On Saturday, April 27, CDS hosted the annual Conference of Independent Schools Teachers of English - or CITE - conference, welcoming 48 English teachers from various schools across Ontario for a day of professional learning about the future of English education in a digital age. The day included a keynote speaker and 10 different teacher workshops, including four run by CDS faculty.
The day concluded with a panel discussion moderated by Mr. Harvey. Three brave grade 12 students - Roshni Karmali '24, Hailey Casciato '24 and Adam Montgomery '24 - took to the stage with our other panel members, Mr. Lesiuk and Mr. Rafferty, for an hour of questions about their experiences in the English classrooms, their opinions on AI, and how they envision the future of English education.
The day would not have run as smoothly as it did without the help of the student ambassadors who registered, guided and toured our visitors. The English department would like to thank Misha Svystonyuk '25, Aydin Jiwani '25, Marcus Kongjika '26, Lucas Colozza '26, Rian Pajpani '26, Anya Sood '26, Carter Saley '26, Paige Benjamin '26, Olivia Jeppesen '26, Andrii Bessarab '25 and Martin Kongjika '25 who represented CDS wonderfully.
Each year, CITE holds three student writing competitions. The prompt for the main competition this year asked students to write a piece from the point of view of a technological device. Winning submissions are then published in the INCITE Anthology. The competition was judged by Karma Brown, a Toronto-based award-winning author, who stated that “The entries were impressive, showcasing great skill and creativity, and choosing the top three wasn't easy”. This makes it all the more exciting that Logan Colozza '29 in grade 7 placed third in his age group this year and was invited to participate in the writing workshop with Karma Brown on Saturday.
The CITE Executive also asked Art teachers across Ontario to submit pieces of artwork that they deemed worthy of publication in the INCITE Journal. We are also proud to announce that pieces by the following students were chosen to be included in this year’s publication. Congratulations to Angela Barani '26, Angelina Cai '25, Arden Estabrooks '26, Caterina Cesaria '26, Claire Sokullu '25, Eden Davis '25, Hadia Fahad '26, Izabella Marzilli '25, Kitty Zhang '25, Madelyn McCarthy '24, Sienna Dell Elce '26, Vanessa Bobechko '26 and Vanessa Gianikos '26. Extra copies of the INCITE journal can be purchased; please contact Ms. Hudson for more information.
Submissions are now being accepted for the Spring writing competition that asks students to write a poem in any form and of any length about the ‘promise of Spring’. Entries should be shared with the student’s English teacher before May 22.
Sarah Hudson,
Head of the English Department, CITE Conference Chair
The Country Day School wishes to recognize and acknowledge the land on which the school operates. Our nearest Indigenous Nations are now the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the Chippewas of Georgina Island. The Dish with One Spoon Wampum covenant is often cited as an example of the shared responsibility for caring for these lands among the Huron-Wendat, Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples who would call these their traditional territories. CDS respects the relationship with these lands and recognizes that our connection to this land can be strengthened by our continued relationship with all First Nations, by acknowledging our shared responsibility to respect and care for the land and waters for future generations.
Founded in 1972, The Country Day School is a co-educational private school offering programs in JK-12 and located on 100 acres north of Toronto in King.