Boarding Mission & Culture

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Boarding Mission, Philosophy & Values

Boarding Mission

At Branksome Hall, we are deeply committed to fostering a supportive and vibrant Boarding community where young people can thrive. We focus on developing an internationally-minded environment that values agency, empathy and cooperation. We strive to help the young people in our Boarding community live their best lives, build resilience and character, and forge positive relationships that will last a lifetime.

Boarding Communal Living Philosophy

Boarding at Branksome Hall is a community whose nurturing approach creates an environment where students feel cared for and supported in their academic and co-curricular endeavours, and where they are empowered to live as their best selves.

It is a place where learning continues beyond the classroom and there are opportunities to develop leadership and teamwork skills. We embrace the cultural diversity represented by our students, who come from around the world. In Boarding, our students aim to become globally aware and community-minded learners and leaders.

Keeping the Communal Living Philosophy in the minds and hearts of Boarding community members helps everyone to work towards creating the kind of home environment that reflects our shared goals.

Our School Values

The Branksome Hall Boarding community is guided by the Branksome Hall values, which form the foundation for everything we do:

Sense of Community
Inclusiveness
Creativity
Making a Difference

We are deeply committed to being a values-driven community. Branksome Hall promotes a culture that enables students to explore their potential and try new roles through experiential learning. Our students are prepared, intellectually and emotionally, for the world that awaits them after they graduate from Branksome Hall. We encourage each student to take responsibility and advocate for their learning needs, as well as their physical and emotional well-being.

Branksome Hall promotes social-emotional learning as an important life skill for students to acquire and practice. Parents play a vital role in partnering with us to assist their young people to become capable and confident young adults and to reinforce the values of our community:

Sense of Community
As we fulfill Branksome’s mission and vision, we build a community where we value and respect each other’s needs, contributions and well-being. We create a supportive environment where we feel that we belong and are inspired to do our most meaningful and impactful work.

Inclusiveness
As an inclusive community, our worldview respects the fundamental dignity of each person. We create an inspiring, dynamic and caring environment where we champion diversity in its broadest sense.

Creativity
Creativity encourages us to be unafraid to approach new ideas and opportunities confidently, enthusiastically and passionately. Building on our strengths and authentic selves, we acknowledge and appreciate imperfection as part of the learning and creative processes. We persist through challenges and take risks, creating space for innovation and expression.

Making a Difference
As learners and leaders, we inspire each other to shape a better world and have a meaningful impact. We believe in each other and we are mindful of our words, actions, assumptions and biases. We know that at Branksome, we can contribute to making a difference and in doing so, there is mutual benefit and growth.

Building a Healthy & Respectful Boarding Culture

Each member of the Branksome Hall Boarding community plays an important role in building a healthy environment and helping each other thrive. Through our daily choices and interactions, we contribute to a positive and safe space where each community member feels seen, valued and respected. The Branksome Hall values of Creativity, Making a Difference, Inclusiveness and Sense of Community are the foundation of our Boarding community, and every day we work to make these values come to life in countless little and big ways.

The Boarding community is deeply committed to fostering an inclusive and safe space for each individual. We embrace and celebrate our differences, and create an environment where each individual can share all aspects of their identity. These include, but are not limited to, gender expression, racial, cultural and religious identities, and political ideology. The Branksome Hall Boarding community is committed to the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. As an IB World School, our approach is supported by the International Baccalaureate Organization’s commitment to cultivate practices that address racism, implicit bias and discrimination of all kinds through an inclusive IB education for our students and community (IBO Diversity, Equity and Inclusion statement, 2022). We strive to build understanding and implement recommendations from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. All members of the Boarding community will participate in educational and community-building sessions throughout the year to support a culture of inclusion. The Boarding community has a strong commitment to Restorative Justice practices, and community members engage in this framework when appropriate.

Educational opportunities to foster inclusion and intercultural understanding include, but are not limited to:

Session on respecting the privacy, boundaries and confidentiality of other community members.
Student-led celebratory events and activities that share unique aspects of culture and identity.
Sessions on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion best practices, including creating safe and inclusive spaces to explore gender expression and cross-cultural experiences in Canadian society.
Workshops on Restorative Justice practices.
Education around sustainability and responsible environmental practices.
Sessions to build understanding and respect for the history and contributions of the Indigenous peoples of Canada, and the responsibilities of all individuals living on Treaty 13 land on which Toronto is located.

Developing our citizenship skills is important to building a healthy community. A number of tools are used by all community members to help develop and demonstrate our citizenship skills. These include:

Roommate contracts
Family Group meetings
Special sessions with our Health Care Team
Community forums.

There are a number of ways we show respect for each other and the wider community. These include respecting and following schedules, clearly communicating about plans and whereabouts, being easy to contact, only ordering food during designated times, being on task during study time, accepting when it has been deemed supportive that you attend Homework Club, respecting the sleep schedules of others, being responsible about technology use and personal sleep hygiene, and submitting leave requests through REACH (our Boarding Student Life Management System) and checking in as required.

To foster a strong community, each individual will be an active participant in events, meals and house meetings. They will respect common spaces and quiet times. They will care for their personal and shared space and keep it in good order.

Additional ways we foster a strong community include:

Respecting the privacy of others by refraining from photographing or recording people who are unaware or who otherwise do not give their consent.
Respecting the boundaries of others. It is not permissible to enter someone else’s room without their permission.
Seeking support from the Boarding team and other school support people when faced with a tricky situation.
Adhering to all aspects of the school’s Code of Conduct (found on the Portal), including the Anti-Bullying and No Drugs, Cigarettes/Vaping or Alcohol policies.
When taking part in unsupervised off-campus activities, actively seeking permission from the Boarding staff and signing out properly on REACH and face-to-face with your Boarding Advisor whenever leaving your house or campus, returning in time for curfew.
When taking part in unsupervised off-campus activities, clearly explaining travel plans, proposed activity and location of the event on REACH and face-to-face with your Boarding Advisor when seeking permission. (Note: Permission for an extended curfew may only be granted by a member of the Boarding Leadership Team and only when requested in advance.)
When taking part in unsupervised off-campus activities, understanding the importance of being reachable (by phone) at all times while off campus.
Refraining from ordering outside meals, snacks and drinks from Monday to Thursday. Outside food is permitted to be ordered to campus on the weekend only. Students must attend meal times in the Athletics & Wellness Centre (AWC), but may order food on weekends.
Maintaining a tidy room, regularly doing laundry, storing personal food items in the kitchen and returning all dishes to the kitchen.

Any issues that arise that do not contribute to a safe, caring and inclusive community will be addressed on a case-by-case basis by the Boarding Leadership Team and the Boarding Advisors.

Boarding students are expected to follow the rules, schedules and routines in Boarding, and interact with the Boarding Advisors in a respectful and collaborative manner. This is imperative for the safety and well-being of the entire community.

When a Boarding student, or group of students, intentionally or unintentionally impacts the community in a negative manner, the Director of Boarding, and, when appropriate, the Deputy Principal, will develop an appropriate intervention based on the situation. This may include working with a member of the Boarding Leadership Team to co-create a plan to make amends to the community. When deemed appropriate, a Restorative Justice framework will be employed to heal fractures in relationships and maintain a safe and healthy environment for all community members. When an expectation is not met that involves an element of diversity, equity or inclusion, a member of the school-wide DEI team will be involved in the process. When an expectation is not met in the Senior & Middle School, the Boarding Leadership Team will collaborate with the appropriate Assistant Head(s) to devise a plan of action.

The Branksome Hall Code of Conduct and the Ontario Ministry of Education Safe Schools legislation both apply to the Boarding community. When matters of a serious nature occur, these documents will be used by the Director of Boarding and the Deputy Principal to determine an appropriate consequence. Parents and guardians will be contacted and further action, such as a behavioural contract, loss of leadership position, or suspension or expulsion from the school/Boarding, will be reviewed and considered.

The Boarding Curriculum is grounded in concepts of social-emotional learning (SEL). SEL enhances students’ capacity to integrate skills, attitudes and behaviours to deal effectively and ethically with daily tasks and challenges. This integrated framework promotes intrapersonal, interpersonal and cognitive competence. Boarding employs a continuum of interventions to address and promote positive behaviour towards oneself and others. When the student’s safety has been assured, opportunities to learn, grow and be more considerate of others in the future are discussed.