Inside King's-Edgehill School

On Friday, October 22, King’s-Edgehill School (KES) teachers, staff and students look forward to opening their doors to parents, prospective students and their siblings for a day designed to highlight why so many families choose KES.

We understand that selecting an independent school for your children is a difficult decision and can be overwhelming. The KES Open House is designed to simplify the process by allowing you and your child to fully immerse in the KES experience. You will not only tour the campus and get to know some of our KES family, but you will have time to ask questions, explore the classrooms and hear, first hand, the value and enrichment opportunities KES gives each and every student.

Senior school students have been hard at work rehearsing for the upcoming musical, Heathers. The production is a dark comedy that deals with matters affecting teens including bullying, suicide, manipulative relationships, and mental health issues. A student favourite, parts of the show have been revised to best suit a school environment. 

Exciting news from our Highlanders prep baseball programme:

Outfielder Cam Rendell '22 has been invited to the Milwaukee Brewers scout team!

Cam Rendell '22 lines up an incoming pitch

For those who may not know, the Milwaukee Brewers are a Major League Baseball (MLB) team. Scout teams are comprised of top high school players across North America and serve to track progress, send in reports to scouting directors and ultimately create a pool of high-calibre prospects. Scout teams allow MLB personnel to identify graduating seniors who might be considered for the draft the following year.

This is an amazing opportunity for Cam that has come as a result of much hard work. This past weekend, he participated in the Arizona Fall Classic – an invite-only college showcase that provides opportunities for youth baseball players to improve their skills by playing against top-level competition from all over Canada and the USA. Following the Fall Classic, the 17-year-old student-athlete will be travelling to Jupiter, Florida to participate in the Perfect Game Wooden Bat tournament – a highly scouted event by every MLB team and top colleges across the USA.

"Cam understands that his hard work in the classroom is just as important as the work he does on the field, and this is what will provide him with opportunities in the future,” said coach Trevor Wamback, former Montreal Expo '98. “With Cam, there is no ego, he leads by example and is one of the most humble players I’ve ever trained – a true character guy who is super competitive.”

Cam has had a solid start to his career with a 2019 Canada Cup gold-medal earned while playing for team Nova Scotia in the 17 and under division. He can also run from home to first in 4.0 seconds (MLB average is 4.2 seconds), has an exit velo of 95 mph, and a throwing velo from the outfield of 90 mph.

Next year, Cam aspires to play Division 1 baseball in the States, and we have no doubt he will do just that.

The KES prep baseball programme develops players to be the best they can be by focusing on the finer details of the game to maximize their development and expose their talents south of the border. We provide players the full college experience before they get to college, ensuring a seamless transition in terms of academic accountability, time management, initiative, ownership, and leadership. Most importantly, we use the game as a forum to teach our players to be caring, secure and respectful human beings.

Welcome to the KES Highlander Fold! Providing a welcoming environment for our Students, Parents, Faculty, Alumni, and the greater KES Community is the foundation of our new KES Highlander ethos of “Welcome to the Fold.” A unique aspect of Highland Cattle is that they live in folds, not herds. Hence, “Welcome to the Fold!” Our goal at KES is to build an inclusive and accessible community for everyone. We recognize that becoming a fully accessible School is a journey of continuous improvement and as part of this year’s Annual Giving Campaign, we are starting phase one of our journey. 

Integral to the overall KES experience is how well we facilitate movement on our Campus. Therefore, our first Annual Giving Campaign goal is to begin eliminating physical barriers through important campus improvements. Currently, some members of our community struggle to access the Hensley Memorial Chapel safely. To eliminate this physical barrier to the Chapel, we plan to build a ramp that will dovetail into the beautiful stonework of this historic 1877 building. Also, as part of Phase One of the KES accessibility plan, we will pave the Ted Canavan Athletic Centre parking area, allowing easier and safer, year-round access to Campus.

The second goal of our Annual Giving Campaign is to continue to ensure our School is accessible to every student who has the desire to receive a KES education regardless of their financial means. Financial Aid is always a priority at KES. One third of KES Students depend on our Financial Aid and Scholarship Programme every year. As enrolment continues to grow, so does our need for financial aid funding! Every time you give, you are making it possible for motivated students to bridge the gap between their finances and their educational goal of attending KES. Without donations from the KES Community, we must consider raising tuition fees each year which in turn makes KES less accessible to students who want to attend our School.

If you are sending your child to a private day or boarding school, but never attended a private school yourself then you may feel a little lost when it comes to the terms used when referencing our academic programmes, faculty and systems. This online glossary of private school terms from OurKids.net is a great example of terms used in private schools and what they mean: Glossary of Private School Terms . For example, at KES we have a Headmaster, not a principal. Generally a principal is the head of a public school, while a Headmaster or Headmistress has the same function, but at a private school. 

On Friday, September 17, the King's-Edgehill swim team held a marathon swim to raise funds for this year's Windsor, NS Terry Fox Run. 

This year’s grade-twelve student leaders spent a stormy Labour Day preparing for their new prefect roles. They had the opportunity to attend various workshops and events designed to aid them in their leadership positions. Teambuilding activities, self-care education, and Covid-19 preparedness are just some of the things the prefects learned about throughout the day. This year’s prefects have generated many wonderful ideas and have already set lots of plans in motion, including the welcome games for new student boarders. The training culminated in the students receiving their prefect ties at a lovely barbeque in the Headmaster’s home.  

Wednesday, September 8 marks the first day of the 2021-22 academic year, and we are excited to welcome everyone back for another year of learning, traveling, athletics, arts, and more! To help orient students and families as to what to expect at the start of the new School year, here is an outline of our first few days: 

Tuesday, September 7 (Move-In Day)  

8:00-11:00 am – New boarding students arrive

12:00-4:00 pm – Returning Boarding students arrive

10:45 am/12:00 pm – New parent orientation sessions (day and boarding families) Fountain Performing Arts Centre

1:00 pm – New boarding student orientation (meet on the KES turf field)

1:00-3:00 pm – Headmaster’s Parent Reception* in Alexandra Hall – hosted by Joe and Belinda Seagram

7:00 pm – All returning boarding students should be on campus

7:00 pm – House Meetings for all boarding students (new and returning)

The Schulich Foundation, endowed and directed by one of Canada’s most generous and philanthropic families, has made a one million dollar gift to King’s-Edgehill School (KES) to complete its outdoor athletic facilities.

Packing Tips for our Boarding Students

At King’s-Edgehill School we are busy getting ready for the 2021-22 School Year. In fact, next week, faculty is back at it with professional development and the school is buzzing as our facility team readies the campus.  We know our students are thinking about their time at our school and getting ready for their next chapter.  

Our suggested packing list can be found at the bottom of this blog post. Beyond the basics, here are a few ideas of other things to bring along so you are set for our special events. 

Throughout the school year there are many special occasions where we celebrate together as a community, such as banquet style dinners and noise days. Students may wish to come prepared with more formal attire for such events. While the events may be adapted for COVID-19 regulations the activities will still be full of spirit and a great way to get to know your classmates.