List of 15 news stories.

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  Talk of the Town: Grades 7 & 8 Debate Their Way to Success

  Whether it is presenting in the classroom or speaking in front of an audience of hundreds, the importance of public speaking is everywhere. Over the past few weeks, all Grade 7 and 8 students have been actively engaged in exciting and enriching public speaking and debate units in their respective English classes. In collaboration with CDS Debate coaches, Mr. Robinson and Mrs. Wyndham-West, students have been honing their communication and critical-thinking skills while exploring the art of effective speech and argumentation.
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  The Holidays are a Perfect Opportunity to Collect Soda Pop Tabs!

  With the holiday season quickly approaching, it's the perfect time to come together and make a difference. As celebrations bring more opportunities for tasty treats and festive beverages, there will be more pop-can tabs and food-can tabs to collect than ever!

   

  If you remember, Social Justice members began collecting tabs from students on Terry Fox Day. We expanded the campaign from there and encouraged individuals to continue collecting tabs at home and bringing them into the office. If you look the next time you are in the office, you will see a container with an impressive number of tabs from those efforts. With holidays approaching, we want to remind everyone of this soda pop tab initiative and challenge you to bring in even more. Let’s fill that container!
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  Grammy Nominee Alumnus Visits with Music Students

  In their latest Music Production & Composition Unit, Grade 11/12 instrumental music students dive into the creative world of music-making with a DAW, crafting their very own original tracks. This hands-on experience is all about bringing musical ideas to life while mastering the art of production! 

  
  As a special bonus, the class had the opportunity to work with CDS alumnus and Grammy nominated artist Jack Emblem ‘11. Jack's expertise as a professional sound engineer was incredibly insightful and filled with meaningful feedback.
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  Inclusivity Club Rebrands as Gender and Sexuality Alliance

  The GSA, formerly known as the Inclusivity Club, has had a name change! The Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) represents all of the identities under the LGBTQ+ umbrella. It focuses on events such as Pink Shirt Day, CDS Pride Month, and other important days centering on pride and inclusion. It is also a safe space for students who are part of the LGBTQ+ community and allies to contribute to student life and make a difference.
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  Student Symposium at the Toronto Holocaust Museum

  Last week, four students travelled with Mr. Downer and Ms. Steadman to attend the Student Leaders’ Symposium on Antisemitism and the Holocaust, a full-day event held at the Toronto Holocaust Museum. There were two students from the Diversity Club, Maya Sood ‘28 and Serina Keshwani ‘28, and two from the Social Justice Club, Irene Li ‘26 and Niusha Safizadeh ‘26. 
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  Students Spread the Warmth for Inn from the Cold

  In the midst of a very busy month, the Social Justice Club wanted to take on an impromptu initiative that was meaningful, but would fit naturally into the school schedule. The group came up with the theme of ‘Spread the Warmth’ as we bid farewell to the fall term and heading into the cold months. This is a time when people naturally seek out more warmth and comfort and Social Justice wanted students to consider the more vulnerable who also need these things. 
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  TrailBlazHERS Panel Inspires and Informs

  Last Friday’s TrailBlazHERs panel, organized and moderated by Olivia Budweth '25 and Alyssa Gesualdo '25, was a resounding success with six highly accomplished panelists, including three alumni and a CDS parent, sharing invaluable career advice.
  
  

  Before introducing the panelists, Olivia acknowledged the significance of the day, December 6th, the 35th anniversary of the École Polytechnique shooting where 14 young women were murdered at their engineering school in Montreal.
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  CDS Alumni Women of the Week

  By Alyssa Gesualdo '25 and Olivia Budweth '25
  
  

  Women of the Week is a feature of the TrailblazHERs project, created by Alyssa Gesualdo ‘25 and Olivia Budweth ‘25. This initiative celebrates female CDS alumni who are breaking barriers in their fields, offering inspiration and serving as powerful role models for current CDS students as they begin to think about their own career paths and aspirations.

  
  Alyssa and Olivia will moderate a panel discussion with a few of these CDS TrailblazHERS tomorrow Friday, December 6th from 9:00 - 10:00am in the Paul C. Duckett Theatre for all interested students in Senior School. 

  
  

  Panelists will include:

   

   
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  CDS Summer Camp News!

  We are excited to share an update about the 2025 CDS Summer Camp! This year, camp will look a little different as our school undergoes significant renovations. To support our community, we are pleased to offer a special two-week camp exclusively for CDS families.
  
  What to Expect 
  The 2025 CDS Summer Camp will include our regular selection of fun and enriching activities that have been tailored for our campers. While this year's programming is scaled back, it will still offer opportunities for connection, learning, and adventure!
  
  We know how important CDS Summer Camp is for our families, which is why we have decided to go ahead with these two weeks only from June 16-27. During these two weeks, the camp will be open exclusively to our CDS community, including current students, siblings, and new students starting in September.
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  Cultural Desserts: A CDS Taste-Test Experience | Parent Sign-Up

  Dear Parents,

  
  We’re excited to announce a Cultural Taste-Testing Experience for Country Day School students, hosted by the Diversity team! This event will showcase festive foods and desserts from diverse cultures, offering students the chance to learn about different traditions through the universal language of food.

  
  We invite you to volunteer by preparing a dessert from your culture at home and sharing it with students at the event. Tasting servings for approximately 40 students would be ideal.

  
  If you're interested in volunteering, please fill out the Google Form before December 8th.

  
  Thank You, 

  
  The CDS Senior School Diversity Club
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  JS Author Visit

  The Junior School welcomed our beloved Joan Hargrave back from retirement to share her new book, Ellie Sleeps In. Students in JK, SK and Grade 1 were invited to the library to hear Joan read and sing along to several original songs she wrote to accompany the book. Both students and their teachers wiggled their bodies, snapped their fingers and clapped their hands as Joan sang and played her guitar.
  
  In addition to meeting Joan, the students were introduced to Bill Hunter, the illustrator of the book. As students asked questions, they complimented Bill’s illustrations and inquired about how he learned to draw so well.
  
  We are so grateful to Joan for writing and sharing such a sweet and heartwarming story about friendship with our students.

   
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  Reserve Your Tickets for Our Upcoming Holiday Concerts!

  Tickets for the Junior School Holiday Concert will be available this evening at 7 PM! There will be two performances:

  • Wednesday, December 18 at 1 PM matinee performance
  • Wednesday, December 18 at 7 PM evening performance 

  Due to seating limitations, tickets are limited to TWO seats per family for the evening performance.  If you have additional ticket needs, please make sure to secure tickets to the AFTERNOON performance which has no ticket limitations.

  
  Join us for an unforgettable day of musical joy and holiday spirit in the Paul C. Duckett Theatre. Our talented Junior School students have been working tirelessly to bring you a delightful showcase of their musical talents. From enchanting carols to lively holiday tunes, this concert promises to be a heartwarming celebration of the season.

  
  If you haven't already done so, don't forget to select your tickets for next week’s Middle and Senior School Music Night and Art Exhibition on Thursday, December 5 at 7 PM. 

  
  Thank you and we hope you enjoy the performances!
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  Students Excel at Ontario DECA Regionals

  Last weekend, 22 CDS Students attended the Ontario DECA Area 5 Regionals in Brampton. For 18 of these competitors, it was their first time at a regional DECA event, facing off against a formidable field of 2,900 other students.

  
  

  Congratulations to Jessica Nigul '25, Max Ngo '28, Aneesa Khan '27, Lily Chen '25, and Adhya Chandradat '27, who placed in the top 10 of their respective case study events.

  
  

  Special recognition is needed for Aneesa, who placed first overall in her event, Principles of Business Management, scoring high in both the test and the case study.
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  Supporting musical education this MS/SS dress down day

  The Grade 11/12 Instrumental Music class has been learning about music and the industry behind it that supports music education.

   

  A charity that has resonated with us is MusiCounts, which works tirelessly to ensure Canadian youth have access to music education through instruments, equipment, and resources.

   

  Hosting this fundraiser has been a meaningful way to give back, and we look forward to donating the funds from our November 29th dress-down day to this inspiring organization. Together, we can help keep music education alive and thriving!
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  Two CDS Debaters Qualify for Nationals

  On Monday evening this week, five CDS students travelled to Branksome Hall in Toronto to compete in the Ontario qualifiers for public speaking. Students were vying for 8 coveted spots at the National tournament to be held in Winnipeg in February.

   

  They had to compete in four events: parliamentary debate, persuasive speaking, interpretive reading, and impromptu speaking. Our students were outstanding!

   

  Adhya Chandradat '27 competed in her first-ever public speaking tournament and did extremely well, especially owing to the very high calibre of this event. Liam Gunning '27 placed 3rd in debating and 10th overall. Audrey Jiang '26 placed 1st in debating. Diviya Amarnath '25 placed 2nd in persuasive and 7th overall, qualifying her to attend the National tournament in Winnipeg. Ananya Kapur '26 placed 3rd in persuasive speaking, 2nd in impromptu and 8th overall, also qualifying her to attend the National tournament in Winnipeg.

   

  As always, coaches Mrs. Wyndham-West, Mr. Robinson and Mme Davidson are so proud of these students and their hard work preparing for this event.