REVIEW OF The YMCA Academy BY parent, Daphne Flint-Polo

(5) Student Experience

Our son has thrived at the YMCA Academy. He has come out of his shell and grown in so many ways. He is active in extracurricular activities and participates in class. He is excited about learning and looks forward to attending his classes. His confidence has grown, and he is excited about his future. He cares about the quality of his work, wants to meet his deadlines, and is proud of his achievements. We were unsure what post-secondary path our son would take, but he has three university offers. This school has inspired our son and given him the confidence and belief that the world is open to him and that he can do anything he puts his mind to. This school was the best decision we made for our son.

(5) School Leadership

The YMCA Academy is a school where the staff truly loves what they do and care. The school environment is welcoming and inclusive. Everyone who walks into this school is essential, has value, and has a gift to share. Staff are friendly and warm and have an incredible knack for finding and fostering each student's gift. The headmaster is terrific at keeping the true meaning and foundation of what this school was founded on: we all have a gift to share; our job is to find our gift and then share it with those around us.

(5) Teaching

I have never seen teachers who love what they do more. They care and go above and beyond with every student every day. They are willing to make an accommodation to suit a student's learning style and are creative in solving a physical or cognitive challenge. They are all very experienced, and sometimes I have been surprised by the solutions they have come up with. I have been very impressed by the extra time and work they are happy to give to help students achieve their goals. If a student has a dream and is willing to put in the work, the staff at YMCA Academy is most certainly willing to use all their resources to make it happen. Our son has achieved academic success that I don't think he would have had in the public system. Our family is very thankful to the YMCA Academy.

(5) Academics

The YMCA Academy is dedicated to providing its students with the highest quality education possible. I have never seen teachers who care more. They offer all the core subjects, and teachers are open and creative in thinking about how to accommodate each student's challenges. For example, my son relies heavily on electronic readers and voice-to-text technology, so for some assignments, he was able to submit a PowerPoint presentation instead of a traditional essay or poster. They are often willing to meet with students at lunch or after school to answer questions or provide extra help. One limitation is that in a smaller school, there is also a smaller staff and fewer courses to select from. They will meet with students and discuss their post-secondary plans and try their best to make sure each student has the credits they need for their next step after high school.

(5) Extracurriculars

The YMCA Academy has a wide variety of clubs. Some examples are cooking, art, drama, running, math, chess, D&D, and the Mock Trial Club. My son really enjoyed the Mock Trial Club. He participated for 2 years. The experience was extraordinary. He learned a lot of excellent skills, such as public speaking, how to argue his point of view respectfully, and how to express himself.

(4.5) Students

We chose the YMCA Academy for its smaller class sizes. Our son becomes overwhelmed with large groups, loud noises, or bright lights. In a large group, he becomes lost and anxious. It was essential to us, and to him, that he not go to a large and busy school. I think the kids at the YMCA Academy are supportive of one another. The school organizes spirit weeks and pizza lunches. All students are encouraged to participate. They also have after-school clubs, and our son enjoyed attending a couple of clubs during his time at the YMCA Academy. The school also occasionally has movie nights, which were a lot of fun, and our son liked attending. The school promotes respect and inclusion, and it is a very safe and welcoming space where everyone has something to learn and enjoy, and has a gift to share.

(5) School Life

After starting at the YMCA Academy, our son was energized and excited to attend school. He is interested in his classes and wants to succeed. His teacher provides him with an engaging curriculum that inspires students to think. I hear our son loves to engage in thoughtful classroom discussions, and he can look at various topics from different points of view. The teachers at the school have taken my son on fantastic field trips and expanded on what was taught in school. Outside the classroom, there are many clubs students are encouraged to participate in to expand on their current interests and maybe explore new ones. There are also school-wide overnight trips where students can have a taste of independence, as well as movie nights.

(5) Community

The YMCA staff provides a very welcoming and inclusive environment. The school fosters respect for everyone and does not tolerate disrespect, rude behaviour, or bullying. The school offers many student team-building events, including spirit weeks, clubs, and an overnight trip to Camp Pine Crest, and students are encouraged to participate in them. For the overnight trip to Camp Pine Crest, the staff works hard to prepare students and parents and ensure everyone has a fantastic time. Parents are not forgotten; the YMCA Academy offers fantastic educational nights for parents to learn about helping children with anxiety and how to support students with executive functioning delays and ADHD. They have nights for post-secondary preparations and support in completing college and university applications. They also have curriculum nights and parent socials, which are a lot of fun.

(5) School Location

The YMCA Academy is located in the Y, just off Yonge and one block south of Wellesley. It is very easy to get to by subway and car. My son takes the subway every day, and when I have to visit the school, I am able to find parking on Breadalbane or nearby. The school's location in the Y gives it access to the Y facilities, including the gym, pool, and basketball court, which is a great plus.

(5) Admissions

The school was very welcoming. The YMCA Academy was recommended to us by our son's occupational therapist. When I first reached out to the school, they were very welcoming, allowing my son and me to visit the school on two occasions before making up our minds to enroll. The staff were very kind and answered all our questions and concerns. They offered several payment plans to help families with their financial parameters, and I believe they also provide some financial assistance. The school's focus is genuinely on education for everyone, and it is a very special place.

(5) University placement and counselling

The YMCA provides an excellent and nurturing environment where the staff really works hard to help every student achieve their dreams and goals. The school is small, which is a fantastic advantage in many ways. However, with a small student and teacher population, it can mean a limited number of courses are available, but that does not mean it will stop students from entering a field of study they dream of. The guidance staff meets regularly with students to discuss where they see themselves after graduating and their interests. Believe me, my son had a dream, and he was motivated to make it happen, and the staff at the YMCA had to add courses where they could and offer to teach a few classes at the university level to help my son's dreams come true. And they have—my son has now been accepted to three universities, and his dream of going to university to study history is now a reality. I do not know if there is a school anywhere that would have worked as hard alongside my son to make this happen. Our family is forever grateful. This school is indeed a very special place like no other.