York School News

2023/24 Year in Review - Donor Spotlight

Isaac Cheng Mintz loves spiders, snails, centipedes and bugs of all kinds. When he joined York in September 2023, he was thrilled that many of his Senior Kindergarten classmates shared his fascination with creepy crawlers. Before long, Isaac and his fellow bug enthusiasts were spending every recess searching the playground for tiny creatures they could observe and discuss. Every day after school, Isaac’s parents Cynthia Cheng Mintz and Adam Mintz were delighted to hear about their son’s scientific explorations.
Cynthia says that while Isaac is currently “in his insect phase”, he also enjoys math, books and building LEGO structures. In his first year at York, Isaac discovered some new interests too. “He wasn’t really into making art at the beginning of the year, but he loves it now,” says Cynthia.

Isaac’s natural curiosity is sparking his enthusiasm for the innovative learning experiences he’s having at York. And thanks to a generous gift from his parents, Isaac and his friends will have even more opportunities to develop new skills in STEAM subjects - science, technology, engineering, the arts and math. Through their support of York’s Junior School renovation project, Cynthia and Adam are helping to create a unique STEAM Program of Distinction at York’s Junior School. 

While STEAM learning is already integrated into every grade at the school, the Cheng Mintz family’s philanthropic support will take STEAM to the next level at our Junior School. The Cheng Mintz STEAM Lab will contain physical and digital tools such as laser cutters, 3D printers, robotics kits, circuitry, digital coding for augmented reality and artificial intelligence applications, and equipment to create videos, podcasts and animation. This new educational space will inspire curiosity, creativity and critical thinking – and offer fun ways for learners to try new things, solve problems and work together. The STEAM Lab will be located in the Junior School’s new Dining Hall & Learning Commons flex space and will be used throughout the day. 

Creating a STEAM Lab that supports arts-related learning experiences was important to Cynthia and Adam. “A lot of people talk about STEM, but not many talk about STEAM. Arts education is really important for everyone to have.There isn’t enough acknowledgement of the need to be creative,” says Cynthia.

More Great Spaces, York’s redevelopment plan for the JS, will give our students the campus they need to flourish physically, cognitively, artistically and socially-emotionally. The project will create:
  • A larger light-filled Dining Hall & Learning Commons with enough space to seat half the school at one time. With only two lunch periods (down from six), the space will be available not only for STEAM learning, but also for activities like school plays, assemblies, exhibitions, and large events with families.
  • A second gymnasium that will accommodate more programming related to physical activity and wellbeing.
  • Two classrooms for Grade 6 and a Leadership & Community Lounge. Integrating Grade 6 into the Junior School makes sense from an age-and-stage perspective and would align York’s IB Primary Years Program with PYP programs across the GTA and Canada. 
Construction on the renovation will begin in the summer of 2025 and the new facilities will be ready for use in September 2026.

Cynthia and Adam are excited that their gift will help bring the exciting vision for the redevelopment to life. “The renovation will be very academically beneficial to all the kids in the Junior School and to all the kids coming into the school. What better investment to make than in your child’s education?” says Adam.

Thanks to the enthusiasm and generosity of early supporters like Cynthia and Adam, the school has raised, in pledges and gifts, more than $4M of our $10M goal for this game-changing project. 

To learn more about the project and how your family can get involved, please visit the More Great Spaces website.

Read the 2023/24 Year in Review here. 
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