School Council - February 2026

30th Anniversary in Canada 

Theme “Honouring Black Brilliance Across Generations - From Nation Builders to Tomorrow’s Visionaries”

We will be interviewing for School Ambassadors at the end of March. This is a great opportunity for any student who wants to volunteer at school events, especially for Grade 9 students in support of their Community Involvement hours. Student Council will interview candidates to make sure they will represent our school well. Events include parent teacher interviews, grade 9 day, grade 8 open house, etc.

Semester 2 is off to a great start for all of our PAE Students. 

Our ALEP students have jobs this semester in construction, HVAC installation, restaurants, grocery stores, bubble tea locations, elementary schools and as snowboard instructors. I look forward to visiting them at their placements to see them in action!

Our EOP students have started their transportation-focused placements at Richmond Hill Honda, Plaza Kia, Mazda of Richmond Hill, Barry’s Auto Service, and Universal Auto Techs. They will continue to develop their skills at their placement and earn hours towards their OYAP. 

Visual Art 

Students have created a photo exhibit called “Headquarters”; four headshots of black identifying students with quotes from black artists and community members.  These impactful posters begins the series of the visual art Diversity Equity and Inclusivity initiative.  

Dance

Save the Date!  The Specialized Dance Program is excited for their end of the year performance of  DANCE EXPRESSION which showcases their immense talents!  Our show this year includes a wide range of dance styles created by AMHS Dance faculty, guest choreographers and even pieces created by our very own incredibly talented students! Performances will include Jazz, Afrobeats, Contemporary, Tap, Ballet, Hip-Hop and Dancehall! There is something from everyone!  Dance Expressions 2026 will be held at the Vaughan City Playhouse on Monday May 11, 2026 - 1000 New Westminster Drive.  Tickets will be available through the Theatre’s Website in April.

Drama

On March 5th the Dramatic Arts Council is hosting its 2nd annual High Tea and Improvisation Evening! Come witness a hilarious night of talented acting, complimented by delicious treats and teas! All food and tea is included with your ticket to the evening.  All food will be nut free, and we will have gluten free items as well.  Please come to the AMHS Cafeteria from 6:30-8:30pm.  Please purchase tickets through School Cash Online.

Save the Dates!   The Specialized Dramatic Arts Students are so excited to present Puffs (Or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic) by Matt Cox and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (a play with musical elements)  based on the book by Roald Dahl , dramatized by Richard R. George. We will be having two showings of  Puffs (Or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic) on June 2 and June 3rd at 7pm at Theatre Aurora - 150 Henderson Drive. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (a play with musical elements) will be performed on June 4th at 7pm at Theatre Aurora - 150 Henderson Drive.  Tickets will be available in May.

Our Winter Mustang teams showed incredible competitiveness this season. Our jr and sr basketball teams performed very well, playing close games throughout the season and earning the senior boys two exciting playoff rounds. Our hockey team competed with grit and determination, even though the results didn’t fall their way this year.

Our senior girls volleyball team focused on tournament play and gained valuable experience under Coach Irving. Our junior girls volleyball team is on fire as they continue their playoff run this Thursday. They pulled off a huge upset against Holy Cross to secure a playoff spot at Bill Hogarth. We wish them the best of luck as they continue their playoff journey!

And last but not least, spring season is around the corner and we are locked in and ready with coaches for badminton, coed volleyball, ultimate frisbee, baseball, varsity girls soccer, table tennis, and track. This year, our athletic program has grown twofold to 25 teams — an incredible accomplishment.

Amazing job to our dedicated volunteer teacher-coaches for making this possible!

Furthermore, the athletic council has started purchasing equipment with the funding from our student engagement fee. We would like to thank everyone who has contributed and continues to support our school fundraisers. The funding is very helpful, and every dollar makes a difference. We would also like to thank our admin team for their ongoing support. Aline, Themi, and Helen are at our home games, are highly supportive of our programs, and play an active role in helping our athletic teams succeed.

Students in English have already begun to build their literacy skills! Many students have already started to read their Book Club novels. If you have any feedback on novel options, we always encourage you to connect with us. As well, this semester our grade 11 NBE students  will be visiting the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto (NCCT) and the Native Peoples Collection at the Spadina branch of the Toronto Public Library (TPL).

While at the NCCT, students will learn about the deep Canadian Indigenous cultural roots of Tkaronto (Toronto), Ishpadinaa (Spadina Road), and the 60+ year history of the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto. This 1.5 hour tour will explore: major landmarks and historical events, traditional ceremonies and sacred practices, key phrases from the traditional languages used in the Toronto area, and the largest collection of Canadian Indigenous artwork in the city.

At the TPL, students will access resources in the Native Peoples Collection, which is full of materials with a special emphasis on First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples in Canada. The focus of the Native Peoples Collection is on contemporary topics and issues, with some historical material as well. Students will have access to texts related to the individual research topics they have selected for their Culminating/Inquiry Portfolio, including books, magazines, newspapers, children’s materials, graphic novels and comic books, federal and provincial government publications, and an Anishinaabemowin (ᐊᓂᔑᓇᐯᒧᐎᐣ) language collection focused on language, identities, cultures and traditions shared through traditional teachings, Indigenous Knowledges, storytelling, legends, and oral traditions from Knowledge Keepers and Elders.

At the end of January, the ESL Department proudly hosted its first Film Festival as part of the culminating task for the ESLDO course. Students demonstrated their creativity and storytelling skills by writing original screenplays and bringing their ideas to life on film for our “Mysteriously Yours” festival, which featured murder mystery and horror productions.

The library was transformed into the Alex Mac Walk of Fame, where students walked the red carpet, posed for photos with the paparazzi, and celebrated their achievements in a festive awards ceremony.

Picture of the Year was awarded to The Girl No One Remembers, while the cast of The Beret Man received Oscars for their outstanding performances.  The event was a wonderful celebration of creativity, collaboration, and learning — filled with fun, pride, and plenty of laughter for all involved.

The French Department continues to emphasize academic rigor alongside creative and interdisciplinary learning.

Students are participating in IB-style writing and oral simulations to strengthen critical thinking and advanced communication skills. We are also in conversation with several departments to develop interdisciplinary learning opportunities that connect language to broader academic themes.

In Grade 10, students are beginning a narrative project in which they will interview family members and transform their stories into children’s books in French. The goal is to preserve personal histories while developing narrative writing skills and cultural awareness. These stories will become meaningful keepsakes for families.

We are proud of the depth, creativity, and leadership our students are demonstrating.

Eco Club Semester Update

Our Eco Club has been working tirelessly toward our EcoSchool certification. Last semester, members successfully organized community clean-ups, championed paper reuse, and hosted educational seminars on pressing environmental issues.

This semester, the club is preparing for The Great Gulp—a synchronized drink of water to raise awareness about access to clean water and the importance of reducing single-use plastic. We are also focusing on launching the school thrift store before March Break and planning events for Earth Hour. Special thanks to Ms. Traver’s class for their ongoing support through their innovative zero-waste meal prep projects.

Geography Department Update: Outdoor Learning Initiatives

We are pleased to announce that Geography classes will be participating in the "Getting Outside" program this semester. This initiative is designed to help students build a meaningful connection with the local land they inhabit and interact with daily.

Through structured community walks, students will develop geographical literacy by exploring the local landscape. A primary goal of these outings is to help students identify and appreciate natural spaces within the community that offer opportunities for wellness and environmental stewardship.

Please refer to our IB monthly newsletter for highlights in the IB program.

The Library Learning Commons (LLC) team is pleased to remind students that our virtual library is accessible 24/7 via the new school website. We encourage students to explore the LLC webpage to utilize our extensive digital resources for their research requirements.

We are also excited to announce the addition of Infobase, a new e-book subscription, to our digital collection. Log-in credentials can be found on the LLC Google Classroom; alternatively, printed flyers are available for pickup in the LLC.

Additionally, the LLC is proud to be hosting a Black History Month Gallery Walk from February 25–27. The exhibit will feature student-created installation pieces highlighting Black history and excellence. All grade levels will attend the gallery to engage with these works and celebrate these important contributions.

This semester, we are welcoming Mr. Adrian Lo as an LTO in our Music Department, teaching our guitar course. 

Recently, our Grade 10-12 Symphonic Band and our Grade 9 Concert Band travelled to perform at the Ontario Band Association Concert Band Festival, an annual performance festival of over 100 concert bands across Ontario. They had an opportunity to work with master educators Mr. Mark Caswell (Retired Head of Music at Markham District High School) and Dr. Dennis Llinas (Director of Bands, University of Oregon) and listen to other bands from across Ontario. Concert Band was awarded a “Silver” standard at the B200 level, and Symphonic Band was awarded a “Gold” standard at the B500 level (one of only four bands at the festival at this level!). Mr. Vuong is very proud of all their work and professionalism!

As part of our school-wide Black History Month celebrations, Ms. Bhalla’s Arts Mackenzie/Music for Creating classes are learning about music through the lens of Black artists and musicians, and at end of the month, Mr. Vuong’s Senior Instrumental Music class will present a program of wind band music by Black composers in a foyer concert for the school community.

We are looking forward to our second semester performances - Fanfare 2026 with our large repertoire ensembles on May 7th, 2026 at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts, Serenade 2026 with our Strings and Vocal ensembles on May 21st, 2026 in the AMHS Foyer, and Pops 2026 with our Symphonic Band and AM Stages on June 4th, 2026 on the AMHS Back Parking Lot. Looking forward to having you in our audience!

Black History month in Science recognizing Black Excellence in STEM

Students from the Astronomy Council are working to prepare a Black History Month Periodic Table of Canadian Black Excellence, which will be showcased at the Gallery Walk Exhibit at the end of the month 

HOSA 

HOSA students are meeting regularly and working hard to prepare for the upcoming HOSA competition. Each meeting is dedicated to one of the competition categories and determining logistics for the competition. 

Astronomy fair/Astronomy club 

The Astronomy Council at AMHS has coordinated the first ever Astronomy Fair at YRDSB. It will happen on Feb 20^th at the David Dunlap Observatory. 58 students in 12 teams, from 9 different schools have signed up for the fair. Our judging panel consists of professional Astronomers and educators from high school and Universities. 

Throughout the day, students will also have a guided tour around this historic heritage site, OntarioTech University is also running workshops for our students about Rover and Rocket Design. YRDSB Media team will be there to record our event and share it on multimedia platforms.

Science Club 

Science club has done a lot of fun experiments and hands-on activities so far! Some of those experiments are: 

• Extracting DNA from Strawberries 

• Making mechanical butterflies

• Chemical Lava Lamps

• Making fake Snow

• Egg Drop engineering challenge

New students are always welcomed! Students can drop by the Science Office for more information 

AMHS is proud to offer 4 SHSM sectors to our students: Arts & Culture, Business, Health & Wellness, and Transportation. This is a grade 11 and 12 program that allows students the opportunity to learn more about the pathway they are interested in pursuing once they graduate. All SHSM students are required to complete a 2-credit co-op in either their grade 11 or 12 school year. 

Our SHSM program has been offering many certifications throughout the year, with a number of new and exciting opportunities for our students. In February we ran our 3rd and 4th sessions on Standard First Aid and CPR-c with AED certifications, which are 2 Mandatory Certifications for all SHSM sectors; in March will be running a lash certification certification and make-up certification; in April we have a trip to Southlake Regional Health Centre for the P.A.R.T.Y program; and in May we have a full-day in school infection control certification planned.  

There are many more events in the planning stages that we are finalising details for and are looking forward to sharing with students soon. Follow up on Instagram at @amhspathways for upcoming events

The Phys. Ed. department is always bringing an element of fun to our courses, and we kicked off the week with some exciting low-organized games. Our students are looking sharp in their Mustang t-shirts and are ready for some great physical learning.

We’re also excited to introduce our two new Phys. Ed. teachers, Mrs. Irving and Mr. Carusone. Welcome to the Mustang Team!