Appleby College Uniform Expectations

Tomorrow, Monday, September 9, 2024, is the start of regular school days. All students are required to be in first dress uniform for our opening assembly, Tie Ceremonies, and introduction to classes. A "first dress" Appleby uniform includes an Appleby school blazer, plain white or solid light blue dress shirt, Appleby tie, grey pants or Appleby kilt, and appropriate socks with pants (no white), or navy blue knee-high socks or plain navy blue opaque tights (no patterns, no sheer nylons) with a kilt. New students receive a tie on the first day of classes and do not need to purchase one prior to the start of school.

Up until the Thanksgiving long weekend students have the option to wear the first dress uniform, or the white or navy blue Appleby crested polo shirt with or without the Appleby ¼ zip crested sweater as a warmer weather uniform. Following the Thanksgiving long weekend, and until the May long weekend, students are required to wear the first dress uniform. Following the May long weekend, students again may choose to wear the warmer weather uniform.

Students should be leaving the house in proper uniform and arriving to school in proper uniform. Hooded sweatshirts (even one with an Appleby logo), jeans, and athletic wear are not permitted during the school day unless there is a very special circumstance involving a travelling team or another specific event. For more information on Appleby’s dress code please review the Standards of School Dress and Appearance. 

Cell Phone Policy 

For the 2024-2025 school year, cell phones will be collected by teachers at the beginning of each class, club, and co-curricular and will be stored safely for students, to minimize distractions and the use of phones during washroom breaks. Students will collect their phones at the end of each class as they leave and head to their next school activity.

The purpose behind this rule is to limit distractions from the learning experience and promote a respectful learning environment. Students will be asked to put away their phones if they are using them without permission and as always should be striving to uphold the school’s core ethical values. Students who are unable to respect these parameters may have their phones delivered to the appropriate School Director and returned at the end of the day, following a conversation. Should parents need to contact their child immediately for an emergency, they are to call main reception at 905-845-4681 ext. 200 and the administration team will contact the child and have them call home. Thank you for your support.

New After-Hours Technology Usage Policy for Upper One, Upper Two and Senior One Boarding Students

Appleby’s Boarding Life team, in conjunction with the Wellbeing Team, and, in keeping with Appleby’s cell phone policy, are implementing a new after-hours technology use policy for our Upper One, Upper Two and Senior One boarding students. To read the communication sent to parents on Wednesday, September 4, click here.  

Appleby College's AI Principles
 
As emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) become more prevalent, Appleby College is proactively developing strategies to guide the safe, effective, and ethical use of these tools for student learning. As part of this commitment, we are incorporating AI tools to enhance personalized learning, streamline administrative tasks, and support our faculty in delivering high-quality educational experience. This past summer's edition of the Quarterly included a feature article on how AI is changing the landscape of education. The article entitled Inside the Classroom with Gen AI and The Teacher highlighted some of the applications our faculty and students have begun to explore and adapt. If you haven't had a chance to read the article, please click here. 
 
As we continue to adapt to AI and the ever-changing and evolving technology landscape, the following are the current set of working principles that we will use to guide our approach to addressing its safe use and our current and future educational goals, faculty and student agency, academic integrity, and security. We will continue to assess these principles and refine them based on our experiences and the learning and feedback we receive from students, faculty, parents and the broader Appleby community. 

1. People First, By Design - Technology has the potential to enhance experiences, reduce administrative burdens and introduce networking opportunities. However, such advantages do not take precedence over any potential impact on people. Subsequently, our application of AI technologies – in teaching and learning and administration – must begin with the wellbeing, safety, privacy, and security of members of the Appleby Community.
2. Mission Aligned - AI technologies can assist in our efforts to educate and enable our students to become leaders of character, major contributors to, and valued representatives of their local, national, and global communities. Tomorrow’s leaders need to harness the power of technology to communicate, collaborate, and build community. Understanding AI (AI Literacy), creating with AI (AI Augmentation) and enhancing wellbeing with AI (AI Wellness) may be foundational elements for future learning experiences.
3. Augmentation over Automation - AI tools and services should empower all members of the Appleby learning community, ensuring a safe, secure, and equitable environment. AI should augment interactions and not replace human connections. AI should never compromise personal privacy, and people should maintain a primary role in the evaluation of learning, outcomes, and communications. Further, accountability for the responsible use of AI lies with the person, not the technology.
4. Transparency & Fairness - Where AI technologies have been used to significantly influence a teaching experience, learning, product, or administrative function, consideration should be given to citing the tools used and enhancements. Transparency will help community members understand the role of AI in learning and work and serve to build trust and integrity.
5. Balancing Responsibility & Innovation - To determine the suitability of a tool/service, AI technologies need to be investigated/piloted. However, such investigations still need to comply with privacy and security expectations. Sharing intended AI usage with peers (faculty and staff) and seeking approval is a required component of responsible AI usage. 

We remind parents and guardians that AI tools may have age restrictions. For example, Microsoft Co-Pilot currently requires users to be at least 13 years old and requires parental or legal guardian consent for students between the ages of 13 and 18. We will assume consent from parents for their child to use Microsoft Co-Pilot and other AI tools, unless you would like to contact us to opt out by contacting Dr. Carlos Heleno, assistant head of school, academics at cheleno@appleby.on.ca. For parents with children in Middle School, we will be sending you an e-mail on Monday, September 9 outlining how we will be introducing and using Microsoft Co-Pilot and other AI tools in your child's learning this year.

Our goal is to create a learning environment where AI technologies enhance learning and to prepare students for the future. We believe that collaboration with parents and guardians is crucial for the successful implementation of AI in our school. In October we will be hosting an information session for parents and guardians with details being included in upcoming editions of Appleby This Week. We would also like to encourage you to set aside 10 minutes either this evening or at some point next week to watch the following video from Ethan Mollick, Co-Director, Generative AI Labs at the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania whose academic research has been published in leading journals, and his work on AI is widely applied, leading him to be named one of TIME Magazine’s Most Influential People in Artificial Intelligence. Please click the link to view the video: https://youtu.be/d4f1jqb3Yis. 
 
If you have any concerns or questions regarding the use of AI, please do not hesitate to get in touch with Dr. Carlos Heleno, assistant head of school, academics at cheleno@appleby.on.ca.

2024-2025 Appleby College Calendar 

Please click here to view the 2024-2025 Appleby College school year calendar.

Preliminary Bus Routes for 2024-2025

Preliminary bus routes for the 2024-2025 school year are available on the Transportation site via Appleby's education management system. To access the Transportation site please click here. You will need to enter your Blackbaud ID (BBID) to login. After you have logged-in, you will be taken to the Resources landing page which will show a series of posts. Click on the ‘Transportation’ button to access the preliminary bus routes. If you have any questions, please e-mail bus@appleby.on.ca. 

Course Request Changes

Course request changes will open on Friday, September 13, 2024 and will remain open until the last date to add a new course on Friday, September 27, 2024. Students will be required to attend their classes in September even if they intend to put in a request to change. Please note: course change requests by e-mail will not be processed.

Outdoor Education Information and Key Dates

Upper One students will be visiting the S. Bruce McLaughlin Northern Campus with the class divided into three groups: Trip 1 – Sunday, September 15 to Friday, September 20, Trip 2 – Sunday, September 22 to Friday, September 27, Trip 3 - Friday, September 27 to Wednesday, October 2. Students will travel with their advisor groups and the schedule is available on BBK12 in the Outdoor Education section. 
 
All new Senior One and Senior Two students and all returning students in Senior One that did not attend an Outdoor Education Trip in their Upper Two year will visit the S. Bruce McLaughlin Northern Campus from Tuesday, September 10 to Sunday, September 15. The Senior One Outdoor Leader Trip will run from Wednesday, October 2 to Monday, October 7. 
 
Trip lists including an overview of the personal equipment students will need to bring with them on their respective trip is on BBK12 in the Outdoor Education section.

Middle School Compulsory Programs
 
Outdoor Education Program
All Middle School students will be attending a camping excursion to Camp Kandalore in Algonquin Highlands, Ontario. Middle One students will be attending Wednesday, September 18 to Friday, September 20 and Middle Two students will be attending Tuesday, September 17 to Friday, September 20. 
 
Grade Trips
All Middle Two students will be attending an overnight experiential trip to Ottawa, Ontario from Wednesday, April 30 to Friday, May 2, 2025. Middle One students will be attending a series of experiential day trips in the local and surrounding community from Wednesday, April 30 to Friday, May 2, 2025. 

Global Education Information Session 
 
The Global Education department will be holding a general information session on Wednesday, September 25, 2024 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. This session will cover all areas within the Global Education program at Appleby. We will begin in the A.W.B. Alumni Centre for Athletics and Student Life with an overview of the Global Education program and its objectives. Afterwards, the session will move to various breakout rooms which will each focus on an individual area of the department. The breakout session topics include: The Global Leadership Diploma program and course; Global Experiential Programs in March and May; Round Square Exchanges and Conferences; The Duke of Edinburgh Award and Middle School Experiential Education. This will be an opportunity to learn more about the Global Education department and its individual areas, as well as a chance to ask questions. More information on this event and other Global Education announcements can be found here. 

2024-2025 Global Experiential Programs 
 
Appleby has offered global experiential programming for over 20 years and the 2024-2025 school year will continue this legacy. These programs contribute to student learning by fostering community, providing intercultural education, granting opportunities for personal growth and leadership, as well as chances for building teamwork skills, reflective practices and furthering global understanding. December 2024 applications are now closed, and the 2025 trips are listed below. 
 
March 2025 (applications open in September 2024):

• Bali, Indonesia (Upper One to Senior One) - Environment, Sustainability, and Intercultural Understanding
• Cambodia (Upper Two to Senior Two) - Reconciliation and Community Engagement
• Croatia (Upper Two to Senior Two) - Legacy of Conflict and Mediaeval Culture
• Cuba (Upper One to Senior Two) - Vocal and Instrumental Music and Culture
• Greece (Upper Two to Senior One) - Food Systems, Agriculture and History
• Vietnam (Upper Two to Senior Two) - History and the Environment

April/May 2025 (anticipated - applications open in September 2024):

• Morocco (Upper One to Upper Two) - Culture, Heritage and Identity
• Netherlands, Belgium and France (Upper Two) - History
• Sweden and Finland (Upper One to Senior Two) - Girls' Hockey 
• Iceland (Middle School, April) - Climate 

To learn more, please visit the Global Experiential Programs page on BBK12, or contact globaled@appleby.on.ca. 

New Family Information Booklet

Appleby's New Family Information Booklet contains a wealth of information regarding the Appleby experience - from important school year dates, to volunteer opportunities, and standards of dress for your students. Please click here to access it on Appleby's education management system - BBK12.

Appleby's Schlesinger Dining Hall Menu

Each week, the Sodexo team at Appleby prepares a range of menu options for students and employees at the school. Please click here for this week's menu. Students are encouraged to share their feedback, suggestions, and/or comments about the food, menus, their lunch experience, etc. Please send an e-mail to menufeedback@appleby.on.ca and let us know what you think!

Current E-mail Addresses

ATW is sent to all e-mail addresses the school has on file. If your contact information changes, or if you prefer to have ATW sent to a particular address, please e-mail Bioupdates.

Congratulations to the 2024-2025 Prefects!

Please join us in congratulating the 2024-2025 Appleby College Prefects! Throughout the year these students will be involved in many aspects of school life, and we can't wait to see what they will accomplish. Click the image on the left to learn more about each student.
 

Senior One Student In You Gotta Believe

Senior One student Scott MacKenzie is in the film You Gotta Believe which opened in theatres across North America over Labour Day weekend. You Gotta Believe is based on the true story of an improbable Texas little league baseball team from the early 2000s that made it to the Little League World Series. The baseball coaches are Oscar-nominated actors Greg Kinnear and Luke Wilson, and the film also stars Canadians Molly Parker and Sarah Gadon. Scott plays left fielder Mark Grace. Congratulations Scott!
 

Senior One Student Wins Medal at 2024 Canoe Kayak Canada National Sprint Championships 

Senior One student Ty Collver won the U16 Men K-1 6000m on August 21 at the 2024 Canoe Kayak Canada National Sprint Championships in Welland, Ontario. Congratulations Ty!
 

Students Volunteer at 22nd Annual Bear Island Art Camp

On June 30, eight Appleby students traveled to the S. Bruce McLaughlin Northern Campus to volunteer at the 22nd annual Bear Island Art Camp. This week-long camp, held on Bear Island, is free for children aged six to twelve and is funded by the Temagami Community Foundation. Throughout the week, volunteers embodied many of Appleby’s core values, particularly community building and leadership. They organized and led various activities, including dreamcatcher design, beading and bracelet making, photography, nature and interpretive hikes, and a range of sports programs. The students brought joy to the children at the camp and are eager to return for next year’s event.

ACPA Appleby Pie Day is Here Again!

Get ready to indulge in a delicious tradition that supports our school. On Wednesday, October 9, 2024 the ACPA will be repeating Apple Pie Day which was a fun and successful event last year.
 
The Old Gym will be transformed into a workshop bustling with new and returning parent volunteers and we are looking for help on Tuesday, October 8, 2024 for set-up and Wednesday, October 9, 2024 for preparation day. Please click here to sign-up for the volunteer opportunities. 
 
The apple pies are $20.00 each (HST included) and orders can be placed online by clicking here. Pies will be ready to bake and they freeze well too! The order deadline is Thursday, October 3, 2024 at 4:00 p.m. Only 700 pies are available! Please note that the pies are made with a vegetarian base, but are not gluten or dairy free. 
 

Boarder Break  

On Wednesday, October 16 at 9:00 p.m. ACPA Community Campus Life Representatives will treat Appleby boarders to a well-deserved study break in the Schlesinger Dining Hall. We’d love any homemade or store-bought goodies you can provide, as well as cash donations if that’s easier. To help us plan, please click here to sign-up for either cash or food donations. Please make sure all food is nut-free to keep everyone safe. Cold food can be dropped off at the College Shop between 11:20 a.m. and 1:10 p.m. on Tuesday, October 15 or Wednesday, October 16. Hot food and restaurant donations should be delivered to the Schlesinger Dining Hall by 8:45 p.m. on Wednesday, October 16. 

If you’re available, we’d love to have you join us at 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 16 to help pass out food and give a warm welcome to boarders. The event will run from 9:00 to 10:00 p.m. and the dress code is Blue Spirit. Parents are welcome to pitch in, but don’t forget to have a valid Criminal Record Check on file and sign up with our ACPA Volunteer Coordinator, Tamara Seales-Knight. If you have any questions, please e-mail ACPA Community Campus Life Representatives Lillian Yang or Lillian Mi.
 

Appleby College Parents' Association Executive Meeting – Tuesday, September 17

The Appleby College Parents’ Association (ACPA) was established in 1928 and all Appleby parents are members of the association. The ACPA hosts many events throughout the year that allow opportunities to volunteer, connect with other families, and help fundraise for the school. The ACPA is an integral part of the Appleby community, and we would love for you to join us at the first ACPA Executive Meeting of the 2024-2025 school year on Tuesday, September 17, 2024 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the LEC (Barr Commons). All are welcome to attend! For any questions, please contact Kathy Vucic, ACPA President. 
 

The College Shop

The College Shop is excited to welcome the community back to campus. Regular hours are 11:20 a.m. to 1:10 p.m. Monday to Friday. The College Shop is located in the A.W.B. Alumni Centre for Athletics and Student Life, and sells all approved gym wear, school ties, stationary supplies and Appleby logo gift items. If you are unable to visit us in store, you can shop online at www.applebycollegeshop.ca. 
 

Blue Dog Spirit

On September 3, the ACPA Spirit Team supported the 2024 New Boarder Orientation. It was amazing to see so many new boarding families. They are excited to join the Appleby community and can't wait for a fantastic school year! Go Blue Dogs!
 

Sustainability Shop - Request for Gently Used School Wear

Have your kids outgrown their school uniform items? It's time to go through your closets and donate any gently used Appleby approved school wear. The Sustainability Shop (formerly the Turnover Shop) is accepting all uniform and approved gym and spirit wear. Please drop-off donations at the Nicholas Arts Centre front reception or during regular College Shop hours, Monday to Friday from 11:20 a.m. to 1:10 p.m.  We welcome donations throughout the school year. 

Still in need of uniform items? Drop by the Sustainability Shop to check out our selection of very reasonably priced clothing. The Sustainability Shop is located in the A.W.B. Alumni Centre for Athletics and Student Life, next to the College Shop, and sells a range of gently used, clean, Appleby-approved school wear at extremely discounted prices. A selection of blazers, kilts, ties, dress shirts and approved gym and spirit wear are available. 

Lost and Found

The Lost and Found is located near the College Shop and is open from Monday to Friday, 11:20 a.m. to 1:10 p.m. Lost an item? Email lostandfound@appleby.on.ca to ask about items you may have left behind. Please consider labelling all your items as this increases the likelihood of lost items being reunited with their rightful owners.