The weather outside is frightful, but our days at The Clover School are delightful. The leaves have fallen, the temperature has dropped and we woke up this weekend to a wonderland of snow. There is a buzz of excitement in our hallways as we head into the holiday season. As we approach the end of our first term, many of our teachers are already getting into the spirit, with festive tunes, seasonal crafts and beautiful decorations on display that represent the many cultures that make up our school community. As we jump into holiday mode, we wanted to reflect on the amazing fall our students have had.
During the month of October, The Clover School launched our first ever virtual food drive raising funds for the North York Harvest Food Bank. For every donation of $15.00, a family in need would be provided with an emergency food hamper containing essential items such as canned beans, fish and pasta. Our goal was to raise $1,500 to be able to support 100 families in our local community. We want to extend our most heartfelt THANKS to our incredible Clover community for their generosity. We are so proud to announce that we exceeded our goal and raised $1,815! Many food-insecure families rely on North York Harvest to put food on the table, and the current pandemic has caused even greater difficulties and challenges. Our donations have helped North York Harvest provide emergency food assistance to 121 families!
This very unique year of 2020 has pushed us all to think outside of the box and brainstorm innovative and creative ways to play, celebrate, and socialize. One example of this is our Clover School Pumpkin Patch. Halloween may have looked differently than usual, but it was still just as magical for our students. While we would have loved to visit a local farm during this time of year, we decided instead to bring the fall fun to us! Our Junior and Elementary Campus support staff, Ms. Judi Johnson and Ms. Tina Phardis, transformed our Elementary Campus yard into our very own pumpkin patch for all of our Toddler, Pre-Primary, and Primary classes. Each student was able to hunt for the perfect pumpkin to bring home and partake in a variety of themed activities: bowling with gourds, pin the nose on the jack-o-lantern, and a witch’s hat ring toss. There were individual wagon rides, a photo booth and lots of spooky decorations – it was a memorable and fun day for all!
Gardening with Ms. Vesna, our resident Urban Farming Specialist, is a cherished time of each week for students of all ages at both campuses. Our school gardens are managed and maintained by the students themselves with Ms. Vesna’s support and guidance. They are involved in the entire process from the planting of seeds, to tending and caring for the plants as they grow, and finally harvesting of all of the herbs and vegetables. However, many of our students would agree that their favourite part is eating what they have grown. Talk about a farm to table experience!
On November 11th, our Midtown Junior and Elementary campus students commemorated Remembrance Day. They honoured the courageous men and women who have served and continue to serve our country. Each class participated in a variety of activities to honour the day. Many of our classes read books and did crafts. There were meaningful discussions about the significance and importance of Remembrance Day, as well as surrounding the subject of peace. Both campuses also observed a moment of silence.
A connectedness to nature and the physical world around us is essential to our wellbeing. Outdoor Education is an integral part of our signature Clover curriculum. Each week, our Midtown Elementary students travel to Earl Bales Park for a wide variety of activities. It offers our students the chance to cultivate real world skills, understand our interdependence with nature, and act as proud stewards of the environment. Combining lessons in ecology, biology and zoology mixed with adventure-based programming and survival skills, our Outdoor Education program is both educational and fun for students and teachers alike!
Celebration of diversity is an important focus in each of our classrooms ranging from Toddler to Middle School. As a non-denominational school with a diverse group of families in our community, it is important that our students learn about different cultures and religions and their customs, practices and traditions. Most recently, our students learned about and celebrated Diwali, the Indian Festival of Lights.
Our students have been busy bees this fall season. From cultural celebrations and seasonal activities to outdoor adventuring and working hard in the classroom, there is always something exciting happening here at The Clover School. Our students work hard and play hard – our days are filled with a lot of learning and a lot of laughter. Check back in the coming weeks to learn about all of the holiday happenings at each of our campuses!