Husky Howler
December 23, 2023
Embedded Files
UPCOMING DATES
January 8: First Day of Winter Semester
January 9-12: Frost Week
January 19: Ski Trip
January 26: PD Day
February 12-15: Friendship Week
February 16-19: Family Day Long Weekend
February 20-23: STEM Week
February 21: Science Fair
February 28: Pink Shirt Day
IMPORTANT REMINDERS
IMPORTANT REMINDERS
Call for Guest Speakers
Every year, we have amazing people speak to our students. Recently, we hosted Hudson parent Erik Williamson as a speaker in our Parent Career Conversations series. We're always on the lookout for volunteers who'd like to speak to our students about a variety of subjects.
If you'd like to provide industry and career guidance, specialized academic subject (including fine arts) lectures, or be a motivational speaker, please fill out the form below!
SCHOOL NEWS
Letter from the Principal
December 23rd, 2023
Dear Parents / Guardians,
Reflecting on the Fall Semester, one thing is certain – Hudson students are incredibly school spirited! They have consistently gone above and beyond, actively participating in every school event and demonstrating unwavering support for their classmates and the community.
The Justice League held their 2nd annual Fashion Show, now firmly established as a Hudson tradition. Our designers and models showcased creative and powerful outfits to a large and supportive audience. I was pleased to see many Grade 9's involved in this year's show and that they've easily transitioned into high school.
Congratulations to our varsity sports teams who both finished the season in the semi-finals and placed higher than the year prior. Although we put no pressure on them to place higher and higher each year, I know that they tend to put that pressure on themselves, so I commend them for their achievement!
Despite December being a busy month with IRPs and exams, the Student Council organized both the Food Drive and Holiday Spirit Week – both tremendous successes. The donations to the Food Drive exceeded last year's and the new dress-down themes gave Holiday Spirit Week a breath of fresh air that I know the students appreciated.
The House Volleyball Tournament was a great addition to Holiday Spirt Week, and I want to thank the Maritimes for organizing the event. Everyone was full of House Pride and we even had the Great Lakes’ shark playing on the court!
Of course, we ended the Fall Semester with one Hudson tradition – the Holiday Potluck Lunch. With the stress of exams, taking a moment to share a meal with classmates is a meaningful reminder of the bond of our student body.
Thank you to all our Hudson Families for your continued support. It's been a great start to the 2023/2024 school year. We hope you have a wonderful holiday, and we're looking forward to all that's in store in the new year!
Sincerely,
Jack.
Honouring Remembrance Day.
This year, we honoured Remembrance Day by hosting Major (Ret.) Mark Bossi on November 9th. With a distinguished 40 year career in the Canadian Forces, Major Bossi served in Afghanistan and various Eastern European countries and participated in NATO missions.
Major Bossi conveyed the significance of the silence following the end of World War I and the importance of remembering fallen soldiers while captivating our students with his humour and charm. He left our students with a deeper understanding of Remembrance Day to better commemorate the day. The students enjoyed him so much that they lined up to speak to him afterwards!
It's Called Fashion, Look it Up!
The Justice League held their 2nd Annual Fashion Show advocating for International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on November 21st. This year, they raised funds for Shelter Movers, a national charity aiding women and children fleeing domestic violence by providing moving and storing services to transition them into a safer environment.
The hosts, Ashaz Sabir and Henry Ansell-Vaughan, kicked-off the show with energy and enthusiasm as pulsating runway music played. Rei, Lucy, Evelyn, Sophia, Grace, Emanuel, Julia, Mayde and Claire modelled fashion-forward (and in some cases handpainted) outfits designed by Milena, Sarah, Sabrina, Candice, Nick M. Svara, Grace, Audrey, Alessia and Juliet S.
This year, the designs tackled issues like double standards in the workplace, gender equality, objectification, the dichotomy between societal expectations and women's empowerment, women's dual struggle in male-dominated fields, women's achievements in STEM, and androgyny through feminine silhouettes and masculine articles.
The show ended with a heartfelt thank-you speech from Audrey, the Justice League Prefect, who shared the importance of International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. The Justice League also served pizza, chips and drinks at the show as an extra fundraising effort. Excellent work from everyone involved!
DID YOU KNOW?
This semester, the Justice League raised $1,451.75 in donations from our Upper School students for the following charities: Maui Nui Strong, Kochita, The International Committee for the Red Cross and Shelter Movers. Incredible!
Grade 8's take on Upper School!
November 21st was also Grade 8 Shadow Day, and our Lower School's Grade 8's met with their future teachers and Upper School student volunteers and participated in fun workshops. They had a blast making tableaus in the Drama workshop; taking photos with 3-point lighting in the Media Arts workshop; using a Van de Graaff generator in the Science workshop; and learning probability by playing cards in the Math Workshop. They even got a sneak peek into our new Film Studies course that will run in the Spring Semester!
Let the Mentoring Begin!
December marked the beginning of the Post-Secondary Insider mentorship program. We’re thrilled to have 23 mentors eager to positively impact our Grade 12's by providing insights and advice regarding post-secondary education. We look forward to seeing these connections flourish as our mentors support their mentees throughout the school year!
Check out some of our amazing alumni mentors!
A Glimpse into the Future: Grade 11's on HCC!
Although we’re not even halfway through the school year, we're already thinking about our Grade 11's and their post-secondary pursuits. Starting this year, we will onboard the Grade 11's onto Hudson College Connect to start the 2024/2025 Post-Secondary Insider mentorship program early. This will allow our mentors to support students in the early stages of researching post-secondary programs.
Food Drive Frenzy!
To support local families during the holiday season, the Student Council ran a super successful food drive from December 4-8th! They turned the donation drive into a House competition to encourage House spirit and boost donations of non-perishable and shelf-stable foods. There was tremendous effort by all Houses. Initially, the Maritimes pulled ahead at the beginning of the week, but by Friday, the Rockies won the food drive competition! Combining our donations with the Lower School's, we donated over 25 boxes full of items to the Daily Bread Food Bank, which serves over 150,000 people across Toronto. Great work, Huskies!
Getting in the Holiday Spirit!
December 11-15th was the last week of classes before the Fall Semester exams. What could be a stressful week for students, was instead a joyous occasion, as the last week we always celebrate Holiday Spirit Week and have five festive days of fun!
Themed Dress Downs
This year, the Student Council kept things fresh by choosing new dress-down themes and revamping old ones. "Adam Sandler Day" was a new dress-down theme that kicked off the week and had our students dressing up as their favourite Adam Sandler role or sporting his notorious basketball and oversized t-shirt look. Tuesday was "Hockey Parents Day," where students dressed up as every athlete's #1 fan, and was followed by "Freaky Wednesday," where the students swapped styles with their besties. And, of course, the last two days were 'Ugly Sweater Day' and 'Holiday Character Day,' amplifying the holiday spirit.
House Volleyball Tournament
After the success of the House Basketball Tournament during October's Pep Rally, Alessia and Ivan, two of our Maritimes House Leaders, organized a House Volleyball Tournament. On December 15th, each House brought a roster of students from all grades who were determined to win and score some House points. The energy in the gymnasium was fierce, and while everyone played hard, the Prairies were unstoppable and took the win!
Holiday Potluck Lunch
Ending Holiday Spirit Week and the Fall Semester, we all came together for the Holiday Potluck Lunch – a favourite Hudson tradition for many. Every student brought a delicious dish to share with the rest of the school, and we feasted together over turkey, latkes, mashed potatoes, spring rolls, homemade fudge and more. A heartfelt thank you to all the parents who helped prepare dishes for the potluck!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
From what our students had to share, it sounds like our Hudson Families have wonderful plans for this holiday break! Whether you're travelling abroad or staying cozy at home, we hope you have a happy holiday and relaxing break surrounded by family and loved ones!
Want to know what the Hudson community is up to this holiday break? Check out our latest Instagram Reel to find out!
GUIDANCE UPDATE
Ms. Streff wants to congratulate everyone on a successful Fall Semester! She reports that everyone has been productive and has taken the initiative to make the most of this year.
On November 24th, she held the second Parent Career Conversation and hosted Erik Williamson, the Vice President of Cloud Engineering at Goldman Sachs. He spoke to the Grade 9's and students interested in computer science, about pursuing his degree in computer science, which led him to his current career and shed light on his day-to-day role. The students were deeply engaged and asked insightful questions.
Ms. Streff is excited for the series to continue in the new year and urges any parent interested in speaking to our students to fill out the Parent Guest Speaker form listed in the Quick Links.
Grade 9 Update
Grade 9 Update
Ms. Streff wants to congratulate the Grade 9s for completing their first semester of high school! They've not only worked hard in class but have made friends with each other and their upper classmates. Whether it's through clubs, Hudson Athletics, or just day-to-day participation, they quickly became active in the school community! She reports the Grade 9's talk very fondly about their Study Period peer tutors from the Grade 11 Leadership & Peer Support class. These peer tutors have been helping them by revising their essays, helping them with homework, and providing exam course reviews.
The Grade 9's have also been participating in Mindfulness Mondays, a program developed by Janessa who, along with teaching, has taken on the new position of Wellness Program Coordinator. Every Monday, she meets with the Grade 9's during their Study Period and teaches them a variety of mindfulness, meditation, and yoga practices. She recognizes that each student will respond differently to different practices, and makes sure that students learn practices that promote both stillness (e.g. body scans) and movement (e.g. yoga).
Grade 12 Update
Grade 12 Update
In the last two months, The Grade 12's attended their last university fair and were busy applying to post-secondary programs. If they are still considering programs they've yet to apply for, they have until January 15th, 2024 to complete their applications.
Ms. Streff wants students to know that many universities do not send out offers until the final marks of the first semester are submitted. There is no need to worry if their friends or classmates have already received offers. Although waiting may feel nerve-wracking, there is plenty of time before your child will hear back regarding their applications.
If they haven't already, Grade 12 students should start looking at scholarships, as there are many great opportunities available. Each scholarship has its own requirements and time commitments, so Mr. Stress wants students to ensure they meet all requirements before spending time applying. Come next semester, she will be available to help review scholarship applications and essays if needed.
However, Grade 12 students should also remember that their Post-Secondary Insider mentor is a great resource they can reach out to!
SPORTS UPDATE
November 2023
It's been a wonderful semester of athletics, but Mr. Reda, Mr. Stalteri, and Franco are already preparing for the Winter Semester sports.
In the first week of December, they held tryouts for the U20 Girls' Volleyball and U20 Boys' Basketball. It's always hard deciding on the team, especially with such a large turnout, but after multiple tryouts and deliberation, we have two great teams to represent Hudson next semester.
However, those aren't the only sports in the Winter Semester. We will also offer the following sporting opportunities:
U20 Co-ed Table Tennis
U16 and U20 Indoor Soccer
U20 Co-ed Badminton
U20 Boys Ball Hockey
Tryout/Signup information will be sent to your child(ren)'s emails, so remind them to keep an eye out for the sports they're interested in.
Mr. Reda would also like to remind parents to complete the SSAF Waiver Form for their child's participation in 2023-2024 Athletics. This is a blanket waiver for all events in the 2023-2024 school year.
QUICK LINKS
If you have any questions regarding Hudson Athletics, please reach out to Marco Reda, Athletic Director, at mreda@hudsoncollege.ca. Go Huskies!
U20 Girls' Basketball
The U20 Girls’ Basketball team faced off against some tough teams this year, but that didn't stop them from having a successful season. In the last three games, the girls had to play hard against some challenging teams, but they still made it all the way to the semi-finals this year – placing higher than last year. Go Huskies!
The boys on the bus to the SSAF Volleyball Tournament!
U20 Boys' Volleyball
The U20 Boys’ Volleyball finished their season proud! They entered the playoffs intending to place higher than last year, and they did just that. Finishing in the semi-finals, the team returned upbeat and triumphant with their achievement. Congrats, Huskies!
Page updated
Report abuse