• Source: Branksome Hall

Branksome Hall is an independent day and boarding school for girls in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Toronto's only all-years International Baccalaureate (IB) World School for girls. Branksome Hall is located on a 13-acre campus in the Toronto neighbourhood of Rosedale and educates more than 900 students from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12.
Branksome Hall has an athletics and wellness centre, spaces dedicated to innovation and technology, indoor rock-climbing wall and tennis courts. The school has a boarding program for Grades 7 to 12 and a study abroad program with its sister school, Branksome Hall Asia, on Jeju Island, South Korea. Financial assistance is available for new and returning students in Grades 7 to 12.
Branksome Hall is led by principal Grace McCallum.




History


Branksome Hall was founded in 1903 by Margaret Scott, was the school’s first principal. It is named for Walter Scott’s poem, "The Lay of the Last Minstrel", which references Scotland’s Branxholme Castle. The historic building was previously named Hollydene House and was the home of Canadian railway magnate Hugh Ryan.
Branksome Hall was originally located at 102 Bloor Street East. In 1910, the school relocated to 592 Sherbourne Street and Edith Read was appointed principal.
In 1912, the school purchased 10 Elm Avenue. Between 1912–1948, principal Read added five homes to the campus and built a gymnasium and pool. She introduced the Prefect and Clan systems and adopted the Hunting Stewart tartan for the school uniform. Branksome Hall students in grades JK-2 wear a tunic, and those in grades 3-12 wear a kilt - a nod to Margaret Scott's heritage.
In 1940 a small group of girls and staff from Sherborne Girls’ School in England was evacuated to Branksome Hall. The relationship between the two schools continues; every year, students from each school participate in an exchange where they stay with host families in each country, sharing school and family life.
Edith Read retired after 48 years as principal in 1958. Six principals have led the school since: Dr. Jennie MacNeill (1958–68), Miss Margaret Sime (1968–74), Miss Alison Roach (1974–93), Dr. Rachel Phillips Belash (1993–98), Karen L. Jurjevich (1998–2024) and current principal Grace McCallum.
The school became a fully-authorized IB World School in 2003, opened Branksome Hall Asia in 2012 and the athletics and wellness centre in 2015, and hosted feminist icon Gloria Steinem in 2017. In 2022, ground was broken on the school’s Innovation Centre and Studio Theatre. The school was recognized as an Apple Distinguished School in 2023.
The Road Well Kept by Heather Robertson was published in 2002 to mark Branksome’s centennial. The book provides a synopsis of the history of the school, including archival photographs.




Academics


Branksome Hall’s curriculum offers all three International Baccalaureate programs: the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP) and International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (DP).
Faculty
In 2022, Math Instructional Leader and teacher Edith Louie was recognized with the René Descartes Medal. She has taught mathematics at Branksome Hall for 25 years.
Heather Friesen, Head, Curriculum Innovation & Professional Learning, was awarded the 2022 Continuing and Professional Learning (CPL) Award of Excellence from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) of the University of Toronto.




Student Life


Branksome Hall follows the IB’s experiential learning framework of creativity, activity and service. IB Diploma students are required to complete approximately three to five hours per week of Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) during their final two years of high school.
Service learning activities for students include Reading Buddies and JUMP Math at Rose Avenue Public School, Kapapamahchakwew (Wandering Spirit School) Reading Program, engaging with students at Sunny View Public School, and volunteering at Let’s Grow Learning and Living Hub for medically complex, physically disabled adults.
Athletics
Branksome’s Athletics teams are called the Highlanders. The school is a member of the Conference of Independent Schools of Ontario Athletic Association. Fall teams include basketball, flag football, cross country running, field hockey, rowing, soccer and swimming. Winter teams include alpine skiing, badminton, ice hockey, rowing, squash, swimming and volleyball. Spring teams include golf, rowing, softball, tennis, track and field, and ultimate frisbee.
From the 2022 fall season to the 2023 spring season, Branksome athletes won 11 CISAA (Conference of Independent Schools Athletic Association) championships in cross country running, swimming, badminton, alpine skiing, softball, volleyball and tennis. In June 2023, Branksome rowers took part in the Canadian Secondary Schools Rowing Association Regatta in St. Catharines. In the finals, gold medals were awarded to Branksome’s Junior 63kg 4+, Senior LTWT 63kg 4+ and Junior LTWT 63 kg 8+.
Debate
Branksome Hall and the Munk Debates have partnered to set up Re:Solved, a worldwide public speaking and debate competition. In April 2024, a Grade 12 student became World Champion of the 2024 World Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championships, held in Canberra, Australia.




Community


Branksome Hall is administered by an 18-member Board of Governors. The current chair is Mona Malone, Chief Human Resources Officer and Head of People & Culture for BMO Financial Group. The Branksome Hall Foundation, a registered charity in Ontario since 2005, is overseen by an independent board of trustees chaired by Scot Martin, and manages the school's endowment.




Notable alumnae



Heather Elizabeth Apple, writer, artist, and educator
Mary Pat Jones Armstrong, founder of Camp Oochigeas and Ronald McDonald House Toronto
Shelby Austin, CEO, Arteria AI
Jackie Burroughs, Canadian actress who portrayed Aunt Hetty on CBC's Road to Avonlea.
Carmen Busquets, entrepreneur in fashion and luxury industries, co-founder and investor of Net-A-Porter
Joan Chalmers, arts patron and philanthropist
Grace Morris Craig, writer and artist
Frances Dafoe, world champion figure skater and Olympic silver medalist
Lindsey Deluce, news anchor of CP24
Miranda de Pencier, award-winning film producer
Stacey Farber, actress, best known for her role as Ellie Nash on the Canadian teen drama Degrassi: The Next Generation
Amy S. Foster, author and songwriter
Marjorie Gross, television writer and producer
Tricia "CK" Hoffler, attorney, CEO of The CK Hoffler Firm, civil rights and children’s rights advocate
Andrea Lenczner, co-founder and designer for Smythe
Sarah Levy, actress, best known as Twyla Sands on the Netflix TV show Schitt's Creek
Trish Magwood, host of Food Network Canada’s Party Dish
Helen McCully, food writer, critic and cookbook author
Linda McQuaig, journalist and author of works of non-fiction, including The Wealthy Banker's Wife
Mary Louise Northway, psychologist
Susan Quaggin, nephrologist
Ann Rohmer, lead anchor of CP24
Evany Rosen, actress, stand-up comic and founding member of the sketch comedy troupe Picnicface
Nancy Ruth, Ontario senator and philanthropist
Meredith Shaw, radio and television personality, model, body positivity activist, style expert, and co-host of CityTV's Breakfast Television
Frances Alice Shepherd, Canadian oncologist recognized for her research on lung cancer
Christie Smythe, co-founder and designer for Smythe
Claire Wallace, journalist and radio broadcaster for CBC from 1936–1952
Budge Wilson, award-winning Canadian author




Notable faculty and staff


Dr. Vaira Vike-Freiberga, Latvian politician who served as the sixth President of Latvia from 1999 to 2007. She is the first woman to hold the post.
Portia White, Canadian contralto, known for becoming the first Black Canadian concert singer to achieve international fame.




Affiliations


The Association of Boarding Schools
Branksome Hall Asia
Canadian Accredited Independent Schools
Coalition of Single Sex Schools of Toronto
Conference of Independent Schools
Conference of Independent Schools of Ontario Athletic Association
G30 Schools
International Baccalaureate
International Coalition of Girls' Schools
National Association of Independent Schools
Ontario Federation of School Athletics Associations




See also


Education in Toronto § Private education
Education in Ontario
List of secondary schools in Ontario




References






External links


Official website

Kata Kunci Pencarian:

• John Lewis & Partners
• Branksome Hall
• Branksome
• Branksome Hall Asia
• Sarah Levy (actress)
• The Lay of the Last Minstrel
• G30 Schools
• Ann Rohmer
• Portia White
• Upper Canada College
• Rosedale, Toronto