Whether your child attends a day or boarding school, there are ample opportunities to connect with staff, support student achievement and contribute to the school community.
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child → attend → community
Staying up to date
With full inboxes and busy schedules, parents want school communication that prioritizes the most important information.
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that → stay → information
The York School, a co-ed independent school in Toronto from junior kindergarten to Grade 12, uses a variety of digital tools to provide updates.
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School → use → updates
It produces separate weekly newsletters for its junior school and the middle and senior school, each capturing campus-wide and grade-specific news, events and announcements.
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each → produce → news
For individual student information, York provides access to a dashboard with data on attendance, academic performance and activity participation, among other insights.
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York → provide → insights
“That allows us, in a visual way, to have a very good picture of the whole student,” said Elissa Kline-Beber, associate head of well-being at The York School.
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Beber → allow → School
“During parent-teacher conferences, we can share with parents a whole data picture about their student, which has helped generate many interesting discussions.”
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which → share → discussions
York’s adviser program provides another key point of connection for high school students.
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program → provide → students
Grade 9 students are paired with an adviser who remains with them throughout high school.
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who → pair → school
Advisers hold parent conferences and reach out if they notice a change in a student’s academic performance or well-being.
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they → hold → performance
“As an independent school, we have such a broad and deep understanding of each of our students,” Kline-Beber said.
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Beber → have → students
“That is core to who we are and how we approach education.”
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we → approach → education
Connecting across borders
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Connecting → connect → borders
For international families whose children are studying in Canada, these points of connection are especially important.
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points → study → connection
Appleby College in Oakville, Ont., a co-ed independent day and boarding school for Grade 7 to 12, works hard to bridge that physical distance.
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College → work → distance
Before the school year begins, new international parents are invited to the New to Appleby Boarder Parent Luncheon and Info Fair, where they can meet their child’s adviser and learn more about the school.
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they → begin → school
All parents who are new to Appleby are also paired with a current Appleby parent “buddy,” who can answer questions and help families feel part of the community.
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families → pair → community
Throughout the school year, all parents receive the weekly newsletter.
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parents → receive → newsletter
Advisers, teachers and other faculty members communicate with families on an ongoing basis; parent-teacher conferences are held virtually, and parents can access an online platform to see their child’s assignments, attendance and grades.
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parents → communicate → assignments
Parents can also participate in social aspects of school life from afar.
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Parents → participate → life
The Appleby College Parents’ Association holds monthly meetings that parents can attend in-person or virtually, and the school livestreams student performances and graduation ceremonies.
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school → hold → performances
“For families who may be thousands of kilometres away, regular communication builds trust, helps parents feel connected to their child’s experience and growth, and reinforces that they are active partners in the school community,” said Tracey Pearce-Dawson, executive director, marketing and communications, at Appleby College.
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Dawson → build → College
For many parents, school involvement doesn’t just mean being aware of what’s going on; it’s about actively participating and planning.
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it → mean → parents
At Crescent School, an all-boys day school in Toronto, the Crescent Parent Association (CPA), brings parents together through volunteering, events, fundraising and community outreach.
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Association → bring → volunteering
“Parent participation sends a wonderful message to our boys that we care,” said Daphne Myler, president of the CPA for 2026-2027.
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Myler → send → 2026
“Volunteering with the CPA is also a great way to connect with other parents, deepen a parent’s understanding of the Crescent community and build lasting friendships.
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Volunteering → volunteer → friendships
Its annual garage sale is a 40-year tradition that’s still going strong, Myler said, and the school’s annual holiday party auction is supported by generous donations from the parent community.
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auction → go → community
In 2021, the CPA pledged $1 million to Crescent School, with half going toward long-term campus development and half to student financial assistance.
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half → pledge → assistance
The CPA recently committed another $1.2 million toward the campus plan.
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CPA → commit → plan
The CPA also partners with the school’s outreach team on community initiatives and hosts an annual breakfast to recognize teachers and staff.
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CPA → partner → teachers
Jamie Lougheed, chief advancement officer at Crescent School, says the CPA strengthens the entire school community.
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CPA → say → community
“Our boys see their parents get involved in the school, which reinforces the importance of service leadership and of being an engaged citizen in one’s community,” he said.
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he → see → community
The Aporia
