List of 15 news stories.

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  CDS Speech & Debate Team Gears Up for Provincials and Nationals

  It’s been a busy time in the land of Speech and Debate!
  
  Last Sunday, CDS hosted the York Regional Senior Debating Qualifier Tournament with five teams of two participating against teams from across York Region. Congratulations to all the teams who participated, including: Austin Cheng ‘29 and Kenneth Wang ‘29, Yolanda Sun ‘28  and Sophie Yuan ‘28, Sasha Nigul ‘28 and Ethan Starkman ‘28, Isla Gunning ‘30 and Aara Ko ‘30 and Adhya Chandradat ‘27 and Aneesa Khan ‘27. 
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  Dr. Kapila brings Biology to Life for Health Sciences Club

  We were fortunate to have Dr. Kapila, a CDS Parent, Board member and vascular surgeon, as a special guest at Ms. Griffin’s and Ms. Lee’s Health Sciences Club yesterday.

  
  

  Students had an incredible, hands-on opportunity to observe and understand real cadaver organs, including lungs and kidneys, bringing their learning directly from the textbook to the lab bench. This kind of experiential learning is what sets the CDS Health Sciences Club apart.

  
  

  Thank you Dr. Kapila for bringing your expertise to CDS, inspiring our students, and transforming complex biology into something truly memorable! 
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  Visiting Guests in Careers Class Inspire Students

  Over the past few weeks, CDS has hosted some inspirational alumni as guest speakers in Ms. Romanowich’s Grade 10 Careers class. Jesse Levine ’19, Senior Coordinator of Amateur Scouting for the Toronto Blue Jays, was still riding the high of the Jays’ recent World Series run. His story is a quintessential roadmap for chasing down and realizing one's dreams.
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  Grade 3 Students Step Back in Time at Black Creek Pioneer Village

  By Katie Chadsey
  

   

  Last week, CDS Grade 3 students had the remarkable opportunity to step back into the 1800s as part of their Social Studies unit, Communities in Canada (1780–1850). Their learning began on campus with an immersive scavenger hunt in the Eversley Schoolhouse - now our library, and a visit across the road to St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Cemetery, where students explored original headstones and learned about community life in the 19th century.
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  Innovation in Action: Grade 8s Shine at Future Prize Challenge

  Last week, CDS hosted facilitators from the Future Design School for an exciting and full-day innovation event for our Grade 8 students. In preparation for the conference-like event, the Future Prize Challenge, students were placed in groups along with one of their teachers. Students chose an issue they are passionate about, learned about their issue and those most impacted by it, prepared surveys and gathered data in advance.
  
  Students and their teachers were inspired and led by facilitators to think creatively, collaborate deeply, and design solutions to their issues (i.e. Stress and Students, Uniforms, Balance and Mental Health, Traffic at CDS, Homework, and How to Make Lockers More Efficient) that impact their community.
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  SK Zoo Learning Inquiry

  By the SK Teachers

   

  In October, our SK classes embarked on an exciting adventure to the zoo, where students had the chance to observe their favourite animals up close. Seeing the animals in their habitats sparked curiosity, excitement, and a desire to learn more.
  
  

  Back at school, we dove into research, exploring a variety of fascinating topics connected to each child’s chosen animal.
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  CDS Student Debuts Film at Austin Film Festival

  Audrey Jiang ‘26 has always enjoyed movies and TV series, spanning a wide range of genres - from Shawshank Redemption (empathy, hope and resilience) to Black Mirror (negative impacts of technology on human life) - two that have had a huge influence on her life. While in Middle School, she got involved in public speaking at CDS and has continued with it throughout high school. Two years ago, she tried stand-up comedy and discovered she enjoyed making people laugh.
  
  According to Audrey, “All three of these activities underscore the importance of effective communication and the ability to tailor your message to your audience’s interests and preferences.”
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  CDS Students Shine at International Public Speaking Competition

  Incredible memories were made when more than 120 high school students representing 37 schools from five countries gathered at Waynflete School in Portland, Maine, for the International Independent Schools’ Public Speaking Competition (IISPSC) held October 15–20.

   

  Three CDS public speaking students — Adhya Chandradat, Aneesa Khan, and Audrey Jiang — had the remarkable opportunity to compete alongside their veteran coaches, taking part in three categories: persuasive speaking (a memorized 12-minute speech), interpretive reading, and impromptu speaking, where competitors are given a topic, have two minutes to prepare, and then must speak for three to five minutes.
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  Guest Artist Meher Pavri visits Middle and Senior vocal classes

  By Ms. Alexander-Lui

  
  

  Yesterday, professional actress and singer Meher Pavri visited Ms. Alexander-Lui’s Middle and Senior Vocal Music classes to perform for students, workshop some of their pieces, and answer questions about careers in the arts.

  
  

  Meher Pavri is a Parsi-Canadian soprano from London, Ontario, known for her work in opera, musical theatre, theatre, and film/television. Her career highlights include performing as Maria in West Side Story (LOT, Windsor Symphony Orchestra, Niagara Symphony Orchestra); appearing as a soloist with Soulpepper Theatre, most recently in 88 Keys; and creating roles in the world premiere of The Overcoat, A Musical Tailoring (CanStage, Tapestry Opera, Vancouver Opera). She has also appeared in Mozart’s Idomeneo (Opera Atelier), Mahabharata (Shaw Festival), and the Canadian premiere of Bend It Like Beckham: The Musical (Starvox).
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  Robotic Adventures in the Junior School

  By Rachel Griffin and Noor Al-Riyami, Grade 6 Students
  

  
  This week the grade sixes and grade ones took a robotic adventure together to Hogwarts.

   

  The robots were sorted into houses by the sorting hat. Then working together with one another the students programmed the robot to find their Harry Potter house - my first one was Ravenclaw. Once we arrived there we modified our program and headed off to play Quidditch.
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  Parent Teacher Interviews

  An email was sent earlier today to all CDS families pertaining to the Parent-Teacher Interviews taking place on Wednesday, November 5th and Thursday, November 6th.
   
  Please refer to the attached for important information and instructions on HOW and WHEN to book your interviews through the On-Line Scheduler. The scheduler opens on Thursday, October 23rd at 7 p.m.. You must be able to login to to access Pick-A-Time.*
   
  Please note:
  As PTIs start at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 5th, classes will end at 1:30 p.m. for ALL students, with buses departing at 1:45 p.m. There are NO classes on Thursday, November 6th.
   
  Please remember that CDS is a scent-free environment. Thank you.
  
  *If you have never logged into MyCDS before, or have forgotten your username or password, please refer to the MyCDS Login Instructions that can be found at www.cds.on.ca/help or call the office at (905)-833-1220.
   
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  The Power of Emptying Your Backpack

  Best-selling author and motivational speaker Sam Demma visited CDS on Tuesday morning to inspire both Middle and Senior School students in two uplifting assemblies. His message - “Empty Your Backpack” - encouraged students to hold onto the positive stories that lift them up and let go of the negative ones that weigh them down.
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  CDS Annual GY Trips Are a Memorable Right of Passage for Grade 12s

  The GY Trip is a valued CDS tradition and right of passage for Grade 12 students and is now in its second decade. This year the buses rolled out on Wednesday, September 24th and were greeted by open roads and three days of terrific tours and sessions.

   

  The East trip made stops at McGill, Ottawa U, Carleton and Queen's with overnight stays in Montreal and Kingston. The West trip visited the campuses of McMaster, Guelph, Laurier, Waterloo and Western (plus Huron), while bunking down in Waterloo and London.
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  2024-2025 Grades 3-6 Math Contest Awards

  By Liane Cooke

  
  

  In April 2025, 81 students from Grades 3, 4, 5 and 6 wrote the annual Canada-wide Mathematica contests. 

  • Grade 3: CDS ranked 12th out of 190 schools
  • Grade 4:CDS ranked 19th out of 298 schools 
  • Grade 5: CDS ranked 13th out of 398 schools
  • Grade 6: CDS ranked 33 out of 405 schools

  Those are very impressive results and they indicate that we have some very dedicated and talented mathematicians in the Junior School!

  
  
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  Debaters Compete in early Bird Fulford Tournament

  By Andrea Davidson

   

  Last Saturday, eight CDS debaters travelled to MacLachlan College to compete in the early bird Fulford tournament. This is an impromptu debate where students have 30 minutes to prepare for a resolution.

  
  

  CDS fared incredibly well with special mention going to the Junior team of Akshaya Chandradat, Vivienne Chen, Isla Gunning and Aara Ko who placed second overall while competing against students in Grades 9 and 10.
  
  Congratulations also go to Isla Gunning for winning 4th place in the Junior category and Adhya Chandradat for placing 3rd in the Senior category. Adhya was joined by three fellow Senior team members Yolanda Sun, Sophie McLachlin and Renee Ng.
  
  Well done to the entire team for their quick thinking and sharp arguments!