The big picture on Bishop Hamilton Montessori School
We summarized the school ourselves
Every school is unique, and BHMS is a particularly good example of that. It’s a Montessori program, and a faith-based school, though in both of those areas it charts its own unique approach. The school rightly prizes the relationship it has with the families that enroll, bringing them into the life of the school. Parents are drawn by the values that inform the delivery of the curriculum, as well as a focus on empathy and an appreciation of diversity within the school and beyond. While a smaller school, BHMS nevertheless offers a good breadth of extracurricular activities, which is also a principal draw.
We questioned the school adminstration
1. Who are you, as a school?
"Bishop Hamilton Montessori School, a not-for-profit school, provides a Christian Montessori approach since 1983 with programs for children 3 months to 14 years. Our success is built around our commitment to the academic, spiritual, physical and social growth of each student, which is the foundation of our educational approach. The breadth of our programs include enriched French, Science and Music. BHMS develops students with 21st century skills, to live in the real world."
A Christian Montessori education committed to the academic, spiritual, physical and social growth
Means: The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd® method & the Authentic Montessori Approach
CCMA Accredited
2. What do you do differently and uniquely well?
"Montessori is child-centred form of education that helps students cultivate a love for learning. The Montessori Method was developed by Dr. Maria Montessori in the early 1900s....(more)
"Montessori is child-centred form of education that helps students cultivate a love for learning. The Montessori Method was developed by Dr. Maria Montessori in the early 1900s. She believed children learn better when they get to choose what to learn. Here at Bishop Hamilton Montessori School, her philosophy is alive and well.
Bishop Hamilton Montessori School is a CCMA accredited, not-for-profit independent school. We are an authentic Montessori school offering a Christian component . Since 1983, we have provided a high-quality education to generations of children in the Ottawa area."
3. What tradeoffs has your school made to serve families in this way?
Information not yet available.
4. What key junctures in your school's history have most shaped its present?
"In January 1983 Bishop Hamilton School opens a not for profit Christian school with 6 Casa students. The school is named after the first Anglican bishop of Ottawa, the Right...(more)
"In January 1983 Bishop Hamilton School opens a not for profit Christian school with 6 Casa students. The school is named after the first Anglican bishop of Ottawa, the Right Reverend Charles Hamilton. In 1997 BHS celebrates 15 years, with over 230 students, toddler to grade 8.
In 2005 founder and Principal, Elaine Hopkins retires & Alison Goss is the School Director. In 2008 BHMS celebrates 25 years and the school became Bishop Hamilton Montessori School. In 2010 Renette Sasouni becomes the School Director. In 2015 BHMS opens an Infant program. In 2023, BHMS celebrates 40 years!"
5. What type of student is a good fit for your school?
"Bishop Hamilton Montessori School prepares students to live in the real world. Our students become leaders, lifelong learners, and independent thinkers who have a social conscious...(more)
"Bishop Hamilton Montessori School prepares students to live in the real world. Our students become leaders, lifelong learners, and independent thinkers who have a social conscious and a secure relationship with God. These qualities are possible due to our strong partnership with parents. Families who get the most out of their time in our school are families who share the same values."
6. Under what conditions would you advise a family against choosing your school?
Information not yet available.
7. To your knowledge, why do families choose your school over others?
"A high percentage of our new families come to us through word of mouth! We appeal to parents who know they want Montessori and want a Christian presence for their children."
"A high percentage of our new families come to us through word of mouth! We appeal to parents who know they want Montessori and want a Christian presence for their children."
8. How would you characterize your school's image amongst the public?
"New families come to us through word of mouth! We are known for our strong Montessori, Christian programming."
"New families come to us through word of mouth! We are known for our strong Montessori, Christian programming."
9. What aspect of your school is underappreciated?
Information not yet available.
10. What might families find surprising about your school?
Information not yet available.
11. What improvements or changes has your school made recently?
Information not yet available.
12. How will your school change in the next 5 years?
Watch our parent interview with Joanne Seymour-Morrison to get the inside scoop on what it’s like to have a child attend Bishop Hamilton Montessori School.
My kids love the classes where their interests were discovered, encouraged and they can learn on their own pace. They love the camping and bike trips, the musical and the concerts. These activities have built up the kids well. The children also loved the school as it is a Christian school and the love and Grace are experienced in classes and in the daily school life. They also enjoyed very much the intellectual challenge as the material covered in many major subjects, like in math, French and science are more advanced and deeper than other schools in general. They have built up confidence through the hard work and training. When they graduated from the Junior high and went to highschool, they were very well prepared and were very advanced in the class.
Our daughter loves BHMS. She is challenged and engaged by the lessons and the activities, and interested in numerous aspects of school life. The experiential nature of the teaching approach is a huge asset for her. When your child looks forward to going to school because it's FUN, you know the school is doing a great job.
What stands out most from my time at BHMS was how freely I was able to follow my own interests and passions - while there was certainly a well-rounded curricular structure, we also had room to explore the things that interested us and spend more time on them. To this day, I still have fond memories of the hands-on learning that I experienced at BHMS, driven by curiosity and the desire for discovery.
My favourite part was the unique learning experience I was immersed in. The small class sizes allowed more one-on-one time with the teachers, and the environment sparked creativity and learning. I felt more than prepared when I entered high school, as much of the curriculum I was taught in grades 7 and 8 included some of the high school material. A prospective student should expect a very different classroom environment that allows children to be independent and collaborative.
When I think back to my time at Bishop Hamilton Montessori School I have nothing but incredible memories. The quality of education paired with the supportive learning environment provided me full academic preparation for high school. As a student entering the International Baccalaureate program in high school, I was very confident in my mathematics, languages, sciences and arts. This made my transition very smooth and enjoyable.
Apart from the academics, what stood out to me and made a lasting impression, was the emphasis that the school placed on developing leadership, social responsibility and instilling an endearing love for learning. This was not merely a preparation for future endeavors, but was imperative in shaping me to be the person I am today. It is during those years of life that a student needs guidance in those aspects of life and I felt that the directors and specialists just immersed themselves into providing that and more.
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