Contact
Email:
Address: 100 Princess Avenue, North York, Ontario
Phone: (416) 395-3210 Ext:20137
About us
Earl Haig Secondary School opened its
doors to the Claude Watson Arts Program in 1982. This program is
designed to serve students possessing artistic talents within a
specialized learning environment. Though a challenging dual thrust
program, our students develop their creative and academic potential to
the fullest.
Students will apply to one of the Program Focus Areas; Dance Studies, Drama Studies, Music Studies, Visual Studies.
All
students in the four program areas will be blended and scheduled into
the Integrated Arts courses in Grades 9 and 10 where they will have the
opportunity to study a variety of art forms over the course of the
semesters.
In Grades 11 and 12, all Claude Watson students will
continue in their focus arts area and will take a second “Collaborative
Arts” course where they will be creating with all other Claude Watson
students in their grade.
Our main goals
- To provide a unique program where students pursue
learning paths under the guidance of enthusiastic teachers with arts
specialty training.
- To encourage the development of skills for everyday life -communication, cooperation, sharing, and self-discipline.
- To provide educational enrichment that focuses on the
classical and contemporary arts through the study and application of
concepts, skills, theory and performance. Guest artists, professional
performances and field trips all contribute to the student’ appreciation
and dedication to learning.
- To encourage students to apply their knowledge and awareness in the pursuit of lifelong enjoyment and contribution to the Arts.
Department Heads
Tara - Artistic Director and head of Dance
Tara Lee Blight is a graduate of the Claude Watson Arts program. She
completed her B.F.A. and B.ED at York University and received her Master
in Fine Arts from the University of Arizona specialising in Dance and
Technology. As an educator and practising dance artist, Tara has
written curriculum for the Can Asian Dance Festival and has
choreographed and performed with many notable dance companies: Canadian
Contemporary Dance Theatre, Ronald Taylor Dance Company and Toronto
Dance Theatre in Canada and the United States. Tara is passionate about
diversity and equity. Her commitment to inclusion was instilled by her
parents who immigrated to Canada from Jamaica and Guyana. With her
leadership experience in education and the creative arts, she believes
in creating spaces and platforms for student voices. Her goal is to
ensure that every student is provided the highest quality education
possible in a safe and supportive learning environment.
Lizzie - Head of Drama
Lizzie Kurtz graduated from the Musical Theatre Program at Sheridan
College after which she went on to perform on stages across Canada and
internationally. Some examples of work include CATS (Germany), Grease
(Jean-Ann Ryan Productions), Forever Swing (The Winter Garden Theatre),
and Living with Henry (NYC, Off-Broadway). She also graduated from York
University's Glendon College Bilingual Drama Studies Program, Queen's
University Artist in Education Program and is a graduate of The Claude
Watson Arts Program. Lizzie has facilitated impactful partnerships for
students with The Tarragon Theatre’s Young Playwrights Program, The Shaw
Festival, Battery Dance (NYC) Global Learning Symposium, Shakespeare in
the Ruff, The UpEnd Project, Toronto Musical Concerts and Artscape.
Areas for sharing student voice have included participation in
culminating workshops with The Paprika Festival, Second City Improv, The
Toronto Fringe Festival, The Canadian Stage Company, Driftwood Theatre
and The Edinburgh Festival. “I hope to broaden the overall scope of
artistic agency by cultivating inclusion, equity and accessibility for
students’ self-expression, urban cultural expression(s), collective
creation, and voice.” Lizzie Kurtz is a member of The Canadian Actor’s
Equity Association and ACTRA.
Debbie - Head of Music
Deborah Pady is a proud graduate of Earl Haig and the Claude Watson Arts
Program. Following her secondary school studies she completed her
Bachelor of Music (Honours) at the University of Toronto and went on to
pursue her Post Graduate Certificate in Education at Cambridge
University, England. Throughout her career, Deborah has been regularly
invited to lead music education workshops at universities across Ontario
and at educators conferences. She is a founding director of the
Ontario Strings Association, and is a conductor with Mooredale Youth
Orchestras and Interprovincial Music Camp. As a violinist, Deborah has
played with several local orchestras including the Mississauga Symphony,
Orchestra Toronto and Oakville Chamber Orchestra and continues to
perform in chamber ensemble settings across the city. Deborah believes
strongly in the concept of collaborative education through the arts. By
exploring connections between art forms and other areas of study,
students’ intuition, creativity and personal voice can thrive.
Nazy - Head of Visual Arts
Nazy Sakhavarz is an Iranian born artist and art educator, practicing
both disciplines in Toronto, for the last 30 years. Since graduating
from Queen’s University with a B.F.A (major in painting), she has
combined her two passions of art making and teaching by exhibiting her
work, freelance illustrating and instructing all age groups from primary
junior to adult classes. Nazy has for decades exhibited her art in the
city’s commercial galleries, artist collectives and public art
festivals. She has exhibited at the Canadian Art Hop- Toronto, Tirgan
Festival- Harbourfront Centre, and currently houses some of her pieces
in public and private collections such as UofT- Harthouse and The
Triggs- Jackson & Triggs, private collection. She has worked as a
contributing writer for TDSB’s Arts Curriculum, illustrator for
children’s books and taught numerous workshops for arts educators at
both the elementary and secondary panel. Nazy is a proud graduate of the
Claude Watson Program at both the elementary and secondary level.
Hence, she continues to make the championing and the accessibility of
public arts education a professional priority.