TDSB academies offer specialized learning experiences (with audio clip)

This is my first post for The Toronto Observer, the final module of our reporting courses. After publishing an East York-focused newspaper every two weeks, we have a semester of publishing a hyperlocal news site that focuses on Scarborough, along with two issues of a print magazine.

For my first article, I filed an audio clip and some photos, both of which you can find on the site.

Academies like the vocal music module at Heather Heights J.P.S.
are helping fill schools with declining enrollment.
Dylan C. Robertson photo

Fifteen students stand in three groups across their classroom, waiting for teacher Fiona Hopkins to count them down.

“3… 2… 1—”

One group starts singing the first lines of Barges, a traditional campfire song. The other two groups follow, creating a layered chorus.

The class consists of 11- and 12-year-olds, most of whom are wearing cartoon sweaters. But rhythm, melody and harmony are already familiar to these Grade 6 students at Heather Heights Junior Public School, near Ellesmere Road and Scarborough Golf Club Road.

See my report in The Toronto Observer.