Ms. Kate Lane
From snowfall to spring-like temperatures, our international boarders are certainly getting to experience what a true Canadian fall feels like! While experiencing our culture, we are avidly encouraging our students to present about their own. With many boarders still residing at home, this presents a unique opportunity to showcase local cuisine, homes, environments and celebrations. This past week, Nora and Vera capped off our Halloween celebrations with a phenomenal presentation on Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. Through this, we learned some unique practices and saw first-hand pictures of their and their friends’ celebrations that year.

And in a slightly modified version of our Canadian pastime, we had four of our Gillinites playing hockey this week—on a snow-covered field! I have been so impressed with our two Grade 10s, Grade 11, and Grade 12 joining the Ashbury field hockey team this year and trying out a new sport. They have had a great time being outdoors, active, and learning new skills—three proven ways to enhance one’s wellbeing! With weather in the +20s this weekend, I will be encouraging all of our girls to get outside over the weekend and ask that parents do the same.

Finally, our Wing Meetings this week continued the theme of healthy living, promoting our new kitchen appliance—a fabulous blender—along with a lesson on key brain foods and a host of smoothie recipes to try out. Ms. Kerr has also continued sharing her baking expertise, with a handful of girls coming out last weekend to create some incredible pumpkin bread! Many girls also received their flu shots over the past couple weeks. Thank you to Nurse Noonan who brought these right over to the residence; we hope that with our concerted efforts everyone will continue to stay happy and healthy throughout the winter term.

Please enjoy a variety of pictures—from snowy hills our girls will hopefully one day enjoy, to ‘snow-hockey’, field hockey fitness, baking, bandages and the fan-favourite “connect-four” in the common room!