PrincipalED: Conversations with Grace McCallum

What does it take to shape decades of young minds, redefine a math curriculum and still have enough energy for a Friday dance party with students? In the unforgettable Season 2 finale of PrincipalED , host Grace McCallum sits down with the veteran math educator Edith Louie for a deeply personal, full-circle conversation. Edith looks back on her remarkable 28-year journey as a teacher, Instructiona...

As we kick off Reunion Week , we’re delighted to bring you a special conversation with two trailblazers from the Class of 2011: Bertilia Trieu and Jie Ying Wu . Fifteen years ago, they were classmates in Higher Level Math and leaders in the Branksome community. Today, they are both pioneers in the medical field—but neither took the traditional path of a clinician. Instead, they are driving healthc...

What does it feel like to walk through the gates of Branksome Hall for the first time? For Hayden (Grade 6) and Maia (Grade 4), the transition from "the tour" to the classroom has been a whirlwind of new friendships, trying out co-curricular opportunities and learning how to put themselves out there. In this episode of PrincipalED , Grace sits down with two of our newest Junior School st...

What does it take to stay three moves ahead when the world is watching? In the state-of-the-art setting of Branksome Hall’s Athletics and Wellness Centre, Grace sits down with NHL Hall of Famer and Branksome parent Eric Lindros. While known for his physical dominance on the ice, Eric speaks to the value of the "soft skills" that are often the hardest to master: handling public criticism,...

In this episode, Grace sits down with members of Branksome Hall's Arts faculty to explore why the ‘A’ in STEAM is the essential ingredient for true innovation. Recorded in the Senior & Middle School Theatre Lab, this conversation explores how the artistic process helps students develop the key qualities of empathy, resilience, collaboration and risk-taking. Angela David, Arts Instructiona...

Join Grace as she welcomes the school's dynamic Innovation team for an engaging conversation about the future of learning. Meet Megan, the Director of Curriculum Innovation, Isabella and Coulter, the Innovation and Technology Coordinators for the Junior and Senior & Middle Schools, and Tibor, the school’s new Metal and Woodworking Shop Coordinator. What happens when world-class performing...

Join us for an inspiring intergenerational discussion with two extraordinary Branksome Hall Head Prefects. Current Head Prefect Emmi Murphy Ives meets up with former Head Girl, acclaimed attorney and media legal analyst CK PURKS Hoffler’80, as they share what it means to be part of this legacy of leadership. In this episode, we're debunking everything you think you know about girls’ schools....

Get ready for an engaging and intimate look at life within Branksome Hall's Boarding community! In this special PrincipalED episode, Grace sits down with Kaitlyn, Arham, Angel, Titoluwa and Yuning, five of our Branksome boarders, who offer a genuine glimpse into their world. Hear their first impressions of boarding life and how their perspectives have evolved, the sisterhood that makes Branks...

Welcome back to PrincipalED ! We’re launching Season 2 with a powerful live episode, recorded at the University of Toronto’s stunning new Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus—and the second event in Branksome Hall’s Innovation in Action series. In this episode, we explore how education must evolve to meet the demands of a rapidly changing world—and how Branksome Hall is boldly leading that change th...

In the final episode of Season 1 of PrincipalED , Grace McCallum welcomes Hayley AvRUSKIN’87— Branksome Hall alum, long-serving School Counsellor, dedicated coach and co-founder of Let’s Grow Learning and Living Hub for adults with complex disabilities. After graduating as Head Girl of the Class of ’87, earning a Master’s of Education in the UK and returning to Branksome as an educator, Hayley has...

Grace McCallum sits down with Mujib Ahmadiy, Senior & Middle School Science teacher, as he reflects on his extraordinary journey—from his childhood in Afghanistan to his meaningful years in the classroom, including his time in Nunavut and his two years teaching at Branksome Hall. Mujib shares what it was like growing up in a household where education was deeply valued, shaped by his mother’s l...

In episode five of the PrincipalED Podcast , host Grace McCallum sits down with Dr. Kaajal Abrol, a double board-certified Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Specialist, TEDx speaker and passionate advocate for fertility education. A leader in her field, Dr. Abrol integrates scientific advancements with a deeply compassionate approach, expertly helping individuals and couples realize their...

Principal Grace McCallum is joined by the inspirational Lori-Ann Muenzer, a two-time Olympian, Canada’s first Olympic gold medalist in cycling and a proud inductee into three Halls of Fame.  Lori-Ann’s path to greatness was anything but traditional. At age 38, while working full-time as a legal secretary, Lori-Ann took on the world’s best in elite cycling—often racing against competitors half her...

Grace McCallum sits down with Owen Williams, Branksome Hall English Instructional Leader and teacher and debate coach, to discuss his storytelling teaching style and the influence of creative family members. Owen reflects on the educators who shaped him, the importance of being authentic and how raising young children has led him to discover more about himself. He also shares his admiration for th...

Grace McCallum is joined by Branksome Hockey coach Jenna Kelly and three talented Grade 12 hockey players—Tara, Mackenzie and Jessie—at Toronto’s historic Mattamy Athletic Centre, just minutes before the puck drops at the school’s much-anticipated annual Hockey Day. They unveil Branksome’s dynamic new Highlanders athletics logo and share their unique insights on what it’s like to play for Branksom...

What better way to launch a podcast than by sitting down for a frank conversation with everyone’s favourite podcaster, Dr. Lisa Damour? The psychologist, bestselling author, educator and self-confessed TV binge-watcher has more than three decades of research, clinical practice and consulting experience on everything from the psychology of parenting to the 2024 Disney-Pixar film Inside Out 2 , maki...