Report Card (2021-2022)

REPORT CARD

INTRODUCTION

As I write this introduction to the 2021-2022 Report Card, I am reflecting on my first six months at Pickering College. I have had close to 100 one-on-one meetings with faculty and staff, daily visits to classrooms, family-style lunches and regular Morning Meeting planning sessions with students, discussions with our donors to the school, and have been able to connect with other CAIS Heads of Schools. It feels wonderful to have had the opportunity to get to know so many people—I feel so fortunate to belong to such a caring and kind community. It is true: The People are Pickering!

Every day, I am surrounded by people who want to see the school succeed. There is tremendous alignment between the aspirations of the Board of Directors, our students, and our staff. We are well-positioned in our evolution as a school.

As you read this Report Card, you will see highlights of what was accomplished last year and see that there is much that we have to be proud of as a school and as a community. We continue to enjoy strong enrolment, with classrooms continuing in the Meeting Room and Staff Lounge. Our need for West Lake House has never been greater and I am thrilled that we are starting construction of this incredible building.

I am particularly impressed by the success of our graduates and know that they are positioned well for their future success. Indeed, 100% of our 2022 graduates were accepted to their university of choice and more than half of them will study STEM and STEM-related programs.

We are an ambitious school, keen to build on our successes and committed to a values-based, Quaker-founded educational approach that equips our students for the world that awaits.

We will continue to build on the exceptional program we have at Pickering College and always be mindful that we have the opportunity, the expertise, and the wherewithal to lead the way.

Dr. Cinde Lock Head of School

OUR VISION

To develop innovative, courageous and compassionate global citizens who take action, true to Quaker values.

OUR MISSION

To instil in each individual the ability and responsibility to make the world greater, better and more beautiful than they discovered it.

ENGAGED STUDENTS

345 + 94 ___

439 JK - Grade 12

OUR PARENTS SAY...

–PC Parent

1 18

Pickering College is the only independent school in Ontario to become a full Member School in the UNESCO Associated Schools Network

80

18% of our students receive financial aid

29

29 countries represented in our school community 80 community organizations served by our student and staff volunteers

AN INCLUSIVE AND GENEROUS SCHOOL COMMUNITY

VALUED PARTNERSHIPS

$7,380,083

TOTAL FUNDRAISING

16.4%

ANNUAL RATE OF RETURN ON ENDOWMENTS

OUR APPROACH

THE ROLE OF QUAKERISM AT PICKERING COLLEGE

Pickering College was founded by the Religious Society of Friends, also known as Quakers, in 1842. While we are not formally a Quaker school today, we remain the only Quaker-founded school in Canada and the influence of their guiding values is immense.

We live in an increasingly secular world; our school prides itself on being multicultural and ecumenical. Today, we boast students from over 30 countries and a multiplicity of religious and cultural backgrounds. This is, and has been for years, one of the great strengths and benefits of a Pickering College education. And yet our approach to education, and more fundamentally, our approach to how we reach out to our students and our belief in what students can and ought to do in this world, is profoundly influenced by the spiritual nature of our Quaker founders’ beliefs. In some ways, the role of Quakerism has become so pervasive in everything we do and everything we are as a school that we take it for granted. It guides our gathering in Morning Meeting, our use of silence, our approach to decision-making, the strength of our community, the depth of our values, and the inspiration for our action. Yet in other ways, and for many parents, students, alumni and staff, the understanding of Quakerism and the role it plays in our school is a great unknown.

The role of Quakerism at Pickering College is a unique and defining aspect of our school. Retaining a close relationship with our Quaker heritage provides a philosophical, moral and operational framework for our planning and decisionmaking.

While the basic tenet of Quakerism is that “there is that of God in every person,” many people at Pickering share a different interpretation and belief in God. For that reason, we change the wording slightly to

reflect the educational context to say that “there is that of good in every person.” Restated, this means a belief that there is a divine spirit in every human being and therefore the belief that all human beings have equal worth and dignity. Sometimes at Pickering we refer to this as “finding the light” within each child—that inner potential that is waiting to shine upon the world. Hence, Quakers believe that education is an “opening up” rather than a “filling up” and we therefore work with each student to find and express their unique qualities and passions.

Staying true to this Quaker approach means:

• recognizing that there is good in every person, regardless of age, gender, and ethnic background;

• providing a high degree of caring, compassion and support;

• developing a strong social consciousness;

• using consensus in decision-making;

• emphasizing traditional Quaker values such as non-violence and simplicity, as well as the school values of community, compassion, integrity, respect and responsibility; and

• building our community through Morning Meeting.

Staying true to the beliefs and ideals deeply held by our Quaker founders means continuing to be a school that combines academic excellence with moral depth. All of these qualities are embedded in the Pickering College approach to education.

If we are true to our Quaker roots, our students will be taught, and will come to exemplify, the belief that they are to be seekers of those universal principles and values—as articulated in our Guiding Values, Traits and Guiding Principles— during their time at our school and, more importantly, once they leave our protective shelter and go forth in the world as leaders, ready to change the world.

TRAITS: WHAT WE DEMONSTRATE

Acceptance – We recognize, accept and celebrate the wide range of human qualities and attributes within our community such as ancestry, culture, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, language, physical and intellectual ability, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status. This acceptance of diversity means embracing the tension that diversity may initially bring and valuing the challenge of the encounter and the difference of the other person, culture, or perspective.

Accountability – We believe in living consistent with our values. This means speaking the truth to all, including people in positions of power, and to each other, even when it is difficult and our message may be unpopular. We deal honestly and fairly with peers and colleagues. We take responsibility for our actions and their results. We fulfill our commitments, and we give credit to others for their contributions.

Courage – To demonstrate courage is to be afraid of doing something, but doing it anyway. Courage is a daily occurrence whereby we express what we believe in and act in a way that demonstrates our values. It means speaking the truth to our hopes, and fears, and aspirations and ambitions. To be courageous means exposing our vulnerabilities, our worries and our fears; demonstrating caring and compassion and respect by being ourselves—authentic, unprotected, and genuine.

Creativity – We inspire those with whom we work to develop or do something original, to turn their ideas into reality and to bring greater value and meaning to themselves and to others. Creativity may be the most precious resource we have in our future, for it is unlimited, renewable and omnipresent. It is a learned skill and mindset that takes hard work, self-discipline, and regular and routine focus.

Curiosity – We instil a sense of wonder by constantly asking questions. Questions make us more thoughtful, intelligent and caring; questions build relationships with people; questions get the other person to think, and focus attention on them; and questions remind ourselves of the ideals we seek to attain. Thus, our approach is experiential: it must be lived and acted upon for real effect ... it is not just about beliefs—it must be experienced, observed and reflected upon.

Excellence – We know that humans are born with an infinite capacity for good, which can be nurtured and developed through education. Thus, we believe in always searching for the very best in ourselves and inspiring it in others. The whole community works together with each person recognizing the special position held by others and the contribution required from each for the perfection of our common lives.

Stewardship – We strive to use the gifts we have been given wisely, including not only material wealth, but more importantly, our talents, our good health, our wisdom and insights and, of course, our natural environment.

Trust – It is a foundational belief that we must always deal honestly with all others as well as with ourselves, summarized by the old Quaker injunction, “Let your yes be yes and your no be no.”

GUIDING PRINCIPLES: HOW WE WORK

Collaboration – We believe that each person is to be valued and respected for their capacity to contribute to a more complex understanding of something being studied than any one could create individually. This leads to being open to a full range of voices; being comfortable with disagreement, accepting complexity; and an openness to new learning.

Consensus – Consensus decision-making is grounded in the belief that when several people come together they can find an answer that exceeds the reach of any one individual. In consensus

decision-making, the group does not simply vote to determine the majority view, but rather they seek unity about the wisest course of action.

Innovation – We are committed to teaching and learning about developing new strategies and sustainable concepts to meet social needs through enabling solutions based on mutual sharing and capability. Thus, social innovation is a new solution to a social problem that is more effective, efficient, just or sustainable than existing solutions and for which the value created primarily supports society as a whole rather than private individuals.

Equality – We believe that all people are equal, all people have equal access to pursue the truth and all people possess the same divine spark within them. Non-violent Resolution – Seeking peace is anything but passive. In our engagement with the world, we not only speak out to condemn injustice, but we teach that, when necessary, it might be required to engage in non-violent action or even civil disobedience to bring about justice and sustainable peace in the world.

Peace – We oppose violence in all forms and refuse to engage in the violent resolution of conflict. In pursuit of a lasting and sustainable peace, we seek to eliminate causes of violent conflict, such as poverty, exploitation and intolerance by forthrightly and non-violently confronting evil and oppression.

Silence – Gathering in silence is based on the belief that when a group settles into silence, it feels like more than a simple quieting down; the sense of collective thought deepens. It is the belief that if one opens one’s heart and listens, one can hear what is right, and can live out these inner teachings. Silence is often used to settle into a meeting, to invite reflection, or to make way for deep thinking.

Simplicity – We strive to “clear away the clutter” to be more ready to hear the important and to live out the idea that “less is more.”

VALUES: WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO US

Community

Community is gathering interconnected individuals whose collective actions create a sense of belonging and encourage participation, who accept and take care of one another.

Compassion

Compassion is being sensitive to others’ thoughts and feelings and understanding and considering conflicting issues and ideas. It is to show concern and caring for all others in the community, no matter their differences, in a way that creates harmony and peace.

Integrity

Integrity is the courage to act honestly and truthfully in all actions.

Respect

Respect is valuing yourself and others and the environment in which we exist, based on the principles of simplicity and equality, so that you treat others as you wish to be treated.

Responsibility

Responsibility is being accountable for one’s own actions and behaviours by demonstrating good judgement and fulfilling obligations.

PICKERING COLLEGE’S STRATEGIC DIRECTION

In the development of our strategic plan, the Board has reconfirmed our commitment to Quaker values as an important differentiator, providing an ongoing link from our founding to our future. Our commitment to remaining a “small school” was verified, as was the ongoing role of the Global Leadership Program in building Pickering College’s reputation as a leader in education. Digital transformation, progress through disruption, identifying new sources of revenue, partnerships and innovation round out the commitments we are making to the future of the school and to our community.

The new plan is straightforward with three new overarching strategic choices:

TO BUILD, TO FUND, TO INNOVATE

In each of these overarching strategic areas are three specific initiatives.

To Build

Our focus is to drive a digital transformation, to accelerate the Global Leadership Program and to complete Phase 1 of the Campus Master Plan.

To Fund

Our focus is to capture new revenue (from innovation), to improve our brand awareness and to intensify fundraising and build endowment.

To Innovate

Our focus is to embrace disruption, to forge strategic collaborative partnerships and to create a culture of innovation.

On the following pages, there is a description of each initiative and the highlights of accomplishments from 2021-2022.

BUILD

DRIVE A DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

At Pickering College “drive a digital transformation” means that we will leverage the opportunities presented by technology to enhance student experience and community experience (staff, parents, alumni, partners, donors), steward existing relationships, realize new customers and relationships, and raise the organization to new levels of effectiveness and efficiency.

Highlights from 2021-2022

 Completed the RFP process and selected a vendor for new Student Information System (SIS)

 Developed a framework for GDPR compliance

 Deployed a Multi-Factor Authentication and Security Incident Management Program to enhance security posture

 L aunched Pixevety, a cloud-based photo management system

ACCELERATE THE GLOBAL LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

At Pickering College, mission-appropriate students and other learners and staff independently drive forward projects for lasting global impact, engaging with all members of the PC community and other broader communities in mutually beneficial relationships. Participants in the program draw international interest from prospective families, universities, employers, partners and other influencers and create newsworthy success stories and testimonials.

Highlights from 2021-2022

 Reviewed academic partnerships and relationships and how they can enhance our program K-12

 Implemented the revised Grade 9 Global Leadership Program

 Collaborated with the Sharon Temple on the Democracy Conference

 Began a review of the Global Leadership Program with focus groups and surveys with stakeholders (faculty, staff, parents, students)

COMPLETE THE CAMPUS MASTER PLAN

Providing appropriate learning spaces is one of the highest priorities for the school, while continuing to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of our school.

Highlights from 2021-2022

 Continued site plan approval process with the Town of Newmarket

 Issued three tenders for West Lake House

 Selected Brook McIlroy to develop a master plan for Blue & Silver Farm once ownership has transferred to the school

Build

• Drive a digital transformation

• Accelerate the Global Leadership Program

• Complete Phase I of the Campus Master Plan

Fund

• Capture new revenue (from innovation)

• Improve our brand awareness

• Intensify fundraising and build endowment

FUND

CAPTURE NEW REVENUE (FROM INNOVATION)

Generate new revenue from sources (non-tuition revenue, sponsorship, partnerships) and markets (new consumers) that would not normally be considered Pickering College students.

Highlights from 2021-2022

 L aunched online law credit course, Canadian and International Law (CLN4U)

 E xecuted a successful day camp summer program with 371 campers attending

 L aunched an expanded summer academic program focusing on math and bridge program

IMPROVE OUR BRAND AWARENESS

Pickering College’s brand is a living business asset, designed to enhance the connection between the school and its key audiences. It is brought to life across all touchpoints, which creates identification, differentiation and value. PC’s brand helps ensure relationships that secure and create financial sustainability by driving demand and engendering loyalty.

Highlights from 2021-2022

 Redesigned and launched a refreshed Pickering College website

 L aunched “Find Your Place at PC” advertising campaign resulting in high registrations for Open Houses

 For the second year in a row, won the StudyTravel Secondary School Awards, North American Schools category – nominated and voted on by agents worldwide

 Voted #1 Private School in our community (Newmarket, Aurora, East Gwillimbury)

 Increased media coverage of Pickering College

INTENSIFY FUNDRAISING AND BUILD ENDOWMENT

Find, build and sustain relationships and processes that result in long-term fundraising success.

Highlights from 2021-2022

 Raised $7,380,053 in philanthropic support for Pickering College

 100% Management Team and Board participation in annual giving

 L aunched PC Online Community to support alumni engagement

 Held three discovery workshops to engage donor perspectives on advancing the culture of philanthropy at PC

 Initiated a donor/non-donor survey

 Hosted Celebrating a Legacy – Honouring Peter Sturrup retirement event

INNOVATE

EMBRACE DISRUPTION

All members of staff understand, support and are comfortable with the concept of disruptive innovation, encouraging them to generate new ideas and test those ideas rapidly to allow for iteration, improvement and to generate new income.

Highlights from 2021-2022

 Implemented semester system in response to the COVID-19 pandemic

 Continued with digital recruitment for day and boarding students, resulting in the highest enrolment in the school’s history for September 2022

FORGE STRATEGIC COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS

An efficient, systematic process exists that continually scans the environment for potential partners who can work collaboratively with PC to support the development of a mutually beneficial approach that supports our GLP and facilities development and generates financial results.

Highlights from 2021-2022

 Undertook a departmental partnership survey to inform work with partnership committee

 Identified a stream of students for auxiliary programs to generate revenue

 Completed database of affiliations, PC profile, partner profiles

CREATE A CULTURE OF INNOVATION

A quick and nimble organization in which risk-taking and new ideas are embraced and rewarded; new organizational structures exist to reflect our approach; and all constituents feel a fit in their work and lives whereby they are focusing on the “right” things and are therefore more productive.

Highlights from 2021-2022

 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee established a framework and focus groups to critically review school culture and effect change

 Revision of the PGP with a greater focus on self and peer reflection

 Restructured the Instructional Leaders to include a Junior and Middle Instructional Leader and changed the approach to departmental goals so that each department is a professional learning community, setting their own needs-based inquiry

Innovate

• Embrace disruption

• Forge strategic collaborative partnerships

• Create a culture of innovation

INSPIRED STUDENTS

JUNIOR SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

The Grade 4 class took advantage of some nice weather to explore plant and animal habitats at the Blue & Silver Farm. Students were excited to search for examples of fungi and evidence of animal life. 

The Grade 1 class explored the effects of seasonal changes on humans. During their Reggio inquiry, students discussed how the changing of the seasons impacts the clothes they wear and the activities they choose to do outdoors. Students shared their favourite outdoor activities through a game of charades and then sorted their activities into the seasons to which they belonged. They also explored

the concept of identity and completed self-portraits.

Pickering College kicked off Take Me Outside Day with an outdoor education fashion show led by our Kindergarten students, who demonstrated the proper attire that should be worn when participating in outdoor adventures. They also participated in a live inspirational talk and Q&A with Dr. Jane Goodall, ethologist and environmentalist, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and a United Nations Messenger of Peace. Take Me Outside Day is an annual event that encourages children and youth to spend more time learning about, playing in and exploring nature. 

Students and staff observed the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30. We honoured the lost children and survivors of residential schools, their families and communities by wearing orange as a public commemoration of the painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools. The Junior and Middle School students reflected upon how they can take meaningful action on that day and throughout the year. 

In October, the Junior and Middle Schools hosted a virtual presentation of Mistatim, a collaboration between Red Sky Performance,

a leading company of contemporary Indigenous artists, and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. The Grade 4 class attended a live Q&A session with the actors, directors and musical creators, and were thrilled to have the panel answer their question about the Cree words in the script. 

Outdoor education specialist

Ms. Hunt found some milkweed on campus, a favourite food of the monarch butterfly. Since this species’ numbers are low, she asked the Grade 2 class to help disperse the seeds to encourage more butterflies. The students learned about this important food source while making our campus more beautiful. 

The Grade 1 class visited the apple tree that sits on South Field and spent time looking closely at its different parts. They even discovered a small pine tree growing out of the apple tree. Using natural materials such as leaves, tree bark, wooden beads and string, students demonstrated their

understanding by creating their own tree artwork. 

Sherry Liu in Grade 5 attended a fencing competition in Ottawa where she placed first in the 11-year-old group category and second in the 13-year-old group. 

While visiting Blue & Silver Farm, Grade 2 students participated in an inquiry activity that asked them to analyze the environment and discover evidence of different types of animals. Students compiled their information with the physical evidence provided by outdoor education specialist Ms. Hunt to solve the puzzle of “Who ate the corn?” Once their predictions and strategies to test their hypotheses were complete, they watched trail camera footage to confirm once and for all who ate the corn! 

Grade 1 students connected virtually with the Grade 10 French class as French learning buddies. The older students read French stories to their buddies and made conversation, encouraging

the younger students to demonstrate their Frenchspeaking skills. 

Grade 4 and 5 students spent significant time researching and listening to French music. Once they found a song that they loved, they wrote a script in French and presented the song on our radio station 102.7 CHOP FM. 

During the fall Co-curricular Program, the Grade 4 class discovered how the arts can be part of a healthy and active lifestyle. Led by Mrs. Wells, students enjoyed lessons in drama

INSPIRED STUDENTS

JUNIOR SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

and participated in unique programming including fencing, historical dance and world percussion. 

Junior and Middle School students explored healthy eating choices virtually with our Director of Food Services and an Aramark registered dietician. Together, they discussed how eating colourful fruits and vegetables can help support overall health, growth and well-being. They also touched on the many nutrients these colourful options offer, including different vitamins and minerals. 

As part of a Reggio inquiry, students in Grade 1 considered what they enjoyed most about their forest and Canadian animal research study projects. They were excited to create research books and design their chosen animal using plasticine while crafting and producing an authentic forest habitat. 

Junior and Middle School students were immersed in Francophone culture during our annual winter Carnaval. We welcomed French-language educators from Quebec to enhance the Carnaval experience as they actively engaged and

interacted with our students in French. Middle School students also participated in several challenging games, enjoyed BeaverTails and watched a juggling performance. 

Grade 3 students worked in pairs to correctly identify different coniferous and deciduous trees on campus. While analyzing a budding sugar maple tree, they witnessed two hungry downy woodpeckers searching for food in a nearby tree. 

Grade 3 students participated in a virtual strong and stable structures workshop delivered by Scientists in Schools. Students spent the morning being structural engineers as they discovered how to design a structure that withstands both tension and compression. The students tested different materials for strength and investigated how the strength of a material can be altered by manipulating its shape. 

Grade 5 students enjoyed their visit with guest speaker Gurdeep Pandher, a SikhCanadian Bhangra dancer living in Yukon. From the beautiful landscapes of his home territory, Gurdeep uses social media to share

his philosophy of joy, hope, positivity and inclusivity for healing and living a more optimistic life. 

Our Electives Program for students in Grades 3-5 offers a variety of new and exciting experiences including Design and Build. Using Rokenboks, Grade 4 students were challenged with applying critical-thinking skills to plan, design and build a bridge that met certain specifications. 

Kindergarten students engaged in several different Reggio inquiries. Exploring backyard and woodland birds, the students incorporated a bird poster into their lessons to help them learn more about these animals, and enjoyed sketching, taking photos at home and listening to bird songs while spending time outdoors. They also learned about plants and what they need to grow and remain healthy. After charting the students’ answers to the question: “What do you know about plants?” they participated in an outdoor education session with Ms. Hunt where they learned about the importance of animals and insects that help pollinate flowers. They also planted their own Lupin seeds in wet paper towels

and hung them in their classroom windows. 

Using knowledge from past outdoor education lessons, Grade 2 learned about pollinator gardens, pollination, and the different types of animal and insect pollinators, including bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. The students identified the important role of pollinator animals, the reasons for their decline and how students can help by creating a pollinator garden of their own. 

The Kindergarten and Grade 4 students met in person for learning buddies for the first time. Due to the pandemic, the Grade 4 students had been reading stories to the Kindergarten students via Google Meet two to three times a month since the beginning of the school year. They looked forward to this time every week, so it was a treat for students to spend time together in person. 

Junior and Middle School

students marked World Book Day by dressing up as their favourite book character and bringing the book to share with their class. It was a lot of fun and many students participated. 

The Grade 2 class explored our new PC Reading Trail featuring Over in the Forest by Marianne Berkes. Each sign along the trail showcased a different page from the book, so the students could read and learn about forest animals while also enjoying a short hike through the trees on our beautiful PC campus. 

Congratulations to the Grade 3 recipients of the Carabiner Award for Outdoor Education. The PC Carabiner Award recognizes students who demonstrate outstanding leadership and support a positive community in outdoor education. Symbolizing strength, dependability, versatility and support, these students

effectively communicate and encourage their classmates while also maintaining their own personal safety and positive sense of self. Congratulations to Alven Yang, William Kupsch, Rebecca Morton, Evan Sexsmith-Brosseau, Ethan Yu, Sofia JayantMadhvani, and Sebastian Hunt for this wonderful achievement! 

Grade 5 visited Newmarket Town Hall, where Ward 5 Councillor Mr. Bob Kwapis welcomed the class. He spoke about his role in local government and the importance of civic engagement. Mayor John Taylor also talked about his experiences leading and serving the people of Newmarket. The students asked many excellent questions and both Mr. Kwapis and Mr. Taylor were impressed by their thoughtfulness and inquisitiveness on many complex local issues. 

INSPIRED STUDENTS

MIDDLE SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

During Learn-to-Learn week, Middle School students participated in a workshop where they expressed parts of their identity through artwork in the shape of a hand, with each finger representing a different part of who they are. The hands reminded students of the importance of seeing the good in everyone. 

Grade 6 learned how humans benefit from biodiversity during an outdoor education lesson with outdoor education specialist Ms. Hunt. They also explored the interdependence of relationships in natural habitats. Working with snowshoes, moccasins and an arrow, students discussed how antlers, deer hide, feathers and many other natural materials have been used traditionally to help humans thrive. They also prepared and shared cedar tea, a traditional

Indigenous medicine, as part of their investigation of the importance of all living things in our environment. Ms. Hunt shared traditional ecological knowledge from teachings she received while attending university. In small groups, students analyzed two methods of planting the Three Sisters (corn, beans and squash) and explored ways to enhance biodiversity. 

In Grade 8 Science, students learned about cells and how they function. Working with the largest single cell—an egg—students used their best chemistry, mathematics and biology skills to learn more about a world that is typically microscopic. After dissolving the eggshells in vinegar, students then proved osmosis theory by growing and shrinking the eggs in different fluids before calculating the percentage of change that occurred.

Finally, students worked in the laboratory to see if they could extract DNA from the egg’s nucleus. 

Grade 8 students enjoyed aerial games and ziplining during their treetop trekking excursion to Horseshoe Valley. Many of our students advanced to the most difficult ropes course—the black level. 

Mikhaila Tumarkin, Grade 7, launched Olives & Love, a small start-up business selling organic unfiltered extra-virgin olive oil alongside her nine-year-old brother. For every bottle sold, Mikhaila and her brother have pledged to donate $1 to the Aurora Food Pantry, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Youth Without Shelter and Covenant House. 

Seven teams of Middle and Senior School debaters faced

off against their counterparts at Villanova College in a virtual debate competition. The debate was held on the resolution, “This House would support a zero-tolerance policy for cyberbullying in Ontario schools.” In an intense two rounds of debate, the government teams argued that zerotolerance policies send a strong message, while the opposition sides contended that zero-tolerance policies are often counterproductive and reactive. 

For the Grade 6 Co-curricular Program, students had the option of 3D design or arts and crafts. The 3D design group worked on designing

INSPIRED STUDENTS

MIDDLE SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

classroom furniture, while the students in the arts and crafts group began preparing and creating holiday cards. 

Junior/Middle School Student Committee distributed candygrams during lunch, which students purchased for their classmates in support of PC’s holiday gift card drive. The students raised over $400. 

In Grade 8 Science, students met two international scientists—one at the University of California, Los Angeles (USA) and the other at the University of Cambridge (UK)—and asked them questions about their work. Both scientists gave small lessons based on their

research and challenged students to expand upon their prior learning. Seeing the real-life applications of their classroom learning inspired several students to consider a future career in science. 

Grade 7 students worked at perfecting their French pronunciation and recitation skills by participating in Les Voix de la Poésie This competition, held annually across Canada in both English and French, promotes a love of poetry for students in Grades 6-12. This was the first year that Middle School students participated, and Claire Yao, Grade 7, was selected as the school champion. Claire’s recitation

of Tristan Corbière’s Le Crapaud and Percy Bysshe Shelley’s Ozymandias portrayed immense emotion and a mastery of oratory presentation skills. Her performance earned her a spot representing PC at the National Junior Finals. 

Grade 6 explored the Pickering College campus in search of evidence of animals. They discovered many animal tracks, including those of rabbits, squirrels and other small animals. They also examined short-tail shrew tunnels and were lucky enough to see a short-tail shrew go from one tunnel to the next! 

Grade 6 students designed, built and wired an arcade game as their culminating activity for the Science electricity unit. Using their knowledge of series and parallel circuits, students created games that incorporated lights, motors and switches. They then spent an afternoon playing one another’s games.

Middle School participated in a Community Pillar Day—a day to think of others and give back to the community. One group of students headed to the Aurora Food Pantry to help sort donations. They learned about why

people struggle to buy food, what foods are over-donated, and what types of food are needed. 

Middle School students participated in activities related to the four pillars of the Global Leadership Program in Middle School— Adventure, Wisdom, Community and Freedom. Grade 6 students developed plans to use social media to promote wellness, which they pitched to a panel of judges. Grade 7 students learned about traditional voices and skills through the arts of mitten-making and outdoor cooking, and took part in Indigenous lessons on the Medicine Wheel, Dene Games, The Seven Grandfather Teachings and the ongoing drinking water crisis on First Nation Reserves. Grade 8 students focused on being advocates

for water access and conservation, with a final project of creating a public service announcement that was viewed and judged in a film-festival setting. 

Agnes Yang, Grade 7, took home first place in the Royal Canadian Legion Remembrance Day Poster Contest for Branch 426. Her poster then competed in Zone E2, where it again was awarded first place. Congratulations on your beautiful work of art and recognition! 

Grade 7 students participated in a workshop with Kim Wheatley, an Anishinaabe (Ojibway) band member of Shawanaga First Nation Reserve located in the Georgian Bay region of Ontario. She discussed how various First Nations communities within Canada

do not have established infrastructure or access to essential resources such as clean drinking water in their local communities. After her workshop, the students wrote letters about reconciliation to members of the federal government, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Tony Van Bynen, the member of Parliament representing Newmarket-Aurora. Students later received responses and were excited to learn that their concerns were acknowledged by federal representatives. 

Grade 7 spent time in the Senior Science lab exploring the concept of solubility as part of their unit on pure substances and mixtures. The students were excited to practice lab safety and demonstrate meticulous, analytical lab skills. 

INSPIRED STUDENTS

SENIOR SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

Grade 9 students spent two days exploring Kettleby Valley Camp, taking part in outdoor team-building activities including low and high ropes, wall climbing and canoeing. 

The Grade 10 Science class investigated light, using spectroscopes to view a variety of light sources and discovering the difference between continuous and line spectra. The class also used a Mira to introduce the phenomenon of reflection in a plane mirror. Students were then able to transfer those skills to draw ray diagrams of plane mirrors. 

To celebrate the return of in-person music at Pickering College, the Grade 11/12 instrumental music class put on a mini outdoor concert where they performed Sucker by the Jonas Brothers. 

Grade 9 Science classes went to Blue & Silver Farm to investigate local biodiversity and components of an ecosystem as part of their biology unit. Outdoor education specialist Ms. Hunt showed them signs of animals living in the area, such as coyote beds in the grass. The theme of the unit was sustainable ecosystems. They learned how humans

locally and globally and how they work to preserve and restore wildlife habitats through conservation. 

For their first of several Global Leadership Program days, Grade 9 students participated in teambuilding activities at Blue & Silver Farm and surveyed the landscape in preparation for their design project. The culminating assignment for Grade 9 students this past year was to work in teams to develop a sustainablybuilt and environmentallyfriendly outdoor learning facility. 

Grade 10 students listened to a presentation on community needs and local social programming by

Neighbourhood Network. This allowed them to get a sense of the issues and organizations they might like to focus on as part of their PLACE projects. 

Grade 11 students spent time identifying global issues of concern while considering areas of health, education, social policy, environment and technology. They walked the campus and visited stations where they considered research in different fields or assessed physical spaces to help identify a topic of interest for their Capstone essay. 

Grade 12 students participated in a design sprint to take their research

from last year’s Capstone essay and work it into an actionable plan. 

Students in Grade 9/10 instrumental music put on a fall outdoor mini concert series. Students and staff gathered outside to cheer them on! 

The Pickering College community, led by the Youth Action Organization (YAO), had an incredible Thanksgiving food drive raising $4,460—almost $1,800 more than last year. One donation from a Grade 2 student came with a heartfelt note that read: “I got this money from a store that I made from cardboard, selling things. I sold a lollipop and a resin flower.

Hope this money will help you.” 

Ava Gu, Behrad Sharghi, Caylie Powell, Evelyn Larice and Victoria Zalewski represented Pickering College at this year’s Canadian Student Leadership Conference (CSLC), which used a virtual platform where students created avatars and moved around the digital campus to participate in leadership workshops and view keynote speakers. Those speakers included Harnarayan Singh (Punjabi host of Hockey Night in Canada), Kayla Grey (SportsCentre anchor on TSN), Carol Leaman (CEO of Axonify) and Drew Dudley (leadership development

speaker). Through their incredible stories, these inspiring speakers encouraged our students to lead in their school community. 

Grade 10 students visited the McMichael Canadian Art Collection to learn about Indigenous culture through art for their second Global Leadership Program day. In small, socially-distanced groups, students were guided through a gallery tour called Stories from Canada. Using the McMichael’s rich and diverse art holdings, students explored art as an expression of personal experience and examined various cultural narratives of the past and present. 

INSPIRED STUDENTS

SENIOR SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

Pickering College’s Food Services team hosted a virtual meet and greet for our boarding students with a registered dietician. The conversation centred around vegetarian diets during the teenage years.

Oscar Jiang, Javir Obhan and Shyam Subramanyam competed in the Ontario Qualifier for the National Senior Public Speaking Championships. This highly challenging and competitive event required students to compete in four different categories: Persuasive Speaking, Interpretive Reading, Impromptu

Speaking and Canadian Parliamentary Debate. Oscar finished second in the Persuasive Speaking category and his culminating score placed him as the first alternate for team Ontario. Shyam finished third in the Persuasive Speaking category and fifth in the Canadian Parliamentary Debate category, and his culminating score across all categories earned him a spot as one of eight competitors chosen to represent Ontario at Nationals.

During the 12 days of holiday festivities, members of the Senior School Student

Committee prepared a slate of activities for students, including festive sweater day, bring-your-own mug for hot chocolate, holiday cardmaking, tree decorating, tobogganing, and more!

Erica Cameron, Grade 12, led an informative seminar on the various methods of fire-starting. Despite the challenging weather conditions, she taught the class how to use magnesium sticks to start a fire. Students learned safe fire management skills and how to safely extinguish fires. The seminar was part of a series on outdoor skills led by students in the class.

Ryan Francis, Charlotte Jez, Amanda Zeng, Krypton Ni, Shianne Liang, Sandra Rohani, and Rebecca Liang attended the Women in Capital Markets (WCM) Virtual Conference In2Fin (formerly known as SheBiz). Attendees gained insight into careers in the financial services industry. Keynote speakers explored topics such as courses students can take to set them up for a career in business and STEM, as well as statistics on the percentage of women in business workplaces.

Although pandemic restrictions made it

more challenging for our language students to explore authentic learning experiences outside of the classroom, the advanced Spanish class did their best by bringing a taste of Spain to one of their lessons. They explored Spanish culture and cuisine by learning to make one of Spain’s most beloved dishes, tortilla española. Although it may have appeared to be an ordinary lesson in following directions in Spanish, Mrs. Suters surprised her students with an authentic, fresh-from-home tortilla española for everybody to try. 

The art of fake food in Japan dates back to the 1920s, when the country experienced a food revolution and people from rural Japan flocked to cities to experience restaurant dining. Wax models were helpful to potential customers who were unfamiliar with written menus, to give them an idea of what dishes were offered. After the Second World War came the Americans and Europeans, who were even less familiar with Japanese menus and relied heavily on the fake food displays. Using the hyper-realistic food sculptures created for the Japanese restaurant

industry as inspiration, Grade 9 students selected their favourite meal from their own culture and created beautiful realistic clay sculptures. 

Grade 12 student Luke Sharpe led a seminar on animal tracking, highlighting the habitats and evidence of eight different animals. Using precast molds as examples, he tasked students with finding as many animal tracks and/or evidence of animals on campus as possible. With their keen eyes, his classmates followed an animal trail in matted-down grass, correctly identified rabbit scat, and discovered mouse/ vole tunnels that provide protection from predators. 

Grade 10 Science students assessed their carbon footprints on a website that uses the body to represent different areas of carbon dioxide production. Students completed five actions to minimize their carbon footprint and presented their work as a photo journal. 

INSPIRED STUDENTS

SENIOR SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

Grade 11 Biology students undertook a number of plant and animal dissections, including identifying the different parts of a flower and examining both the stem and pollen under a microscope. 

Grade 10 History students braved frigid temperatures to discover PC’s campus by snowshoe, experiencing traditional skills that First Nations, Métis and Inuit people of Turtle Island taught early settlers. The classes explored and analyzed our ongoing relations with Indigenous communities, reconciliation, the 94 Calls to Action and Canada’s shared history. 

Jessie Li, Victoria Zalewski, Shyam Subramanyam, Ava Gu and Emma Zhang participated in the Western Founders Network Product Design Sprint. The sprint combined elements of a case competition (which usually involves students coming together to solve a problem presented to them within a given timeframe) and a hackathon. The students had 24 hours to design and prototype a solution that tackled an emerging social impact issue, while competing against other high school and university students from across North America. 

Students in Grade 10 studied the First World War and played an alliance game called “War or Peace: A Simulation Game,” which highlighted the fundamental patterns of international relations and concepts of balance and power. 

Grade 11 Polikon Society members Shyam Subramanyam and Oscar Jiang competed in the National Public Speaking Championships as representatives of Team Ontario. Oscar and Shyam competed in two rounds of Parliamentary Debate, Impromptu Speaking and Persuasive Speaking. Both performed strongly across all four categories, with Oscar earning a 14th place finish in Parliamentary Debate and a 16th place finish in Persuasive Speaking. Shyam finished 10th in the Persuasive Speaking category and 20th overall with his cumulative score in all four categories. 

Several Senior School students competed in the Michael Smith Science Challenge, a bilingual national competition written by students currently enrolled in Grade 10 Science or lower. Sponsored by the UBC Faculty of Science, this competition emphasizes

logical thinking and covers material in the science curriculum common to all provinces. 

Senior School Student Committee planned a variety of dress-down spirit days and activities. The theme week began with a Valentine’s Day-themed dress-down day on Monday, followed by pop culture Tuesday, Disney or Marvel character Wednesday, and fan day Thursday, where students wore a jersey from their favourite sports team over their uniform. 

Senior School Student Committee hosted a fun Winterfest event complete with bonfires, hot chocolate, BeaverTails and, of course, pizza! It was great to see so

many students enjoying rides around campus in a horsedrawn wagon, racing each other (and their teachers!) in tubes down Memorial Field hill, and spending time bundled up against the cold while socializing and laughing. 

After nearly two years without inter-school competitive athletics, PC’s Pumas made a strong return. Fueled by excitement and pride in representing our school, Senior Girls’ Volleyball successfully defeated Bayview Glen in three straight sets. The following day, the team marked another milestone with a return to home court,

hosting a tri-meet in Egan House. After coming up short in a dramatic first game against St. John’s-Kilmarnock School, PC responded with a victory against Toronto Montessori School. Senior Boys’ Basketball began their season with victories over The York School and Albert College. The same day, U14 Boys’ Basketball defeated Bayview Glen and U14 Girls’ Volleyball won their match against The Country Day School. 

Pickering College hosted its third TEDxYouth event, welcoming youth from schools from around the globe virtually to spread messages with a direct

focus on “Voicing the Foundation of the Future.” PC student speakers included Thomas Bianco (Grade 10), Jessie Li (Grade 11) and Victoria Zalewski (Grade 11), who shared their thought-provoking and insightful ideas with us. Congratulations to Grade 11 students Shyam Subramanyam and Oscar Jiang for securing the TEDxYouth event license and bringing this event to life. 

Students in Grades 9 and 10 STEM Math classes participated in a virtual coding workshop where they explored the connection between wellness sectors and computer programming.

INSPIRED STUDENTS

SENIOR SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

They learned the basics of programming and were challenged to code a wearable device that could help them live a more active lifestyle. 

Grade 12 Visual Arts students stepped into the role of professional illustrators with authors from the Grade 12 English and Writer’s Craft classes serving as their clients. The artists were assigned a poem and met with the author to discuss its meaning and generate ideas around imagery that would effectively convey the message and tone of the poem. The illustrators sent their rough sketches to their clients for approval before beginning the final artwork.

In the end, the Grade 12 Visual Arts students did

an excellent job creating illustrations that captured the true essence of the poems.

Students in the STEM Math class tested their Easter-egg catapults and challenged each other to see which egg could launch the highest and travel the furthest.

Congratulations to Grade 12 students Ruby Tomlinson and Cordelia Woo for being awarded the Farmer Environmental Stewardship Award. This award was initiated in 2012 by alumna Maarika Farmer ‘12 and her parents Kaia and Patrick Farmer and recognizes one or more Pickering College students in the Senior School who have implemented practical actions or increased awareness of environmental

issues since April 2021, on campus or off.

Pickering College’s Grade 9 students entered the Puma’s Den to present their culminating Global Leadership Program assignments. Their task: to research, design and market an eco-friendly and innovative outdoor education facility for Blue & Silver Farm. The winning group, Learn to Grow, presented a multifunctional facility designed to foster students’ creativity and productivity and included a raised garden feature. Their plan contained eco-friendly and sustainable materials, with great consideration taken in how the structure would work with the natural environment.

Congratulations to Grade

9 students Jake Scherre, Miranda Munoz, Kayna Matsumoto, Emily Zalewski and Sofia Pantano. 

Using what they had learned throughout the semester, students in the Grade 9 Learning Strategies class ethically and sustainably foraged ramps, also known as wild leeks, and used every part of the plant to make potato and wild leek soup. This experience allowed students to continue to foster a deeper connection with their natural environment. 

Five Grade 12 finalists made their pitch to a panel of judges after developing an innovative solution and implementing a measurable action plan for an issue of local or global significance.

Congratulations to Michaela Morra, whose Capstone action plan was to improve quality of life for dementia patients through a sustained music therapy student volunteer program where music playlists are created on donated devices that stay with patients. Special mention also goes out to finalists David Fu, Ruby Tomlinson, Jake Wu and Emma Zhang. 

Held by PC’s Math and Science departments, Senior School STEM Week incorporated a variety of different STEM-related activities, including a photo contest where students were tasked with capturing a photo that demonstrated everyday science. The photo needed to demonstrate creativity, be their own and

include a title and a brief description showcasing its connection to science.

Grade 11 students

Laurenz Fritsch and Ethan Bonerath were the top two winners. 

Throughout the year, many of our Senior School students participated in challenging and competitive math contests. Earning outstanding provincial results, we would like to congratulate Phoebe Kuang, who finished in the 97th percentile on the Galois; Stella Yuan, who finished in the 98th percentile on the Hypatia; and Wendy Hu, who finished in the 99th percentile in Euclid. Congratulations also to our Hypatia team for finishing 13th in Ontario and 19th in Canada! 

INSPIRED STUDENTS

OVERALL SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

Pickering College students took part in a variety of activities designed to help deepen their understanding of the impact of the residential school system. In recognition of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, guest speaker Lorrie Gallant shared her personal experiences at a special Morning Meeting. 

Pickering College gathered for a full-school Morning Meeting to mark UN Day. With 30 countries represented in our school community, every PC student has the opportunity to learn about different cultures

and worldviews, which enrich our classroom and social discourse. As a full member of UNESCO’s Associated Schools Network, our students also benefit greatly from building an international network of friends. 

Pickering College hosted the 42nd annual Booker’s Run, named in honour of Keith “Booker” McLaren, a former PC teacher, coach and Assistant Headmaster who was affectionately known in the school for doing everything “by the book.” This year’s run was held over three days, due to COVID-19 protocols for cohorting and physical

distancing. All races took place on campus starting and ending at the track on Memorial Field and included additional sections on the PC campus. 

PC siblings Maya RoyDiClemente in Grade 4 and Evan Roy-DiClemente in Grade 10 received a Youth Entrepreneurial Spirit Award at the East Gwillimbury Chamber of Commerce Business Awards gala for their remarkable work outside of school. The two siblings, along with their brother Jason, run a small business where they sell handmade gift products at vendor markets, farmer’s markets, and online, as well as recreating historic games from around the world.

Pickering College held a special Morning Meeting to discuss the topic of bullying and the origin of Pink Shirt Day. Also known as AntiBullying Day in Canada, the day was created to make a visible stand against bullying, and now raises awareness and promotes resources available to bullying victims.

During a dress-down day in April, our Junior and Middle School Student Committee

raised funds to support the Canadian Red Cross and Ukraine humanitarian relief efforts. With gratitude to students, families and staff, the committee was able to bring in $1,704 in donations. Thank you to Grade 5 Representatives Tristan Simpson, Sophia Mac Sweeney and Angelina Gu, who rallied Junior and Middle School students to contribute to this important cause. 

One year after her awardwinning GLP Capstone pitch, Sasha Au Yong ’21 presented a cheque for $1,500 to Parkinson Canada, representing the proceeds of her bestselling children’s storybook

There’s Something Different

About Grandpa. Accepting on behalf of Parkinson

Canada was Naseem Jamal, Senior Manager of Donor Engagement. 

Pickering College was accepted as a Provisional One applicant for the Ontario Camps Association (OCA). The central purpose and focus of the OCA Accreditation Program is to help camps create an enriching, positive, safe and healthy experience for all campers and staff. We are thrilled that our exceptional programming from our summer day camps has been recognized by the OCA, and we are excited to join the ranks of many established Ontario camps. 

Pickering College celebrated its first Sports

Day since 2019—a highly anticipated PC tradition to mark the end of a school year. This was the first Sports Day for many of our students and staff, and we were happy to see our community laughing, having fun and enjoying the sunshine. Congratulations to Silver House, winner of the annual House competition. 

PC’s Arts Department hosted a Nuit Blanche—an interactive event modelled after the famous Nuit Blanche events held in major cities across the globe. This event featured drama, visual arts, film, media arts, radio and music in a walkabout style format throughout the school and campus. 

FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY

OVERVIEW

For the year ending June 30, 2022

The academic and fiscal year ending June 30, 2022 has been the beginning of a financial recovery for Pickering College (PC) with the global pandemic continuing throughout most of the 2021/22 academic year.

Overall, financially, our excess (deficiency) of revenue over expenses, before amortization, government subsidies, realized gains on long-term investments and the net change in unrealized gains on long-term investments for the 2022 fiscal year was $412,927 as compared to the prior year deficit of ($866,257). After government support, in the form of the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy, PC had an excess of revenue over expenses of $1,381,818. This excess is important to the school as from this we allocate interest earned to our endowment and internally restricted funds, which totaled $130,520, and we funded $439,408 in regular annual capital projects. The remaining $811,890 has gone into operating reserves to fund next year’s anticipated capital projects, which total approximately $720,000. We are pleased with our overall financial results, but 2022 was a challenge. Our results are better than planned, which will put us in a more favourable position to recover from COVID-19 over the next couple of years.

We began the school year with an enrolment of 94 boarding students and 345 day students for a total of 439 students. In the 2020/2021 school year we had a total of 420 students (93 boarders, 327 day). With the growth in enrolment, it is a start to financial recovery. The global pandemic continued to impact our operations and we began the year with only 60% of our boarding students on campus. We continued to run an offsite isolation program to ensure they were supported from their arrival in Canada to their arrival at PC. The boarding program remained open throughout the year until graduation in June 2022.

The environment continued to be uncertain as government regulations around the world continued to change with both vaccines and variants being introduced throughout the world. Staffing shortages and illness had an impact on our operations. The school’s operations were guided by federal, provincial and health authority guidelines and followed best practices from industry experts as they evolved. Safety, community, and flexibility were the cornerstones of our decision-making for the second pandemic year. We continued to be flexible in our operations. Just as the government regulations related to COVID-19 were lifting in February/March 2022, war broke out in Ukraine. The economic impacts of the war became a new variable that would impact current families and families enrolled for September 2023. In addition to emotional support through our boarding staff and faculty, we were able to provide some financial support to our Ukrainian families through the PC Power of Community, which was very much needed. Having worked through the various challenges, all of our Ukrainian and Russian students, except for one, were able to make it to PC in the fall of 2022.

The 2022 audit was successfully completed by Grant Thornton. Please note that the auditors have provided a clean opinion.

During 2022, several capital projects were underway, which resulted in a total of $1,336,125 of investment in property, building and equipment. Regular completed projects totaled $439,408, which included regular technology replacements, a new commercial dishwasher for the kitchen, the start of renovations to the Head’s house and the New House roof replacement. PC also incurred $896,717 in soft costs for West Lake House.

REVENUE

In 2022, PC reported total tuition and other program-related revenues of $18,434,471 on 439 students. This compares to $16,243,789 on 420 students in 2021.

In 2022, actual enrollment was 439 students, consisting of 94 boarders and 345 day students. This was an increase from 2021 when we had 420 students of which 93 were boarders and 327 were day students. With the global pandemic continuing, we were able to recruit 38 new boarding students (increased from 33 the year before) and that, coupled with a 98% retention rate, resulted in a boarding population of 94. This continues to be below our regular 110-120 enrolment. Our plan is to re-establish our boarding population over the next three years. We did, however, maximize the day student population to compensate for the decline in boarding with the recruitment of 62 new day students and a 93% retention rate for a total day population of 345. Of the $18.4 million in revenues, $17.2 million represents the tuition and fee revenue. This reflects an increase in tuition, an increase in enrolment and significantly less rebates issued for short-duration school closures. During the school year we did have a few COVID-19 protocol-related closures for specific cohorts in the fall of 2021 and one government-mandated closure period in January 2022. We started the school year with only 60% of our boarding students at PC and continued to run an off-site isolation program to the end of November when most of our students finally arrived.

In terms of diversifying our revenue sources, the national benchmark targets 90% of total revenue to come from tuition and fees and 10% from other sources. In 2022, parents paid tuition and fees representing 85.5% (83.58% in 2021) of PC’s total revenue. Auxiliary programs represented 5.5% (3.8% in 2021), investment income represented 0.7% (1.3% in 2021) and donations and fundraising revenue was 2.9% (1.5% in 2021) of total income. Rental and other income represented 0.6% (0.6% in 2021) of total income and the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy represented 4.8% (8.9% in 2021) of total income.

During 2022, we continued to have a generous PC community, raising a total of $7,380,053. Our 2022 funds raised can be broken down as $419,929 raised through annual giving, $1,212,412 raised in restricted donations, $328,274 donated to endowments and $5,419,387 received in support of West Lake House.

...continued on page 33

STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS

The above Statement of Operations is an excerpt from the complete Audited Financial Statements. Complete Audited Financial Statements, including notes, are available upon request from the school’s Business Office.

...continued from page 31

Annual giving was impacted as we could not hold the Gala, Road Rally or in-person Holiday Home Tour. We did attempt a virtual Holiday Home Tour and a fall and spring golf tournament. The support to the capital campaign was extraordinary in 2022 with multiple multi-million dollar gifts from Rathlyn Investments Ltd., facilitated by Roger Warren ’51.

Auxiliary program revenue increased significantly to $1,114,378 ($693,641 in 2021) without an ESL Summer Camp. The increase comes from the return of Experience Canada students with 11 in 2021/22, increase in summer day camp revenue and Hilltop Shop revenue. We continued to run a boarding isolation camp offsite from mid-August to the end of November 2021 and then again in January 2022. This revenue won’t be repeated in 2022/23. We also plan to begin rebuilding the summer ESL Camp in the summer of 2022. With our summer program revenue being so low, without our ESL Boarding camp and rentals, we still qualified for the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy for the summer months. We received $968,891 in grant funding in 2022.

Rental and other income of $114,046 was consistent with 2021, as we were unable to rent any school facilities, including the arena.

Deferred educational program revenue represents the recognition of donations that have been given for specific purposes. In 2022, PC recognized $168,498 ($79,792 in 2021) in revenue, from donations in support of the PC Power of Community and specific programs. The amount to be recognized varies from year to year depending on the donations received.

Overall total revenue (not including the realized investment gains or the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy) has increased by $2,499,037 or 15% based on 19 more students, a tuition increase, less rebates issued, the partial return of special events and fundraising revenue and the partial return of some auxiliary programs. Revenue is also $710,148 or 3.9% above budget.

CAPITAL CAMPAIGN

$5,419,387

RESTRICTED DONATIONS ANNUAL GIVING ENDOWMENT

$1,212,412

$419,929

$328,325

TOTAL $7,380,053

WHERE DID WE SPEND OUR MONEY?

56%PROGRAMS

4%SCHOLARSHIPS

14%FACILITIES

11%ADVANCEMENT

10%ADMINISTRATIVE

5%AUXILIARY PROGRAMS

SCHOLARSHIP DATA

EXPENDITURES

In recognition of the loss of revenue due to the pandemic, we continued with a detailed review of spending in all areas. We began to rebuild some of our budgets in anticipation of a return to a more normal school year, with regular in-person learning and less remote learning. For example, we rebuilt the co-curricular budget to reflect the return of competitive teams, and reduced costs by eliminating offsite classroom rental costs and bringing all students back to the PC campus. Although the physical distancing rules were not as stringent as the previous year, we did maximize physical distancing and continued to use the meeting room, staff room and library as classrooms. We operated without visitors or events on campus until our graduation ceremonies in June. We continued with enhanced cleaning and sanitizing and operated in cohorts. Overall, while we spent more in 2022 than in 2021, we were under budget in many areas, with many pandemic restrictions still in place.

Instructional expenses totaled approximately $10.4 million in 2022 ($9.9 million in 2021). PC spends approximately 55%-60% of its total operational budget on direct instructional and co-curricular program costs, with salaries and benefits representing 78% of that total. This year we had a 2% salary increase after freezing salaries in 2020/21. Health Centre costs remained high with PPE purchases and a new staffing model implemented mid-way through the year.

Scholarships and bursaries decreased over the previous year, from $896,778 in 2021 to $829,695 in 2022. In 2022, 18% (31% in 2021) of all boarding students received financial aid. To fund these awards, $195,616 was drawn from the income on endowed funds and $6,030 was drawn from restricted donations. Scholarships and bursaries awarded will increase as we rebuild our boarding population. Already in 2022/23 with 103 boarders, financial aid has increased to 26.5% of all boarding students.

Advancement costs (Admission, Development, Alumni and Parent Relations and Communications) have increased by $220,101 over last year, totaling $ 2,072,043 ($1,851,942 in 2021). We implemented a new staffing model with the retirement of the Executive Director, Development and implemented an Assistant Head, Advancement, had a 2% salary increase and in 2022 had a Major Gifts position that was shared between operations and the capital campaign. Staffing increases totaled about $100K, and we saw another $100K in cost increases in areas such as the printing and production of The Pillars

Facility costs (instructional and residential buildings maintenance) for 2022 were $2,690,678, which is $329,908 higher than 2021. We have begun to rebuild and undertake facility projects that we deferred in the first year of the pandemic. Salaries increased with the 2% increase and part-time staffing increased with all of the in-person learning and no significant government closures. Insurance increased with the market reacting to the pandemic and utilities increased as the government ended some of the financial support programs that were in place.

Management, administration and operations costs were 6.1% ($106,641) higher than in the prior year. This line includes costs related to the operation of the Head of School’s office, Assistant Heads, Business Office, Human Resources and Reception. In addition, school-wide infrastructure costs are charged here and professional fees, such as legal and audit fees, are reflected in this cost centre. Legal fees and human resource costs increased this year.

Overall, total expenditures have increased by $1,298,603 or 7.5% in 2022 but were $462,575 or 2.4% under budget.

ENDOWED FUNDS

The scholarship and other endowment funds represent accumulated donations to the school that have been externally restricted for endowment. Some fund balances include accumulated interest that has not yet been awarded. As a result, there are times when a total fund balance goes down, if some of the accumulated interest is awarded. Funds with a balance of at least $25,000 are shown indvidually, and all of the other scholarship funds are grouped together as Other.

ENDOWMENTS

Endowments in 2022 grew by $328,325, most notably with growth of the Sturrup Family Endowment Fund and the Ed and Elizabeth Richardson Fund. Continued growth in the scholarship and bursary funds is one of the key strategies to continue to attract and grow the student population at PC. In 2022, 18% of boarding students and 18% of day students received financial aid. To fund these awards, $195,616 ($141,350 in 2021) was drawn from the income on endowed funds.

As we rebuild our boarding population the need for financial aid will increase. For the 2022/23 academic year, our boarding population has grown to 103 students, with 26.5% receiving financial aid, and the average award has increased from $ $22,059 in 2021/22 to $23,500 in 2022/23.

One of the most significant financial changes during the year was the decision to change long-term investment/ endowment managers. With the change in managers, our portfolios were sold and the cash moved to the new managers, and that change resulted in a realized net gain of $1,313,011. These realized funds will be drawn down over the next couple of years to fund scholarships and bursaries, while the new portfolios become established and are given time to increase their annual income to a reasonable level. Long-term gross investment income earned during 2021 totaled $102,437 ($237,358 in 2021).

As our endowments grow, our ability to award more scholarships and bursaries will also increase. A healthy endowment and a strong financial aid program are a key strategy to attract and retain boarding students and potentially relieving tuition increase pressure and affordability concerns for families in the future. Focused attention on our fundraising and donations program is how we will increase our endowment funds.

SUMMARY STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION

NET ASSETS

The above Statement of Financial Position is an excerpt from the complete Audited Financial Statements. Complete Audited Financial Statements, including notes, are available upon request from the school’s Business Office.

LIQUIDITY AND NET ASSETS

PC’s cash and cash equivalents have increased over last year. Our overall cash and cash equivalents totaled $36,605,901 as at June 30, 2022 ($26,216,636 in 2021). Cash continued to increase with successful fundraising in capital and restricted donations, and cash flow from operations continues to be positive with increased enrolment and an operating excess. PC continues to closely monitor cash flow.

Overall, net assets have increased to a total of $34.8 million. Our investment in property, plant and equipment has grown due to the capital projects completed and our operating reserve, while still in a deficit position it has improved from ($5,961,490) in 2021 to ($5,855,596) as at June 30, 2022 due to the excess of revenue over expenses.

CONCLUSION

Overall, 2022 should be considered a year where we continued to cope with the restrictions and effect of the COVID-19 pandemic while building for our recovery. We began to recover, with our day student population growing to compensate for our low boarding student numbers. We continued to operate with enhanced health and safety protocols and uncertainty around government mandates. We operated isolation programs to ensure our boarding students could learn in person and kept boarding open all year long. Visitors were still not allowed on campus until graduation and competitive sports didn’t resume until Spring 2022 when the government lifted restrictions, but it was the start of a return to normal school activities. Our overall financial position at the end of 2022 was an excess of revenue over expenses, which will support capital projects in 2023, which total over $700,000, as they include both the New House and Meeting Room stage roof replacement. In addition to a financially positive year, safety was at the forefront of our operations and we had a very academically successful year.

We are starting the 2023 fiscal year with 475 students (102 boarders, 373 day students), our highest ever enrolment! We have a 93% retention rate for day students, 87% retention for boarding students and our Admission team recruited 127 new students for September 2022. Our focus for the 2022/23 year is to continue to rebuild our boarding program, focus on getting West Lake House built as we continue to enhance our programs and, with pandemic restrictions lifted, to re-engage our Pickering College community. In the long term we must continue to strive for innovation, new sources of revenue, continued cost control measures and continue to monitor cash flow closely. We must be flexible in our operations. Financial planning and modelling will be core to our business operations over the next few years as we focus on recovery from the pandemic.

We have a very dedicated team here at Pickering and with this team, together we can face the challenges and seize the opportunities that lie ahead.