Grove News 2020/21 Highlights

Grove News Lakefield College School | 2020/21 Highlights

INSIDE:

Into the Future and Back to The Land

Vision, Direction, Focus: Lakefield’s New Campus Master Plan Saving the Planet: Alumni for The Environment

Events 2021/22 Visit lcs.on.ca/events for details

WE ARE BACK ON TRACK! After 19 months of being apart, our campus is open to fully-vaccinated visitors, and we want to celebrate.

We are looking forward to monumental celebrations, this May and June, when we will welcome Grove alumni and families back to campus for our Home to The Grove, Regatta Day, 2020 and 2021 Grad Class celebrations.

We hope we will see you there!

Reunion may prove to be the largest yet—celebrating milestone reunions for classes ending in ’0,’1,’2,’5,’6, and ’7! Watch for upcoming details. Be sure to check emails from the school, visit lcs.on.ca/events or Grove Connect (groveconnect.ca) to discover upcoming dates and other in-person and virtual events this year for our alumni, parents, and friends.

MAY, 2022 27-29 Home to The Grove Reunion Weekend, LCS 28

Lakefield College School Trustees’ Day, LCS

28

Regatta Day, LCS

JUNE, 2022 8-11

LCS Foundation Trustees’ Meeting, Montreal

18

Closing 2022, LCS

23-24

Class of 2021: It’s Time To Get Your Grove On!, LCS

24-25 Class of 2020: Graduation Like No Other, LCS

Trustees 2021/22 Lakefield College School Board Chair Hugh Macdonnell ‘85 P ‘18 Joel Allen ‘01 Bianca Bell ‘06 Tim Bell ‘00 Nicole Bendaly ‘93 Marilynn Booth P ‘98 Carlo Bos ‘94 Rose Bouchard ‘18 Jennifer Cameron P ‘09 ‘10 ‘15 ‘17 ‘21 Stephen Coates ‘90, P ‘19 ‘23 ‘24 Tim Cooper ‘98 David Crispo ‘22 Joanna Dafoe ‘04 Chonée Dennis P ‘14 ‘16 ‘19 Peter Dunn ‘62, P ‘92 Laura Elliott ‘02 Amanda Ethier ‘98 Ann Farlow P ‘03 ‘04 ‘08 Ian Fung ‘00 Sue Guest P ‘85 ‘89 GP ‘21 Terry Guest* P ‘85 ‘89 GP ‘21 Todd Harris P ‘18 ‘20 Jessica Fitchette Hart ’97 James Hicks ‘84 P ‘17 ‘20 Kalen Ingram ‘99 Brett Jackman ‘03 Sarah Jiang ‘22 Warren Jones ’88 Anne-Marie Kee P ‘17 ‘19 Jai Kim P ‘21 ‘23 Johanna Kruger ‘97 Kelly Leveque P ‘22 Nick Lewis ‘77 James (Kim) Little ’53, P ‘81 ‘84 GP ‘13 ‘17 Ross Little ‘81, P ‘13 ‘17 Kevin Malone ‘77, P ‘22

Patrick Marshall ‘90 James Matthews ‘58, P ‘99 Sarah McCain ‘05 Karen McKnight P ‘13 ‘16 John McWilliams ‘65 David Miller ‘77, P ‘15 Antoine Mindjimba P ‘16 ‘19 Bill Morris ’70, P ‘99 ‘02 ‘05 Kelly Nottage ’00 Lisa Orr P ‘24 Andrew Parke ‘03 Alex Parker ‘96 Jonathan Popper ‘87 Emmy Pullen ‘11 Vicki Pullen P ‘07 ‘11 Sean Quinn ‘82 Cait Sainsbury ‘96 Danielle Saputo P ‘20 ‘22 ‘24 Belinda Schubert ‘99 Rola Shaheen P ‘17 ‘21 ‘24 Bishop Riscylla Shaw Murray Sinclair ‘79, P ‘11 Scott Smith ‘87, P ‘23 ‘25 John Stelzer ‘00 Tom Stevenson ‘78 Maurice Switzer ‘63 Losel Tethong ‘89 Stuart Thompson ‘91 Chris Valentine ‘86 Cara Westcott P ‘14 ‘16 Chris White ‘90, P ’25 Hilary Windrem ‘07 Terry Windrem P ‘07 Daniel Woolf Susan Wright Mary Fang Zhou P ’20 * Honorary Alumni Directors in Bold

LCS Foundation Board Chair Andrew Durnford ‘85 Honorary Chair John K. Hepburn ‘68 Chair Emeritus Paul Desmarais Jr. ‘73, P ‘00 ‘03 ‘03 ‘11 Emilio Azcarraga Jean ‘87 Marilynn Booth P ‘98 Bruce Boren ‘87, P ‘21 ‘23 Michael Cooper P ‘07 ‘08 ‘10 ‘12 Sandra Delisle P ‘23 ’24 ‘25 Bryce (B.C.) Douglas ’88 Jock Fleming ‘74, P ‘03 ‘06

Bernard Gault P ‘15 Zack Kembar ’87 Bill Morris ‘70, P ‘99 ‘02 ‘05 Marc Parent P ‘15 ‘18 ‘20 Rosemary Phelan P ‘08 Donald Ross ‘48, P ‘79 ‘80 GP ‘17 Felicia Ross P ‘17 Rupel Ruparelia ’89, P ’22 ‘23 John Ryder ‘77, P ‘08 ‘13 Thomas Ryder ‘53, P ‘77 ‘01 GP ‘08 ‘13 ‘15 Murray Sinclair ‘79, P ‘11 Tom Stevenson ‘78 Alexandra von Rehlingen P ‘21 Directors in Bold

FRONT COVER: LCS students taking part in the first From Seed to Table: Adventures in Eco-Farming summer intensive course.

A Testament to The Strength of Our Community In October 2020, Lakefield College School launched The World

Much of our success can be attributed to the relentless

Needs Lakefield, a video inspired by the words of faculty

fortitude of our staff and faculty who remained focussed on

member Rory Gilfillan (lcs.on.ca/TheWorldNeedsLakefield). It

our students and their experience. They were equipped with a

meaningfully illustrated our community’s response to the first

flexible mindset and a set of THRIVE practices our community

six months of the pandemic and the pride we experienced at

has been growing over the last six years, which place emphasis

having ‘come through it.’ We didn’t know then just how long

on physical wellbeing, positive psychology, and the

the pandemic would continue to impact the world with its

development of healthy lifelong habits. The momentum

second and third waves, and variants of concern. But Rory’s

gained can also be attributed to the steadfast support and

manifesto continued to ring true, acting as an early predictor

commitment of our school board and leadership team, who

of the quality of character our community would continue to

almost doubled the number of meetings they would typically

maintain throughout the subsequent year. In Rory’s words,

hold in a year, not to mention their involvement on

“When other schools kept their gymnasiums closed, curtailed

committees and special task forces.

their classes, and shuttered their theatres, we moved back in time and back outside. Our waterfront became a dance studio, our fields, long the home of soccer and field hockey, also became badminton and volleyball courts, and the venue for spirit events every Friday night. The outdoor rink became basketball courts, the Grove our outdoor Chapel, and the wild places became our classrooms. The Health Centre team created a COVID care unit. Joe McRae rebuilt a modular schedule that would allow students to arrive [on campus] at different times. In short, we didn’t desert who we were, we concentrated on it because the truths that guided us, the values that grounded us never changed; education disconnected from the outdoors, untethered from relationships, divorced from character were incoherent to

It was quickly realized that Lakefield’s strategic plan remained more relevant than ever and, by October, its goals and timelines for implementation were reconfirmed (p. 6). The school launched a number of task forces to create a pandemic response and address new global challenges. Two early areas of focus were health and wellbeing (p. 36) and diversity, equity, and inclusion (p. 30). These were followed by a focus on environmental education and farming (pp. 8-11) and tuition and affordability (p.7), which became an everimportant focal point as the effects of the pandemic extended into the financial health of families around the world. Focus also returned to the Campus Master Plan and three important priorities considered essential to delivering on our Community

LCS.”

First goals: our new dining hall, new double student residence,

Thriving during a worldwide pandemic may seem like an

addition, the school moved forward with the development and

oxymoron, but it articulates well the end result that we

launch of its enhanced academic schedule (p. 26), new

imagined for ourselves as a school community.

academic programs (P.34), and individualized Fitness and

The pandemic shone a spotlight on wellbeing worldwide and our community was not immune to its stresses. We faced

and proposed fitness and wellbeing facilities (pp. 38-45). In

Wellbeing Program (p.44) designed to enrich the student experience.

innumerable challenges during these past 19 months as

The participation of dozens of LCS community members and

students coped with travel restrictions, hotel quarantines,

volunteers on task forces brings forth a range of diverse

strict COVID safety protocols, increased screen time, three

perspectives, helping us to move forward with ideas that are

rounds of provincial-wide school closures, and online and

devised with the broader community in mind. LCS is made

hybrid learning. No outside visitors were allowed on campus.

stronger by this breadth of experience and we continue to be

Some students (and their families) never stepped foot on

grateful for and inspired by the work of these individuals and

campus, while others (as many as 140 students) stayed on

others, like those featured in Alumni For the Environment (pp.

campus throughout the holiday breaks for the first time in our

46-55).

recent history, unable to return home for the year. Teaching and residential staff were overextended, and our health centre

The amazing connection we have with our extended LCS

staff worked tirelessly.

family exists at the heart of Lakefield’s strength as a school.

Yet, despite these challenges, and maybe because of them, our

open up our campus to fully vaccinated visitors, and we want

community rallied and we have much to celebrate.

to celebrate—BIG! We are looking forward to monumental

Throughout this issue of the Grove News, you will read about

celebrations, this spring, when we will welcome Grove alumni

After 19 months of being apart physically, we are finally able to

many of our accomplishments and the forward momentum

and families back to campus for our Home to The Grove,

we have been able to achieve. We feel tremendously proud of

Regatta Day and 2020 and 2021 Grad Class celebrations. We

this progress.

hope we will see you there!

Grove News 2020/21 | i

SAVE THE DATE After almost 2 years, we look forward to welcoming you and your classmates back to The Grove on Regatta Day Weekend: May 27-29, 2022. We’ll be celebrating milestone reunions for classes ending in ’0,’1,’2,’5,’6, and ’7.

Watch for invitations coming soon.

It’s going to be BIG!

ii | Grove News 2020/21

Table of

CONTENTS 2

Note from the Head of School and Foundation A Message from The LCS Board Chair

8

Into the Future and Back to The Land

6

12

2020/21 School Highlights

24

Closing 2021 Highlights

30

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: A Sense of Belonging For All

36

Health and Wellbeing Through the Pandemic: Moving Towards Learning Recovery and Renewal

A Learning Schedule Built for LCS and Beyond

New Opportunities Enriching Our Students’ High School Experience

Vision, Direction, Focus: Lakefield’s New Campus Master Plan

34

38

46

Saving the Planet: Alumni for The Environment

59

LCS Alumni—Class News!

66

Entrepreneur, Philanthropist and Friend Angus MacNaughton ’48 (1931 - 2021)

A Farm With Roots: Lakefield College School’s Northcote Campus

In Our Memories

26

56

65

Editor: Christine Vogel Editorial Committee: Vicky Boomgaardt, Dave Darby, Anne-Marie Kee P ’17 ‘19, John Runza, Tim Rutherford, Shane Smyth ’96, Dean VanDoleweerd. Contributing Photographer: Simon Spivey.

Please address correspondence to the Communications Office: Lakefield College School, Lakefield, ON, K0L 2H0 705.652.3324 communications@lcs.on.ca

HEAD OF SCHOOL AND FOUNDATION From

THE

Head of School Anne-Marie Kee P ’17 ‘19 delivering her address at the virtual Closing Ceremony, June 2021

2 | Grove News 2020/21

“This year was vastly different than any other. And while I am struck by how much you have had to give up, I am more struck by the resilience you have shown. It would be easy for me to focus on all that wasn’t, but you, Grads, have taught me (all of us!) to focus instead on all that is good and possible and even more than that, to feel hope and gratitude.”

Excerpts from her Closing Address, June 2021, Anne-Marie Kee P ’17 ’19 Good morning to LCS Board Directors, colleagues, guests, parents, students, and especially, to our graduates, and welcome to the 142nd closing of Lakefield College School and to our second, and hopefully last, virtual ceremony!

between LCS and home, and for that we are truly grateful. Together, we supported the long journey of our graduates.

And now to you, Grads—congratulations!

I must admit that I found writing this

To the parents of our graduating students—This has been a challenging

address to be, by far, the most difficult.

year. In addition to the regular anxiety that comes with supporting your

Normally, I would speak to the highlights of

teen through a rigorous academic program, or helping them to manage

our year—the musical, play, successes on

demanding co-curricular schedules, or even watching your hard earned

the athletic courts and fields, the band,

money deplete with tuition payments, you’ve had to be there for them as

choirs, trips, competitions, quiet individual

they struggled to get to campus, or had to switch to remote learning and

successes, prom, special events, and all the

back again and then back yet again. You’ve had unprecedented worries

other highlights that typically define our

about their physical health, and you’ve also had to deal with all of the

school year.

articles about the increasing mental health worries with teens, as you no doubt worried for your own child. There have been many struggles, and yet you continued to trust us. Thank you for that gift. Like us, you may have wondered if we would even get to graduation day, to the time when we could celebrate their achievements.

But this year, because we always put safety first, our milestones were not the same. This year was vastly different than any other.

And while I am struck by how much you have had to give up, I am more struck by

And here we are…“here” is not quite what we expected, yet again! We are

the resilience you have shown. It would be

not gathered outside, on our lawn, under the big white tent, about to enjoy

easy for me to focus on all that wasn’t, but

our last Lakefield lunch together. Instead, we are all over the world,

you have taught me (all of us!) to focus

separately, honouring today’s graduates. Let us focus now on the good—

instead on all that is good and possible and

that we have come a long way together, and while we may be physically

even more than that, to feel hope and

separated, we are joined together by our Grove roots. Please know that we

gratitude.

have plans to invite all of you back, to do it up big next summer, when we can travel and be in large groups again.

One story that captures the resilience of this group happened not so long ago. Our

Parents, thank you for all the extra energy you have given to your children

Leadership Team organized grade dinners,

this year, and to all of us, as staff. We talk a lot about the partnership

and the Grade 12 night was on a Thursday

Grove News 2020/21 | 3

evening at the waterfront. There were our Grads all

•

We have 104 graduates, and they have received

dressed up for the BBQ. As someone explained to

offers from 90 different institutions from around the

me—“since we cannot have a prom or other special

world—30 in Canada, 31 in the U.S., and 22 from

events, we decided to make the most of tonight and put

the U.K. Students will be in schools from coast to

on our nicer clothes.” Making the best of it is what you

coast in Canada (UBC to DAL) as well as the U.S.

have been doing all year, and we are so proud of you for

(UC Berkeley to NYU and Harvard).

that attitude. Judging by how well you have managed this year, I believe that you will carry your attitude and

•

destinations, spanning 8 different countries. We will

effort into the next phase of your lives, where you will

have graduates in Canada, U.S., U.K., Republic of

continue to be successful.

You have also achieved unprecedented academic success. You have taken your learning seriously, and as you will shortly see in this ceremony, there will be a long list of commendations for the excellence of this class and actually, we are still receiving information about student scholarships as offers continue to arrive.

•

80 percent of this year’s graduates are Scholars with Distinction, earning an average of 85% or higher.

This year’s Grads have pursued increasingly global

Ireland, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, and Japan.

•

Thus far, our students have been offered in excess of $1.5 million in scholarships and awards. As I mentioned, there are more offers continuing to arrive as many universities have lengthened their admissions processes.

Congratulations to all of our graduates for these significant accomplishments.

(L-R) Views from the Grade 12 (Grad) Opening Chapel candle ceremony, September 2020

4 | Grove News 2020/21

“Lakefield graduates live with a commitment to putting community before self, and now more than ever, our world needs leaders who care deeply, who connect with a variety of people, and who are ready to contribute to bettering our world.”

In addition to your resilience and academic success, I

bettering our world. When I think of each of you, I

want to highlight your passion for a far less measurable

believe we have been successful, together. Go make a

attribute, and that is your positive commitment to

difference, in each of your special ways.

community. One notable Lakefield difference is the value we place on character as part of a healthy, caring community.

Grads, thank you for your demonstration of kindness, and your courage—remarkable courage—to be good and

The Lebanese-born writer and poet, Kahlil Gibran, wrote: My house says to me—do not leave me, for here dwells your past…

kind leaders. Thank you for prioritizing community, and

But the road says to me—come and follow me—for here is

may these connections, these friendships, last a lifetime.

your future.

Lakefield graduates live with a commitment to putting

It’s time to leave the school house, time to follow your

community before self, and now more than ever, our

road, time to embrace your future, and for our part,

world needs leaders who care deeply, who connect with

please come home to visit any time.

a variety of people, and who are ready to contribute to

Grove News 2020/21 | 5

A MESSAGE

from the SCHOOL BOARD CHAIR

Hugh Macdonnell ’85, P’18

LCS Board Chair Hugh Macdonnell ‘85, P ‘18 welcomes 73 members to Lakefield’s first-ever fully outdoor and hybrid Joint Meeting of the School and Foundation Trustees, October 2021.

In my Grove News communication last year, I shared a

the history of our school. I feel tremendous pride in our

personal anecdote about my canoeing experiences that

community. Through thick and thin we have worked

started at The Grove, and certain life lessons—“being

together—the school’s Leadership Team, faculty, staff,

ready for anything”—that can lead to the development of

students, parents, and volunteers—and we’ve generated

resilience. I connected this to the Lakefield experience

substantial momentum toward bolstering the strength of

(past and current) and how proud I am to be associated

our school as we move forwad with key priorities.

with such a passionate and committed community. In perspective, but my position has not changed. I continue

Gaining Momentum on Several Strategic Fronts

to be inspired by all those who dedicate themselves with

As a Board, we began last year focussed primarily on the

care and commitment to The Grove. It’s been over a year

school’s Safety First: People, Place, and Program: Return

and a half now since the pandemic first caused The

to School Plan and associated risks in the midst of

Grove to shut its doors to its students, staff, and

COVID-19. With an exceptional Safety First Advisory

community. Throughout that time, our community has

Group in place, and the close support of Peterborough

rallied together to help the school overcome its

Public Health, the school’s Leadership Team was able to

challenges, to redirect and adapt, open, close, open,

implement a plan that included a unique and flexible

close and, finally, reopen its doors fully again. All of this,

schedule to accommodate late entry, remote and

while managing to remain a COVID-free campus.

in-person learning, a full roster of co-curriculars and any

my second year as School Board Chair, I have more

Despite the challenges of the ongoing pandemic, this September, The Grove welcomed 401 students to its campus for in-person learning—its largest enrolment in 6 | Grove News 2020/21

unanticipated school closures. It is the plan that ultimately led Lakefield to its success in delivering an exceptional program while incurring zero cases of COVID on campus. It was a comprehensive plan that

also provided our Board with the confidence we needed to be

In addition, both groups concluded that a review of the

able to shift our focus (as early as October 2020) to supporting

School Values was also necessary to ensure they

the school’s recommendation to once again move forward

appropriately reflect our commitment to diversity, equity,

with several strategic initiatives, many of which had been

and inclusion and to health and wellbeing. Following a

paused earlier in the year. These included:

process of review including students, faculty, staff,

1. The Campus Master Plan and New Dining Hall The Campus Master Plan process (and Design Principles) was fundamental to moving forward with the new dining hall, campus upgrades to support the new house model,

parents, and alumni, our revised School Values, along with a new eighth value, Joy, were endorsed by our School Trustees in May (see lcs.on.ca/values).

5. Fitness and Dance Task Force

and other projects deemed necessary for Lakefield to

Throughout the winter and spring of 2021, the Fitness

remain competitive among strong independent boarding

and Dance Task Force convened to develop a vision for

schools in Canada. The plan was officially endorsed by

new fitness and dance facilities, along with associated

the School Board in December 2020 (see pp.38-45).

wellbeing programs. This was a priority identified by our

2. Construction on The New Double Residence The Capital Construction Committee was re-engaged in order to get back on track with the construction of Ross House and Parent House and take advantage of pre-COVID pricing. Today, the school is looking forward

students during the campus master planning process (see pp.44-45). In May 2021, the Board approved the recommendation from the task force to proceed with the detailed design stage of the Fitness and Dance project.

6. Tuition and Affordability Task Force

to opening the doors of Ross House and Parent House in

Emerging from the recommendations of the DEI Task

September 2022 (see pp.42-43).

Force, the Tuition and Affordability Task Force was

3. Summer Academy and Northcote Farm The Board was pleased to support the school’s strategy, last fall and winter, to explore how it might make our campus available to all students year-round through on-campus summer programming and its Northcote Campus. The result was the launch of its pilot Northcote Farm project and new LCS Summer Academy & Programs. Building on the success of previous pilot projects such as the English Language Learners outdoor, land-based program, and Grove Prep for Grade 9, The Grove offered a full array of programs in June, July and August, including the well-received From Seed-to-Table Adventures in Eco-Farming intensive.

The Northcote Farm project took flight as an idea and

launched in April 2021 to recommend strategies aimed at making The Grove more financially accessible to talented applicants from diverse backgrounds. A commitment to examining our tuition management practices through the lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion enables the school to purposefully increase the breadth and depth of student perspectives brought to campus, further enriching the Lakefield experience. The task force, among other topics, explored opportunities to partner with mission-aligned local, national, and international organizations to establish pathways for welcoming promising students from underrepresented backgrounds to LCS, regardless of financial means. In June 2021, the Board endorsed the recommendations coming out of the report of the Tuition and Affordability Task Force.

will become an integral aspect of the Lakefield experience

The momentum that the school has achieved, on several

moving forward (see pp.8-11)

strategic fronts, is nothing short of impressive. All despite the

4. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Health and Wellbeing Task Forces The timely and important work of two school task forces—Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and Health and Wellbeing—continued throughout the fall of 2020 and the Board was pleased to endorse the recommendations that emerged from these groups which outlined a number of important short- and medium-term objectives (see pp. 30-33, 36-37).

uniqueness of our circumstances and the day-to-day accommodations required of the pandemic. In my mind, it is a good reflection of the position of strength Lakefield College School has among its peer boarding schools across Canada. It can be directly attributed to the school’s leadership and countless members of faculty and staff, bolstered by the support and expertise of innumerable community members participating on task forces, our boards of directors and within our trustees groups. It is something you can be proud of; I know I certainly am.

Grove News 2020/21 | 7

Into The Future and BACK TO THE LAND For years, students at Lakefield College School have found themselves outdoors nearly every day in the school’s 315-acre waterfront setting on the edge of the rugged Canadian Shield. It’s a way of life at LCS, part of the philosophy of “healthy body, healthy mind” that the school has always endorsed and a natural byproduct of its surrounding lake, fields, and forests. Today, it has even been elevated to strategy and lives within the school’s plan under its Outdoors Every Day pillar.

This passion for the environment as, at once, an outdoor classroom and a fountainhead of mental and physical health is now taking a more intentional focus encompassing sustainability and environmental responsibility. Front and centre is a separate 160-acre property, Northcote Campus, where students learn about regenerative farming, entrepreneurship and culinary skills through an immersive, authentic experience.

Supporting the farm campus and its mission is a matrix of new initiatives—a new Campus Master Plan guided by the principle of regenerative design, a web of community relationships that draws on local farming expertise and experience, and a new Assistant Head: Sustainability role (as of January 2022) to oversee it all.

It’s a move that puts LCS at the forefront of environmental education and sustainable living. “Issues surrounding climate change make it imperative for schools to educate and offer alternatives in this area,” says Anne-Marie Kee, Head of School and Foundation. “This is a pivotal moment for us. There isn’t anything more important that we could be doing than to put environmental responsibility as a top priority in the minds of our students. This is where the world is at right now.”

8 | Grove News 2020/21

The farm kicked off what will be a new curricular arm for LCS

wetlands, forests, meadows, and a small field of winter rye. As

with a summer program this year called From Seed to Table:

school leaders worked to update Lakefield’s Campus Master

Adventures in Eco-Farming. With support from nearby Trent

Plan during the pandemic to prepare for the recovery, their

University (Lakefield’s new farmer is a recent sustainable

attention was drawn to Northcote’s potential, and enthusiasm

agriculture and food systems graduate and the course teacher

grew for the concept of education surrounding environmental

is a Masters graduate of the sustainability studies program),

responsibility based on firsthand outdoor experiences, with a

the curriculum covers regenerative farming techniques such as

farm at Northcote as the focus.

crop diversity and soil management, food security, management for farm—and food—related businesses, the history of food systems including early indigenous agricultural techniques and culinary skills, so that students can enjoy the products of their labour.

“It will be important to differentiate Northcote from the main campus while allowing all our programs to draw upon its magic,” says Allyson Brown, the Seed To Table teacher and program leader. “We see it as a chance for students to take control over their own learning, where they can explore a concept and find solutions in a separate, inspiring space.”

That firsthand experience is key to environmental education.

Educators in the environmental field have found that education creates awareness, which is positive, but it doesn’t necessarily change behaviour. Engagement and the ongoing commitment involved in the experience of nature and harvesting from the land does change behaviour.

“LCS wants to make Northcote an extension of the classroom,” says Ms. Brown. “Curricular connections can be drawn from all subject areas, from maths, sciences, geography, and history to physical education and the arts, and Northcote as a farm and as a diverse ecological property will offer authentic learning

Northcote, which lies a few kilometres to the north of the main

experiences and independent project options. The hope is that

campus, was donated to the school in 2007. The land had not

through their exposure and involvement on the farm, students

been farmed for many years, and the school has been using it

will be inspired to engage in solving complex environmental

primarily for Outdoor Education and special events and

challenges.”

activities.

After hosting webinars with several schools with farms in the

But Northcote has much more to offer. With 7,000 feet of

U.S., LCS decided to start small with a “market garden”

shoreline on Lake Katchewanooka in Ontario’s Kawartha

concept of half an acre—plus a season-extending hoop

region, it’s a parcel of land with provincially significant

house—and hired a farmer with experience in regenerative

(Opposite and Above) Lakefield College School’s 1/2 acre regenerative vegetable farm at Northcote Campus.

Grove News 2020/21 | 9

farming. Throughout the spring and summer, the

regenerative design, LCS has pledged that each new

school’s dining hall has been enjoying meals featuring

project on campus will be considered through the lens of

Northcote veggies. The farm has produced over 4,700

regenerative design principles that will first probe how to

pounds of produce, with close to 45 percent of this been

help heal any damage to the land and find ways to

grown and harvested for local food charities.

advance environmental responsibility.

These kinds of local connections are central to

From a building perspective, this regenerative mindset

Lakefield’s mission. “We have the opportunity to be very

may, for example, seek toxin-free materials, specify

intentional about how we educate our students about

heating, cooling, and filtration systems delivering better

environmental responsibility,” says Bruce McMahon,

air quality, introduce daylight into indoor spaces, and

director of Northcote Campus. “We often, ‘think globally’

restore ecosystem functions such as drainage and soil

first, when talking about the environment, and ‘local’ is

quality. On the farming side, it may include increasing

ignored. We want to think local first. The best way to do

soil fertility, biodiversity, and soil carbon sequestration.

that is to have students active in the area of stewardship as part of the local community. We have connected with Trent University, Kawartha Food Share, Kawartha Land Trust, and the Nourish Food Project, and we are surrounded by hundreds of years of farming experience, including our Curve Lake First Nation neighbours, who

The future for Northcote and the school’s commitment to environmental education will unfold over coming years. Mr. McMahon sees Northcote’s small market garden “learning farm” pilot lasting up to three years.

Expansion will be gradual.

have already started a 30-acre sustainable farm. We

Next will be the redesign and refurbishment of the farm’s

would be missing out if we didn’t listen to and develop

existing buildings to make spaces for students to gather,

relationships with these mentors.”

experiment and learn about food production and

Northcote’s increasingly important role is informed by the school’s new Campus Master Plan, which places a high priority on regeneration as one of its central principles. Led by an architect with specialization in

eco-technology. There is an 1878 farmhouse, two pioneer-era log cabins from the early 19th century, two barns, and two drive sheds, not to mention some 45 sleighs and wagons. The school’s vision offers a new take

(L-R) Northcote Farm. Inaugural From Seed to Table: Adventures in Eco-Farming class members

10 | Grove News Vol.I 2020

on outdoor and open indoor spaces—communal, unplugged and much different from the main campus— where students can stay for periods of time, work the farm, study, cook, and dine in a natural, forward-looking, farm-friendly atmosphere that is not like a classroom.

From seed to table

adventures in Eco-farming Our newest five-week summer course (August 2021) brought together 15 students from around the world to learn about food production and sustainable farming through hands-on

In the future, the farm may adopt additional uses. These

experiences at our Northcote Campus farm. These students

purposes may have more to do with eco-centric

share a common interest in learning about food systems

experimentation and design where students create their

through a regenerative lens, and a desire to better understand

own projects and courses, perhaps related to seed studies,

how their actions can contribute to a more sustainable future.

solar power and alternative energy, water purification or

Their passion for the planet was inspiring.

conservation, kinetic experimentation or art installations.

The sky’s the limit for Northcote.

The class learned how to trellis tomatoes, install electrical fencing, prepare fresh planting beds, harvest and cook with

Lakefield has embraced the Northcote farm project and

fresh vegetables and herbs and immersed themselves in

environmental responsibility because its leadership

lessons, experiences, and field trips that played an important

believes experiences tied to the outdoors can be

role in the design, implementation and harvest of the school’s

transformative for student learning and wellbeing. Equally

half-acre vegetable farm.

as important, we need student leaders who understand how food is produced, how it can be done better, and how the land and the environment we live within plays the most critical role of all—and most of all, how it needs our protection and consideration. With this understanding, today’s young people will, in turn, be leaders inspired to care for and change the world.

JOHN SOUTHERST

In addition, students were actively involved in lessons on food systems, food sovereignty, Indigenous knowledge, the science behind soil health and carbon sequestration, and the benefits and challenges of common agricultural practices.

While learning about food sustainabilty, security (and insecurity), students had the opportunity to become involved in a meaningful way during twice weekly ‘harvest days’ when they carefully harvested, handwashed, and sorted produce to be donated locally to Kawartha Food Share and the Nourish Food Project. The food that wasn’t donated was delivered to our dining hall to supply members of the LCS community with vibrant, nutritious meals, prepared by our kitchen staff.

Students also had the opportunity to step into the kitchen themselves as they learned how to prepare meals (they donated to the Lakefield Food Bank) based on crop availability – a skill that is essential for supporting local food systems.

”The goal of this course is to teach students about the interconnected nature of food systems and the health of our planet. Through firsthand experiences on the farm, learning from local experts, and exploring the foundations of food systems, students will come away with a deeper understanding of how food arrives on their plates, and the role they can play in making sustainable choices from Seed to Table.”

LCS TEACHER ALLYSON BROWN

Watch the video: www.lcs.on.ca/SeedtoTable Grove News 2020/21 | 11

2020/21

Highlights Our First Return Back to LCS In September 2020, we were incredibly pleased

The LCS Dance Company Presents an Elemental Showcase

to be able to safely welcome the majority of our

In September 2020, the LCS Dance Company

students back to school and celebrate being

participated in an outdoor, waterfront dance

together for the first time since the campus closed

performance. In just three short weeks, students

in March 2020. Throughout that summer we had

choreographed and practised for the show before

strengthened our partnership with Peterborough

performing the breathtaking live arts piece.

Public Health and continued to collaborate with the individuals in our Pandemic Safe School

The showcase was made up of four dances that

Working Group and our national and provincial

represented the four elements: air, earth, water

organizations (CAIS and CIS) to develop our

and fire. It took the dedication of each dancer

Ministry approved Safety First: People, Place and

to be able to come together as a team and work

Program—Return to School Plan.

towards a common goal.

We launched our new academic schedule to

Launch of the Terrapin Times

facilitate phased re-entry to campus along with daily in-person and hybrid learning experiences

Over the summer of 2020, students were inspired

to support the learning of students joining us on

with the idea to start a school paper and they

campus or remotely. Despite its challenges and

became the leading force behind it ever since.

the many differences we experienced as a result

In October 2020, they launched the Terrapin

of the pandemic (for example, no competitive

Times—a monthly newspaper featuring articles

sports), we found creative ways to connect with

written by LCS students for the LCS community,

each other as a community, learn, and have fun.

reporting on all aspects of school life including academics, athletics, arts, life after Lakefield,

From new activities and co-curriculars designed

global perspectives, and more. This newspaper

around safety protocols, such as dog-walking,

is coordinated and created by the Journalism

badminton, outdoor fitness, recreational running,

co-curricular group, which published 13 issues

remote yoga, and remote maker space, to an

throughout the school year.

outdoor dance showcase and hybrid performance arts showcase, we adapted to offer our students a full roster of activities designed with their wellbeing in mind. Our campus itself also saw changes as outdoor spaces were converted into natural learning environments to allow for more time spent together, in community, in nature. Our natural surroundings have always been one of our greatest assets and as we strove to maintain a healthy community, we were grateful to be able to offer our students such an exceptional learning environment.

Although very different, September 2020 marked the moment The Grove felt like home again, for the first time in 6 months.

12 | Grove News 2020/21

Peter Pan Goes Wrong Last November, the Page to Stage integrated Grade 10 English and Drama class performed their version of Peter Pan Goes Wrong, a play by the Mischief Theatre Company. As the title implies, it is the story of Peter Pan but whose execution is full of mishaps. This play within a play was full of technical hitches, high school love interests, and COVID-19 protocols getting in the way of the characters finding their way in Neverland.

OPPOSITE (Top to Bottom) L-R: Our students enjoyed new, safe, outdoor activities and co-curriculars including recreational badminton and dog-walking with Ms. Kee; LCS dancers performed at the waterfront in an Elemental Showcase; The cast of Peter Pan Goes Wrong.

Grove Records released its first EP on Apple Music, Spotify, and Amazon with songs written, recorded, and produced by students

9

44

entrance awards of distinction appointed

countries our students call home last year

$2.3M awarded in tuition assistance to 1 in 3 students

First Ever Hybrid performing and visual arts showcase Now.Here.This.

+450

families raised

$1.5 M

for the Care and Connect Fund

15 students involved in the student-led Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion intitiative

1,135

LCS Faculty & Staff held Zoom meetings during Parents’ Week

Grove News 2020/21 | 13

OUR PEOPLE LCs staff snapshot

Lorraine brown p’22 Director of Spiritual Wellness and diversity Life Before Lcs

“I was a teacher at the American School of Lima and at a high school in Ottawa. I also worked as the International Admissions and Recruitment Officer at Trent. Before becoming a teacher, I worked as a speechwriter and an editor for government publications and a literary journal. I worked in the Department of Public Relations and was an Undergraduate Secretary at Carleton University.

One of my very favourite jobs, though, was managing the jazz and blues sections of HMV (a record store) during my university years.”

B.A. (Political Science and English), B.A.H (English) Carleton University B.Ed. Queen’s University M.A. (English), Carleton University

Current Passion Project “My current passion project is constructing two new courses for LCS: Equity and Social Justice: From Theory to Practice (Grade 12) and Gender Studies (Grade 11).”

My LCS Difference “The fact that I have been able to be my full self in my career is what makes LCS unique. Where else would I be awarded and honoured with the opportunity to craft interfaith, values-based programming?”

2020/21

Highlights LCS Musical Theatre Welcomes Beau Dixon

co-curricular students, and Grades 9, 11 and

In November 2020, the LCS musical theatre

prepared by the Culinary Arts co-curricular

program welcomed award-winning musician,

program.

12 visual arts students) was held in the Chapel with live music performances and treats

actor, and playwright, Beau Dixon, as our Musical Director for the year. Beau has worked

This set-up was uniquely designed to ensure

with top theatre companies in the country such

students could perform safely, watch in

as Stratford, Shaw, Tarragon, and Soulpepper

real-time, and experience all that the musical

Musical Stage Co.). Our students benefited

theatre students have learned over the past few

greatly from his vast professional experience as

months working with Beau Dixon.

they built their own performance skills.

Later in the year, the LCS Dance Company Beau not only guided students’ work in Musical

entered a virtual competition (Strive Dance

Theatre, but he also worked alongside student

Challenge) with video recordings of the dances

artists in the Grove Records co-curricular where

they choreographed and performed for Now.

they learned about songwriting, recording, and

Here. This. Dancers competed against 15

producing under his tutelage. We are so grateful

schools and dance studios across Ontario.

to Beau for sharing his wisdom with our

The dances were judged by three industry

students and helping them reach new heights

professionals who scored and ranked each

in the arts.

performance. All of the dance performances

2021 Peter Dalglish Award

LCS entered into the competition scored at least a platinum mark, meaning the dance

Congratulations to James Wu ’21, the Peter

earned between a 92-94.99 out of 100.

Dalglish Art Award recipient for 2021. In recognition of their father’s affection for

New Nordic Sprint Course

Lakefield College School, his love of the arts and

The pandemic may have created a few

his commitment to nurturing and supporting

challenges for our Nordic skiing program

young artists, Geordie Dalglish ’89, and Kim

this year, but not for our skiers. What the

Dalglish Abell, established the Peter Dalglish

Nordic skiing season lacked in inter-school

Art Award in 2014. The purpose of the award

competition, it made up for with the excitement

is to inspire, encourage, and recognize artistic

surrounding our new 900-metre sprint course.

talent by promoting promising young LCS artists and their future contributions to art in

The sprint loop takes advantage of the hills

Canada and beyond.

adjacent to the Andy Harris track to create

Now. Here. This. Performing Arts Showcase In March, LCS students put on a hybrid (live/ virtual) performing arts showcase consisting

exciting opportunities for both fast downhills and challenging climbs. Beginner or not, we could scarcely distract our skiers from their constant desire to throw themselves at this fun, new challenge.

of 15 dances, 1 virtual choir, 6 monologues, 6 vocal performances, and a visual arts show.

Our live performers did 6 shows in four hours— a unique schedule designed to ensure students could perform safely in front of their peers in smaller House groupings, in real-time.

A visual arts exhibit (with works presented by

OPPOSITE (Top to Bottom) L-R: Lily Bowman ’21 practices singing with Beau Dixon; LCS Dancers perform their dance, “Pop Smoke” in the Now.Here.This.

Performing Arts Showcase; “TITLE” (full painting and detail) by James Wu ’21, 2021 Peter Dalglish Art Award recipient.

View School News and watch our latest videos at lcs.on.ca/ News

the photography club, drawing and painting Grove News 2020/21 | 15

2020/21

Highlights The Culture Project

of 2020, sadly passed away earlier this year. He

In March, our Grade 12 students hosted an

Lakefield Jack Chapter, and so it was a privilege

all-school intersession day, which saw students

for the school community to be involved in

take part in activities designed to pass along

the Jack Ride as a way to honour his memory.

and share stories of connection, tradition, and

Members of the community participated both

culture at LCS, and, most important, build the

on campus and remotely in an effort to cycle as

leadership confidence of their younger peers.

many kilometres as possible and raise funds for

was one of the first students to be part of the

Jack.org to help provide more young people with This event was dubbed The Culture Project

access to mental health support.

by our Co-Head students, Jack Freeman ’21 and Catherine Kim ’21. Throughout the

First Harvest at Northcote Farm

day, students participated in workshops and

This May marked an exciting new chapter at LCS

activities and listened to keynote speakers discuss the importance of building and maintaining connections, the benefits of learning outdoors, and the history of LCS.

OFSAA Nordic Host in 2022

as our new half-acre vegetable garden yielded its first harvest. LCS Farmer, Kohl Kuntz harvested 15 pounds of bok choy, 10 pounds of romaine lettuce, and five pounds of kale, which were promptly used to feed our students and staff on campus.

In April, we were proud and excited to announce that LCS will host the OFSAA Nordic

Our Summer Academy students were actively

Skiing Championships in 2022. After unveiling

involved on the farm throughout the summer

the new 900m sprint track earlier in the year,

(p.11) as they tended to the herbs and vegetables,

this announcement came as added excitement

learned about regenerative farming, and sampled

to our Nordic skiers and the LCS community.

the fruits of their labour.

Hosting this event is particularly exciting because it is a larger scale athletic competition.

Northcote farm produced over 4,700 pounds

We expect to see over 750 student athletes on

of produce this summer, which supplied

our campus, whizzing around our sprint loop.

our dining hall and local food charities (up

We’re thrilled to partner with Kawartha Nordic

to 45 percent is grown to be donated to local

to make this a reality for all skiers in Ontario.

LCS partner organizations like Nourish Food

Kawartha Nordic will host distance events,

Project, Kawartha Food Share and the Lakefield

while LCS will host sprint events.

Community Food Bank.

LCS Online Store In April, we launched the LCS online store

The LEAF Club Takes on the Provincial Envirothon Challenge

(www.lcs.on.ca/store), allowing LCS students,

A group of five eco-conscious LCS students

families, and alumni the opportunity to bring

took on the Provincial Envirothon challenge

a piece of The Grove home, wherever that may

this spring with the help of Mr. Arsenault.

be. From spirit wear to gifts and memorabilia,

The students worked together to create a

there are many ways to show your LCS pride.

development plan based on research and case studies that accounted for the existing

Shipping to the U.S. and Canada is available,

ecosystem, members of the community, and

in addition to pick-up on campus.

wildlife in their given scenario. Their research

The Jack Ride

and presentation skills wowed the judges and won them a second-place finish.

Staff and students participated in the Jack Ride– Canada’s Ride for Youth Mental Health– as members of “Brent’s Team”. Brent Dadds, Class

16 | Grove News 2020/21

OPPOSITE (Top to Bottom) L-R: LCS students paint posters with messages that represent the LCS community;Students gear up for the Jack Ride; LCS staff and students tend to the vegetables growing at our Northcote Campus.

“

OUR PEOPLE LCs staff snapshot

Amy McGrath

Social Sciences, English, Advisor Life Before Lcs “I previously taught at Trafalgar Castle School, located just outside of the GTA. I remember coming to Lakefield for sports fixtures and thinking, ‘Wow, what a gorgeous campus! I want to teach here one day!’”

Unique Achievements “I qualified for the Canadian Masters Weightlifting Competition back in February of 2020. I finished 3rd in my weight category at the Ontario Masters Competition and that earned me a trip to Nationals in Winnipeg. Unfortunately, due to COVID, the competition was cancelled.”

Current Passion Project “I am excited to be part of the team bringing the AP Capstone program to LCS. I’m confident that this course will allow our students to take ownership over their learning and develop skills that are beneficial to their post-secondary studies. I’m also thrilled to be teaching the Integrated Grade 10 Canadian History & English course. English and History are two of my passions so this is a great opportunity to bring them together and (hopefully) help students discover some of the same passions.”

My LCS Difference “I am eternally grateful for the colleagues who have become family and for our students who are like no other – they remind me every day just how lucky I am to work here.”

OUR PEOPLE LCs staff snapshot

Darren Moffatt

Head of Ryder House, Business Life Before Lcs “I was born in England, but I spent most of my childhood moving around the United Kingdom and Europe because of my father’s job. I taught in England for six years before meeting my Canadian partner (Alicia) at a school that we were both working at and then decided to move to Canada permanently. Having studied at Trent University, Alicia knew the area well, and a friend of hers who worked at LCS recommended that I apply for an opening at the school and the rest is history.”

B.A (History), Durham University B.Ed, Warwick University M.Ed, Warwick University

Current Passion Project “This will be the third year that the International Business Course has been offered at LCS, providing learners with authentic experiences through current case studies and real-world examples. Last year, we were lucky enough to go on a business field trip to San Francisco that immersed a group of students in the business environment of Silicon Valley and also included a visit to Stanford University. I’m hoping to organize more of these experiences for our LCS students in the future!”

My LCS Difference “Lakefield will always be my first-ever home in Canada, and what a beautiful place to call home! LCS holds a special place in my heart as the place where I started a new life in a new country.”

2020/21

Highlights

See more online: bit.ly/LCSWinter21

Grove News 2020/21 | 19

2020/21

Highlights 2021/22 Co-Head Students Congratulations to Sarah Jiang ’22 and David

Our 2021 Graduates Realize a World of Opportunities

Crispo ’22 who were elected as Co-Head

Resilience, optimism, and a relentless pursuit

Students by their peers and staff this spring.

of excellence are but a few ways of describing Lakefield College School’s Class of 2021. In fact,

Sarah shared her gratitude for the support of

the collective success of this year’s graduates is

the LCS community: “I am extremely grateful

truly inspirational. Having come through a full

and thankful for all the support I have received

fifteen months of learning during a pandemic,

from everyone. It just shows me, once again,

we congratulate the Class of 2021 on all that

how great a community LCS is. I can’t wait to

they have achieved, securing post-secondary

collaborate with everyone to make the 2021/22

placements from some of the world’s top

school year one of the best yet! This truly

universities!

means so much to me and I am so honoured to represent our students. Get ready for an exciting

This year the graduating class is heading off

year!”

to schools all over the world. Whether it is pursuing studies in Liberal Arts & Science at

David is also thrilled to be leading the student

Harvard in the U.S., Philosophy, Politics &

body for the 2021/22 school year. “Lakefield has

Economics at the University of Oxford in the

brought me so many opportunities and taught

U.K., Engineering and Biomedical Science at

me a lot about leadership. I am really excited

McGill University here in Canada, or Global

to give back to this community as it’s my home

Politics & Economics at Waseda University in

away from home. I want to hear what my peers

Japan, Lakefield will be represented worldwide

have to say and to implement their ideas. I am

and across a range of programs. This year’s

honoured that the school has put their trust in

graduating class has received offers totaling over

me and I am grateful for the opportunity. Let’s

$1.5 million in scholarship awards, a testament

have a great year!”

to their strength and academic potential.

Grove Records Releases EP

New LCS Summer Programs

Since September 2020, our groundbreaking co-

​​This summer, we launched our new LCS

curricular program, Grove Records, has allowed

Summer Academy and Programs which offered

our students to be a part of a recording company

a range of unique enrichment opportunities

under the guidance of JUNO nominated

and credit courses designed to help students

songwriter, producer, and musician, Rob Wells,

reach their full potential by establishing new

award-winning musician, Beau Dixon, and

friendships, challenging themselves physically

LCS teachers, Geoff Bemrose and Sam Wilson.

and academically, and preparing for the

Students in this program spent their weekly

upcoming school year. From math, science,

meetings learning about recording technology,

business, law, and history to dance, eco-

making music, and writing and recording demos,

farming, and learning languages outdoors, our

which Rob transformed into professional,

summer programs explored a variety of topics.

radio-ready hits! After months of hard work and

Additionally, outdoor activities at our waterfront

determination, students in the Grove Records

and on the farm at our Northcote campus

co-curricular program released their first EP,

provided endless opportunities for learning and

“Grove Records Vol. 1”. This playlist is an eclectic

connecting with and in nature. LCS was thrilled

mix of five songs written and recorded by our students. The songs are available on iTunes, Spotify, and Amazon music. Learn more at lcs. on.ca/groverecords

20 | Grove News 2020/21

to welcome over 175 learners to The Grove in remote and on-site programming.

OPPOSITE (Top to Bottom) L-R: Beau Dixon works with students in our Grove Records co-curricular program; three students practice producing a song in Grove Records; students going to Western University celebrate their accomplishment; Dancers practice their moves in the LCS Dance Intensive; Student participating in the summer Science program.

17 Fall 2020 Wellness-related programs including beach volleyball, road biking, canoeing, dog walking, female fitness, and much more!)

+35 LCS student writers and artists featured in the In a Grove Integrated Arts Journal, 2021

2nd place Lakefield Environmental Action Force (LEAF) team finish in at the 2021 Ontario Envirothon Competition

20

110+

student submissions to the Lakefield Literary Festival Young Writer’s Contest

alumni, staff, and friends connected for the 2021 Virtual Alumni Celebration

60+ incoming Grade 9 students participated in the Grove Prep for Grade 9 Program to start connecting with the LCS community

$1.5M Approximate total of university scholarships and other funding offers received by the Class of 2021

OUR PEOPLE LCs staff snapshot

Adam Ross

Head of Lower Colebrook House, Athletics Director Life Before Lcs “I was teacher and Head of House at Upper Canada College in Toronto for 7 years. In addition, I coached football, basketball, and rugby. I attended Queen’s University before that, where I earned a BSc. BPHE and BEd. and played university football for five years.”

Unique Achievements “My proudest accomplishment was playing and coaching professional football in Europe (Finland) after university and before I started my teaching career. It was a great way to further my passion for football, while immersing myself in Finish culture and learning a slightly different way of life. Also, being a parent with my wife, who is also a teacher at LCS, to our 3 children, has been a rewarding and challenging experience so far!”

Passion Project “Our new Fitness and Wellbeing Signature Program is my most recent passion project. The aim of this program is to provide every student at LCS with a fitness and wellbeing plan to give them the skills for lifelong fitness and wellbeing. This program, along with the building of a new fitness facility in the next year is extremely exciting for the future of fitness and wellbeing at LCS.”

22 | Grove News 2020/21

Fall 2021

Highlights A Return to In-Person Learning for All LCS Students This Fall

during their evening, Opening Grad Candlelight

In September 2021, LCS was thrilled to be able

our Home to The Grove Reunion, 2020 and 2021

to safely welcome 401 students from over 45

Grad Class celebrations in May and June 2022.

countries and seven provinces back to The Grove for in-person learning, marking the beginning of a momentous year. With our comprehensive and phased Safety First: Learning Recovery and Renewal plan in place (pp.36-37) and a fully vaccinated community (one hundred percent of our students and staff), we’ve been enjoying a number of “first time since February 2020” moments. Highlights of these include: our first time gathering together in one place, in-person during our (first) all-school outdoor Chapel at the waterfront; our first time singing together again; our return to competitive sports for the first time in 19 months; our first time welcoming visitors back to campus (starting with Trustees’ Day and Parent Receptions in October); and the first time day students and staff were allowed into their affiliated Houses, and boarders have had Open House, in over a year. It’s been a long time in coming and our students couldn’t be happier with the positive changes. We look forward to many more months of firsts with our students who are eager to return to the Lakefield they know and love.

Resilience This fall, we unveiled our newly completed sculpture, Resilience, created by local artist, Garrett Gilbart. Located alongside our cross country ski trails, the large spherical piece will provide a wayfinding landmark for skiiers as they traverse our five kilometres of campus trails. Symbolically, the sculpture represents the universal challenges and experiences faced by citizens around the globe–in particular, our students–during the pandemic. The large spherical form is representative of our global community and its surface (log slices salvaged from local Ash trees) is laser etched with the signatures of our graduates from the Classes of 2020 and 2021—to forever commemorate the unique experience these students faced in their final year at The Grove as a result of the pandemic.

Our Grade 12 students had the opportunity to experience the beauty of the sculpture lit up

Ceremony. We look forward to sharing it with the rest of our community at future events, including

Student Leadership in Action In October, our Co-Head students, Sarah Jiang ’22 and David Crispo ’22 hosted a National President’s Panel with student council leaders from Canadian Accredited Independent Schools across Canada. They designed the panel to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on leadership. For two hours, they spoke with students from 17 Canadian boarding schools about the key issues facing boarding schools in the 2021/22 school year. The issues they discussed included physical and mental wellbeing, school culture, and inclusion.

“We hoped to create this panel so that we could broaden our connections with one another...I think we came out of this experience with a fresh set of eyes where we got a glimpse into how other schools are doing. It was really inspiring to hear all of these amazing young leaders share their ideas, as well.” Sarah Jiang ’22

LCS Launches Its New Fitness and Wellbeing Program This fall, LCS was thrilled to launch our new Fitness and Wellbeing program (p.44). Designed to provide a transformative and inclusive experience it will enable students to embody their best selves and help them succeed in different aspects of their lives. Lead by our new Fitness and Wellbeing Coach Michelle Avery P ’25, each of our students will be guided to discover and explore the types of movement that provide them with the most enjoyment and meaning in addition to maximal physical and mental health benefits. By 2022, each student will have received an individualized fitness and wellbeing plan designed to suit their needs and goals.

(L-R Top to Bottom) Our Jr. Boys’ Volleyball team wins the CISAA championship; Our Jr. Girls’ Field Hockey team enjoys competitive sports once again; Resilience sculpture by Garrett Gilbart; Co-Head students Sarah Jiang ’22 and David Crispo ’22 delivering their Opening address during our first all-school outdoor Chapel; students singing together with Mr.Syd Birrell for the first time since 2020.

Grove News 2020/21 | 23

Closing 2021

Highlights

ANNE-MARIE KEE P ’17 ’19, HEAD OF SCHOOL AND FOUNDATION “Lakefield graduates live with a commitment to putting community before self, and now more than ever, our world needs leaders who care deeply, who connect with a variety of people, and who are ready to contribute to bettering our world. When I think of each of our graduating students, I believe we have been successful, together. Go make a difference, Grads, in each of your special ways.”

HUGH MACDONNELL ’85, P ’18, LAKEFIELD COLLEGE SCHOOL BOARD CHAIR “I commend you for the resilience and determination you have shown to make the most of your year, and for not allowing circumstances beyond your control to define your experience. Thank you for your commitment as a graduating class to leading your fellow students successfully through uncharted waters. The Class of 2021 will long be remembered for answering the call of leadership through times of adversity, and for embodying the very best of what we stand for at The Grove.”

2020/21 CO-HEAD STUDENTS CATHERINE KIM ’21 AND JACK FREEMAN ’21 “This curveball of the pandemic has actually brought us so many amazing opportunities and moments to reflect on, one being the beautiful gift of connection...It is a shared experience that has made us come together as a community...We’ve all sacrificed so much to run in this marathon and now, we finally get to cross the finish line together, connected by our shared experience.” CATHERINE KIM ’21

CELEBRATING OUR RETIRING STAFF MEMBERS This year we bid farewell to many beloved faculty and staff members who retired including, Gerry Bird (40 years), Ian Armstrong ’83, P’13 ’15 (29 years), Millie Artymko (27 years), Heather Avery P ’13 (20 years), Cindy Best (16 years), and Pat Sinka (11 years). We wish you all the best!

MILLIE ARTYMKO 24 | Grove News 2020/21

HEATHER AVERY P ’13

IAN ARMSTRONG ’83, P ’13 ’15

Lakefield College School celebrated its 142nd Closing with a virtual Closing Chapel, Grade Celebrations, and a Grade 12 Graduation Ceremony.

View the Closing highlights, photos and videos at lcs.on.ca/Closing2021

98.7% The average for Grade 12 Top of Form student and recipient of the Governor General’s Medal, Jeewoo Lee ’21

260

Scholars with Distinction

Students with averages of 85% or higher

13

Duke of Edinburgh Award recipients

3 Bronze Awards: Kaiden Bletsoe ’22, Jeewoo Lee ’21, Olivia Johnston ’22; 1 Silver Award: Grace Bender ’22; 9 Gold Awards in Progress: Grace Devitt ’21, Hinako Hotta ’21, Owen Leung ’21, Emmi Matsusaki ’21, Ellie Murdock ’21, Sofiia Onopriienko ’21, Gavin Plunkett ’21, Abigayle Strano ’21, and Ryosuke Togawa ’21

492 Most community service hours completed this year, Maya Ruparelia ’22 View more Closing highlights including videos at lcs.on.ca/Closing2021

ABOVE: Top to Bottom (L-R): Head of School Anne-Marie Kee P ’17 ‘19 gives her address to the graduating class from The Grove; Ms. Boomgaardt P ’25, Mr. Van Doleweerd, and Mr. Runza P ’17 P ’20 gathered at The Grove for the live Zoom graduation ceremony; teachers created special video messages of thanks and congratulations for the Class of 2021; our graduates—remote and on campus—commemorated their final Closing Chapel with a candlelight ceremony, representing the light of their leadership and hope; during Closing, Heads of Houses congratulate Grads from their houses.

A Learning Schedule

BUILT FOR SUCCESS

at LCS and Beyond

26 | Grove News 2020/21

At The Grove, we are always seeking ways to optimize the student experience and satisfy the social, emotional, and academic needs of our students. Research studies continue to show us that our daily rhythm has a dramatic effect on our mood, our wellbeing, our learning, and our outcomes. As such, when examining the Lakefield experience, we identified our daily schedule as a key aspect of student life that has the potential to elevate our students to the next level.

To this end, we embarked on a three-year journey of intensive research and consultation with Independent School Management, which led to the development of a schedule that supports student wellbeing and engagement and permits a well-rounded and personalized program that is grounded in a connection with the outdoors.

With our new schedule, we have extended the length of

opportunities and experiences designed to have a

class periods to create opportunities for students to dive

transformative and lasting impact on our students.

deeply into complex issues and authentic problems, and

Students now attend three classes a day that are 95

to create flexibility when they need to be connected to

minutes long. With more time, our teachers are able to

the world beyond Lakefield for research, or to develop a

design learning experiences that are more dynamic and

product or service. Most important, our enhanced

have meaningful impact. From Harkness discussions

schedule allows for spaced learning, which supports the

and Advanced Placemenr classes, to musical theatre,

learning cycle through continuously embedding and

sailing, and outdoor education, our students are more

retrieving important information across time and

engaged than ever before and thus are able to deepen

contexts.

their understanding of themselves and each other.

In other words, our modular schedule creates a learning

Well-Rounded Education

cycle in which “intermittently returning to material, after time away, leads to more durable retention of the

By organizing our schedule into distinct sections of time

knowledge and incorporation into long term memory”

throughout the year (referred to as Mods), our students

(Schnapp, Nateson & Kok, 2018). Leading brain

have more flexibility to pursue individualized pathways

researchers and cutting edge schools around the world

of learning at their own pace. This, in turn, allows for a

are picking up on this important aspect of learning, and

more customized, enriched, and well-rounded

our schedule gives LCS students the leverage they need

experience. The challenge of our academic program

to have an incredible experience now, and to be able to

continues to be demanding; however, carrying three

carry it with them into the future.

courses each day allows for greater focus on fewer

Authentic Learning Our commitment to authentic learning challenges students to move beyond memorizing information, to tackling complex topics and refining their long-term

courses and thus, less frenetic movement around campus. Brain research and experience shows us that we can better dive into engaging learning when we’re not trying to switch between eight different topics in short time frames.

learning skills. Our new schedule supports authentic

It also creates the opportunity for each course to meet

learning by protecting time for deep and meaningful

across four Mods throughout the year. Different courses

student engagement every day. The modular learning

can cycle through in a way that exposes students to a

format preserves, protects, and offers more time for

rhythm of learning spread through the year. This allows

“By embracing the joys and challenges that interacting with the natural world offers, our students grow in so many ways that benefit them intellectually, emotionally, and physically.”

our teachers to design classroom experiences with

students to enjoy. By embracing the joys and challenges

student learning in mind, building on the brain research

that interacting with the natural world offers, our

behind spaced learning and maximizing the

students grow in many ways that benefit them

opportunities presented by different seasons for outdoor

intellectually, emotionally, and physically. Extended

learning, arts, and athletics. In addition, students in

class times in our schedule encourage teachers to design

practice-based courses, such as languages, math, and

classes to be outdoors, and longer breaks between

the arts have consistent exposure to practice and

classes give students and staff the opportunity to be

repetition.

outside every day, in all four seasons. Whether our

Student Wellbeing Our schedule prioritizes student wellbeing by controlling the pace of the day and preserving important community time. We know that our day-to-day routines and activities deeply impact our students’ attitudes, emotions, and learning outcomes. As such, we have intentionally slowed the pace of learning to give our students a chance to absorb and reflect on information and seek support or enrichment, as needed.

Our schedule also cycles through four courses per week, which allows students to access extra help between classes and dive deeply into projects and enrichment opportunities. We’ve intentionally protected House, Advisor, and Chapel times, as these are important opportunities for us to come together to strengthen our community and to build understanding. These opportunities to deepen relationships across the school help students feel more connected within the community, which translates into a greater sense of belonging, fulfilment, and academic success. By having longer periods, and creating a mechanism to help moderate the pace of courses, we are keeping student wellbeing at the centre of our planning.

Outdoors Every Day We have long been committed to the concept of being Outdoors Every Day in order to deepen our connections with, and responsibility to, nature and the outdoors. Our new schedule supports this commitment. We are privileged to have one of the largest waterfront campuses among Canadian boarding schools for our

28 | Grove News 2020/21

students take a walk through The Grove, run on the trails, bike around the campus, or take a moment to catch their breath at the waterfront, we know that providing them with the time to decompress and relax in nature has a positive effect on their mood and their ability to focus when they return to the classroom. It also provides the opportunity for them to process and reflect upon their learning, ensuring that they come to class prepared and ready to engage.

Personalized Pathways of Learning We’ve long been committed to offering students the ability to pursue their own unique and personalized pathways of learning through enrichment and support.

Our enhanced schedule strengthens our ability to do so.

Being able to intentionally focus on fewer individual students each day, teachers can develop strong relationships more effectively. In a traditional schedule, teachers commonly focus on as many as 100 students at a time. Under this plan, this year our teachers will work with an average of 24 sudents during any one Mod. Ensuring that every student is known by their teachers, and also, that every student is able to know their teachers, is a hallmark of The Grove. Our schedule enriches this experience; it ensures the support and flexibility necessary for students to discover their passions and to map out a learning pathway designed to suit their individual needs.

We live in a dynamic and changing world and we’re committed to ensuring that our students are prepared.

We are excited to offer our students the best learning experience possible, and our enhanced schedule brings our values and beliefs about learning to life.

Grove News 2020/21 | 29

The Grove welcomed students from over 45 countries and seven provinces to its campus this fall, 2021

“Inclusive, Caring Community — we believe in the dignity and worth of all individuals. We embrace diversity, practise equity and foster connection. We lead with empathy to create a sense of belonging for all.”

One of eight Lakefield College School Values intended to help guide us through our relationships with each other and our learning and growth (www.lcs.on.ca/values).

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION A Sense of Belonging For All

In June 2020, Lakefield College School launched its LCS

the DEI Working Group. The report, Advancing Diversity,

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Task Force consisting

Equity and Inclusion at The Grove, highlighted

of sixteen members drawn from our student, faculty,

immediate and medium term initiatives being

staff, alumni, and parent communities. The group was

undertaken by the school and reflected the

mandated to examine all aspects of the curriculum,

recommendations contained within the task force’s

operations, policies and life of the school to make

report submitted in December of 2020. Highlights of

recommendations aimed at ensuring the principles of

these and other initiatives are reflected on the school’s

DEI be real and lived elements of our culture, and be

Diversity & Inclusion section of the website (www.lcs.

reflected in everything we do. The task forces’s vision

on.ca/dei) and below.

was ultimately to contribute to an environment at LCS that is free from racialization and marginalization, and whose graduates are globally-minded, future-ready individuals who respect one another’s differences.

Lakefield College School has roughly 401 students joining us from over 45 countries and seven provinces.

As educators, we believe strongly that young people learn and mature best when they are encouraged to

In one of her electronic updates to our community, last

embrace their individuality within a richly diverse and

April, Head of School Anne-Marie Kee P ’17 ’19 shared

supportive community. We also know that while we

highlights from the final report and recommendations of

welcome students and staff of all cultures, ethnicities,

30 | Grove News 2020/21

“Diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging is a priority not just for educators, but for everyone...Cultural competency is not a question of, “are we there yet, but are we continually moving forward?” ROSETTA LEE, AUGUST 2021—LCS FACULTY/STAFF WORKSHOP

socioeconomic backgrounds, gender identities,

for students and staff with guest facilitator Rafael

religions, and sexual orientations—and believe that our

Daunt (March 2021)

community is strengthened by this diversity of perspectives—fostering a truly equitable and inclusive

•

faculty workshops (May 2021)

community requires dedication, continual focus, and work. The LCS Leadership Team has committed to examining and strengthening this work across the entire organization, and to ensuring leadership and

Academic and Community Programming •

Launch of a Student DEI Group focussed on awareness, discussion and action

accountability, programming, policies and processes, and a lived community experience that fully embodies

Gender and Pronouns: From Theory to Practice,

•

DEI-themed curricular enhancements ranging from

and champions the principles of diversity, equity and

discussions around Truth and Reconciliation to the

inclusion.

theme of “marginalized voices,” Black History, and discussions about racism, privilege, poverty, and

DEI initiatives launched in 2020/21: Awareness, Education, and Training for students and

more •

including “Equity & Social Justice”, “Gender

staff •

•

Studies” and “Health & Wellbeing” (see p. 34)

Student-Led Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Virtual Community Gathering (July 2020)

•

for seniors to discuss strategies for engaging the community

2020) “Anti-Black Racism and Education” Virtual Talk: Dr.

•

Cultural Competency/Racial Justice (Faculty) Workshops (Fall 2020): •

•

•

•

Heightened emphasis on DEI themes during fall student orientation, including new activities

Denise Handlarski (September 2020) •

Inclusion of DEI awareness and advocacy workshops during fall Grad Leadership Conference

“Developing Antiracist Practices in Independent Schools” Virtual Talk: Dr. Derrick Gay (August

•

New courses added to the 2021/22 curriculum,

focussed on identity and name pronunciations •

Dedicated chapel, advisor and house community time to develop intercultural competencies on a

“Cultural Competency in Boarding Schools:

variety of topics. For example, the Indian

What Leaders Need to Know” by Rosetta Lee

Residential School System, Black History Month,

(Recording)

gender identities, homophobia and transphobia

“Racial Justice and Inclusion in Boarding

•

Student-led Global Learning Chapels to share

Schools: Engaging Conversations We are Not

diverse news and personal perspectives,

Having” by Lawrence Alexander (Recording)

backgrounds and cultures

“A Love Letter from Students of Colour” by Dr.

Organizational Processes

Rodney Glasgow (Recording)

•

Gender and Pronouns: Virtual talks and workshops

Launch of the Indigenous Leadership Bursary (September 2020)

Grove News 2020/21 | 31

•

Launch of Tuition and Affordability Task Force to

how our program can grow cultural competencies;

recommend strategies aimed at making LCS more

and acknowledges and addresses biases, underlying

financially accessible to talented applicants from

beliefs and values, assumptions, and stereotypes

diverse backgrounds. LCS currently awards a total of

that inhibit opportunity in work and learning

$2.3M in needs-based financial assistance to

environments

approximately 1 in 3 deserving students • •

Enhanced admissions process including applicant’s alignment/commitment to our school values and review/alignment of more inclusive language in student application form (September 2020)

•

Development of an LGBTQ+ inclusivity strategy (Gender Inclusivity Task force launched Fall 2021)

As a school, we have committed to learning from each other and creating supportive learning structures and opportunities that allow us to lean in to difficult

Review/revision of employee recruitment diversity,

discussions in order to grow our understanding. It is

equity and inclusion statements, and formal

important that every member of our community feels a

“Acknowledgement of the Land”

strong sense of confidence and belonging, reflective of who they are, and that they leave LCS with an

One to Two-Year (Mid-Term) Initiatives: •

Admissions: Review tactics aimed at ensuring LCS is accessible and inclusive to a diverse group of student applicants

•

positive and meaningful way. The commitment of the school aligns with the desires of our students who, since last year, have independently spearheaded a number of initiatives in support of building understanding within our community.

Human Resources: Review HR policies and procedures through a DEI lens and adopting the

body and of Canada

Student-Led Equity Initiatives: DEI Club and Passionate Advocates for Gender Equity (PAGE)

Governance: Continue to review our selection

Our students’ drive to lead a Diversity, Equity, and

processes to ensure diversity figures prominently

Inclusion initiative in 2020/21 began the year before in

among the criteria assessed, and adopting the

the wake of the reinvigoration the Black Lives Matter

express goal of working towards governance bodies

movement. One of its student facilitators, Lily Bowman

that are more reflective of the diversity of our school

’21, said she “felt an even stronger need for conversation

community and students

and education surrounding important, and sometimes

express goal of working towards our faculty and staff being more reflective of the diversity of our student

•

understanding of how they can contribute to society in a

uncomfortable, topics in our community.” Last year, Lily •

•

Awareness, education, and training: Develop an

’21, in collaboration with her peers Catherine Kim ’21,

enhanced, comprehensive, and ongoing program

Dylan Clement ’21, Nicole Liu ’21 and others, launched

promoting student and staff training, education,

the student-led DEI club and worked to lead a series of

and awareness on core aspects of DEI

student-led discussions, open to everyone, on issues and

DEI redress / complaint procedures: Review our redress policies and procedures for students and staff to ensure they remain reflective of best practices, and that students and staff feel confident in accessing them

•

topics affecting the community. In collaboration with LCS staff, they were able to host the school’s first virtual summer student-led Community Gathering on DEI before the school year began, to start the conversation.

Invited special guest speakers—Maurice Switzer ’63, Kelly Nottage ’00, and LCS Staff member Isaac Eshikaty

Comprehensive program review and the

joined the student-led panel to share personal stories

integration of diversity, equity and inclusion themes

and explore topics such as microaggressions, holding

across all aspects of our program in a manner that

peers accountable, and developmental experiences

is: seamless, coordinated and aligned; focuses on

surrounding race and identity. As an incredibly diverse, international school, this conversation at the start of the

32 | Grove News 2020/21

2020/21 year, was the first of many, and provided a

to “provide an area for everyone to share their personal

powerful student-led example of the change we can make

experiences of gender discrimination without excluding

in our community.

any gender identities,” she explained. Student organizers

The work of the DEI club continues this fall under the leadership of Sarah Jiang ’22, Rori Ash ’22 and Clea Yates ’22. The group has already been engaging in important discussions and we look forward to sharing more about their continued leadership in this area.

Another LCS student-led group, Passionate Advocates for Gender Equity (PAGE), recruited artists throughout the Grove community to participate in an art exhibition they organized, OurStory, on May 8, 2021. Yeseo Kim ’22, Minjung (Min) Son ’22, Louise Prindiville-Porto ’22, and Jana Rubel ’22 began the project five months earlier (in January) to ignite conversations in the community about gender equity by representing gender discrimination through artwork. OurStory featured all forms of art, including painting, drawing, dancing, singing, drama, spoken word, poetry, and more.

felt strongly about the legacy they hoped to create, which Louise ’22 described as “a space for people in the school community to share their passion for gender equity and take action towards it....I think as a school, it’s our responsibility to educate youth on gender assumptions so that when they become adults and have greater influence, they can educate others around them.”

The truest measure of Lakefield College School’s ongoing journey with diversity, equity, and inclusion work is represented within the lived experience of each of our community members—current and prospective students, alumni, parents, faculty, staff, donors, and friends of LCS. We continue to strive for improvement and to identify how we can better foster feelings of safety and inclusivity within our community and beyond. This includes examining our biases and creating a culture that engages unfamiliar ideas, perspectives, and people to create the conditions for

Min ’22 described the PAGE group’s mission as “to bridge

dramatic and meaningful growth, and change, when

gender gaps and advocate for those facing gender-based

necessary. It includes looking carefully at the experiences

discrimination through education in our community and

we’ve helped to create in the past, in order to determine

beyond.” Through the art exhibit, PAGE organizers hoped

the best path forward for our current students and for the generations of students yet to come.

Grove News 2020/21 | 33

NEW OPPORTUNITIES

Enriching Our Students’ High School Experience “The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled.” Plutarch

to achieving a Lakefield College School Diploma and an

This year, our teachers look forward to kindling many new

program, students think critically about theories,

fires of excitement and interest in our students through a series of new course offerings. When students arrive at Lakefield in Grade 9, their schedule is built for them in order to meet ministry standards. However, as they progress through Grades 10, 11, and 12, the flexibility to

Ontario Secondary School Diploma, students have the chance to achieve the AP Capstone Diploma. In this questions, and issues related to anthropology, psychology, and sociology and then apply those understandings to research projects and presentations. Furthermore, through earning the AP Diploma, students will develop the academic skills required to succeed at the postsecondary

choose their learning pathway increases immensely.

level; they will be set apart from their peers in the

With this newfound power of choice comes the need for

confident in their ability to think critically and problem

responsibility and foresight. The courses students select in

solve. We are excited to see how this program will appeal to

Grade 10 not only impact their Grade 11 year but they

students and we look forward to watching them blossom

impact the opportunities that become available in their

and grow into independent thinkers.

university application process; and they will become more

final year of study as well. In this regard, when students are given the flexibility to select courses, they’re embarking on a journey of curating their unique learning pathway, which

Gender Studies and Equity & Social Justice

sets them up for future learning opportunities at postsecondary institutions and eventually, career

It is important for all students to have insight into issues

pathways. As such, we’re thrilled to expand our course

pertaining to diversity, equity, and inclusion. As more

offerings and thus diversify our students’ learning

marginalized communities use their voices to speak to

experience, allowing them to gain knowledge in new

inequities, we want to ensure that our students develop a

subject areas and identify different topics of interest.

broad understanding of social issues pertaining to class, race, sex, gender, and more to take with them through their

Advanced Placement (AP) Courses

time at LCS and beyond. In order to be a part of important

Many of our students strive to reach above and beyond in

informed and possess the ability to look at issues from

their academic pursuits. For those students, Advanced

multiple perspectives. As a part of our quest to provide the

Placement Seminar presents the perfect opportunity to

opportunity for our students to develop the knowledge and

challenge themselves and accelerate their learning. AP

skills to participate in important social discussions and be

Seminar is part of the larger AP Capstone program, which

active participants in enacting positive change, we are

LCS has been granted the opportunity to offer. In addition

offering two new courses: Gender Studies and Equity &

conversation surrounding these issues, it’s critical to be

Social Justice.

34 | Grove News 2020/21

The Gender Studies course explores gender-based violence,

We are delighted to continue offering more ways for our

gender stereotypes, representations of gender in media and

students to individualize their LCS experience through

pop culture, and more. In this course, students will work

additional course opportunities that appeal to varied interests

through the complexities and inequities surrounding gender

and career pathways. Understanding that personal passions

to help them better navigate the world as it evolves.

and interests drive learning, LCS teachers, mentors, and

In Equity and Social Justice, students will examine the idea of power and privilege in society, the role of media in the creation of societal norms, and the strategies that have been successful in bringing about positive change. In this course, students will also have the chance to dive into social justice activism as they complete a project in which they execute a

coaches openly model the joy learning can bring when it is connected to one’s identity and experience. With a wide breadth of meaningful learning opportunities to choose from, LCS students learn to think creatively and critically while discovering their personal passions on a pathway to success that is as unique as they are.

social justice initiative or event. Through both of these courses, students will engage in hands-on learning opportunities that foster and promote an environment of diversity, equity, and inclusion at LCS and in the broader community.

High Performance Athlete Program At LCS, we value the importance of not only mental fitness but physical fitness as well. Every year and every season, LCS is a competitive and successful Division II school in the Canadian Independent School Athletics Association (CISAA). With so many students dedicated to competitive sports, we are excited to offer a course that recognizes the diligence, focus, and commitment required from student athletes. The High Performance Athlete Program utilizes hours spent practicing, training, and competing in combination with bi-monthly seminar sessions on topics such as nutrition, fitness, and exercise toward the completion of a course credit. Students whose schedules are full of both sports and academics should find more balance in their day by counting the time spent on the field, at the rink, in the studio, on the slopes, and more toward their high school credits.

Grove News 2020/21 | 35

During the warmer months last fall, many LCS classes and house groups took advantage of outdoor spaces to come together (with some Zooming in)

Health and Wellbeing Through the Pandemic: Moving Towards

LEARNING RECOVERY & RENEWAL The Lakefield College School community—students, faculty,

last year, consisting of sixteen members drawn from our

staff, the Leadership Team and governance bodies—has

faculty, staff, student, parent and alumni communities. Our

demonstrated incredible flexibility and resilience over the last

innovative THRIVE health and wellbeing initiative, made

20 months as we have adapted to the ever-changing challenges

possible through the generous support of the Sandra and Alain

of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bouchard Foundation, gave us an extremely strong platform to

Last year, John Runza P ’17 ’20 shifted into the position of Assistant Head: Safety and adeptly led the school through the implementation of its comprehensive Safety First: People, Place and Program, return to school and safety plan. With its consistent mantra prioritizing “Safety First” and community wellbeing, and its progressive community advisory model (including 12 community, public health and medical advisors)

leverage and build upon as we supported our community through the pandemic. The task force met through last summer and fall to plan every possible step we could take to support the health and wellbeing of our community, resulting in the implementation of more than 25 short-term initiatives, including: •

Wellbeing during quarantine (programming to support our international students)

•

Wellbeing Wednesdays (all-community outdoor fun and physical activities)

•

Expanded outdoor social and study areas, waterfront hours and new outdoor volleyball, basketball and badminton courts

•

Thrive Council (a forum for student voice and leadership in wellbeing composed of two Seniors-in-Charge and student representatives from each house)

•

Flourish Fiesta (new student programming introducing principles of Positive Psychology)

we worked to keep our campus COVID-free last year. Indeed, other schools, camps and organizations have looked to LCS for guidance on their COVID safety plans. We can be proud of this accomplishment, especially given the need to continuously adapt to ever-changing government requirements. As a community, we have pulled together to support the health and wellbeing of our entire school community.

Recognizing the unprecedented strains the pandemic has placed upon the wellbeing of students and staff (around the world), LCS also convened a Health & Wellbeing Task Force 36 | Grove News 2020/21

Morning Movement (Rise & Shine, Fun Run and Paddling weekly morning events)

possible experience for our students for the 2021/22 school

​​ House Model—Enhanced Community Time (health and wellbeing programming delivered during chapel, house and advisor community time)

our fall term, and perhaps the full year depending on the

Buddy program (pairing graduating students with Grade 9 students for peer mentoring)

circumstances and continue to plan with the assumption that

Early launch of enhanced schedule (designed to promote health and wellbeing with more breaks during the day, fewer courses at once, and fewer transitions between classes)

students can experience all that our campus and school life

•

Grit, Growth & Gratitude (LCS partner, Global Online Academy (GOA), pilot course for our Grade 9 students)

plan for the 2021/22 school year include:

•

Forest Daycare at Northcote (safe temporary outdoor daycare service for our faculty and staff)

•

Parents’ Week guest keynote speakers (Dr. Shefali Tsabary and Renee Jain on “Transforming Anxiety Into Courage, Confidence and Resilience”)

•

Staff training (Mental Health First Aid faculty refresher course and Child & Youth Wellbeing Study incorporated into start-of-year professional development)

• •

• •

year, while continuing to prioritize safety. The reality is that course of the pandemic, has and may continue to be a little different. However, we remain flexible to changing our job is to make the school year as normal as possible, so our has to offer.

Selected key features of our learning renewal and recovery

•

Daily, face-to-face learning with teachers in small classes.

Offering our students the opportunity for meaningful learning and daily co-curriculars in the arts and athletics

•

An enhanced schedule that prioritizes wellbeing and pace of learning, creates opportunities for enriched academics and support, focuses on experiential learning, and protects community time to strengthen our students’ sense of belonging (see A Learning Schedule Built for Success at LCS and Beyond, p.26)

•

Opportunities to be outdoors every day. Our students have access to over 315-acres of natural and recreational outdoor spaces to enjoy a healthy and active school life

•

Additional mental health and wellbeing training for our staff (including a refresher of their Mental Health First Aid certification)

•

Continued initiatives and professional development for staff and students designed to strengthen cultural competencies and create a more inclusive community (see pp.32-33)

•

Access to a dedicated and trained COVID-19 Care Team of nurses, able to provide individualized attention and care to assess, treat, and trace symptomatic and confirmed cases

In addition to these immediate, short-term supports, the work of the Health & Wellbeing Task Force, as well as our broader pandemic learnings have also helped catalyze some more permanent programmatic enhancements. Recognizing that the pandemic has contributed to a pattern of widespread physical inactivity among young people everywhere, contributing to an array of mental and physical health concerns, we are pleased to launch our new school-wide Fitness and Wellbeing Program in 2021/22—a signature program focussed on providing every student with an individualized fitness and wellbeing plan. Under the guidance of our newly hired full-time Fitness and Wellbeing Coach, Michelle Avery P ’25, every student will develop their own individualized plan tailored to meet them where they are at, be they a complete fitness novice or a high-performance athlete, with a core goal of ensuring that every student is physically active most days of the week throughout the year. This program will be the only one of its kind among our peer schools, helping our students build the habits needed to sustain their lifelong health and wellbeing (see Fitness and Dance Facilities: Catalyzing Our Individualized Fitness & Wellbeing Program, p.44).

Strong progress with Canada’s vaccination program has helped drive COVID infection rates to relatively low levels, and is enabling a gradual re-opening of Canadian society. As of November 14, 2021, 100 percent of our staff, faculty and students were fully vaccinated. Many of us at The Grove worked hard throughout the summer to plan for the best

In addition, this fall, the school launched two new task forces—Community Safety & Respect and Gender Inclusivity— that focus directly on community and individual student wellbeing. Each task force includes representation from our faculty, staff, student, parent and alumni communities and will work—in alignment with our school values, Leadership, Character, Values program, and the recommendations of our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Health and Wellbeing Task Forces—to develop a series of recommendations for the LCS Leadership Team by January 2022. We look forward to sharing updates of this important work in the new year.

It has been such a joy having our full student body (401 in total) back to campus for in-person learning this year. Their presence has reminded us of our steadfast commitment to prioritizing the health and wellbeing of our entire school community. If the fall is any indication, we are off to a great start.

Grove News 2020/21 | 37

Version - December 1, 2020

Vision, Direction, Focus:

Lakefield’s New Campus Master Plan At the core of our school’s strategic plan is the aspiration to be

other engagement sessions with students, faculty, staff, the

internationally recognized for crafting transformative

Leadership Team, the Board’s Campus Property Committee

experiences that deliver on our commitment to Authentic

and the Trustees, as well as conducting a two-day summit

Learning, Community First, and Outdoors Every Day. To

with the School and Foundation Boards. The Campus Master

realize this vision, our strategic plan boldly targets funding in

Plan is therefore strongly rooted in the unique context and

excess of $50M of priority campus building projects by our

experience of our school community.

150th anniversary in 2029. These projects will dramatically enhance our campus to respond to changing student needs, strengthen our sense of community, enable important programmatic developments, and ensure we remain competitive. In order to effectively guide the evolution of our campus as we work to implement these building projects, we have developed a comprehensive new Campus Master Plan.

Our Campus Master Plan is essentially a roadmap for bringing about the realization of our vision for the LCS campus of tomorrow, for the benefit of our school community, as well as for the sustainability of the ecosystems with which we coexist.

It identifies the recommended placement of our priority campus building projects and also makes a wide variety of campus planning recommendations that span the short,

Our new Campus Master Plan was approved by the LCS Board

medium, and longer term. It acknowledges the sacred views

of Directors in December of 2020 after an extensive process of

and places that we will always want to protect and it identifies

community engagement, planning, and research. Our campus

opportunities to improve the campus experience, enabling us

master planning process was led by our architect, Christine

to sustain the cherished feel of our school while continuing to

Lintott, of Christine Lintott Architects Inc. Christine brings an

evolve to meet the needs of a rapidly changing world.

impressive track record of assisting leading independent schools to successfully realize their campus planning visions.

She also offers a depth of experience in regenerative design, developing design solutions that harmonize with and help heal the natural environment. During our campus master planning process, Christine led a series of focus groups and 38 | Grove News 2020/21

At the heart of the Campus Master Plan are twelve design principles intended to underpin and inform every campus planning decision we make going forward. These principles are filters or guidelines that function to inform decisionmaking on all campus projects. Each design principle should,

whenever practicable, be demonstrable in a design solution,

EMBRACING REGENERATIVE DESIGN PRINCIPLES: How

and any proposed campus project that is misaligned with

can this project be informed by regenerative design

these principles should be carefully reevaluated and adapted,

principles, helping to heal the campus and move toward

as necessary, before approval.

positive, reciprocal outcomes, advancing our school value of

The 12 Design Principles That Guide Us: IMPACTING THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE: Is this project guided first and foremost by its impact on the student experience and its contribution to the advancement of our vision?

STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY: Will this project bolster community wellbeing, supporting better engagement and interactions, and reflect the values of the culture that is being nurtured?

environmental responsibility?

ENSURING SAFETY AND SECURITY: Does this project consider opportunities for natural surveillance to optimize visibility, for natural access control to limit access and control flow, and for natural territorial reinforcement to create a sense of ownership and clearly define public and private places?

EXPANDING FACILITIES TO MEET NEED: Does this project adhere to the principle of building when a clear and consistent need has been demonstrated through an

PRESERVING SACRED VIEWS AND PLACES: Will this project

appropriate assessment process, and where opportunities to

reinforce, strengthen, and protect the sacred views and

reuse or shuffle existing facilities have been exhausted? Will

places on campus through careful building placement,

this project be adaptable and have good bones to support

landscape treatments, and relationships of spaces, allowing

flexibility and repurposing over time?

the campus to change through time yet also feel timeless and special to those who return decades later?

EVOLVING THE CAMPUS OVER TIME: Is this project contextualized within an understanding of what is valued,

HARMONIZING ARCHITECTURE ACROSS THE CAMPUS:

and enrich rather than detract from the complexity of the

Will this project help create harmony on the campus by

student’s experience as well as that of the broader learning

keeping to the scale and character and general color palette

community?

of the existing campus, without being limited to highly specific forms and historical analogues?

BUILDING FOR LEARNING: Will this building serve as a direct pedagogical tool for the school—helping to reveal how

PRIORITIZING PEOPLE OVER CARS: Does this project put

systems work and teach the values and curriculum of the

people first and prioritize an increasingly pedestrian campus

school?

experience, with automobiles relegated as much as possible to the perimeter of campus and with servicing simplified and made more elegant?

LEARNING FROM NATURE OUTDOORS EVERY DAY: Does this project create opportunities to observe the operating conditions of the place and nature’s adaptations, with

STRENGTHENING THE VILLAGE EXPERIENCE: Does this

reconnecting with nature at the root of a deep engagement

project further strengthen the feeling of being in a coherent

with the campus, both from within built spaces and through

village throughout the main campus area?

activity outside?

Grove News 2020/21 | 39

version 12.01.2020

Three of the highest priority projects in our Campus

Lintott, to create the conceptual design. The Task Force

Master Plan are profiled below. The implementation of

felt a tremendous weight of responsibility to get the

each is already underway: Hepburn Hall (new dining

design right for a building that will surely become a

hall), Ross House and Parent House (new double

defining fixture of the LCS campus for generations to

student residence) and the new fitness and dance

come. To solicit community input and help inform our

facilities.

planning, Anne-Marie conducted a series of engagement

Hepburn Hall Our new dining hall, Hepburn Hall, represents a fundamental cornerstone of the Community First pillar of our strategic plan. We firmly believe that having a space where our entire school can dine together daily is a vitally important element of nurturing a strong sense of community. Gradually over time, our school population has outgrown the capacity of our existing dining hall to accommodate that crucial requirement.

Made possible through the transformational generosity of Jane and John Hepburn ’68, our new dining hall will be a communal gathering place for the entire school directly in the heart of our campus, with seating for up to 600 students and staff, and is targeted for completion by the fall of 2025.

sessions with our student, staff, parent and alumni communities, and Christine Lintott also led engagement sessions with our Boards and Trustees.

We are incredibly excited about the resulting design concept. Hepburn Hall will be located adjacent to and to the north of our current dining hall, Winder Smith Hall.

Featuring abundant large windows that showcase stunning views towards the lake, as well as a vaulted ceiling that includes a network of substantial wooden beams, the building will be sure to evoke an inspiring, timeless and warm feeling. Its architecture will be decidedly in harmony with the aesthetic of our campus, with classic design elements consistent with one of the other iconic buildings on campus, the A.W. Mackenzie Chapel. It will also feature a spacious entrance mezzanine off the main point of entry and exit adjacent

Last winter and spring, we led a Hepburn Hall Dining

to Winder Smith Hall, leading to a grand staircase that

Hall Task Force to focus on developing the design vision

descends into the dining room to create a meaningful

for the new building. Chaired by Head of School and

sense of arrival.

Foundation Anne-Marie Kee P ’17 ’19, and including John Hepburn ’68, together with a number of alumni, parent, board, and school leadership representatives, the group worked closely with our architect, Christine

40 | Grove News 2020/21

Hepburn Hall’s state of the art kitchen will be designed to integrate with our Northcote Farm to Table program, enabling us to clean, prepare, and serve food produced by our students at our recently launched Northcote

“Hepburn Hall represents a fundamental cornerstone of the Community First pillar of our strategic plan. We firmly believe that having a space where our entire school can dine together daily is a vitally important element of nurturing a strong sense of community.”

Farm pilot project, and providing valuable opportunities

classroom building, and the new fitness and dance

for experiential learning (see pp. 8-11 for more

extension to the McEwen Gymnasium. Similarly, we will

information about Northcote Farm). The design also

create an open and landscaped pedestrian plaza off the

integrates space for service vehicles to pull directly

west side of the new dining hall looking towards the lake,

inside the back lower level of the building so as to be

providing a spectacular outdoor gathering and event

hidden from view, and also provides for waste disposal

venue, with storage space for outdoor furniture nestled

to be kept completely out of sight. As we move into the

into the lower level of Winder Smith Hall. This plaza will

project’s next step—detailed architectural design—we

also feature a firepit with views overlooking Lake

will be focussed on ensuring the building’s design also

Katchewanooka.

conforms to a high standard of environmental sustainability.

Completion of Hepburn Hall will free-up Winder Smith Hall for conversion to a new purpose. Built in 1965 and

The building will also feature enclosed meeting space on

named in honour of Gordon Winder Smith, Head of

its upper level that can accommodate up to 100 people

School from 1940 to 1965, the building has excellent

and be divisible into multiple seperate rooms to provide

bones and a prime location, clearly meriting a thoughtful

a range of flexible uses, including as classrooms or as a

repurposing to ensure it continues to play an important

venue for smaller events/meetings.

role in the life of the school. Although planning for the

The dining hall project will also encompass a complete reimagining of the outdoor areas surrounding the new building, bringing to life spaces that were previously underutilized. We will create an inviting, landscaped pedestrian plaza between the Hepburn Hall, the

future of Winder Smith Hall is still ongoing, our preliminary plan is for it to become a vibrant student centre, where students can gather to socialize, study and unwind, as well as potentially housing a new university guidance centre.

Lintott Architect’s rendering of Hepburn Hall (L-R) looking northeast, southeast, and interior views Grove News 2020/21 | 41

We are deeply grateful to Jane and John Hepburn ’68

House will maintain the theme of small student

and for their visionary leadership and generosity in

residences characteristic of the Lakefield experience for

making this project possible. Hepburn Hall promises to

our students. The new houses will accommodate 26+

be an iconic campus destination and its construction

boarders each, as well as space for the integration of 10+

marks a consequential milestone in the long history of

day students in each house.

our school.

Ross House and Parent House: Our New Double Student Residence Scheduled to open in 2022, Ross House and Parent House, our new double student residence, is an important project and catalyst essential to realizing multiple goals outlined in our strategic plan. Currently in the midst of construction, the building—designed by Lett Architects Inc. (alumnus Bill Lett ’92, P ’23)—is situated in the lower north residential node of campus facing towards Lake Katchewanooka and the woods, adjacent to Rashleigh and Colebrook houses.

The completion of Ross House and Parent House are an important prerequisite to enabling the full implementation of our integrated house model, a core element of the Community First pillar of our strategic plan. LCS has long been known for the depth and quality of the relationships that exist between and among our students and staff; indeed, we consider strong, trusting relationships to be a cornerstone of deep learning. In 2019, we shared how we planned to strengthen our community through the creation of ‘house families’, assigning each student (boarding and day), as well as all staff to one of our student houses. This model intentionally focuses on nurturing a strong sense of

The building’s site and design allow it to nestle into a

community and the development of close relationships

hillside, creating harmony in scale with its neighbouring

through programming that brings together boarding and

houses, offering beautiful views of our natural campus

day students, advisors, heads of houses, and assistant

and protecting, as much as possible, the surrounding

heads of houses through integrated and close-knit

picturesque landscape. When approached from the

members of a house group. The new house model also

heart of campus, it will appear to be a two-storey

supports the integration, reinforcement, and cross-

residence of modest scale, when in reality it is a four-

pollination of important programmatic learning themes

storey double residence. The building is creatively

across all areas of our curriculum through structured

designed with unique entrances and foyers to enable the

house meetings and small advisor group meetings

two houses to feel entirely distinct and separate from

organized by house affiliation. We consider the circle of

each other, ensuring that both Ross House and Parent

support created through the house model to be

42 | Grove News 2020/21

“Ross House and Parent House will maintain the theme of small student residences characteristic of the Lakefield experience.” extremely valuable, for example, in strengthening our

preserving. At the same time, our strategic plan

understanding and growing cultural competencies as a

articulates our plan to grow our enrolment moderately

community by providing more opportunities to explore

and responsibly over time to ensure we have the scale

themes around health and wellbeing; diversity, equity,

needed to deliver fully on our vision and to remain

and inclusion; and leadership, character, and values.

competitive in the dynamically evolving independent

Ross House and Parent House were designed to bring this house model to fruition. The houses each include a day student room, a full kitchen and a common room large enough to support all members of the house family, including boarding students who will live there full-time, day students who will spend time in house activities and completing homework with their peers, and advisors and other staff who will provide support in their roles as members of the house family. We are very pleased with the potential Ross House and Parent House

school sector. Growing our student population modestly over the next ten years will have a transformational impact on our operational model, enabling important investments in program enhancement and financial assistance. We are confident that our new integrated house model and other programs of focus under our Community First pillar, will enable us to grow the school modestly over time while preserving our cherished school culture and while remaining the smallest school among our peer group.

have to enable greater opportunities for our boarding

In the short-term, the completion of Ross House and

and day students to forge meaningful connections with

Parent House will give us the capacity to take some of

each other and with our staff, enriching the LCS

our other existing student residences offline sequentially

experience for all.

over the coming years for some needed upgrades, and to

The addition of Ross House and Parent House will also help us to grow our school’s capacity by 52+ incremental boarding students. Of course, our relatively small school size and closely-knit community are among our greatest differentiating strengths, which we are committed to

provide the facilities and space needed to deliver our new integrated house model across all of our residences.

These upgrades will also enable us to generally modernize and improve our older residences in particular, helping to close the gap between our oldest and newest residences.

LETT Architect’s rendering of Ross House and Parent House (double residence), and progress to date, as of November 6, 2021 Grove News 2020/21 | 43

The Ross House and Parent House project also aligns with

programmatic vision. The Task Force was Chaired by

our school value of environmental responsibility. The

Murray Sinclair ’79, P ’11, and included fourteen

project’s double residence design is significantly more

members drawn from our alumni, parent and school

energy efficient, occupies a smaller building footprint (as

leadership groups who worked collaboratively with our

compared to two single residences), and consumes fewer

architect, Christine Lintott.

building materials. Ross House and Parent House also incorporate innovative sustainability practices (aligned within our Campus Master Plan design principles), including a rainwater recovery system that harvests rain for use in toilets, as well as using the trees cleared for the building site to create furniture for the houses. In addition, the building will embrace LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) principles, carefully considering all opportunities to reduce our environmental impact.

Our new fitness and dance faclities will anchor a new program focussed on providing every student with an individualized fitness and wellbeing plan. Under the guidance of our newly hired full-time Fitness & Wellbeing Coach, Michelle Avery P ’25, every student will develop their own individualized plan tailored to meet them where they are at, be they a complete fitness novice or a highperformance athlete. The individualized fitness and wellbeing plans will take a wide variety of forms depending

This project would not be possible without the

on the needs of the particular student, and will launch

extraordinary generosity of our donors. Ross House is

initially with a focus on physical fitness but will expand

named in honour of the leadership support of Donald

over time to also encompass additional elements of

Ross ’48 and his family. Parent House is named in

wellbeing such as nutrition, sleep and positive psychology.

recognition of the leadership support of Marc Parent P ’15 ’18 ’20. In addition, we are deeply appreciative of Barb and Tom Ryder ’53, Susan and Tom Stevenson ’78, and Joe and Dorothy Barbaro P ’04 ’07, as well as two additional anonymous donors for their major funding support of this project.

The central goal of the Fitness and Wellbeing Program will be to ensure that every student is physically active most days of the week throughout the year, encouraging each student to discover their best true selves, and promoting a culture of inclusivity around health and wellbeing at LCS. The program will integrate, align with, and complement

We are eagerly looking forward to bringing Ross House and

existing school programming, including competitive and

Parent House into service for the 2022/23 school year. This

recreational athletics, the arts and our school-wide focus

project is so central to achieving the goals of our strategic

on Outdoors Every Day. The program will also leverage an

plan, from catalyzing our Community First and new house

app-based tracking platform to support program delivery.

model programming, to upgrading our residential facilities and enabling moderate enrollment growth, we are looking forward to a number of initiatives that will help us to enrich the breadth and depth of the student experience.

Fitness and Dance Facilities: Catalyzing Our Individualized Fitness & Wellbeing Program During the campus master planning process, our students

We are very proud to be launching this program—the only one of its kind among our peer schools—this 2021/22 school year; indeed, we believe strongly that the need for such a program has never been brought into sharper focus than during the pandemic. Of course, the full realization of the program’s vision will build over time, and will ultimately be dependent on the completion of our new fitness and dance facilities.

identified upgrading and expanding our fitness and dance

With respect to the new facilities, our plan is to build a

facilities as a critical priority. Given recent impressive

new extension off the west side of the existing McEwen

growth in our musical theatre and dance programs, as well

Gymnasium to house a 3,500 square foot state-of-the-art

as our commitment to instilling in our students the habits

fitness centre adjacent to the existing gym floor at gym

needed to sustain their lifelong health and wellbeing, it is

level, equipped with cardio and strength and conditioning

abundantly clear that we have outgrown our existing

equipment as well as the space needed to accommodate

fitness and dance facilities.

our fitness programming requirements. The plan also calls

We were therefore pleased to convene an LCS Fitness & Dance Task Force this past winter and spring to develop the conceptual design vision for our new fitness and dance facilities, as well as elements of the associated 44 | Grove News 2020/21

for a 3,200 square foot dance studio/multi-purpose space on the lower level of the new extension, directly underneath the new fitness space. This dance/multipurpose space will offer soaring 16-foot ceilings to enable complex lifts and suspended dance elements, it will feature

“The central goal of the Fitness and Wellbeing program will be to ensure that every student is physically active most days of the week throughout the year, encouraging each student to discover their best true selves, and promoting a culture of inclusivity around health and wellbeing at LCS.” large windows to let in abundant natural light despite

We are incredibly excited about the extraordinary value

being partially below grade, and it will support a range of

this project will bring to our community across a myriad

uses in addition to dance, from yoga to meditation to

of fronts, benefitting 100 percent of our students,

much more.

aligning strongly with the goals of our THRIVE health

In addition, this project will enable us to convert our existing fitness and dance spaces at the north end of Upper Hadden Hall into two spacious new classrooms, helping address our high priority need for additional classrooms. The design vision also encompasses reinventing our existing gym locker rooms into inclusive washrooms and change rooms aligned with the Stalled concept (visit www.stalled.online for more information), helping to advance our school’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. The plan also provides for transforming the current entrance/exit at the north

and wellbeing initiative as well as the recommendations of our Health & Wellbeing Task Force. The project is projected to cost roughly $5M, and we are currently in the process of mobilizing fundraising support from our school community, with generous leaderhip support to date provided by Peter and Lynn Grosskopf P ’22 and an anonymous donor, in addition to generous support from several other current families, we are on the way to meeting our goal in order to commence construction this year and to open the new facilities in the 2022/23 year.

end of Lower Hadden Hall into a major point of entrance for students, staff and visitors to the school, as recommended in our Campus Master Plan.

Lintott Architect’s rendering of proposed fitness and dance facilities looking northeast Grove News 2020/21 | 45

46 | Grove News 2020/21

ALUMNI ENVIRONMENT

for the

Saving the Planet

ALUMNI FOR THE ENVIRONMENT Anyone who knows Lakefield recognizes the boost that a Lakefield education provides toward a career dedicated to environmental stewardship, renewal, and the fight against climate change.

Life at Lakefield takes full advantage of the mental and physical health benefits of a healthy environment. We uphold it with our strategic pillar of “Outdoors Every Day” and we bring a bouquet of outdoor learning activities—biology, archeology, waterfront sports, paddling expeditions, leave-no-trace and winter camping, Nordic skiing, trail running, and more— under its umbrella. There will be even more to come from our new foray into regenerative farming (see p.8).

In the following pages, distinguished Lakefield alumni that have gone on to careers in environmental advocacy, technology, consultancy and investment will describe Lakefield’s role in inspiring and laying the foundation that got them started. But there will be some surprises.

You will find they come from all kinds of academic specialties, from creative arts and social sciences to hard science and mathematics, and all kinds of careers including banking, law and politics, consultancy and design. Take note that they emphasize that the impacts of climate change and environmental distress will reach into every field, and that renewal will demand a whole range of skills.

It’s also interesting to see the personal characteristics that pop up repeatedly in our environmental champions, despite their different fields of experience: a planning mindset, perseverance, and a willingness to embrace lifelong learning into new areas. These are all characteristics that we try to nurture at Lakefield through encouragement to try new activities, room to pursue ambition, reflection toward self-knowledge and intellectual curiosity.

The stories that follow show some of the many ways our alumni have contributed to a cleaner, healthier world. We are confident that our next generation will lead the way to an even better future for society and for the planet.

Grove News 2020/21 | 47

David Miller ’77, P ’15: IT’S SUBSTANCE THAT MATTERS David Miller ’77 places a high value on personal

its other side—cold rain that turned to snow—and David

toughness, both in building character and in building a

had packed no rain gear.

career to advocate for the environment.

“It was so cold that on portages I wouldn’t stop—I was

One would need to be tough to accomplish what David

afraid I’d freeze,” he recalls. “The headmaster came to me

has done. He built a nine-year practice as an employment,

and said, ‘You’re tough, Miller’ and it gave me so much

immigration and shareholder rights lawyer in Toronto,

confidence. It was the first time I felt Canadian.”

then walked away from it to run in the high-profile, no-holds-barred world of Toronto municipal politics, winning three elections as a city councillor and another two as mayor of Canada’s largest city for seven years.

David’s accomplishments are legion—arguing complex cases before the Ontario Superior Court, nine years as an activist councillor and seven more as mayor, dealing with aggressive political opponents and media, and taking up

He has since continued legal work around investment in

and running with environmental causes. He earned his

wind and solar energy, headed WWF-Canada, the

spurs, obtaining an economics degree from Harvard

Canadian arm of the World Wildlife Fund, and since 2017

University, a law degree from the University of Toronto

has served as the managing director of international

and working his way from articling student to partner at

diplomacy for C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, an

the prestigious Aird & Berlis law firm.

organization of the mayors of the world’s largest cities dedicated to avoiding climate change by making use of the legislative and spending power of local government. (The organization’s original 40 cities of 3 million-plus people have now grown to nearly 100.)

David’s tough nature emerged early. His father passed away when he was young. Brought to Canada by his British mother at age nine after a modest upbringing in a small town near Cambridge, UK, he earned a scholarship to Lakefield College School. On his inaugural Algonquin canoe trip in Grade 9, the first day bestowed iconic sunny Canadian autumn splendour. By morning, Canada showed

But there was always that element of toughness—of inner determination—that drove him to such high achievement.

When he won his second election as mayor, he finished the campaign by attending 44 campaign events in 44 hours. “I basically outworked everyone else,” he recalls.

He took the same approach to law and advocacy. “When you practise law for nine years, you learn important things like preparation,” David says. “You have to know every detail of the case and the law. Arguing procedural motions, the judges have heard everything. The only way to impress them is by being super-prepared. You cannot

My advice for a career in the environment?

“To run for mayor, you have to raise $1.5 to $2 million—and you have to ask people for it. No matter what your cause is, it’s not a bad lesson to be able to look people in the eye and ask for support for your cause.”

“You have to learn the art of advocacy. It takes a while to overcome the nerves, but being prepared and confident with your facts makes it easier.”

48 | Grove News 2020/21

ALUMNI ENVIRONMENT

for the

David Miller ‘77, P ’15 enjoying the breeze at Batchawana Bay Provincial Park, Lake Superior, Ontario

use bafflegab. Eloquence, yes, but you have to be

Montreal, and Vancouver among its members, he is

prepared, succinct, and persuasive with the facts. The

helping to negotiate and promote ways to meet the

same applies to politics, speeches, or public advocacy.

organization’s goals of holding the global average

People say they enjoy my talks because what I say is real.

temperature rise to less than 1.5C. With cities

The lesson I have learned over the years is that it’s the

accounting for more than 70% of greenhouse gas

substance that matters.”

emissions, the potential impact is huge for the transit

As mayor of Toronto, he was constantly in battles to protect greenspace, reduce the carbon footprint and balance social inequities. “We were so activist that every council meeting was contentious,” he recalls. He is most

system electrification, green building requirements and cap-and-trade carbon emission systems that C40 cities are adopting. “It meets all my values on human rights, equity, and climate-change mitigation,” David says.

proud of extending public transit service, establishing a

While he has come a long way and a long time has

priority neighbourhoods strategy to fund

passed since that first Algonquin canoe trip, David still

underprivileged areas and, most of all, developing the

feels the connection to the outdoors that Lakefield

first climate action plan for a major city—“and the best

instilled—and it continues to inspire him. “That first one

one,” he adds.

was really, really hard, but I loved it,” David says. “Most

Employed since 2017 as a driving force behind C40, which counts the leaders of cities such as New York, London, Beijing, and Jakarta as well as Toronto,

years, I still do an Algonquin trip.” It’s a good reminder of the rewards of hard work and a tough constitution.

JOHN SOUTHERST Grove News 2020/21 | 49

ALUMNI ENVIRONMENT

for the

Megan Lohmann ‘00, on the road in Southern Alberta

Megan Lohmann ’00:

PLAYING THE LONG GAME Standing in front of an organization representing 40

and suppliers that will make them successful and cost-

communities in southern Alberta, Megan Lohmann ’00

efficient.

wanted to show how a network of 20 fast-charge electric vehicle stations across their region would bring a raft of benefits.

In this instance, she made her case in a series of workshops pointing to an opportunity to rebrand the region in a new way, encouraging tourism—because

Megan is the Director of Strategic Initiatives for the

electric vehicle tourism is becoming a compelling strategy

Community Energy Association (CEA), a Vancouver-based

—as well as leading-edge thinking toward economic

NGO that consults and advises local governments and

development that would soon be required regulation

Indigenous communities to put in place policies,

federally and provincially.

infrastructure and programming supporting climate action and energy efficiency. Operating from Fernie, BC, her job is to identify projects that will deliver the greatest impact on emission reduction, and to connect the experts 50 | Grove News 2020/21

As it turned out, the region had an existing wind resource and Megan and the CEA were able to make sure every unit of power used by the recharging stations was matched by

the power generated locally. “So the project played to the

confidence and leadership to go to these communities and

strengths of the region, taking advantage of local renewable

convince them that they can also do more. LCS directly

energy resources to help make the transition to low-carbon

contributed to my ability to do that.”

vehicle traffic throughout the area,” says Megan.

From Lakefield, Megan studied environmental science at the

While the benefits may seem obvious in retrospect, the

University of Guelph and then took a Masters of Science in

challenge is that the technologies are frequently new or

Environment and Management at Royal Roads University.

unfamiliar, and the most ecologically beneficial solution

As part of her studies, she worked on a summer project

hasn’t been considered before or may be prematurely

examining contaminated soils in small communities in

viewed as costly. “The most difficult aspect of my job is to

Nunavut. “That was when my trajectory shifted from land-

present a new opportunity to organizations that have the

based concerns to climate,” she says. “Talking to Inuit

potential for a lot of impact but have never done anything

people, I learned about the effects of climate change on their

like it,” Megan explains. “It’s something that hasn’t been on

food sources, travel, and on the permafrost. The effects of

their radar before.”

climate change are accentuated in the north, so they are the

Clearly, this takes a certain amount of confidence with facts —and a measure of determination and patience. “Luckily,

‘canaries in the mineshaft.’ It will happen to all communities eventually.”

I’m quite stubborn and very committed to the long game,”

This realization was a turning point in Megan’s career. After

Megan says with a smile. “I understand that it’s worth it and

graduation, living in Kingston, ON, the city began searching

very necessary. I’m willing to let it take three, four, or five

for a consultant to help design a climate action plan. “Not

years to see a high-impact project come to fruition. You have

many communities were doing that at the time, and I bid on

to look strategically at longer-term opportunities and tackle

the contract—and won it,” she says. Later, having moved to

them with full force.”

Fernie, BC, with her husband, she began pitching local

EV installations are important for small communities because those that don’t have them become barriers to investment and travel. Megan also works often in residential and small and medium-sized commercial construction and renovation projects, focusing on trades and contractors to

climate action plans around BC at the same time as the provincial government began implementing policies requiring communities to have them. With perfect timing, she became increasingly busy—and successful—as a consultant.

make them aware of ways to improve energy efficiency.

“It was great experience in adapting and framing a message

Colleges and educators are also key collaborators for her

in a language that your listeners will understand and

work.

respond to,” says Megan. Later, landing with the CEA made

As the one responsible for recommending solutions, identifying experts and managing requests for proposals and equipment procurement, she has had to learn the fine details of these technologies and trades. “In 15 years, energy technologies have evolved quite a bit,” she says. “I’ve had to

effective use of all these skills. “It’s extremely challenging and also rewarding. You have the opportunity to really make a difference, working at a level that is not the status quo and presses forward toward a better future.”

JOHN SOUTHERST

evolve my own knowledge and education, but it’s been great to get in early on areas that are developing quickly with a lot of impact.”

Megan credits much of this dedication to the environment— and many of the skills she uses to serve it—to Lakefield. Her father, David Walsh, was a teacher and housemaster at LCS so she was one of those “campus kids” seen around campus.

“I was immersed in that natural environment and the outdoor lifestyle from an early age,” she says. “Later, as a student, I remember the emphasis on hands-on experience, like the Algonquin Park trips and the outdoor education. But whatever we did, there was always an expectation that we can do more, that we can effect change. It requires a level of

My advice for a career in the environment? ”Pay attention to high-level environmental policy changes and understand what local communities need to do to meet them. They provide a good blueprint for the kinds of changes that will come to each industry. For example, the federal government has said all new cars have to be electric by 2035. What does that mean for local businesses, the broader transportation industry and for communities building transportation policies?”

Peter McArthur ’80: EVERYONE CAN CONTRIBUTE As a senior at Lakefield College School, Peter

school? This is what I like to do for fun!’” Peter recalls.

McArthur ’80’s physics teacher assigned a parabolic

Living with his family in Lakefield at the time, he would ski

mirror, about five feet in length, with the instruction to ‘do

or walk home through the woods. “That was a really happy

something’ with it. Running a copper pipe through the

place for me,” he says.

focal point above the mirror, adding a pump and solar cell to track the sun, he and a classmate created a solar water heater.

The pride in innovative accomplishment made a lasting impression, and Peter is now in a position to reward entrepreneurial innovators with eco-friendly business ideas. As vice-president and national cleantech lead at RBCx, Royal Bank of Canada’s cleantech commercial banking practice, he is in charge of the bank’s loans to small-to-medium sized companies using innovative technologies to improve environmental sustainability.

“Cleantech is very high-risk,” he acknowledges. “It’s not something banks are usually inclined to do, but we have developed a good grasp of what the risks are and how you address them. Because of that, I get to deploy some of our capital into deserving companies doing remarkable things and making a real difference.” These young companies’ products range from real-time water-testing technology to non-polluting pesticide to forklifts powered by lithium-ion batteries.

In a sense, he says, “I was always an environmentalist.” As a child, he attended a canoe tripping camp in Ontario’s Muskoka region. It lit a fire in his mind—a love of the outdoors, the mist on the lake in the morning, and the feeling of wilderness. “When I started at LCS, and there were canoes and trips to Algonquin, I thought, ‘This is

But when it came to choosing a career, it was a house of mirrors. He had considered journalism, music, engineering and the liberal arts. None tweaked his fancy as a career.

“And then my chemistry teacher stopped me outside the dining hall and said he could see I was struggling to find the right path for me,” Peter recalls. “He pointed me towards the social sciences. It was heartfelt advice based on what he knew of me. I ended up going into economics and history at the University of Toronto, and it was an incredibly rich experience.”

Clearly a man who would not simply “settle” on a career, he was one who took extraordinary measures to seek the options. Following graduation, he travelled the world for seven months. “My thoughts came together on that trip,” Peter recalls. “I was interested in math and finance, and when I got home I exploited every contact I could. I did 80 information interviews in the financial industry—the trust industry, insurance, commercial banking, retail banking, investment banking and brokerages.”

Asking as many questions as he was asked, he developed a deep understanding of these industries and individual companies. In the end, he chose a commercial bank that was eventually acquired by HSBC. Through the transitions, Peter became a vice-president at HSBC, an

My advice for a career in the environment?

“About 15 years ago, I realized I wanted to focus my energies on global warming. The greatest skills required for environmental change were engineering and chemistry, skill sets I didn’t possess, but I also noted how difficult it was for cleantech companies to fund growth, with access to capital being within my skill set. So it’s possible to contribute to environmental sustainability from many industries. To achieve ‘net zero’, all sectors will have to contribute.”

52 | Grove News 2020/21

ALUMNI ENVIRONMENT

for the

Peter McArthur ‘80 paddling in Poisson-Blanc Regional Park, Quebec

accomplishment he is rightly proud of. “I rose from the

clean technology practice. “It was the one job in Canada

lowest rank,” he says, crediting the groundwork of

that could combine my commercial and corporate banking

analytical and communication skills laid at LCS.

skills and apply it to my passion,” Peter says. “I pursued it

But entering his forties, he began considering how to direct

aggressively—and I got it.”

the rest of his career. “I loved what I was doing as a

His banking background in trade finance, investment and

commercial banker, but I was concerned about the

the technology sector fit his new role perfectly. Now with

planet,” Peter says. “I wanted to dedicate myself to that,

13 years of experience, Peter works with a team of eight

and I wanted to be involved in innovation and technology

bankers across Canada and is a regular resource for

that could help solve some of these environmental

entrepreneurs, academics and governments, as well as the

threats.”

financial industry itself. He is chair of the Ontario Clean

He tackled the task with characteristic diligence, although his timing was a little off. He left HSBC and tried

Technology Industry Association and on the board of directors of the Canada Cleantech Alliance.

independent consulting but this was during the 2009-2010

“Protecting the environment was what I wanted to do

financial crisis and recession. “Big companies couldn’t

more than anything else,” he says. “I’ve turned that into a

raise capital. Canada was bailing out GM. Fledgling

job and a career. I can now picture myself on that lake

cleantech companies had no chance.”

where I learned to canoe, and I’m making a difference.”

As hard times receded and Peter continued to mine his

JOHN SOUTHERST

contacts and resources, he realized RBC was developing a

Grove News 2020/21 | 53

ALUMNI ENVIRONMENT

for the

Dawn Danby ‘96, Big Sur, California

Dawn Danby ’96:

HEALING LIVING SYSTEMS In a presentation to the American Society of Engineering

Petroleum Exporting Countries), how nuclear reactors are

Education a few years ago, Dawn Danby ’96 brought out

built, and we did field trips to Pickering, a coal power

her bristol board presentation from Gerry Bird’s 1993

plant and the GM plant in Oshawa. The takeaway was that

Grade 10 environmental science class at Lakefield College

the solutions to complex problems, like climate change,

School to make her point.

are also complex.”

“My point was that his class at LCS was more

Dawn is a design strategist with a strong focus on ecology

sophisticated than most of the sustainability education

and co-founder of Spherical, a research and design studio

required or available to young engineers at the university

in Oakland, California. She works with engineering firms,

level,” she says. “This course was not just about ecology

city administrators and non-governmental organizations

but about the politics of extraction. We looked at the

on wide-ranging projects encompassing everything from

political structure of OPEC (Organization of the

software technology to water systems in drought-

54 | Grove News 2020/21

challenged southern California. Those projects are

people’s attention with the sustainability argument,”

especially important to her. “If we don’t get water systems

Dawn recalls. Recognizing a gap, Dawn enrolled in the

sorted out, it will be very hard for millions of people to

MBA program in sustainable business at the Bainbridge

work, eat, and live.”

Graduate Institute in Seattle (now the Presidio Graduate

Growing up, as she says, “obsessed” with rainforest

School).

destruction and destroyed landscapes, Dawn “went into

“An MBA teaches you how to make a case, how to get

design to reduce the negative effect of how we

heard, gain power and not get marginalized,” says Dawn.

manufacture, build, and extract resources using less

“It helped me take what I was doing and be taken

energy, less materials.” She did that, and found it to be

seriously by those who make decisions, particularly about

good and necessary work, but Spherical adds another

money and finance as well as engineering and

layer. “We wanted to be more inclusive of efforts to

technology.”

regenerate and heal living systems from the effects of manufacturing, building and extracting.”

With a new ability to “find harmony between economic efficiency and sustainability,” Dawn set out in a new

Given her early environmental concerns, Dawn was a

direction running sustainability design initiatives for

prime candidate for Lakefield’s outdoor-oriented program

AutoDesk, the primary provider of 3-D design software for

and philosophy. “Being out in the world meant being out

the architectural, engineering and construction industries.

on the land at Lakefield,” Dawn recalls. “The attention to

“My projects were concerned with helping these

environmental education was outstanding.” It fueled her

industries in the earliest stages to design efficient

commitment but also her fears. “It fired me up but it was

buildings with a better understanding of the investments

also scary. It’s very hard for people to take it all on

they were making.”

emotionally.”

After a decade in that role, Dawn was ready for her current

After leaving Lakefield, Dawn’s journey began by studying

challenge with Spherical. With environmental awareness

design at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), an

steadily on the rise, she encourages those starting out in

“instinctive decision” she says came from her desire to

the industry not to accept the default narratives and to

draw on her skills in creative arts and “making.” Happily,

constantly update their knowledge and widen their

her studies broadened her sense of what creative work

approach.

could encompass.

“I’ve noticed over the years that many people have never

“Design is adjacent to engineering, and these are crucial

thought about this stuff,” she says. “But everything is

areas in the modern economy,” Dawn says. “There are

changing so fast, even within our industry. No matter your

decisions about what gets made, and how, and with what

vocation, you will have to cope with the impacts of climate

specifications and materials. I learned how broad and

change, so there’s centuries of work to be done.”

complex the creative industries are.” At Spherical, she can take it another step further. “We address sustainability

JOHN SOUTHERST

and regeneration,” says Dawn. “We do research with people and entire sectors. If it’s electronics, where do they come from, where do they go? We’re looking at systems.”

Following her degree at RISD, Dawn spent two years with a design firm specializing in green buildings in Austin, Texas, before heading to a design studio in Toronto that worked with landscape architects to incorporate living systems into water purification technologies.

One of the obstacles to overcome in environmental industries is the impression among would-be clients and decision-makers that sustainability is a frill, or a cost that

My advice for a career in the environment?

“I have learned that it’s a fallacy to believe that those involved in the environment have to be involved in advocacy. There will be very few roles that are not either tied to ecological breakdown or affected by it, and we need to have skills in all areas.”

can be subjugated to higher priorities. “It was hard to get

Grove News 2020/21 | 55

Circa 1920s: Kay Douglas (niece of Rev. Alexander Mackenzie the long-serving second headmaster of LCS) tending the gardens at Northcote Farm with friend, Stella Grier (daughter of Sir Edmund Wyly Grier RCA and cousin to Eric Grier (Grier Farm A.K.A. Boyle Farm)).

A Farm With Roots

Lakefield College School’s Northcote Campus Northcote Farm will be playing a pivotal role in the future of

An ancient native portage trail ran along Lake Katchewanooka

Lakefield College School as the setting for important progress

on Northcote’s west side to Young’s Point and on to Clear

in environmental education. Students brushed by its natural

Lake and Stoney Lake, allowing canoeists to avoid the rapids.

beauty and bounty will go on to change the world. That’s

Pioneer author Catherine Parr Traill, it is reported, noted

highly appropriate, because Northcote has figured

Indigenous people considered the waterway sacred territory,

prominently not just in the school’s past, but also in the

and often left offerings along the way, such as a stone pipe

history of Ontario, Canada, Indigenous people, as well as in

found in a crevice at Stoney Lake.

our literature, northern exploration, and in the life stories of a raft of vibrant characters.

Catherine and her sister Susanna Moodie—also a renowned pioneer author—were born as Stricklands, and their

The earliest known inhabitants of this 160-acre site with its

Strickland relatives eventually owned Northcote Farm for

7,000 feet of waterfront were, of course, Indigenous. Artifacts

many years. Susanna described Northcote in her iconic book

such as arrowheads, stone pipes, stone tools and debris from

Roughing It In The Bush, published in 1852, as the only

stone tool production have been found on its grounds and

cleared land on the lake. Around that time, in 1845, the area

nearby, including a distinctive side-notched “Brewerton

had been purchased by noted lumber baron Allan Gilmour,

point” arrowhead dating approximately to 2500BC on the

whose ubiquitous company harvested the timber and sold the

sandy beach in front of the farmhouse.

Northcote portion to Samuel Strickland (a founder of

Nearby is Polly Cow Island, the burial site of Polly Cow, the young daughter of a renowned Mississauga Chief of the mid-1800s. An ancient burial mound is located across the lake, and other sacred sites are known in the area, confirming continuous indigenous occupation of the area for some 6,000 years.

56 | Grove News 2020/21

Lakefield College School along with Col. Sparham Sheldrake) in 1856. Various Stricklands owned Northcote until the mid-1870s, often leasing it to tenant farmers. Notably, a labourer named J.E. Hamelin raised a large family at Northcote and constructed the log cabins that still stand today, one in the 1840s and one in the 1850s.

Following Hamelin, the farm came into the possession of

operations in northern Mexico, Arizona, and elsewhere

Arthur Ireland Wright, and he cleared about 40 acres and

involving incessant travel. His health failing, he returned to

planted vegetables and raised livestock. He also raised the

Northcote for replenishment—and succeeded. This led him

post-and-beam barn and built the farmhouse, in 1887 and

to buy the farm back from Jones in 1907.

1888 respectively. It was Wright who most likely named the farm Northcote after the family home in Bristol, England. But Wright also leased Northcote to tenant farmers—until it was purchased by Dr. Campbell Mellis Douglas, a British army doctor, in 1883.

Dr. Douglas was a unique character. An expert boatsman, he had won a Victoria Cross, Britain’s most prestigious service medal, in India for the rescue of 17 men under threat in the Bay of Bengal by manually rowing through rough seas during the Sepoy Rebellion. He had discovered Northcote, upon which Wright had posted a For Sale sign, while canoeing to Stoney Lake. Dr. Douglas moved his family including his wife and sons, George and Lionel, to Northcote, but promptly left two years later to serve the British army as a doctor during the NorthWest Rebellion.

As an interesting side note, Dr. Douglas attended the Battle of Batoche, the decisive conflict on the South Saskatchewan River that ended the NorthWest Rebellion. Also serving was the “SS Northcote”, the first successful steamship on the Saskatchewan, transformed by the British into a troop transport and gunship that also carried the wounded to Saskatoon, then returned to bring Louis Riel to Saskatoon before he was sent on to Regina for trial. Whether the SS Northcote played a supplemental role in naming our farm is not known, but the coincidence of names is yet another Northcote connection to pivotal Canadian history.

Northcote entered a new phase over the next decade. Dr. Douglas’s sons grew into their adolescence and learned to fish, hunt, canoe, and sail at Northcote. His son George even became one of the first graduates of Sheldrake’s School, the original Lakefield College School. But his mother Eleanor died in 1894 and his father’s unique folding boat business failed. Dr. Douglas chose to return to England to rejoin the army, taking his sons with him and leasing Northcote to tenant farmers. In the late 1800s, Northcote saw the farming of cattle, pigs, sheep and mixed crops of corn and wheat. Dr. Douglas sold the farm in 1901 to J.H. Hilton Jones, an American railway man.

At the time, Northcote consisted of 10 fields, some small, producing wheat, corn, peas, rye, beans, buckwheat, turnip, carrots, oats, potatoes—and Hungarian grass, droughtresistant grass grown for forage and hay. But neither Jones nor George felt that Northcote deserved to be a “regular farm”. George preserved it as his natural haven.

Rejuvenated, and believing strongly in the healing power of nature, he subsequently set out to satisfy a lifelong fascination with the Arctic. In 1911-12, with brother Lionel and geologist August Sandberg, he explored the Coppermine River to the Arctic Ocean in what is now Nunavut, prospecting for copper, making explicit notes and taking high-quality photographs that he would turn into one of the most important publications about early Arctic exploration, Lands Forlorn: A Story of an Expedition to Hearne’s Coppermine River, published in 1914.

He made at least four subsequent journeys as a prospector to the regions of Great Slave Lake, Great Bear Lake, Lake Athabasca and other Arctic territories through the 1920s and ’30s. Always well prepared and able to survive the most extreme conditions and deprivations, he befriended and employed as guides many Inuit people and recorded their insights, also forging friendships with such Arctic luminaries as poet Robert Service (The Cremation of Sam McGee) and explorer Vilhjalmur Stefansson, as well as Canada’s foremost Arctic prospectors, surveyors, and bush pilots.

But always, George returned to Northcote as his respite when he was not exploring the Arctic or working in the southwest.

Following a second health crisis, he once staged a 40-day winter retreat at Northcote during which he skated every day on Lake Katchewanooka. In 1940, he retired to the farm with his wife Kay, the niece of Rev. Alexander Mackenzie, the long-serving and much beloved second headmaster of Lakefield College School who often sailed to the farm for a visit and Sunday tea. George lived an austere existence at Northcote, with no electricity until 1959, no running water and no appliances, occupying different buildings around the property or on nearby lakes, moving with the weather, the

But as Dr. Douglas was a man of distinction, his son George

season or as it struck him. In this time, he amassed an

Douglas was perhaps one of Canada’s most remarkable but

astounding collection of more than 50 canoes, each with its

under-celebrated characters. Educated as a marine engineer

own name. George lived at Northcote until his passing in

in England, he expanded his training and came to be a

1963 at age 88.

supervising engineer on gas engine and power plant

Grove News 2020/21 | 57

A man of intense curiosity, individualism, and

The Gastle family owned Northcote for 45 years. When it

uncompromising personal integrity, he always

came onto the market in 2007, with memories of

welcomed visits from a variety of northern friends,

Northcote deeply intertwined with his best experiences

academics, writers and others, requiring only sufficient

at Lakefield, alumnus Donald Ross ’48 and his wife

notice to be prepared given his way of life. George

Gretchen purchased the farm. Citing a strong desire to

Douglas was nothing less than an original and

protect it from development by other bidders, and with

exemplary Canadian, and Northcote is in many ways his

a gift-in-kind from the Gastle Family Trust, they

legacy.

donated Northcote to Lakefield College School.

Following George’s death, Northcote was bought by

The farm’s and the school’s histories are intricately

another Lakefield personality, Dr. Hugh Gastle. A family

interwoven—from early ownership by Lakefield founder

physician but also the medical officer of health for

Sam Strickland, Lakefield alumnus George Douglas and

Lakefield and chief of staff at two Peterborough

longtime school physician Dr. Hugh Gastle through to

hospitals, Dr. Gastle lived in Lakefield as his practice

family visits and school and recreational activities.

encompassed the village, the surrounding countryside,

Moreover, seven Northcote students have attended The

Lakefield College School and nearby First Nations

Grove: George Douglas (1890), as mentioned, Lionel

communities. He became legendary for his willingness

Douglas (1894) and from the Gastle family, Bill ’68,

to make housecalls, often arriving by bicycle or via

Thomas ’73, Charles ’75, Angus ’04 and Alex ’07. For

horse-drawn sleigh in winter to his more remote

good measure, Dr. Gastle was named an Honorary Old

patients.

Boy upon his retirement in recognition of his 35 years as

Dr. Gastle was generous with Northcote’s unique

the school doctor.

ambiance. During his time, and before and since, it has

For these reasons, Northcote is a particular legacy for

entertained thousands as the site of community-wide

generations of Grove students and staff that we will

and Lakefield College School skating parties, cross-

value forever, and we are determined that the future we

country skiing, Sunday picnics, campouts, educational

are planning will honour and build upon it. But as a

excursions and of course Dr. Gastle’s legendary horse-

backdrop for so much Canadian history and its

drawn sleigh rides.

characters, it’s a legacy for all of Canada.

JOHN SOUTHERST

Circa 1960s: Dr Gastle with two of the farmhands (Percy Hawkaday and Dick Martin) at Northcote.

58 | Grove News 2020/21

LCS ALUMNI–Class News!

1940s

1960s

Diversity committee, serves on the board of the Indigenous Friendship

Lieutenant Peter Ward ’49 was

Maurice Switzer ’63 was recently

Centre, and is a member of the Sons of

awarded the 2021 Admirals’ Medal for

featured in The North Bay Local for his

Jacob congregation.

his outstanding achievement in

community involvement and work

helping to save HMCS Haida (a Tribal-

with the North Bay Indigenous

class destroyer that servedin the Royal

Friendship Centre. He served as a

Canadian Navy, participating in WWII

member of the Ontario Human Rights

and the Korean War) from the

Commission and is currently a

David Miller ’77, P ’15 wrote Solved:

scrapyard in 1964. (Read more at:

member of the Commission’s

How the World’s Great Cities are Fixing

https://www.lookoutnewspaper.com/

Reconciliation Advisory Group. He

the Climate Crisis, which was published

retired-naval-reservist-honoured-

lives in North Bay, where he is

in September 2020. This book

saving-hmcs-haida/

involved in the community Equity and

chronicles the stories of how cities have

1970s

taken action to meet and exceed emissions targets laid out in the Paris Agreement and is a summons to every city to make small but significant changes that can drastically reduce our carbon footprint.

1990s In August 2020, 26 years after his time at LCS, Todd Lamont ’95 reconnected on the river with some of his ‘Dons’.

“Brought back the mid-90s dream team of paddlers with Rogers, Bigelow, Dobson, Goodall and Baine. Was just missing Rick Hagg. The Grove is a community that never fades!”

Peter Ward ’49 and Jim DeWolf ’58 at LCS in 2018

In November 2021, former LCS hockey teammates found themselves at a hockey tournament that saw their daughters competing against each other in Kanata, Ontario. Kalen Ingram ’99 and her daughter, Madigan (Kingston Ice Wolves), Amy (Stanley) Cowan ’98 and daughter, Renley (Nepean Wildcats), and Nikki (Klein) McIntosh ’00, with daughter, Leah (Kanata Rangers), had great fun reconnecting over the game.

Todd Lamont ’95 and some of his “Dons”

Kalen Ingram ’99, Amy (Stanley) Cowan ’98 and Nikki (Klein) McIntosh ‘00 with their daughters.

Grove News 2020/21 | 59

LCS ALUMNI–Class News!

Kelly Nottage ’00, Khloe and Kamryn

2000s

Riona Petticrew ’03 with husband, Derrick Facette-Gisel and their daughter, Aila

Joanna Dafoe ’04

Penelope “Nellie”, daughter of Sophie Grossman ’04 and her husband, Ed Byers

Ben, Emma, and Leah, children of Adam Bishop ’04 and his wife, Michelle

Kendal (Kelly) Nottage ’00 and his wife, Mia welcomed their first daughter, Khloe on January 28, 2019 and their second daughter, Kamryn on December 22, 2020.

Carly Erickson ’02 and her husband, Jeff Beelaert welcomed their son, “Jack” John William Beelaert on February 11, 2021.

Mel Wright ’02 recently started a new position at Laurentian Bank as the Vice President, Corporate and Public Affairs in the office of the CEO, Rania Llewellyn, who is the first woman to lead a major Canadian Bank.

Riona Petticrew ’03 and her husband, Derrick Facette-Gisel welcomed their daughter, Aila Ivy Facette-Gisel on May 22, 2020.

Joanna Dafoe ’04 began a new role as

Jessie (Jessara) Parke ‘05 and her husband, Andrew Parke ’03 with Hallie and Hannah

Sarah McCain ’05 and her husband, Mike Coulson with their children, Niles and Callia

Maya Rose, daughter of Leslie Schumacher ’06 and her husband, Mike Vander Doelen

Josephine (Josie), daughter of Bianca Bell ’06 and her husband, Chris Bocking ’01

the Director of Policy, Climate and International Affairs, Office of the Minister at Environment and Climate Change Canada.

Sophie Grossman ’04 and her husband, Ed Byers welcomed their daughter, Penelope “Nellie” Joy Byers on June 17, 2020.

Adam Bishop ’04 and his wife, Michelle Bishop welcomed their daughter, Leah on May 24, 2021.

60 | Grove News 2020/21

2000s

Awards for her work at Innovation

Sarah achieved a 6th place finish in the

Cluster.

women’s Laser Radial.

husband, Andrew Parke ’03 welcomed

Nicole Pinto ’08 and her husband,

Ryan Lee ’12 was featured on blogTO for

their daughter, Hallie Parke on July 9,

Kevin Dong welcomed their daughter,

owning one of the trendiest chocolate

2020.

Layla Suri Dong on December 20, 2020.

companies in Toronto, Chachalate.

Sarah McCain ’05 and her husband,

Alison Horne ’09 and her husband,

Mike Coulson welcomed their son, Niles

Chris Horne welcomed their daughter,

James McCain Coulson on March 9,

Katrina Horne on August 19, 2020.

Jessie (Jessara) Parke ’05 and her

2021.

Leslie Schumacher ’06 and Mike Vander Doelen welcomed their daughter, Maya Rose on December 1,

2010s

Lindsay Scott ’12 married Matthew McFarlane in Cambridge, Ontario on August 5, 2021. Leanne Scott ’10 was her Matron of Honour and Nikki Benson ’12 and Mary Beth Duncan ’12 were her Bridesmaids.

Jessica Burns ’12 launched “I Can Relate”, a podcast where she hosts and

Ellis Odynn ’12 made the honour roll of

talks with people who have real and

Canada’s Top Women in Financial

Bianca Bell ’06 and Chris Bocking ’01

tough stories to share. Jessica’s aim is to

Technology and BlockChain.

welcomed their daughter, Josephine

help others feel less alone in what they

(Josie) Alice Bocking Bell on November

are going through and to give us all

Trevor Jones ’15 qualified for the Tokyo

7, 2020.

some insight into what it might be like

2020 Olympics at the 2021 World Rowing

to walk in others’ shoes.

Final Olympic Qualification Regatta in

2020.

Lucerne, Switzerland! At the Tokyo

Rosalea Terry ’07 was nominated for Businesswoman of the Year in the Organization category as part of the 2020 Peterborough Business Excellence

Sarah Douglas ’12 finished 6th at the

Games, Trevor advanced to the B final of

2018 Sailing World Championships

the men’s single sculls in which he

qualifying her for the 2020 Summer

finished 3rd place (9th overall).

Olympics in Tokyo. At the Tokyo Games,

Layla, daughter of Nicole Pinto ’08 and her husband, Kevin

Katrina, daughter of Alison Horne ’09 and her husband, Chris

Jessica Burns ’12

Sarah Douglas ’12 with Anne-Marie Kee P ’17 ’19 flying home from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics

Lindsay Scott ’12 with her husband, Matthew McFarlane and their wedding party

Trevor Jones ’15 at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics

Grove News 2020/21 | 61

OUR PEOPLE LCs staff snapshot

Kat Bovey (née Worsfold) ’12 published a children’s book, Patience: A Celebration of Mindfulness.

2020s Taryn Walsh ’20 received a gold medal for her Junior Acro Solo at World Performers 2021.

Mary-Anne Reid’04

Director of LCS Summer Academy Life Before Lcs “Since graduating from LCS, I have worked as a

Sofiia Onopriienko ’21 writes with the following update: “The day after my graduation from LCS, I started working as a Director’s Assistant on the set of HBO Max. I am incredibly grateful to Katie Uhlmann ’05 who generously shared her experience with me and has been supportive from day one of my work on the film set. I am currently working on my own docudrama series and pitching to

teacher in the Limestone District School Board, as a

production companies and at various events,

Health Education Researcher at Queen’s University,

including at MIPCOM (biggest TV market) in

and as the Head Coach of the Queen’s University

Cannes. Especially grateful to Mr. Moffatt and our

field hockey program. Eventually, I moved to the

business class at LCS. The pitching skills he taught

U.S. where I oversaw undergraduate and graduate experiential education in the Department of Kinesiology at Michigan State University and coached field hockey. In my spare time in Michigan, I volunteered on a vineyard, helping take care of the vines and harvesting the grapes in the fall!”

M.Ed., BEd., BPHE, BSc, Queen’s University

Current Passion Project “I have loved working with our amazing Summer

us have been invaluable. And to Ms. Lorraine Brown who challenged us with Harkness discussions and professional writing skills...truly helpful in the real world.”

LCS Speaker Series In 2020/21 we were thrilled to welcome seven dynamic leaders from our community and beyond to share their stories, achievements, and experiences with students, parents, and alumni.

Thank you to the following indiviudals who helped

Academy Team, building our first-ever full set

to make last year’s virtual speaker series such a

of LCS summer programs held on our beautiful

success:

campuses, including Northcote farm. Getting to

•

Sarah Wells–Resilience

know the students and staff and working together to

•

Peter McArthur ’80–Clean Technology

build programs that engage both of our campuses

•

Jeremy Hansen P ’23 ’24 ’24–Space: Redefining

has been such an exciting experience.”

My LCS Difference “LCS is truly a place like no other. The campus is set

Possible •

Leadership: Mentorship & Relay Journey •

Christine Lintott–Regenerative Design

•

Erin Freeland Ballantyne ’99 P ’24–Place,

on the water, we have a fully operational learning farm and, of course, we have amazing students and staff. The level of support, enthusiasm, and excitement around campus still blows me away.”

62 | Grove News 2020/21

Dr. Rola Shaheen P ’17 ’21 ’24–Women’s

Privilege, and Service •

Danny McCubbin ’82–The Healing Power of Food

Learn more about these talks and watch the recordings at: www.lcs.on.ca/speakerseries.

“

Everyone benefits from a gift anyone can make.

Do you want to make a significant and thoughtful gift that will have an impact for generations to come? Consider making a gift in your Will.

Did you know that a gift in your Will: • Allows you to be far more generous than you ever thought possible.

• Costs you nothing during your lifetime.

• Preserves your savings and cash flow.

• Can be changed or revoked as needed.

• Is easy to arrange. A simple paragraph in your Will is all it takes.

View the Spring 2021 issue of the Focus Forward newsletter online at lcs.on.ca/FocusForwardIssue5 For information about the 1879 Society, contact Theresa Butler-Porter at tbutlerporter@lcs.on.ca

“

Interested in connecting with fellow alumni for virtual coffee chats? Career advice? Networking opportunities? Check out our diverse network through Grove Connect with experience from over 20 industries: Communications. Publishing, Technology, International Development , Marketing & Advertisement , Design, Law, Politics , Consulting, Public Sector, Real Estate, Finance , Acting & Entertainment, Information Services, Engineering , Veterinary, Industrial Distribution, Non-Profit, Environment, Education, Medicine/Health, Journalism, and Hospitality/Food & Beverage.

We have over 600 LCS community members utilizing the platform to stay connected through networking and mentorship opportunities. Grove Connect is also the place to stay updated about upcoming LCS alumni events worldwide!

Join Grove Connect to advance your career and access opportunities with mentors/mentees at www.groveconnect.ca. For more information, contact Stephanie Benedetti at sbenedetti@lcs.on.ca

Grove News 2020/21 | 63

Alumni by the

numbers in 2020/21

2021 Alumni Celebration Event On May 6, 2021, we celebrated five honourary alumnae at our Virtual Alumni Celebration. Alumni and staff

17

current students with alumni parents

100+

alumni attended the virtual Alumni Celebration Event

16

alumni participated as guest speakers for virtual LCS Career Day 2021

112

alumni reconnected at 9 virtual alumni socials

Alumni with Children at The Grove in 2020/21 Bruce Boren ’87—Patrick Boren ’23 and Valentina Boren ’21 James Bradburn ’89—Noah Bradburn ’23 JP Brock ’91—Maddie Brock ’23 Stephen Coates ’90—Simon Coates ’23 and Charlotte Coates ’24 John Guest ’85—Anna Guest ’21 Andrew Johnston ’95—Olivia Johnston ’22 Erika Jones ’92—Hugh Englehart ’23 Bill Lett ’92—Petra Lett ’23 Paula (Crawford) Mbonda ’99—Griffin Mbonda ’23 Richard McCall ’88—Matthew McCall ’23 Rupel Ruparelia ’89—Jaden Ruparelia ’23 and Maya Ruparelia ’22 Scott Smith ’87—Dylan Smith ’23 Kristian Tommasi ’96—Renata Tommasi ’23 Luis Tommasi ’89—Carlota Tommasi ’21 64 | Grove News 2020/21

representing eight decades gathered online for an evening in celebration of these extraordinary women:

•

Marilynn Booth P ’98

•

Kate Ramsay P ’06, GP ’14 ’16

•

Gretchen Ross P ’79 ’80 GP ’17

•

Nancy Smith P ’87 ’90 ’96

•

Vera Wilcox P ’03

In Our Memories John D. Rae passed away on August 4, 2019. Father to

Captain Andrew J. Combe ’50 passed away in Fairfax

John Rae ’79 and William Rae ’81.

Station, Virginia on February 25, 2021.

George Jones ’51 passed away on May 25, 2020 in

Brent Dadds ’20 passed away in Peterborough, Ontario

Victoria, British Columbia.

on March 6, 2021.

Terry Russell ’59 passed away on July 11, 2020 in the

Kim Krenz, past faculty member passed away on March

Bahamas.

19, 2021 in Peterborough, Ontario.

Chris Fasthuber ’06 passed away on August 11, 2020.

Thomas Sterling ’49 passed away on May 16, 2021.

Tim Boddington ’79 passed away in September 2020.

Angus MacNaughton ’48 passed away on May 19, 2021

Brother to Michael Boddington ’77.

in Danville, California. Brother to Bruce MacNaughton ’52 (see p.66).

Stephen Ambler, father of Kim Ambler ’96 and Mark Ambler ’00 passed away on November 11, 2020.

Lawrie Snetsinger ’59 passed away on June 21, 2021.

Shirley Gunn passed away on November 13, 2020. Wife

Bonnie Kiddell, past LCS staff member, passed away on

of David Gunn ’41 (predeceased) and mother to Andrew

July 10, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario. Wife of past staff

Gunn ’73 and John Gunn ’76.

member Alan Haigh and mother to Jason Haigh ’92.

Andrew Irwin ’93 passed away in Ottawa on January 4,

Peter Kemp ’77 passed away on July 14, 2021 in Nassau,

2021. Sister to Eizabeth Harrison (Irwin) ’92.

The Bahamas. Father to Theresa “Terry” Kemp ’05, brother to Michael Kemp ’75 (predeceased), John Kemp

John Morrell ’45 passed away on January 19, 2021 in

’80 and Osbourn Kemp ’91.

Buckinghamshire, England.

John Drew ’50 passed away on October 27, 2021 in James Eayers ’44 passed away in Toronto, Ontario on

British Columbia.

February 6, 2021. Father to Jonathan Eayrs ’70 and James Eayers ’75.

Robert Grierson ’46 passed away on November 8, 2021.

Grove News 2020/21 | 65

Entrepreneur, Philanthropist and Friend ANGUS MACNAUGHTON ’48 (1931–2021) to his fellow Grove students at a profit. He also spoke of having melted down old unused pipes that he collected on campus and placed into impressions to make metal soldiers, which he would sell to his peers.

Clearly, his entrepreneurial abilities were evident from a young age!

Cathy and Angus McNaughton ’48

Angus McNaughton ’48 had an incredibly successful career as a business leader, financier, and venture capitalist. In 2005, The Globe and Mail republished an article recognizing Angus as one of the ten greatest Canadian CEOs of all time.

As President and CEO of Genstar Corporation, Angus skillfully grew the business during the 1970s and 1980s, expanding into waste management, real estate, construction, transportation, cement, and financial services. After selling Genstar in 1986, Angus and his business partner started Genstar Investment Corp., which they ran until 2020. Angus served on the board of many organizations over the years, including Barrick Gold, Canadian Pacific, Fairmont Hotels, Sunlife, Varian Semiconductor, San Francisco Opera, San Francisco Bay Area Council Boy Scouts of America, and San Ramon Medical Center.

Angus would share humorous anecdotes about how he first honed his business acumen as a young boy at LCS. He would buy pastries in bulk from a local bakery and re-sell them 66 | Grove News 2020/21

Angus led an extraordinarily full and accomplished life. He was deeply committed to helping others and left an indelible mark through his involvement with causes that were near and dear to his heart. An alumnus of the Class of 1948, Angus was a deeply passionate and longstanding supporter of The Grove. He served as a Lakefield College School Foundation Trustee since the inception of the role in 2007, was a long-serving member of the LCS Foundation Finance, Audit and Investment Committee and served previously as a member of the LCS Board of Governors and as a school trustee. Angus played a vital leadership role in mobilizing support for Lakefield through a number of important junctures in the school’s history, and I know that many of you—like me—will have so many fond memories of spring LCS Foundation gatherings spent with Angus and his wife, Cathy, over the years.

Angus was deeply committed to enabling young people to gain access to an LCS education. He created The MacNaughton Family Foundation Bursary to support students “who demonstrate all-round promise and are valued contributors to their school and community” and “who

would otherwise be unable to attend Lakefield.” The MacNaughton Bursary is now the largest endowed fund at LCS, typically supporting ten students at the school each and every year. Angus loved reading the letters he received from his bursary recipients and he followed their progress with considerable interest.

At our Fall 2017 Joint School and Foundation Trustees’ meeting, Angus was honoured as the inaugural recipient of the ‘Angus MacNaughton ’48 Award for Philanthropy’. The award’s dedication reads as follows: “In recognition of Angus MacNaughton’s extraordinary contributions to The Grove, the LCS Foundation created the Angus MacNaughton ‘48 Award for Philanthropy. This award will be bestowed at the discretion of the LCS Foundation Board of Directors upon individuals who have had a truly transformative and inspirational impact on Lakefield College School through their philanthropic generosity.”

On behalf of the entire Lakefield community, we extend our most heartfelt condolences to Cathy and the entire MacNaughton family for their loss. On a personal note, Sue and I will miss Angus’ presence at the school and on the golf course, and we look forward to many more years of friendship with Cathy. I know that Angus will be dearly missed by his many friends in the LCS community.

JOCK FLEMING ’74 LCS Foundation Board Chair (2014-21)

The Wait is Finally Over!

Grad Classes of 2020 and 2021.

Catch up with classmates, faculty and staff, enjoy your favourite parts of campus, and celebrate Closing in true Grove fashion with a ceremony, formal class dinner, evening Chapel, and the best of Regatta and Gladiator Day activities. We can’t wait to see you!

Join Us in JUNE, 2022 Invitations have been sent. Still have questions?

Email Stephanie Benedetti at sbenedetti@lcs.on.ca

Grove News 2020/21 | 67

SAVE THE DATE After almost 2 years, we look forward to welcoming you and your classmates back to The Grove in May 2022.

Celebrating milestone reunions for classes ending in ’0,’1,’2,’5,’6, and ’7.

It’s going to be BIG!

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The Grove News is published once a year by the Communications Office.

Lakefield College School, 4391 County Road 29, Lakefield, Ontario, Canada K0L 2H0