Madison Leighton
Grade 7/8 Teacher
Welcome families to Grade 7/8! I'm Ms. Madison Leighton, one of your new classroom teachers. I have recently graduated from Nipissing University. I want all students to feel welcome and supported in my classroom. I am excited to meet everyone and start off a great school year.
Ankush Thakur
Grade 7/8 Teacher
Welcome families to Grade 7/8! You already know me... so there's no escaping me now! I'm Ankush Thakur, and I'm excited to be teaching some familiar faces again this year. I've taught in both India and Canada, and I've completed extra qualifications at Queen's University. I enjoy sports and having fun in the classroom - as long as we get our work done first.
Welcome to Our Classroom
Welcome families! We are your teaching team for the 2026-2027 school year. We are excited to meet everyone and start a year full of learning and growing.
What Your Students Will Be Learning This Year
Throughout the term, students will be encouraged to build independence, communicate their thinking, use different strategies, and connect their learning to their everyday lives and experiences.
Culture and Land-Based Learning
As a class, we will explore cultural-based learning throughout the year through Native Language classes, land-based learning opportunities, and guidance from our cultural teachers, Orville and Dave. Students will be encouraged to incorporate cultural practices, knowledge, and ways of learning into different areas of their education. These experiences will provide opportunities for students to learn from the land, connect their classroom learning to their community, and develop a deeper understanding of the knowledge and traditions shared with them.
Literacy
This year in Literacy, students will work on building their reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. At the beginning of the year, we will focus on sentence building, grammar, reading comprehension, making predictions, finding main ideas, and answering questions about texts. As the year continues, students will explore poetry, storytelling, research, media, and different cultural perspectives. They will create stories, poems, projects, and presentations.
Mathematics
In Math, students will begin by practising foundational skills in addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. They will learn how to use different strategies, explain their thinking, and solve problems connected to real life. Throughout the year, students will also learn about money and budgeting, patterns, fractions, data, measurement, geometry, and other math concepts.
Science, Geography & Physical Education
With Mr. Ankush Thakur
Throughout the year, students will explore Science, Geography, and Physical Education through engaging and meaningful learning experiences. In Science, we will investigate the world around us through hands-on activities, experiments, and problem-solving challenges. In Geography, students will explore people, places, environments, and connections between communities and the wider world. In Physical Education, we will build physical skills, teamwork, sportsmanship, and confidence through a variety of games and activities. My goal is to create opportunities for students to stay curious, be active, try new things, and feel proud of their progress throughout the year.