News

We’re excited to invite you to our upcoming Scholastic Book Fair: Books Bring Us Together. This event is an opportunity for students of all ages to build their home libraries and further their love of reading. The fair will take place from September 24 through October 1, in our PAC (Performing Arts Center).

Canterbury's inaugural class of AP Seminar students headed up to the prehistoric Warm Mineral Springs in North Port on September 14, to wrap up their discussions around the theme of responsibility.

Congratulations to Hunter T. '23 for being selected as our Athlete of the Week for the week of September 6-12, 2021.

Canterbury's Varsity Cross Country teams continue to shatter personal records, positioning the Cougars amongst some of the top teams in the state.

Five Canterbury students have been named as semifinalists in the prestigious 2022 National Merit Scholarship Program. Congratulations to Isaiah A. ’22, Maya C. ’22, Ethan J. ’22, Brenda Z. ’22, and Daniel Z. ’22. 

As we inch closer to the 20th anniversary of 9/11, it is hard for a group of eighth-graders, who were not yet born, to grasp the magnitude of 9/11 as they read through the novel Ground Zero. English teacher Mrs. Dexter brought in her brother, retired staff sergeant Justin Altman, to give the students first-hand perspective and a greater appreciation for that day.

The Canterbury Arts Department would like to shine the spotlight on our 2021-2022 Thespian officers for our Thespian Troupe 5782.

Congratulations to all of our Middle School students elected to this year’s Student Council!

Congratulations to all of our Upper School students elected to this year’s Student Council!

The Canterbury varsity girls volleyball team is off to a 4-0 start. Head coach Charlie Castillo shares his excitement for this year's squad, plus gives us an inside look as to what to expect from the Lady Cougars for the remainder of the season.

Congratulations to our boys’ athletic teams on winning the Floyd E. Lay Sunshine Cup All-Sports Award, the top athletic team award presented by the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA), for the 2020-2021 academic school year.

At first glance, learning chemistry may not seem like a lot of fun. Some might describe it as stressful. But take a step into Christiana Deeter’s classroom and prepare to have a blast firing up the Bunsen burner to get a better understanding of how real-world phenomena work.

Co-band director Zachary Deeter is excited to add the steel drum band to the repertoire of the Canterbury music department this academic year. 

At Canterbury, our teachers are always looking for new ways for our students to experience and learn about different cultures. This year we are lucky to have a teacher from Australia join our Lower School team! Leigh Rees and his family recently relocated to Southwest Florida from Brisbane, Australia, to be closer to family. Leigh is really looking forward to teaching second grade and bringing a side of Australia to our students.

You may not recall all of the teachers you have had, but I am sure there are a few that have made a lasting impression. For students at Canterbury, Mike Hibbs is one of those teachers.

Innovative, committed, and compassionate. Those are just a few of the many words colleagues use to describe Erin Smith. This bright and enthusiastic teacher joined Canterbury School six years ago, and now she is stepping into a new leadership role. She will join the Upper School Administration as Assistant Head of Upper School in addition to continuing her phenomenal work as Dean of Faculty.

Canterbury School welcomes several new faculty and staff members for our 2021-2022 school year. Each joins our community with an outstanding background and a commitment to academic excellence. Please be on the lookout for in-depth profiles where we will showcase more details about this impressive group over the coming year.

We would like to celebrate our Fencing Club for their impressive performance during the 2020 competition season. 

We are incredibly proud of our newest class of Canterbury Alumni! During their Baccalaureate and Commencement ceremonies, several of our graduates were recognized with special awards.

On Tuesday, May 25, 2021, Canterbury School Lower School students, faculty, and staff showcased their commitment to service during a special check presentation for their 37th Annual Marathon. 

After 31 years of teaching Canterbury’s young minds, Mrs. Diane Amundson has retired.  However, Mr. Kirschner does not believe in “goodbyes”, so instead we are saying “see you soon.”

On Thursday, May 27, 2021, our Lower School honored members of the Class of 2029 during the annual Crossing the Courtyard ceremony. 

On Thursday, May 27, 2021, students from the Class of 2025, along with their parents and members of Canterbury’s faculty gathered in the Murphy Sports Center to celebrate the accomplishments of those preparing to leave the Middle School. 

On Friday, May 21, our fourth-grade students presented their entrepreneurial projects on how they want to bring the Canterbury atmosphere to life!

Congratulations to Abby S. ’21 for being selected as our Athlete of the Week for May 10 - 16, 2021!

We have a future video game developer in our midst! Freshman student Alexa G. ’24 wowed the class with her video game design as her final project for Introduction to Software Development with Mr. Rodriguez.

Did you know you can earn a black belt in the recorder? In Ms. Truesdale’s music classes, you can! From a novice to the final advanced black belt test, Ms. Truesdale trains her music students to be ‘karate masters’ of the recorder.

Canterbury School would like to congratulate all of the Upper School students recognized for their efforts in academics, athletics, the arts, and service for the 2020-2021 school year. Please enjoy the booklet below honoring our recipients. Congratulations to all!

On Monday, May 17, 2021, Canterbury’s Rho Kappa National Social Studies Honor Society inducted 21 students into its program.

The Science National Honor Society (SNHS) and Mu Alpha Theta both held induction ceremonies in Canterbury’s Performing Arts Center on Thursday, May 13, 2021.

Our fifth-grade science classes are having waves of fun! For the past month, they have studied oceans and ocean life. Throughout the week of May 17 - 21, each class had a chance to present their findings.

How do you reach a younger audience? Who better to ask than the audience you are trying to reach! This was the problem that Florida Weekly tasked a group of our Upper School students in Canterbury’s LIFT OFF Entrepreneur Program for their final project this semester.

We are proud to announce that Sophia B. ’25, Aleef C. ’25, Andrew D. ’25, Dusty D. ’25, Ellie M. ’25, and Olivia T. ’25 were selected as 2021 National Junior Honor Society Outstanding Achievement Award recipients!

The Canterbury Arts Department would like to shine a spotlight on Maddie C. ’23!

Congratulations to our girls 4 x 400-meter relay team, Jessica E. ’21, Michelle B. ’23. Giana D. ’25, and Ellie M. ’25, for being selected as our Athletes of the Week for May 3 - 9, 2021!

The light bulb is on for our seventh-grade entrepreneurs! On Wednesday, May 12, 2021, our Middle School Entrepreneurship class met again with the Edison and Ford Winter Estates to present their plans on how to help the business grow.

Canterbury’s Track and Field Team wrote the last chapter in their “Finish Together” story at the FHSAA 1A Championships in Jacksonville, Florida, on Friday, May 7, 2021. As a result of their teamwork and commitment, the team earned 11 medals!  

On May 7, 2021, Dylan L. ’30 had the opportunity to be a Librarian for a Day with Mrs. Kilfoyle!

As the World Languages Department Chair, Dr. Mary Smith is dedicated to opening her students’ eyes and immersing them in a language’s culture. In April 2021, she led her AP Spanish students on a field trip to Immokalee to learn about the lives of migrant farmers.

Our Varsity Track and Field team is headed to the State Championships! On Thursday, May 6, 2021, they began their trek up to Jacksonville to compete all day on Friday, May 7. We are immensely proud to have such a large group of athletes going this year! We wish them all the best of luck.

For the past eight weeks, ten of our student-athletes have been participating in the Desire to Lead program. Desire to lead is an online leadership program founded by Jeremy Boone a sports performance and leadership development coach for more than twenty years.

Congratulations to Giana D. ’25 and Chase T. ’22 for both being selected as our Athletes of the Week for April 26 - May 2, 2021!

The Canterbury Arts Department would like to shine the spotlight on Liam T. ’29!

It’s that time of the year again: Mrs. Summit’s annual egg drop experiment for her eighth-grade science class!

This year's SOUP officially made its debut! 

Sixteen Canterbury School seniors signed National Letters of Intent to play collegiate athletics at the school of their choice on Friday, April 30, 2021. 

Canterbury School is proud to participate in the Art in the Gardens exhibit at the Edison and Ford Winter Estates.

Our Spanish III students are merging their foreign language and technology skills! In a project called, “App Smash”, Señora Abad pushed her students’ skills as they built a presentation using Google Slides, Google Earth, and Screencastify.

Congratulations to Carson F. ’22 for being our Athlete of the Week for April 19 - 25, 2021!

The latest edition of The Lair, Canterbury’s yearbook, officially made its debut! We would like to recognize Mr. Grey and the yearbook staff for their dedication to creating such a fantastic book full of creativity and memorable moments. 

Canterbury’s Varsity Track Team had a fantastic day at the FHSAA 1A District 12 meet on Friday, April 23, 2021, at Evangelical Christian School. Several athletes will advance to the regional meet next Saturday, May 1, 2021, at the Community School of Naples.  

Arabella L. ’21 earned the top scholarship from Voices of Naples, an auditioned choral ensemble and non-profit organization dedicated to providing music education and scholarship funds. The Voices of Naples financial scholarship is given to seniors pursuing a major in Music.

Smiles and high fives were endless at the Cougar Classic Golf Tournament presented by Private Client Insurance.

During the week of March 15, the Middle School celebrated Poetry Week. All week long, students in grades 5-8 learned to write different types of poetry, participated in poetry-related discussions, and even took part in a "March Madness" poetry bracket. 

Sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese, the Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica recognizes “high achievement in Spanish or Portuguese and promotes the continuity of interest in Hispanic and Luso-Brazilian studies.”

The Canterbury Arts Department would like to shine the spotlight on Sofia D. ’25, Olivia T. ’25, Ava C. ’25, and Vanessa F. ’26!

Congratulations to several of our Lower School students for being recognized in the 2021 Florida Federal Junior Duck Stamp Contest. Their drawings were selected by judges at the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge from hundreds of entries from all over the state.

On April 16, 2021, Lucy C. ’29 had the opportunity to be a Librarian for a Day with Mrs. Kilfoyle! 

Canterbury School would like to congratulate 51 of our Upper School students on their induction into the Pinnacle Chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS).

Congratulations to Spencer D. ’22 for being our Athlete of the Week for April 12 -18, 2021!

On April 9, 2021, Dominic C. ’21 won the Outstanding Male Athlete Award at the Calvary Christian Invitational!

Congratulations to our students for an incredible performance at the 66th annual State Science and Engineering Fair (SSEF) of Florida STEM Competition, which concluded Friday, April 9, 2021, with the Grand Awards Ceremony online.
 

On April 13, 2021, the following students were inducted into the French Honor Society-Société Honoraire de Français.

Congratulations to our Odyssey of the Mind team for their performance in the 2021 Florida State Tournament! Our group of fifth-graders earned third place for their hard work and creativity!

The Canterbury Arts Department would like to shine the spotlight on Alyssa S. ’32!

Congratulations to Dominic C. ’21 for being our Athlete of the Week for April 5 -11, 2021!

Congratulations to Jessica E. ’21 for being our Athlete of the Week for March 29 - April 4, 2021!

Mrs. West’s American History class had a chance to step back in time before Spring Break! She hosted a “Progressive Era Dinner Party”, allowing her students to act out famous progressive figures in American History and give them a chance to interact over a meal.

Congratulations to Lea Z. ’21 for being our Athlete of the Week for March 22 - 28, 2021!

The Canterbury Arts Department would like to shine the spotlight on The Cast of Murder Mystery at the Murder Mystery and How The Other Half Dies.

Those who thought our Virtual Trivia Night for our Canterbury Alumni would be just like any other Thursday were seriously mistaken! What we didn't know was that a husband and wife duo, Michael and Marissa Kushner, Canterbury Class of 2005, would be competing against each other in an epic battle of Canterbury nostalgia.

Way to go, Canterbury Alumni! Apparently some of you moonlight as Olympic runners! Our alumni are fast!

Our fifth-grade art students managed to make a splash in this year’s ArtFest Fort Myers! In February 2021, they submitted a project to the We Are Overflowing recycled art exhibit. Turns out, they won Best Creative Use of Materials!

We are incredibly proud of Nicholas D. ’23, who won third place in the category of Physical Therapy. He was one of 27 of our Upper School students who enjoyed a chance to showcase their knowledge in health sciences at the HOSA (Health Occupation Students of America) State Leadership Conference.

Congratulations to our Middle School Girls Track team for winning the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Championship! Our Middle School Boys Track team took second place. The meet took place at First Baptist Academy on Thursday, March 25.

Congratulations to Jake O. ’21 for being our Athlete of the Week for March 15 - 21, 2021!

The Canterbury Arts Department would like to shine the spotlight on Joseph C. ’24!

Caroline L. ’26 enjoyed quite the busy day on Monday, March 22, 2021, as she took over for Mr. Kirschner as Head of School for the day. 

On Monday, March 22, 2021, a record-breaking fifteen Canterbury seniors were inducted into the Canterbury Chapter of the Cum Laude Society.

Canterbury School would like to congratulate our students on another amazing performance at the 2021 Thomas Alva Edison Kiwanis Regional Science and Engineering Fair and the 2021 Thomas Alva Edison Regional Inventors Fair.

Congratulations to several of our Upper School students on their outstanding performances at the 61st Annual Florida DECA Career Development Conference. The event took place virtually in early March 2021.

On Thursday, March 18, Head of School Rick Kirschner made a visit to the Lower School to speak with the fourth-grade students about an entrepreneurial project. He challenged them to tackle two problems the school faces: curb appeal and inspiration. 

Congratulations to our students who participated in this year’s Congres de la Culture Francaise en Floride! Our team competed virtually in the competition on March 12-13, 2021, against 26 other schools throughout Florida. “This third-place ranking is the highest we have ever placed,” praised Madame Bonmere. “I am beyond elated!”

The Canterbury Arts Department would like to shine the spotlight on Jessica P. ’26 and Ainsley G. ’26!

Congratulations to Charlie M. ’23 for being our Athlete of the Week for March 8 -14, 2021!

The Canterbury Arts Department would like to shine the spotlight on Sophia C. ’28!

Anyone who had had the pleasure of learning with Ms. Gilstad and Ms. Garner knows that springtime means it is time for the third grade to focus on the Iditarod. This year is no different!

Liam H. ’22 is working hard to raise awareness for the global issue of child trafficking. This inspirational junior is working with his Sanibel Scout Troop 1740 to make both bracelets and brochures to pass out and promote community understanding on the topic. 

Lee County’s annual History Fair results were announced Friday, March 5, 2021, and many of our students performed very well! This year’s fair was virtual, making it all the more difficult for the contestants.

Congratulations to Kinley G.  ’20 for being named a semifinalist in the 2021 Coca-Cola Scholars Program. 

Our spring Entrepreneurship students in seventh grade are putting their problem-solving skills to the test! On Tuesday, March 10, 2021, our Middle School Entrepreneurship class met again with Salty Sam’s Marina to present their plans on how to help their business grow.  

Congratulations to Nick H. ’21 for being our Athlete of the Week for March 1 -7, 2021!

Congratulations to Valerie P. ’21 for being our Athlete of the Week for February 22 - 28, 2021!

The Canterbury Arts Department would like to shine the spotlight on Sara M. ’21!

Congratulations to this year’s Spelling Bee winner for Canterbury School, Paul S. ’26, and runner-up, Patrick D. ’28!

Congratulations to Chase J. ’22 for being our Athlete of the Week for February 15 - 21, 2021!

Congratulations to Lara K ‘23 for being our Athlete of the Week for February 8 - 14, 2021!

Step aside, Ms. Frizzle; there is a new science teacher in town! Lucy C. ’29 was our Lower School Science teacher for the day on February 25, 2021. She had the opportunity to teach three classes alongside Mrs. Einstein. Lucy’s parents successfully bid on this great experience during our silent auction at a past Extravaganza. 

Mr. Nelson is piloting a program with our Seniors to help them learn more about money! Throughout the globe, many people struggle with their finances; this is primarily because of their knowledge gap. There is a disconnect between what they know and what they should know to succeed. With the help of a guest speaker, Mr. Christopher Pownall, the Seniors will test drive a financial literacy course that, if successful, could become a program for the entire Upper School. 

The Canterbury Arts Department would like to shine the spotlight on Jake R. ’22!

The incredible cast of Bang, Bang, You’re Dead is shining bright in the darkness! Despite tackling the heavy topic of school shootings in their show, their intricate performance manages to spark hope for the redemption of the lead character, Josh.

Have you ever seen a night sky so pretty you wanted to capture it in a bottle? In Mrs. Summit’s eighth-grade science class, you can! Every year, her astronomy unit features an in-class art project where students get to make a “nebula in a bottle”.

Canterbury School would like to recognize Jessica E. ’21 for winning the Fewster Family Scholarship Award at the 2021 ArtFest Art Under 20 Juried Art Competition. 

Canterbury’s Mock Trial team finished second place in the Lee County Mock Trial Competition on February 4 and 5, 2021!  Organizers hosted this year’s competition virtually.

Congratulations to Canterbury School’s Science Olympiad Team on winning second place at the Science Olympiad Regional Competition during the week of February 1, 2021.

Congratulations to Kali Y. ’26 for being our Athlete of the Week for February 1 - 7, 2021!

Canterbury School is proud to recognize Austin S. ’21 as a Finalist in the 2021 National Merit Scholarship Program. Austin will now be considered alongside 15,000 finalists for National Merit Scholarships. The National Merit Scholarship Program will announce the 7,500 finalists selected to receive Merit Scholarship awards beginning in April.

The Canterbury Arts Department would like to shine the spotlight on our oldest Cub Choir members who have stepped into a leadership role! The leaders from Mrs. Landfried's class are Holly T. ’29, Lucy C. ’29, Luca P. ’29, Luna D. ’29, and Riya S. ’29. The leaders from Mrs. Hall’s class are Sophia L. ’29, Noah S. ’29, Sophia R. ’29, Bella R. ’29, and Jolie C. ’29. 

On February 8, 2021, Canterbury had two young headmasters in charge for the day! Anabella B. ’28 and Siena B. ’30 served as Heads of School for the Day. It was an opportunity their parents had successfully bid on for them during our live auction at a past Extravaganza. These two sisters enjoyed a busy and exciting day around the whole campus, learning the behind the scenes actions of administrators.

Are you interested in going to Fort Myers' ArtFest this weekend downtown or online? If so, you can check out Canterbury’s submission to the We Are Overflowing recycled art exhibit. 

Canterbury’s fourth annual Cougar Tennis Open was a great success! The event took place on January 30, 2021, at Canterbury’s Tennis Courts. This year’s event was named in honor of the late Mr. Codrin Cojanu, an avid tennis player and supporter of Canterbury’s tennis program.

The Canterbury School Arts Department would like to shine the spotlight on Brenden D. ’26!

Congratulations to Alan C. ’21 for being our Athlete of the Week for January 25 - 31, 2021! 

Our first-ever Lower School Character Council has been hard at work, creating a new project for our Lower School students this month! For the first part of February, from the 1st through the 12th, students will participate in the Fill-A-Bucket challenge. 

On Monday, February 1, 2021, Canterbury School honored 39 Middle School students as they were inducted into the 2021 National Junior Honor Society.

Congratulations to our Middle School Boys Soccer team for winning the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Championship for the fourth year in a row!

Congratulations to Ashlyn P. ’21 for reaching 1,000 points in her Florida High School Athletics Association career for Varsity Girls Basketball!

Congratulations to Kaya L. ’25 for being our Athlete of the Week for January 18 - 24, 2021! 

The Canterbury Arts Department would like to shine the spotlight on Riya S. ’29!

Students from Canterbury’s Upper School community performed well in the virtual Gulf Coast Regional HOSA (Health Occupation Students of America) Competition on January 21, 2021. HOSA gives students an opportunity to study and acquire skills in more than 50 different fields related to medical science. 

This semester’s Honor Assembly was truly different than anything else the school has done. The Student Council coordinated with some of Canterbury’s young alumni to have them talk about what the honor code means to them and how it is relevant in their college life. Our students had the opportunity to watch their thoughts over a pre-made video, courtesy of the Honor Council.

The Canterbury Arts Department would like to shine the spotlight on our Upper School Athletic Broadcasters: Chase A. ’23, Jake Z. ’23, Sam L. ’23, and Zach B. ’24! 

Brooke Sweat (nee Youngquist) ’04 has made headlines again! She is the only female to be welcomed to the Inaugural Hall of Fame at Florida Gulf Coast University.

Congratulations to Steele I. ’23 for being our Athlete of the Week for January 11 - 17, 2021!

Congratulations to Chase J. ’22 for being our Athlete of the Week for January 4 - 10, 2021! 

Congratulations to Landon H. ’21 for being our Athlete of the Week for December 28, 2020 - January 3, 2021! 

Kristy Kilfoyle will serve as a member of the 2022 John Newbery Award Committee.