Trinity College School

About Trinity College School

How do TCS students describe their experience in three words? Complete, illuminating, energetic. TCS students appreciate that school needs to be more than just reaching their academic potential – it’s about exploring all facets of themselves so that the realization of passions, talents and skills reach beyond the classroom walls. Though a shared experience and the wise counsel of TCS staff, we give our students a strong start on a long and exciting adventure. Our students travel well, wherever their personal path may take them, having gained both the foresight to consider the destination and the perspective to appreciate the value of the journey itself.

Established in 1865, TCS is one of Canada's oldest & most respected educational institutions. The School places a balanced emphasis on academics, service learning, athletics & the arts – as both a long-held TCS tradition and a rethought, reinvigorated approach to education. At the end of their journey at TCS, our students are well-prepared to forge ahead on the path that lies before them: to embrace opportunities at university, to find their footing in the workplace and, ultimately, to build meaningful and satisfying lives. Learn more about our school community by paying a visit to our beautiful 100-acre campus.

AP Capstone school with 20+ AP course offerings
Rural campus setting with 100 acres of fields and facilities
School community focused on developing habits of the heart and mind
20 competitive sports and a new 40,000 sq ft athletic facility
9 musical/choral ensembles and 2 theatrical productions
Extensive service learning and experiential travel
Features TCS Signature Journey for our students to encourage a life of purpose and service after TCS
Academic travel opportunities
Outstanding culinary services
100% University acceptance

Our Take: Trinity College School

Trinity is one of the oldest boarding schools in Canada and, having been founded two years prior to confederation, is indeed older than the country itself. While it looks entirely different than it did when it was founded—there are no original buildings, nor does it sit at the same site as it did in 1865—the core values remain: quality academics with an eye to educating students into positions of social, professional, and political leadership. Academic achievement is highly valued—this is a school, as many will tell you, where it is cool to be smart—though tolerance, personal expression, and consideration of others are equally important. Service is central to the ethos of the school, as underscored by a robust program of service learning managed by a director dedicated to developing opportunities within the local community and beyond. The ideal student is one who responds well to challenge.

AP Capstone school with 20+ AP course offerings
Rural campus setting with 100 acres of fields and facilities
School community focused on developing habits of the heart and mind
20 competitive sports and a new 40,000 sq ft athletic facility
9 musical/choral ensembles and 2 theatrical productions
Extensive service learning and experiential travel
Features TCS Signature Journey for our students to encourage a life of purpose and service after TCS
Academic travel opportunities
Outstanding culinary services
100% University acceptance

Reviews

The Our Kids Review

From the review: Trinity College School is one of the oldest boarding schools in Canada and, having been founded two years prior to confederation, is indeed older than the country itself. While it looks entirely different than it did when it was founded—there are no original buildings, nor does it sit at the same site as it did in 1865—the core values remain: quality academics with an eye to educating students into positions of social, professional, and political leadership. Academic achievement is highly

Read The Our Kids Review of Trinity College School

User-submitted reviews

"Beate Mundo Corde: Blessed are the pure in heart... truer words could not be said about the people of Trinity College School."
Benjamin Glassco - Alumnus (Jan 25, 2018)

"Beate Mundo Corde": Blessed are the pure in heart. Adorned on the school's crest and displayed on t... — Read full review

"I felt like the luckiest person in the world"
Jocelyn Murphy - Alumnus (Jan 26, 2018)

My time at Trinity was so special. I spent four years there in both day and boarding programs, and I... — Read full review

" ... everyone is truly welcoming"
Mariam Omilabu - Student (Jan 23, 2018)

Being at Trinity College school is like moving away from home, feeling terrified and lost, then grad... — Read full review

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Location and Busing

55 Deblaquire Street North, Port Hope, Ontario, L1A 4K7

School Busing:

Trinity College School offers bus transferring. Service options offered are regular rider, regular rider AM only, regular rider PM only. The regions it offers busing from are Peterborough, Ajax, Whitby, Courtice, Bowmanville, Newcastle, Bailieboro, Burlington, Oakville, Parry Sound, Bracebridge, Gravenhurst, Huntsville, Toronto, Milton, Georgetown, Laval, Montreal, Nanaimo, Mill Bay, Cowichan Bay, Ladysmith, Cedar, Crofton, Vesuvius, Chemainus, Shawnigan Lake, Cobble Hill, Koksilah, Cinnabar Valley, Pointe-Claire, Beaconsfield, Dorval, Saint-Laurent, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Saint Catharines, Hamilton, Lincoln, Grimsby, Lachine, Kirkland, Pierrefonds-Roxboro, Dollard-Des Ormeaux, Vancouver, Mississauga, Calgary, Okotoks, De Winton, Caledon, Kleinburg, King City, Nobleton, Vaughan, Niagara Falls, Regina, White City, Duncan, Langford, Colwood, Malahat, Brantford, Brampton, Etobicoke, Amherstburg, LaSalle, Carlisle, Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Richmond, Surrey, Delta, White Rock, North York, Richmond Hill, Markham, Whitchurch-Stouffville, Aurora, Newmarket, Millgrove, Simcoe, Caledonia, Hagersville, Alma, Roberval, Métabetchouan-Lac-à-la-Croix, Saint-.

Additional notes: TCS has two bus routes: 401 and Peterborough. The 401 route includes several stops along the 401 corridor. The Peterborough route includes 2 in the city of Peterborough and 2 coming south on highway 28. For more information regarding the specific routes or bussing in general, please contact the admissions office at 905-885-3209.

Bus map:

Gallery

Gallery showcasing school life and general photos of Trinity College School.

School Facilities Gallery

Athletics facilities

Campus

Classrooms

Shared spaces

Gallery showcasing specific locations and facilities found at Trinity College School.

Promotional videos for Trinity College School.

Academics

Academics Summary: [Hide summary]

Curriculum: Traditional
- Mathematics: Traditional Math
- Writing: Equal balance
- Science: Equal Balance
- Literature: Equal Balance
- Social Studies : Core Knowledge
- Humanities and Social Sciences : Equal Balance
- Foreign Languages: Equal Balance
- Fine Arts: Creative
- Computers and Technology: Medium integration
- Physical Education:
- Advanced Placement courses :
- Sex and health education: Ontario curriculum
Curriculum Pace: Standard-enriched
Academic Culture: Rigorous
Developmental priorities: Balanced
Special needs support: No support
Gifted learner support: No Support
Language: English
Homework Policy:
Report Card Policy:

Curriculum Traditional
[Show definition of Curriculum]

Central to your child's school experience is the underlying curriculum taught in the classroom. "Curriculum" refers to both what is taught and how it's taught. When considering the different curricula outlined in the next few pages, keep in mind that few schools fall neatly into one category or another. Most schools' curricula comprise a blend of best practices drawn from multiple curriculum types. Having said that, most schools do have a general overall curriculum type. These are identified for each school on OurKids.net.

Curriculum approach at Trinity College School : Traditional
Trinity College School has a Traditional approach to Curriculum (as opposed to Liberal Arts, Progressive, Montessori, Reggio Emilia, Waldorf approach).
[Show: About Traditional?]
Traditional curricula tend to be very content-based and rooted in the core disciplines. It is a structured approach that involves the teacher delivering a uni?ed curriculum through direct instruction. Students usually learn by observing and listening to their teacher, studying facts and concepts in textbooks, and completing both tests and written assignments - which challenge students to not only demonstrate their mastery of content but their ability to analyze and deconstruct it critically. Class discussions are also used to create critical dialogue around the content of the curriculum.

Curriculum at schools on OurKids.net

Traditional - 43%
Liberal arts - 16%
Progressive - 25%
Montessori - 15%
Reggio Emilia - 0%
Waldorf - 1%

What Trinity College School says: As our families and students appreciate, a high school diploma is only the beginning step towards achieving long-term goals of post-secondary education and career advancement. Our academic program is an opportunity for our students to show that they are capable of managing deadlines and completing specific tasks, which are important skills for any post-secondary program. Academic programming has been carefully designed to prepare students for the challenges of university study, and the wide range of courses, in addition to the School’s emphasis upon learning skills and a personal approach to learning, reinforce our compelling academic vision. We strive to provide opportunities to bring out the very best in every TCS learner by helping students balance their individual aptitudes, the requirements of the Ontario Secondary School Diploma and university admission requirements.

Approach:

Focus

Academic
Pedagogies and subject courses:

Mathematics Traditional Math

Mathematics approach at Trinity College School : Traditional Math
Trinity College School has a Traditional Math approach to Mathematics (as opposed to Discovery Math , Equal Balance approach).
[Show: About Traditional Math?]
Traditional Math typically teaches a method or algorithm FIRST, and THEN teaches the applications for the method. Traditional algorithms are emphasized and practiced regularly: repetition and drills are frequently used to ensure foundational mastery in the underlying mathematical procedures. The traditional approach to math views math education as akin to building a logical edifice: each brick depends on the support of the previously laid ones, which represent mastery over a particular procedure or method. Traditional Math begins by giving students a tool, and then challenges students to practice using that tool an applied way, with progressively challenging problems. In this sense Traditional Math aims to establish procedural understanding before conceptual and applied understanding.

Mathematics at schools on OurKids.net

Traditional math - 27%
Discovery math - 7%
Equal balance - 66%

What Trinity College School says: Although TCS primarily takes a traditional approach to mathematics, critical thinking and the application of concepts and skills is emphasized in each course and at each grade level. Mathematics teachers are highly collaborative and develop course lessons and materials in teams. Students are also expected to work collaboratively and learn the importance of practice, critique and revision when working toward mastery. Students may avail themselves of a variety of learning supports including the use of the ‘Math Learning Center’ which is open to students throughout the academic day and three evenings each week. The use of technology (including graphing calculators, online interactive graphing tools and video lessons) is embedded in daily lessons and on assessments. Students with a passion for mathematics are encouraged to challenge themselves by sitting the University of Waterloo mathematics contests that run throughout the academic year.

Textbooks and supplementary materials: Mathematics courses primarily use the McGraw-Hill Ryerson published textbooks, designed for the Ontario curriculum. Some exceptions include AP Calculus (Stewart. Single Variable Calculus, Early Transcendentals, 7th edition) and AP Statistics (Bock, Velleman, De Veaux, STATS Modeling the World, 4th Edition).

Calculator policy: Students are required to use the Ti-84 series of graphing calculators. Students learn course specific calculator skills during lessons and may use them on assessments, including the final exam. Calculators with ‘QWERTY’ keyboards are not permitted.

Writing Equal balance

Writing approach at Trinity College School : Equal balance
Trinity College School has an Equal balance approach to Writing (as opposed to Systematic approach , Process approach approach).
[Show: About Equal balance?]
Programs that balance systematic and process approaches equally likely have an emphasis on giving young students ample opportunities to write, while providing supplementary class-wide instruction in grammar, parts of sentences, and various writing strategies.

Writing at schools on OurKids.net

Equal balance - 78%
Systematic approach - 10%
Process approach - 12%

What Trinity College School says: At TCS, writing is used to harness and develop the power of self-expression. Texts studies serve as models for students’ own writing and to stimulate their creative faculties. There is a focus across disciplines on using language with precision and clarity, and incorporating stylistic devices appropriately and effectively. For example, in the AP Language & Composition course, students not only deconstruct the rhetorical and literary merit of pieces, but learn how to craft their own compelling arguments. In the lower grades we specifically teach grammar and vocabulary is taught through literature.

Science Equal Balance

Science approach at Trinity College School : Equal Balance
Trinity College School has an Equal Balance approach to Science (as opposed to Expository , Inquiry approach).
[Show: About Equal Balance?]
Science programs that balance expository and inquiry learning equally will likely have an equal blend of tests and experiments; direct, textbook-based instruction and student-centred projects.

Science at schools on OurKids.net

Equal balance - 67%
Expository - 5%
Inquiry - 28%

Teaching approach: The science program at TCS has been developed such that students learn the essential content and skills that will prepare them for the challenges of the next grade level, beginning from Grade 9 and leading to AP courses. Grade 9 and 10 science classes introduce students to the disciplines of chemistry, physics and biology and explore the interrelationships between science, technology, society and the environment. There is a focus on student-directed approaches to inquiry to give them greater ownership in the experimental process and collaboration with lab peers. The importance of fair, unbiased experimental designs to test hypotheses is underscored, as is the proper graphing and written form of displaying and explaining data. Grade 11 and 12 science students will continue to refine these skills as they engage with more in-depth content. Problem solving and analysis skills are emphasized in order to further develop their critical thinking.

Topics covered in curriculum:

Subject offered
Biology
Chemistry
Ecology
Geology
Meteorology
Physics
Physiology
Zoology

Treatment of evolution:

Subject offered
Evolution as consensus theory
Evolution as one of many equally viable theories
Evolution is not taught

Literature Equal Balance

Literature approach at Trinity College School : Equal Balance
Trinity College School has an Equal Balance approach to Literature (as opposed to Traditional , Social Justice approach).
[Show: About Equal Balance?]
These literature programs draw in equal measure from “Traditional” and “Social Justice” programs.

Literature at schools on OurKids.net

Equal balance - 73%
Traditional - 23%
Social justice - 4%

What Trinity College School says: English courses at Trinity College School are designed to enhance students’ abilities to critically analyze and appreciate literature through the study of a wide array of novels, plays, poems, and short stories. Students focus not only on what a literary text means but also how a text conveys that meaning. Students are taught to use academic language coherently and confidently as well as to select reading strategies best suited to particular texts and particular purposes for reading. Our courses are thematically based and expose students to works ranging from the Elizabethan era to the 21st Century. Unique opportunities offered in our department include a Grade 10 cross-curricular English and History Travel Education course; AP Language and Composition; AP Literature and Composition; and a selection of Grade 12 courses that focus on a common subject, including Holocaust Literature, African Literature, Middle Eastern Literature, and Alienation Literature.

Social Studies Core Knowledge

Social Studies approach at Trinity College School : Core Knowledge
Trinity College School has a Core Knowledge approach to Social Studies (as opposed to Expanding Communities , Thematic approach).
[Show: About Core Knowledge?]
Usually focused on teaching history and geography at an early age, the core knowledge approach uses story, drama, reading, and discussion to teach about significant people, places, and events. Breadth of content and knowledge is emphasized. The curriculum is often organized according to the underlying logic of the content: history might be taught sequentially, for example (as students move through the grades).

Social Studies at schools on OurKids.net

Core knowledge - 44%
Expanding communities - 26%
Thematic - 30%

What Trinity College School says: In addition to teaching course content, a particular focus in our social studies curriculum is helping our students to be knowledgeable and discerning consumers of information, including both online and textual resources. Students are taught specific skills for developing and refining research questions. We also work to develop proper research techniques and skills for verifying and authenticating online information. Students are also given various opportunities to communicate their knowledge, in spoken, written and multimedia formats.

Humanities and Social Sciences Equal Balance

Humanities and Social Sciences approach at Trinity College School : Equal Balance
Trinity College School has an Equal Balance approach to Humanities and Social Sciences (as opposed to Perennialism , Pragmatism approach).
[Show: About Equal Balance?]
These programs represent an equal balance between the perennialist and pragmatic approach to teaching the humanities and social sciences.

Humanities and Social Sciences at schools on OurKids.net

Equal balance - 80%
Perennialism - 11%
Pragmatism - 9%

What Trinity College School says: The delivery of the social sciences and humanities at Trinity College School seeks an equal balanced approach between perennialism and pragmatism. Fostering a strong theoretical understanding of the relationship between politics, culture, and the economy offers a staging point to critically analyse the issues of the day from a Canadian and global context. Students have an opportunity to explore current public debates about social justice issues and social policy. They critically examine the links between economic and social class disparities; religion; human rights; race, racism, and anti-racism, gender and sexuality; health and education; and environmental concerns on a local and global level. Students receive a solid foundation in research methods and theories, building their analytical skills in order to properly prepare them to contribute to making the world a better place, which is in keeping with our mission.

Foreign Languages Equal Balance

Foreign Languages approach at Trinity College School : Equal Balance
Trinity College School has an Equal Balance approach to Foreign Languages (as opposed to Audio-Lingual , Communicative approach).
[Show: About Equal Balance?]
These programs feature an equal blend of the audio-lingual and communicative styles of language instruction.

Foreign Languages at schools on OurKids.net

Equal balance - 61%
Audio-lingual - 2%
Communicative - 37%

What Trinity College School says: Fluency in the languages and cultures studied at TCS is critical training for contemporary citizenship. Literacy is the aim, one that affords connection preparing students for the 21st century. Languages, both classical and modern, challenge students to blend critical thinking, analytical practices, and performative advocacy in ways that highlight the interplay of curricular application and extension. A variety of efforts are made to facilitate cross-disciplinary study stemming from student interest in topics that encourage collaborative, creative thinking using a cultural framework. Language is the tie that binds communities affording students the occasion both to learn how to speak and how to listen.

Fine Arts Creative

Fine Arts approach at Trinity College School : Creative
Trinity College School has a Creative approach to Fine Arts (as opposed to Receptive , Equal Balance approach).
[Show: About Creative?]
Creative arts programs are studio-driven. While historical works and movements may still be taught to add context to the program, students mainly engage in making art (visual, musical, theatrical, etc). The goal is use the actual practice of art to help educate students’ emotions, cognition, and ethos.

Fine Arts at schools on OurKids.net

Creative - 39%
Receptive - 1%
Equal balance - 60%

Program offers:

Subject offered
Acting
Dance
Drama/Theatre
Graphic Design
Music
Visual Arts

Visual studio philosophy:

Expressive
Disciplined

What Trinity College School says: The Arts are driven by passion, imagination, creativity, discipline, energy, and joy. This is what we work with every day to produce artistic thought, feeling, and action through music, drama, and visual art. We love what we do and we do it well. Our students graduate with a life-long love of the arts and a deep understanding of culture and their place in it.

Computers and Technology Medium integration

Computers and Technology approach at Trinity College School : Medium integration
Trinity College School has a Medium integration approach to Computers and Technology (as opposed to Light integration , Heavy integration approach).
[Show: About Medium integration?]
Effort is made to integrate the development of digital literacy through the curriculum. However, this is not a dominant focus.

Computers and Technology at schools on OurKids.net

Medium integration - 47%
Light integration - 23%
Heavy integration - 30%

What Trinity College School says: The Computer Studies Department is partitioned into two streams, Communications Technology and Computer Science. Within each stream, students develop skills that allow them to explore the fundamentals and use of computers, and applications within, and apply their skills to produce varied and creative work. The Communications Technology stream emphasizes the creative process, and how technology aids in the development of unique products. Digital graphic design, photography, sound production and videography are the primary concepts of these courses, each implementing rigorous critique and focusing on the design life cycle. Within the Computer Science stream, students gain a deeper understanding of computers, and learn how computers can be manipulated to solve real-world problems. Areas of investigation include program design, computer hardware, algorithm analysis, big data, robotics, and electronics. While exploring these streams, students gain a better understanding of the power of computers, and learn to maximize their use in today’s world.

Program covers:

Subject offered
Computer science
Robotics
Web design

Physical Education

What Trinity College School says: At TCS, health and physical education (HPE) is mandatory in grade nine. Courses are offered at all grade levels, including focus courses such as large group games (grade 10) and outdoor education (grade 11). Two grade twelve course options exist with Intro to Kinesiology, and Fitness Leadership. Teachers in the HPE department are experts in the field of healthy active living and many are high level coaches. More importantly, the teachers in HPE department are caring individuals, who strive to see students achieve personal achievements, reach goals and have fun during the experience. The knowledge and skills acquired in HPE courses at TCS provides students with the physical literacy and health literacy they need to lead healthy, active lives.

Advanced Placement courses

AP Art History
AP Music Theory
AP Physics 1
AP Physics 2
AP Psychology
AP Research (Second part of the AP Capstone program)
AP Seminar (First part of the AP Capstone program)
AP Statistics
AP Spanish Language
AP Studio Art: Drawing
AP World History
AP Biology
AP Calculus AB
AP Chemistry
AP Chinese Language and Culture
AP Computer Science A
AP English Language and Composition
AP English Literature and Composition
AP Environmental Science
AP European History
AP French Language
AP German Language
AP Government and Politics: Comparative
AP Japanese Language and Culture
AP Latin
AP Microeconomics

Sex and health education Ontario curriculum

Sex and health education approach at Trinity College School : Ontario curriculum
Trinity College School has an Ontario curriculum approach to Sex and health education (as opposed to Does not follow prrovincialcurriculum approach).
[Show: About Ontario curriculum?]
The structure, pacing, focus, and tone of the sex education curriculum reflects that of the provincial one, taught in public schools.

Sex and health education at schools on OurKids.net

Follows provincial curriculum - 53%
Does not follow prrovincial curriculum - 47%

Approach to sex and health education:
Trinity College School has a approach Mostly value-neutral (as opposed to Fairly value-based approach).
[Show: About Mostly value-neutral?]
By and large, students are taught about sex free of any particular moral or ethical standpoint. The school doesn't impose any particular values or value systems (such as social, political, or ideological values) on students when teaching sex and related issues.

Trinity College School 's approach to sex-ed: TCS follows the Ontario curriculum, including healthy sexuality components. Our teachers are experienced in talking about the sensitive issues surrounding sexual health and well-being. Modern issues affecting teens are often complex and need to be discussed in a safe and inclusive environment. The TCS community is an open and inclusive community, this extends to our practices as educators in the classroom.
Jump to:

Mathematics

Writing

Science

Literature

Social Studies

Humanities and Social Sciences

Foreign Languages

Fine Arts

Computers and Technology

Physical Education

Advanced Placement courses

Sex and health education

Focus
Academic

Subject	offered
Biology
Chemistry
Ecology
Geology
Meteorology
Physics
Physiology
Zoology

Subject	offered
Evolution as consensus theory
Evolution as one of many equally viable theories
Evolution is not taught

Subject	offered
Acting
Dance
Drama/Theatre
Graphic Design
Music
Visual Arts

Subject	offered
Computer science
Robotics
Web design

Curriculum Pace Standard-enriched

[Show definition of Curriculum Pace]

This refers to the rate at which students move through the curriculum (e.g., topics, textbook material, skills, etc.). Curriculum pace is often defined in comparison to provincial standards.

Curriculum Pace approach at Trinity College School : Standard-enriched

Trinity College School has a Standard-enriched approach to Curriculum Pace (as opposed to Accelerated, Student-paced approach).

[Show: About Standard-enriched?]

Broadly-speaking, the main curriculum -- like that of most schools -- paces the provincially-outlined one. This pace is steady and set by the teachers and school. The curriculum might still be enriched in various ways: covering topics more in-depth and with more vigor than the provincial one, or covering a broader selection of topics.

Curriculum Pace at schools on OurKids.net

Standard-enriched - 56%
Accelerated - 17%
Student-paced - 27%

What Trinity College School says: TCS is proud to be one of the first schools in Canada selected to offer the innovative Advanced Placement (AP) Capstone Diploma™, a two-year program of study for Grade 11 and 12 students that focuses on critical thinking, collaborative problem solving, and research skills in a cross-curricular context.

Flexible pacing style

Flexible pacing style	offered
Subject-streaming (tracking)
Multi-age classrooms as standard
Ability-grouping (in-class) as common
Frequent use of cyber-learning (at-their-own-pace)
Regular guided independent study opportunities
Differentiated assessment

What Trinity College School says about flexible pacing: With an average class size of 15 students, TCS provides a highly personal approach to learning. Students are supported inside and outside the classroom with dedicated faculty and substantial extra-help opportunities. All Senior School courses have a robust online learning management system to support student achievement.

Academic Culture Rigorous

[Show definition of Academic Culture]

Through the collective mindset of teachers, administrators, students, and parents, each school develops and maintains its own academic culture. This generally relates to the norms and expectations created around academic performance. Many parents look to private schools because they want a specific type of culture. Some want a rigorous environment that will elevate their child to new heights. Others want a nurturing environment that will help their child develop a passion for learning.

Academic Culture approach at Trinity College School : Rigorous
Trinity College School has a Rigorous approach to Academic Culture (as opposed to Supportive approach).
[Show: About Rigorous?]
A school with a “rigorous” academic culture places a high value on academic performance, and expects their students to do the same. This does not mean the school is uncaring, unsupportive, or non-responsive -- far from it. A school can have a rigorous academic culture and still provide excellent individual support. It does mean, however, the school places a particular emphasis on performance -- seeking the best students and challenging them to the fullest extent -- relative to a normal baseline. High expectations and standards – and a challenging yet rewarding curriculum – are the common themes here. Keep in mind this classification is more relevant for the older grades: few Kindergarten classrooms, for example, would be called “rigorous”.

Academic Culture at schools on OurKids.net

Rigorous - 46%
Supportive - 54%

What Trinity College School says: Trinity College School offers a broad and rigorous curriculum in which students may concentrate in areas of personal interest. At TCS, education is collaborative, rich in discussion, and writing-intensive. We believe that learning is an active process that fosters habits of the heart and mind while challenging all students to communicate effectively and to think both critically and creatively.
Developmental priorities Balanced

[Show definition of Developmental priorities]

Schools have specific goals regarding how they want their educate and develop their students. This is part of a school's overall philosophy or vision, which is contained in its mission statement. While they tend have several developmental aims, schools tend to priortize certain aims, such as intellectual, social, spiritual, emotional, or physical development.

Primary Developmental Priority: Balanced

"Equal emphasis is placed on a balance of priorities: intellectual, emotional, social and physical cultivation."

Secondary Developmental Priority: Intellectual

The goal is to cultivate "academically strong, creative and critical thinkers, capable of exercising rationality, apprehending truth, and making aesthetic distinctions."

What Trinity College School says: TCS has always been keenly involved in character development, as reflected in our mission, “developing habits of the heart and mind for a life of purpose and service.” Given the challenges facing our planet today, we know our students will be called upon to lead their communities, their colleagues, their cause and, in some cases, their countries. If we are to best prepare our students to meet these challenges, we must inspire them to become leaders of character, purpose and vision.

Special needs support No support

[Show definition of Special needs support]

Schools offer a wide range of approaches and services to support students with special needs. This may include individualized learning, one-on-one support, small classes, resource rooms, and learning aids. These supports may be provided in a number of different environments such as a dedicated special needs school or class, an integrated class, a withdrawal class, or a regular class with resource support or in-class adaptations.

Trinity College School offers No support

Trinity College School offers no/limited support for students with learning difficulties or special needs.

What Trinity College School says about their special need support: Students with clinically diagnosed learning disabilities can be successful at Trinity College School if they do not require modifications to the curriculum and if they are engaged learners willing to accept strategies and supports from their teachers. Generally, these students have LDs that are moderate in nature. Students who surface as having academic challenges while at Trinity College School, are provided with additional academic assistance, learning seminars, and strategies. If initial supports do not improve the status of student achievement, the school may recommend a full psycho-educational assessment to investigate the nature of the academic challenge.

Academic Support:

Subject Type	offered
Learning strategy and study counselling; habit formation
Extra support and minor accommodations for children experiencing subclinical difficulties

Mild but clinically diagnosed ADHD:

Subject Type	offered
Accommodations
Modifications
Extra support

Summary: Students with Identified Learning Disabilities (full psycho-educational assessment no more than 3 years old) or other diagnosed needs, are supported through additional support programs such as Learning Strategies Courses, or Academic Support periods. Their test/exam accommodations are based on the recommendations in the psycho-educational assessment. They may include; Extended time, use of a laptop or scribe, alternative, distraction-reduced environment or additional breaks. TCS does not modify the curriculum.

A - Forms of Support

Accommodation:

Modification:

Remediation:

B - Environments

Indirect Support:

Resource Assistance:

Withdrawal Assistance:

Partial Integration:

Full-Time Class:

Special NeedNeed

Forms of SupportA

EnvironmentsB

ADHD

Learning disabilities

Dyslexia (Language-Based Learning Disability)
This is a learning disability that can limit a child's ability to read and learn. It can have a variety of traits. A few of the main ones are impaired phonological awareness and decoding, problems with orthographic coding, and auditory short-term memory impairment.

Auditory Processing Disorder (APD)
This is a sound differentiation disorder involving problems with reading, comprehension, and language.

Dyscalculia
This is a kind of specific learning disability in math. Kids with this math disorder have problems with calculation. They may also have problems with math-related concepts such as time and money.

Dysgraphia
This is a kind of specific learning disability in writing. It involves problems with handwriting, spelling, and organizing ideas.

Language Processing Disorder
This is characterized by having extreme difficulty understanding what is heard and expressing what one wants to say. These disorders affect the area of the brain that controls language processing.

Nonverbal Learning Disorders (NLD)
These involve difficulties interpreting non-verbal cues, such as facial expressions and body language. They're usually characterized by a significant discrepancy between higher verbal skills and weaker motor, visual-spatial, and social skills.

Visual Perceptual/Visual Motor Deficit
A characteristic seen in people with learning disabilities such as Dysgraphia or Non-verbal LD. It can result in missing subtle differences in shapes or printed letters, losing place frequently, struggles with cutting, holding pencil too tightly, or poor eye/hand coordination.
Developmental

Autism
Refers to a range of conditions that involve challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, and speech and nonverbal communication. They also involve unique strengths and differences. For instance, there are persons with both low- and high-functioning autism (some claim the latter is identical to Asperger's syndrome).
Asperger's Syndrome
On the autism spectrum, Asperger's is considered quite mild in terms of symptoms. While traits can vary widely, many kids with Asperger's struggle with social skills. They also sometimes fixate on certain subjects and engage in repetitive behaviour.

Down syndrome
his is associated with impairment of cognitive ability and physical growth, and a particular set of facial characteristics.
Intellectual disability
This is a condition characterized by significant limitations in intellectual functioning (e.g., reasoning, learning, and problem solving). Intellectual disabilities are also known as general learning disabilities (and used to be referred to as a kind of mental retardation).
Williams syndrome
This is a rare genetic disorder present at birth. It is characterized by intellectual disabilities or learning problems, unique facial features, and cardiovascular problems.
Behavioral and Emotional

Troubled behaviour / troubled teens
roubled teens tend to have problems that are intense, persistent, and can lead to quite unpredictable behaviour. This can lead to behavioural and emotional issues, such as drug and alcohol abuse, criminal behaviour, eating disorders, depression, and anxiety.
Clinical Depression
This is a mental health disorder also called "major depression." It involves persistent feelings of sadness, loss, and anger. According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms are usually severe enough to cause noticeable problems in relationships with others or in daily activities, such as school, work, or one's social life.
Clinical anxiety
This is a mood disorder involving intense, relentless feelings of distress and fear. They can also have excessive and persistent worry about everyday situations, and repeated episodes of intense anxiety or terror.
Suicidal thoughts
This involves persistent thoughts about ending one's life.
Drug and alcohol abuse
This involves the excessive use of drug and/or alcohol, which interferes with daily functioning.
Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)
This is a disruptive behavioural disorder which normally involves angry outbursts, often directed at people of authority. This behaviour must last continuously for six months or more and significantly interfere with daily functioning.
Physical

Multiple sclerosis
This is a condition of the central nervous system. It affects the brain, optic nerves, and spinal cord. Symptoms can include fatigue, loss of motor control, memory loss, depression, and cognitive difficulties.
Cerebral palsy
his refers to a group of permanent movement disorders that appear in early childhood. CP is caused by abnormal development or damage to the parts of the brain that control movement, balance, and posture.
Muscular dystrophy
Muscular dystrophy is a neuromuscular disorder which weakens the body's muscles. Causes, symptoms, age of onset, and prognosis vary between individuals.
Spina Bifida
This is a condition present at birth due to the incomplete formation of the spine and spinal cord. It can lead to a number of physical challenges, including paralysis or weakness in the legs, bowel and bladder incontinence, hydrocephalus (too much fluid in the brain), and deformities of the spine.
Dyspraxia (Developmental Coordination Disorder)
This is a Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). Also known as "sensory integration disorder," it affects fine and/or gross motor coordination in children and adults. It may also affect speech.
Blindness
Visual impairment is a decreased ability or inability to see that can't be fixed in usual ways, such as with glasses. Some people are completely blind, while others have what's called "legal blindness."
Deafness
Hearing impairment, also known as "hearing loss," is a partial or total inability to hear. The degree of hearing impairment varies between people. It can range from complete hearing loss (or deafness) to partial hearing loss (meaning the ears can pick up some sounds).
Cystic Fibrosis
Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is an inherited genetic condition, which affects the body's respiratory, digestive, and reproductive systems. It affects young children and adults.
Multiple physical
Accommodating a wide range of physical conditions and disabilities.

Read our guide to special needs schools and special education

Gifted learner support No Support

[Show definition of Gifted learner support]

Schools support students with gifted or advanced learning abilities in a several ways. Whether they offer a full-time gifted program or part-time support, they normally provide some form of accelerated learning (delivering content at a faster pace) or enrichment (covering content more broadly or deeply). Many schools also offer a wide range of in-class adaptations to support advanced learners, such as guided independent studies, project-based learning, and career exploration.

Dedicated gifted programs:

Program	offered
Full-time gifted program (parallel to rest of school)
Part-time gifted program (pull-out; parallel to rest of class)

Curriculum delivery: This information is not currently available.

In-class adaptations:

Program	offered
Custom subject enrichment (special arrangement)
Custom curriculum compacting (special arrangement)
Guided independent study (custom gifted arrangement)
Cyber-learning opportunities (custom gifted arrangement)
Formalized peer coaching opportunities (specifically for gifted learners to coach others)
Custom subject acceleration (special arrangement)
Career exploration (custom gifted arrangement)
Project-based learning (custom gifted arrangement)
Mentorships (custom gifted arrangement)

What Trinity College School says: At TCS, students who are diagnosed ‘Gifted’ through a psycho-educational assessment, are not provided specific program modifications, rather they are encouraged to explore extended, enriched, pre-AP/AP courses, and the AP Capstone Diploma. It is felt that TCS’ broad, comprehensive, and extended curriculum provide challenging opportunities for students of all abilities.

Language English

Trinity College School offers English as the primary language of instruction.

Language of enrollment include: English
Homework Policy

[Show definition of Homework Policy]
Homework is work that's assigned to students for completion outside of regular class time. There's a long-standing debate over homework. Should homework be assigned to school-age children? If so, in what grades? And how much homework should be assigned? In selecting the right school for your child, it's important to look closely at a school's homework policy.

In grade Gr. 12, Trinity College School students perform an average of 2 hours of homework per night.

Nightly Homework

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Trinity College School 30 mins 45 mins 60 mins 60 mins 90 mins 90 mins 120 mins 120 mins
Site Average 34 mins 40 mins 51 mins 56 mins 68 mins 80 mins 95 mins 108 mins

This school frequently "flips the classroom": asks students to learn material at home and do the "homework" in-class (with teacher support).

What Trinity College School says about their flipped classroom policy: Students have access to robust, online learning materials from their teachers through the School’s learning management system. For example, in mathematics, teachers have created course-specific training videos that students can watch to solidify understanding of key concepts.
Report Card Policy

[Show definition of Report Card Policy]
While all schools measure individual progress and achievement in students, they have different ways of doing this. For instance, many traditional schools gauge progress through report cards, which give students lettered or numbered grades. Other schools, meanwhile, measure progress in other ways, either in addition to or instead of giving grades. For instance, they may offer prose-based feedback (i.e, comments), academic achievement reporting, habits and behaviour reporting, and parent-teacher meetings. In choosing the right school for your child, take a close look at its policy for measuring the individual progress of students.

How assessments are delivered across the grades:

Lettered or numbered grades Gr. 5 to Gr. 12
Prose (narrative)-based feedback Gr. 5 to Gr. 12
Habits and behaviour reporting Gr. 5 to Gr. 12
Parent-teacher meetings Gr. 5 to Gr. 12

	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Trinity College School	30 mins	45 mins	60 mins	60 mins	90 mins	90 mins	120 mins	120 mins
Site Average	34 mins	40 mins	51 mins	56 mins	68 mins	80 mins	95 mins	108 mins

Extracurriculars

[Show definition of Extracurriculars]

While academics remain the priority for most private schools, many also place a strong focus on a well-rounded education and encourage participation in extracurricular activities such as sports, music, arts, or clubs. Involvement in extracurriculars helps stimulate students in their studies, makes them more motivated to learn, and can make school more enjoyable and fulfilling. Extracurricular activities can also provide students with a much-needed break from the stresses of academics, while helping them to develop skills and allowing them to take part in valuable social situations.

What Trinity College School says:

TCS athletics offers both competitive and recreational programs. The competitive program consists of 18 sports with 46 teams while the recreational program consists of racquet sports (badminton and squash), outdoor games (basketball, road hockey, soccer, ultimate Frisbee, beach volleyball, cricket), fitness activities, gymnastics and equestrian. Competitive teams play in the Conference of Independent Schools Athletic Association (CISAA) and in recent years a number of teams have had success both at the CISAA championships and OFSAA; Sr Boys Rugby- CISAA Gold Medalists 2015, CAIS Champions 2015, Jr Boys Hockey- CISAA Silver Medalists 2015, Swimming- CISAA Women's Champions 2015, 14 OFSAA medals 2012-2015, Tennis- Girls CISAA Champions 5 out of past 10 years, 4 OFSAA medals in past three years, Cross Country- CISAA Men's Champions 2013, Badminton- CISAA COED Champions 2014 and 2015, Volleyball- Sr Girls CISAA Champions 2009 and 2010, OFSAA Bronze Medalists 2010

Sports Offered	CompetitiveComp	RecreationalRec
Badminton
Baseball
Basketball
Cricket
Cross-country skiing
Cycling
Downhill skiing
Equestrian
Field Hockey
Football
Golf
Gymnastics
Ice Hockey
Lacrosse
Rowing
Rugby
Running
Soccer
Softball
Squash
Swimming
Tennis
Track & Field
Volleyball

Clubs Offered
Habitat for Humanity
Jazz Ensemble
Math Club
Musical theatre/Opera
Outdoor Club
Outdoor Education
Photography
Poetry/Literature club
Robotics club
Science Club
Student Council
Yearbook
Yoga
Animation
Art Club
Astronomy Club
Audiovisual Club
Band
Choir
Community Service
Computer Club
Dance Club
Debate Club
Drama Club
Environmental Club

Tuition & Financial Aid

[Show definition of Tuition & Financial Aid]

This can depend on a number of factors, including the type of school, living arrangements, what’s included in tuition, school location, resources, and facilities. Many private schools in Canada have tuition that ranges between $6,000 and $12,000 a year. While some schools, such as schools which provide room and board, can be more expensive, many of these schools provide ways to defray the costs of tuition. For instance, they may offer merit-based scholarships or needs-based financial aid (often referred to as “bursaries” or “subsidies”).

Day Boarding (Domestic) Boarding (International)

	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Day	$24,750		$26,250		$34,250		$34,750
Boarding (Domestic)					$43,250	$57,750
Boarding (International)					$64,750		$65,250

What Trinity College School says about their tuition: This information is not currently available.

Need-based financial aid

Grade range that need-based aid is offered:	5 to 12
Percentage of grade-eligible students receiving financial aid	33%
Average aid package size	$20,000
Percentage of total enrollment on financial aid	33%
Total aid available	$2,500,000

Application Deadline:

Rolling deadline Repeats annually

Application Details:

This school works with Apple Financial Inc. for processing financial applications

Merit based Scholarships

Canadian Families Boarding Incentive Program Amount: $57,000	Other Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility Details: Students grade 9— TCS offers a $57,000 incentive for all Canadian boarding students entering Grade 9.
For more details, visit: www.tcs.on.ca/canadianboarding

Cirne National Scholarships Amount: $50,000	Academic Deadline: 02/09/2018
Eligibility Details: Students grade 9 to — The scholarship is merit-based and includes full-tuition for the duration of the recipients’ studies in the boarding school program at TCS.

Enrollment

[Show definition of Enrollment]

Private schools come in all shapes and sizes. Some larger schools have enrollment numbers in the thousands, while some smaller schools have only a few dozen students. Boarding schools tend to be on the larger side, while alternative schools, such as Montessori, Reggio Emilia, and Waldorf, are normally smaller. Besides the overall size of school, there are other important facts you’ll want to know about a school’s enrollment. For instance, here you can learn about a school’s enrollment for separate streams (if they have them), such as day and boarding, its average class size, and its average enrollment per grade.

Enrollment Details:

	Grades	Gender	Living Arrangement	Enrollment
Group 1	Gr. 5 to Gr. 12	Coed	Day	290
Group 2	Gr. 9 to Gr. 12	Coed	Boarding	282

Additional Statistics:

Total enrollment	572
Average enrollment per grade	72
Average class size	12 to 16
Gender (grades)	Gr. 5 to Gr. 12 (Coed)
Boarding offered	Gr. 9 to Gr. 12
% in boarding (total enrollment)	49%
% in boarding (grade-eligible)	61%

International Students:

Percentage of students are international students
Number of different nationalities within student population	0
Five-day boarding programs offfered

Student distribution:

	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Day Enrollment	16	20	28	34	45	50	46	43
Boarding Enrollment					42	66	90	84

Admission

[Show definition of Admission]

Private schools in Canada have admissions policies. All schools have some required application materials, though these vary between schools. These may include letters of application, application fees, essays, and exams (such as the SSAT). Many schools also require interviews with prospective students, either with their parents, on their own, or both. Schools also have different standards and priorities when evaluating student applications, different acceptance rates (which may vary between grade levels), and target different kinds of students. To improve your child’s chances of acceptance, you should find out everything you can about a school’s admissions policies and how they assess applicants.

Application

Admissions Assessments:

Assessment	Required	Grades
Interview		5 - 12
SSAT
SSAT (out of province)
Entrance Exam(s)		5 - 12
Entrance Essay
Application Fee

Application Deadlines:

Day students: Rolling

Boarding students: Rolling

What Trinity College School says:

Admission Requirements

Admission to TCS is based on:

The candidate's academic record.
The candidate's performance on our aptitude tests or the SSAT.
The School's assessment of the candidate's character.

How to Apply

There are eight essential pieces of information that must be received by the School before a candidate's file will be considered for admissions:

Online Parent Questionnaire
Student Questionnaire
Current Teacher Recommendation
Personal Recommendation
Two School Reports (the most recent school report and the final report for the previous year)
Application Fee $150 (Click here for the Credit Card Authorization Form)
SSAT or OLSAT Aptitude Test (can be done online)
Personal Interview, preferably in person but can be conducted by phone or online

Send to:

Admissions Office
Trinity College School
55 Deblaquire Street North
Port Hope, ON, L1A 4K7
Canada

Acceptance

Acceptance Rate: 75%

Type of student Trinity College School is looking for:
Trinity College School take a holistic view during the admissions process to determine a candidates suitability for our program in an effort to determine fit in three broad categories, academics, extra curriculars and community. Applicants that can demonstrate that they will thrive in our challenging university program, participate in athelitcs, arts and extra curricular programing as well as be a positive member of our caring community are likely to gain entry and thrive at TCS.

Day Boarding

Student Entry Points

Student Type	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Day Acceptance (Acceptance rate)	16 - 18 (100%)	0	10 - 15 (100%)	0	15 - 20 (100%)	0	0	0
Boarding Acceptance (Acceptance rate)					35 - 40 (75%)	25 - 30 (75%)	20 - 25 (60%)	4 - 8 (40%)

University Placement

[Show definition of University Placement]

Where graduates of a school do their post-secondary studies can be an important factor in choosing a private school. Do you want your child to go to a Canadian university, an Ivy league school in the US, or some other institute? Regardless of your inclinations, take a look at a school’s university placement record, and the services they offer to support university applications and decisions.

Services	Offered
Career planning
Internships
Mentorship Program
University counseling

Key Numbers
Average graduating class size	127
*Canadian "Big 6" placements	39
**Ivy+ placements	13

*Number of students in the past year who attended one of McGill, U of T, UBC, Queen's University, University of Alberta, or Dalhousie University.

**Number of students in the past 5 years that that attended one of Harvard, Yale, Princeton, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth, Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Stanford, University of Chicago, Oxford or Cambridge (UK)

What Trinity College School says:

Our five most popular university destinations this year were: McMaster, Queen's University of Toronto, St. Francis Xavier and Western.

Notable Alumni

[Show definition of Notable Alumni]

Many private schools in Canada have numerous graduates who have gone on to great things. Learn about a school’s most influential, important, successful, and famous alumni.

Alumnus	Grad Year	Accomplishment
Ian Binnie	1957	Puisne Justice (Associate Justice) of the Supreme Court of Canada
William Bridges	1879	Major General for the Australian Army. Key to the establishment of Austrailia's Royal Military College. Served as Chief of General Staff. Killed in action in WWI.
Edgar Bronfman, Sr.	1947	Businessman and noted philanthropist. Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom from U.S. President Bill Clinton, and the Legion of Honour from the Government of France.
Peter Jennings	1956	Journalist and news anchor, dominating American evening news through ABC's "World News Tonight"
Archibald Lampman	1879	The Canadian Encyclopedia says he is "generally considered the finest of Canada's late 19th-century poets in English."
Yann Martel	1981	Man Booker Prize-winning author. Best known for "The Life of Pi", the #1 international bestseller made into a Hollywood movie.
Mark McKinney	1977	Comedian and actor, best known for "The Kids in the Hall". Starred in Saturday Night Live.
Lew Cirne	1988	Silicon Valley-based entrepreneur and tech pioneer. Founder and CEO of Wily Technology and, later, New Relic. Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2013 Finalist (California).
Peter Raymont	1968	Award-winning Canadian filmmaker and producer. His documentary, "Shake Hands with the Devil: The Journey of Roméo Dallaire," won multiple awards, including a 2007 Emmy.
Ian Brown	1972	Award-winning Canadian journalist and author.
William Osler	1867	Physician and one of four founding professors of John Hopkins Hospital, (John Hopkins University School of Medicine).
Charles Taylor	1949	Award-winning and internationally-studied analytic philosopher. Domestically, Taylor was influential in debates around Quebec nationalism.
Ben Chapdelaine	1997	Quarterback for the McMaster University Marauders. Recipient of the Hec Creighton Trophy awarded to the most outstanding Canadian football player in Canadian University Sport.
Sebastian Goulet	1989	Canadian national swim team member and former captain of the Syracuse University varsity swim team.
Sydney Kidd	2010	Member of the Western University women's varsity hockey team which won the CIS national championship in 2015. Currently rostered with the New York Riveters of the NWHL.
Kyle Nichols	1994	Canadian national rugby team member from 1996-2002. Played in 27 international matches scoring a total of 10 tries.
Toni Soderholm	1997	Long time European professional hockey player from Helsinki, Finland. Won a silver medal with the Finnish national team at the 2007 IIHF world championships in Moscow.
Samantha Widmer	2004	An eight time Cayman Islands national golf champion, she also won a coveted America’s trophy at the Junior British Open (2001).

Stories & Testimonials

Below, find stories and testimonials about Trinity College School.

Discovery Camp: Registration Open!
We are very excited to announce that registration opens March 1st for the summer 2014 Discovery Camp. Do you know a child between the ages of 4 and 14 who would be interested in having an incredible day camp experience this summer? We offer many programmes from which to choose, including our popular Junior Bears, Choose Your Own Adventure and Senior Leadership options!

At Discovery Camp, we strive to offer unique and challenging programmes that promote independence, teamwork and creativity in our campers, while providing a safe and fun environment where skills are fostered and friendships are made. Discovery Camp is run by TCS faculty and staff and provides a wide range of engaging experiences for young people of various ages:
- Junior Bears (ages 4-7): A fun balance of cooperative games, traditional sports, arts and more, including the popular daily swim! This camp runs weekly from June 30th to July 25th, and campers can choose how many weeks they wish to take part.
- Choose Your Own Adventure (ages 7-13): Choose a morning and afternoon programme from a list that includes theatre, cooking, art, music, sports and filmmaking. This camp runs from June 30th to July 18th; campers can choose to do one, two or three weeks, and can even choose different adventures for each week.
- Senior Leadership Camp (ages 12-14): An opportunity to learn teamwork and challenge yourself through new activities such as paddling, caving, hiking and rock climbing, as well as a three-day camping trip. This is a two-week programme running from June 30th to July 11th.
Go to www.tcs.on.ca/discoverycamp to learn more about our programmes and find out how you can register your child(ren) starting March 1st. Also, we encourage you to pass this information along to friends and family members outside the TCS community. Discovery Camp is a very popular programme, so please note that registrations will be accepted on a first come, first served basis.
...
Formalizing Trinity College School's Academic Vision

We are pleased to announce the Senior School’s new academic vision statement: “Trinity College School offers a broad and rigorous curriculum with the ability to concentrate studies in areas of personal interest. At TCS, education is collaborative, rich in discussion, and writing-intensive. We believe that learning is an active process that fosters habits of the heart and mind while challenging all students to communicate effectively and to think both critically and creatively.”

Beginning with discussions at the shared leadership table during the recent strategic planning process and culminating with the ensuing discussion at meetings of academic department heads, the Senior School has arrived at a shared academic vision statement, one that is consistent with the School’s mission and vision. Led by the Head of Senior School, Mr. Kristopher Churchill, research was examined, dialogue was held and revisions made on various draft statements before finalizing a statement for the School.

According to Mr. Churchill, the academic vision statement contains some of the “super skills” identified as necessary for effective leaders in this day and age: communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity. It references our school mission – habits of heart and mind (perseverance, courage, creativity, compassion and integrity) – and highlights some of these habits specifically. The vision statement also emphasizes our new strategic direction with respect to academic “concentrations,” a term that will quickly become more common over the course of the new strategic plan.

Overall, the vision statement is a “touchstone that speaks to collective, long-term commitment and guidance for further academic programme development and professional development,” explains Mr. Churchill. “It was an interesting process to pause and reflect upon what we do every day, particularly in classrooms, and then determining how a great school might be improved and how we might better articulate for ourselves and for the larger community the aims of our academic programme. Now, we have a launching pad, one that helps us focus on the key knowledge, skills and attitudes we want TCS graduates to possess.”
...
Cultural Awareness Group Event Showcases the International Flavour of TCS
With 31 different countries represented amongst the student body at Trinity College School, International Day is a great chance to celebrate the multicultural nature of our school. Hosted by Cultural Awareness Group (CAG) on Friday, February 28th, this year’s International Day was a terrific success!

The day began with a chapel service hosted by CAG, including a fashion show and some fun facts about different countries. For example, did you know that one in every three socks worn in Canada comes from China? Or that about half of the world’s population depends on the flow of fresh water from Tibet? Or that there are more than 500 local languages in Nigeria?

At lunch in the foyer, CAG hosted an international marketplace, where students and staff could purchase food and other items, with proceeds supporting disadvantaged children in need of an education. Some highlights include:
- The Caribbean students sold more than $300 in items, including some donated by the Turks and Caicos. A representative from the Turks and Caicos tourism office in Canada even joined us at the market!
- Chinese and Japanese students were busy writing out students' names in their languages, and provided snacks in front of a very large Chinese flag.
- The Korean students had the very challenging task of cooking for hungry students who were not disappointed when the rice cakes were ready. Chef Bianca Choi deserves congratulations as positive comments about the rice cakes, a popular Korean snack, were heard in the foyer.
- Students from Turkey provided Turkish delight, while demonstrating examples of Turkish architecture and wearing traditional dress.
- Germany's chocolate was sold out in very few minutes and Switzerland, represented by Natalie Folkmar, provided chocolate fondue as well as her freshly baked Danish sweets.
- The Nigerian students were energetic, selling Nigerian ware and proudly wearing traditional dress.
- The United States was represented by Kieran Cruickshank who, with his family, provided homemade apple pie and beautifully decorated chocolate sweets in the shape of the states.
- India's booth was also very popular. Students, male and female, took advantage of the henna service, writing encouraging words with henna or proudly displaying beautiful shapes.
There was positive energy and students laughing and taking photos, talking with each other about the goods and services they saw throughout both lunches in the foyer.

During lunch and dinner, the School’s food services team provided an array of international dishes for students to try, such as gang garse gai (yellow curry), naan bread, jollof rice and Nigerian meat pies. And the day was capped off by Islander movie night in the Davies Student Centre. Our Islander students chose the film Pirates of the Caribbean to provide a fun end to a day filled with smiles, hard work and enthusiasm.

We are grateful for all who helped, including the property and food services departments, the office of philanthropy & alumni, as well as many others who gave their time and talents to make International Day possible.

View the International Day ’14 gallery for more photos.
...
Student-Musicians Play Away the Winter Blues
The weather outside may be frightful, but our student-musicians at Trinity College School are just getting warmed up, having spent a busy few weeks in performance. Highlights of the last few weeks include our Winter Concert and the gold standard performance of our senior jazz band, [email protected], at the Next Generation Jazz Festival at Humber College on Friday, February 21st.

At NextGen, [email protected] received wonderful feedback on its performances of Neal Hefti’s Flight of the Foo Bird, Mike Vax’s arrangement of the Benny Golson piece I Remember Clifford and Gordon Goodwin’s Crunchy Frog. There were amazing solos from Jake Kassay, Cam McWatt, Chris Payne, Ethan Kleinschroth, Callum Williams and Alistair Stirling. It is a real strength of this band that so many members performed totally improvised solos, when so many bands leave all the solos to the one or two top players.

After the performance [email protected] had an adjudication session with bassist Mike Downs in which he critiqued and worked with the band. Our second piece, the lovely ballad I Remember Clifford, was written for Clifford Brown, an influential jazz trumpet player who died tragically in a car accident at age 25. It featured Julian McDonald, who played beautifully and artistically. The adjudicator said it was the most beautiful thing he had heard all week. In addition to receiving a gold award, [email protected] also earned an invitation to the MusicFest Nationals which take place in Richmond, B.C. in May.

[email protected] didn’t have long to rest before performing at our own Winter Concert here at TCS on Thursday, February 27th, alongside the Wind Ensemble, Grade 10 Concert Band and soloist Hanson Liu on piano. The Wind Ensemble reprised its repertoire from the Ontario Band Association festival for which it won a silver-plus award and also earned an invitation to MusicFest. The Grade 10 Band under Mr. Jeff Biggar played a couple of energetic tunes and Hanson Liu played two beautiful pieces on piano, one by Debussy and the other by Franz Liszt. [email protected] finished the concert with its NextGen festival repertoire. Visit the Winter Concert ’14 gallery for more photos.

Our final event before the March Break was the annual TCS-KPR Jazz Festival. We have hosted this event for several years now and it is a great chance to welcome local high school and independent school jazz bands for a day of music and friendship. This year’s line-up included Cobourg DCI West, Courtice HS, Crestwood, ENSS, Thomas A. Stewart SS and two bands from Campbellford DHS. Unfortunately, due to so many members being away on school trips that day, [email protected] was unable to play. But we were thrilled to welcome adjudicator Peter Smith, a graduate of the Humber College and University of Toronto music programmes who has had an extensive career as a performer, composer and educator. He has three recordings to his credit as well as performances on albums and in concert with artists from Colin James to Heather Bambrick. Special thanks to our TCS food services team and Christian McFadden from the IT services department for their amazing support of this event.

Mark your calendar for upcoming events in the music programme this spring:
- Spring Concert – Friday, May 2nd
- Spring Recital – Friday, May 9th
- Jazz Night – Friday, May 23rd
...
Academic Insights: TCS Health and Physical Education Department

Trinity College School’s health and physical education (HPE) department offers a number courses, most with a specific focus. Starting in Grades 5 through 8 and continuing into Grades 9 through 12, each course tries to introduce new activities, giving students the opportunity to find the sports or physical activities which best suit them.

After the mandatory Grade 9 HPE course, students can pursue the PPL2O course, which is a continuation of the Grade 9 programme, or take a Grade 10 course focused on hockey (PAL2O).

In Grade 11, students can focus on developing their fitness leadership skills (PAF30) or take part in outdoor pursuits (canoeing, biking, survival skills, Nordic skiing, snow shoeing, orienteering, camping) in the PAD30 course. This outdoor education course is offered in the normal timetable or as a travel option. Next year, the travel outdoor education class will travel to Costa Rica and complete a camping trip in order to fulfill most of the course expectations. (Click here to learn more about this course. Registration is due by June 1, 2014.)

In Grade 12 students can take the classroom-based Exercise Science course. This course touches on all the elements of a first-year university kinesiology programme and provides a perfect foundation for students interested in going into medicine, nursing, physiotherapy, nutrition, sports management, etc.

Through the many courses offered by the HPE department, students will be exposed to the importance of physical fitness and leadership and to the benefits of participation in sports throughout their lives. Our health curriculum explores issues such as healthy eating, human sexuality, substance use and abuse, informed decision-making, conflict resolution, mental health, personal safety, goal setting and the development of personal and social skills.

In every activity course, students are exposed to many different sporting activities in a variety of venues. They may find themselves climbing through high and low ropes initiatives, ice skating, playing squash, curling, golfing or even participating in a spin class. For some of the more traditional sports we use the emerging and exciting approach that focusses on “Teaching Games for Understanding” or TGFU. Every sport can be organized into one of four families: target games (e.g., curling, golf), territory games (e.g., basketball, ringette), net/wall games (e.g., squash, volleyball) and striking/fielding games (e.g., baseball, cricket). Each class uses problem-based learning to encourage students to recognize and apply a consistent model of defensive and offensive strategies throughout the “family” of games. For example, in each territory game students are taught how to be more effective by using offensive strategies such as creating and finding open space. Similarly, defensive strategies would include the importance of defending open spaces and anticipating passes. Through this approach, we have found that students are much more engaged in each class activity and that they take ownership for their skill development.

TCS boasts an exceptionally vibrant HPE programme with teachers who have competitive sporting experiences in a diverse range of activities. Our goal is to help students learn the benefits of lifelong participation in sports and a healthy, active lifestyle.
...
Guidance Counsellor Receives Scholarship to Tour UK University

Trinity College School guidance counsellor Karen Brierley recently had the chance to tour historic Aberdeen University in Scotland, a remarkable opportunity to broaden her knowledge of the post-secondary educational options available to our students in the U.K. Ms. Brierley shares her experience:

“I was fortunate to be awarded a Silver City Scholarship for an all-expenses-paid tour to Aberdeen University. I joined 28 colleagues from the U.S. and Canada to learn about the opportunities at this school.

“Founded in 1495, Aberdeen University is one of the ancient universities and the fifth oldest in the U.K. Aberdeen is the oil capital of Scotland and whilst it is the most expensive place to live in Scotland it has many world class facilities, including the rather controversial Trump International Golf Course. The university is a mixture of the old and the new with respect to facilities; 90 million GBP has been invested in the last five years with a further 270 million GBP being invested in the next few years. It possesses a world class library and a new 28 million GBP Olympic-standard athletic village, both of which are not like anything I have ever seen at a university before. They have also invested 8 million GBP in “the hub,” which houses extensive student support facilities.

“Aberdeen offers a wide variety of degrees and, as it follows the Scottish curriculum, the degrees are four years in length. This offers the opportunity for breadth and flexibility in the first two years. In the next year, Aberdeen is planning to only charge international students for three years and not four, making it very competitive with other U.K. schools. The school has many great programmes but is a world leader in petroleum engineering courses and the law degrees are competitive and sought after. The admissions requirements offer some flexibility for our Canadian students, with only two sciences being required for science programmes (they include geography, math and computing in the list of sciences), and for some engineering programmes only math and physics are required for entry. There are many opportunities for exchange in Europe, with the opportunity to learn a new language and spend a year on a European campus.

“The most striking observation for me was the level of support available for the students. Each of them are assigned a personal tutor from the teaching staff, so there is somebody looking out for their interests and ready to support and advise as necessary. I was fortunate to meet and interview a TCS alumnus in the medical school, Charlie Osborne ’11, and he spoke highly of the support he had received. He noted that before any exam they are given a formative assessment and if borderline they have an interview with their tutor to assess why they are having difficulties. For him they suggested his note-taking in lectures for a particular course was not effective and arranged on-on-one lessons on Cornell note taking as well as follow up. This level of personal support is not always found at the university level. I had the privilege of dining with many professors from different disciplines who had taught across the U.K. and they all commented that the level of support at Aberdeen and the personal relationship with students was far greater than they had experienced at other institutions.

“As my trip to the highlands draws to a close, I take away fond memories – even of the weather which at 10 degrees was significantly warmer than in Port Hope – and a greater knowledge of what this university may offer TCS students.”
...
TCS Teams Wrap Up a Successful Term of Winter Sport

Trinity College School’s sports teams wrapped up a successful winter season prior to the March Break, with our Under-14 boys basketball team winning gold and our Bigside girls volleyball and Bigside boys basketball teams earning silver medals in the Conference of Independent Schools Athletics Association (CISAA) league. Bigside volleyball and several members of the Senior School swim team also earned the right to represent TCS at the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) provincial championships.

Some recent CISAA and OFSAA results include:

Swimming: The Senior School swim team headed to OFSAA with five individual swimmers and three relay teams earning spots in the provincial championships being held in Brantford, March 4th to 5th. TCS had a great season in the pool, placing third overall at CISAA (read “Senior School swimmers place third overall at CISAA Championships” for more). Our Junior School swimmers also had a strong season, placing sixth of 17 teams at the CISAA finals. At OFSAA, the Senior School swimmers had a fantastic showing. Brianna Robinson earned gold in the 50m butterfly and silver in the 50m backstroke; Alex Gilchrist captured gold in the 50m breaststroke and silver in the 50m butterfly. Owen Wang placed seventh in the 50m breaststroke, Mikel Enecoize Gomez de Tuddo was the B-final champion (ninth place overall) in the 50m backstroke and Emma Butler placed 18th in the 100m breaststroke. Our Junior girls medley relay team of Julia McHugh, Tatyanna Maynard, Brianna Robinson and Michaela Strong swam to a 12th place finish. Overall, TCS was 32nd out of 270 schools, an incredible result.

Volleyball: The Bigside girls volleyball team finished with a silver medal in the CISAA league championships on Friday, February 28th. The Bears won their semi-final against Holy Trinity School three sets to two, but were beaten by host team Havergal in three sets in the final. The girls did not have much time to celebrate their silver, however, as they were off to the OFSAA provincial championships on Monday, March 3rd. TCS was seeded ninth at OFSAA, having earned a berth by defeating Hillfield Strathallan in the OFSAA qualifier held at the School on February 26th. At OFSAA, the Bears ended up with a 1-3 record in pool play to move into the consolation quarter-final, where they defeated Georges Vanier in four sets (25-16, 20-25, 25-19, 25-23). In the consolation semi-final, however, the Bears lost of Francois Xavier in a very close five-set game (29-19, 25-20, 13-25, 16-25, 16-18). The team can be very proud of its entire season.

Basketball: Bigside boys basketball found the silver lining, placing second at the CISAA “Final Four” held at the School on Saturday, March 1st. The team earned the right to host CISAA after finishing the regular league season 8-0. In the semi-final, the Bears faced Greenwood College and, despite trailing by as much as six points, they were able to rally and win by a final score of 55-44. Kevin Corey had one of his best games of the year scoring 23 points and collecting 11 rebounds, while TJ Ryan added 12 points and 15 rebounds and Daniel Heintzman netted 11 points. In the final, TCS met the #2 team, De La Salle. The Bears took an 18-12 lead into the half after some superb defensive play; unfortunately, a number of serious injuries and some fatigue caught up with the team in the second half and De La Salle managed to come out on top in the end. Daniel Heintzman led all scorers with 11 points in the game. Bigside can feel very proud not only of winning silver, but posting an overall record of 18-3 this year.

The Under-14 boys basketball team had an undefeated regular season and also played host to the CISAA Championships on Saturday, winning the gold medal on home court. In the semi-final game against Montcrest, TCS won comfortably by a score of 43-29. The final game was a rematch of last year’s CISAA final against Kingsway College, which TCS lost by two points. After the first quarter, the Bears were trailing by one basket, but by half time they had reversed momentum and taken the lead, 20-15. In the end, the Bears pulled off an impressive 41-27 victory and celebrated a well-deserved championship!

Squash: Bigside squash had some wonderful results this season, culminating in a fourth place finish at the CISAA final tournament. Nine boys and one girl represented the School, playing well and acting as great ambassadors for TCS. The team started the tournament with a 9-0 win over Appleby, but fell to the eventual champion, St. Andrew’s College, in the semi-final, 1-8. This put TCS in the bronze medal game against UCC, where the Bears lost a very close match, 4-5.

Littleside squash travelled to St. Andrew's College to participate in the CISAA league’s culminating tournament of the year on March 1st. Despite the fact that all players were able to contribute to the team point total, TCS could not best the league leaders on this day. Each young man should be commended on his sportsmanship as Mariano Creixell, Andrew Boughner, Nick Jin, Victor Omiwole, Luke Churchill, Pepe Romano, Ikyu Park and Shane Nassief were exemplary in displaying the conduct and effort expected of young athletes at TCS.
...
Arts Students Breathe Life Into the Classic, The Little Prince

Trinity College School’s Monday/Thursday arts programme students were very proud to present The Little Prince the evening of Friday, February 28th in the Dick and Jane LeVan Theatre. Adapted by Rick Cummins and John Scoullar from the classic novella by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, the play was brought to life beautifully by our students as part of this year’s Sears Drama Festival.

Participating in the production were Seth Mahabir, Mackenzie Morrison, Kelsea MacKay, Duncan Innes, Maya Saunders, Owen Wang, Alex Tang, Drew MacDonald-Wangen, Robyn Bond, Marta Macdonald, Deniz Ural and Hannah Strike, under the guidance of director Jordi Hepburn.

Ms. Hepburn says, “The cast of The Little Prince would like to extend a huge thank you to all those who made it out last Friday for the performance and adjudication. The show went off without a hitch and, in our eyes, was a fantastic success! The feedback we received from the judges was very positive and constructive to help us improve should we move on to the Eastern Ontario Regionals.” She notes that the group will have to wait to hear the final results from all the schools taking part in our area before learning if they will move on to the next round of the festival. “Keep your fingers crossed for us because if we win this, we will be competing in Kingston against all the other finalists in our region, and we may be up for awards of excellence in various categories. Thank you for all the support and we'll keep you posted when we know our results!”
...

Principal's Message

Stuart K. C. Grainger, Headmaster

For more than 140 years, Trinity College School (TCS) has been internationally recognized for excellence in educating young people. It is no surprise that our challenging and encouraging environment has helped TCS graduates gain entrance to top universities around the world, and that our alumni are leaders in their communities. But this is just half the story.

TCS has always been keenly involved in character development, as reflected in our mission, “developing habits of the heart and mind for a life of purpose and service.” Given the challenges facing our planet today, we know our students will be called upon to lead their communities, their colleagues, their cause and, in some cases, their countries. If we are to best prepare our students to meet these challenges, we must inspire them to become leaders of character, purpose and vision.

At TCS we think that the quality of character determines the quality of leader. As such, we challenge our students to establish worthy goals and to act to good purpose. We cultivate integrity in our students. We encourage honest and constructive conduct. And, on the strength of our people, our programme and our place, we help to develop leaders who are broad-minded, intelligent, thoughtful and confident.

If you are considering Trinity College School as a destination, I trust that this Web site will provide you with many of the details you desire.

However, in order to truly experience the strong, supportive community that is TCS, I would like to extend an open invitation to visit us in person. I can promise you that the caring and energizing environment that we foster and enjoy will prove unique from any other school you may have visited.

I very much look forward to welcoming you to campus.

Sincerely,

Stuart K.C. Grainger
Headmaster

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