Stability, security and a perfect new location will allow us to deliver an outstanding educational experience to missionaligned students while staying true to our roots and our mission.
An Exciting Time to Be Part of Linden
Since our strategic plan was unveiled last spring, staff, trustees, alumni, family volunteers, and students alike have eagerly stepped forward to play a role in bringing the plan to life. Witnessing so many dedicated community members work together to achieve our common goals is truly amazing. As you peruse this update, you’ll see that:
• Thanks to you we are taking a significant step forward in ensuring that we continue to provide an excellent educational environment for our students while supporting the growth and sustainability of our institution;
• We are poised to launch a marketing campaign to kickstart a transformation of Linden’s awareness and reputation, filling our classrooms with mission-aligned, “changemaker” students;
• The research team’s work has already validated Linden’s practices, benefited students, and illuminated areas for future exploration.
Thank you to every community member for being part of this journey. The dynamic, bright and sustainable future we envisioned last spring is within reach – and we are thrilled that you are part of it.
Sincerely,
Zahra Valani (she/her) – Principal zahra@lindenschool.ca
| 416-966-4406
Strategic Plan Recap
Linden’s Board of Trustees, working with the school’s leadership, has developed a 2023-2025 Strategic Plan for the school. The key elements of the plan are:
Creating New Foundations
Sell our property at 10 Rosehill to create a reserve fund, and relocate to a new facility that is better suited to Linden’s needs.
Mobilize Cutting-Edge Research
Renew and expand professional development opportunities and partnerships to identify, evaluate and synthesize recent, credible, and cutting-edge academic research on topics relevant to Linden’s mission.
Light a Beacon for Changemakers
Invest in research to better reach prospective Linden families and invest in a major marketing campaign to raise awareness and fill our classrooms.
Creating New Foundations
Our new location will allow us to provide an excellent educational environment for our students, optimize our educational leadership, and realize our community’s aspirations.
Creating New Foundations
New location — Secure future
We have reached a pivotal milestone in realizing the goals set out in our Strategic Plan: we have signed agreements on the sale of 10 Rosehill Avenue and a long-term lease for beautiful new premises at 920 Yonge Street
Just a few of the benefits for students and families include:
• Still in the Neighbourhood and Close to TTC
• Easier pick-up and drop-off via second entrance off McMurrich Street with a low-traffic roundabout.
• Two floors already outfitted for educational purposes
• Next door to Ramsden Park with its amazing green space and outdoor amenities
• Physical Education continues at Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, with our own bus
When will we move?
We expect to begin classes at this new location no later than September 2025. The terms of the sale of 10 Rosehill allow Linden to remain in our current building until we are ready to move.
What are the next steps?
We are excited to enter the planning and design phase. The data we collected from you, our community members, will be used to ensure our finished premises reflect the spirit of our community and support Linden’s innovative programming with upgraded facilities. We will keep you informed and involved throughout the process.
Linden’s Future Secured
Proceeds from the sale and the lease at 920 Yonge Street have left Linden in a strong financial position. This stability ensures we can continue delivering on our mission with confidence & security for the next 30 years and beyond.
Rosedale Station
Ramsden Park Severn Creek Park
Ramsden Park Amenities
• Ball diamond
• Bike trails
• Bottle filling stations
• Dressing rooms
• Drinking fountains
• Outdoor basketball courts
• Outdoor table tennis
• Tennis courts
• Parking lot
• Pickleball courts
• Picnic site
• Playgrounds
• Wading pool
• Skating rink
• Washrooms
walk to Linden
Progress Towards Our Goal
March 2023
• Engage a real estate team, Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated, to begin our search for potential new locations
October–December 2023
• Engage a design/architect firm, Gow Hastings Architects, to assist us in identifying locations that meet our practical and evolving needs
• Carry out a Community Consultation to gather data about our needs
December 2023–April 2024
• Seek out and carefully assess potential locations
March 2024-August 2025
• Engage a project management team, Colliers Project Leaders, to advise and oversee the leasing and construction/renovation project
March 2024-August 2024
• Engage in discussion with owners/landlords of shortlisted properties
August 2024
• Finlize agreements with one outstanding location
August 2024-August 2025
• Planning, design, construction and renovation
September 2025
• Target move-in date
Linden students play basketball at Ramsden Park
Mobilizing Cutting Edge Research
Benefiting Students and Validating our Practices
The first 12 months of Linden’s research focus have yielded impressive, tangible results. The work of this exceptional team has already informed Linden’s programming, policy development, professional development, topics for family learning events, and areas for future study. Prestigious institutions such as McGill University are partnering with us, and Beth Alexander, the program leader, is presenting at international educational forums.
This work ensures that Linden contributes and responds to the newest research and best practices in education, translating them into action to benefit Linden students, their families, our faculty – and the broader community.
The evidence from this literature review confirms that, over the last 30 years, Linden has successfully responded to emerging data.
Linden’s Research
A Justice-OrientedPedagogy of Care:
Linden Communit Linden Communit
Conversations: Conversations:
Guiding Future Guiding Future Research Research
Guiding Questions
What are some of the key theoretical and empirical studies on care ethics?
What are the merits and limitations of care ethics as indicated by Black feminist, queer and trans*, disability studies, and decolonial scholars?
What are the implications for educational practice?
Justice means “Caring With”
Among other foundational values (like the flattening of hierarchies), The Linden School s philosophy is rooted in care ethics, which contends that there is moral significance in human relationships A justice-oriented care ethics examines social economic, and political inequalities Not only must we “care about” things, we should “care with” them by working alongside the marginalized to take action that leads to justice
Intersectional Pedagogies
Critics from historically marginalised groups contend that care scholars have based their research on the experience of white middle class women Care ethics must also center the experiences and needs of Black and other racialized communities the Global South, Indigenous peoples, the 2SLGBTIA+ community, as well as disabled and neurodivergent people
Technology, the Environment
Since the purpose of care is to maintain, sustain and repair relationships, care is not exclusive to humans, but must extend to others including non-human species, the natural environment (i e rivers forests), and technologies As technology evolves, we must work to understand it, to ensure it is used ethically, and to use it to raise the voices of the marginalized
Care as a Rhizome
The Linden School can be understood as embedded in a rhizomatic structure with nodes connecting educators, students, parents/guardians the surrounding community, other independent schools, higher education institutions, civil society organisations and the natural environment Our work is influenced by others, and influences others
Implications for Practice
The evidence from this literature review confirms that, over the last 30 years, Linden has successfully responded to emerging data. The research supports the following strategic goals:Checking for paternalistic and performative expressions of care especially when conducting service activities; Monitoring and providing training on racial and queer/trans* literacies, to reduce the need for masking and code switching which both require emotional labour and contribute to mental health issues; Actively supporting land education including placeresponsive outdoor education and the notion of “life rights” that trouble human/nature binaries; Continuing to decolonize the curricula to integrate Indigenous knowledge; Fostering community-school partnerships with civil society organisations that connect educators and students with communities in ways that support social activism and solidarity networks to effect change; Maintaining university-school research partnerships to further a research agenda that aligns with the school s strategic priorities
Lighting a Beacon for Changemakers
Linden students are strong, individualistic, confident and kind. They are articulate, collegial and have agency. They love the community they are part of and believe in social justice. Every student is celebrated.
– Gayle Akler & Stuart Solway, Principals, Sparkplug Marketing & Communications
Transforming Visibility and Understanding
We are poised to dramatically transform Linden’s visibility, value, and esteem, allowing us to fill our classrooms with mission- and academically-aligned students.
Last fall, we engaged Sparkplug Marketing & Communications to execute this work based on their track record of success across various sectors, their rich expertise in the independent school sector, and their alignment with Linden’s mission.
Over the fall and winter, Sparkplug carried out an exhaustive and inclusive research process that involved interviews, surveys, focus groups, and consultations: they gathered input from board members, alumni, students, faculty and staff, parents and family members, influencers in the broader education sector, and Linden’s founders.
The results of these conversations were distilled into a compelling Communications Strategy that tells our story and reflects who we are – and what makes Linden unique.
Some of Sparkplug’s observations included, “Linden students are strong, individualistic, confident and kind. They are articulate, collegial and have agency. They love the community they are part of and believe in social justice. Every student is celebrated.”
Sparkplug’s next step was to bring the Communications Strategy to life through arresting creative concepts. Linden’s leadership has approved a theme and approach, and we are now developing elements that will be applied to a variety of print, digital and other media.
When the campaign launches this fall, we will kickstart a transformation of awareness and understanding of Linden. We will fuel the growth of our warm and vibrant community and begin to solidify our reputation as a dynamic and innovative institution that provides a transformative educational experience.
Stay tuned for the unveiling!
Progress Towards Our Goal
July–September 2023
• Recruit and Appoint Mission-Aligned Marketing Consultancy
November 2023–January 2024
• Conduct Research: Interview all stakeholders
February 2024
• Analysis of Findings
• Development and Presentation of Strategy
• Approval of Strategy
April 2024
• Development and Presentation of Creative Concepts
• Select Create Concept
May–August 2024
• Execution of Creative Concepts
Fall 2024
• Launch Campaign
Through a focus group (above); students helped shape our new campaign.
Creative development is well underway (right).
The Linden School is a socially-progressive community where innovative best practices in girls’ education promote and strengthen student voice, well-being, academic excellence, and global engagement.
Our Mission Our Values
Inclusivity
We support a genuinely student-driven culture; students are empowered to actively seize leadership opportunities and confidently contribute to the making of our academic and social community.
Diversity
We work within an anti-oppression framework by approaching the curriculum from multiple perspectives; our academic inquiry includes equity and social justice issues from feminist and anti-racist viewpoints.
Intellectual Risk
We support respectful dissent and encourage an enthusiasm for inquiry and interdisciplinary exploration; we challenge ourselves and others through independent thinking, well-informed opinions, and critical debate.
