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 <h1>5 Fast Facts: Moot Court Competition</h1>

 Even amid a challenging pandemic, experiential learning opportunities continue for students at St. Michael’s College School (SMCS) in a virtual form.

 For the second year in a row, the annual Moot Court Competition scheduled for Thursday, May 13 will be hosted online.

 “The SMCS community has faced multiple challenges over the past 15 months, whether it be navigating through multiple lockdowns, or having to pivot from in-person learning to online learning overnight, I feel everyone has adapted quickly and efficiently,” says Joseph Tropea, SMCS faculty member and co-organizer of this year’s event. “When planning this event last fall, we knew there would be a possibility of us being back online exclusively, so we properly planned for two realistic scenarios, which made our transition essentially seamless.”

 <figure id="attachment_5629" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-5629" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/moot-court-1.jpg" alt="This year is the 18th year that St. Michael&#039;s College School has hosted the Moot Court Competition for Grade 12 law students. (Photo taken prior to the pandemic)" width="1200" height="800" class="size-full wp-image-5629" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/moot-court-1.jpg 1200w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/moot-court-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/moot-court-1-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-5629" class="wp-caption-text">This year is the 18th year that St. Michael&#8217;s College School has hosted the Moot Court Competition for Grade 12 law students. (Photo taken prior to the pandemic)</figcaption></figure>

 The SMCS Moot Court Competition provides an opportunity for Grade 12 law students to actively engage and immerse themselves in the world of law by participating in a mock appeal hearing similar to one in the Ontario Court of Appeal. 

 “The event is an excellent blend of critical thinking and experiential learning,” says Kevin Shaughnessy, SMCS faculty. “In addition to the obvious experiential learning opportunity and benefits, I wanted to help keep the Moot Court Competition going this year (and in the years to come) as a tribute to the legacy of my father, the late Honourable Mr. Justice Bryan Shaughnessy ’68, OSM.”

 The appeal chosen for this year&#8217;s competition was generated by the Ontario Justice Education Network (OJEN), which provides frameworks, resources, and mock trial scenarios for producing a moot court competition.

 <figure id="attachment_5630" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-5630" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/moot-court-2.jpg" alt="Grade 12 SMCS students participating in a mock trial at the Moot Court Competition in 2019." width="1200" height="800" class="size-full wp-image-5630" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/moot-court-2.jpg 1200w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/moot-court-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/moot-court-2-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-5630" class="wp-caption-text">Grade 12 SMCS students participating in a mock trial at the Moot Court Competition in 2019.</figcaption></figure>

 The fictitious R v. Powell, a pseudonym for an actual, historical landmark case in Canadian Law, deals with reasonable limits, legal rights, unlawful search and seizure, arbitrary detention, procedural rights, obtaining counsel, and the admissibility of evidence applicable to sections 8, 9, 10, and 24(2) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, respectively.

 Here are some fast facts about the Moot Court Competition:

 <ol> 
 <li>The event is its 18th year and was started by David Lee ’94, SMCS Vice Principal, with the help and expertise of the late Honourable Mr. Justice Bryan Shaughnessy. Justice Shaughnessy donated the trophy, ‘The Shaughnessy Cup’, that is awarded annually to the winner.</li> 
 <li>This year’s appellants are Grade 12 students: Gianluca Cudizio, Ellis Grange, and Hugo (Marshall) Hinojosa. This year’s respondents are Grade 12 students: Mwanyumba Ng&#8217;ang&#8217;a and Yafiet Teame.</li> 
 <li>Competition will be adjudicated virtually by the Honourable Mr. Justice Mark Edwards (Chief Senior Regional Justice of the Superior Court of Justice for the Central East Region), the Honourable Mr. Justice Hugh O&#8217;Connell (Superior Court of Justice, Central East Region), and the Honourable Mr. Justice Michael Quigley (Superior Court of Justice, Toronto Region).</li> 
 <li>In addition to naming a winning team, a top advocate is selected and awarded the St. Thomas More Legal Advocacy and Shaughnessy Family Award. The award was established by the late Honourable Mr. Justice Bryan Shaughnessy, and awarded annually to the graduating student who has shown an aptitude for the study of law and the various forms of advocacy practised during the year.</li> 
 <li>Every year, a new case scenario is assigned that best complements the legal issues studied in class in addition to the students’ interests and relevance.</li>
 </ol> 

 <figure id="attachment_5631" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-5631" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/moot-court-3.jpg" alt="Fr. Andrew Leung, CSB (left) with Kevin Shaughnessy (right), the late Honourable Justice Bryan Shaughnessy ’68, OSM (middle) as well as two other justices who presided over a previous Moot Court Competition in 2019." width="1200" height="800" class="size-full wp-image-5631" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/moot-court-3.jpg 1200w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/moot-court-3-300x200.jpg 300w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/moot-court-3-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-5631" class="wp-caption-text">Fr. Andrew Leung, CSB (left) with Kevin Shaughnessy (right), the late Honourable Justice Bryan Shaughnessy ’68, OSM (middle) as well as two other justices who presided over a previous Moot Court Competition in 2019.</figcaption></figure>

</div>
<section>
Related links:
<a href="https://st-michaels-college-school-one.vercel.app/why-smcs/experiential-learning">Experiential Learning</a>
<a href="https://st-michaels-college-school-one.vercel.app/news-events">News And Events</a>
</section>

5 Fast Facts: Moot Court Competition

<div class="page-inner">

 <h1>A Storybook Finished: Student Submission Spotlights Inclusivity</h1>

 The medium, the message and perhaps most importantly the meaning behind both resonated with Zac Bates from the start &#8212; even though it would require extending himself out of his comfort zone. 

 <figure id="attachment_5644" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-5644" style="width: 400px" class="wp-caption float-left"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/zac-bates.jpg" alt="Zac Bates, Grade 11 student" width="400" height="600" class="size-full wp-image-5644" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/zac-bates.jpg 400w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/zac-bates-200x300.jpg 200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-5644" class="wp-caption-text">Zac Bates, Grade 11 student</figcaption></figure>

 &#8220;I got involved because of my love of writing and the message the contest is exemplifying, which is very important in a time where everybody feels so far apart from each other,&#8221; says Bates, a Grade 11 student at St. Michael&#8217;s College School (SMCS).  

 The messenger in this story is SMCS&#8217; Student Wellness Officer Liat Benzacar, who also serves as the staff lead of the school&#8217;s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Student Engagement group. 

 Conceived at the start of the current school year, &#8220;the group hopes to empower and elevate student voices, creating space where students feel confident and comfortable to use it,” Benzacar says. “This is the space where we believe students will also be able to best understand, with tools and background, racial inequity, privilege, and allyship.&#8221; 

 <figure id="attachment_5646" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-5646" style="width: 400px" class="wp-caption float-right"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/liat-benzacar.jpg" alt="Liat Benzacar, Student Wellness Officer" width="400" height="600" class="size-full wp-image-5646" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/liat-benzacar.jpg 400w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/liat-benzacar-200x300.jpg 200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-5646" class="wp-caption-text">Liat Benzacar, Student Wellness Officer</figcaption></figure>

 Against that backdrop, Benzacar set about putting theory into practice. 

 &#8220;I was looking for opportunities for students to get involved with meaningful projects that allowed students to not only win prizes and add ‘published author’ to their resumes, but also create space for creative and meaningful reflection,&#8221; says Benzacar. &#8220;This contest seemed like a wonderful way to embrace them all!&#8221; 
 So, during what would traditionally be March Break, Bates confirmed his intention. 

 &#8220;It was important for me to participate because first of all, I love to write,&#8221; he says. &#8220;Second of all, I&#8217;ve never had a chance before to have something I wrote and its message be spread so far, so I wanted to take advantage of such a rare opportunity.&#8221; 

 The goal of The Diverse Minds Creative Writing Competition is to, &#8220;write and illustrate a children’s book that tells a story of diversity and inclusion.&#8221;  

 <figure id="attachment_5645" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-5645" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/diverse-minds-competition.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of: B&#039;Nai Brith Canada" width="1200" height="356" class="size-full wp-image-5645" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/diverse-minds-competition.jpg 1200w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/diverse-minds-competition-300x89.jpg 300w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/diverse-minds-competition-768x228.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-5645" class="wp-caption-text">Image courtesy of: <a href="https://www.bnaibrith.ca/diverse-minds-2020-21-is-here/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">B&#8217;Nai Brith Canada</a></figcaption></figure>

 The contest is organized by B&#8217;Nai Brith Canada which, according to its website, is the country’s oldest independent Jewish Human Rights organization, dedicated to eradicating racism, antisemitism and hatred in all its forms, championing the rights of the marginalized, while providing basic human needs for members of our community. 

 &#8220;A writing contest like this is a perfect opportunity for SMCS students to share with the world, skills learned in the classroom,&#8221; says Caroline Freibauer, Head Librarian at SMCS, who co-leads the school&#8217;s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Book Club. 

 For Bates &#8212; the writing was on the wall &#8212; to ensure success. 

 &#8220;I started to brainstorm for my book about three weeks before the deadline,&#8221; he says. &#8220;The easier part was probably coming up with the plot and scenes from the book, since I’m more used to the writing process than drawing.&#8221; 

 That meant reflecting on the book&#8217;s key themes as they continue to unfold in real-time around him.  

 <figure id="attachment_5642" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-5642" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/we-all-look-different-by-zac-bates.jpg" alt="A page from the storybook, &quot;We All Rise Together&quot; by Grade 11 student, Zac Bates." width="1200" height="1130" class="size-full wp-image-5642" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/we-all-look-different-by-zac-bates.jpg 1200w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/we-all-look-different-by-zac-bates-300x283.jpg 300w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/we-all-look-different-by-zac-bates-768x723.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-5642" class="wp-caption-text">A page from the storybook, &#8220;We All Rise Together&#8221; by Grade 11 student, Zac Bates.</figcaption></figure>

 &#8220;I define diversity as using our differences as a strength to better ourselves and the community,&#8221; continues Bates. He summarizes his view of inclusion as, &#8220;creating an environment where everybody can reach their true potential, no matter who they are.&#8221;  

 The task then involved distilling these messages into bite-sized chunks of relatable words for a young audience. 

 Then came a harder part. Bringing the message and meaning to life.  

 Having never hand-drawn an image to accompany a piece of writing, nor having had his work entered into or evaluated in a formal competition, Bates accepted multiple challenges head-on. 

 &#8220;For the drawing, I had to spend hours sketching and properly colouring the pages and cover art,&#8221; he says. &#8220;The biggest challenge was balancing this book and my school life. Around the time I started the illustrations, I had several assignments and tests coming up, so I had to manage my time.&#8221; 

 The result &#8212; a three-week-long effort yielding an 18-page storybook entitled, &#8220;We All Rise Together.&#8221; 

 <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/we-all-rise-together-by-zac-bates.jpg" alt="Storybook Finished cover" width="1200" height="1097" class="size-full wp-image-5643" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/we-all-rise-together-by-zac-bates.jpg 1200w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/we-all-rise-together-by-zac-bates-300x274.jpg 300w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/we-all-rise-together-by-zac-bates-768x702.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" />

 &#8220;I read it with tears in my eyes, &#8221; says Benzacar. &#8220;It completely embodies the work and intent of this contest.&#8221; 

 Adds Freibauer, &#8221;For me, the last two lines are really powerful – ‘And when we crest that hilltop, we’ll know we all rose together.’ He is telling us that together we can do anything.&#8221; 

 Winners of the contest are expected to be announced in September 2021. 

 Bates, who is contemplating a career in engineering, was the only SMCS student to submit an entry. 

 &#8220;I enjoyed setting a larger goal for myself and accomplishing it,&#8221; he says. &#8220;To finish such a big personal project was truly gratifying.&#8221; 

 As for his personal book review? &#8220;I hope people take away the message that however far apart or different we may be, we all go through struggles and through struggling together rather than alone, we can &#8212; not just overcome the obstacles, but thrive together as a community.&#8221; 

 Message delivered.  

 Mission accomplished. 

 Read: &#8220;<a href="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/We_all_rise_together_by_Zac_Bates.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">We All Rise Together</a>&#8221; by Zac Bates, Grade 11 student at St. Michael&#8217;s College School.  

</div>
<section>
Related links:
<a href="https://st-michaels-college-school-one.vercel.app/why-smcs/experiential-learning">Experiential Learning</a>
<a href="https://st-michaels-college-school-one.vercel.app/news-events">News And Events</a>
</section>

A Storybook Finished: Student Submission Spotlights Inclusivity

<div class="page-inner">

 <h1>Alumni helping alumni achieve optimal health</h1>

 As we continue to find ways to adapt and thrive during a pandemic, staying active and finding ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle remains a challenge. 

 Alumni well-being is the topic next up in the St. Michael’s College School (SMCS) Alumni Information Series calendar. The ninth edition takes place Wednesday, May 12 and will welcome special guests Daryl Devonish &#8217;87 and Dr. Cassidy Preston &#8217;05. 

 <figure id="attachment_5664" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-5664" style="width: 1023px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/daryl-devonish.jpg" alt="Daryl Devonish &#039;87 is a special guest in the upcoming SMCS Alumni Information Series event on alumni optimal health." width="1023" height="682" class="size-full wp-image-5664" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/daryl-devonish.jpg 1023w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/daryl-devonish-300x200.jpg 300w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/daryl-devonish-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1023px) 100vw, 1023px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-5664" class="wp-caption-text">Daryl Devonish &#8217;87 is a special guest in the upcoming SMCS Alumni Information Series event on alumni well-being.</figcaption></figure>

 “I&#8217;m giving back because I believe in paying it forward and educating those who are open to learning and utilizing new information to better themselves,” says Devonish. “It’s important to me as my mission is to educate and energize people on how to achieve optimal health throughout their life. Alumni should attend because this is a topic that affects us all. It&#8217;s easier to slow down the disease of aging when you&#8217;re proactive in the choices you make.” 

 <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/devonish-coaching.jpg" alt="Devonish Coaching - optimal health" width="828" height="464" class="size-full wp-image-5665" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/devonish-coaching.jpg 828w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/devonish-coaching-300x168.jpg 300w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/devonish-coaching-768x430.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 828px) 100vw, 828px" />

 Devonish has been involved in the fitness and teaching industry for over 30 years and has worked with everyone from the average beginner to CEOs of major companies, professional athletes, and celebrities. He is a true believer in helping people build quality life experiences through active, healthy living and learning how to develop a positive mindset. 

 <figure id="attachment_5663" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-5663" style="width: 400px" class="wp-caption float-left"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/cassidy-preston-w400.jpg" alt="Cassidy Preston" width="400" height="600" class="size-full wp-image-5663" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/cassidy-preston-w400.jpg 400w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/cassidy-preston-w400-200x300.jpg 200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-5663" class="wp-caption-text">Cassidy Preston</figcaption></figure>

 “I know the meaningful impact that shifting our mindset can have on our ability to perform our best in work and life and enjoy the journey at the same time,” says Preston, who hopes alumni attending will find out how to achieve a better work-life balance and improve their physical and mental health goals.  

 “I&#8217;ve experienced this first-hand in my life and have had the pleasure of helping countless others experience these benefits. Our culture generally gives generic advice and perpetuates limiting beliefs, but in this Alumni Info Series, you can expect to learn concepts and strategies that are practical and progressive.” 

 Preston received his PhD in Sport &#038; Performance Psychology from York University. He is the founder of Consistent Elite Performance and is a full-time Mental Performance Coach helping elite athletes, teams, and businesses increase their performance and well-being. As a former professional hockey player, he combines his personal experiences with current research in sport and performance psychology to create relatable and practical strategies for his clients to apply. 

 <figure id="attachment_5666" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-5666" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/preston-teaching.jpg" alt="Dr. Cassidy Preston &#039;05 will join the upcoming SMCS Alumni Information Series on alumni well-being." width="1200" height="675" class="size-full wp-image-5666" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/preston-teaching.jpg 1200w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/preston-teaching-300x169.jpg 300w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/preston-teaching-768x432.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-5666" class="wp-caption-text">Dr. Cassidy Preston &#8217;05 will join the upcoming SMCS Alumni Information Series on alumni well-being.</figcaption></figure>

 The panelists will provide insight to the attendees on how to find a rhythm between work and personal life, change behaviours and habits, learn the ability to adapt, build a support team, and more, while answering participants&#8217; questions. 

 “We are excited to welcome both Daryl and Cassidy to the Alumni Information Series panel and have them share their expertise and passion for this topic,” says Matt Montemurro ’05, Alumni Association Vice President and moderator. “We continue to look for new ways to reach out to and support SMCS alumni in all facets of their lives.” 

 Alumni are invited to <a href="https://www.mysmcs.com/alumni-info-series" target="_blank" rel="noopener">register</a> for the discussion on May 12 at 7 p.m. Questions for Daryl and Cassidy can be forwarded to Stephanie Nicholls at <a href="mailto:nicholls@smcsmail.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nicholls@smcsmail.com</a>.

</div>

Alumni helping alumni achieve optimal health

<div class="page-inner">

 <h1>Ask the Doctor: ParenTalks Medical Lead Tackles Varied Topics</h1>

 A mainstay of nine previous ParenTalks presentations at St. Michael&#8217;s College School (SMCS), Dr. Mark Broussenko &#8217;07 is used to applying a mental health lens to a variety of topics &#8212; both with and without a medical focus. 

 In the final ParenTalks event of the 2020-21 academic year, Dr. Broussenko, a family physician and hospitalist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (<a href="https://www.camh.ca/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">CAMH</a>), got granular with his trademark straight talk on several familiar and emerging themes. 

 <figure id="attachment_5669" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-5669" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/parentalks-panel.jpg" alt="ParenTalks Panel" width="1200" height="664" class="size-full wp-image-5669" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/parentalks-panel.jpg 1200w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/parentalks-panel-300x166.jpg 300w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/parentalks-panel-768x425.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-5669" class="wp-caption-text">ParenTalks Panel</figcaption></figure>

<h3>Ask The Doctor</h3>

 Dr. Broussenko answered questions pertaining to wellness &#8212; offering strategies for parents and families. 

 Here are some of the highlights: <h2>On addressing wellness concerns:</h2> 

 &#8220;Be realistic. Meet your kids and meet the world where it is not where you want it to be. And that gets especially hard at this pace, particularly with this significant global event that&#8217;s going on, where all of us wish things were different.  

 If people are struggling, if you&#8217;re having communication issues, if there&#8217;s a breakdown in some sort of relationship, you kind of have to own that. Call a spade a spade and realize that you and your children and your partners and the rest of the world are now not functioning enough, communicating in the way that you want to be. 

 Call things out directly. Speak to them clearly and directly about the things that are going on. If you think that someone is sad, say so. If you think that someone&#8217;s anxious, say so. There&#8217;s no right or wrong way to tell someone that they&#8217;re sad, and there&#8217;s no right or wrong way to deal with it. But if you don&#8217;t ever address it, if you don&#8217;t bring it into the open and normalize it as a topic of conversation, if you&#8217;re hiding behind euphemisms and sidestepping things, you&#8217;re just not really going to get anywhere. 

 You&#8217;re going to save so much time, conversationally, just being direct and honest with each other. 

 Those are my big themes, and they apply to everything from screen-time to anxiety to every other kind of wellness initiative that you might be looking at talking about.&#8221; <h2>Coping strategies versus root causes:</h2> 

 &#8220;A lot of the times people, I think, have a big mismatch. They address the coping strategies that are really the root causes of the issue and vice versa. Because some coping strategies are temporary until the root cause gets stabilized. And some root causes are unmodifiable, and so your coping strategies need to change. And realizing, can I or can I not change the root cause that&#8217;s motivating and driving this behaviour makes a huge difference, because it removes a lot of options off the table.&#8221; 

 <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/mark-broussenko-smcs-parentalks.jpg" alt="Mark Broussenko" width="300" height="298" class="size-full wp-image-5670" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/mark-broussenko-smcs-parentalks.jpg 300w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/mark-broussenko-smcs-parentalks-150x150.jpg 150w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />

 <h2>Potentially facing a second pandemic summer:</h2> 

 &#8220;Imagine the things that your kids are supposed to do. There&#8217;s supposed to be some amount of socialization, some amount of, learning or self-discovery or self-growth time and some amount of physical activity. 

 This is probably going to be a summer where you&#8217;re going to try to meet some amount of your child&#8217;s interpersonal, physical, and intellectual needs, and then just get through until the world gets back to normal. 

 The first summer, completely fine to not have had a great idea of how things are going to look. I think this one, we have a much better sense. And so it&#8217;s probably going to be a lot easier to come up with a structured plan to just mitigate some of those risks. Like if you can&#8217;t have your kids at home, because they drive you crazy when you&#8217;re trying to work, you&#8217;re going to need to come up with a childcare plan, and probably expect that to be in place for at least June and July and maybe part of August.&#8221; <h2>Addressing apathy or a lack of motivation:</h2> 

 &#8220;If you&#8217;re constantly doing stuff, most people will continue to do those things, even in the absence of kind of external pressures, or stressors or drivers. And as the amount of things that are available to do, go down, people have tended to focus some of their activities, and it&#8217;s harder to motivate them because they&#8217;ve gotten out of the habit of constantly doing things. 

 My recommendation is when you see a child is completely withdrawn from everything is to start to focus on some of the things that they&#8217;d like to do, and try to pair and stapled on with some other things that they have to do. 

 So, you can totally play video games in your room, but you also need to clean your room.&#8221; 

 <iframe loading="lazy" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EQk_ZnTlQ6g" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> 

 <h2>What to do if a medical intervention or therapy is necessary:</h2> 

 &#8220;The first thing that you&#8217;re going to want for any kind of therapy or any kind of intervention, is the realization that you can&#8217;t do therapy to people. You do therapy with people. If they don&#8217;t want to do it, you will not be able to do it. 

 If your child doesn&#8217;t accept that they have a problem that they want help with, dragging them to any number of specialists &#8212; no one is sufficiently persuasive to convince a 16-year-old who doesn&#8217;t want to do something &#8212; that they should. It does not work. 

 You&#8217;re going to have to talk to your son or daughter and have them tell you, I don&#8217;t want to feel this way anymore. And then you tell them, okay, there&#8217;s lots of things we can do, specifically. So, a lot of the strategies that we often use are strategies in terms of mindfulness and journaling, and some cognitive behavioural therapy strategies.&#8221; 

 Dr. Broussenko also addressed: 
 <ul> 
 <li>Addictive behaviours</li> 
 <li>Family Dynamics</li> 
 <li>Connectedness</li> 
 <li>Parent self-care</li> 
 </ul> 

</div>
<section>
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<a href="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/parents/parentalks">ParentTalks Archive</a>
<a href="https://st-michaels-college-school-one.vercel.app/news-events">News And Events</a>
</section>

Ask the Doctor: ParenTalks Medical Lead Tackles Varied Topics

<div class="page-inner">
<h1>Enhancing Learning Possibilities with Digital Technology</h1>

Students and staff at St. Michael’s College School (SMCS) will be leveraging technology more than ever before with the help of an expanded programme that will put a device in the hands of every student this fall.

The Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) programme will require students in Grades 9 to 12 to use their own school-approved device to support their classroom learning. Students in Grades 7 and 8 will continue to use the school-issued device, Microsoft Surface Go 2.

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/smcs-math-club-international-fetured-image.jpg" alt="SMCS Math Club - Boys in class doing math" width="711" height="624" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-5491" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/smcs-math-club-international-fetured-image.jpg 711w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/smcs-math-club-international-fetured-image-300x263.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 711px) 100vw, 711px" />

The BYOD student programme’s mission is to embrace technology, foster responsible digital citizenship, support inquiry-based learning environments, and enhance digital literacy, creativity, innovation, critical thinking, and collaboration.

“Incorporating technology into an already strong Liberal Arts programme allows students to be more versatile communicators, be more diverse in their creative expression, and be more collaborative individuals in their community,” says Mark Viola &#8217;97, SMCS teacher and the Innovation in Learning Lead. “It allows the learning to extend outside of the physical classroom by promoting connections.”

SMCS opted for a BYOD programme as opposed to a school-owned device programme to give families more choice in selecting an approved device that students feel most comfortable using, therefore increasing their engagement.

<figure id="attachment_5493" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-5493" style="width: 800px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/SMCS-students-working-collaboratively-in-class-while-using-their-school-owned-devices.jpg" alt="SMCS students working collaboratively in class while using their school-owned devices." width="800" height="605" class="size-full wp-image-5493" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/SMCS-students-working-collaboratively-in-class-while-using-their-school-owned-devices.jpg 800w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/SMCS-students-working-collaboratively-in-class-while-using-their-school-owned-devices-300x227.jpg 300w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/SMCS-students-working-collaboratively-in-class-while-using-their-school-owned-devices-768x581.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-5493" class="wp-caption-text">SMCS students working collaboratively in class while using their school-owned devices.</figcaption></figure>

“Students become distracted when they are disengaged from the material they are learning in the classroom – this occurs whether they have a device or not. Students become disengaged in learning when they do not see a connection to what they are learning and do not understand how the content is relevant to their lives,” says Viola. “A rich learning environment, like the one provided at SMCS, is one that focuses on making content relevant for its students and technology is a key tool in that learning.

“Technology provides students with opportunities to have a fuller understanding of the material they are learning,” he says. “When used in conjunction with rich, meaningful learning opportunities, technology promotes more engagement from students.”

Currently, SMCS students may bring and use their own devices in class at their teacher’s direction. In addition, as a result of the pandemic over the past year, many students have already integrated these devices into their daily learning.

<figure id="attachment_5498" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-5498" style="width: 800px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/smcs-Bring-Your-Own-Device-.jpg" alt="The Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) programme will empower students in Grades 9-12 to use their own school-approved device, such as a laptop, to further enrich their learning experience at SMCS." width="800" height="533" class="size-full wp-image-5498" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/smcs-Bring-Your-Own-Device-.jpg 800w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/smcs-Bring-Your-Own-Device--300x200.jpg 300w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/smcs-Bring-Your-Own-Device--768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-5498" class="wp-caption-text">The Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) programme will empower students in Grades 9-12 to use their own school-approved device, such as a laptop, to further enrich their learning experience at SMCS.</figcaption></figure>

“Our faculty have been participating in technology-focused professional development opportunities for several years now,” says David Lee ’94, SMCS Vice Principal. “The focus of those sessions has been on leveraging technology in a way that allows new learning, collaboration, and creativity to occur in ways that would not be otherwise possible. Our primary focus has been on using technology to enhance the learning experience, and not just on using technology for technology’s sake.

“We have a number of certified Microsoft Innovative Educators, Apple Distinguished Educators, and Nearpod certified educators on staff and that number will continue to grow,” he says. “We have also entered into a partnership with Nelson Publishing and will be using their digital resource known as Edwin for several classes next year. One of our first goals will be to teach students how to effectively use the various platforms to ensure that they are growing as future-ready learners and leaders.”

<figure id="attachment_5499" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-5499" style="width: 800px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/smcs-Students-have-opportunities-in-class.jpg" alt="Enhancing learning - Students have opportunities in class to work on pen and paper activities as well as approved digital devices. (Photo was taken prior to the COVID-19 pandemic)" width="800" height="533" class="size-full wp-image-5499" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/smcs-Students-have-opportunities-in-class.jpg 800w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/smcs-Students-have-opportunities-in-class-300x200.jpg 300w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/smcs-Students-have-opportunities-in-class-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-5499" class="wp-caption-text">Students have opportunities in class to work on pen and paper activities as well as approved digital devices. (Photo was taken prior to the COVID-19 pandemic)</figcaption></figure>

A <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-631-x/2020004/s8-eng.htm" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Statistics Canada report</a> in 2020 found that over half of parents were very concerned about the amount of screen time their children were engaged in since the start of the pandemic. With the increase in youth screen time being top of mind, parents do not need to be concerned that the BYOD programme will enhance it.

“Most concerns over youth and screen time centre around passive consumption on social media platforms,” adds Viola. “When students are asked to be ‘creators’ or ‘producers’ of content, they use technology as a tool.

“The focus at St. Michael’s College School has always been on offering a holistic education to foster students who are well-rounded,” he says. “Most aspects of our programme promote healthy, active living and in-person connection. This helps to provide the necessary balance between screen time and other activities.”

<figure id="attachment_5500" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-5500" style="width: 800px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/smcs-sudents-in-class.jpg" alt="Many SMCS students both in class and at home have already integrated devices into their everyday school life to support their learning." width="800" height="533" class="size-full wp-image-5500" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/smcs-sudents-in-class.jpg 800w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/smcs-sudents-in-class-300x200.jpg 300w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/smcs-sudents-in-class-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-5500" class="wp-caption-text">Many SMCS students both in class and at home have already integrated devices into their everyday school life to support their learning.</figcaption></figure>

“As the school prepares for the launch of BYOD this fall, our faculty will continue to leverage technology to deliver content and allow students to explore, inquire, create, and collaborate,” says Lee. “We look forward to future possibilities through our BYOD programme while recognizing the importance of continuing to engage students in paper and pen activities.”

</div>
<section>
Related links:
<a href="https://st-michaels-college-school-one.vercel.app/news-events">News And Events</a>
</section>

SMCS Math Club - Boys in class doing math

Enhancing Learning Possibilities with Digital Technology

<div class="page-inner">

 <h1>Parent Socials continue with Spring Game Night</h1>

 In a year that has been filled with change and unpredictability, the St. Michael’s College School Parents’ Association (SMCSPA) has adapted and found new and creative ways to connect and engage parents virtually – and they may have saved the best for last. 

 Beginning in the fall of 2020, virtual parent socials were launched through the grade representatives. These events provided parents with an opportunity to gather by grade in an online format, without a set agenda, to discuss the ongoings of the school, ask administration questions, and support each other. 

 “Our Parents’ Association team of grade representatives planned several virtual gatherings to assure parents we are here for each other and to stay connected to the school,” says Dora Garcia-Strube, one of the lead organizers of the fall socials. “Participation was great, and it was wonderful to see parents enjoy the social interaction. I believe that caring for each other always brings great satisfaction to our lives.” 

 <figure id="attachment_5693" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-5693" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/jam-zoom-img.jpg" alt="Parent Social - Image courtesy of: JAM" width="1200" height="661" class="size-full wp-image-5693" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/jam-zoom-img.jpg 1200w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/jam-zoom-img-300x165.jpg 300w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/jam-zoom-img-768x423.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-5693" class="wp-caption-text">Image courtesy of: JAM</figcaption></figure>

 Following the fall events, the Parents’ Association turned its attention to planning for the spring and brainstorming a new way to connect online with the parent community. 

 “The fall events were fairly well attended, but we wanted to take things up a notch and add a more fun, entertaining element for spring,” says SMCS parent Jen Hinder, the PA’s lead for the spring social event. “We recognize that families have been cooped-up over a long winter and mindful that some may be feeling Zoom fatigue, so we decided to hire a third-party, JAM, an online event planning company to help execute a fun and interactive game night.” 

 JAM, a division of Sport &#038; Social Group, a local sport and social company that pivoted at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic to offer a range of online games and activities for corporate team building and group social events. 

 The SMCSPA spring parent social will take place on Thursday, May 6 at 7 p.m. The first half of the evening will include gameplay hosted by JAM in small groups to ensure everyone gets involved. Following the game portion of the evening, the event will transition to chat rooms for a grade-specific social opportunity. 

 <figure id="attachment_5694" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-5694" style="width: 655px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/family-feud-img.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of: JAM" width="655" height="366" class="size-full wp-image-5694" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/family-feud-img.jpg 655w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/family-feud-img-300x168.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 655px) 100vw, 655px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-5694" class="wp-caption-text">Image courtesy of: JAM</figcaption></figure>

 The theme for the PA sponsored event is ‘Survey Says’, based on the highly popular, classic TV game show, Family Feud. All that’s required is a computer or mobile device with a camera, and a few of your favourite snacks. 

 “Our goal is to get as many SMCS parents as possible to participate and to ensure they have fun and foster their connection to the school that so many of us are missing,” says Hinder. 

 “The majority of the PA Executive will be in attendance, with some facilitating, so it will be a wonderful opportunity for parents to put faces to names and connect with their PA representatives. With families still stuck at home, we hope the unique, interactive engaging format will provide parents with an outlet to ‘get out’ and try something new and fun.” 

 “We are extremely grateful to our Grade Rep Committee for arranging awesome Parent Socials in the fall and spring,” says Ellie Maggio, SMCSPA President. “Their extraordinary effort to continually ensure parent engagement is truly a gift that our community is blessed to have.” 

 GAME NIGHT FOR PARENTS 

 Spring Event Details 

 Name: Survey Says.… Spring! 

 Who: All SMCS Parents 

 What: SMCSPA Parents’ Spring Social (approximately 45 minutes of third-party hosted gameplay followed by 45 minutes of PA Grade Rep hosted chat rooms) 

 When: Thursday, May 6, 2021 

 Time: 7 p.m. (Two games will run simultaneously for Grades 7-9 parents and Grades 10-12 parents) 

 RSVP: Check the SMCSPA Group on <a href="https://smcs.edsby.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Edsby</a> for the registration link 

 <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/smcs-jam-game-night-flyer_1.jpg" alt="" width="512" height="663" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-5695" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/smcs-jam-game-night-flyer_1.jpg 512w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/smcs-jam-game-night-flyer_1-232x300.jpg 232w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" />

 <a href="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/smcs-jam-game-night-flyer.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">View event flyer</a>

</div>
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Related links:
<a href="https://st-michaels-college-school-one.vercel.app/parents">Parents Portal</a>
<a href="https://st-michaels-college-school-one.vercel.app/news-events">News And Events</a>
</section>

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Enhancing Learning Possibilities with Digital Technology

Parent Social continues with Spring Game Night