Multi-Age

February 28, 2025

Athletics, Community, Elders, Middle School, MS 7, MS 8, MS 9 Activity, Athletic, Collaborative, Community, Middle School, Multi-Age, Sports

Season Recap

In the 2024-25 basketball season, H.I.S. STORM fielded teams in both the Female/Female-Identifying (F/FI) and Male/Male Identifying (M/MI) divisions.

Whether in regular, playoff, or tournament games, our teams worked hard and represented the school well.

In the Maritime Independent League (MIL) tournament, both teams placed second.

In the HRCE league, the F/FI team went 6-0 in regular season play. They advanced all the way to the playoff semi-finals before experiencing their first loss!

We are grateful to coaches Joseph, Jill, Whitney, and Geoff, and to guest instructor and local basketball coach Milo Gray. Coaches and players alike are thankful for the support of their families and are already eagerly anticipating the 2025-26 season.

Go STORM!

February 13, 2025

Academic, Community, Elders, Elementary School Academic, Activity, Collaborative, Community, Elders, Elementary School, Multi-Age

Busy, Bright, Bookworms

The annual “Battle of the Books”, hosted by local indie bookstore Woozles, began on January 4, but our team of Elders began preparing months in advance. They worked their way through an assigned set of 60 books from a variety of genres, time periods, and topics.

These keen readers have met weekly in the school library to discuss books, memorize titles and authors, and get some reading done.

“Thank you!” to alumni parent volunteer, author, and writing coach Renée Hartleib , who has helped to facilitate these meetings. Collectively, team members have finished reading almost all of the books. They practice by creating summaries and sample questions for each book.

In each match, teams from two schools take on 30 tough questions drawn from the assigned reading list. Every question begins with something such as “In which book…?” The challenge for both teams is to identify the title and its author–in just 60 seconds. Each team can earn five points per question.

Our first round was against West Bedford, who won by a narrow margin. In our second round, we hosted Caudle Park, and came out on top. With each match, points stack up. Team rankings are calculated based on total points scored. Our next match will be held after March Break.

Battle of the Books is charming, challenging, and fun! Watching students huddle together, working out their answers in whispers is endearing. The spirit of friendly competition and the love of reading are front and centre.

Our team members’ parents helped to procure books, chatted about them with their children, and supported them along the way.

It’s been a great season so far. Go H.I.S!

February 12, 2025

Academic, Community, Middle School, MS 7, MS 8, MS 9 Academic, Collaborative, Community, Middle School, Multi-Age, Science Fair

WHERE CURIOSITY MEETS SCIENTIFIC METHOD

This core STEM experience engages all Middle School students (Grades 7-9) and unfolds over months.

MS Science teacher Heather Donovan ably coordinates volunteer mentors from the local science community. In addition, she plans and oversees our adjudicated exhibition, with 50+ volunteer judges.

Our mentors offer support in the early stages, as students identify project ideas and discuss strategies to reliably produce their project/data set. These early conversations help students draft a manageable plan and procedure.

Students conducting experiments learn and apply the scientific method, and all students must think critically about their own process/research and conclusions.

When projects are complete, each student/team produces a written report and visual display. These elements represent their work and supplement the presentations that they prepare.

The climax is an open exhibition, during which judges visit students and their displays. Judges assess their work and presentations against a standard rubric. Students present, repeatedly over two days. After months of preparation, students are deeply familiar with their projects. The room buzzes with anticipation.

During the exhibition, students speak about their work with anyone who stops by their display. They deliver prepared content, but also respond to spontaneous questions. Each student has multiple opportunities to explain their experiment/innovation/study to their assigned judges – and to visitors of all ages from our school community and beyond. In this way, they gain valuable experience in reframing content quickly and competently.

The judges provide constructive, individual, written feedback. Not only that, but their assessments help determine which projects will advance to regionals. Our local, regional event is Halifax Sci-Tech Expo (HSTE). In turn, it determines who advances to the Canada-Wide Science Fair (CWSF).

While we are thrilled when our students advance to the regional/national level, we celebrate all of our student scientists. We are proud to see them share their work with a diverse audience from younger students to seasoned scientists and researchers.

In tackling challenges and navigating a substantial assessment of their work, our MS students develop valuable skills, resilience, and confidence.

Congratulations, MS students, for continuing the legacy of HIS Science Fairs!

January 22, 2025

Academic, Community, Elementary School, Olds Activity, Collaborative, Community, Elementary School, Multi-Age, Olds

CARE IN ACTION

In fall 2024, a school family entrusted a sizable quantity of surplus fabrics to Maggie D. The family intended the fabric to be used for hands-on projects with students and for various charitable causes. Maggie’s imagination went to work immediately.

Inspired by pre-cut flannelette squares in that treasure trove of fabric, Maggie came up with the idea to make quilts for children who were making new homes in Canada. Maggie felt certain that they would welcome both the physical warmth and the kind gesture.

Just before breaking for the winter holiday, Maggie connected with Christy’s Olds, inviting them in as partners. These Olds were keen!

Three teams laid out the squares in attractive patterns to create designs for three quilts. At that point, the teams knew only that these quilts would be given to children.

With the designs complete, the teams pinned the three quilt tops to sheets, ready for Maggie and her sewing machine. Over the holidays, Maggie stitched the blocks together, returning in January with solid quilt tops.

Maggie and these students met over three weeks to complete the next steps. They laid out the tops, backings and quilt stuffing and secured the quilt “sandwiches” with pins. Finally, they added quilt ties to hold the layers together. In the last step, Maggie bound the edges. This happened quickly, and the quilts were finished!

During Random Acts of Kindness Week, Dorothy Patterson from ARK Outreach met with Maggie and the teams. (A registered charity, ARK provides support for local families and individuals in need.) The students were thrilled to see the quilts finished and ready for gifting. For her part, Dorothy was impressed with their accomplishment. Even more, she was excited to deliver the quilts on their behalf.

Dorothy shared a bit about the three children she had in mind. The students chose which quilt would go to which child. There were plenty of smiles in the room as the group folded up the quilts and officially wrapped up this project.

Before leaving, Dorothy reminded us that small acts of thoughtfulness give huge results in the lives of others.

…high praise to students who happily gave of their time for others.

Maggie is familiar to current students as our librarian (and a frequent volunteer), to the Youngs as their cooking teacher, and to many alumni as their music teacher.

January 13, 2025

Academic, Community, Elementary School, Middle School, MS 8, Whole School Academic, Activity, Community, Middle School, Multi-Age, Theatre

GRADE 8s TAKE THE NaNoWriMo CHALLENGE

For thousands of writers around the world, including our own Grade 8s, November is National Novel Writing Month “NaNoWriMo”

After first considering stories they love, writers who inspire them, and topics/issues that matter to them, our Grade 8s turned on their creative juices and developed their own story ideas. They set personal writing goals (e.g., word count or improving specific writing skills) and planned out the foundations of their stories: plot, characters, and context.

Through focused writing at home and school, and sharing their writing with peers and their teacher for feedback, these students racked up a combined total of 180,000+ words!

In January, whether or not they had completed their novel, each student imagined it finished – and published. In a “Meet the Author” event, each student displayed a mock book jacket/cover and shared their writing, as well as their thoughts and ideas about the writing experience, with the school community.

December 19, 2024

Academic, Community, Middle School, MS 7, Whole School Activity, Collaborative, Community, Middle School, Multi-Age, Theatre

MS7's MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

Like all H.I.S. student theatre, the MS7 Shakespeare production is a core curriculum experience. With the guidance of former headteacher and Shakespeare director Cate Allen, MS English teacher Joey supported our students in the journey from first reading to the stage. MS7 performed Much Ado at Alderney Landing Theatre on Thursday, December 19.

Student Theatre = Healthy Risk-Taking

This student theatre production includes all MS7 students, not only those with a passion for theatre. While students hoping for a specific role can audition, each MS7 student is expected to take on at least one role. In addition to in-class prep and rehearsal, the cast spends four days rehearsing in theatre. The professional sound and lighting specialists at Alderney Landing Theatre dependably help our students shine. We believe that this investment in student theatre is appropriate. It complements the effort and engagement that we expect from our students.

How Sayest Thou?

Our Shakespeare productions are immersive, as students tackle the unfamiliar vocabulary and phrasing of the script, a period dance, and often, a study of Elizabethan society. During the lead-up to this year’s performance, MS7 students prepared and performed a puppet show designed to introduce the Olds (Grades 3 and 4 students) to Much Ado’s storyline. In addition, Students worked on sets and created masquerade masks, with Art teacher Sara.

Behind the Scenes Support

Throughout preparations, the H.I.S. community – past and present – made a difference! This student theatre production benefitted from

savvy costume acquisitions and the work of volunteer seamstresses who have slowly built our fabulous collection of Elizabethan era-inspired costumes,
set pieces built and adapted over years by H.I.S. students and art teachers,
musical accompaniment from music teacher Adam Johnson and The MerryWeather Band, and
in-theatre photography by parent, Danielle Boudreau

Thank you to teacher Tina for her support throughout the season of rehearsals and preparations. We are grateful for everyone who joined us at the theatre or online, and especially for the cast members of Much Ado 2021 (Class of ‘24), who joined us. It was great to have them cheer on this year’s cast!

If you missed out, catch the recorded version here Much Ado 2024.

Alumni: Reminisce with us!

Reach out and share memories of your Shakespeare student theatre experience. Please include the year and your role, if you recall it. Alumni Contact Form

Photography by: Danielle Boudreau / Halifax Independent School Parent

December 18, 2024

Community, Elementary School, Middle School, Whole School Activity, Art Installation, Collaborative, Community, Elementary School, Identity Showcase, Middle School, Multi-Age

A NEW ART INSTALLATION

At December’s Identity Showcase, stained glass artist (and French Specialist) Tania guided us in a shared art initiative. Setting up a temporary workspace at school, Tania offered a “buffet” of art glass cuts from her home studio in a range of textures and hues. During their Showcase tours, students, parents, and teachers were invited to carefully browse the collection and choose a piece that they found beautiful. Tania immediately began exploring possible placements, and continued the layout process at home, finding a home for each piece in the growing mosaic design.

Every cut edge was trimmed and ground for a smooth fit, and wrapped with copper foil for soldering, which fused all of the pieces together in one solid mosaic panel. After a good cleaning, this new art piece was securely installed in the school’s glass entryway for all to enjoy as they pass through our doors.

The concept:

Our identities find expression in our artistic choices. Individual people are drawn to different colours, tones, and textures, and this is delightful in itself. Giving each person’s choice a space in the design creates a piece with its own unique variety: it reflects each one’s sense of beauty in a whole that is beautiful because of the sum of its parts.

December 11, 2024

Academic, Community, Elders, Elementary School, Littles, Middles, Olds, Youngs Activity, Art Installation, Collaborative, Community, Elders, Elementary School, Identity Showcase, Middles, Multi-Age, Olds, Youngs

INTEGRATED STUDIES SHOWCASE: I AM... WE ARE...

While continuing to pursue inquiry-based integrated studies, December featured a departure from our typical end-of-term Elementary Knowledge Fair format. Rather than class-specific weekday events, we hosted an evening, open-house-style, “Identity Showcase”. Students served as hosts/guides, and helped their parents explore the hands-on, minds-on learning that captured our attention as we investigated and celebrated “Identity”.

Inquiry-Based Learning = Research

From Littles to Elders, our students learned about various components of identity, including brain function, emotions, and learning styles. Research results, models, and self-reflections were centred around topics such as

Family & Community
Play
Food
Communication
Thinking and Learning
Geography

Displaying student work in topic groupings, rather than age-based collections highlighted learning progression, with Middles’ work displayed alongside Elders’ work within a shared topic.

Showcase Contributions from our Junior High Students

Integrated studies look different in our upper grades. In addition to their conventional subject-specific instruction, and collaborations with their book buddies, our senior students contributed through reflections on their own identity, including as learners over their time at H.I.S. They also contributed identity hexagons created individually in French class. These designs highlighted commonalities, which were even more illuninating when the hexagons were connected and displayed as one in our Multi-Purpose Room.

Cameo Appearances from the Much Ado Cast

Throughout the 2-hour event, our MS7 students strolled the halls in their “Much Ado About Nothing” costumes, spreading the word about their upcoming performance at Alderney Landing Theatre.

Celebrating, Singing, and Creating, in Community

Our families connected with one another and allowed our students to take pride in sharing their work.

Showcase visitors participated in two collaborative art projects, including a stained-glass panel now installed in our front entrance.

The centrepoint of the evening was a whole-school gathering in our gymnasium. Music teacher Nelle taught parents and grandparents the chorus of “We’re Independent”, our school song, and then led us in singing the song, all together, accompanied by a live band.

Remembering Our Last Expo: “Building Community 2018”

Our last evening showcase of an integrated studies theme was the “Expo” in February 2018, when we opened the campus expansion. At that time, families, alumni, and capital campaign donors came together to explore the school and view our research and projects centred around “Building Community”. Together, we celebrated the history of the school and the construction that led to our exciting new space. It is hard to believe that was almost 7 years ago! Did you share in that celebration? If so, we would love to hear from you.

November 25, 2024

Athletics, Community, Middle School, MS 7, MS 8, MS 9 Activity, Athletics, Middle School, Multi-Age, Sports

CONGRATULATIONS

This year, our Female/Female Identifying (F/FI) volleyball team welcomed five new players for a roster of 12. Coached by Leigh-Ann and assisted by Sara, the young team showed amazing dedication to learning and refining skills. They had some fantastic games, regularly going point-for-point with higher-ranking teams. This group consistently balanced “finding the fire” with maintaining composure during high-pressure matches. They supported one another on the court so consistently that spectators noticed and commended them for it. While they ultimately lost to the team ranked #1 entering playoffs, we’re so proud! Their performance this season reflected team sport at its best.

Congratulations to all of these athletes

To our current Grade 9 players – you will be missed!

November 22, 2024

Academic, Community, Elementary School, Middle School, Whole School Academic, Activity, Collaborative, Community, Elementary School, Middle School, Multi-Age, Whole School

Cultural Sharing

So Many Possibilities!

Our school community reflects many diverse backgrounds, traditions, and customs. This fall, in keeping with our studies around identity, we created fresh opportunities to hear more about one another’s stories and lived experiences. On two mornings in November, we hosted 19 cultural-sharing spaces, where parents, grandparents, and other community connections offered their stories and experiences with multi-age groups of students, from Littles to grade 9.

Topics were as Diverse as our Community

We learned about

the Scottish traditions of Highland Dancing and the Highland Games
growing up in places such as Newfoundland, Baffin Island, Brazil, and Morocco
Filipino and German Christmas Traditions
the Indian festival of Diwali
Tibetan yoga
culture, language and food from countries such as Colombia, The Bahamas, China, and Ireland
education around the world; and
family experiences of travel, immigration, and neurodiversity.

We learned about the oldest rainforest in the world, Junkanoo, and mummering, and we sampled coconut treats, granadilla, and scrunchions and toutons.

Thank you to our guest speakers!

These sessions and activities were rich learning experiences for our students and staff, and we are grateful to all who shared their stories and their time with us.

Barbel (parent) shared about German Christmas traditions, and showed us how to make a homemade lantern.

May (parent), shared with us about growing up on Baffin Island, Nunavut. She brought in a polar bear skull to show us!

A similar initiative, more than 20 years ago, inspired these valuable learning sessions. While in our former building on South Street, we hosted a series of Multicultural Fridays. Parents and community members shared with mixed-age groups of students. The focus at the time was on Geography, and folks shared about growing up in countries such as Albania, France, Japan, and Scotland.

If you were part of those sessions, as a student or a presenter, we’d love to hear any memories you have!

Whit-tia shared about the Bahamas. We learned about Junkanoo and sampled traditional coconut tarts!

Maria (parent) shared about Filipino Christmas traditions, like the parol (lantern/star).