THE OUR KIDS REPORT:
La Citadelle International Academy of Arts & Science

REPORT CONTENTS

School Overview

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Analysis

School Leadership

What is the leadership style at La Citadelle International Academy of Arts & Science? How do the school leaders shape the culture, priorities, and daily life of the community? How does this leadership style compare to that of other private and independent schools, and how might it influence your choice of school?

Page Contents

Facts and analysis
- Message from the school leadership
- Our interview with the school leader
Qualitative insights

Facts and analysis

MESSAGE FROM THE LEADERSHIP

We asked Alfred Abouchar, Headmaster at La Citadelle International Academy of Arts & Science for their message.

They offered insights into their vision, values, and the principles that define their leadership style.

Alfred Abouchar, Headmaster
B. Sc., B. Ed., M. Sc., M. Ed

Alfred Abouchar is the Headmaster and founder of La Citadelle International Academy of Arts & Science. With a rich and diverse educational background spanning 40 years in both Canada and internationally, Mr. Abouchar has created this unique educational institution to instill in children a profound value for education while offering them a curricular program of study that leads students to the highest standard of academic achievement. For the past 17 years, La Citadelle International Academy of Arts & Science has been the living testimony of his vision that All children can succeed!

Fluent in both English and French, Mr. Abouchar holds an Honours B.Sc. in Physics and Chemistry from the American University in Cairo, a B.Ed. from Althouse College of Education of the University of Western Ontario, a M.Sc. in Physics from the University of Western Ontario and a M.Ed. from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto.

Beginning his extensive career in education by teaching Physics and sciences at the secondary level, Mr. Abouchar was recruited by the Ministry of Education as Education Officer, Provincial Consultant in Mathematics and Sciences and Secretary General of the Council for Franco-Ontarian Education. He has among his various academic contributions also occupied the positions of Principal Investigator & Coordinator of the Ontario Assessment Instrument Pool in Chemistry and Physics, Professor at the Faculty of Education of the University of Ottawa and Superintendent of Curriculum, Research and Continuing Education with the Ottawa-Carleton French Language School Board. Mr. Abouchar has also lead the Ontario delegation at the joint Canada-France Educational Workforce in Chad, founded the Multicultural Francophone Association of Ontario, and served for 9 years on the Ontario Advisory Council on Multiculturalism and Citizenship.

Mr. Abouchar has furthermore participated in the provincial overhauling of the Ontario Science Curriculum, written Physics and sciences textbooks, developed innovative educational software and related films, and lectured extensively on a variety of topics in Education.

A passionate musician and composer, Mr. Abouchar has successfully merged his musical talent with his expertise in computer technology and pedagogy to create a unique Computer Music Program of study which is offered exclusively to all elementary and secondary school students at La Citadelle. The annually produced albums of their collective compositions are but tokens of the authentication of the development of their creativity and their power of learning and achieving at La Citadelle.

“Since 'seeing is believing ', I gracefully extend an invitation to all parents of school children to visit La Citadelle and experience first-hand its harmonious and scholarly perspectives and to join us on our fascinating endeavor of distinctly shaping the lives of our children and leading them to success,” - Mr. Abouchar.

INTERVIEW WITH THE LEADERSHIP

Watch our interview with Alfred Abouchar, Headmaster at La Citadelle International Academy of Arts & Science

They reflect on their path to educational leadership, the school's mission, and the vision guiding their everyday decisions.

Alfred Abouchar, the founding Headmaster of La Citadelle, shares his vision for La Citadelle, rooted in the ideals of a rigorous and balanced education, attention to both the arts and the sciences, bilingualism, and the acquisition of a third language. Mr. Abouchar emphasises the importance of community-centred development of character, and instilling values as part of the La Citadelle educational mission. He underscores the importance of partnering with parents in achieving a successful education for children.

Video Contents

0:44 - What are three things you love about your job?
1:26 - What were you excited to do at the school when you first joined?
2:14 - What does a typical day look like for you?
Show Full Video Contents
2:53 - What journey does a student at your school go through?
3:51 - What does the staff turnover look like?
4:21 - What’s an example of someone who lives the values of the school?
4:49 - What’s the relationship between alumni and current students?
5:50 - What kind of student is drawn to your school?
6:10 - Is there a student that wouldn’t excel at your school?
6:57 - What is the culture like at your school?
7:25 - What’s the relationship like between parents, school teachers, and administration?
8:05 - How would your school address an inter-student conflict?
8:37 - If your school were a person, what personality traits would it have?
8:57 - What’s the relationship like between the school and the surrounding city/town?
9:43 - What’s your advice for a parent in their school search?

Qualitative insights

These insights are based on conversations with parents, alumni, and school leadership. Handpicked and curated by our editor, they offer a close look at how the school is experienced and perceived by those who know it best.

They provide welcoming and respectful atmosphere.

Observations from families and students indicate that La Citadelle fosters a welcoming and respectful atmosphere, setting it apart from other schools.

My wife and I came for a tour during a school day, and were welcomed by the headmaster, Alfred. We were amazed to see the kids being so calm and respectful. They greeted us as they walked by. It was a noticeable difference from what we were used to in the public system, and it was hard to ignore. We decided to enrol our child here in Pre-K and haven't looked back since. I initially learned about La Citadelle from one of my colleagues. His daughter had gone to the school and it had done wonders for her.

—Mike Drolet, parent (see full interview)

Our experience with the teachers and administration has been exceptional. They are approachable, ready to answer questions, and they keep us informed of our daughter's academic progress through regular parent-teacher conferences. The headmaster, Alfred, has genuine affection for the students and wants to provide an education that respects their potential. This positive atmosphere runs through the administration, who have been supportive throughout our journey here.

—Mike Drolet, parent (see full interview)

I felt that I could very comfortably leave my children here at the school, and know they would be well taken care of. The teachers here were, I thought, amazing. They were very approachable.

—Janice Ilkay, parent (see full interview)

I have been, over the years, promoting multiculturalism and equal access to education. What I wanted to do, at La Citadelle, is to create such an environment where students from all backgrounds and cultures can feel at home, can thrive, and succeed in such an environment.

—Alfred Abouchar, Headmaster (see full interview)

The educational philosophy of La Citadelle is the foundation for creating a harmonious and safe learning environment, and we are very proud to have succeeded in accomplishing it at La Citadelle. Children are constantly growing and evolving. We as educators should continuously teach them right and wrong, and how to minimise conflict in their lives.

—Alfred Abouchar, Headmaster (see full interview)

La Citadelle is a very harmonious and peaceful environment, where we can really focus on the education of children, and make sure that we bring them all to success. Over the years, I have been surrounded by wonderful people, wonderful teachers, very nice parents, and I like the environment in which we are all working. What I find most rewarding is being with the wonderful students at La Citadelle.

—Alfred Abouchar, Headmaster (see full interview)

The foster a supportive and involved community.

Accounts from parents emphasize the active involvement and support from the school community, enabling parents to closely monitor and participate in their children's educational journey.

The school offers you that ability to know what your child was doing and to be involved in the school things. The parents at La Citadelle were involved and interested in what their children were doing at school. In public schools, you typically get a parent-teacher interview once a year, which is a 10-minute interview, and that is it. With La Citadelle, the fact that parents can get involved in the school life was also important for me. I was very involved in the parents support committee, and worked quite closely with a lot of the staff, in organizing events. So, for me, it was important that I could see how they were doing well at the school. Everyone, the teachers and staff, was really easy to work with.

—Janice Ilkay, parent (see full interview)

If we work in collaboration with parents, all children can succeed. But it takes a commitment on the part of parents to work in conjunction with the school and the teachers so that we can bring the students to success.

—Alfred Abouchar, Headmaster (see full interview)

At La Citadelle, our parents are an integral part of the fabric of the school. We have a very open line of communication with our parents, involve them in our activities, making teachers accessible to them. In fact, we do have a very active parent support committee, which enhances our student life beyond the classroom, and creates a community centred around the students.

—Alfred Abouchar, Headmaster (see full interview)

That was our biggest fear: ‘How am I going to help with the homework because of the language barrier?’ But as I was told by the school, your job as a parent is to make sure that the child is actually attempting it. Basically, write back to the school and tell them this is the situation, this is what did happen or didn't happen, and they just take it from there. You're going to get as much out of it as you put into it as a parent. So the resources are there. You just have to tap into them. So they do have support systems in place for that. Everybody's watching out for your child.

—Jason, parent (see full discussion)

I encourage parents to assess the needs of the child, see the prospective schools in operation during the day. It’s important to see how the children are being treated, see how the teachers are teaching, meet the people to whom they will entrust their child, and make certain that at the end of the day, they will be selecting a school where they feel comfortable, that the value system of the school is compatible to the value system of the family.

—Alfred Abouchar, Headmaster (see full interview)

They nurture academic excellence.

Testimonials from students and parents reveal that La Citadelle places strong emphasis on building foundational knowledge, crucial for lifelong learning and future academic successes.

La Citadelle has successfully combined academic excellence with a caring atmosphere, although those two things don't always go together, they do at this school. For me, the most prominent features of the school are its excellence in education, and the caring, and the compassion. Those are big things that the school promotes and practices.

—Janice Ilkay, parent (see full interview)

The school ensures students have a solid grounding in fundamental knowledge, which would stand them in good stead throughout their lives, enabling a smooth progression to more complex subjects. This emphasis on a foundational approach is instrumental in paving the way for future successes.

—Mike Drolet, parent (see full interview)

What La Citadelle is all about, fundamentally, is offering children a proper education, with solid instructions that promotes excellence, compassion, achievement, discipline, respect, and harmony. And that’s what parents want from a school.

—Alfred Abouchar, Headmaster (see full interview)

People can talk about the school, but if you come see for yourself, you'll definitely want to come here. The best way to assess the school is to come during the school hours, see the kids doing their work, see the teachers doing their work, and you get the atmosphere for the school. You'll get to see what the school is really like. I think that's the best way.

—Janice Ilkay, parent (see full interview)

One thing that surprised me was how well the school has adapted and grown from when we started. There's definitely been improvements every year. Not a lot of schools do that. A lot of schools are stagnant. I think the school that tries to improve the curriculum, the facilities, the programs they have. And that's, I think, a good thing.

—Janice Ilkay, parent (see full interview)

The faculty are dedicated and long-serving.

Observations from administrators point to the stability and commitment of La Citadelle's faculty, with a significant number of teachers dedicated to the school for over a decade.

After holding a variety of educational positions over the years, I decided to open La Citadelle, twenty-three years ago, because I really wanted to put in it all the foundations of healthy and successful pedagogy.

—Alfred Abouchar, Headmaster (see full interview)

Approximately 60% of our teachers have been with us for at least 10 years. They are all committed to the education of the children, and we have had a wonderful 23 years. We're a very young school, and we're coming close to celebrating our 25th anniversary in a couple of years.

—Alfred Abouchar, Headmaster (see full interview)

I was proud of the way that La Citadelle and all the teachers did a fantastic job of pivoting to the online program during the pandemic. I was proud of the way that the school and my son, in particular, quickly pivoted to a very effective online program. And then, as they've come back to school in-person, I think that the protocols make sense.

—Jason, parent (see full discussion)

Well-rounded and balanced development is a big priority.

Reflections from parents indicate that La Citadelle fosters an environment where students grow academically, socially, and creatively, showcasing a commitment to nurturing well-rounded individuals.

I wanted to build a school that is focused on the students and their education, focused on bilingualism in Canada, focused on creating a holistic environment, a third language, and a balanced program with the arts and the sciences, at all grade levels from Kindergarten to Grade 12. Students come to La Citadelle at a very young age. They start basically at two-and-a-half years of age in the daycare. They move to the Junior and Senior Kindergarten, where they acquire the rudiments of French, and then move on to a bilingual program at the elementary level with the introduction of a third language, either Mandarin or Spanish. They very rapidly acquire French and English, the sciences and the arts, and move to an intermediary panel, where they begin their IB Programme, the MYP, in preparation for secondary school, which leads them to the Grades 11 and 12, AP programs, and to university.

—Alfred Abouchar, Headmaster (see full interview)

It’s important that there are many teachers teaching different subjects, starting at the lower grades, because students learn how to learn with different teaching methods. You're not going to have one teacher or one “boss” or one interaction with one type of person. You're going to have to deal with a lot of different personalities, a lot of different ways of talking, of guiding.

—Jason, parent (see full discussion)

This is our eighth year and as I see the growth in my kids, it's certainly a pleasure to see them progress both academically and then blossom socially and creatively. I'm glad that the school does foster that environment where they can grow and develop in those three important areas.

—Jason, parent (see full discussion)

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