A coeducational, international day/boarding school in Ontario, Canada
December 2020 Newsletter
A MESSAGE FROM:
Head of School, Mr. Scott Murray
As we rapidly approach winter break, I’d like to take this time to clarify and hopefully ease some potential concerns of our students/families.
This year our winter break will be starting at 3:40 pm on Wednesday, December 16th. As of that time, our students can mentally check out and start relaxing and regenerating. On the 17th and 18th of December, our staff will still be coming into the school for professional development and new year preparation before we all begin our break. All staff will begin their break at 12pm on December 18th. If your student forgot anything or if you would like to speak to any of us, you have until that time to do so.
Like most events of 2020, winter break has been adjusted for this year. In the past, the school and dorm have been closed and all students are entirely off-campus for the winter break. This year, due to the travel restrictions and for the safety of everyone, we will be keeping the dormitory open and a large number of the boarding students will be staying. If any local FA students want to visit them or connect with them, I encourage them to do so. We need to find any positives we can within our bubble.
Lastly, the first day of school in the new year is Monday the 4th of January. On this day, we will be starting right back into our regular schedule. I absolutely encourage everyone to see their families and enjoy as much time together over the holidays as you can.
I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, a Happy New year, and a “Holy cow, I think we made it!” Please enjoy your break with your children.
A RECAP FROM
Dean of Students, Mr. Devin Payne
Happy Holidays to all students, family, and alumni! Our students are eagerly anticipating their winter holiday break. It is an important time for all students and staff to rest and recharge for a busy month in January. Students have been very active through the fall months, this is especially true for the months of November and December as there have been a few different community initiatives happening. Students have been doing an amazing job with our annual fundraising campaign. This year the students have been raising funds for Children’s Mental Health of Leeds and Grenville. Another initiative the students have started this year is a Fulford Academy Christmas Gift Giving Campaign. Students are taking it upon themselves to purchase gifts to donate to children in the community who might not receive anything for Christmas. I am always extremely proud of how much our students give back to the community. This year is no different, with many students stepping up to the plate to help those in need. For more of an update on fundraising initiatives, be sure to read the update from Mr. Ryan below. I look forward to seeing other ways our students will have positive impacts on the community in the new year. I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday!
ADMISSIONS UPDATE
A joyous return to campus!
Christmas came early for Fulford Academy this year! Due to our detailed and comprehensive readiness-plan, Fulford Academy was named one of the first five schools in all of Ontario to begin welcoming international students with valid study permits to campus. This recognition from our Canadian governing bodies is a reflection of the commitment our entire staff has made towards making our school community a safe and healthy learning environment for all.
In light of this good news, we were able to welcome a few more students to campus during the months of November and December. These students had been studying at Fulford Academy as online students since the beginning of the school year so when they were finally able to arrive on campus and meet their classmates in person after completing their two-week quarantine, it was a memorable and joyous interaction. We look forward to welcoming more students to campus in the new year!
The Admissions Team would like to wish all of our Fulford families a safe and happy holiday season and a Happy New Year!
December Newsletter Entry Written by: Mr. Joudoin
ADMISSIONS UPDATE
Re-Enrolment for Synchronous Online Education
This has been a busy time of year for our online learning community as the Admissions Team has been actively reaching out to families about re-enrolment for the upcoming winter semester beginning in February 2021. For any families who have not yet re-enrolled, be sure to connect with our Admissions team: admissions@fulfordacademy.com.
For online students in Grades 11-12 be sure to connect with our Online Academic Coordinator, Mrs. MacMillan about course selection! Once your course selection is confirmed, we will reach out to you to complete your registration.
To the online families who have already completed the re-enrollment and registration process, Fulford Academy thanks you for your trust and assurance that your son or daughter is receiving a top-quality virtual education.
Best wishes this holiday season and a Happy New Year!
December Newsletter Entry Written by: Mr. Joudoin
GUIDANCE UPDATE
University Application Deadlines
As we approach winter break, the deadline for Ontario university applications draws closer. The cutoff date for applications to Ontario universities, as well as many other Canadian schools is January 15, 2021. Information about the admissions process was sent out to our senior students in September.
Currently, we have students applying to post-secondary schools both in Canada as well as in the United States. Some of our students have already received early offers from Canadian schools. Many post-secondary schools in Ontario have an ongoing admissions process, and the sooner applications are submitted, the sooner schools are able to consider them.
As the application process continues, if you have any questions or concerns please get in contact with the Guidance department before the holidays begin.
Wishing everyone the best for the New Year!
December Newsletter Entry Written by: Mrs. MacMillan
FULFORD FUNDRAISING
2020 Fundraising Initiatives
Fulford Academy’s fall fundraising drive continues into December, as students raise money for Children’s Mental Health of Leeds and Grenville. This past month, students organized a bake sale and an afternoon full of activities, including a hockey shootout and a video game competition – altogether, they raised over $500 from these initiatives. Our fundraising goal is to reach $1500 by December 16 – every little bit helps! If you would like to contribute to our fundraising efforts, we gratefully accept e-transfers to: business@fulfordacademy.com. These e-transfers should include a reference to FA Fundraising in the memo/note field. Please feel free to connect with me directly if you have any questions. Have a wonderful holiday season!
December Newsletter Entry Written by: Mr. Ryan
FACILITY UPDATE
Health & Safety
The beginning of the 2020 school year has certainly been interesting! Our newly renovated Residence was a big project but we were successful in opening and getting our students moved in on September 14th, 2020. Our Kitchen and Cleaning departments have set up many new protocols for the safety of our students and staff. We have purchased two new disinfecting foggers that are used daily at both the Academy building and the dorm residence. In the kitchen area, we have set up the dining hall and food delivery to meet our Ontario health unit guidelines to adhere to our social distancing protocols.
On the behalf of our team, we wish you all a great holiday season! Please stay safe and we will continue to keep Fulford safe and healthy for everyone.
December Newsletter Entry Written by: Mr.McCarthy
RESIDENTIAL/STUDENT LIFE
Winter at Fulford Academy
The Residential Department is excited to welcome our new students as they begin to exit their quarantine period. We have seen and heard the joy of some of our present students as more classmates, roommates, and old friends arrive for the end of our first semester. The past month has offered some unique challenges for our students, the first snow has arrived for a brief period which allowed our students to get busy creating snowmen and other creations. As we continue to move forward into our colder months we are excited to see the creative sides of our students and what they are able to build. With the cold comes more responsibility for our students as they are needing to dress warmly to avoid catching any sickness, so far our students have been improving fast and have been focusing on their health and wellbeing.
The Residential department is busy in preparation for our winter holidays, to our students returning home we wish you all the best and safe travels. As most of our students have opted into staying with us for the holidays we are excited to share some of our holiday traditions and to explore traditions from around the world. Our goal is to ensure that all students feel included, welcomed, and satisfied with their choice to remain at the academy. Our dedicated staff has been working hard in order to ensure that we are ready and able to meet all of our student’s needs as of the start of the holidays.
On behalf of the Residential department, we wish everyone a happy holiday. This year has challenged many of us to explore new possibilities as the pandemic has caused issues around the globe. We are very thankful that you have entrusted us to care for your children and we will do our best to do so until they return home.
Happy Holidays,
The Residential Management Team
December Newsletter Entry Written by: Greg Lehman