Category: Children’s Garden School (CGS)

Can’t wait!

Nine more sleeps! It is almost back to school for the students at Children’s Garden School on Eglinton. CGS Staff is busy getting the school ready to welcome everyone on Thursday, September 7. You may have noticed their playground under construction as you drive along Eglinton, just east Bayview. The playground is looking great and Don Bates, head of operations at the school, is looking forward to putting the finishing touches on the space this week. Interactive fence panels and the pieces for an outdoor learning space are arriving soon.

31ST YEAR IN LEASIDE FOR CGS

This is the 31st year in Leaside for CGS. Leaside residents are very fortunate to have such an exceptional private school option right in the neighbourhood. If you are looking at options for your Preschool-Grade 3 child, give them a call today. Spaces still available in select programs. Contact Kelly Scott, Director of Admission, at kscott@cgsschool.com. 416 423 5017 x 43.

Principal Marie Bates speaks to parents

Graduation

See Ya After Class

Graduation

Original Song

So Happy Together

Graduation

Be a friend

Ice cream truck

Worth the wait

It has been a truly wonderful year over at CGS on Eglinton East. The students all made amazing progress, each in their own, unique way. Their Final Assembly & Graduation was held on June 15. It is a very special event for the CGS community. It is time to reflect on the school year and to celebrate the accomplishments of all CGS students. Highlights included the Graduate slideshow, the Grade 2/3 performance of their original song, See Ya’ After Class, the announcement of The Principal’s Club fundraising total of $4,024, the Staff adaptation of So Happy Together and the annual visit from the ice cream truck.

CLOSING WORDS

Principal, Marie Bates, always closes the Assembly with some poignant words for parents to take away with them. After a year of focused academic work for the children, Marie wanted to share these words to remind parents of what an important role character plays in education, at home and at school.

Don’t become preoccupied with your child’s academic ability, but instead teach them to sit with those sitting alone. Teach them to be kind. Teach them to offer help. Teach them to be a friend to the lonely. Teach them to encourage others. Teach them to think about other people. Teach them to share. Teach them to look for the good. This is how they will change the world.

The intrepid CGS staff and Grade 2 and 3 students had an exciting adventure at the Norval Outdoor Education Centre last week. As these pictures show, there was a lot of new things to do and outdoor tasks to perform. Upper Canada College owns and operates the facility and CGS is permitted to head there every year for a sleepover. It is an exceptional few days of outdoor learning for the children. More below.

The children had a blast making fires and cooking in the open air, building and releasing their Paddle to the Sea boats and body surfing, just to name a few of the activities the amazing staff at Norval provide. Outdoor education and experience is critical to the development of young children and CGS is always looking for ways to keep a love of the outdoors alive for their students. Want to learn more? Contact Kelly Scott, Director of Admission at 416 423 5017 x 43 or kscott@cgsschool.com.

1971 Dr.Suess classic

Celebration of tree

The Lorax speaks

What’s to be done

Mischief afoot?

Ensemble

Congratulations to the amazing performers at CGS. Their musical production of The Lorax on May 25th was a complete treat from start to finish. We think it was one of their best shows yet. It was full of humour and left us with a beautiful message of hope, as well as reminding us of the profound role trees play in our world. It takes a village to put a show like this together.Arts Express, CGS staff and students (with the support of parents at home) joined forces over the last few months to get the show ready for the stage.

LEARNING FROM REHEARSAL

The arts, and performance arts in particular, bring so much to children of all ages. For the very young students at CGS, the opportunity to participate in an extended rehearsal process culminating in a polished performance supports their growth in unique ways. For more information about how an expanded arts curriculum can benefit your son or daughter in their early years, contact Kelly Scott kscott@cgsschool.com (416) 423 5017 x 43, Director of Admission, to learn more about the school.

Riley Roger’s Andy Warhol

Freedom

Posing with the wings

Composing

Artists with teacher Ceci Scott

Light add dramatic element

Life is good station

Matteo

Arts in the schools have dwindled in recent years but the celebration of the visual arts is alive and well at CGS on Eglinton Ave. at Bayview Ave. The Grade 1 to 3 students were so excited to invite their parents to visit Art Rocks, curated by the very talented Ceci Scott. Ceci, the art teacher at CGS, has been working hard with the kids to gather their work from the term (including the Grade 2 and 3 artist-research project) to display at the show. Parents and students wandered the “gallery” and asked questions about the work Talking about their work was a very important part of the show for the artists. The children displayed their sculpture and painted works and had a ton of fun at the Life is Good Station where everyone was invited to create t-shirt slogans for Canada’s 150th anniversary. Bouthaina (French Teacher and frequent art contributor at CGS) also created a huge set of wings for everyone to be photographed with. The event was spirited and captured the all important sense of play and joy that comes from making art. Well done CGS Artists.

Meeting the public speaking challenge

Captivation of Audience

Judges see everything

April Assembly

Speakers group photo

Grade 2 and 3 students at CGS participated in their Public Speaking Contest this week. Topics ranged from the history of the NHL to animal shelters to Internet and video game addiction. The children presented their speeches to a panel of four judges (who specialize in public speaking) and an audience of their peers and parents. Children are marked out of five on Memory, Voice, Content, Posture, Eye Contact and Captivation of Audience. Contestants this year showed remarkable resilience. Little gaps in memory, last-minute nerves and unexpected distractions can all affect a speaker’s performance. CGS students met these challenges with courage and grace, finding their place, gathering focus and continuing on with the same passion and confidence they displayed before the set back. Well done everyone. For children so young, this was an exceptional accomplishment. Congratulations to Grade 2 student Gavin for winning the contest and the opportunity to present his speech to the entire school community at the April Assembly. Want to know more about how CGS supports children to thrive as public speakers? Contact Director of Admission, Kelly Scott, to find out more at kscott@cgsschool.com   Also cgsschool.com  and the CGS Blog

On Saturday, April 1, the winners the annual CGS Science Fair (open to SK-Grade 3 students) were invited to showcase their projects at the Toronto Science Fair at the U of T campus in Scarborough. All of the students gladly accepted and were present to discuss their findings and ideas with a new group of interested judges, parents and students from schools all over the city. It was a very exciting day as the kids also participated in a Scientists at School program when the other groups were presenting their projects to one another. Parents and students alike had a great time and are looking forward to next year’s Science Fair. Interested in CGS? Please contact Kelly Scott, Director of Admission, at 416 423 5017 x 43 or kscott@cgsschool.com.

On Saturday, April 1, the winners the annual CGS Science Fair (open to SK-Grade 3 students) were invited to showcase their projects at the Toronto Science Fair at the U of T campus in Scarborough. All of the students gladly accepted and were present to discuss their findings and ideas with a new group of interested judges, parents and students from schools all over the city. It was a very exciting day as the kids also participated in a Scientists at School program when the other groups were presenting their projects to one another. Parents and students alike had a great time and are looking forward to next year’s Science Fair. Interested in CGS? Please contact Kelly Scott, Director of Admission, at 416 423 5017 x 43 or kscott@cgsschool.com.

Does your child like science? Check out the students over at CGS on Eglinton. Their Annual Science Fair was buzzing with scientific demonstration and explanation last week. The Fair is optional for SK students and mandatory for Grades 1-3. Children present a hypothesis and then show their findings. They are required to explain to the judges the purpose and results of their experiment. Three winners were declared as well as three honourable mentions. These chosen participants will be joining over 500 other children at the University of Toronto Science Fair on April 1. They are eager to represent their school and have another chance to talk about their projects. Good luck CGS!

For more information about CGS, contact Kelly Scott, Director of Admission at kscott@cgsschool.com or 416 423 5017 x 43. Space still available for the 2017/18 school year.

Looking for a local school with a strong Performance Arts curriculum? Students hit the CGS Broadway Stage last week to show of their special talents for the CGS Annual Talent show. All of the performers (including the parents that joined their children on stage) did admirably. There were singers, pianists, dancers, magicians and joke-tellers. Special mention goes to the CGS Glee Club for its lively rendition of It’s a Hard Knock Life that closed the show. Everyone did a great job, including the narrators who helped move the show along so effortlessly. There were a lot of nerves leading up to the show and backstage on the day of. For many children, it is second nature to be on stage, but for some, it is an enormous challenge and requires a real depth of courage. CGS is an excellent place to give children ample opportunity to build their confidence and stage skills over time. Rehearsals for their upcoming musical, The Lorax, start in March! Want more information? Contact Kelly Scott, Director of Admission, at kscott@cgsschool.com or 416 423 5017 x 43.

CGS on Eglinton Ave. E. at Hanna Road held their first annual Alumni Open House last week and were thrilled to see so many familiar faces back at the school after so many years. The children were very happy to reconnect with each other and with their favourite CGS teachers. CGS is celebrating their 30th anniversary this year and has touched the lives of many students. A student from the first class has recently become a parent himself! Interested in joining the CGS family? Contact Kelly Scott, Director of Admission at 416 423 5017 or kscott@cgsschool.com. Grades are Preschool-Grade 3. Graduates move on to all of the top private schools in Toronto.