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<h1>New Experiences and Learning at Grade 8 Winter Camp</h1>
<p>Community building and personal growth are among the common themes that run throughout the Outdoor and Experiential Education Programme at St. Michael’s College School (SMCS), and they remained the focus of the unique Grade 8 winter camp experience.</p>
<p>“The camp was a great success despite the inability to do some of our traditional activities,” says David Lee ’94, vice principal at SMCS. “The students, leaders, and staff had a great time.”</p>
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-gr8-winter-camp-1.webp" alt="SMCS outdoor education | Student on low ropes course" width="1200" height="800" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-11809" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-gr8-winter-camp-1.webp 1200w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-gr8-winter-camp-1-300x200.webp 300w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-gr8-winter-camp-1-768x512.webp 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /><br><br>
<p>Grade 8 students attended Camp Wanakita in Haliburton, Ontario with ALIVE Outdoors, an experiential and outdoor education company, from January 9 to 12 — the first four days back following the Christmas holidays.</p>
<p>With the recent warm temperatures and lack of snow, some of the traditional activities students experience such as cross country skiing, snowshoeing, and tobogganing, weren’t possible this year.</p>
<p>“We had some new rotations including orienteering, Arctic and Inuit games, and we had never done the low ropes courses or climbing initiatives in the winter,” says Lee. “We also had our first ever outdoor winter campfire liturgy.”</p>
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-gr8-winter-camp-15.webp" alt="SMCS Outdoor and Experiential Education | First winter Liturgy outside" width="1200" height="800" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-11806" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-gr8-winter-camp-15.webp 1200w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-gr8-winter-camp-15-300x200.webp 300w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-gr8-winter-camp-15-768x512.webp 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /><br><br>
<p>More than 75 students and senior student-leaders along with six faculty members attended this year’s winter camp. In addition to the valuable experiential education opportunities, the trip allows students to make lasting connections with their peers and the opportunity to be mentored and learn from the student-leaders — many of whom have experienced it for themselves.</p>
<p>“Students need to be fully immersed in the outdoors and understand nature during the winter season,” says Lee on the importance of providing a winter camp experience. “Many engage in winter activities such as skating or skiing but they rarely take the time to be present in the environment and reflect on the experience. Hopefully, they will be more mindful and appreciate the winter experience more.”</p>
<p>Check out a photo gallery below of the 2023 winter outdoor and experiential education camp for Grade 8 students:</p>

<div class="carousel">
    <div class="carousel-item align-center"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-gr8-winter-camp-5.webp" alt="SMCS Outdoor education | Students at camp" width="1200" height="800" /></div>
    <div class="carousel-item align-center"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-gr8-winter-camp-4-copy.webp" alt="" width="1200" height="800" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-11823" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-gr8-winter-camp-4-copy.webp 1200w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-gr8-winter-camp-4-copy-300x200.webp 300w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-gr8-winter-camp-4-copy-768x512.webp 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></div>
    <div class="carousel-item align-center"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-gr8-winter-camp-17.webp" alt="SMCS winter camp | Students cooking at camp" width="1200" height="800"  /></div>
    <div class="carousel-item align-center"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-gr8-winter-camp-11.webp" alt="SMCS Grade 8 Camp | Students building a fire in the snow" width="1200" height="800"  /></div>
    <div class="carousel-item align-center"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-gr8-winter-camp-14-copy.webp" alt="" width="1200" height="800" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-11821" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-gr8-winter-camp-14-copy.webp 1200w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-gr8-winter-camp-14-copy-300x200.webp 300w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-gr8-winter-camp-14-copy-768x512.webp 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></div>
    <div class="carousel-item align-center"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-gr8-winter-camp-7.webp" alt="SMCS outdoor and experiential education | Students looking at compasses" width="1200" height="800" /></div>
    <div class="carousel-item align-center"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-gr8-winter-camp-9.webp" alt="SMCS outdoor and experiential education | Students playing games in the snow" width="1200" height="800" /></div>
    <div class="carousel-item align-center"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-gr8-winter-camp-12.webp" alt="SMCS outdoor and experiential education | Students playing in the snow" width="1200" height="800" /></div>
    <div class="carousel-item align-center"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-gr8-winter-camp-13-copy.webp" alt="" width="1200" height="800" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-11820" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-gr8-winter-camp-13-copy.webp 1200w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-gr8-winter-camp-13-copy-300x200.webp 300w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-gr8-winter-camp-13-copy-768x512.webp 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></div>
    <div class="carousel-item align-center"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-gr8-winter-camp-8.webp" alt="SMCS winter outdoor education camp" width="1200" height="800" /></div>
    <div class="carousel-item align-center"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-gr8-winter-camp-16.webp" alt="SMCS experiential education | Students play drums indoors" width="1200" height="800"  /></div>
    <div class="carousel-item align-center"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-gr8-winter-camp-10-copy.webp" alt="" width="1200" height="800" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-11819" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-gr8-winter-camp-10-copy.webp 1200w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-gr8-winter-camp-10-copy-300x200.webp 300w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-gr8-winter-camp-10-copy-768x512.webp 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></div>
    <div class="carousel-item align-center"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-gr8-winter-camp-3-copy.webp" alt="" width="1200" height="800" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-11822" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-gr8-winter-camp-3-copy.webp 1200w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-gr8-winter-camp-3-copy-300x200.webp 300w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-gr8-winter-camp-3-copy-768x512.webp 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></div>
    <div class="carousel-item align-center"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-gr8-winter-camp-6.webp" alt="SMCS Outdoor education camp | Students looking at a map indoors" width="1200" height="800"  /></div>
    <div class="carousel-item align-center"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-gr8-winter-camp-2.webp" alt="SMCS Outdoor Education Camp | Students participating in low ropes course" width="1200" height="800" /></div>

</div>
<br><br>

<p><strong><em>Related links:</em></strong></p>
<p><a href="/programmes/academics#experiential" aria-label="Outdoor and Experiential Education Programme">Outdoor and Experiential Education Programme</a></p>
<p><a href="/student-life/mentorship-leadership" aria-label="Mentorship and Leadership">Mentorship and Leadership</a></p>


</div>

SMCS Outdoor Education Camp | Students participating in low ropes course

New Experiences and Learning at Grade 8 Winter Camp

<div class="page-inner">

<h1>Renowned Basketball Tournament Marks 60th Year</h1>

<p>St. Michael’s College School (SMCS) is getting set to host a major basketball tournament renowned for welcoming some of the top teams in the province.</p>
<p>From January 12 to January 14, 2023, the Dan Prendergast Invitational Senior Basketball Tournament will take over the SMCS gymnasium for its 60th year, after deferring the past three years due to the pandemic.</p>
<p>“The tournament is important for the school community and for our basketball student-athletes to display their skills,” says Kirt Charter ’82, Head of the Modern Languages and Classics Department and Sr. Basketball coach.</p>
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-prendergast-basketball-tournament-2.webp" alt="SMCS Blue Raiders Sr. Basketball team playing a game" width="1200" height="801" /><br><br>
<p>“The competition will be good,” he adds. “Despite the exodus of many of the province&#8217;s best players to prep school programmes, there are still many outstanding players who participate in OFSAA-sanctioned high school programmes.”</p>
<p>The tournament was named after the late Dan Prendergast, OSM, former teacher and vice principal at SMCS. Prendergast also coached the basketball team from 1962 to 1989 and was recognized as one of the top basketball coaches in the country.</p>
<p>“The tournament is named after an exceptional human being who was not only my coach, but a mentor,” says Charter. “It is a privilege and an honour to keep his name alive through this tournament.”</p>
<p>This year, the tournament will include: St. Michael’s College School, North Toronto Collegiate, Assumption Catholic Secondary School, Northern Secondary School, Downsview Secondary School, Corpus Christi Secondary School, George S. Henry Academy, Holy Trinity School, Ursuline College Chatham, Richview Collegiate Institute, St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Secondary School, and St. John Henry Newman Catholic High School.</p>
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-prendergast-basketball-tournament-1.webp" alt="SMCS Blue Raiders Sr. Basketball team playing a game" width="1200" height="801" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-11776" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-prendergast-basketball-tournament-1.webp 1200w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-prendergast-basketball-tournament-1-300x200.webp 300w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-prendergast-basketball-tournament-1-768x513.webp 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /><br><br>
<p>The Blue Raiders Sr. Basketball team have been preparing for the tournament with practices over the Christmas holidays and other high-intensity sessions.</p>
<p>“The difference is in reviewing systems, rotations, and assignments just prior to tournaments so that everyone continues to sing from the same song sheet,” says Charter.</p>
<p>“We&#8217;ve been practicing every day and working hard during Christmas break to keep ourselves in shape and ready for the tournament,” says Enzo-Nolan Taffo, Grade 12. “I’m very excited that our school could hold this tournament after COVID.”</p>
<p><strong>Read five fast facts about this year’s tournament:</strong></p>
<ol>
<li>In its 60th year, the tournament stands as one of the oldest in the province</li>
<li>Current faculty who have competed in the tournament in the past include Charter, Emile John ’87, Vice Principal, Greg Hook ’80, Chief Operating Officer, and Chris Bergin, SMCS teacher who competed on a visiting school team</li>
<li>Many NCAA Division 1 players have participated in the tournament including young alumni, Danilo Djuricic ’17 (Harvard University), Duane Notice ’12 (University of South Carolina), and Malcolm Duvivier ’13 (University of Akron)</li>
<li>SMCS has won the tournament 12 times from Richmond Hill to Chatham, Ontario</li>
<li>12 teams will participate in a three-day tournament from Richmond Hill to Chatham, Ontario</li>
</ol>

<p><strong>Watch the 60th annual Dan Prendergast Invitational Senior Basketball Tournament live on the SMCS YouTube channel:</strong></p>
<p>Day 1 – <a href="https://youtu.be/RIrwWOSOL9U" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://youtu.be/RIrwWOSOL9U</a><br>
Day 2 – <a href="https://youtu.be/YWu6FZDcKYQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://youtu.be/YWu6FZDcKYQ</a><br>
Day 3 – <a href="https://youtu.be/BepD8jubfR0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://youtu.be/BepD8jubfR0</a></p>
<p><a href="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/2023-SMCS-Prendergast-Invitational-Senior-Basketball-Tournament-Draw.pdf" aria-label="Check out the tournament schedule here" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Check out the tournament schedule here</a>.</p>
<p><strong><em>Related links:</em></strong></p>
<p><a href="/programmes/athletics/" aria-label="Athletics">Athletics</a></p>
<p><a href="/news-events" aria-label="News and Events">News &amp; Events</a></p>


</div>

SMCS Blue Raiders Sr. Basketball team playing a game

Renowned Basketball Tournament Marks 60th Year

<div class="page-inner">

<h1>Wellness in Focus at SMCS</h1>

<p>Student mental health and well-being were the focus over the last month at St. Michael’s College School (SMCS) as students headed into mid-year assessments.</p>
<p>Our Student Wellness Office tackles issues and concerns around mental health while supporting each student’s social-emotional learning.</p>
<p>“In order for students to perform their best, they need to manage moderate levels of stress — yes, stress can be a good thing when managed appropriately,” says Liat Benzacar, who is a Registered Social Worker (RSW) and the school’s Student Wellness Officer. “This helps them to plan and prepare, focus their attention, and energize them to face challenges. Stress and anxiety can interfere with brain function, increase physiological stimulation, and hinder cognitive processing, reasoning, and memory.”</p>
<figure id="attachment_11731" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-11731" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-wellness-initiatives-4.webp" alt="SMCS Lunch and Learn session for students in the LEC" width="1200" height="800" class="size-full wp-image-11731" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-wellness-initiatives-4.webp 1200w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-wellness-initiatives-4-300x200.webp 300w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-wellness-initiatives-4-768x512.webp 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-11731" class="wp-caption-text">SMCS students participating in a Lunch and Learn session in the Learning Enrichment Centre (LEC).</figcaption></figure>

<p>In addition to the one-on-one support the Student Wellness Office provides students, a variety of wellness initiatives take place throughout the school year, particularly around assessment times.</p>
<h2>Smart Study Snacks Session</h2>
<p>On December 7, the Wellness Team — a co-curricular club at SMCS that promotes positive mental health and wellness — invited Sari Papular, a registered nutrition consultant practitioner to speak with students after school via Zoom.</p>
<figure id="attachment_11730" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-11730" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-wellness-initiatives-3.webp" alt="SMCS students participating in a Smart Study Snacks session with Sari Papular" width="1200" height="800" class="size-full wp-image-11730" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-wellness-initiatives-3.webp 1200w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-wellness-initiatives-3-300x200.webp 300w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-wellness-initiatives-3-768x512.webp 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-11730" class="wp-caption-text">SMCS students participating in a Smart Study Snacks Session with registered nutrition consultant, Sari Papular via Zoom.</figcaption></figure>
<p>“She shared tips and tricks on honouring cravings while still ensuring that students are fueling their bodies and brains to their best potential,” says Benzacar.</p>
<h2>Therapy Dogs</h2>
<p>Since 2019, SMCS has been bringing in <a href="/news-article/5-fast-facts-therapy-dogs-return-to-smcs" aria-label="therapy dogs">therapy dogs</a> during the days leading up to mid-year and final assessments to help reduce stress and spread joy.</p>
<figure id="attachment_11729" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-11729" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-wellness-initiatives-2.webp" alt="SMCS students petting a therapy dog visiting the school" width="1200" height="800" class="size-full wp-image-11729" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-wellness-initiatives-2.webp 1200w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-wellness-initiatives-2-300x200.webp 300w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-wellness-initiatives-2-768x512.webp 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-11729" class="wp-caption-text">Therapy dogs from Corporate Canine Therapy visited students prior to mid-year assessments.</figcaption></figure>
<p>On December 12 and 13, Corporate Canine Therapy, an organization that provides trained therapy dogs and their handlers for visits to schools, workplaces, and other environments, sent six dog teams to visit students over the lunch hour at SMCS.</p>
<p>Students were able to pet, interact with, and even hold the furry visitors.</p>
<h2>Breakfast/Snack Table</h2>
<p>Before heading to their assessments, students were able to grab a quick and nutritious snack from a breakfast and snack table in our café.</p>
<p>“To ensure that students are feeding their brains before writing their exams, we’ve made sure to feed their bellies with fruit, granola bars, and hot chocolate,” says Benzacar.</p>
<p>The hot chocolate was generously sponsored by the <a href="/parents" aria-label="SMCS Parents’ Association">SMCS Parents’ Association</a> and available for students each morning beginning at 7:30 a.m. alongside a cart filled with healthy fruit and snacks.</p>
<figure id="attachment_11728" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-11728" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-wellness-initiatives-1.webp" alt="SMCS students helping themselves to hot chocolate before their mid-year assessment begins." width="1200" height="800" class="size-full wp-image-11728" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-wellness-initiatives-1.webp 1200w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-wellness-initiatives-1-300x200.webp 300w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smcs-wellness-initiatives-1-768x512.webp 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-11728" class="wp-caption-text">Students were treated to a hot chocolate station thanks to the SMCS Parents&#8217; Association each morning before assessments began.</figcaption></figure>
<p>Whether feeling stressed about an upcoming test, assessment, or event outside of school, Benzacar offers the following tips:</p>
<ol>
<li>Reframe cognitive patterns e.g. ‘anxiety is dangerous’ to ‘anxiety is something normal to help me plan and prepare’</li>
<li>Since test-taking anxiety is often fueled by fear of failure, students can practice self-compassion exercises e.g. ‘how might you talk to/encourage your friend? Try speaking to yourself as you would to a good friend and see what happens?’</li>
<li>Behavioural strategies like breathing and grounding exercises can also help decrease physiological arousal and help incorporate realistic thinking</li>
</ol>
<p>“It is no surprise that students are concerned about poor performance and the implication on their grade because there is often a focus on a number at the top of the page. This fear is often tied-up in a student’s sense of self-worth — what will my family, teachers, and peers think of me if I don’t achieve a certain grade? This worry can often impact not only the exam itself, but also increase procrastination and unproductive studying,” says Benzacar.</p>
<p><strong><em>Related links:</em></strong></p>
<p><a href="/student-life/wellness/" aria-label="Wellness at SMCS">Wellness at SMCS</a></p>
<p><a href="/programmes/clubs-activities/" aria-label="School Clubs and Activities">School Clubs and Activities</a></p>

</div>

SMCS students petting a therapy dog visiting the school

Wellness in Focus at SMCS

<div class="page-inner">

<h1>Positive Discipline at School and Home: ParenTalks</h1>
<p>A full panel of St. Michael’s College School (SMCS) experts joined parents and guardians for the second ParenTalks live Zoom webcast of 2022-23.</p>
<p>The 60-minute session titled, ‘Supporting Your Son with Positive Discipline at Home and School: A Conversation’, featured regular ParenTalks contributor, Dr. Mark Broussenko ’07, Mr. Daniel Blaik, Vice Principal &#8211; Dean of Students, Ms. Liat Benzacar, Student Wellness Officer, along with host John Connelly, Director of Student Affairs.</p>
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/smcs-parentalks-positive-discipline-2022.webp" alt="Panelists on SMCS ParenTalks discussion on positive discipline" width="1200" height="800" /><br><br>
<p>The discussion began with an explanation of what is meant by ‘progressive discipline’ and ‘restorative practice’ as well as how SMCS approaches one of the facets of our school’s motto.</p>
<p>“The ‘spare the rod, spoil the child’ philosophy, which no doubt many of us had experiences with growing up the notion of discipline being punitive is a product of that way of thinking as opposed to corrective,” says Blaik. “Along that continuum of consequences and positive interventions, I think we talk more about consequence and choice within a progressive disciplinary framework.”</p>
<p>He adds, “First and foremost, we’re a faith-based learning community and we learn and live in community at St. Mike’s, and I think key to the community is the relationship piece. So, if you look at literature around restorative practice and restorative initiatives, you’ll come across the five Rs which are pretty common in restorative framework.”</p>
<p>The five Rs include: relationship, respect, responsibility, repair, and reintegration. Blaik explains the SMCS approach has focused on this framework and as it evolves it sees students working with our student wellness officer, guidance counsellors, and healthcare professionals.</p>
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/smcs-parentalks-flyer-dec2022-1.webp" alt="SMCS ParenTalks Positive Discipline flyer" width="600" height="777" class="float-right" style="max-width:500px;" />
<p>Panelists then delved into the causes and contributors to adverse behaviour.</p>
<p>“If your kid’s acting out, it might be because they’re a bad child that’s been poorly parented but more likely there’s something that’s causing that,” says Broussenko adding that it tends to have something to do with an experience of theirs that’s divergent from their peer group, and depending on the age of the child, certain things they do may not be within their control.</p>
<p>“I think it’s helpful, when you’re talking about discipline and punishment, to try and tease those things out in terms of how much of this was a result of other causes and how much is the result of the agency of that child and certainly at St. Mike’s, you have an age range from Grade 7 to 12. A Grade 7 kid is going to have a very different set of expectations than a Grade 12 child,” he says.</p>
<p>ParenTalks experts also addressed a common question frequently raised by many parents and guardians attending these sessions: how can parents help navigate their children’s screen time and use of mobile devices?</p>
<p>“Being clear and consistent over time and setting boundaries is really important,” says Benzacar. “Another thing is, and forgive me if this is not for all the parents who are listening today, but I would imagine that for most, the device actually belongs to you as the parent. You are the person who purchased it and likely the person who is paying for it to function, so that’s important to remember.”</p>
<p>Broussenko says, “I think telling your child, ‘You can’t have a cell phone until you’re done high school’ is frankly silly because the world runs on cell phones. Some of our most commercially successful companies, some of our most groundbreaking entertainers, some of our most useful things are now powered by technology. Telling your children that that is not the technology that they’re allowed to have access to just means that once they’re outside of your control, they’re going to use it poorly and irresponsibly and it significantly increases the chances that they do something stupid with it.”</p>
<p>Inappropriate use of technology was another topic discussed in-depth by ParenTalks panelists. An emphasis was placed on the education factor, helping the student understand the consequences of small transgressions so they won’t get to the point of making a catastrophic mistake further down the line.</p>
<p>“We know that teenagers at this point in their life are much more interested in their social life, so they’re testing their limits, they’re trying to connect with people, they’re trying to build friendships, they’re more concerned with how they look, they’re interested in romantic relationships,” says Benzacar. “These are all things that in this stage of development for them is actually appropriate and if we lead with shame — ‘Oh my gosh, we can’t believe you did that!’ — the chances are they’re not going to come back to us and talk to us about it.”</p>
<p>To learn more about this topic, watch our entire recording of this episode below:</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/b7zHLNi3evQ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>Or listen to our podcast of the episode here:</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="Positive Discipline at Home and School | December 15, 2022" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?from=embed&#038;i=7mrjp-133d9bc-pb&#038;share=1&#038;download=1&#038;fonts=Arial&#038;skin=1&#038;font-color=auto&#038;rtl=0&#038;logo_link=episode_page&#038;btn-skin=7&#038;size=150"></iframe></p>
<p><strong><em>Related links:</em></strong></p>
<p><a href="/news-events/special-events/parentalks" aria-label="ParenTalks at SMCS">ParenTalks at SMCS</a></p>
<p><a href="/student-life/wellness/" aria-label="Wellness">Wellness</a></p>


</div>

Panelists on SMCS ParenTalks discussion on positive discipline

Positive Discipline at School and Home: ParenTalks

<div class="page-inner">

<h1>The Spirit is Back: Recapping the Fall Athletics Season</h1>
<p>Even before the 2022-23 academic school year began, the Athletics Programme at St. Michael’s College School (SMCS) was already underway!</p>
<p>August training and tryout camps for the Junior Soccer team, Junior and Senior Football teams, and the Senior Hockey Team started what would be an exciting season. A total of 356 student-athletes competed for 13 teams across six sports in a season that would see the first fall association playoffs and championships awarded since 2019.</p>
<p>“It was exciting to have a full fall season again. Training camps, tournaments, U.S. trips, full league play, and playoffs provided a complete experience for the boys to test themselves as teams and individuals,” says Alex Frescura, Director of Athletics. “The Homecoming weekend has been missed for the last few years, and it was amazing to again see a packed stadium with the bands playing and the M-Squad leading the cheers! All the teams did a fantastic job representing themselves and the school. A great start to what we expect to be a very positive year in athletics!”</p>
<figure id="attachment_11657" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-11657" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/smcs-fall-sports-season-crosscountry.webp" alt="SMCS Varsity Cross Country Team | 2022 CISAA Champions" width="1200" height="801" class="size-full wp-image-11657" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/smcs-fall-sports-season-crosscountry.webp 1200w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/smcs-fall-sports-season-crosscountry-300x200.webp 300w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/smcs-fall-sports-season-crosscountry-768x513.webp 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-11657" class="wp-caption-text">The 2022 Cross Country Championship team.</figcaption></figure>
<h2>Cross Country</h2>
<h3>U14</h3>
<p>Hard work paid off for our Grade 7 and 8 runners as the U13 team took home the U13 Boys Conference of Independent Schools Athletic Association (CISAA) Championship.</p><p>In the championship race at Centennial Park, Jackson Ward finished second, Ben Maiese finished fifth, and Jack Maiese finished seventh. Joseph White was right on their heels finishing in 20th place. Cale Scott, Chris Perrin, and Lucas Kulidjian weren&#8217;t far behind and saw their training pay off as members of this gold-medal team.</p>
<h3>Varsity</h3>
<p>The CISAA Varsity Cross Country Championships were held at Lakefield College. The day got off to a great start led by the Grade 9 Novice Boys team. Christian Babony took home the silver medal, followed closely by Quinn French who captured the bronze medal, just ahead of teammate Rohan Jalapayan who was fourth! Calum Murphy and Luke Adorante also posted top 20 finishes to round out the team performance. Together, they captured the Novice Boys CISAA championship! The Grade 10 Junior Boys team made a statement as well, capturing their own CISAA title. Matthew Kmecz led the way, controlling the 5 km race at the halfway point and didn’t look back. Kmecz finished ahead of the pack and won the Junior Boys CISAA Cross Country Championship gold medal. Teammates, Carter Albiani was sixth, Ben Ottey was eighth, Thomas Arciero was 11th, and Dallas St. John finished 15th!</p>
<h3>Senior</h3>
<p>In the senior boys’ division, SMCS took on a very competitive field and battled to a fifth-place finish. The team was led by a strong sixth-place finish by Anish Krishanthan. Emilio Kandankery, outstanding Grade 9 rookie Timothy Fortier, Jack Major, and Henry Hicks rounded out a strong team finish.</p>
<p>When the overall scores were tallied, SMCS was once again crowned Overall Boys CISAA Champions for an unprecedented 43rd year in a row!</p>
<p>At the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) Championships, the Novice Boys team of Quinn French, Christian Babony, Rohan Jayapalan, Luke Adorante, Logan Pistilli, and Cruz Molina had great races, narrowly missing the podium, but still managing to finish as the fifth fastest team in Ontario. The Junior Boys team, with only four runners and no substitutes, managed to pull off tremendous races! Kmecz turned in the performance of the day, finishing 10th overall in the province. Ben Ottey, Ethan Poon, and Thomas Arciero each had outstanding races contributing to the team’s OFSAA bronze medal finish. Anish Krishanthan rounded out the day representing SMCS in the Senior Boys Division. With a Novice Boys’ fifth-place finish and the Junior Boys’ third-place finish, the overall team scores earned SMCS a second-place overall OFSAA finish.</p>
<figure id="attachment_11659" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-11659" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/smcs-fall-sports-season-football.webp" alt="SMCS Jr. Kerry Blues Football team playing in the snow" width="1200" height="801" class="size-full wp-image-11659" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/smcs-fall-sports-season-football.webp 1200w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/smcs-fall-sports-season-football-300x200.webp 300w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/smcs-fall-sports-season-football-768x513.webp 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-11659" class="wp-caption-text">The Jr. Kerry Blues Football team playing the quarter-final game in the snow at SMCS.</figcaption></figure>
<h2>Football</h2>
<p>After a physically and mentally demanding pre-Labour Day training camp, both junior and senior teams looked forward to competitive seasons.</p>
<p>Following a strong regular season, the Junior Kerry Blues earned a spot in the league semi-final against St. Andrew’s College (SAC). After reciprocal exchanges resulted in a 14-14 half-time score, the second half belonged to SMCS as they ran their way to a 38-14 final. In the final against Upper Canada College (UCC), our neighbours earned their first title in over 10 years, leaving SMCS as CISAA silver medalists with an opportunity to represent CISAA in the Jr. Metro Bowl Tournament. The quarter-final against Holy Trinity School, played in the season’s first big snowfall, was highlighted by Raine Kreklewtez’s, Grade 10, 109-yard touchdown run to close out the first half, giving the Kerry Blues the momentum needed to carry them to a 21-12 win. In the tournament semi-final, SMCS bowed out to a dominant group from Nelson High School, the eventual champions.</p>
<p>The Senior Kerry Blues finished their 2022 season campaign with an overall 2-7 regular season record and a 1-3 showing in CISAA. For the first time in Kerry Blues history, the team travelled down south to play their U.S. counterparts in the state of New York on three separate occasions. The Kerry Blues advanced to the CISAA semi-finals where they lost to UCC but did manage to secure a berth in the OFSAA Bowl against Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School. With only 12 graduating players, the bulk of the team returns next year to be joined by a strong Grade 10 class moving up from Junior.</p>
<figure id="attachment_11660" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-11660" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/smcs-fall-sports-season-golf.webp" alt="SMCS Golf team at OFSAA" width="1200" height="800" class="size-full wp-image-11660" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/smcs-fall-sports-season-golf.webp 1200w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/smcs-fall-sports-season-golf-300x200.webp 300w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/smcs-fall-sports-season-golf-768x512.webp 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-11660" class="wp-caption-text">SMCS students, Connor Castellarin and Matthew Simpson at OFSAA.</figcaption></figure>
<h2>Golf</h2>
<p>Although CISAA Golf is a spring sport, the initial team tryouts, OFSAA qualifier, and OFSAA Championships are held in the fall.</p>
<p>Two members of the SMCS Blue Eagles Golf Team participated in the OFSAA Golf Championships at Firerock Golf Club in London, Ontario.</p>
<p>The conditions were very difficult with the cold, wind, and rain all playing a significant factor on scoring. Grade 11, Connor Castellarin fired a respectable two-day total of 168, earning him a tie for 13th position in the Individual High School division. Grade 9, Matthew Simpson lit up the scorecard on day one, firing a 2-over par, 74, and a day two, 4-over par, 76, which earned him an outstanding sixth-place finish in the Individual Open division.</p>
<h2>Soccer</h2>
<h3>U14</h3>
<p>This year’s U14 soccer team was very stout defensively, finishing with a 2-2-3 record. SMCS was the only team to take points from the eventual champions, UCC during the season. The team is poised for a strong season next year with core players returning.</p>
<figure id="attachment_11661" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-11661" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/smcs-fall-sports-season-soccer.webp" alt="SMCS Jr. Soccer Team playing a game at SMCS" width="1200" height="801" class="size-full wp-image-11661" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/smcs-fall-sports-season-soccer.webp 1200w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/smcs-fall-sports-season-soccer-300x200.webp 300w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/smcs-fall-sports-season-soccer-768x513.webp 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-11661" class="wp-caption-text">The Jr. Soccer team playing a match at SMCS.</figcaption></figure>
<h3>Junior</h3>
<p>After a strong regular season, SMCS played host to the CISAA semi-final and final. The team carried the play during their game against UCC, finishing with a convincing 7-1 victory. Goals were scored by Tyler Young, Matthew Lo Torto, Luca Calvo, James Muzzo, Daniel Vitullo, and Carmine-Luca Raviele, with Young netting two. The final match saw the boys face off against the talented Royal St. George’s College (RSGC) with both teams battling to a scoreless draw after regulation time. However, just before the end of the first overtime, Michael Piccininno found an opening through the traffic in front of the RSGC net to score a golden goal and bring home the Junior CISAA Championship!</p>
<h3>Senior</h3>
<p>After an impressive 5-1 regular season, along with strong showings at two showcase tournaments, the Senior Soccer team entered CISAA playoffs as one of the top seeds. The squad hosted De La Salle College at home in the quarter-finals and advanced with a commanding 6-2 win. In the semi-final match against SAC, the boys found themselves down 1-0 going into the second half. Josh Annibale came to the rescue and found the back of the net to even the score, paving the way for Josiah Bethune to score the winner in the dying minutes. In the CISAA Championship at UCC, the boys jumped out to a 1-0 lead, but UCC used their home-field advantage to pull away for the 3-1 win, leaving SMCS as silver medalists in a very competitive league.</p>
<figure id="attachment_11663" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-11663" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/smcs-fall-sports-season-volleyball-u14.webp" alt="SMCS U14 Volleyball team playing in the gym" width="1200" height="801" class="size-full wp-image-11663" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/smcs-fall-sports-season-volleyball-u14.webp 1200w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/smcs-fall-sports-season-volleyball-u14-300x200.webp 300w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/smcs-fall-sports-season-volleyball-u14-768x513.webp 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-11663" class="wp-caption-text">The SMCS U14 Volleyball team took away a silver medal at the CISAA finals.</figcaption></figure>
<h2>Volleyball</h2>
<h3>U14 Blue (Division I)</h3>
<p>After a very tightly contested regular season, SMCS Blue Strikers entered the CISAA playoffs as the third-ranked team. In the semi-finals, SMCS came away with a 25-17, 25-10 win. In the gold medal round, the Strikers faced an undefeated SAC team, losing the match point 26-24, coming away with the CISAA silver medal.</p>
<h3>U14 White (Division II)</h3>
<p>The U14 White Strikers hosted the ‘Fun Side Season-End Tournament’ on home court, using their home-court advantage to dominate tournament play winning the final two games of the season!</p>
<figure id="attachment_11662" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-11662" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/smcs-fall-sports-season-volleyball-sr.webp" alt="SMCS Sr. Volleyball team playing a match in the gym" width="1200" height="801" class="size-full wp-image-11662" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/smcs-fall-sports-season-volleyball-sr.webp 1200w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/smcs-fall-sports-season-volleyball-sr-300x200.webp 300w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/smcs-fall-sports-season-volleyball-sr-768x513.webp 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-11662" class="wp-caption-text">The SMCS Sr. Volleyball team captured the silver medal at their CISAA championship game.</figcaption></figure>
<h3>Junior</h3>
<p>Despite a strong regular season, a young SMCS Junior team bowed out in the CISAA semi-finals versus UCC. After witnessing great improvements over the year, the team is set up to have everyone back next season.</p>
<h3>Senior</h3>
<p>Following a third place regular season finish, the Senior Strikers won their quarter-final game against Crestwood Preparatory College in a quick three-set game to secure their place in the ‘CISAA Final Four Tournament’ at UCC. With a shot at redemption in their semi-final against Crescent School, to whom they had lost to earlier this season, the Strikers did not disappoint, winning the five-set battle. SMCS saved its best game of the season for the CISAA finals but couldn’t hold off UCC long enough. In the end, the team captured the CISAA silver medal.</p>
<p><strong><em>Related links:</em></strong></p>
<p><a href="/programmes/athletics" aria-label="Athletics">Athletics</a></p>
<p><a href="/news-events" aria-label="News and Events">News and Events</a></p>
</div>

Recapping the fall athletics season | SMCS Soccer team playing a game

The Spirit is Back: Recapping the Fall Athletics Season

<div class="page-inner">

<h1>Standing Up for Men’s Health in Movember</h1>
<p>Where else should conversations around men’s health be brought to the forefront than in an all-boys school? That’s exactly what St. Michael’s College School (SMCS) staff and students aimed to accomplish throughout the month of ‘Movember’.</p>
<p>A leading charity for men’s health, Movember, raises awareness and support around men’s mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer, and testicular cancer, encouraging those around the world to grow a ‘mo’ (moustache) or support a ‘mo’ by donating to the cause. What began in 2003 with two friends looking to bring back an old fashion trend — the moustache — has since grown into a global movement that has funded more than 1,250 men’s health projects.</p>
<figure id="attachment_11621" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-11621" style="width: 900px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img decoding="async" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/smcs-movember-story-2.webp" alt="SMCS students grow a &#039;mo&#039; for Movember" style="max-width:900px;" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-11621" class="wp-caption-text">SMCS students participated in &#8216;Movember&#8217;, growing moustaches and raising money and awareness around men&#8217;s health.</figcaption></figure>
<h2>Movember at SMCS</h2>
<p>Here at SMCS, students and staff joined the movement, raising more than $4,000 through the school’s official ‘<a href="https://movember.com/t/st-mikes" target="_blank" aria-label="Mo Space" rel="noopener">Mo Space</a>’.</p>
<figure id="attachment_11622" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-11622" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption float-right"><img decoding="async" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/smcs-movember-story-3.webp" alt="SMCS staff and students participating in Movember" style="max-width:300px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-11622" class="wp-caption-text">SMCS students raised more than $4,000 for Movember.</figcaption></figure>
<p>“The Wellness Team was eager to bring Movember back to the SMCS community this year,” says Alessandra Lombardi, theology teacher and one of the club’s faculty moderators. “Being an all-male school, the team felt it was imperative to shed light on this important cause and raise money as a community, as its focus clearly connects to our mission statement as well as our core beliefs of the team. The focus on mental and physical health made it a perfect fit for our team to get creative and encourage student engagement through many different weekly events, videos, and games, all for a great cause.”</p>
<p>The Wellness Team led the campaign, encouraging the school community to take part by growing a ‘mo’ with competitions for ‘Best Mo’, ‘Best Growth’, and ‘Most Creative’. The club also held a ‘Move for Movember’ contest where students tracked how many kilometres they moved with a 60 km goal to represent the 60 men lost to suicide every hour around the world.</p>
<p>“It is necessary to have these types of initiatives at SMCS to help foster important conversations about the topics and challenges students face or could potentially face in the future,” adds Lombardi. “Movember not only highlights the need to develop positive physical and mental health in our daily lives, but it also allows students to discuss social and emotional topics that are often challenging to reflect on. We provided the students with both formal and informal learning sessions as well as promoted the initiative through engaging, creative, and fun activities planned throughout the month. This created a safe environment to discuss these important topics, but also gave us the platform to build positive school engagement and support.”</p>
<h2>Discussions Focus on Men’s Health</h2>
<p>In collaboration with Stephen Antolin ’05, core intermediate teacher, as well as the Teacher Advisory Group (TAG) committee, SMCS students also had the opportunity to learn more about issues affecting men’s health through another weekly initiative, ‘Monday Movember Morning Meets for Men’s Health with Muffins’.</p>
<p>“Some topics included unpacking stereotypes of &#8216;real men,&#8217; which emotions they felt able to express in different contexts, male perceptions on offering and accepting help, and the unique challenges faced by young men in the 21st century,” says Antolin, who held the meetings in his classroom each Monday of the month with an average of 15 students attending each week.</p>
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/smcs-movember-story-4.webp" alt="Mr. Antolin speaking to students about men&#039;s health issues during Movember" width="1200" height="800" class="size-full wp-image-11624" srcset="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/smcs-movember-story-4.webp 1200w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/smcs-movember-story-4-300x200.webp 300w, https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/smcs-movember-story-4-768x512.webp 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" />
<p>&#8220;These are things I&#8217;ve often thought about, and it was nice to be able to discuss them openly with others,&#8221; says Wallace Dempsey, Grade 8, of the candid space of reflection that the meetings provided.</p>
<h2>Outstanding Student Achievement</h2>
<p>One inspiring SMCS student went above and beyond through his own Movember fundraiser which he has held each of the past five years.</p>
<p>Carter Owen-Speelziek, Grade 9, raised $5,200 this year, adding to his total of $14,580 raised since he started in 2018.</p>
<figure id="attachment_11623" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-11623" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption float-left"><img decoding="async" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/smcs-movember-story-carter-1.webp" alt="SMCS student, Carter Owen-Speelziek, Grade 9" style="max-width:300px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-11623" class="wp-caption-text">Carter Owen-Speelziek, Grade 9 student</figcaption></figure>
<p>“My dad&#8217;s colleague got prostate cancer and my dad was close with him,” he says. “My parents started talking about Movember and mentioned it to me. They helped me make an account and it went from there. I began posting on Instagram and the donations started coming in.”</p>
<p>He adds that even if someone doesn’t donate to the cause, they can still learn more about it and become more open to talking about their mental and physical health as a result.</p>
<p>“Carter’s efforts to raise funds and awareness for the Movember Foundation five years in a row tells me he has been instilled with a sense of other and the ability to think beyond himself from a very young age,” says Dr. Robert Fantilli ’94, math teacher and Christian and Community Service Lead at SMCS. “Learning of Carter&#8217;s ‘Minor Mos’ campaign for men&#8217;s health and being a youth leader for the cause is inspirational. My hope is that Carter&#8217;s efforts will inspire his colleagues and those he encounters to share open conversations about men&#8217;s health issues and support each other. To see future leaders like Carter in the area of men&#8217;s health is a sign that we as a society are getting better, in that change is happening, awareness is increasing, and the message is spreading.”</p>
<p>Owen-Speelziek adds his reasoning for supporting this cause year after year: “It’s important to me because having good mental and physical health leads to a better, happier life, and by supporting and raising awareness for Movember I&#8217;m helping others build a new better life.”</p>

<p><strong><em>Related links:</em></strong></p>
<p><a href="/student-life/wellness" aria-label="Wellness">Wellness</a></p>
<p><a href="/student-life/service" aria-label="Service">Service</a></p>
</div>

SMCS staff and students participating in Movember

Standing Up for Men’s Health in Movember

News And Events

<div class="page-inner">
<h1>Media</h1>
        <p class="large">For media inquiries, please contact:</p>
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/depellegrin-2022-150x150.webp" alt="SMCS Michael De Pellegrin &#039;94 -Director of Communications" width="150" height="150" class="float-left" /><p>Michael De Pellegrin, Director of Communications<br />
Office: 416 653 3180 x292 | Cell: 647 242 2226<br />
<a href="mailto:md@smcsmail.com">md@smcsmail.com</a><br />
<a href="https://d97pdw6wu0.wpdns.site/">St. Michael&#8217;s College School</a></p><br />

</div>

<section id="releases" class="grey-bg">
<h2>MEDIA RELEASES</h2>There are no media releases available at this time.
</section>
<section id="coverage">
<h2>MEDIA COVERAGE</h2>
MARCH 26, 2023 <br />
 <a href="https://www.onpointbasketball.com/ryan-nembhard-and-marcus-carr-move-on-to-the-elite-8-while-charles-bediako-1-alabama-bow-out-of-march-madness/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Ryan Nembhard and Marcus Carr move on to the Elite 8, while Charles Bediako &#038; #1 Alabama bow out of March Madness</a>
 <br />On Point Basketball <br />
<hr />
MARCH 14, 2023 <br />
 <a href="https://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2023/03/14_Zabanehs-Progress-Lights.php" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Zabaneh&#8217;s Progress Lights a Spark Under BU</a>
 <br />College Hockey News <br />
<hr />
FEBRUARY 22, 2023 <br />
 <a href="https://www.sportsnet.ca/basketball/article/how-duane-notice-found-a-deeper-sense-of-self-battling-back-from-injury/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">How Duane Notice found a deeper sense of self battling back from injury</a>
 <br />Sportsnet <br />
<hr />
JANUARY 23, 2023 <br />
 <a href="https://www.thestar.com/sports/basketball/opinion/2023/01/23/unfinished-business-torontos-marcus-carr-leads-texas-longhorns-with-assist-from-former-raptor.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">‘Unfinished business.’ Toronto’s Marcus Carr leads Texas Longhorns with assist from former Raptor</a>
 <br />Toronto Star <br />
<hr />
JANUARY 15, 2023 <br />
 <a href="https://www.catholicregister.org/item/35159-next-mission-step-on-life-journey-haiti" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Next mission step on life journey — Haiti</a>
 <br />The Catholic Register <br />
<hr />
DECEMBER 5, 2022 <br />
 <a href="https://torontolife.com/city/the-questionnaire-four-gtha-mayors-on-inflation-housing-and-why-they-deserved-your-vote/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">The Questionnaire: Four GTHA mayors on inflation, housing and why they deserved your vote</a>
 <br />Toronto Life <br />
<hr />
SEPTEMBER 15, 2022 <br />
 <a href="https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2022/09/15/who-is-myron-demkiw-the-new-chief-of-police.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Who is Myron Demkiw, Toronto’s new chief of police?</a>
 <br />Toronto Star <br />
<hr />
FALL 2022 <br />
 <a href="https://www.todaysparent.com/grids/private-school-directory-fall-2022/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Private School Directory Fall 2022</a>
 <br />Today&#8217;s Parent <br />
<hr />
FALL 2022 <br />
 <a href="https://torontolife.com/private-schools/the-independent-and-private-school-directory-fall-2022/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">The Independent and Private School Directory Fall 2022</a>
 <br />Toronto Life <br />
<hr />
SEPTEMBER 8, 2022 <br />
 <a href="https://www.macleans.ca/education/private-school/three-reasons-private-schools-appeal-to-parents/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Three Reasons Private Schools Appeal to Parents</a>
 <br />Maclean&#8217;s <br />
<hr />
SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 <br />
 <a href="https://www.catholicregister.org/features/catholic-education/item/34717-st-michael-s-principal-returns-to-his-roots" rel="noopener" target="_blank">St. Michael’s principal returns to his roots</a>
 <br />The Catholic Register <br />
<hr />
AUGUST 26, 2022 <br />
 <a href="https://issuu.com/mediaclassified/docs/082722_city_parent_edition" rel="noopener" target="_blank">September Special Focus: Private and Montessori Schools</a>
 <br />City Parent <br />
<hr />
APRIL 28, 2022 <br />
 <a href="https://news.st-andrews.ac.uk/archive/national-golf-championship-success-for-saints/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">National golf championship success for Saints: Connor Rochon &#8217;17</a>
 <br />University of St Andrews <br />
<hr />APRIL 7, 2022 <br />
 <a href="https://www.swimontario.com/news/canada-games-legacy-series-thomas-zochowski/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Canada Games Legacy Series: Thomas Zochowski &#8217;99</a>
 <br />Swim Ontario <br />
<hr />FEBRUARY 11, 2022 <br />
 <a href="https://www.thestar.com/sponsored_sections/2022/02/12/lessons-in-legacy.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Lessons in legacy</a>
 <br />Toronto Star <br />
<hr />FEBRUARY 11, 2022 <br />
 <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/adv/article-a-good-education-goes-far-beyond-academics/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">A good education goes far beyond academics</a>
 <br />The Globe and Mail <br />
<hr />FEBRUARY 11, 2022 <br />
 <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/adv/article-developing-tomorrows-leaders-today/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Developing tomorrow’s leaders today</a>
 <br />The Globe and Mail <br />
<hr />JANUARY 31, 2022 <br />
 <a href="https://www.toronto.com/news-story/10563089-meet-toronto-s-2022-beijing-winter-olympians/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Meet Toronto&#8217;s 2022 Beijing Winter Olympians</a>
 <br />Toronto.com <br />
<hr />JANUARY 26, 2022 <br />
 <a href="https://nationalpost.com/sponsored/news-sponsored/st-michaels-college-school-opens-conversations-with-parentalks" rel="noopener" target="_blank">St. Michael’s College School opens conversations with ParenTalks</a>
 <br />The National Post <br />
<hr />JANUARY 2022 <br />
 <a href="https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=2352198&#038;binId=1.3378527&#038;playlistPageNum=1" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Local program seeking old tablet donations</a>
 <br />CTV Toronto <br />
<hr />SEPTEMBER 25, 2021 <br />
 <a href="https://www.thestar.com/sponsored_sections/2021/09/25/at-st--michael-s-college-school--fostering-wellness-leads-to-stu.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">At St. Michael’s College School, fostering wellness leads to students’ success</a>
 <br />Toronto Star <br />
<hr />SEPTEMBER 8, 2021 <br />
 <a href="https://www.macleans.ca/education/private-school/sponsored-inspiring-youth-activism/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Educators are inspiring a new generation of social justice warriors</a>
 <br />Maclean&#8217;s <br />
<hr />AUGUST 26, 2021 <br />
 <a href="https://learn.futuredesignschool.com/pages/futureofeducation" rel="noopener" target="_blank">The Future of Education Report</a>
 <br />Future Design School <br />
<hr />AUGUST 17, 2021 <br />
 <a href="https://runningmagazine.ca/special-feature/ua-diversity-series-kurt-downes/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Under Armour Diversity Series: Kurt Downes</a>
 <br />Canadian Running <br />
<hr />JULY 29, 2021 <br />
 <a href="https://www.thestar.com/sports/olympics/opinion/2021/07/29/tokyo-olympics-amounts-to-an-unprecedented-moment-for-canadian-distance-running.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Tokyo Olympics amounts to an unprecedented moment for Canadian distance running</a>
 <br />Toronto Star <br />
<hr />JULY 28, 2021 <br />
 <a href="https://www.complex.com/sports/justyn-knight-tokyo-olympics-feature" rel="noopener" target="_blank">How Justyn Knight Went From Dead Last to Canada’s Newest Olympic Hope</a>
 <br />Complex <br />
<hr />JULY 27, 2021 <br />
 <a href="https://windsorstar.com/sports/time-with-lancers-helped-canadian-olympic-track-and-field-coach-downes-learn-to-give-back-to-the-sport" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Time with Lancers helped Canadian Olympic track and field coach Downes learn to give back to the sport</a>
 <br />Windsor Star <br />
<hr />JULY 19, 2021 <br />
 <a href="https://texassports.com/news/2021/7/19/mens-basketball-mens-basketball-signs-marcus-carr.aspx" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Men’s Basketball signs Marcus Carr</a>
 <br />University of Texas Athletics <br />
<hr />JULY 5, 2021 <br />
 <a href="https://theathletic.com/2669095/2021/07/05/justyn-knight-ran-to-improve-his-mark-in-gym-class-now-he-hopes-to-get-a-medal-at-this-years-olympics/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Justyn Knight ran to improve his mark in gym class. Now, he hopes to get a medal at this year&#8217;s Olympics – The Athletic</a>
 <br />The Athletic <br />
<hr />JUNE 14, 2021 <br />
 <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/articl-after-covid-19-shut-down-racing-for-a-year-canadian-justyn-knight/?cmpid=rss&#038;utm_source=dlvr.it&#038;utm_medium=twitter" rel="noopener" target="_blank">After COVID-19 shut down racing for a year, Canadian Justyn Knight running faster than ever</a>
 <br />The Globe and Mail <br />
<hr />JUNE 3, 2021 <br />
 <a href="https://3downnation.com/2021/06/03/miami-dolphins-promote-rising-canadian-scout-chris-rossetti/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Miami Dolphins promote rising Canadian scout Chris Rossetti</a>
 <br />3DownNation <br />
<hr />MAY 25, 2021 <br />
 <a href="https://www.logitech.com/en-us/video-collaboration/resources/think-tank/articles/school-readiness-continuity-planning.html?utm_campaign=PostBeyond&#038;utm_source=LinkedIn&#038;utm_medium=Social&#038;utm_term=Article%3A+Best+Practices+in+Education+for+Readiness+%26+Continuity+Planning" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Best Practices in School Readiness &amp; Continuity Planning for Short and Long Term Closures</a>
 <br />Logitech <br />
<hr />MAY 9, 2021 <br />
 <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/summer/trackandfield/justyn-knight-meets-olympic-1500-standard-golden-games-may-1.6020190?fbclid=IwAR1W7yNFUkf1fCZ37BMOCPour3PLI342FS_Axt458gGLjOMz02wiEIdWmcI">Justyn Knight hits Olympic 1,500m qualifying standard at California track and field meet</a>
 <br />CBC <br />
<hr />APRIL 19, 2021 <br />
 <a href="https://www.itweb.co.za/content/O2rQGMAn83Qqd1ea" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Competing with the Internet</a>
 <br />ITWeb <br />
<hr />APRIL 2021 <br />
 <a href="https://issuu.com/lazarusbleau/docs/hor_mar21_final_regular/46" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Educating Tomorrow&#8217;s Leaders Today (Pg. 47)</a>
 <br />Horizon Lifestyle <br />
<hr />MARCH 24, 2021 <br />
 <a href="https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/fraser-valley-bandits-re-sign-team-mvp-dpoy-malcolm-duvivier-for-2021/n-5676201" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Fraser Valley Bandits Re-Sign Team MVP, DPOY Malcolm Duvivier for 2021</a>
 <br />OurSports Central <br />
<hr />MARCH 11, 2021 <br />
 <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/summer/trackandfield/track-and-field-justyn-knight-winning-mentality-1.5945013" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Winning mentality has Justyn Knight thinking big ahead of Tokyo Olympics</a>
 <br />CBC <br />
<hr />FEBRUARY 10, 2021 <br />
 <a href="https://www.thestar.com/sponsored_sections/2021/02/08/smcs-grads-get-startup-boost-from-their-alma-mater.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">SMCS grads get startup boost from their alma mater</a>
 <br />Toronto Star <br />
<hr />JANUARY 27, 2021 <br />
 <a href="https://nationalpost.com/sponsored/news-sponsored/st-michaels-college-school-students-gaining-real-world-knowledge-from-experts-in-their-field" rel="noopener" target="_blank">St. Michael’s College School students gaining real-world knowledge from experts in their field</a>
 <br />The National Post <br />
<hr />NOVEMBER 8/12, 2020 <br />
 <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/covid-ventilation-virus-transmission-1.5779916" rel="noopener" target="_blank">How businesses and schools are dealing with airborne COVID-19 and preparing for a winter indoors</a>
 <br />CBC &#8211; The National <br />
<hr />SEPTEMBER 29, 2020 <br />
 <a href="https://www.parentscanada.com/schools/st-michaels-college-school/st-michaels-college-school/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Private School Spotlight</a>
 <br />Parents Canada <br />
<hr />SEPTEMBER 26, 2020 <br />
 <a href="https://torontolife.com/private-schools/qa-david-fischer-st-michaels-college/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Q&amp;A: David Fischer, Director of Admissions of St Michael’s College</a>
 <br />Toronto Life <br />
<hr />SEPTEMBER 12, 2020 <br />
 <a href="https://www.thestar.com/sponsored_sections/2020/09/09/helping-students-raise-the-bar-of-achievement-for-themselves.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Helping students raise the bar of achievement for themselves</a>
 <br />Toronto Star <br />
<hr />JUNE 24, 2020 <br />
 <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slnOjl-62Vs&#038;feature=youtu.be" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Hope from Home &#8211; Episode 25</a>
 <br />Salt and Light Media <br />
<hr />JUNE 13, 2020 <br />
 <a href="https://torontosun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/once-a-leaf-garry-monahan" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Once a Leaf: Garry Monahan</a>
 <br />Toronto Sun <br />
<hr />JUNE 11, 2020 <br />
 <a href="https://basilian.org/en/2020/06/11/basilian-high-schools-transition-to-distance-learning" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Basilian High Schools Transition to Distance Learning</a>
 <br />Basilian.org <br />
<hr />APRIL 30, 2020 <br />
 <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1731998787956" rel="noopener" target="_blank">The race to develop a COVID-19 vaccine</a>
 <br />CBC <br />
<hr />APRIL 19, 2020 <br />
 <a href="https://stmichaelscollege-my.sharepoint.com/:w:/r/personal/bertolini_smcsmail_com/_layouts/15/Doc.aspx?sourcedoc=%7B8ed410fe-5a1f-4a22-a221-254684b3037c%7D&#038;action=edit&#038;wdLOR=c5C60458E-5C7E-454A-A7FD-4D11D792B0F8&#038;wdPid=606ae2c2" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Fraser Valley Bandits sign former Oregon State talent Malcom Duvivier</a>
 <br />Abbotsford News <br />
<hr />FEBRUARY 26, 2020 <br />
 <a href="https://beachmetro.com/2020/02/26/corrections-cares-helps-out-volunteers-with-out-of-the-cold-program-at-beach-united-church/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Corrections Cares helps out volunteers with Out Of The Cold program at Beach United Church</a>
 <br />Beach Metro Community News <br />
<hr />FEBRUARY 24, 2020 <br />
 <a href="https://www.pressreader.com/canada/toronto-star/20200222/282703344120572" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Student learning enriched through mentorship</a>
 <br />The Toronto Star <br />
<hr />FEBRUARY 7, 2020 <br />
 <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/adv/article-parents-play-a-leading-role/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Parents play a leading role</a>
 <br />The Globe and Mail <br />
<hr />FEBRUARY 7, 2020 <br />
 <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/adv/article-athletics-belong-alongside-academics/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Athletics belong alongside academics</a>
 <br />The Globe and Mail <br />
<hr />JANUARY 31, 2020 <br />
 <a href="https://nationalpost.com/sponsored/news-sponsored/toronto-school-weaving-wellness-in-where-it-matters" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Toronto school weaving wellness in where it matters</a>
 <br />The National Post <br />
<hr />JANUARY 6, 2020 <br />
 <a href="https://leaderpost.com/news/local-news/warmington-meet-canadas-new-hockey-hero-akil-thomas/wcm/772ec71d-bab5-4c3e-9fac-dc149bf9a1a0" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Meet Canada&#8217;s new hockey hero, Akil Thomas!</a>
 <br />Regina Leader-Post
</section>
<section>
<p><em><strong>Related links:</strong></em></p>
<p><a href="https://st-michaels-college-school-one.vercel.app/news-events" aria-label="News And Events">News And Events</a></p>
</section>

New Experiences and Learning at Grade 8 Winter Camp

Renowned Basketball Tournament Marks 60th Year

Wellness in Focus at SMCS

Positive Discipline at School and Home: ParenTalks

The Spirit is Back: Recapping the Fall Athletics Season

Standing Up for Men’s Health in Movember

Math Competition - Euclid (Grade 11 & 12)

Computer Competition - Beaver Computing Challenge (Grade 7 & 8)

Math Competition - Fryer (Gr 9), Galois (Gr 10) & Hypatia (Gr 11)

Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test - Overflow Room

Holy Thursday

Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test - Overflow Room

Good Friday

Holy Saturday

Easter

Easter Monday

SMCS Parents' Association - General Meeting

St. Michael's College School Junior Volleyball Showcase Tournament

St. Michael's College School 2023 Snowball Relays

SMCS Parents' Association Bookclub

Love & Revolution presented by SMCS Drama (Evening Performance)

Love & Revolution presented by SMCS Drama (Evening Performance)

Love & Revolution presented by SMCS Drama (Matinee Performance)

Love & Revolution presented by SMCS Drama (Closing Night)