Meet Kanata Montessori's admission team at the Private School Expo: Ottawa (Sep 28). RSVP NOW
The big picture on Kanata Montessori
We summarized the school ourselves
Kanata Montessori has been around since 1974 and offers a community for students that begins at 18 months and extends to students graduating from grade twelve. The program has been designed to support learners seeking university acceptance, and to ensure they can successfully graduate from the university program of their choice. With a total student population of 500 students, the environment is small and close-knit, though very much a part of the global Montessori community. The school is highly respected for it's intentional development of student's; independence, confidence, critical thinking skills, ability to communicate and work effectively with others, and leadership skills. The ideal student is one able to thrive within an active, academically oriented learning environment.
We questioned the school adminstration
1. Who are you, as a school?
"At Kanata Montessori, we aren’t just preparing students for university; we are preparing them for life. We believe students should be engaged in their learning, and also understand the importance of a strong academic record. From Toddler to Grade 12 graduation, our students are part of a strong and supportive community, and engaged by passionate and supportive educators who provide a transformational learning experience with a focus on communication, collaboration and creativity."
Focus on personalized learning, freedom with responsibility, independence and respectful behaviour.
High academic standards delivered by a creative and supportive community of educators.
Strong sense of community celebrating all faiths, with numerous school wide peak events.
A global perspective is fostered with opportunities for international travel and programs.
Technology and STEM are woven into all subject areas with access to labs, technology and tools.
Environmental stewardship and sustainability is woven into all grade levels
Outdoor Education as core subject in G1 through G9 and credit course in G10 to G12
Art, Drama and Music are core curriculum subjects in G1 through G9 and credit course in G10 to G12
Extracurricular activities from after school programs to team sports to lunch hour intramurals.
2. What do you do differently and uniquely well?
Information not yet available.
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?
Information not yet available.
5. What type of student is a good fit for your school?
Information not yet available.
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?
Information not yet available.
8. How would you characterize your school's image amongst the public?
Information not yet available.
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?
We couldn't have asked for a better school for our daughter. She was guided to make good choices, encouraged to build on her own strengths and motivated by educators who went out of their way to support her. As a student who struggled academically, she benefited from unique opportunities that wouldn't have been available elsewhere. More than that, she became part of a caring community. Every Fall, she and the other students received a “red carpet” welcome from cheering staff members. They would start each year with an away trip to help build solid bonds between students and staff. Regular theme days helped keep school fun, and she was thrilled to be selected as caretaker to the school’s first pet (Charlie the Hamster). When high school came to a close, she and the other graduates were celebrated in creative pandemic-friendly ways.
My daughter excelled personally and education wise at Kanata Montessori. I feel the educators prepared her well for post secondary education as my daughter had great success in her first year at university. Kanata Montessori is a welcoming, inclusive and professional learning environment. The educators and administration communicated very well. They also encouraged my daughter to contribute to the school clubs and extracurricular activities which greatly contributes to positive and valuable high school experiences. In a larger public school my daughter found it hard to join groups. My daughter thought all the educators were great and so knowledgeable, especially Haley in English and Carolyn in History. I feel as a parent, private tuition paid to this school was a great investment in my daughter’s future.
We moved Emilie to The Ridge at Kanata Montessori in the middle of grade 9 after a disastrous attempt at a local public HS. She was instantly welcomed with open arms by educators and students alike, and by the end of her second day, she told us she felt that she had come home. The following September the leadership camp at the start of grade 10 cemented her relationship with her new friends and she excelled in class. When the pandemic began, the school simply didn't miss a beat and continued to teach the curriculum on a daily basis via a number of online tools. Grade 11 has been on-again, off-again at the physical school, but she ends this month with high marks, having achieved every bit of the curriculum that she would have completed in class. The educators have been fantastic at helping the kids cope with the stress of the pandemic while keeping them current in their studies. No other school can prepare our daughter for university like The Ridge at KM! She loves it there and can't wait to go back in September for grade 12. As parents, we are grateful for the educators' dedication to ensuring all the students' well-being, and their hard work to ensure they have a bright future.
Our son's experience was the best we could have hoped for. Freshly immigrated to Canada from Belgium, we expected there would be some unique challenges, requiring a tailored approach. Our son jumped right into the final months of 9th grade and made it all the way to 12th grade.
His experience at Kanata Montessori was phenomenal. He grew to be an optimistic and confident young adult, more than ready to take the next step, despite being younger than most because he skipped a year. This is in great part thanks to the environment the school provides to get the best out of every single individual, regardless of that individual's personal weaknesses or challenges.
The relationship between him and his teachers was warm and cordial yet at the same time, he was academically challenged to reach his full potential. He loved it and is now enrolled in one of Canada's most competitive engineering programs.
It had been a tough year in a large school with a cohort of students who were not motivated to make healthy choices for themselves and their peers, and so we made the decision to look at Kanata Montessori (The Ridge) as an option, to continue our daughter's journey in grade 11 instead. We remember the feeling when we walked in the door. We were warmly greeted by staff, students and the school stress relievers, the dogs. The school had a rich environment of promoting high academics with their innovative projects, community engagement, tailored extracurricular activities and supportive staff. Our daughter would come home, excited about the lessons, how the Educators were able to hone in on what her individual learning styles were, and having a sense of accomplishment in being able to manage her learning needs and find solutions with support and encouragement. The start of the school year focused on a sense of belonging for students and staff. They partook in an adventurous week of outdoor activities at a camp to help the students and staff learn to work as a team. They used each others' talents, skills and experience to benefit one another. They bonded like a family and from there, the foundation was set. Throughout the year, each student was motivated to share and celebrate the gifts of each other as individuals and as a group. Kanata Montessori allowed expression of thought and ideas, involving our daughter in contributing to some of the curriculum components. Accommodations were made to help our daughter's need for focus and a low-stress environment. Her grades improved, her self-esteem soared and the friendships she made with staff and students are sure to be lifelong.
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