Observations from students and alumni indicate that the unique culture at Metropolitan Preparatory Academy, characterized by first-name interactions with teachers and a supportive, collaborative atmosphere, plays a pivotal role in fostering genuine connections and enhancing the overall educational experience.
Ever since I entered Metropolitan Preparatory Academy, everyone was friendly, and everyone just felt so approachable, which surprised me. At many schools, you feel a distinct feeling or vibe between the different grades. At Metro Prep you don't feel that. When I was in Grade 7, one of my best friends was graduating And it was a genuine friendship. I still keep in touch with people who graduated four, five, six years before me. I found that pretty surprising, but also pretty funny. As a senior, I felt like it was part of my responsibility to show the new Metro Prep students around. It was out of genuine care for them to excel and for them to like and adapt to the school environment.
The personality of Metropolitan Preparatory Academy is unique, welcoming, and vibrant. If Metropolitan Preparatory Academy were a person, they would be a warm, sweet person that you just want to get to know and spend more time with. My first impression was that it was a very welcoming environment, which never changed throughout my time there. Everybody at Metropolitan Preparatory Academy was so welcoming. It didn't matter if you started in Grade 12 or been there since Grade 7, everybody wanted to get to know each other, and it was a very familial environment. I think that that's unique about Metro Prep compared to other schools. There weren't any cliques or groups at Metro Prep because the school was a close-knit student community.
Dodgeball was like a cultural thing at Metropolitan Preparatory Academy. Everybody played dodgeball, and it was a great way to get to know people that aren't even in the same grade that could help you later on. We were all friends. It didn't matter what grade you were in.
I was a peer tutor at Metropolitan Preparatory Academy. I tutored many kids, which was also a good way to get to know people in different grades.
Something that a new student at Metropolitan Preparatory Academy might find surprising is how collaborative everyone is. Usually, when a school is so focused on academics, everyone's extremely competitive, but that was never the environment at Metro Prep. Of course, you wanted to do well, but no one would put someone else down to achieve that.
Students at Metropolitan Preparatory Academy are very friendly, and strive to work together to be the best versions of ourselves. I had a great high school experience with incredible support from the staff members, which has shaped me as a leader and an independent person. Now I'm in a sorority, and I have a leadership position in that sorority that I don't think I could have taken on without having the experience from Metro Prep. I don't think that I would have instilled in myself the same perseverance. I don't think I would have persevered through being online this whole university year during Covid if it wasn't for the hard work and perseverance that I had in Metro Prep that the teachers instilled in me.
There are also plenty of clubs and sports teams that really bring our community together. During my time at Metro Prep, the arts program, called the Smith Program, was very active around the school. We did an annual school play, hosted concert nights and did field trips to the ballet and such. So I would say that an appreciation for the arts is another thing that really connects Metro Prep students.
My son is an introvert, but he hit the ground running on day one at Metro Prep, which was a big surprise to us. Usually, he would settle in a new environment gradually, but at Metro Prep, the transition was swift and smooth. We think his comfort with Metro Prep was because of the culture.
My children have very different interests and they have both been able to pursue their interests–that's what's fantastic about Metro Prep. My son was able to take part in all the sports that the school offered, and be part of many teams, and yet keep a very, very high academic average. My daughter, very artistically inclined, was part of the Smith program, while still loving math and science, and excelling at those.
Three things other parents should know about Metro Prep are: one, the teachers are phenomenal. Two, It's a small private school, so it offers a really intimate environment for your children to learn as well. And, three, the central location. It's located at a very convenient spot.
One common aspect that many families appreciate is our reputation for genuinely caring for each student. Some students may have learning issues like dyslexia or attention deficit, and we provide the necessary support, ensuring they can join clubs that suit their interests or receive help in areas where they are lagging. Families feel safe sending their kids to our school because we pay close attention to every student, creating a positive and inclusive culture.
We don't have a lot of student conflicts, primarily due to our small school enrollment which means there are fewer issues to deal with. When a student joins Metro, we have a code of conduct that they are required to read and sign. We maintain a safe and secure environment, addressing any issues promptly with the necessary investigations to understand the situation better. The atmosphere is professional, and teachers enjoy working here, which significantly reduces the occurrence of conflicts.
A lot of our students tell us that Metro becomes their second home. The school environment is friendly and caring, creating a homely atmosphere where students can leave their home troubles at the door. The school's physical surroundings also contribute to this, being warm and inviting. The faculty maintains a harmonious relationship, ensuring that students do not witness conflicts that can sometimes occur in smaller settings.
Metro focuses on developing leadership skills and self-confidence in students. They encourage making connections across different age groups. The small class sizes ensure no one graduates without friends, and keeps family-like connections.
My experience at Metro Prep is something I will remember and be grateful for for the rest of my life moving forward. The amount of care and support I felt from my teachers and classmates was something that I never experienced at any of my previous schools. Because the school is small, students have the opportunity to connect with every teacher (whether you take their class or not), as well as students within all grades. I do feel the school prepared me well for my life now and university does not seem as overwhelming as I thought it would be. There is nothing I would change because I could not have asked for a better school experience. I still miss Metro and come back to visit when I have the chance.
