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 Gift Card RaffleBy Mrs. Maltby
2012-04-26
CtK Dance Team recently ran a Gift Card Raffle (Lisence #M329819) as a fundraiser. The team purchased gift cards from various chain businesses totalling $660. 340 tickets were printed and sold for $10 each. The draw took place at Christ the King on April 15th and the lucky winner was Liz Cassar of Toronto. Thank you to everyone who supported the fundraising effort and Congratulations Liz. |
|  SkateboardsBy Mr. Limoges
2012-04-16
Hi CTK - our Grade 9 construction students are doing there part to be on the eco friendly transportation team by making skateboards in Mr. Limoges class. The skate board building has taken off and we hope to have a after school board building club for next September as many students have taken an interest in building and customizing the board they will be riding. Hope to see you in the near future, happy trails.
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|  CtK travels to France and Italy during March Break 2012!By Mme. Urso
2012-04-13
This March Break, 30 members of our senior grade 11 and 12 classes at CtK enrolled in second language and Hospitality and Tourism courses, travelled abroad on an 11 day European tour. This trip is offered at the school as an incentive for students to continue their studies in Modern Languages as the ultimate in experiential learning opportunities. The students explored some of the most famous and unforgettable cities in France and Italy while practicing their language skills in authenic situations. From the capital of France to the capital of Italy, students enjoyed breathtaking panoramas, authentic cuisine, the fine arts, language immersion, and many other cultural experiences abroad. The tour featured visits to historical and picturesque towns and cities including Paris, Nice, Eze, Venice, Florence and Rome all filled with old world charm and enchanting traditions. The experience proved to be not only highly educational but also quite memorable for everyone. While roaming the cobblestone streets, marvelling at ancient religious monuments and dining on authentic cuisine, our CtK group truly bonded. The students and teachers that ventured abroad will certainly never forget this trip and will share their memories with others for a long time to come. We as teachers at CtK are fortunate to have had such an amazing group of students who will surely set off to be lifelong language learners. |
|  Girls NightBy Mrs. Patterson
2012-03-02
Leaving the world of Elementary School where you are a senior grade 8 student to begin High School is often exciting and terrifying at the same time. As High School educators we recognize the importance of a smooth transition. On February 24, 2012 Christ the King invited the grade 8 female students from our family of schools to attend our inaugural Girls Night In. The grade 8 girls along with some grade 9 CtK female students (100 in total) were greeted by 12 Female Staff. Together we viewed a slideshow, ate dinner, and watched Chrystina from the girl group the Pussy Cat Dolls perform and share her message about the importance of inner beauty.Teenage girls are under a lot of pressure to measure up to the portrayal of women in the media. The expectation to look a certain way, be popular, have a boyfriend, be smart, athletic and talented is overwhelming. The theme of this night was “I AM ENOUGH”- reminding the girls that in this very moment, exactly as they are, without changing anything- they are enough. | more...
|  Letters to NorwayBy Mr. Knowlton
2012-03-02
Every teacher hopes that their students will respond to what they are learning by applying it to their life in the real world. As Catholic educators, we also hope that our students will respond to Jesus’ call to apply the Beatitudes to their life and put His words into action. I experienced one such moment this past October during a lesson I was giving on the Beatitudes. While teaching about the second Beatitude where Jesus proclaims “Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted,” we talked about examples where people are in great need of comfort in the world. Several examples and stories were shared, but it was after telling my students about the terrorist shootings in Norway this past summer on Utoya Island, Oslo, that the students wanted to respond. All of the students were shocked to learn that nearly 70 people were killed, 55 of them teenagers. They all wanted to reach out to the families and the country. After some brief discussion, we decided that our way of showing that we care was going to be expressed in writing. The whole class decided to write letters to the families that lost a child. There were only 23 students in the class and not enough to write to everyone. We also did not have access to the families directly. We decided to have each student write one generic letter to the camp where the murders happened – a letter that would speak from the heart about grief and to the difference love and compassion can make for those who have gone through something tragic. After watching some news reports of the tragedy, one student noted that the killer claimed to be a Christian on his Facebook page. Discussion ensued about whether claiming to be a Christian on your Facebook page was enough, especially when your actions tragically say otherwise. What does it mean to be a follower of Christ? All of the students agreed that following Christ must include evidence of loving action in their life. To my students the killer was far from being a true Christian. They proceeded to add comments to this effect in their letters. | more...
|  Free Hugs!By Matt Katarincic
2012-02-10
A lot of people are talking about how to resolve some of the bullying issues that happen in high school…but what is really being done about it? Schools are doing what they can, but what can the students do to try to help? After a lengthy discussion with fellow students in my grade 11 Social Science class about this very thing, we decided to step up. One of the common things that happen in school that we don’t like is when students pick on other students for things they believe are “imperfect” or that they don’t understand. The fact of the matter is that we all have something about ourselves that we insecure about or negative things that are said about us that hurt. Nobody is perfect, but when we act in ways that further God’s kingdom on Earth, we show God’s perfection in us – we become one with the human race and know that we are never alone. We decided to make t-shirts that showed (in one word) a quality or characteristic about ourselves that we did not like or that others point out to us. The goal was to walk through one day of school with the shirts on so that other students could realize that we all have insecurities and be inspired to ponder whether they would do the same – “what negative word or comment about themselves would they put on their shirt?” | more...
|  ThinkGreen!!!By Ms. Typer
2011-09-12
We are excited to renew our environmental commitment and fundraising program here at Christ the King! ThinkGreen is an environmental fundraising program offered within our school community to help educate the public on recycling while raising much-needed funds for environmental initiatives at CtK. It's a program that's good for our school, our community and the environment.
The ThinkGreen program is simple. Students, parents or community partners can collect used ink cartridges, laser cartridges, cell phones, digital cameras and laptops from the community and drop them off in the Main Office at CtK. As a result our school will earn funds for each qualifying item returned. Through partnerships with The Tree Canada Foundation, and American Forests, ThinkGreen
will sponsor the planting of one tree for every Twenty-Four rebated cartridges or cell phones collected.
We request your support in ensuring the success of this cost-free fundraising program.
Your place of employment can also support Christ the King by saving used cartridges, cell phones, digital cameras and laptops and returning them to the Main Office at CtK.
Your support of the ThinkGreen program will help support our commitments to environmental awareness and Eco-Schools initiatives and certification.
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|  GLEEfully showing our true colours!By Mr. M. Knowlton
2011-06-28
Last Wednesday, two grade 11 Social Science classes decided to do something to promote a more honest atmosphere at CtK. In high school, especially when the population gets really big, strong “cliques” can form between people. During adolescence, cliques can act as a way to hide yourself from others because of insecurities you may hold deep inside. Ironically on the television show GLEE the same topic was dealt with recently. To deal with the problem of cliques and the trouble of trying to "fit in" within the high school environment, the cast of GLEE decided to wear special T-shirts depicting a certain flaw they have. Examples were "loud mouth", "overthinker", "lazy", "not pretty enough", "ugly nose" etc. The point was to show that none of them are perfect and that in order to cope in an ever materialistic and judgmental world we need to start being more comfortable showing who we are instead of who others want us to be.
My Social Science classes decided to do the same thing. We bought white T-shirts and printed different "flaws" we personally chose on the front in black. The students spent the entire day going through their normal school schedule and walking the halls with the T-shirts on. The feedback at the end of the day was very positive. My students reported to me that many other students wanted to join in next year and wear their own shirts in an effort to help promote more inclusiveness and acceptance between the students. These values are all hallmarks of our Catholic values here at CtK. Maybe next year we might give everyone the chance to show their “True Colours” a little more. Either way, I am very proud of my classes for making the effort and succeeding with their social experiment. It is a true example of the kind of leadership and excellence students exemplify in this building on a consistent basis.
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|  Habitat for HumanityBy Ms. Patterson
2011-06-16
On Thursday June 9, 2011 and Friday June 10, 2011 fifteen grade 11 and 12 twelve students went to Toronto to work with Habitat for Humanity to build homes. Our students spent the day painting, putting up drywall, laying down flooring, unloading trucks with supplies, and changing windows. This fast paced day allowed us to work side by side with volunteers who have worked with Habitat for many years. Our students learned that Habitat assists families to afford homes that are safe to live in, those home owners also on site, contribute 500 volunteer hours as part of the program. When asked by a student "How long have you volunteered with Habitat?" one man responded; "since I was 14 when my mom got our first home, before that we lived in cars, and basement apartments. That home changed my life". As educators we work to assist students in learning, this experience allowed our students to learn about the world, other people and the difference our choices can make. Returning from the build site we travelled through Toronto on a bus, transferring twice on the subway during rush hour in work clothes covered in paint, carrying coolers and bags. Our students never complained nor did they hesitate to offer up their seat on a crowded city bus. As we walked down Young street we watched as a student stopped and opened our cooler to take out the remaining lunch items to give some homeless people on the street. Learning takes place in so many ways and it is with great pride that we share the lessons our students have illustrated. With much happiness we congratulate Jake Shappert, Corey Moniz, Victor Laur, Jake Levy, Bruce Clair, Ryan Miller, Paul Abernethy, Lauren Galloway, Brittany Perkins, Margarita Lopez, Cayley Newell, Taylor Hollywood, Sophie Lapierre, Maegen Kowal, and Rebecca Cyr for their participation in our Build with Habitat for Humanity. Many thanks to Mr. De Santis, Ms. Waters, Ms. McCloskey and Mr. Chomyshyn for making this experience so memorable. |
|  Gr. 9 Retreat ExperienceBy Jessica Allen and Sara Boyd
2011-06-10
Our retreat day began with some ice breaker games, which made us think and reflect about ourselves and others around us. We kind of thought that was what the whole day was going to be like, but it became more than that; it was a very spiritual and emotional experience. Our retreat experience really touched our hearts, helped us to open up to God and gave us a new understanding of friendship.
We were given the opportunity to walk the labyrinth, which was a most spiritual experience. A labyrinth is somewhat like a maze, but as you walk through the twists and turns you are given time to think and reflect. As we walked the labyrinth in total silence, it helped us to relax and reflect on God’s gifts in our lives. We all experienced something really special on our journey through the labyrinth. It was almost as if the Holy Spirit was really guiding us through and back out. After this amazing experience everything seemed more peaceful, and many of us felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from our shoulders. After the labyrinth, we walked through the grounds of the retreat centre and paused to rest and reflect at the outdoor chapel – a beautiful, serene, and calming place that seemed very close to God. We could all sense that this was a sacred place. It seemed as if God was radiating from the large cross reminding us that he was there with us, to help us reflect and learn about ourselves.
Our retreat experience gave us all a better understanding of friendship with God and others, and left us feeling good about ourselves and more at peace with God. Many of us have very busy lives and have a hard time slowing down and catching our breaths. This retreat experience showed us that slowing down to look around, reflect and connect with God is a great treasure to have in our very busy lives. |
|  Walk with Jesus 2011By Aleia Sheehy
2011-05-26
As my feet dragged along the rocky path, I felt myself struggle to bear the weight digging into my left shoulder. Quickly removing one hand to wipe the sweat dripping onto my cheek, I took a glimpse at the sunlight reflecting off a nearby pond. I snap back to reality as one of my classmates calls out it is time for me to pass on my cross. As I transfer the last of my strength to another classmate, I realize how lucky I really am. I have shoes; He had worn sandals. He walked uphill for what seemed like an eternity, whereas I walk a straight path for a short time. Most importantly, I had three people bearing my cross. Jesus had no one.Going into this event, I didn’t think I would get the amazing outcome that I did. It made the experience much better that there were so many people there with us, each bearing their own cross. No matter who you were, or where you came from, everyone was united as Catholics in the 5 Km walk. Even though we had two beautiful ceremonies, my favourite part of the day was being able to carry the cross on the walk. It opened my eyes and helped me to understand the struggles our Saviour went through in his last hours. I realized how truly blessed I am, that I can freely practice my faith with amazing people at my side. The Walk With Jesus matured and strengthened my faith, and I’m so grateful for the life-changing experience. |
|  History and Hospitality & Tourism students in the Windy CityBy Cassie Hendry
2011-05-26
On Wednesday, April 27th, 2011, thirty-five CtK students and four teachers set out on a ten hour bus ride with one goal in mind: arrive in the Windy City―known to the world as Chicago, U.S.A.
After a long, haggard day of travelling, the real adventure started on Thursday, with explorations of the John G. Shedd Aquarium and the Field Museum followed by a Gangster Tour and the award-winning musical Million Dollar Quartet. The next two days were a whirlwind of exciting visits to places like the Art Institute of Chicago, the Willis Tower Skydeck, a White Sox Baseball Game, Navy Pier, a ComedySportz show, and so much more. And of course, there were many hours spent careening up and down Michigan Avenue, aka the Magnificent Mile, the best shopping area in the city. On Sunday, everyone packed up and departed for home, saying goodbye to the beautiful architecture and gorgeous Lake Michigan views Chicago had to offer.
With many (almost) sleepless nights of talking and waking up early to watch the Royal Wedding, the students and teachers were better able to bond, creating new friendships while strengthening old ones in the City of Big Shoulders.
This was a trip that no one is likely to forget. From immersing ourselves in the city's fascinating history to walking the busy, boisterous streets of America's 3rd largest metropolis, this enchanting place calls back anyone who has visited. This isn't the last Chicago has seen of us!
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|  Feed Our FaithBy Ms. Cheal
2011-05-05
Christ the King's Me2We group raised over 1500 pounds of food and $340.00 in monetary donations during their "Feed Our Faith" campaign. All proceeds and non-perishable food items went to the Georgetown Bread Basket. We would like to thanks Christ the King students and staff for helping us feed less fortunate families in our community. At CtK we continue to be the change. God Bless!
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|  Dancers for Cancer - 1st Annual Dance CompetitionBy Ms. McKee
2011-05-04
On Thursday, April 28th Christ the King hosted the first Dancers for Cancer Dance Competition. Although we have hosted Dancers for Cancer events in the past, this was the first time we have used a competition format. We are very proud to say that this event raised almost $3000 for the Canadian Cancer Society! In addition to a monetary donation, we also hope that we were able to raise awareness within our school community, and to honour our friends and family whose lives have been touched by cancer. We would like to thank everyone who participated, including our student volunteers who were a great help. Also, congratulations to all of our dancers. Your commitment to this cause was evident in your amazing performances. Special congratulations go to the dancers from "Just Justin", the overall 1st place winner for the day! |
|  First ever International Awareness Concert for Dolphins and Marine BiodiversityBy Mr. M. Knowlton
2011-04-27
The first ever Sonar2Voice concert took place on April 13, 2011. Over a year in the making, this event aimed to raise awareness about marine biodiversity issues and to the plight dolphin’s face in Taiji, Japan. Keynote speaker Ric O’Barry focused on what we can do as young Canadians to protect marine life in our own country. Ric is most widely known for his work as the star of the Academy Award winning documentary The Cove. From the loss of whales in the north to harp seals out east, Ric reminded us that we can speak out and make a difference. Ric was supported by numerous student artists that gave their time and talent to the cause. And for the first time ever, our school joined with an American school in Miami – MAST Academy – to pool our voices together via Skype in one great celebration for dolphins and marine life. The House Leaders and S2V team wish to thank Ric for taking the time to come out and see us and offer his informative words of guidance and encouragement, Mary-ann Endanawas for her wisdom and the great performance her drum band did (made up of CtK students btw), Natasha Herrera with her beautiful voice and to the dance crew behind her that only made Michael Jackson’s Earthsong come more to life. Huge thanks also go out to Sarah Kuri and Shattered Illusion for opening the concert with a powerful song by Melissa Auf der Maur, and to Hearts in Stereo (and Absolute Leadership) for absolutely blowing the roof off the building with their take on Love Song and the Black Eyed Peas. This was a truly amazing event and one that will be repeated every year until we see change. In Ric’s own words, he wishes he could bottle up our optimism and energy and “ship it out to the rest of the world” – and I would definitely have to agree. Join Sonar2Voice on Facebook and get the word out. Also, check out the article on the event from Ric O’Barry: http://savejapandolphins.org/blog/post/an-international-celebration-for-the-dolphins |
|  Give-Up Your Gadgets to Give Back to the Environment!By Ms. Typer
2011-04-08
Christ the King Catholic Secondary School will be hosting a FREE electronic waste collection event as part of the Think Recycle Earth Day E-Waste Collection Event Challenge for a chance to win $1,000!
Christ the King Catholic Secondary School invites parents, community members and local businesses to safely and responsibly dispose of their unwanted electronics on April 26-29 at Christ the King Catholic Secondary School between 8:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. There will also be an “after hours” drop-off inside the school during this week. Acceptable electronics for recycling include: cell phones, print cartridges, digital cameras, iPods, computers, monitors, televisions, computer peripherals, printers, stereo equipment and more! All electronics are sent directly to Greentec’s Cambridge facility for processing. For more information about how you can safely and responsibly dispose of your unwanted electronics while helping Christ the King Catholic Secondary School to reach our fundraising goals – contact Shari Typer at typers@hcdsb.org. |
|  H.O.P.E. trip to the Dominican Republic.By Ms. O'Brien
2011-04-01
Congratulations to the students who participated in this year's H.O.P.E. trip to the Dominican Republic, it was an experience which will always be remembered. These students prepared for nearly 9 months, raising enough funds to be able to build a home for a Dominican family. Finally, on February 17th, the students travelled to the Dominican Republic and brought H.O.P.E. to the small community of Royale Mantega. Over the course of a week these students joined together with the local community to build their home, and within 7 days the foundation was dug and poured, and the walls were up. We're very proud of the incredible work that these students did. Everyone returned to CtK on February 24th and brought with them coffee from the Dominican plantation Café Samir. In preparation for next year's trips students will be selling this delicious coffee for $8/lb during Parent/Teacher interviews on Thursday, April 7th.
Pictured are: Paige Camirand, Jacob Carrillo-Hayley, Kelsey Grant, Leslie Hale, Julia Holland, Mary Karger, Nick McKnight, Holly Owens, Christian Pretto, Natacha Rueda, Patrick Ryan, Paul Zebarth, Miss Bairos, and Miss OBrien.
Applications for next year's teams will be made available to current grade 10 and grade 11 students at the beginning of April. Keep your eyes and ears open! |
|  CtK Austria 2010By Ms. File
2011-01-19
On December 11, 2010, twenty-eight very excited students from CtK gathered at Pearson International Airport to begin a twelve day journey that I am sure they will remember for all of their lives. The group, ranging in ages from fourteen to seventeen were a combination of music, dance and SHSM students. Invited last year by the Mayor and Governor of Vienna to participate in the prestigious Advent Sing Festival, the students have been rehearsing Friday mornings at 7am for the last four months.
We arrived in Munich and began our journey to Salzburg, stopping in Innsbruck to visit the site of the first Winter Olympics and get a taste of the beautiful Christmas markets that were to be discovered throughout this incredible country. While in Salzburg, we visited the major sites of the filming of The Sound of Music, ate dinner in a restaurant that dated back to 803, and in another atop a mountainous fortress that overlooked all of Salzburg. We were serenaded by string quartets, alphorns and operatic tenors and sopranos who danced with our students and teased and cajoled our chaperones! We even did an impromptu concert on the stage at the Festival Theatre, the widest stage in all of Europe and the site of the Salzburg annual Mozart Festival. Through all the cold and snow, we could see that Salzburg was the most magical place in the whole world. | more...
|  Help Us Fill the Stable!By Ms. McKee
2010-12-02
In 2008, the students and staff of Christ the King C.S.S. joined together with their friends and family to raise over $10,000 for needy children around the world. We donated many gifts of livestock, and even helped to drill a well for clean drinking water! This year, please help us to exceed this goal.
You can contribute by purchasing a specific item from the gift catalogue (such as a piglet or a fruit tree), or you can donate towards a larger item (such as food and nutrition for 100 children in Ghana). There are gift items available for many different parts of the world (including Canada), and each gift purchased is a sustainable way to help a community in need.
Students can bring money in to class, or online donations can be made at https://catalogue.worldvision.ca/gifts/event/272026. Tax receipts are available for all donations of $15 or more.
Share love. Bring joy. Give hope!
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|  Tip of the HatBy Mr. Magalas
2010-11-29
This year the students taking "Food and Hospitality" are displaying a new look!
With so much emphasis on high school students wearing hats (but of course not inside the school)! Mr. Magalas took it upon himself to ordering Chef Hats for his culinary students. "They look great" says Magalas, "and the students definitely seem to adapt a more professional persona while wearing them in class". Students have a choice of either the traditional "floppy toque" (Natacha Rueda, DJ Ricciuto, Sarah Dunlop, Sarah Magyar), or the "gangsta"( Chris Steer and Daniel Trinca). It's gratifying to see the students taking pride in what they do and it's always fun to dress the part. There is a definite trend towards more of the guys taking this class, many of whom are turning out to great chefs!
After all… we are what we eat! |
|  Tree Planting Event at Cedarvale ParkBy Ms. Micallef
2010-11-17
Along with being certified as a Gold Eco-school, Christ the King Catholic Secondary school has recently been involved in celebrating the International Year of Biodiversity. For instance, some of our student body participated in a Tree Planting Day down at Cedarvale Park on Thursday October 21st. In particular, Ms. Micallef's Grade 10 Religion class walked to Cedarvale Park where they were greeted by staff from P.O.W.E.R., a not-for-profit community-based organization which stands for Protect Our Water and Environmental Resources. Christine Upton, Project Coordinator, and Andrew McCammon, Project Assistant, directed and guided our students on the importance of ecology and being stewards of the earth, one of the key Focus on Faith themes in the Grade 10 Religion Curriculum.After a thorough demonstration, students were given gardening gloves, a shovel and at least 1 tree to plant and mulch. As their teacher, I felt extremely proud of the students' efforts as they were focused, respectful and committed to leaving a legacy by their tree planting. It was obvious through their smiles that they enjoyed this hands-on activity and were proud of their personal contribution to Cedarvale Park in Georgetown. Overall, this was a wonderful way to celebrate the International Year of Biodiversity. Thank you to Ms. Typer for organizing this opportunity for our school. Special mention also goes to Miss McKee, Ms. Henson, Mr. de Vries, Mr. Roynon and their classes for participating in this worthy event. Finally, we are grateful to the staff at P.O.W.E.R. for their expertise and support. |
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