Ms. Kate Lane

Although we regularly hear of the many challenges this pandemic has posed, it’s also important to reflect upon some of the opportunities this new environment has created. Last week, we enjoyed another fabulous Cultural Presentation from our steadfast Boarding Captain, Mia, and were able to share this event, along with general greetings and house notices, with our distance boarders and even a few future Gillin residents. These girls have also now been connecting via social MS Teams and Instagram with Gillinites in their current grade, providing the opportunity to form bonds and friendships before officially starting at Ashbury or landing in Canada.

While we are in the midst of a Stay at Home Order, outdoor activities and exercise are certainly still considered “essential” – Rako and Sasha took advantage of a sunny day earlier this week to go explore Ottawa’s beautiful trail system on a couple residence mountain bikes. With fewer indoor activities available, we have witnessed a distinct uptake in outdoor recreation over the past year and always see those who partake return with bright faces and big smiles. For those rainy days – or really, any day – the UberEats and delivery business has been well-supported by our Gillinites. From celebrating birthdays to college admissions, bubble tea seems like the ideal treat!

Finally, saying farewell to a number of our boarding students is coming too early this year. With the announcement of IB (and OSSD) exams being cancelled, a number of girls have booked their flights home this past and coming weeks. While we will miss them dearly here, many have not been home since the fall and I know are eager to spend valuable time with family and friends. Soon we will be asking you to send us the weekly updates and pictures 🙂