Clubs and Societies | |
Councils: Grades 7–12 Councils are groups of students with a common interest who come together to plan special events and activities. Often they include representatives from all grades and students must apply to show their interest. The councils may be led by a Prefect, who chairs the meetings and may liaise with her counterpart at other schools in order to help organize an event. Some councils that exist each year are the Arts Council, the Social Council (responsible for coordinating COSSOT and other social events), the Sustainability Council and the Service Learning Council. Councils are formed in May of each school year and students are encouraged to go to the MyBranksome Portal for information about the application process. Some of our clubs and societies are: | |
Book Club: Grades 7–12 The Branksome Book Club meets to discuss books, poems, short stories and movies adapted from books. Anybody is welcome to join the Book Club; you do not need to be a big reader to join the conversation! | |
Branksome Business Club: Grades 9–12 Branksome Business Club members will examine the world of business and entrepreneurship through themes such as marketing, management, finance and money management. | |
Classics Club: Grades 9–12 The Classics Club meets weekly throughout the year. Activities include outings to plays, movies, museums, as well as the Classics Conference in the spring. Members are expected to attend regularly and to support special events. All students are welcome. | |
The Creative Outlet: Grades 7–12 Any student in Grades 7–12 who is looking for an opportunity to express herself artistically is welcome to join the Creative Outlet in the Senior or Middle School. Come and experience this hands-on exploration of a variety of exciting techniques, such as ceramics, printmaking, beading, foil embossing, fabric arts, glass painting, mosaics and much more. | |
Debating and Public Speaking Club: Grades 7–12 Students learn debating techniques and practise public speaking skills at training sessions held at school and at informal debates organized with other schools. Debating Society members are encouraged to enter debating and public speaking tournaments at the local, provincial and national levels. Branksome Hall is a member of the Fulford League, the debate league for independent schools. Everyone is welcome and every student is encouraged to try debating or public speaking at least once. The location for all meetings is Room 104. | |
Drama: Middle School Play, Grades 7–8 In the first term, Grade 7 and 8 students will have the opportunity to explore drama techniques and to develop performance skills in preparation for auditioning for a play or musical, which will be performed in February. Rehearsals take place after school twice a week. | |
Drama: Grade 9 to 12 Theatre Ensemble Students work as members of an ensemble to create a piece of theatre. Students may participate as actors or in other areas of production, such as technical crew members. Rehearsals are twice a week after school and the performance will be at the end of March. | |
Senior Theatre Production: Grades 9–12 The Senior Theatre Production provides interested students with the opportunity to participate in a full-scale theatre production as a member of the cast or technical crew. Lighting, costume, props, sound, stage, make-up, set painting and publicity crews are all student-run. Students involved in a theatre production must attend rehearsals and technical workshops, and be prepared to give extra time. A strong commitment is essential. Rehearsals are scheduled four days a week at 3:45 p.m. in the Dramatic Arts Studio. | |
Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA): Grades 7–12 Branksome’s Gay-Straight Alliance celebrates the understanding of sexual minorities through open meetings at which students of all orientations gather to support and discuss issues related to sexual orientation. Activities are centred on fun and friendship, with the goal of education and awareness for the general school community on issues of diversity. | |
Synthesis: Grades 7–12 A celebration of creativity, culture and design, Synthesis showcases student-designed fashion, student choreographed dance. All students in Grade 7-12 are invited to participate and share a song, dance, fashion design, skit or poetry reading. Meetings will be held regularly. | |
Innovation Club: Grades 7 & 8 Students who enjoy technology projects and are interested in computer programming are encouraged to join the Middle School Innovation Club. Club activities include participation in the international FIRST Lego League robotics competition and the inter-school Techno Cup Challenge. | |
Peer Support: Grades 10–12 Peer Support is about students helping other students. Trained in communication and counselling skills, members of Peer Support are visible in the school so that students will feel comfortable using a friend-to-friend approach in dealing with difficult situations. Peer Supporters focus on issues facing teens, visit Advisor groups and mentor new students. Through their involvement in the school with Girls’ Circles and individual students, Peer Support members enhance the vision of a caring community at Branksome Hall. | |
Public Affairs: Grades 9–12 Students in Grades 9–12 are invited to attend meetings of the Public Affairs Society, which focuses on humanitarian efforts. Lunchtime speaker sessions are open to all students. Model United Nations participation is open to the following: Southern Ontario Model United Nations (SOMA): Grades 9–12. Secondary Schools United Nations Symposium (SSUNS): Grades 10–12. The Hague International Model United Nations (THIMUN): Grades 11 and 12 with previous Model United Nations experience. | |
SLOGAN: Grades 7–12 SLOGAN staffers publish the school’s yearbook. They are responsible for copywriting, typing, layout, photography and artwork. A strong commitment is needed from these students to complete the assignments on time and to meet the external deadlines. Meetings are held once per week during lunch. Staffers are expected to work some afternoons and after school to meet production deadlines, although all students are encouraged to contribute to their school’s yearbook. | |
World Affairs Conference: Grades 10–12 The World Affairs Conference (WAC) executive is open to selected students in Grades 10–12. Grade 11 and 12 students participate as delegates to the conference. WAC is a two-day annual conference that tackles challenging issues of international concern. Planning for the student-run forum is shared by Branksome Hall and Upper Canada College students. WAC is an extended commitment from late spring of one school year to February of the following year. | |
Writers’ Guild: Grades 7–12 The Writers’ Guild writes and experiments with different styles of poetry and prose. The group listens to others’ writing and helps shape works-in-progress. Emphasis is placed on exposure to a diverse range of writing, from both students and established writers. The main focus is producing Perennial, the annual school literary and art magazine. All students are welcome to participate. | |