REVIEW OF Académie de la Capitale BY parent, Michel Anderson

(4.5) Student Experience

My son joined this school after a traumatic experience with the administration at another private school in the National Capital Region. What he appreciates most about Académie de la Capitale (Acadecap) is that the faculty and student body feel like an extension of the family. The small, intimate nature of the school means that everyone knows each other and supports one another’s success. He especially feels that his teachers genuinely care about the development of each student and tailor their approach to support the unique qualities and needs of each individual—something that was missing at his previous school, where students were expected to fit into a mold and were treated poorly if they didn’t. That said, due to the school’s smaller size, it doesn’t offer everything that public schools or larger private schools might in terms of labs and extracurricular activities. However, this is more than compensated for by the quality of teaching and the dedication of the staff. For example, multiple teachers showed up on a Saturday to support him at a regional French language competition, something that truly speaks to their commitment beyond the classroom.

(5) School Leadership

The school leadership is very strong and highly engaged. Madame Lucie regularly sends out communications regarding school updates, including certifications and refinements to the school’s philosophy. Madame Kara keeps everyone informed about the weekly happenings. If any incidents occur at school, parents are promptly informed at pickup. In cases involving personal property, communication with the parents of all parties is clear and transparent. Children are guided on what is expected of them to resolve conflicts, and parents are given the opportunity to address the issue in a way that aligns with the school’s philosophy.

(5) Teaching

This is one of the school's greatest strengths. The teachers are not only academically qualified, but they are also kind, caring individuals who genuinely invest in the growth of each student and the student body as a whole. They take a holistic approach to teaching, recognizing that every student has unique strengths and challenges. They go out of their way to address factors that may hinder academic success, such as impatience, distraction, attention to detail, or anxiety, and help students become the best versions of themselves. Students regularly participate in competitions to benchmark their progress against others regionally, provincially, nationally, and internationally. Every student is encouraged to participate, and the teachers support all of them equally. As part of the IB PYP Expo, each student is assigned a teacher mentor to help guide the development of their research topic and presentation. The entire teaching team collaborates to support students in creating their exposition projects and preparing for their presentations. At the same time, the teachers bring warmth and humanity into everything they do, encouraging students to show up authentically and express their individuality through their work. My son frequently comes home excited to share what he’s learned, the diverse methods used in the classroom, and the many teachable moments he experiences throughout the day. For example, during a volunteer day when I was helping to prepare lunch, Dr. Riel spontaneously turned the activity into a physics lesson. Overall, the school provides academic challenges that are well-matched to students’ abilities and the support necessary to help them succeed.

(5) Academics

The academic culture is supportive, personalized, and intellectually engaging. Students are regularly encouraged to take part in local, provincial, national, and even international competitions, which pushes them to measure themselves against broader standards while still receiving strong guidance and encouragement from their teachers. There is also a focus on inquiry-based learning, especially evident in the Capstone Expo, where each student is mentored through a long-term research and presentation project. This not only sharpens academic skills like research and writing but also fosters independent thinking and confidence in public speaking. A standout feature is the way learning is seamlessly integrated into day-to-day experiences. The teachers bring creativity and spontaneity to the classroom, often turning ordinary moments into meaningful lessons. This cultivates a genuine love of learning in students, which I believe is key to long-term academic and personal success. Overall, I am confident that the academic program at Acadecap is preparing my child very well for the next steps in life—academically, socially, and emotionally. The school doesn’t just focus on grades, but on cultivating thoughtful, self-aware, and motivated learners who are equipped to thrive in whatever path they choose.

(4) Extracurriculars

Acadecap offers a wide range of extracurricular activities, especially considering the size of the school. As I mentioned in another section, while public schools and larger private schools may provide a broader variety of options, the extracurriculars offered at Acadecap are of a high calibre. Students have the opportunity to participate in Model UN, science fairs, math competitions, running club, chess tournaments, and more. As noted earlier, humanity is imbued into every aspect of the school experience, and students are encouraged to express their individuality. This approach makes all learning opportunities enjoyable while motivating students to strive for excellence in everything they do.

(5) Students

The student body is small but mighty. The students are a family that supports each other. I've personally witnessed that the older students help look out for the younger students in situations like school performances, and the younger students are given the opportunity to learn with and from the older students. The entire student body seems more like a family than other schools' individual classrooms do. The other day, I arrived to pick up my son, and one of the younger students mentioned they were looking me up on the internet. The other children were giggling about this. The fact that the younger students knew who I was is a testament to the good interaction at all levels amongst the student body. The students are also all very pleasant to interact with. There doesn't appear to be factions or cliques that exclude others. I witnessed the collective playing together in the schoolyard at pickup time. The student body seems proud to be students of Acadecap and is very supportive of each other when their fellow students are invited to participate in activities outside the school.

(5) School Life

My son transferred to Acadecap from another private school in the National Capital Region. During Grade 4, prior to transferring to Acadecap, he was losing all interest in going to school, which was saddening given how much he loved learning. However, since joining Acadecap for Grades 5 and 6, his love for school has dramatically improved. Even on days when many classmates are away participating in chess tournaments, he still enjoys going to school to have an opportunity for individual instruction. My son enjoys the school, his teachers, and all of the faculty and volunteers who work together to create a positive school environment. He enjoys the active learning they do together, like nature walks and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He really enjoys working on projects with the faculty and other students and being a part of each other's success.

(5) Community

This is the first school my children have attended where I feel comfortable and interested in being involved in the life of the school. There are opportunities for parents to volunteer to organize extracurricular activities for the children and to donate their time to help children with academic success. During the Expo event, parents are invited to hear and see presentations from the students related to their selected topics. Parents are also invited to come and speak to the children about their careers to help the students plan for the future. The school offers many events for interaction with fellow parents, such as the annual corn roast and winter spectacle. The teachers are happy to speak about the school and the students at any time with the parents, and the same goes for the head of the school, Madame Lucie; she is always available to chat with the parents.

(4) School Location

In the summer of 2024, the school moved from its former location in a commercial building near Lee Valley to its present location beside the Queensway Carleton Hospital. This new location provides an opportunity for students to partake in nature walks on NCC trails. There isn’t much nearby, which helps prevent students from wandering to local businesses during the lunch period. The location is extremely convenient, situated near the start of the 416 and close to an on-ramp and off-ramp for the 417.

(5) Admissions

I encourage parents to have their children participate in the test day(s). This provides an opportunity for the children to meet potential classmates and determine if the intimate learning environment is a good fit for them. At the same time, it gives the school a chance to identify any reasons why a child might not be the right fit. As a parent, the worst situation is finding out that your child is unhappy at school and having to deal with all the repercussions that come with that. Thankfully, our experience with Acadecap has been exceptional.