 An engaged community is the backbone of our culture.

pROgRAM spOtLigHt 24 Physical and emotional wellness is a vital part of the BSS experience.

VOLUnteeR spOtLigHt 26 Stacey YUEN ’98 leads the way in mentorship.

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2  the LINK Vol. 2 · 2012/13

The LinkThe Link magazine  is produced in-house  bi-annually in spring  and fall by The Bishop Strachan School.

Chair of the Board: Sarah Kavanagh

Head of School: Deryn lavell

Executive Director, Office of Philanthropy and Alumnae Relations: Moira Dossetor

Director of Marketing and Communications, Editor: Marianne Chilco 

Associate, Alumnae Relations and Philanthropy: Jill BlAKEY ’02

Managing Editor: Yael Jimenez

Design: Bakersfield Visual 

Communications Inc.

the LINK edItorIaL Guidelines• Submissions to Old Girl News are

encouraged. Please send your 

submission to oldgirls@bss.on.ca.  

We will accommodate as many as  

space will allow and ask that you  

try to keep content to approximately  

50 words. Photographs are also  

invited and will be published  

depending on available space.

• Letters: We’d love to hear what you  

think about any of the articles in  

The Link.  Please send letters to  

Yael Jimenez at yjimenez@bss.on.ca.  

We will run as many as we can and 

letters will not be edited, though  

we ask that you keep them to 

approximately 50 words.

• Corrections: Every effort is made  

to ensure accuracy but, from time  

to time, errors occur. Please make  

note of any errors you may notice to 

 Yael Jimenez at yjimenez@bss.on.ca.

• BSS Online Community: The Link is posted on the BSS website  

(www.bss.on.ca), and on The Thread 

(thethread.bss.on.ca). Some items  

that are time sensitive and cannot  

be accommodated in The Link will 

appear on The Thread, the online  

portal for our BSS Community. 

BSS HERITAGE DINNER 2013

Register online at bss.on.ca/heritagedinner before April 11, 2013

For more information or to register by phone contact Donna Jordan in the Office of Philanthropy and Alumnae Relations at 416-483-4325, ext. 1874

T H u R S D A y, A P R I l 1 8

Our country is bountiful. In the arts. The sciences. The humanities. At this year’s Heritage Dinner, we celebrate our country and the passion we share to nurture and honour homegrown talent. Great Canadians have set the world afire with their talents, and BSS has a role to play in contributing to this tradition.

6:00 pm Cocktails in the Student Centre 7:00 pm Dinner in the Russell Hill Gym

Tickets $100 per person$75 for Old Girls | $700 for a table of 8

Special Guests of Honourleah PINSENT ’83 and her father,

Gordon Pinsent

Featuring this year’s Distinguished Old Girl Award recipient

Phyllis MANNING Creighton ’47

the LINK Vol.2 · 2012/13 3

Yes, it has become a clichéd phrase, but it is no less true. When it comes to educating a child, whether here

or halfway around the world, entire com-munities must play a role. We rely on teachers, the backbone of our School, to lead our pursuit of academic excellence. But as we all know, BSS does not settle for academics alone, because the distinc-tion of being a BSS graduate is to pos-sess superior academic mastery alongside practical life skills, confidence, integrity and a healthy approach to balancing life’s many demands – in other words, to be women who are trans-formational leaders.

To achieve the edu-cational experience that will support our girls’ ambitions throughout their lives, we depend on the active involve-ment of an engaged community. That in-cludes a thriving part-nership with parents and families who con-tribute to the life of the School in myriad ways, as well as the mentor-ship of our incredible Old Girl community, where BSS graduates become involved in the lives of current students with power-ful results.

But the village doesn’t end there. Cre-ating a nurturing and safe environment is the best way to encourage girls to take risks and explore new frontiers, allow-ing them to push outside their comfort zones and discover new strengths. That, too, relies on community. For example, our boarders have travelled to BSS from a variety of places around the world. Here,

opening notes

they gather together in a carefully man-aged environment to experience life as independent young women sharing this crucial phase of their growth with ‘sis-ters’ from a multitude of cultures. With the active engagement and expertise of a dedicated boarding team, these girls cre-ate a home-away-from-home, support-ing each other in friendship and studies, and contributing to the whole School by bringing their unique perspectives to all of us.

That sense of camaraderie among our girls is evident throughout BSS. Whether

it’s helping new stu-dents get on their feet and fully integrated, or pitching in togeth-er on projects like the yearbook or newspa-

per, playing sports, participating in clubs, taking on leadership roles and organizing social events, our girls interact with each

other constantly. While a diverse com-munity of young girls will never run entirely without a hitch, we strive to reinforce our culture of respect, even in disagreement. Constructively resolving differences, effective problem-solving, working collaboratively – these are the hallmarks of a 21st century approach to education and essential attributes of the knowledge-economy worker. We need to reinforce these traits early and often.

Needless to say, engagement in the

community we all share provides enor-mous learning opportunities for our girls and contributes to their sense of empathy. That’s why BSS emphasizes the role of ser-vice to our community, both here at home and around the world. We have a rich his-tory of stepping up to support those in need and have made service an integral part of everyone’s experience. Those roots remain strong to this day and have estab-lished a culture that prizes giving back.

Another way the BSS sense of com-munity manifests itself is through the financial support of the many donors who contribute to the Annual Fund and have supported various capital projects over the years. We count on that support to ensure that we can deliver the top quality educa-tion we promise, especially in a world that never stands still. The pace of change to-day has demanded that educators keep up in ways we could never have imagined just twenty years ago. Our parents, Old Girls and friends have consistently reached out to keep BSS strong for all students. Because of the vision and compassion of donors we have been able to continue evolving our program and facilities, as well

as inviting deserving students to join BSS when they might oth-

erwise not have had the means. This act of generosity has endless impact by helping to create a diverse learning community. Imag-ine how limited learning would be if there was only one perspective at the table?

These are just some of the ways in which the concept of ‘community’ plays such a fundamental role at BSS. In this is-sue of The Link you will encounter these stories and much more. The culture of car-ing that keeps everyone engaged in vari-ous ways has been the key to our strength since our founding. Whether that support comes in the form of volunteering, friend-ship, or making a financial contribution, it is so comforting to know that the BSS ‘village’ continues to grow in strength and commitment.

We depend on the active involvement of an engaged community

It takes a VIllage. No, really. It does.

by deryn lavell

4  the LINK Vol. 2 · 2012/13

One hundred years ago the BSS community gathered to break ground for the construction of our current school at 298 Lonsdale Road. Thousands of students have walked through our doors since then, building their lives on a strong BSS foundation. Photo and clippings courtesy of BSS Archives.

100 years ago

Turning The SodMay 29, 1913

the LINK Vol.2 · 2012/13 5

Staying connected with our commu-nity has always been a priority for BSS and today’s online tools make

meaningul communications that much more immediate and convenient. Here’s a look at our expanding online landscape.

The Bishop sTrachan school FaceBook pagefacebook.com/thebishopstrachanschool

The Bishop Strachan School Face-book page has over 1300 ‘likes’ and

is a regular hotspot for recent news, events and stories. It is also a useful broadcast tool for school-wide celebrations of learn-ing and event announcements.

Bss on TwiTTertwitter.com/bss_bobcats

BSS tweets trumpet information about community events, stories

about life at BSS and updates for prospec-tive students and families. This account is an open way to engage in a dialogue with the BSS community and highlight stories for our 400 plus followers.

Bss in acTionbssinaction.tumblr.com

Added to the communication mix in 2012, BSS in Action showcases

up-to-the-minute activity at BSS. School events and student news are highlighted with photos, short captions and links to more information.

Building connectionsThe BSS community is thriving online by julia mordini

Bss epic bssepic.tumblr.com

This fun photo blog showcases real-time

student-generated images that depict life at BSS. Senior School students are encouraged to tell their stories through photos - whether it’s an event they’ve participated in, a meaningful moment between friends, or a celebration of aca-demic achievement.

The oFFicial Bss old girl group:

A closed group on Facebook for BSS Alumnae only. This group is used

to advertise upcoming Old Girl events, share photos, reconnect with old friends and broadcast status updates via the Facebook network. Members are able to confidently self-identify and join on a voluntary basis.

linkedinlinkedin.com/company/the-bishop-strachan-school

BSS employees are proud of the BSS culture of powerful learning and

continue to spread the word through the professional network of Linkedin, identifying themselves as staff or faculty of BSS and sharing their professional development updates in this secure en-vironment.

The Threadthethread.bss.on.ca

This password-protected site allows us to share select content with par-

ents, staff, students and alumnae. Watch for improvements and a re-organization of content this year.

coming soonBss apps and iTunesu!Later this spring, BSS Old Girls will be able to download a BSS Old Girl APP, complete with Old Girl directory access and event registration in the palm of their hand. Soon after, a BSS parent APP will be developed to enable parents to access simple and accurate calendar information, stories and news notification. iTunesU is a free new APP that brings information and courses from educational institutions all around the world into the hands of students. We have a presence on iTunesU and are developing content to share our learning philosophy and expertise in girls’ education.

Julia Mordini, Associate Digital Media, BSS

Marketing and Communications team, works

closely with the student Communications council.

online community

6  the LINK Vol. 2 · 2012/13 the LINK Vol.2 · 2012/13  7

It’s telling that the word “family” is most commonly used to describe the experience of being part of BSS

Boarding by the girls who experience it first-hand. More than a home-away-from-home for BSS students, the School’s Boarding program follows a careful cur-riculum, with community, growth and overall well-being at its core. The family aspect plays into this scheme more than just figuratively. Six staff members live on campus so that means 24/7 support and guidance. And, just like the day program, students belong to a specific house. In Boarding there are six families made up of 12 to 14 girls within two houses, with one staff member assigned to each family.

Strong, trusting relationships between

At Home At BSSBoarding staff and students, as well as their parents, start from day one. Eleni Gicas, VP Boarding, Global and Civic Engagement, emphasizes the importance of shared goals between students, their families and the School. “Our orientation is structured so that parents have one-on-one discussions with us about their goals for the year,” says Ms. Gicas. “We want them to know they play an important role in their daughter’s education, and we are here to listen and respond. Whether they live in the GTA or halfway around the world, we build a strong connection with them on behalf of their daughters.”

The program is deliberate in support-ing students in every way, and is expressed in a few different acronyms. “Our Board-

Bonds are built to last in Boarding by kelli korducki

ing curriculum centres around WELD, which stands for wellness, exploration, leadership and diversity,” says Ms. Gi-cas. “To ensure that we are incorporating this curriculum within the community, we also work under what we call FIGS, which stands for family, the individual, groups and social.”

The FIGS model offers a framework for social and emotional support within the WELD approach. Ms. Gicas explains that in addition to the formal family structures established within each house, attention is paid to the girls as individu-als, an important aspect of support. Focus is also on the social grouping that hap-pens organically within the community. Student leaders are involved in shaping

and assessing these elements, from ori-entation onwards. “All our students par-ticipate in leadership roles in one way or another and really create the family,” says Ms. Gicas. “Activities within our WELD approach are very student-driven.”

Kristina Shearson, a Grade 10 student from Whitby, Ontario, in her second year of Boarding, appreciates the community leadership opportunities. “There are dif-ferent Boarding positions,” she explains. “You can be your Grade Representative. You can also be the Boarder Captain, or one of the House Heads.” All of these po-sitions are elected and there are diverse opportunities to mentor others. “You play an older sister role in Boarding,” says Kristina.

“It’s like a warm family,” is how He Liang, a Grade 11 boarder, puts it. She is in her second year at BSS and also her second year of Boarding. She moved to Toronto from China specifically to attend the School, and her first year at BSS was not without its challenges. For one, Eng-lish is He’s second language.

“And also, I didn’t have any friends in Canada before that time,” she recalls. Because of this, she found the Boarding community’s built-in activities especially helpful. “Every Monday we have a formal dinner with different themes,” she says. “On the weekends, the staff organizes lots of different activities for us. Around the holidays we decorate a tree together. And we celebrate Halloween and Chinese fes-tivals and things like that.”

“It’s really fun,” says Jessica Levy, Head Girl, of her experience as an on-again, off-again boarder through the School’s Tem-porary Boarding program. “I never really went to camp as a kid, but that’s what I imagine it would be like.” Jessica’s parents live in Toronto and travel frequently, so

the option of Temporary Boarding works for the family. Between Grades 9 and 10, she estimates that she spent a total of four weeks in Boarding. “My first time in Boarding, I was a little intimidated,” she admits. “But it didn’t take long to get the gist of things and feel like a member of the community.”

Jessica recalls grappling with a heavy homework load on one of her first nights of Boarding. Unexpectedly, she found herself in a supportive learning environ-ment where homework help was par for the course. “You’re used to going home and sort of figuring it out by yourself, but in Boarding there are so many girls who are in the same position as you,” she says. “Some of them are in your grade so they can help you out with your homework, and some of them are older than you so they probably know what’s going on too. And some of them are younger than you, so you can lend a helping hand.”

He’s experience of that community support has been similar. “If I have a problem with a friend or with one of my classes, I can talk to my Family’s Adviser. She really connects with us and commu-nicates with us.”

“There is actually a structured cur-riculum...something we do really well,” says Suzanne Ranson, Student Recruit-ing Associate. Ms. Ranson and colleagues in the department reach out to Canada and many parts of the world to attract the brightest students to BSS. Of the 75 boarders currently enrolled in the pro-gram, students come from as far-flung parts of the world as Africa, Canada, Asia, South Asia, Europe and the Caribbean is-lands. “We have a girl from South Africa. We have two girls from Spain. We have a girl from Bangladesh,” says Ms. Ranson. “So it’s quite diverse, which is something we really value.”

The experience of living among a multicultural, supportive group of peers within a nurturing environment has proven positive for Boarding alums. “We get emails and drop-ins when they’re in town,” says Ms. Gicas of the young wom-en who have passed through the Board-ing program, now in university and be-yond. “And the first thing they say is that Boarding helped them develop autonomy – self-awareness and self-care – way ahead of the other kids in university.”

The sense of family that characterizes BSS Boarding and the learning that oc-curs within its halls is strong and lasting, and crosses borders to embrace and enrich the full BSS community.

Kelli KorducKi is a culture and lifestyle

writer for The Globe and Mail, the National Post,

Best Health magazine and other publications on

and offline.

it’s really fun. i never really went to camp as a kid, but that’s what i imagine it would be like.

Kristina Shearson, He Liang and Jessica Levy.

Eleni Gicas with Boarding’s favourite four-legged friend, Adelaide.

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8  the LINK Vol. 2 · 2012/13 the LINK Vol.2 · 2012/13  9

bandages, working at soup kitchens, col-lecting money for prisoners of war or var-ious relief funds, and so on. “There were special lectures on how to cook without meat,” says Ms. Dutton. “We had a Vic-tory Garden here on the property. Every-thing was for the effort. Even the little girls were doing things.” One year, the girls decided that any money they would have received during prize-giving ceremo-nies was to be donated instead to the Red Cross.

The effort at BSS continued during the Second World War, with the girls hosting bake sales, clothing drives, col-lecting metal (including more than 5,000 wire hangers) and old pots to be melted down and turned into war material.

Stories of how BSS girls helped during the two world wars are passed on to cur-rent girls in Grade 10 History class, where the focus is on Canada during the last century. Though today’s students have an appreciation of Canada at war, with our soldiers serving in Afghanistan these past few years, the experience for BSS girls

was quite personal during the world wars. “Many of their dads and brothers and cousins and sweethearts were in the war,” says Ms. Dutton.

Despite the absence of such an over-whelmingly unifying cause, BSS girls to-day are as busy at service as ever, helping others in ways big and small and, in the process, enriching their own lives. Once a week this past fall, the girls in Tom Mar-caccini’s Grade 12 Music class headed out of School to meet up with another set of classmates 20 minutes away—students in Grade 5 at Sprucecourt Public School in Toronto’s Regent Park community. There, in preparation for a concert at the beautiful new Daniels Spectrum (former-ly known as Regent Park Arts & Cultural Centre), students from both schools met on an equal footing to learn steel pan drums, thanks to instructors from the Regent Park School of Music.

It’s the first time the School has tried something like this, but, based on its suc-cess for all the students, Mr. Marcaccini hopes it’s just the first of many collabo-

rations. “It’s the same old song of music being the universal language,” he says. “To see the joy in each other’s faces—to-tal strangers coming together, a huge age gap...yet there’s this common thread that pulls us together. It’s been extremely suc-cessful in terms of student appreciation and the growth I’m seeing from the kids.”

That is precisely what staff at BSS was aiming for when they refined the School’s approach to Service Learning. “We wanted to make sure there’s a strong reciprocity that exists between us and our community partners and people we work with,” explains Ms. Fleming. The point is not simply to provide students with a way of knocking off their mandated commu-nity service hours but instead to enhance their understanding of the issue, the peo-ple or the organization with whom they’re working. “It’s important that our students are going into things with an understand-ing rather than a judgment,” she adds. “They approach things with a more com-passionate or more informed lens.”

There are myriad opportunities so that

Since the beginning of The Bishop Strachan School’s history, service to the community—both by Old

Girls and current students—has been of exceptional importance, far beyond gov-ernment-mandated community service hours in both scope and soul. From knit-ting socks for soldiers in the early 20th century to learning to become real agents of change in the early 21st, BSS girls have been offered, and have taken advantage

Throughout our history, BSS girls have found ways to help in communities near and far by nora underwood

Pulling TogeTher For CommuniTies

of, unparalleled opportunities to help in communities near and far.

“Instead of going into an experience as a means to an end, it actually builds in an understanding,” says Canadian Busi-ness and World Studies teacher and Head of Service Learning Charlotte Fleming of the School’s approach. “Students become more self-aware, more aware of the needs that exist in our community, and it builds empathy and compassion, as well, that we

hope our girls will take with them when they leave BSS.”

BSS students had always helped out in the community, but it was during the two world wars, according to Archivist Susan ALLEN Dutton ’79, that the girls really mobilized. BSS publications were filled with various activities of students and Old Girls: knitting socks (298 pairs in 1915 alone) and other garments for the Red Cross, making field pillows, rolling

then NOW&BSS staff: Tom Marcaccini, Julia Mordini, Charlotte Fleming,  

Susan Dutton, Claudia Metelsky, Andrea MozarowskiBSS Staff Room, 1890

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10  the LINK Vol. 2 · 2012/13

the School really has a mission to partici-pate in wider global conversations.”

Ms. Manji, Director of the Moral Courage Project at New York University, has strong views on what she feels people living in an open, pluralistic society need to do to ensure all voices are heard. “Her impact was huge on the student body,” says Ms. Mozarowski. “She challenged the girls, she engaged them, she conversed with them, she egged them on. But what’s important is her message: she believes that in our increasingly multicultural society, we need to be asking questions without fear.”

Thanks to the generosity of a BSS do-nor, Ms. Manji is now working with a small group of girls on a moral courage task force this year and through next. The girls’ task: start a conversation, one that needs to take place, timely and relevant, that will have impact on the broader com-munity.

Ms. Mozarowski notes that some girls have said they have been socialized to be polite, and aren’t necessarily prepared to stand up for themselves or others in con-versation when the situation demands. It’s a challenge that many adults face as well. The School’s culture of powerful learn-ing develops the skills to be both confi-dent and compassionate - a combination that results in transformative leaders. “If change is going to happen,” says Ms. Mo-zarowski, “if we are going to advocate for others and ourselves in a complex world, then girls need to learn how to stay in that conversation, how to lean in, how to risk offending with the aim of shared under-standing. This is the next phase for prepar-ing girls to achieve and have meaningful lives in the world that exists today. And to help others do the same.”

Nora UNderwood is a freelance writer,

editor and a BSS parent.

girls can be part of an experience that inter-ests them or complements their strengths or challenges them to take a risk—every-thing from mentoring children from other schools and working with seniors to tree planting and shoreline clean-ups, collect-ing clothes for the homeless, food drives and the annual school-wide Holiday Love campaign.

For the past 10 years, 650 girls have come together in November to learn about families that have a different experience of life in Toronto from their own. “We try to imagine what the holidays might be like for them,” says Ms. Fleming, “and about the importance of not passing judgment when we haven’t walked in their shoes.” To that end, each Teacher Advisory Group (TAG) comes together to support a partic-ular family. By Christmas, every member of as many as 14 local families has been provided with items they had identified as wishes and needs. “It’s about giving with-out expectation but because we want to,” says Ms. Fleming. “And about parents, TAG teachers and students coming to-gether as a community too.”

Over the years, group efforts at BSS have made many wonderful things hap-pen. Between 2003 and 2011, for ex-ample, the Philanthropic Council—a group made up of students and staff ad-visers—has, through various fundraising initiatives, raised almost $97,000 for an orphanage project in Swaziland. In ad-dition, each year the Council decides on a particular theme; last year, the group focused its efforts on charitable organiza-tions that were doing something to better the lives of girls and women.

The group also fundraises for local ini-tiatives. The latest was called Camper on

the Bus. Each house at the School was challenged to raise enough money by changing its behaviour a bit and donating money they saved to get one camper from a partner school on the bus to a BSS-run summer camp. The group raised more than $3,300 in four days with no events.

For the past five years, the two-week summer program between BSS and the young children from George Webster El-ementary School has been designed and run almost entirely by volunteer BSS girls (with the help of Ms. Fleming, who heads the camp, and a couple of paid older stu-dents). The program is a huge learning and leadership experience for the students, but the main purpose is relationship-building and community development. “For most of the kids who come to this camp, it is the one thing they do for the summer,” ex-plains Ms. Fleming. “A lot of them don’t have any structured programs.”

Making positive change happen can take many forms. And a new collaboration is underway between Canadian author and journalist Irshad Manji and several of the girls in Grades 10 to 12 that is meant to encourage girls to become real agents of change in society. Ms. Manji came to BSS in the spring of 2012 as part of the

Canadian author series, during which girls read a work—in this case, Ms. Manji’s Al-lah, Liberty and Love—and engage in con-versation with the author. “The reason I thought of her,” says Andrea Mozarowski, Head of the English Department, “is that

in the community

The School really haS a miSSion To parTicipaTe in wider global converSaTionS.

WWI knitting bee of BSS girls

Irshad Manji, here with Deryn Lavell, spent the day at BSS speaking with students about moral courage, April 2012.

the LINK Vol.2 · 2012/13 11

Q

What was your favourite subject at BSS? And at what point did you know you had a passion for music?I enjoyed my Physics classes but my fa-vourite subjects at BSS were Calculus and French. I remember excelling at Music and finding piano easy from a young age. It was fun, but I didn't quite think of it as a passion until I was more mature, a teenager, and started thinking about what really made me tick.

Do you still keep in touch with friends from BSS?Yes (thank you Facebook!), though not as much as I would like. There is so little free time these days, but I'm amazed at how strong friendships really endure the test of time. After moving to Boston last year,

with Naida COLE ’91 Concert pianist and medical doctor Naida COLE ’91 was invited to be a part of this year’s BSS advertising campaign as her career has unfolded to reflect the ad’s exact message: When girls use their whole mind, they re-alize their whole potential. Ms. Cole spoke with The Link recently. by yael jimenez

one of my oldest BSS friends contacted me since she had been living in Boston for several years. When we met up, it was just like old times, as if the past 20 years of our lives didn't really make a difference.

In addition, I keep in close contact with Debbie Piotrowski. She was my first piano teacher and, as a vocal teacher at BSS, she is still shaping girls’ futures. She was certainly one of the most important influences in my life. An incredibly gener-ous, smart and beautiful person, she con-tinues to be my role model and is also my son’s godmother.

What was your favourite hang out spot at the School?I don't know if it's changed, but there used to be two corridors lined with prac-

Old Girl Spotlight

tice rooms containing upright pianos. The floors in the corridor creaked in a familiar way whenever you entered the hallway, and usually there was no one practicing there, so it was pretty quiet. There was also a special smell of old sea-soned wood in the rooms and on sunny days, the small rooms would become very warm from the direct afternoon sun pouring in the windows. I used to love going there - not necessarily to play the piano, but when I needed a place to reflect and be alone. It was one place where no one was likely to find or inter-rupt you. My very first piano lessons had taken place in those rooms with Debbie Piotrowski when I was four years old, and I guess it just felt like a completely safe and good place.

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la Nuit, as the final work on the album. That CD received many favourable re-views and was nominated for a Juno Award in 2000. The second CD, titled Reflections, was released internation-ally in 2003. Its title is derived from the name of one piece on the album, Ravel’s Miroirs. Reflections is intended to convey a reflection on how diverse the sources of inspiration can be for musical composi-tion from abstract concepts to poetry to visual imagery.

In 2007 you decided to pursue medi-cine at Brown University. What led you to leave a successful career as a recording artist and musician to pursue medicine?It was a complicated decision, one that is very hard to explain, actually. I think ul-timately it was multifactorial but I knew it was the right decision because I could feel in my gut that it had to happen. I had contemplated medicine in high school, and since my dad is a doctor, and my mom was a nurse, medicine was already in my DNA. I love music and cannot live without it, but I think many aspects of the profession wore me down, I was not well suited to it, and philosophically, I no lon-ger saw an imperative for me to be a musi-cian. As a teenager I had always wondered about the purpose of my life, and felt that if we have the chance to live on this plan-et, there must be a purpose for that life. I thought I knew what my purpose as a musician was, then began to realize that I no longer believed in it. Pursuing mu-sic seemed more of a selfish endeavour at that point; the world did not particularly need my music. However, as a doctor even if I am not the greatest genius on earth, as long as I am diligent, truly competent, and ethical, I know that at the end of ev-ery day my work has mattered and has benefited someone in a meaningful way.

You have achieved so much at such a young age; what do you consider your greatest achievement to date?That’s easy - my son makes me more hap-py and proud than anything else.

See back cover of this issue of The Link for the BSS ad featuring Ms. Cole.

Yael Jimenez is Managing Editor of The Link magazine

What was the most important thing the School taught you?I value so many aspects of the academically rigorous yet nurturing educational environ-ment at BSS; it is hard to pinpoint a single most important thing that I learned at BSS. Perhaps one of the most fundamental prin-ciples that I took away from BSS was that girls could do and be anything, that being a girl would never define ambitions nor my limitations. Being at an all-girls school made it impossible to compare ourselves based on gender. The playing field was level and we could only compare ourselves based on what mattered - our potential and our achievements.

The BSS ‘whole potential’ ad campaign was developed to raise awareness about the importance of using our whole brain and to highlight the BSS approach to learning. What does the BSS approach mean to you and what role did BSS have in encouraging you to become a medical doctor and a concert pianist?The principles of an education at BSS allowed me to imagine that anything was possible, that I could be a doctor or a pianist or an astronaut or pilot or en-gineer… BSS provides a very solid and broad education. It produces well-round-ed, mature girls who have had the opportu-nities at school to build on their personal strengths, regardless of what those may be. This was certainly my experience of the School. Practically speaking, I remember numerous times when there were conflicts between my school schedule and my mu-sical schedule, times when I might have had an exam and a concert or piano com-petition on the same day, for example. My BSS teachers allowed me to miss an oc-casional class as necessary (in order to go directly to an important musical event), but beyond this, no exceptions were made in terms of my academic responsibilities. Exams were never rescheduled; assign-ments and other deadlines were firm. I think this was really important for two reasons: First of all, there was never the message that I was 'special' or could get a free pass because of being talented. Sec-ond, my education never suffered due to music. School always came first. When the time came several years ago to switch careers to medicine, I did not doubt that it would be possible academically. Even

after 15 years away from high school and studying purely musical subjects in col-lege, the switch was relatively easy, thanks to a strong foundation from BSS.

What are your thoughts on the ad campaign? Do you think the ads were effective in getting this message out, encouraging girls to seek a school that inspires them to thrive in all areas?I think it's a brilliant idea for a campaign! I hope it will attract students ready to study at a school that can support them in pursuing their dreams.

You’ve performed with symphonies and orchestras worldwide, including Toronto, London, Munich, Tokyo, and Copenha-gen etc. Where was your favourite place to perform?I think my favourite hall was the Musikv-erein in Vienna, where I performed Men-delssohn’s Concerto for Violin, Piano and Strings with Gidon Kremer and Kremera-ta Baltica. The acoustics in that hall were unimaginably perfect. The instrument on stage was sublime and the audience was not merely quiet, they were actually part of the performance. You could feel their understanding and appreciation of every nuance in the music, both because of the hall's superior acoustics, as well as the intense audience involvement.

Tell us about the two CDs you released.The first CD, titled Naida Cole, was released in 1999 in Canada on the Deutsche Grammophon label. It was released internationally in 2001 on the Decca label. The music on that CD, is all late 19th-early 20th century French music with the masterpiece, Gaspard de

Old Girl Spotlight

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Gordon and Leah Pinsent advocate a strong homegrown arts industry by marianne chilco

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Home is WHere tHe Heart is

Without quite intending it, Leah PINSENT ’83 followed the path of her mother, the late Charmion KING Pinsent ’43, from BSS to Toronto’s University College, right into a celebrated career in the arts. On meeting

Leah, it’s clear that she has what it takes to lead, as well as follow. This actor/writer/ producer has inherited her mother’s beauty, her father’s sense of humour and the combined talent and passion of both her parents.

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Leah’s father, Gordon Pinsent, is prob-ably this country’s most beloved per-former. In a career that has spanned six decades, Gordon brought to life unforget-table characters on stage and in film, tele-vision and radio. He is an actor, author, poet, painter and model of creativity, hard work and goodwill to young Canadians taking the path he forged in the arts.

Gordon met his beloved wife Charmion in Toronto when he played opposite her in a 1962 Crest Theatre production of The Madwoman of Chaillot. After diving into BSS productions – often playing male characters - Charmion graduated to the title role in Saint Joan at Toronto’s Hart House Theatre and never looked back. Often referred to as the grand doyenne of Canadian theatre, Charmion enjoyed a long and successful career at The Strat-ford Festival. She was known on television for her role as Aunt Josephine in Anne of Green Gables and as Mrs. Gruenwald in CBC Radio’s Rumours & Boarders. Gor-don and Charmion were married for 44 years until her death in 2007.

Leah and Gordon collaborated recently on a CBC-TV special, Love Letters, a Val-entine’s Day adaptation of the celebrated play that also served as a loving tribute to

Prime Minister Stephen Harper is joined by ACTRA President Ferne Downey (right) and National Executive Director Stephen Waddell (far left) and Canadian stars (l-r) Alison Pill, Jay Baruchel, Leah Pinsent and Peter Keleghan on Parliament Hill in November 2011.

Charmion. This year, despite their gruel-ing schedules, they plan to get together on stage at BSS as guests of honour at Heri-tage Dinner on Thursday, April 18. The theme, Home is Where the Heart Is, cel-ebrates our country’s arts community – so who better to lead the celebration than the beloved patriarch of Canadian arts, and the talented woman who took what her parents started, and ran with it.

Father and daughter sat down recently with The Link to talk about the state of the arts in Canada. Leah and her husband, ac-tor Peter Keleghan, live in a quaint, quiet neighbourhood in Toronto’s east end. There, their photogenic cocker spaniel named Higgins settles in by Gordon’s feet while Peter lights a fire and leaves us to it.

“Culture is the heartbeat of all coun-tries,” says Leah. “And our arts industry is struggling at the moment. We need to become more conscious; to grasp the im-portance of arts in this country.”

Leah’s commitment to enriching and protecting the arts in Canada is shared by her family, and artists and organizations that refuse to let current challenges erode an industry she sees as the heart of this country. In an open letter to Prime Minis-ter Stephen Harper, Leah writes, “Canada

Charm By Gordon Pinsent

I hear her through the morningriding waves of music’s oceanbreakfasting with my emotionmindful of the tune she playsupon my heart, into my dayto swell my world, to cool my way to teach love’s majesty againmake distant all existing harmI praise the miracle of Charm.

Gordon recorded this poem, written about his wife Charmion KING Pinsent ’43, with musicians Greg Keelor and Travis Good on the 2012 album Down and Out in Upalong.

COVER SToRY

It was on home ground that Gordon’s career took off, and hasn’t stopped since. As novelist, playwright, film and televi-sion star, he has worked hard to great acclaim in this country. And along the way, he has seen his industry rise and fall like the East coast tides he grew up with. “It seems we got lost in the size of it all,” says Gordon. “In the 50s and 60s there was so much work being produced. No-body cared if anyone else would like it, or wanted to buy it. They just told our stories. Canadian stories.”

Leah agrees that the strength, and unifying force, of the arts in Canada has changed. “CBC was the vein that con-nected us in this country,” she says. “Ac-tors became celebrities because they were in people’s homes every night. There were shows that would make us proud, that we could look up to as a country. But there’s been a shift. We have to ques-tion, what do we stand for?”

It’s a question being asked by artists and audiences alike, since performing arts appears to matter a great deal - not just to those making a living from it, but to Canadians looking to improve their lives through it. The Value of Presenting, a study by the Canadian Arts Presenting Association (CAPACOA) and Strategic Moves, reports that Canadians donated $108 million to arts and culture orga-nizations in 2010 and those Canadians who volunteer in the arts and culture sector gave on average more time (127 hours per year) than those in any other sector that year - an increase of 21 per cent since 2007, the largest increase of any sector examined.

This kind of support suggests that more than a good night’s entertainment P

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is behind this country’s passion for the arts. The Arts and the Quality of Life: The Attitudes of Ontarians, a study con-ducted by Environics Research, shows that Ontarians believe the benefits go well beyond the personal:

•95%ofOntarianssaidthattheartsenrich the quality of our lives;•89%believethatiftheircommuni-ty lost its arts activities, people living there would lose something of value;•81%ofOntariansthinkthattheartsare important to their own quality of life•95% ofOntarians believe that thesuccess of Canadian artists like sing-ers, writers, actors and painters, gives people a sense of pride in Canadian achievement;•81% of Ontarians agree that thegovernment should spend public dol-lars to support the arts. Leah understands how important per-

sonal choice is when it comes to ensur-ing a strong, successful and unified arts community in Canada. “Audiences can make certain choices – be more mindful of the choices they make to support Ca-nadian industries, including the arts,” she says. “We have so much coming at us, so much to choose from, and much of it is not the best. So we’ve got to focus on the kind of work we want to see.”

Gordon shares the belief that, though the sheer volume of entertainment op-tions available to Canadian audiences has never been greater, it is not a reflec-tion of the opportunities available for Canadian performers, nor a guarantee our stories are being told. “Integrating efforts is something members of the arts community must do to strengthen their voice,” he says.

The value and importance of a strong voice is something BSS knows well. Our very mission is to develop students’ unique voice, confidence and sense of purpose - characteristics that are vital to success in today’s world. And particularly helpful in an industry where rejection and critical review is a regular part of the process.

Both Gordon and Leah say they have

is visited and respected not for oil fields, pipelines, and fighter jets but for our cul-ture and public spaces. Please remember: art delivers meaning. Help artists by in-come tax averaging.”

Income tax averaging refers to a tax system that accommodates the fluctuating income of self-employed performers, who may alternate between lean and lucrative years.

According to the Alliance of Cana-dian Cinema, Television and Radio Art-ists (ACTRA), the union of more than 22,000 professional performers working in Canada’s TV, film, radio and digital media industries, income averaging is not a new concept in Canada. For decades, federal tax laws recognized the volatile na-ture of artists’ incomes and contained pro-visions for income averaging. These provi-sions were abolished in 1988 and ACTRA is fighting to bring them back.

Recently, Leah and Peter joined other Canadian performers and ACTRA staff on Parliament Hill in a private meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper to urge him to make Canada’s content-cre-ation industry a central part of his govern-ment’s digital strategy.

Whatever factors impact the quality and quantity of creative opportunities in Cana-da - fluctuating funding, politics, business, competition - it’s clear that those steeped in the arts feel these changes deeply and are committed to improving the situation. It’s a movement borne of a heartfelt quest to nurture homegrown talent and give it a place to flourish for generations to come.

Gordon has the benefit of knowing first-hand just how many opportunities a talented actor/writer can have in this country. Though it was a lesson learned first in Hollywood. Leah was just a baby when Gordon and Charmion moved from Canada to further his career stateside. This emotional time, described in compelling detail in Next, Gordon’s memoir released this past year, offered up memorable mo-ments, such as the time he went moun-taineering with Marlon Brando and Wally Cox, but the experience was ultimately dissatisfying. After six years of waiting for the phone to ring, he says, he decided to take his career into his own hands, and do so back in Canada.

learned to dig deep into themselves to handle rejection, to believe in their abil-ity to rise to the challenges of their cho-sen profession. Leah points out a pin of her mother’s she is wearing. It says ‘Never give up’. It’s something this talented fam-ily has no intention of doing, and our country’s arts industry is far better for it.

On Leah’s living room wall is a simple pen drawing of a mother and baby. The mother’s eyes are gently closed, her cheek caressing the tiny infant sleeping on her shoulder. It’s an exquisite moment of his wife and daughter captured by Gordon all those years ago. It’s a touching work of art that says so much about home, and everything about the heart.

Audiences cAn mAke certAin choices – be more mindful of the choices they mAke to support cAnAdiAn industries.

Charmion and gordon Pinsent at the 2003 ACTRA Awards

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ductive issues as a result of it. Because I am a historian, I wanted to know the facts, as well as the feelings and the moral issues. I’m known for having an intuitive bias towards the child. The child comes into existence because of decisions adults make. I became a passionate believer that the insistence on anonymity of the man, who should be called sperm vendor not donor, was wrong from the point of view of the child. Every child has the right to know where they come from and that includes the identity of the people that brought them into the world, whether it’s from donor insemination, egg do-nors, surrogacy or adoption. That’s what motivated me and I became the first per-son in Canada to write a book on donor insemination.

TL: You were also a lead author of an Anglican Church of Canada report on abortion and you’ve described yourself as having ‘helped shape the Church’s views’ on many issues with respect to human reproduction. The Church established in 1989 that: “both the rights and needs of women, and the rights and needs of the unborn, require protection.” Given your inclination to put the child’s needs first, how do you reconcile this position?

PC: It is in the best interest of the children that they are not brought into a world where the parents do not have the capacity to support and raise them, or the mother’s health is at risk. That is common sense. However we do not take as an automatic reason for abortion, the prospect of a child being born with a defect either. That is de-humanizing. It depends on the capacity of the parents to support and raise such a child. To do otherwise is to fall far short of the mark of what humanity means.

Among the many accolades for a lifetime of community engage-ment, Phyllis Creighton would

likely claim that her greatest achievement (so far) has been her family. Having four children, raising them well and provid-ing a loving home, have been central to her and her husband, Philip’s, life’s work. Perhaps it’s not surprising then, that Ms. Creighton became a passionate voice for the rights of the child as complex ethical questions arose with burgeoning repro-ductive technologies.

Valuing human life, claims Ms. Creighton, includes the sanctity of our planet and securing a healthy, peaceful future for humankind. To this end, she has challenged the status quo, raised ques-tions, tackled thorny issues, written and lectured extensively, and even penned a song or two.

In addition to her selection as this year’s Distinguished Old Girl, Ms. Creighton was recently awarded the Order of On-tario, this province’s most prestigious hon-our, for her role in advocating on behalf of mental and reproductive health care, social justice, peace and the environment.

In a wide-ranging conversation, (one could have nothing else with this engaging and peripatetic thinker), The Link tried to capture the essence of this very distin-guished BSS alumna, in her own words.

The Link: What would you say are the roots of the activist spirit in you?

Phyllis Creighton: It’s in the genes. My father was a barrister, so we were accus-tomed to questioning things and reading a lot. That’s the kind of home I grew up in. There was a strong emphasis on Jesus the man, and what he tried to teach. Anyone who takes seriously what we know of Je-

sus’s teaching, you know he was a radical; he was revolutionary. He was about mak-ing people fair to one another and sup-portive, and throwing over the rules and authorities that were destructive. So fun-damentally, a faith that’s focused on Jesus is radical and revolutionary.TL: You were a straight A student through-out your academic career. Were you ever tempted to join the academic community as a professor?

PC: History was my major at the Univer-sity of Toronto, and I had first-class hon-ours all the way through. But they didn’t want women in academics. The first thing they told me at the UofT was, ‘you wom-en don’t come back for your PhD.’ They only hired men!

TL: Is that how you wound up teaching history at BSS?

PC: My interest in history was inspired by my teacher at BSS, Miss Lamont. She made history fascinating because we were taught to be as interested in the social and economic as in the political. She is why I went into history. I welcomed the oppor-tunity to teach there, as Miss Lamont had taught me.

TL: You wrote a book in 1977 on artificial insemination, a fairly new technology at the time. It was groundbreaking in terms of bringing to the fore ethical issues aris-ing from things like surrogacy and sperm ‘donation’. How did a history teacher get involved in this issue?

PC: I had given a speech on abortion at a Diocese Senate (of the Anglican Church of Canada), and the head of the Church put me on a task force examining repro-

Phyllis MANNING Creighton, ’47Activist, Raging Granny and this year’s Distinguished Old Girl.

by sharon gregg

“I don’t expect I’ll give up questioning until my voice is silenced.”

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tory of working within the mental health sector. Was her illness part of the motiva-tion?

PC: I served as a trustee of the Ontario Mental Health Foundation, and as a trust-ee of the Addiction Research Foundation, before my daughter became ill.

I took the work because one of my father’s sisters suffered from dementia praecox (the precursor of schizophrenia), and my parent’s marriage had floundered partly because my mother suffered from bipolar disorder for which there was lit-tle understanding or effective treatment. There was stigma attached to mental ill-ness at that time: many people thought it was a personal moral failure, as some still do. The fact that I knew there had been, and still was, serious mental illness in my family, strengthened my concern and mo-tivated me to take on these responsibili-ties.

TL: In addition to your personal connec-tion with the mental health field, what would you want to be the legacy you leave your grandchildren?

PC: Getting rid of nuclear weapons and all war. Saving Earth for human and animal life. I won’t stop working on those causes for Earth and humanity.

Sharon GreGG is a Toronto- based Marketing

Consultant who has worked with BSS since 2003.

were three and your mother moved to the United States leaving you to be raised by your father. Divorce would have been sensational in those days. How might that have shaped you as a woman growing up in the 1950s?

PC: You asked about the roots of radical-ism in my life and that would have been part of it. Over-achievement often comes out of fractured situations. I had to be-come very independent as a child and deal with people’s rejection of us. Those who hadn’t cut us off when they divorced, cut us off when my father remarried! You couldn’t win.

So I was very independent and ambi-tious, either by nature or nurture, or some combination.

TL: You’ve had a very successful marriage with your college sweetheart and provided your children with the home life you never had. What was special about him to you?

PEC: It will be 59 years next summer. I married a man who was altogether differ-ent from other men. He was a fully en-gaged parent long before it was fashion-able. I can still see in my mind’s eye, him holding our first beautiful baby and he was just natural. He loved being a father.

After my youngest started school, my husband called his sister to find me a job. He feared I’d be bored. That was in 1967 and none of the women in our neighbour-hood had jobs. I still work as a translator for the Dictionary of Canadian Biogra-phy, the longest serving employee there!

TL: So what’s next for this Raging Granny?

PC: This past October I lost my daughter Jane, who suffered from serious mental health issues. My intention is to publish her 200-page manuscript of her personal experiences of the inadequacies of physi-cians, hospitals and the social assistance system. I may end up doing more work in the mental health field. It is still too soon after her death…

I also plan to continue with my envi-ronmental advocacy and will organize, in the Global Issues Project, an expert, on-line roundtable on plastic in the ocean.

TL: You’ve had quite a distinguished his-

TL: You made an impassioned case for redefining our notions of ‘progress’ at a roundtable hosted by the Global Issues Project, arguing that unfettered growth threatens to imperil lives and the planet. It can feel at times like we’re spiraling to-wards apocalypse given the magnitude of these issues. Are we facing extinction?

PC: The warming and acidification of the ocean is a more critical aspect than even the weather aspect of climate change. It may make impossible the formation of the primary little creatures on whose existence every breath we take depends. Humans need plankton to survive.

We are part of the web of life - as it thrives, so will we. Once you accept in-terconnectedness as the basic paradigm of our lives, the more we face climate change and resource limits, the more we under-stand that we are dependent on Earth.

It’s late for us to turn around. But we have the ability to understand and take action. What scares me is that we have leaders who have set patterns that won’t fit with these realities. I think the emphasis on global trade is a real problem for ex-ample. If we want to rebuild a safer world, being ‘local’ in how we consume will be of high significance.

We’re not talking pie in the sky. It would be doable. We have to get off our fossil fuel kick. We have to not take all the tar sands, destroy our boreal forest. We have to face realities. We need to change our trends.

TL: I came across a YouTube video of a Raging Granny singing a protest song against the proposed Toronto casino. That Raging Granny was you!

PC: The song is called, The Casino Rack-et. There has always been a need for find-ing the means to wake people up. The Raging Grannies began in 1986 in Victo-ria, British Columbia, to protest nuclear arms. We’re now all over Canada and the U.S. We use songs because they go from your mind to your heart and create en-ergy. It’s an optimistic method of protest that gets people talking and engaged in solutions.

TL: Going back to your family for a min-ute, your parents divorced when you

DISTINGUISHED OLD GIRL SPoTlIGHT

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“Well, four fast but amazing years have gone by here at BSS and I cannot believe

that I will be graduating in a short six months,” the letter begins. It’s a sentiment that could belong to any of dozens of girls, spurred into a sudden nostalgia by the encroaching awareness that her time as a high school student nears its end.

What sets the letter apart is what fol-lows. Dear Donor, she writes: “I would not have been able to come to this school and become as successful as I have been if it weren’t for you.”

At BSS, part of what makes a com-munity is making sure that the doors are

open to talented girls and their families, even if tuition is out of reach. Last year, forty-four girls – six per cent of the Senior School – received some kind of assistance to help bring their dreams within reach. Today, the program is double what it was five years ago. The re-energized needs-based scholarship program is character-ized by important BSS tenets: excellence, diversity, giving back.

MAKING IT POSSIBLEDonating to the financial aid program is something Board member Cathy Spoel is passionate about.

“The School benefits in a lot of ways

OPENING DOORSEnriching our community one student at a time by megan griffith-greene

philanthropy spotlight

from having a range of girls attend who might not otherwise be able to. There’s al-ready lots of variety at BSS in terms of in-terests, talents, worldviews; it’s important to extend that variety to include socio-economic diversity,” Ms. Spoel says. “BSS should attract the very best students. Fi-nancial means can be a barrier to that.”

Ms. Spoel’s three daughters all at-tended BSS. While her youngest daughter graduated last year, Ms. Spoel’s commit-ment to the School – and to the finan-cial aid program specifically – continues. “I think that I still have a contribution to make,” she says.

Thanks to Ms. Spoel and her husband,

Moira Dossetor and Cathy Spoel

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along with other donors, more girls can follow their path than would have other-wise been able. “I’d like to see more girls at the School who can benefit from the edu-cation that BSS can provide.”

FINDING A WAYMoira Dossetor, Executive Director of the Office of Philanthropy and Alumnae Re-lations, and her team work hard to make sure that the means are there to make this vision a reality. And it’s a vision that Ms. Dossetor pursues with passion.

“Raising money for financial aid at BSS took a leap forward in 2007; it was a prior-ity of the last Strategic Plan,” she explains. “Many donors stepped forward at that time to support long-term financial aid goals through endowed gifts, and then 2008 happened. This took a bit of the wind out

1867 Circle: $250,000 - $499,999The Grundleger Family

The Langtry Society: Patrons $5,000 - $9,999Gilda SMART 1989*

The Class of 2012 Scholarship FundDianne and Grant RoebuckGrandparentsHelen A. and Basil Stevenson**

Parents of AlumnaeChristine Abbott and Jean DumasLuba Andrews *Susan and Doug AnnandTony and Anne Arrell *Ann MCMASTER Bacque 1953 *Andrew BarnickeFaith and William Berghuis **Robert Boeckner *Helen PEPALL Bradfield 1956 *Derek Brown *

Barbara Burton-Williams and Desmond WilliamsDon and Jane CameronSandra and Roland CardyColleen CarmichaelThe Cheuk FamilyToni and Kevin ClarkKen Hugessen and Jennifer Connolly *Cora and Louie CoppaEllen KOLBERT-Cornelissen 1984 ***Dorothy CottrelleKoji Ono and Mei Bo DaiPatricia JONES Dalton 1951 and Peter Dalton **Lynn and Paul Damp *Margaret DEROCHE Derry 1964 and Douglas Derry **Ursula and Mohsen Djelweh Ebie SNIVELY Dunbar 1940 ***Caroline MARTIN Duncanson 1975 and Robert Duncanson *Nicky MARTIN Eaton 1959 **

Nancy and Robert EvansSusan DALTON Farrow 1980 and Craig Farrow **Damien Frost and Susan FicekShelagh and Peter Godsoe *Josefa GrasslKathy ADAMS Gray 1974 *Connie and Bruce GreenEduardo and Ana Laura GuemezAlverna and Harry Hill Megan HILL 1978 and Donald CranstonDanielle GARVER 2006 and The Garver-Hinchman Family *Susan HislopSusan and David Howard **Heather Howe and Greg Reed **Mildred STROTHER Howson 1946 **Patti HULL 1977Connie and Bryce Hunter **Patricia Hutahajan-Franch and Larry Franch Adele and David Imrie **

BSS extends our gratitude to these donors, and to all of our supporters, who continue to generously donate to the Annual Fund and other School initiatives. For a complete listing of School support-ers, please visit the Giving section of our website for an online copy of the BSS Annual Report. If you have any questions about the 2011/12 Annual Report, or if you would like to make a donation to the School, please contact the Office of Philanthropy and Alumnae Relations at 416-483-4325 ext. 1876 or philanthropy@bss.on.ca. Thank you.

Those who have supported BSS in consecutive years are highlighted as follows:* 5-9 years of giving** 10-19 years of giving*** 20+ years of giving

In RecognItIon of ouR DonoRs In the 2011/12 AnnuAl RepoRtEvery donation to The Bishop Strachan School makes a lasting and positive difference for girls who benefit from our Culture of Powerful Learning. BSS appreciates the generos-ity of all our donors, who are represented in our 2011/12 Annual Report Energy.

In addition to acknowledging the efforts of our entire, generous community, we would like to recognize the following donors, whose representation in our Annual Report did not accurately reflect their total support to the School in 2011/12:

of our sails, for sure. But in the last couple of years, we’ve been building momentum again and many donors are offering finan-cial aid support through the endowment, or gifts for immediate use, and still others choose to blend the two,” she notes. “It’s about diversity; it’s about academic excel-lence. It’s a key pillar of where the School is headed. Delivering an outstanding pro-gram also means having an amazing mix of girls in the classrooms, gyms and hallways.”

“What drew me to BSS was the strong emphasis on girls’ education and excel-lence in academics. It’s empowering,” she says. “At BSS, the calibre of people who come together for these girls is beyond impressive.”

“We really want to demystify and de-stigmatize what getting financial aid means. We used to talk about bursaries, now we have changed our language and we talk about needs-based scholarships. We want the girls to understand that we think they’re so great that we want them in our community.”

Financial aid goes primarily to tu-ition, although an effort is often made

Managing the vision of the program and the expectations of donors is part of Ms. Dossetor’s approach. “Part of what I do is make sure that donor intent is hon-oured. One donor might say ‘I want to bring a great girl into Boarding.’ Another might say ‘I’d like to make sure my gift goes to a local girl.’”

Donors receive annual updates on the student they’re supporting, which allows supporters to feel connected to the differ-ence that their gift is making, on a per-sonal level.

“We’re really trying to raise the bar, philanthropically, at the School right now. And, we’re really seeing the community rise to the occasion,” Ms. Dossetor says.

“Education is a profound gift to be able to give someone. And I feel lucky to be a part of that exchange. Seeing how much our donors care, and how deeply lives are transformed, is tremendously gratifying.”

DEFINING A VISIONHead of School Deryn Lavell credits the Boards of Governors and Trustees for the success and growth of financial aid.

“The endowment has grown, and it’s like the engine that allows us to keep mov-ing forward,” says Ms. Lavell. “The Boards are very committed, and even in the eco-nomic downturn, they never wavered. The conversation became ‘how can we ensure that we can continue our support.”

For Ms. Lavell, the benefits of be-ing able to support students through their time at BSS doesn’t just enrich the School, but the broader community as well.

“For me, what’s most rewarding is that this is like throwing a rock into a pond and the ripples reverberate outward. We open the doors for one girl, and her fam-ily, her whole community benefits. It’s very rewarding.”

“We want to reflect the Toronto that we’re in, and allow all of our students the opportunity to broaden their perspec-tive, whether or not their parents can af-ford full tuition,” she says.

A LASTING IMPRESSION“Being at BSS has allowed me to be a part of an experience that I will forever

philanthropy spotlight

to ensure that girls can participate in events and trips as well. “For some girls,” Ms. Dossetor notes, “going to the Father Daughter Dance is a struggle financially.”

Applications for financial aid go to a third party for assessment who makes a determination about the level of need that’s required. The School then uses this to guide decisions on how to allocate available resources. “It’s a good process to ensure that people who are qualified to attend and need it most are getting it,” Ms. Dossetor says.

cherish,” the letter concludes.The young student writes about how

she loves Biology and Chemistry and Calculus; how she was on the soccer team and part of dance shows and how she wants to be a doctor. “Because of your generosity, I was able to experience a lot of the great things BSS has to offer. For this, I am forever grateful.”

EDUCATION IS A PROFOUND GIFT TO BE ABLE TO GIVE SOMEONE.

BECAUSE OF yOUR GENEROSITy, I wAS ABLE TO ExPERIENCE A LOT OF ThE GREAT ThINGS BSS hAS TO OFFER.

wE OPEN ThE DOORS FOR ONE GIRL, BUT hER FAMILy, hER whOLE COMMUNITy BENEFITS. IT’S VERy REwARDING.

22  the LINK Vol. 2 · 2012/13 the LINK Vol.2 · 2012/13  23

The strong sense of kinship that characterizes the BSS community was developed over decades of

dedication from parents, students, faculty, staff and alumnae. And, going forward, it remains an important and strategic prior-ity of the BSS Board of Governors and Deryn Lavell, Head of School.

Fortunately, building solidarity is a passion of everyone involved with BSS.

Just ask Anne SMALLMAN Gallagher ’81 and Gabrielle CRISTANTE ’84, co-chairs of the Old Girls’ Executive Com-mittee (OGEC). Their mandate — along with the 13 other members of the OGEC — is to make sure Old Girls have every opportunity to stay connected to the

Strategic priority: an engaged community

early years of their career.Of course, this type of community

building is also hugely important for current students and their families. And parents play an especially vital role in supporting the objectives of the School and enriching their daughters’ educations (both with academics and co-curriculars). They do it mainly through the tireless ef-forts of the Parent Association (PA).

Catherine SMALLMAN Grant ’84 and Marianne Guizzetti co-chair the 30-person executive. Their core respon-sibilities include reaching out to new families, nurturing communications with the School, and facilitating student-led learning initiatives like the Junior School Thanksgiving Food Drive. They also as-sist in the organization of five much loved events every year: the Harvest Games/Run for a Cure, the Middle and Senior School Father Daughter Dinner Dance, the Junior School Tie Swap Breakfast, the Junior School Valentine’s Day Bash and Deck the Hall.

Although these events are great fun, they also have a deeper purpose. “They strengthen the relationship between parents and the School in many ways,” notes Ms. Grant, who has three daugh-ters at BSS, in Grades 4, 6 and 8. “They bring the parent and School community together and in turn help to boost spirit and friend-raising and help parents find a sense of connection and belonging.”

Ms. Guizzetti, whose eldest daughter graduated in 2011 and whose young-est is currently in Grade 10, agrees that there are many, often unintended, ben-efits to being actively engaged with the BSS community. “I first got involved in the Parent Association to learn more about the School, to meet parents, and become more familiar with the School,” she says. “However, I quickly started to realize how much I was gaining person-ally by learning so much from volunteer-ing at the School. I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to meet, work with and learn from so many talented and gen-erous parents who come and share their diverse professional and cultural back-grounds with our community.”

For everything the PA does, it needs to work closely with faculty and staff — to make sure that everyone’s goals are aligned. To accomplish this, several years ago, Patti

Community is the heart of BSS – and it’s never been stronger. Here’s why. by matthew hague

CARMICHAEL Pilon ’74, the first Director of Parent Relations, and then Head, Natalie Little real-ized that all parents would greatly benefit if there was a permanent, parent-school liaison — someone to an-swer questions, represent the School at PA meetings and help co-ordinate the School’s resources with the parents’ ambitions.

For the last two years, Patricia Gouinlock — a Queen’s Commerce grad with extensive not-for-profit and private sector experience — has filled the role as Director of Com-munity Relations. Part of her job is to help guide par-ents to the right person as specific issues arise (who to speak with to replace a lost blazer, perhaps). She also works closely with Ms. Guizzetti and Ms. Grant on the PA initiatives. For example, she helps fa-cilitate the new Buddy Family Program, which matches up incoming, question-filled parents with those who have been there, done that and have the BSS bumper sticker to prove it.

“Community is the foundation of BSS,” she notes, adding that having the parents work so closely with the School sets “such a great example for the girls.” It is a powerful demonstration of how teamwork, co-operation, communica-tion and dedication result in high levels of achievement (in the last three years, for example, Deck the Hall — a School-wide, PA-organized event that involves many staff, faculty, volunteers and community businesses — has raised over $100,000 for BSS, all of which comes back to the girls in the form of scholarships, awards and other programs).

Barbara McLean, Assistant Head, Hu-man Resources and Professional Growth, agrees that creating a strong sense of com-munity sets a powerful example for the girls. “By the time our students graduate, we don’t know what type of world they will be going into,” she says. “But we have to make sure they are equipped for the ev-er-changing, global, diverse environment out there.”

School, whether they were in the Class of 2001, or the Class of 1941. The OGEC does this is in a great many ways, includ-ing reunion planning, friend-raising and through their parent liaison committee.

It’s hard work — the OGEC meets formally five or six times per year, and the various subcommittees, including Fundraising and Communications, get together more frequently— but both Ms. Gallagher and Ms. Crisante agree it’s both necessary and intensely rewarding.

“It provides me with a sense of accom-plishment and satisfaction when I give back to the School that gave me so much when I was a student at BSS,” notes Ms. Gallagher. Ms. Crisante “agrees 100 per

spotlight on strategic plan

cent,” adding that “in today’s increasingly competitive environment, it’s especially important for girls to come together, to support each other whenever possible. We owe this to our young alumnae, our daughters and our granddaughters.”

One community-building idea they are particularly excited to grow is the new BSS Mentorship Program, launching this spring. Young graduates (from the last 15 years) will be formally paired with estab-lished professionals in relevant fields to help guide their higher education or the

To Ms. McLean, one of the smartest ways of ensuring this happens is by giv-ing all 175 staff and faculty members the tools they need to work closely together, stay firmly engaged in the School, and remain informed about and open to new ideas — basically, to have the staff set a strong example of what it means to be a transformational leader and perpetual learner.

Ms. McLean has worked closely with Ms. Lavell, Principals, Vice Principals and mentors of the Junior and Senior School to help implement programs to this effect. These include the National School Reform Faculty program (a struc-tured approach to work-related conver-sations that encourage open dialogue and problem solving), a strong Faculty Growth and Evaluation system and the New Staff Orientation system and men-toring program.

Although Ms. McLean proudly admits that she has only seen the sense of com-munity “get better and better and better” over the 15 years she has been at BSS, she adds that there is still much to be done. “We’re on the leading edge of this,” she says. “But we want to stay there, so we have to keep working.”

Matthew hague is a freelance writer,

published in Toronto Life magazine, The Globe

and Mail and Reader’s Digest Canada.

at the st. lawrence Market in downtown toronto, Marianne guizzetti, catherine grant, pat gouinlock, anne gallagher and gabrielle crisante

Barb Mclean and Deryn lavell

Having tHe parents work so closely witH tHe scHool sets sucH a great example for tHe girls.

we’re on tHe leading edge of tHis, but we want to stay tHere, so we Have to keep working.

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24  the LINK Vol. 2 · 2012/13 the LINK Vol.2 · 2012/13  25

While BSS serves as an incubator for our country’s next genera-tion of female leaders, it can’t

keep them completely immune to soci-ety’s often mixed and confusing health messages. So, though providing a quality education is paramount for BSS staff, en-suring the students are adopting a healthy perspective is also top of mind - in fact the two endeavours intersect at BSS. Fac-ulty and staff strive to ensure that good health—physical, emotional, mental and otherwise—is instilled from the Junior School all the way through Senior School, graduation and beyond.

Essential in this ongoing endeavour are Athletic Director and Health and Physi-cal Education teacher and Old Girl Sha-ron JAMESON ’90, and Fitness Instruc-tor Sarah Myton. They are sitting in Ms. Myton’s office—which opens into the fit-ness centre (one can hear the whir of gym equipment in the background)—chatting about the School’s approach to health and the challenges of supporting a healthy girl or teen in 2013. Both Ms. Jameson and Ms. Myton are charged with ensuring the girls are healthy in body. On top of teach-

for their next class (something we can all deduce from our own lives), but that post-workout they're actually better able to understand complex concepts and take in dense information. One study showed that students who walked on a treadmill during math class performed better. The way Ms. Jameson and Ms. Myton work with the girls will evolve with the research, but for now, it’s another motivating factor to convey to their students, who know the rigorous academic expectations at BSS: Sports might just make you smarter.

It’s a fitting strategy for BSS, where girls strive for success in multiple disciplines. “They're very high achievers…They want to be on a team, in band, in choir, and they do this amazing volunteer work,” says Ms. Jameson. “Plus, academics has become more rigorous, so add all that together and they’re running around all the time.” Senior years at BSS can be the girls’ first real encounter with stress man-agement, and it’s something Ms. Jameson tackles in the classroom, targeting mental

Improved wellness can increase academic achievement by julia leconte

wellness as well as physical.As Vice Principal of Student Life at

BSS, Janice Sullivan is also tasked with the girls' wellness as a whole. She focuses on co-curricular programming, code of con-duct and discipline. A very effective piece of the School’s whole-health puzzle, she says, is its Teacher Advisory Group (TAG) program. Every teacher has a group of between six and 10 students in a particu-lar grade; the students remain with that teacher advisor from Grade 7 until they graduate. In TAG, they work on respect-ing one another, as well as themselves. “They meet weekly, and there are pre-scribed lessons,” says Ms. Sullivan. “But a lot of time, what it is in Grade 7 and 8, is building healthy relationships, and that carries through all the way.” It can also be a forum for the girls to discuss any issues they may be having with an adult they trust. “It’s another nurturing adult that they can connect with,” says Ms. Sulli-van. “And it helps them to have that small home base within the School, so hopeful-

ly they can feel a little more connected. And that’s a big thing.”

Feeling connected is something Ms. Jameson’s Senior School soccer team has mastered, and the coach is visibly proud when she talks about them. She admires the bonds she sees forming amongst the girls on her squad. It’s just one of a multitude of benefits. “Girls who are involved in sports have better self-esteem, tend to stay away from drugs and alcohol, and perform better in

ing physical education and rhythm fit courses, as Athletic Director, Ms. Jameson runs the inter-school athletic programs, as well as any sport-related event on campus. Ms. Myton teaches rhythm fit classes, co-ordinates the fitness program and runs the fitness centre—which is mandatory for use in some courses, but also open to stu-dents working out on their own accord.

One of the challenges, says Ms. My-ton, is conveying that health cannot be judged by body type. “The biggest thing is explaining [that] everybody comes in dif-ferent shapes and sizes,” she says. Ms. My-ton teaches the girls the great benefits of physical activity: being more energized for school, feeling better, preventing disease, increasing focus while studying. Losing weight, she says, might be a byproduct, but certainly isn’t the goal. Ms. Jameson agrees: “The girls that come into the fit-ness centre are better at accepting their bodies after a certain point in time.”

And just as Ms. Myton's goal is not for every girl to attain her “perceived perfec-tion,” Ms. Jameson is not trying to turn every girl into an athletic powerhouse. Rather, Ms. Jameson strives to support a

well-rounded person who carries the val-ues, camaraderie and community spirit she gains from athletics into all areas of life. “In my rhythm fit class, I have the whole gamut. I have someone who went to the World Championships for volley-ball and someone who can’t run for five minutes. But it’s setting personal goals and making them feel successful,” she says. “If you're feeling good about yourself it’s half the battle.” Half the battle, and one of three main principles Ms. Jameson tries to get across: “Get them to eat enough healthy food, get in and work out, and try and feel good about themselves are the basic things.”

While they strive to instill basic health principles in the classroom and at the gym, BSS faculty studies complicated brain science outside of teaching hours. Over the past five years, staff members have been researching how brain science affects teaching and learning. As it hap-pens, the New York Times bestseller Brain Rules is sitting on Ms. Myton’s desk. Of particular interest to Ms. Jameson and Ms. Myton are studies showing that ex-ercise not only makes students more alert

school,” says Ms. Jameson. “Then there's that whole social component of being on a team, which I think helps girls feel like they belong, have a spot. It’s a good support network and it lets them connect with another adult at the School.” Natu-rally, it's also a guard against bullying or school-ground animosity, because the girls get to know and socialize with dif-ferent people. “They travel on a bus with each other for an hour and a half and they goof around…So I think that's a great equalizer,”says Ms. Jameson.

Ultimately, Ms. Jameson, Ms, Myton and Ms. Sullivan are trying to lead the girls into healthy lifestyles by example. “One of the things that we try and do is role modelling,” says Ms. Jameson. “In my TAG, I encourage the girls to walk to school or ride their bike. So if they see their teachers riding to school, or see them in the fitness centre working out, or going for a run in the running club—they see that we’re active people.”

Eventually, the staff hopes, the girls will pass that same role modelling along, becoming leaders themselves. The way the BSS classroom is structured — a student-centred, inquiry/application program where girls are active participants and re-sponsible for leading discussion — is an ideal scenario for students to imitate their teachers’ healthy habits and influence one another, as well. “They're seeing each other as learners,” says Ms. Sullivan. “Stu-dents actually know a lot and can teach each other. And our deliberate approach to incorporating healthy living into the school day goes a long way to supporting their efforts.”

Julia leConte is an editor at FLARE

magazine.

A HeAltHy WHole

Girls who are involved in sports have better self-esteem, tend to

stay away from druGs and alcohol, and perform better in school.

In the Fitness Centre, Sarah  with BSS student Tasha lin

Jan Sullivan, Sharon Jameson  and Sarah Myton

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26  the LINK Vol. 2 · 2012/13

We have a vibrant network of over 6,000 BSS Old Girls making important contributions to a vast range of industries around the world – a natural place for BSS students and recent graduates to turn for help in furthering

their own career aspirations. But how do they connect with each other? Enter the new BSS Mentorship Program, generously supported by our founding partners and supporters.

Stacey YUEN ’98 (right) has been an active volunteer in the BSS community since graduation. She has co-chaired the Old Girls’ Executive Committee (OGEC) and was involved in getting our new Mentorship Program off the ground. Now she’s thrilled to be involved as a mentor for young alumnae. “I’m still young and I have so much to learn,” she says. “But I look forward to contributing and being able to offer advice.”

Ms. Yuen hopes that her eclectic career path can help show students that they don’t have to narrow themselves to only one field. After graduating from the University of Guelph in Biological Sciences, Ms. Yuen pursued an MBA in Barcelona. She then worked in public health in West and Central Africa working for the Clinton Founda-tion before moving to London for her current job in asset management.

“While I’ve only been working now for about 10 years, I hope that I can help girls understand that they don’t have to choose only one career path. You can do anything,” Ms. Yuen says.

The BSS Mentorship Program will have three major components: an online data-base that Old Girls can use to search for mentors (with BSS staff facilitating the initial Mentor/Mentee meeting); an opportunity to leverage our Old Girl network and other members of the BSS community to bring varied expertise to networking events and BSS panel discussions; and a student mentorship element where current students will connect with recent graduates still in university, helping them get a sense not just of the end goal but also of the next steps.

Stay tuned for the official launch of the BSS Mentorship Program this spring. To learn more or to get involved, please contact Donna Jordan, Manager, Alumnae Events and Mentorship, djordan@bss.on.ca or 416-483-4325, ext. 1874.

FOUNDING PARTNERS $25,000+The Clark and Shaw Families: Toni and Kevin Clark, Pixie Shaw and Sir Neil ShawThe Lovas FamilyHeather CLYDE Stewart ’81

FOUNDING SUPPORTERS $5,000 - $24,999Jalynn ROGERS Bennett ’62Jasmine DAYA ’99 Deborah MORRIS Morrison ’71Old Girls’ Executive Committee 2011/12Valerie WHITTINGHAM Pringle ’71Gilda SMART ’89 Diana DUNBAR Tremain ’59

Connecting Old Girls through Mentorship

Better together

vOlUNTEER SPoTlIGHT

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the LINK Vol.2 · 2012/13 27

Distinguished Service Employ-ees unveiling new commemora-tive boards are: (Back, l-r) Mary Jane MacDonald, Daniel Huntley, Lourdes Macedo, Tony Brown-ing, Pat Helcl, Kathy Bell, Jane Audet, Steve Zeifman, Susannah Ketchum, Connie Green (Middle, l-r) Debbie Piotrowski, Darlene Huntley, Maria Radford, Kally Georgadonis, Lynda Robinson, Norma Costa, Pinkie McAllister, Dimitra Costa, Jan Sullivan, Linda Leckie, Susan Barter (Front, l-r) Wendy Beck, Anna Bevacqua, Anna Schinas, Barbara Priscus, Gill Wallace, Cathie Pfaff, Liz Woolley

Emilio Russo, Dino DeAraujo, 1995

Tony Browning, 2002

Gill Wallace, 1973

Stephen Zeifmanm, 1987

lolanda, Darlene Huntley, Dimitra Costa, Anna Bevacqua, 1993

Wendy Beck, 1997 Sian Jones, 2002

DistinguisheD service employees: the spirit of DeDicationTwenty-eight current and former BSS employees gathered in the Great Hall recently to celebrate giving 20 or more years of service to BSS and to unveil new commemorative boards listing those who have done so from our founding to today. We honour and thank all those whose expertise and dedication have made BSS the strong school it is today.

MAY 1-4, 2013

Wednesday, May 16:00 to 8:00 pm – Mentorship Networking Event Student Centre

All Old Girls, mentors, and BSS staff past and present are invited to come out and celebrate the launch of our new Mentorship Program. An evening of cocktails, networking and the official launch of this exciting new Alumnae program.

�ursday, May 2Noon to 2:00 pm – Annual Old Girls’ Luncheon Russell Hill Road Gym

A yearly tradition at BSS when we gather together and celebrate with our Old Girls who graduated in 1963 or earlier. All Old Girls invited to this event will receive further information via Canada Post.

5:00 to 6:00 pm – Past Boarders’ Dinner Boarders’ Dining Hall

Your Old Girl Boarder Captains for Reunion weekend: Jennifer COOPER ’88 and Diana LUXTON ’88

All past Boarders are invited to dine alongside current boarders. Dinner will be followed by a tour of the newly renovated Boarding Residence.

Friday, May 3Noon to 1:30 pm – Registration and Welcome Back Student Centre

Hosted by the Old Girls’ Executive Committee. Come meet the 2012/13 Old Girls’ Executive Committee, pick up your name tag and Reunion materials, and enjoy a light lunch. Late registration for afternoon events can be accommodated at this time.

Register for one of two 2:00 pm events* for Friday afternoon.

*2:00 to 3:00 pm – BSS: Looking Back and Moving Forward (meet in BSS Museum and Archives)

A fun and informative guided look through the archives detailing some of our interesting, exciting and sometimes odd history. �e history lesson will be followed by a tour of the School, visiting the Junior School and dropping in on some of the Middle School and Senior School classrooms in action. OR

*2:00 to 3:00 pm – Guided Art Tour (Please meet at the Lonsdale Road doors. �is tour will include climbing stairs)

Join Paul Toth, Head of Visual Arts, and Senior School students as they take you through the halls of BSS on an exciting journey that will explore not only the wonderful artwork by cur-rent students but also the many fascinating historical pieces that reside at the School.

4:00 to 6:00 pm – Welcome Home Reception Head’s QuadJoin Deryn Lavell, Head of School, and BSS staff for a casual drink. Deryn will speak about the School’s philosophy of learning and how the facilities impact our girls’ education.

Saturday, May 4Old Girls’ Golf Day in King CityHosted at the private golf course of current BSS parents Ray and Karen Arbesman and organized by Kathleen TREBILCOCK ’98. �e day begins at 10:00 am on the 9-hole, walking course (push carts only) and includes a love-ly catered lunch. $50 per person. Contact Kathleen to get involved: kathleen_4241@rogers.com.

6:00 pm – Chapel Service and presentation of 50th Year Reunion pins to the Class of 1962 and Class of 1963

7:00 pm to 9:00 pm Reunion Cocktail Party – Russell Hill Road GymDinner, cocktails and Class Photos! $25 per person.

To register for Reunion events please visit www.bss.on.ca/girls/reunionFor assistance or questions call Donna Jordan,

Manager, Alumnae Events and Mentorship at 416-483-4325 ext. 1874

8  the LINK Vol. 1 · 2011/12

MEDICALDOCTOR

CONCERTPIANIST

NAIDA COLE, BSS Alumna

When a girl uses her whole mind, she realizes her whole potential.When a girl uses her whole mind, she realizes her whole potential.

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