navigating the west Toronto high school options for your grade 8 student
My youngest daughter is in grade 8 so I am doing this all over again, but as with everything, it is looking a lot different this year! Due to covid, all of the Toronto high school open houses are virtual this year, but we are still logging in and weighing our options. She will be graduating from Karen Kain School of the Arts (KKSA) so ESA is an option, as well as our home school and some of the specialty programs that are offered at other high schools, such as UFA and Western Tech. I will let you know how it goes!
Here is our annual guide to all the (virtual) open houses, programs, key dates and application deadlines for many of the West Toronto high schools.
Specialty Programs & Key Dates
Bishop Allen Academy (Catholic)
Congregated Advanced Placement Program - an internationally recognized program that fosters success in higher education by encouraging students to develop critical thinking skills at the highest level
application & strong academic performance in grades 7 & 8 required - applications are available as of October 8th and are due October 29th. Notification of acceptance to specialty programs is on November 27th (wave 1) & December 4th (wave 2)
Bloor Collegiate - Open house November 16th, 6:30-8:30pm
Talented Offerings in the Programmes of Sciences (TOPS) on Bloor program
exam required - exam registration starts November 16th and closes November 26th @ 4pm. Exam to be held on December 2nd from 4-6pm
Bloor Collegiate also provides the following programs: advanced placement (AP), math & science focus (MST), pre-advanced placement (Pre-AP) and specialist high skills major (SHSM)
Etobicoke Collegiate - Open House November 26th, 7pm
they offer a specialist high skills major (SHSM)
students must live within the school's catchment to attend the regular program
Etobicoke School of the Arts - Open house November 16th, 7-9pm
arts focus in dance, drama, music & film
applications are available November 9th and the online application submission deadline is December 9th
acceptance dependent on audition - virtual auditions are being held January 15th, 2021. Offers of admission will be emailed in early February 2021
Father John Redmond (Catholic) - Virtual Open House
Regional Arts Program (RAP) - applications available as of October 8th and are due October 28th (online) or October 29th (paper). Portfolio/Audition videos must be uploaded by November 13th and auditions will be conducted from November 18-20. Notification of acceptance is on November 27th (wave 1) & December 4th (wave 2).
Update: apparently they have changed their application process and you can only apply to CAP if you have been accepted into Father Redmond through a feeder school or into the Regional Arts Program
extended french & french immersion programs for students coming from feeder schools
students in the english program must live within the school's catchment to attend
Martingrove Collegiate - Open house November 24th, 6:30 & 7:45
they offer advanced placement (AP) and specialist high skills major (SHSM)
students must live within the school's catchment to attend the regular program
Parkdale Collegiate - Open house November 18th, 7pm
applications are due December 18th
IB Entrance Assessment also required
they also offer: LEAP (LP) and specialist high skills major (SHSM) programs
Richview Collegiate - Open house November 24th, 7-9pm (french) and November 25th, 7-9pm (english)
extended french & french immersion programs for students coming from feeder schools
students in the english program must live within the school's catchment to attend
Runnymede Collegiate - Open house December 2nd, 6pm
Masters of Math, Science & Technology Program
application, ‘all about me’ application and exam required - applications available soon
Integrated technology & academics for the real world with a focus on 5 core values: spirit of inquiry, democracy, social justice, community of learners, and connected knowledge
application required - applications due January 29th
if the number of eligible students exceeds the number of spaces available, a lottery will be held the first week of February and acceptance letters will be sent out February 12, 2021 and must be accepted by February 26th
Western Technical-Commercial School - Open house November 19th, 7pm
Specialized High Skills Majors (SHSM) in leadership, design studio, engineering robotics & hospitality studies
applications are available on-line and are due by January 29, 2021
they also offer: LEAP (LP), Cyber Arts (CA) and Cisco/Nortel Systems (C/N Sys)
Please click here, for a list of open houses at all TDSB schools. Happy open housing and the best of luck to all of you.....high school is a whole other post ;).
Best of the West: Lace Up Your Skates
Okay, I’ll admit it, I don’t love winter, but living in Toronto you really only have two choices, embrace it or complain about it. In the spirit of embracing the cold, this month’s Best of the West is about the best outdoor skating rinks in Toronto’s west end.
I find that if I do embrace winter (and dress warmly!), I actually end up enjoying myself. It’s just the getting out of the warm house that is the struggle! Skating really is such a great winter activity though, not only is it inexpensive but it’s also a fabulous way to spend time with the family or a group of friends. So, where are the best places in the west end to embrace the winter and lace up those skates?
High Park
There is a busy ice rink in the middle of High Park where you can take in the natural scenery and do a few laps around the rink. It is also a popular spot for pick-up games of shinny. I did love to skate on Grenadier Pond when the ice was thick enough to do so, but unfortunately due to budget cuts, the city is no longer monitoring the ice so skating there is now a no-no.
The Bentway
I think our city gets high marks for this ingenious addition that was added in January 2018. It is a 220-metre figure eight that is located under the Gardiner Expressway on the lands of Fort York National Historic Site, running from just east of the Fort York Visitor Centre (250 Fort York Blvd) to Bastion St. There is also a winter village that sells beverages, warming stations and free skate rentals on Thursdays, courtesy of Billy Bishop Airport. Thanks to The Bentway not-for-profit and the CBC, skating this year has been extended until March 22nd and is open from 5-9pm weekdays and 12-9pm on weekends.
The Bentway, photo credit: @bbishopairport
rennie park
Located in Swansea, this popular west end destination has both a hockey rink and a skating trail. The skating trail is built around a tree and has no fences making it popular late at night, particularly with teenagers. The hockey rink has proper boards, a scoreboard and sound system. There's also a large change room and observation room.
dufferin grove park
Embrace the community spirit at these two side-by-side ice rinks, one dedicated to informal hockey games and one to leisurely skating. Skate rentals are also available on the cheap. Located on the east side of Dufferin, across from Dufferin Mall.
colonel sam smith park
It may be crowded, but it’s worth it! This figure eight trail provides an alternative to the typical rinks found in the city. It is located in south Etobicoke, at Kipling and Lakeshore, and has a picturesque trail, free parking and indoor change areas.
Colonel Sam Smith Skate Trail, photo credit: City of Toronto
trinity bellwoods park
A popular destination for shinny, this outdoor rink is located in Trinity Bellwoods Park, south of Dundas, on Gore Vale Avenue. This popular park has it all, including an artificial rink that attracts winter enthusiasts of all ages.
nathan phillips square
It may not be located in the west end, but we can’t talk about outdoor skating without mentioning the grand-daddy of them all, the beautiful rink at Nathan Phillips Square. It is totally worth tackling the crowds to take part in this very Toronto pastime. With the big Toronto sign in the background, it is a fabulous way to spend a winter afternoon or evening, and a great date night destination. It also features a snack bar, skate rentals, skating lessons and DJ skates.
So lace up those skates #westsiders and I hope to see you out there!
What's up this weekend in Toronto?
A look back at our west end business spotlights from 2019
As the first month of 2020 comes to an end, we thought it'd be fun to look back at the amazing west end Toronto business owners we highlighted in 2019. These women were so much fun to interview and spend time with. We wish them continued success and happiness this year.
Vicki Bell The Little Paper Toronto
Vicki Bell is the owner of The Little Paper, a local mama, a city girl, a nature lover and continues to find time to give back so much to the west end she calls home. We loved doing a spotlight on her, you can read it here.
Amy Montemurro Kid Kind
Amy Montemurro is the proud owner of KidKind, a local business focused on educational programming, workshops, camps and spreading kindness.
Lauren PIncente Wildhood Toronto
If you haven't been to Wildhood yet, go now. And if you are lucky you'll get to meet Lauren Pincente the owner and florist extraordinaire.
Julie Sousa Annette Street Music
We have had the pleasure of working with Julie Sousa for the past 8 years and she still greets us with the same warm smile every week. If you are looking for music lessons in the west end of Toronto, look no further/ Annette Street Music offers a variety of classes for all levels of musical interet.
Jennifer Slauenwhite Queens Fitness Toronto
Jennifer Slauenwhite pushes women to become their best selves at her west end fitness studio Queens Fitness. We love her motto that fitness is not about being better than someone else, it is about being better than you used to be.
What a great roundup of amazing entrepreneurs who are all doing their part to make our communities shine. If you know of any west end business owners that deserve to be in spotlight let us know. We'd love to meet them!
Christmas Countdown | Days 21 - 24
Thanks for joining in on our holiday countdown again this year. We have all had a busy month and we are 4 days away from our 2019 countdown finishing up. We are easing in to Christmas this week spending time with family and spreading some holiday cheer. Here's what we'll be up to over the next four days.
Thank you for a wonderful 2019. Enjoy the holidays with your loved ones and we'll see you in the New Year. xo
Christmas Countdown | Days 16 - 20
How is there just over a week until Christmas? I’m being reminded constantly how many more sleeps until the big day (nine in case you are wondering). Is the excitement building with you and yours? There is still time left to lend a helping hand and show our gratitude. Here’s what we’ll be up on Days 16-20.
Pop back on the 21st for our last four days of the 2019 WSS Christmas Countdown!
Christmas Countdown | Days 6 - 10
Will it be a white Christmas? It's quite the winter wonderland this morning here in Toronto so if this weather keeps up, it just might be. The next few days are about taking the time for family and passing along some holiday cheer to others. These few days should have you feeling jolly in no time. Have fun!
