REVIEW OF Blyth Academy Mississauga BY parent, Vicky Yang

(5) Student Experience

Our family has been with Blyth Academy since September 2020. We definitely made the right decision to send our daughter to Blyth for her high school education. We first joined Blyth Academy London for 2 years and then transferred her to Blyth Mississauga in 2022. I still recall my daughter’s happy face as she returned from her first day of high school. All of Blyth's classes are unique, and students are able to take advantage of the small class sizes as they interact closely with their teachers and peers. Blyth’s flexible course schedule allows her to explore her interests at her own pace, especially as upper-year courses are arranged in quadmesters. At Blyth, my daughter was able to take more than 2 courses per term, which helped her feel more challenged at school and be exposed to topics earlier than she would’ve anywhere else. In 9th Grade, she took 9 courses including AP Biology. in 10th grade, she took 12 courses including Grade 11 biology, chemistry, physics, and functions, and three Gr 12 courses (Physics, Data management, and International Business). With Blyth’s flexible course schedules, my daughter was able to graduate 1 year earlier from high school this year. Through Mr. T’s math clubs, my daughter was able to stand out in multiple of the University of Waterloo’s CEMC math contests over the past few years. I would highly recommend Blyth Academy for students who want to reach their full potential and have memorable high school experiences.

(5) School Leadership

Blyth’s faculty care about their students very much. Families with Blyth Mississauga receive course progress and students' progress by weekly email from subject teachers, school upcoming events and activities, from Principle Catania. We could communicate with teachers via Edsby, and emails, in-person or phone calls freely. In case of any concerns, they will be addressed within 24 hours. Principal Catania’s kindness and inspirational personality influences students in all the right ways. Their commitment to helping students shine ensures student success.

(5) Teaching

Her math teacher, Mr. T, makes his class engaging while still challenging students to help them develop stronger logic and critical thinking skills. His lessons are well-organized and easy to follow - he is not only teaching math but also teaching students how to think like a mathematician. My daughters’ science teachers, Ms. A.J. and Ms. Raj are also very knowledgeable and skilled in their fields. They inspire their students to be curious and learn by applying concepts to the real world in every single lesson. Their teaching style feels similar to that of a science fair or seminar, making students in the class feel more like scholars. Discussions are often extended after students come back home. My daughter’s English teacher, Ms. Motz, is always very well-prepared for her class, and her sense of humor makes studying literature more fun and engaging. Every student in her class is willing to make their best effort.

(5) Academics

Blyth Academy is a liberal arts high school with an inclusive culture. Students here are very collaborative. They help each other inside/outside classrooms. Academics-wise, Blyth offers 100+ courses including OSSD courses, AP courses, pathways, and private courses. Students could take in-person courses, live online courses on Orbit, or individual-paced BAO courses. This summer, Blyth resumes offering Safe Group Travel to Greece & Italy while earning OSSD credit. I often find that Blyth’s curriculums and the concepts taught in class are more in-depth compared to the Ministry of Ontario’s standard requirements, which lets students gain a deeper understanding of the concepts they learn. My daughter and her friends all feel they are very well prepared to get into Universities or the next steps in learning.

(5) Extracurriculars

Blyth Mississauga also offers many extracurricular activities that let students explore their interests beyond the classroom, like DECA, Debate, Math Club, Yearbook Club, sports and arts competitions, leadership opportunities, and more. Chinese New Year Luncheon, Safe Internet Day, Spirit Day-Anything but Backpack day events are offered for fun. Co-curriculum school trips are also offered here. During the Exam period, Blyth Mississauga invited therapy dogs to come to campus to help student release their stress.

(5) Students

My daughter easily made friends at Blyth Mississauga. She thanks the school’s welcoming and thoughtful student body and collaborative learning environment. Every day after school, my daughter eagerly tells me about her day, and I could feel that she enjoys being at school and taking her classes. She and her friends often take turns hosting study/homework peer tutoring on zoom. They also celebrate birthdays, hang out, and enjoy the newly produced movie at the theater after school time. They also watched the world cup together, cheerful about Messi's success! The student body is small. Each student across each grade will likely know each other. Upper-grade students may mentor the younger ones and help out new or younger students settle into the school community. At this school, the students are very inclusive—it’s part of the culture.

(5) School Life

My daughter loves going to Blyth Academy Mississauga because she feels supported by her school environment. She’s welcomed by hardworking and enthusiastic students every day. She expresses how she feels supported by the caring and knowledgeable faculty. The school is a safe, clean, and well-maintained facility. Every single classroom has a HEPA Air Purifier. There are big windows, and the learning space is bright. There are 3 school pets: a purple beta fish, Nacho the Hamster, and Efron the Dog. There is individual support for students. There are many food options near the school. Many students also choose to bring homemade lunches: there is a kitchen and student lounge at Blyth Academy Mississauga, along with student lockers. The science lab space is fully equipped with up-to-date/new technologies.

(5) Community

Parents are frequently involved in the life of the school. We receive update emails every week with school activities and events. We also periodically receive teacher-sent updates about students’ progress as well as course progress. Parents will also receive course timetables and syllabi on Edsby. We can also view our child’s progress, daily homework topics, and whether assignments were submitted on time! We can view returned assignments, grades, and comments. Apart from emailing teachers, we can also directly communicate with them on Edsby. Teachers typically respond within 24 hours: they promptly address our (if any) concerns or questions/inquiries. I feel that the teachers are very responsible, very accessible, and help keep us in the loop. All the parents I have spoken to want the best for their children’s education, and I feel that the broader community at Blyth Academy Mississauga all share this view.

(5) School Location

Blyth Academy Mississauga is located in downtown Mississauga. Students often venture beyond school grounds to buy food/lunch. The area around the campus is very safe. My daughter and her friends often visit nearby coffee shops during their 30-minute breaks. The campus itself is quite small and the community is small: everyone knows each other, from grades 9 to 12. The campus is located on Lakeshore road.

(5) Admissions

If you would like to enroll your child, I would recommend emailing or contacting the school to book an appointment on zoom to talk about your child’s wishes and interests. This way, the school, and staff can understand what outcome you are looking for. That way, the school can communicate with you on whether and how they can commit. In my experience, the admission process is very user-friendly. Everything can be completed online— no need for paperwork. However, the conduct code does require signing. The head office promptly replies to inquiries and requests. If you have any technical issues, they also have IT support to guide you through the process. The enrolment time is quite flexible: the school has 4 terms (quadmesters) and if you miss the application cycle for one term, you can join in the later terms.