Building community online is hard — whether you’re running a virtual classroom or a virtual business.
When my coteacher and I began this school year as remote Grade 8 teachers, we both felt something missing.
Something big.

Our remote school didn’t have assemblies.
No spirit days.
No hallway conversations.
No “school culture” moments that naturally happen in in-person buildings.

And without those rituals, our students didn’t have a shared identity either.

So we started with one question:

“How do we create a sense of belonging when our students never share the same physical space?”

That’s when the idea hit us.

🎨 Step One: A School-Wide Mascot Contest

The best communities have an identity — something students can feel proud of, something that represents them.
Schools have mascots for a reason. They’re visual symbols of unity and pride.

So we launched something our remote school had never done before:

A school-wide mascot design contest.

Every student, from every class, across the entire Ontario Remote School, was invited to:

• brainstorm
• draw
• name
• and submit their own mascot design

Then the students voted — not just on their class submissions, but across the entire school community.

For a remote environment where students rarely interact outside their own Google Meet, this was huge.

🏆 And the Winner Was… a Grade 8 Designer!

One of my Grade 8 students created a design that captured everyone’s imagination.
Creative.
Adorable.
Distinctly us.

We brought the winning design to our virtual principal, who gave full approval (and full excitement).

And that’s how our new mascot was born:

🤖 Meet Robby the Robot

A clumsy, lovable robot who loves math and represents every student who is learning, growing, stumbling, and trying again — just like Robby.

We even wrote a character bio to help bring him to life.
Because in a school where students don’t walk the same halls, a mascot needs personality, story, and heart.

From now on, our students will be known collectively as…

🧡 The Learning Bots

A playful, meaningful identity that captures exactly who they are:
curious, capable, resilient, and always learning.

🖼 Showcasing the Creativity

In the new year, we’ll be showcasing:

✨ the winning design
✨ every single student submission
✨ concept sketches
✨ creative descriptions

All displayed proudly at the board office.

A remote school… with a physical gallery.
The perfect blend of online and in-person community building.

🌐 Why a Mascot Matters in a Remote Classroom

This wasn’t just an art contest.

It was…

✔ A chance for every student to contribute to something bigger than themselves
✔ A way to build school spirit in a space without hallways or gym assemblies
✔ A shared identity that students can rally behind
✔ A message: “You belong here.”

And the impact has already been huge.

Students refer to one another as Learning Bots.
Teachers use the mascot in lessons.
We’re planning future community-building events around Robby.
And we now have a foundation to build on for the entire second half of the school year.

This contest didn’t just give us a mascot.

It gave us momentum.

🚀 Looking Ahead: Growing This Community in 2026

In the new year, we’re brainstorming even more ways to strengthen our remote community:

• themed Learning Bot challenges
• virtual assemblies
• spirit days
• collaborations across classes
• school-wide recognition events
• mascot-led announcements or newsletters
• digital badges & classroom awards featuring Robby

This is just the beginning — and we’re so excited to build a remote school identity our students can be proud of.

Because at the end of the day, whether you teach online or run a business online…

Community is what keeps people connected.
Identity is what keeps them coming back.
And shared creativity is what makes the journey fun.

Here’s to 2026 and all the learning, connection, and “Learning Bot” spirit ahead! 💛🤖