Head of School’s Graduation Address

Dear Bialik Graduates of 2021, Mazal tov to you all! .כל הכבוד על המאמץ, העבודה, הנחישות, והאכפתיות שהביאו אתכם לרגע הזה Completing your time at Bialik represents a wonderful accomplishment, one which should give you and your families a tremendous sense of pride. This is true of every graduating class, of course, but all the […]

Grateful Beyond Words: Reflections on the Day of Giving

While there is much that we don’t know this year, there is one thing we do know, and that is that the Bialik community is one of a kind. What a Day of Giving we have just had! We are absolutely inspired by the 791 families who donated to our 26-hour fundraiser, bringing in a […]

The Adaptability and Flexibility of Children: A Lesson for Adults

When reading through the extensive literature and research on best practices in educational administration, there is, of course, very little available on global pandemics and educating children during extreme moments of uncertainty. Throughout these past nine months, educational leaders have been forced to learn on the job, using their systems management understandings, interpersonal skills and […]

Reflections on Day of Giving

I wrote this blog after the Day of Giving and so much has changed in this short time due to the Coronavirus. With all the uncertainty around us, our new social distancing and now, Bialik’s Online Learning Program, I have seen our community come together for the greater good to look out for one another […]

Demystifying ADHD: A Guide for Parents

When we hear the term ADHD, it is common to think of a child zipping around the playground like the Road Runner from Looney Tunes or an Alvin and the Chipmunks character, sitting at the back of the class, daydreaming, and “bored.” While these behaviours may capture some children with ADHD, they do not accurately […]

The Power of Yet

When I was teaching in the Elementary Division, I would work with my students each day to “retrain their brain.” I would get the students to call out thoughts that represent a fixed mindset. They found this easy and I’d hear statements such as “I can’t do it,” “I’m not good at that,” “I’m not […]

How Parents Can Become ‘Minding’ Parents

In his recent blog, Jake Gallinger talked about facilitating the development of adaptive anxiety in your child, as proposed by psychologist Dr. Alex Russell when he visited Bialik this fall. Dr. Russell suggests that one of the strategies for accomplishing this goal is the concept of “minding” one’s children and becoming a “minding parent.” What […]

When Educators Learn from Architects…

A young student in a wheelchair was unable to enter school due to a heavy snowfall the night before that covered the accessibility ramp. The custodian came outside and began shovelling the snow off the stairs, adjacent to the ramp, which were also covered in snow. When the boy asked if the custodian could shovel […]

Empowering Your Child to Hold The “Worry Ball”

Consider the following two hypothetical Bialik students: Arnold is a kind and bright boy in Grade 6. He loves to play sports at recess and is the captain of his double A hockey team. His favourite aspects of the school day are gym and lunch. In Senior Division, he struggles to stay on top of […]

School’s Out for the Summer… How Will My Child Remain Engaged in Learning?

As the end of the school year approaches, a question parents always ask us is how they can keep their child’s mind active over the summer so they do not lose what they’ve learned during the school year. “I don’t want my child to be in front of the TV, on the iPad, on social […]