REVIEW OF Academie Providence BY parent, Melanie Gallant

(5) Student Experience

My daughter Elise has been attending Académie Providence since the age of 18 months, and she is now in 2nd grade. Over this time, she has blossomed personally and academically. All of her teachers have been exceptional, going above and beyond the call of duty to provide not only a well-rounded academic experience, but also learning how to navigate the complex world we live in with curiosity, optimism and important values like kindness, empathy, helping others, caring for the environment, etc. Academically, the Académie excels at languages (French, English, Arabic, and others) - especially writing and reading, where I have often noticed Elize being much more advanced than peers attending other schools. We have loved seeing the different methods used in teaching, many of them extremely innovative and creative. The school is also a tight-knit community, and other parents are exceptionally supportive of one another. Elize has made many friends and feels they are her extended family. The school offers many opportunities for extracurricular activities, outings, and special events, including learning about the world through books, taking care of school pets, a spelling contest, holiday concerts, and more. Overall, my daughter would not want to even consider changing schools. She is very happy.

(4.5) School Leadership

The school administration sets an example for students. They truly believe in the potential of each child and treat the students as a large family. Respect is of high importance, between students, with the administration and with parents. This year, they have put in place a system of ongoing recognition to encourage students to be kind, brave, thoughtful, curious, caring, and environmentally etc. Also, each year the administration goes beyond the walls of the school through different activities that open onto the world. For example, last year, each class was assigned a different country and all through the year explored that country through different activities, including visits to embassies or by ambassadors. The times we brought up issues to the administration, they were dealt with satisfactorily and promptly. And when I have requested any administrative support (for reimbursement of tuition, for payments, etc.), my requests were dealt with very quickly. Parents, at times, do step in to fill information needs, but I have seen communication improve significantly over the years, and feedback on this is welcome and actioned.

(4.5) Teaching

Overall, the teaching and teachers have been exceptional. Passionate, knowledgeable, creative, innovative, while also being rigorous and providing structure and discipline. In particular, I appreciate (and am frankly impressed) at how subject matter is taught with a hands-on approach, and students are given the chance to learn by doing. For example, to learn natural science, they planted seeds, took care of the plants while they grew, did composting in class, they have taken care of class pets, etc. The spelling contest - though a lot of work - is a key activity where students learn responsibility and how to present themselves in public, etc. The attention to detail of the teachers is excellent, and in my opinion each student receives particular attention and feedback, as well as encouragement. Class sizes are small, and feel like little families. With the smaller kids, the teachers are affectionate and supportive. The Arabic classes - a wonderful feature of this school, and encouraged for all students - are sometimes a bit more difficult, and might benefit from a few small adjustments, especially for students with non-Arabic speaking parents at home.

(4.5) Academics

The Académie follows the curriculum of the Agency for French Education Abroad, a national public agency under the administration of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France that assures the quality of schools teaching the French national curriculum outside France. Core topics such as reading, writing, math, science, and humanities are rigorous and of the highest quality. I have often observed that what Elize is learning (in particular reading/writing) is more advanced than peers in other schools. These core elements might be seen as more "traditional" compared to other schools/methods - for example much attention is still given to properly writing cursive, something that other schools have left behind - in fact the school very much follows an investigative and experimental approach, focused on strengthening critical thinking skills, increasing problem-solving abilities, developing inventiveness and innovation, and promoting a sustainable development approach to the world around us.

(3.5) Extracurriculars

The school offers many opportunities for diverse (paid) extracurricular activities, and my daughter participates in many. This ranges from ballet to music to robotics to traditional Lebanese dancing, karate, art, and much more. I appreciate that the school supports this, and overall, the topics offered and quality of instruction in extra-curricular offerings have been good. In a few cases, I have wondered if perhaps doing the same outside of school would be more advanced. However, much also depends on the discipline of a student in practicing at home as well. I appreciate that there is a concert for kids doing extracurricular activities every year. It is very nice.

(5) Students

The school is relatively small but has grown since receiving the AEFE accreditation. It includes daycare to 8th-grade classes. Classes are kept quite small to ensure proper one-on-one attention to each student. The school's core values and principles greatly encourage and ensure mutual respect between students, including ensuring older students help and mentor younger students. I feel this particularly stands out from Académie Providence. It never ceases to amaze me how polite and friendly students are with each other, parents, and teachers. As the school is run by an order of Maronite nuns, many families are of Lebanese heritage/Christian, though the student body is also diverse. Pluralism is greatly showcased and valued. Many parents throw birthday parties and invite all the kids from the class—there is truly a positive and friendly vibe among them.

(5) School Life

My daughter Elise has been attending Académie Providence since the age of 18 months, and she is now in 2nd grade. Over this time, she has blossomed personally and academically. And she loves going to school! As previously mentioned, all of her teachers have been exceptional, going above and beyond the call of duty to provide not only a well-rounded academic experience, but also learning how to navigate the complex world we live in with curiosity, optimism and important values like kindness, empathy, helping others, caring for the environment, etc. One thing for parents to know is that it is a small school that feels like a family. Other parents are exceptionally supportive of one another. Elize has made many friends and feels they are her extended family. The school offers many opportunities for extracurricular activities, outings, and special events, including learning about the world through books, taking care of school pets, a spelling contest, holiday concerts, and more. Overall, my daughter would not want even to consider changing schools. She is very happy.

(5) Community

This aspect of the school has been amazing! Parents have much solidarity, communication, and support between themselves. Every year, we have had a WhatsApp group between parents to discuss homework, events, and answer any questions between ourselves. Parents are greatly encouraged to be part of the life of the school through volunteering and different events and invitations. For example, parents can volunteer to read a story to their child's class (which I have done, and loved!). Also, parents are often invited to visit the school for special events and presentations. There is a very strong and active parents' social committee (which I have previously been a member of). Multiple school community events are organized every year, including a January ball and an end-of-year family BBQ.

(4) School Location

The school is in the Vanier neighbourhood, which is residential and mostly quiet, but quite central in terms of access for people living within Ottawa. Many families live around the school in Overbrook, though Vanier itself is a very mixed neighbourhood - safe, but that includes some sections near the school of socially assisted housing. This does have an impact on the school, however. Students stay mostly within the grounds of the school, with plenty of opportunities to play outside/at the gym. Religious events are held at the Church next door. For special field outings, a bus is rented. However, the school does not offer bus transportation. The school is modern, new and expanding. Has a very homey feel to it and is impeccably clean. The parking situation can get a bit tricky at drop-off and pick-up.

(5) Admissions

The admissions process is overall painless and easy, and there are open-door days throughout the year. Many families at the school are large, with 3 or 4 children attending the school. With limited enrolment and priority given to families with children already at the school, this might mean ensuring applications for admissions are made early to avoid being told there is no more room (though I did not experience this myself). Payment is structured, and regular payments must be made to avoid late penalties. If tuition is not paid in full, the end-of-year report card is not given. I understand these regulations came into force after cases of non-payment, etc. This has not been a problem for us, but I'm mentioning it in case it's useful info for others.