Laureate College Issue 18 Newsletter

Welcome to Laureate!

As term 3 begins on January 29th, we are pleased to welcome 7 new students! We are happy to have Saran, Fuseina, and Melaniya join us in grade 10, and Rachel, Andy, Joyce, and Christian join us in grade 11. While 5 of our new students will be joining the boarding program, we also encourage everyone to welcome our 2 new local families, the Aitkin and Davidson family from Burlington and the Vytvytskyy and Mandyuk family from Etobicoke.

Laureate College Open House

We were happy to welcome families on January 15th for our Open House! During the Open House, families were invited to tour the school with one of our student ambassadors and meet the teachers and staff.

In addition to the Open House, Laureate College welcomed Dr. Gerardo Toledo to lead a Master Class titled Storytelling Visualization & AI Prompting. Dr. Toledo offered a unique perspective on how AI tools can be used as a way to enhance artists' work rather than replace it. The Master Class included a presentation for the first half, which was followed by a hands on workshop.

We are extremely grateful to our student ambassadors and all who attended, and are excited to welcome more families to our next Open House and Master Class, which will be on February 12th. The Open House will take place from 6:30-7:30 PM and the Master Class from 7:30-9:00 PM. If you or anyone you know is interested in attending, please click the link below!

Master Class Photos

Open House Photos

Feb. 12 Open House

Photography Contest 2025: Calling LC Students!

Are you ready to explore the world through your lens and showcase your Critical Thinking and creativity? We’re thrilled to invite high school students to participate in our Photography Contest 2025 inspired by the iconic works of Edward Burtynsky, renowned for his powerful depictions of industrialization and its impact on nature and humanity.

Follow the link below to learn more about how to enter! Refer, repost, recommend.

Photo Contest

Updates

Piano Fundraiser

We are continuing Laureate College Piano Fund, a campaign dedicated to raising funds for a new piano. This piano will not only enrich the lives of those who play it but also create an opportunity for others to experience the beauty and joy of music. Every donation, big or small, brings us one step closer to our goal.

Testimonials

We are calling on all Laureate parents and students to share their experiences with us! As a young school, we rely heavily on our community to spread the word about us. Testimonials will be an essential part of promoting what we do here, so please do not hesitate to share what Laureate College means to you and your family!

Click to donate

Testimonials

Weekly Spotlight

MTH1W: G9 Math

Jan. 13-17 - Finished up the geometry unit with surface area and volume of 3d figures. Jan. 20-24 - Exam review and practice tests.

GLS1O: G9 Learning strategies

Jan. 13-17 - Worked on course reflection where they shared their learning experience on each study unit. Jan. 20-24 - Worked on the Culminating activity related to budgeting and financing a new school.

Contact the teacher

Visual Arts

Jan. 13-17 - Students worked on their storytelling and illustration project. Jan. 20-24 - Students are working on their Final Project: Story of a Line, they are free to work in any media.

ADA2O: G10 Drama

Jan. 13-17 - Students worked on their final screenplay writing assignment and played improv games using different props. Jan. 20-24 - Students worked on their final monologue presentations that they will be performing on exam day on Thursday morning.

Contact the teacher

ESL C/D

Jan. 13-17 - Worked on the correct pronunciation of difficult words. Jan. 20-24 - Worked on their culminating activities.

ENG2D: G10 English

Jan. 13-17 - We finished our reading of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and wrapped it up with discussion questions. The final project was also assigned, which is a theme related movie analysis. Jan. 20-24 - Students worked on their final projects which is an analysis of the theme within a movie of their choosing.

Contact the teacher

MPM2D: G10 Math

Jan. 13-17 - Finished up the trigonometry unit with sine law and cosine law. Jan. 20-24 - Exam review and practice tests.

SCH3U: G11 Chemistry

Jan. 13-17 - Finished up the unit on Gas Law and stoichiometry with gases. Jan. 20-24 - Exam review and practice tests.

Contact the teacher

CGG3O: G11 Travel & Tourism

Jan. 13-17 - Completed their missing assignments. Jan. 20-24 - Revised the course content based on the exam review.

ENG4U: G12 English

Jan. 13-17 - We finished reading Life of Pi and the final essay for the story was assigned. Students also had a discussion on the end of the novel and its themes. Jan. 20-24 - Students finished their final essay on Life of Pi and received their exam review for their exam on Thursday morning.

Contact the teacher

MDM4U: G12 Data Management

Jan. 13-17 - Finished up the probability unit and the students are working on their research/survey reports. Jan. 20-24 - Exam review and practice tests.

EWC4U: G12 Writer's Craft

Jan. 13-17 - Students worked on their final project which was a writing piece for a portfolio. This writing sample demonstrates their writing style and ability that they have gained throughout the year. Jan. 20-24 - Students worked on their final writing assignment, and they went through a proofreading session with teacher and classmates.

Contact the teacher

SES4U: G12 Earth and Space Science

Jan. 13-17 - The final project was assigned and students worked diligently all week on it. They had their choice of subject based on all the topics learned in the second half of the term. Jan. 20-24 - Students finished their final projects and presented them. They also received their exam review and got the opportunity to study for Friday's exam.

HSB4U: G12 Challenge & Change in Society

Jan. 13-17 - Students finished and presented their Technology survey assignment, which including analyzing the behaviors of their fellow students use of cell phones and social media during the school day. Jan. 20-24 - Preparing for their exam and presenting their independent study projects on Tuesday.

Contact the teacher

What's Happening in January

Recap

Student Debates

On Monday January 20th, each house put together a team to compete in student debates on the topic of free speech. Teams were asked to argue either for or against the Canadian government being allowed to impose limitations on free speech. On the pro side, we had team Pegasus and Phoenix against team Triton and Sphinx arguing against limitations.

Leadership Workshop

On Tuesday the 21st, Laureate College welcomed guest speaker Scott Graham to do a talk leadership and courage. Scott is an author and award winning anti-bullying speaker, who shared with students strategies on how to deal with bullying as well as what it means to be a leader.

Laureate College Departures

We are sad to announce the departure of 4 members of our student community: Caua, Haruko, Saho, and Sally. With their exchange programs coming to an end, Haruko, Saho and Caua will be returning to their home countries, but the entire Laureate community will cherish the memories we made with them during their time here. We are proud to say that Sally is graduating from our school and moving on to the next chapter of her life. We are excited to see where these students' journeys take them, and are grateful for how they have enriched Laureate College during their studies here.

Drama Workshop

In Mr. Hayashi's drama class, students were given the opportunity to take part in an interactive workshop lead by actor Stephen Joffe. The workshop involved students in the performance of a scene, with each student taking turns reading lines. Stephen provided feedback and guidance to the class with strategies to improve their acting skills.

STEAM Projects

This term's STEAM projects came to an end last week, with each student house being challenged to create a working cooler. The houses competed against each other to see which cooler could keep 2 ice cubes frozen for the longest. The competition came down to Triton and Sphinx, with house Sphinx ultimately taking the victory.

STEAM Projects

LC Read-O Graph in the Community

Wednesday, February 12, 2025, Open House & Master Class

6:30 - 7:30 pm | 7:30 - 9:00 pm

We are looking forward to hosting our next Open House and Master Class on February 12, 2025! The Open House will take place from 6:30-7:30 pm, where families will have the opportunity to tour the school and meet the staff. We are especially excited to introduce families to Mr. Hamilton, who is the new K-8 principal.

Following the Open House, a Master Class will be held from 7:30-9:00 pm. The class is facilitated by contemporary dance artist, educator, and writer, Judy Luo. We will journey through set exercises and “follow-along” style improvisation. Participants can expect to leave this workshop with a dance to take away and share, tools to make their own, and a curious eye to spot the choreography that happens in their every day. Participants with any levels of dance experience and abilities welcome!

We'd love for LC parents and students to join our ambassador team. Please reach out to Ms. Harriet Hou at harriet.hou@laureatecollege.ca to get started. And don't forget to spread the word—invite your friends and family to come along for the event! Repost, refer, and recommend!

Feb open house and photo contest Insta (1)

Register here

Upcoming Dates

Jan. 23/24: Exam Days - Find your exam schedule on PowerSchool
Jan. 27: Exam Review Day
Jan. 27: New student orientation
Jan. 28: PA Day
Jan. 29: Term 3 Begins
Jan. 29: New after school clubs begin
Jan. 29-Feb. 2: Chinese New Year celebrations
Feb. 7: Final report cards distributed
Feb. 12: Open House & Master Class
Feb. 13: Canadian Computing Competition registration deadline
Feb. 13: Deadline for OUAC to receive all final grades
Feb. 14: Buddy day
Feb. 17: Family Day
Feb. 19: Canadian Computing Competition
Feb. 20: Canadian Universities receive grades from OUAC
Feb. 21: Field trip to Activate
Feb. 28: Mid-terms
Feb. 28: Photo Contest 2025 submission deadline

Laureate Boarding Life

New Arrivals

We are expecting to welcome 5 new students to the boarding program over the course of the weekend. We are happy to have these new students join us, and we are looking forward to seeing them thrive in our growing community.

Skating Excursion

On January 11th, boarding students took a trip to the Burlington Rotary Centennial Pond where they enjoyed skating.

Go Karting

Over this past weekend our boarding students Caua and Jason had the opportunity to do go karting!

Contact the coordinator

Co-curriculars

Term 2 After-School Activities

Photo Album

Term 3 Clubs

The after school clubs running in Term 3 from 3:30-4:30 PM are:

Monday: Anime, Ping Pong, Volunteer, Boxing/Fitness
Tuesday: IELTS Prep, Film, Yearbook Design, Boxing/Fitness
Wednesday: Baking, Pool/Billiards, Boxing/Fitness
Thursday: Gaming, Short Film & Analysis, Chess, Boxing/Fitness

2024 - 2025 Gifted Arts Student Council

Gifted Arts Enrichment Program

Monday - Wednesdays 7:30 - 10:30 pm, Creative Studio with Ixchel Suarez
Wednesdays 5:30-7:00 pm, Life drawing/Fine Arts Studio with Tritan Braho
Wednesdays 3:30 - 4:30 pm, Music/Vocal Studio with Dr. Lina Li.
Thursdays 6:30 - 8:00 pm, Illustration and Character Design with Genevieve Monk & Prof. Ixchel Suarez.
Fridays 3:30 - 5:00 pm, Portfolio Preparation and workshops with Ixhel Suarez

Contact the Co-artistic Director

LC class of 2025

Guidance & University Placement Plan

1. University Applications

University individual portal account registration
One-on-one supplementary application guidance (ongoing essay writing and interview training)
Students' OUAC marks have been uploaded

2. University information Activities

Students are strongly encouraged to attend the March break university campus tour

3. Mental Health Counselling

Bi-weekly formal and informal communications to build confidence and address concerns or stressful issues. Students are encouraged to maintain a healthy balance between study and relaxation.

Important Dates:

January 23, 2025: The target date for Ontario universities to receive all application data and grades from the OUAC for applications submitted by January 15, 2024.
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February 15, 2025: Deadline for the OUAC to receive all final grades available for 4U/M courses and current full-year grades for 4U/M courses from the OUAC.

Please feel free to contact Guidance Counsellor: solo.yang@laureatecollege.ca

For requests regarding Ontario Student Transcript or OUAC marks submission please contact: cherubina.debartolo@laureatecollege.ca

ArtStudios@Laureate

Registrations are open for the following programs:

Arts

Adult Art Studio Thursdays, 10 am -12:30 pm
Art Studio 7+ Thursdays, 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm
Illustration & Character Design Thursdays, 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm
Youth Art Studio Thursdays, 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Fine Art Studio Thursdays, 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Register

Burlington Children's Choir

Little Voices (JK-G2) $300/Semester
Growing Voices (G3-7). $400/Semester
Senior Choir (G8 and up) $600/Semester

Rehearsals are held weekly on Monday from 4:45 - 6:30 in the Meeting Hall.

For more info, contact Dr. Li at lina.li@laureatecollege.ca

Register

Explore more

Parents Corner

New Cell Phone Policy

As of September 2024, the Ontario Ministry of Education introduced the No Cell Phone Policy during school hours. There was discretion at the secondary level to use cell phones as a learning tool under the direction of the teachers that we followed in term 1 and 2. However, the observations from staff is that cell phones are being used for personal reasons.

Therefore, starting term 3 (Wednesday January 29, 2025), no cell phone is permitted from 8:30 am to 3:15 pm. If students are involved in an after-school club, no cell phones are permitted from 3:30 to 4:30 pm. For boarding students, cell phones are permitted after 4:30 pm and during study hall.

If the new policy is not adhered to, the students will be reported to the office and required to leave their cell phone in the main office until the end of the school day. Repeated violation of no cell phone will lead to further consequences. If there is an emergency where you must contact your child, please call the main office at 416-800-8434 where arrangements will be made to connect you with your child.

2025/2026 Re-registration

A re-registration notice was be sent to LC parents on Monday January 13, 2025. An early bird discount of 2% will be deducted from the tuition fee if registered before March 20, 2025. The re-registration deadline is April 20, 2025. There will be a late fee of $300 for registration after the April deadline. We are looking forward to welcoming back students for the 2025/2026 school year!

Summer Camp Volunteer Opportunities

Students are encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity to gain valuable volunteering and leadership experience by participating in our 2025 summer camp. Find out more on our website.

Students can also apply for a counsellor position on our website.

Stay Connected with Us on Social Media!

Join us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube (check out our new school video)

Our community is blossoming every week, and we’d be thrilled to have you join us and help it grow even bigger!

Repost, Refer, and Recommend!

Important Message from the Halton Public Health:

Students who have received the notice should arrange to receive the required vaccination by January 28, 2025, to avoid being suspended from school. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Dorota Litwicka at dorota.litwicka@laureatecollege.ca

March Break Camp (5-12 years of age)

Camp Laureate offers engaging STEAM activities with a low camper-to-staff ratio for personalized experiences. Themed days and hands-on projects keep campers excited to learn and explore every day.

Spread the news! Registration opened on December 16, 2024.

Explore more

Summer Day Camp (6-14 years of age)

We are currently at 46% capacity for our 2025 summer camp, with 544 registrations already! Each week is packed with Science, Technology, Sports, and Arts sessions, led by our highly qualified specialists and supported by a low camper-to-counselor ratio. Campers enjoy a mix of specialty programs, traditional camp activities, and nutritious lunches prepared by our kitchen staff. Register now for Summer 2025 for an unforgettable summer of learning, friendship, and fun!

Spread the news! Summer Camp registration opened January 13th, 2025—secure your spot early!

Explore more

Students who are interested in volunteering for March Break Camp or Summer Day Camp programs, please contact camp director Ms. Westoby at katie.westoby@laureatecollege.ca

New Pool Table

We are pleased to share that we have purchased a new pool table for our students to enjoy as we enter term 3. After students expressed interest in the miniature pool table we already have here at Laureate, we decided to invest in a full sized table. While it has not yet arrived, we are expecting it soon.

PowerSchool

PowerSchool serves as Laureate's online platform, providing you with access to your child's academic progress, grades, and attendance records. New timetables are now available to view. We highly encourage parents to regularly check PowerSchool to remain informed and up-to-date on school announcements and their child's performance, please contact Ms. Debartolo at cherubina.debartolo@laureatecollege.ca for assistance if needed. Portal

Student Handbook

If you have not already, please be sure to read both the student and parental handbooks in Moodle.

Transportation

Parents who are interested in joining the transportation services, please contact admissions at admissions@laureatecollege.ca or complete the registration form.

Lunch Meal Plan

Please be sure to purchase a meal package for on-campus food services for your child, or a lunch ticket at the receptionists for $15 (cash only).

Parents Volunteer

We welcome parents to sign up for volunteer opportunities during after-school activities. Please contact Mr. Brendan Johansson at brendan.johansson@laureatecollege.ca if interested.

Stay Connected

Be sure to follow Laureate College on all of our social media platforms, as well as sign up for our newsletter, and regularly check our website for more updates, and information and to stay in touch 😄