12 Bond Crescent, Richmond Hill, Ontario, L4E 3K2, Canada
270 Crichton St, Ottawa, Ontario, K1M 1W4, Canada
12 Bond Crescent, Richmond Hill, Ontario, L4E 3K2, Canada
270 Crichton St, Ottawa, Ontario, K1M 1W4, Canada
262.4 km
474.3 km
1993
1990
330
64
1 to 12
7 to 8
Coed
Coed
Day
Day
English
English, French
Academic
Academic
Traditional
Traditional
15
10 to 16
Dedicated gifted school
In-class adaptations
$15,500
$17,100
No
No
0%
0%
None
None
$0
$0
28
32
0%
0%
75%
85%
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
7, 8
Rolling
Rolling
Not available
Not available
Yes: grades 1 - 12
Yes: grades 7 - 8
No
No
information not available
information not available
information not available
The PACE program was developed with gifted students in mind, based in an understanding of what they share—overall ability—as well as what they don't, such as specific talents, interests, and curiosities. The term of art is differentiated programming, though it's a term that can easily lend itself to misunderstanding. It doesn't mean that different students proceed through the curricula at different rates or are each given separate tasks based on their individual abilities. Rather, within a differentiated program all students proceed at the same pace through the material, while instructors provide multiple entry points that address the needs of individual students within the class. The ideal student is one who has been identified as gifted, and who requires challenge in order to succeed in academic work.
Macdonald-Cartier was formed in 1990 to offer a challenging, academic, bilingual program, and it’s been happily and successfully been doing it ever since. The student body is small, with just 60 students annually, which translates into a very responsive, student-centered approach to curriculum delivery. The intention is somewhat unique, namely to give students a strong preparation for high school with an eye to university admission. The feel, as the name implies, is very rooted in a sense of place, and in that the school is an expression of the cultural and historical life of the national capital region. Likewise, there are a wealth of resources located locally, and Macdonald-Cartier rightly makes very good use of them.
information not available
information not available
P.A.C.E. provides a differentiated curriculum built on greater depth and breadth of instruction. Our primary goal is to find and enhance the abilities of our students, while simultaneously addressing their social and emotional needs. P.A.C.E. is based on the premise that gifted children need high-powered learning experiences to challenge their minds and ensure intellectual growth and achievement. A fully balanced program, including Arts and Athletics, complements this specialized academic program.
Macdonald-Cartier Academy teaches Grade 7 & 8 students how to learn and offers a French immersion program combining rigorous and accelerated academics with athletics and fun experiential learning. Class sizes are kept small to provide an individualized education environment. Fluently bilingual, highly qualified educators help students reach their full potential–equipping them with computer, time management, listening, note taking and studying skills that serve them well in high school and university.
My journey at P.A.C.E. began in 1999 and in 2019 I was delighted to assume the role of Director/Principal. The most rewarding part of my job is interacting with the students. They are fun loving, witty and demonstrate an intellectual curiosity that is any educator's dream. The energy level in the building is very high, the questioning by the students is incessant, and there are a lot of laughs. The skills for succeeding at P.A.C.E., whether in the role of teacher or student, are the same: a love of learning, high motivation, an excellent work ethic and a sense of humour. I am so fortunate to be surrounded by excellent teachers and a strong administrative staff: Liana, the Assistant to the Director; our Vice Principals, Caroline Corbit and Joanne Abela; and our Administrative Assistant, Irina. Every September we look forward to yet another passionate and exciting year for all.
Bonjour
MCA was founded in 1990 to offer parents in the Ottawa area the option of a demanding academic program that would prepare their child in both the French and English languages. The program is designed to teach the students skills that will help them succeed in school and in life.
Being a small school is a big advantage when you want to give quality instruction and teach skills that will serve the students for life. We present them academic and physical challenges that will encourage them to leave their comfort zone and truly begin learning.
Our program has evolved to meet the demands of our Canadian society but our mission to teach the students how to learn has never changed. The need to teach methods to improve their organizational skills and become responsible students is even more important today than it was when I founded the program in 1990.
We specialize in working with students at the junior high school level. I believe that this is an age where we can influence the child`s academic and life skills the most to prepare them for high school, university and beyond. Our students have always worked hard and played hard with a big smile on their faces. Some things should never change!
Merci.
Jean P. Mantha
Traditional
Information not available
Traditional curricula tend to be very content-based and rooted in the core disciplines. It is a structured approach that involves the teacher delivering a unified curriculum through direct instruction. Students usually learn by observing and listening to their teacher, studying facts and concepts in textbooks, and completing both tests and written assignments - which challenge students to not only demonstrate their mastery of content but their ability to analyze and deconstruct it critically. Class discussions are also used to create critical dialogue around the content of the curriculum.
Traditional curricula tend to be very content-based and rooted in the core disciplines. It is a structured approach that involves the teacher delivering a unified curriculum through direct instruction. Students usually learn by observing and listening to their teacher, studying facts and concepts in textbooks, and completing both tests and written assignments - which challenge students to not only demonstrate their mastery of content but their ability to analyze and deconstruct it critically. Class discussions are also used to create critical dialogue around the content of the curriculum.
Not applicable
P.A.C.E. is a magnet school for students who have been identified as intellectually gifted by means of a psycho-educational assessment. The curriculum is differentiated through various methodologies and strategies i.e. compacting, identifying learning styles, creative problem solving, acceleration, inquiry-based learning, addressing the critical thinking skills, sophisticated field studies, greater depth and breadth of instruction, etc. in order to meet the special needs and characteristics of gifted kids. Our courses reflect high powered learning experiences for our gifted learners with the inclusion of the Advanced Placement designation as well, i.e. Gifted/ Advanced Placement, in grade 11 (Biology, French and Computer Science) and in grade 12 (English, Calculus), recognizing that the foundation begins in the younger years, starting with our Reach Ahead program in grade 8. To address the needs of the whole child, wonderful Fine Arts, Athletic, and Co-Instructional Programs complement our strong academic program. There is something truly special about being surrounded by people passionate about everything they do.
The program is designed to prepare the student for his/her learning needs in high school and college or university. At MCA we specialize in teaching grade seven and eight students the basic learning skills that are not always mastered in elementary school but are essential for those who want to excel in high school and university. We carefully select the students who demonstrate average to above average academic abilities. In doing so, we can accelerate the academic program and teach the student the skills to become responsible and efficient learners and workers. All MCA teachers work on these four keys to learning: the ability to listen in a classroom setting; note taking; time management of homework and corrections; and, methods for exam preparation. The student will have post exam evaluations six times a year where he/she will choose and try different strategies learned in Educational Anthropology class to maintain or improve their academic progression.
Equal Balance
These math programs feature an equal balance of “Traditional” and “Discovery” methods.
These math programs feature an equal balance of “Traditional” and “Discovery” methods.
P.A.C.E. is a blend of old and new, allowing for the mastery of basic skills while creating exciting new initiatives in how to learn mathematics. It's not all about numerical operations but the understanding of mathematical concepts and the application of mathematics to real world experiences.
Develop a positive attitude toward Mathematics; Develop an appreciation for the place of Mathematics and its widespread applications in our culture; Develop problem-solving abilities and facility in communication skills involving the use of language and notation of Mathematics; Consolidate and extend his/her skills in arithmetic, algebra, measurement and geometry; Participate in those experiences that will lay a foundation for the development of more abstract features of Mathematics in later grades
A number of different textbooks are used at the high school level. But, most importantly, we create Resources Booklets for our students which allows us to draw from many different sources.
Grade 7: Actimath 8 and Omnimath 8 plus several tablet applications. Grade 8: Actimath 9 and Omnimath 9 plus several tablet appications.
To foster the development of mental math students in grades 1-6 do not use calculators. Starting in grade 7 calculators are used for basic computational skills. Graphing calculators are taught and used in grades 8- 12, but only scientific calculators (without graphing capabilities) are used for evaluations.
Grade 7: 70% of work with no calculator / 30% of work with the assistance of the calculator Grade 8: 40% of work with no calculator / 60% of work with the assistance of the calculator When possible, mental calculation is strongly encouraged.
Not applicable
Systematic-phonics programs teach young children to read by helping them to recognize and sound out the letters and syllables of words. Students are then led to blend these sounds together to sound out and recognize the whole word. While other reading programs might touch on phonetics (either incidentally or on a “when needed” basis), systematic phonics teaches phonics in a specific sequence, and uses extensive repetition and direct instruction to help readers associate specific letter patterns with their associated sounds.
Not applicable
Children entering in to grade 1 are reading at various levels; from one or two sentences with pictures, to chapter books. Therefore, often there are 2 or 3 reading groups each with different reading assignments. Typically, by January, all of the children have reached a comparable level in their reading fluency but not necessarily in their reading comprehension. By the end of grade one all of the children are reading the same novels.
Information not available
Not applicable
Programs that balance systematic and process approaches equally likely have an emphasis on giving young students ample opportunities to write, while providing supplementary class-wide instruction in grammar, parts of sentences, and various writing strategies.
Not applicable
Our children love to write, and we begin to introduce analytical writing as well as creative writing in grade one; the sophistication of which increases as writing assignments are introduced into writing categories: poetry, short stories, essays, and dialogues/monologues.
Information not available
Equal Balance
Science programs that balance expository and inquiry learning equally will likely have an equal blend of tests and experiments; direct, textbook-based instruction and student-centred projects.
Science programs that balance expository and inquiry learning equally will likely have an equal blend of tests and experiments; direct, textbook-based instruction and student-centred projects.
A variety of methodologies work best with our students. It is very important for our students to be exposed to the expert, to work effectively with their peers, and to creatively design their own scientific experiments.
Emphasis will be placed on ensuring that the skills and processes of scientific work are presented as the central component, from which the subject matter, applications and implications emerge. Safety awareness will be stressed in all activities and demonstrations in laboratory. Small group discussions and the Expo-Science independent study will provide the student the opportunity to express opinions and exchange information within the context of a formal learning situation.
Evolution as consensus theory
Evolution as one of many equally viable theories
Evolution is not taught
Evolution as consensus theory
Evolution as one of many equally viable theories
Evolution is not taught
Physiology
Equal Balance
These literature programs draw in equal measure from “Traditional” and “Social Justice” programs.
These literature programs draw in equal measure from “Traditional” and “Social Justice” programs.
Literature comes alive through multiple interpretations and rich performance tasks that include choral speaking, debates, trials, videos, music and drama.
Through interaction with their peers and teacher, students will engage in reading,writing and speaking activities which will: 1) promote understanding and enjoyment of literature as will as an appreciation of its significance in the history of human experience and imagination; 2) encourage proficiency in the mechanics of English composition and i the use of spoken and written language for a variety of purposed suited tn specific audiences; 3) develop the ability to think critically and to respond thoughtfully to ideas communicated through various media.
Ancient lit
English lit
World (non-Western) lit
European (continental) lit
American lit
Canadian lit
Ancient lit
English lit
World (non-Western) lit
European (continental) lit
American lit
Canadian lit
Not applicable
The Thematic approach organizes the curriculum around certain themes or cultural universals. Students might spend time focused on food. Then they might focus on transportation or government, and so on.
Not applicable
Through our broad-based issues and themes, students learn in a very holistic manner as opposed to learning content and facts in isolation. The exploration of the dynamic activities enhance the critical thinking skills and students learn how to apply, analyze and evaluate information. It is through these theme based assignments that our younger students learn to hone their research skills - both through written report and oral presentation.
Information not available
Equal Balance
These programs represent an equal balance between the perennialist and pragmatic approach to teaching the humanities and social sciences.
These programs represent an equal balance between the perennialist and pragmatic approach to teaching the humanities and social sciences.
Through our life skills course, civics, history, law, philosophy and classical civilization students develop their critical thinking skills through discussion, debate and analytical essay writing. Students enjoy discussing BIG IDEAS while respecting the opinions of their peers in a safe and open learning environment. Application to real life experiences remains an important aspect of any social science or humanities course.
The History program will enable students to develop abilities that will permit them to understand the influences of people and events that have marked our Canadian History. this will help them to better appreciate the realities of Canada today. Through Geography the program shall permit the students to know, understand and better perceive general characteristics proper to North America and by studying people and their interaction with the environment, throughout the world.
Equal Balance
These programs feature an equal blend of the audio-lingual and communicative styles of language instruction.
These programs feature an equal blend of the audio-lingual and communicative styles of language instruction.
The acquisition of French as a second language includes the concrete sequential mode of learning as well as interactive group work. Our French Language program addresses the four components: Listening Comprehension, Reading Comprehension, Written and Oral Expression. Students study French cultural and language heritage as well as the constructs of formal grammar.
The French Language Arts program shall promote, encourage and give opportunities to the students and teachers through activities and assignments to: - become more proficient in the oral, listening and written skills, enabling the students to think, learn and communicate in French; gain self-esteem, pride and a sense of personal responsibility through experience emanating from the French Language Arts program; develop an awareness and an appreciation of the French culture and society.
Hebrew
ESL
Spanish
Russian
Latin
Japanese
Italian
Greek
German
French
Chinese-Mandarin
Chinese-Cantonese
Hebrew
ESL
Spanish
Russian
Latin
Japanese
Italian
Greek
German
French
Chinese-Mandarin
Chinese-Cantonese
Information not available
Creative
These programs have an equal emphasis on receptive and creative learning.
Creative arts programs are studio-driven. While historical works and movements may still be taught to add context to the program, students mainly engage in making art (visual, musical, theatrical, etc). The goal is use the actual practice of art to help educate students’ emotions, cognition, and ethos.
Students engage in making art come alive using a collaborative approach to learning. Taking risks, emoting and developing the aesthetic sensibilities create the ultimate performance in both drama and music.
Students will take part of a 3 hour workshop every month in Visual Arts. During these three hour sessions, the students will get acquainted with various artistic movements and experiment with some basic techniques.
Acting
Dance
Drama/Theatre
Graphic Design
Music
Visual Arts
Acting
Dance
Drama/Theatre
Graphic Design
Music
Visual Arts
Heavy integration
Effort is made to integrate the development of digital literacy through the curriculum. However, this is not a dominant focus.
A major effort is made to integrate the development of digital literacy throughout the curriculum and in everything students do. Digital literacy is understood to be a fundamental skill in the 21st century: it therefore follows, the idea goes, that teachers should find ways to connect every lesson back to technology. Effort is made to ensure the use of technology is meaningful and advances students’ skills beyond what they would otherwise be from using computers outside the classroom.
All students use personally owned devices to enhance learning experiences and opportunities in various disciplines throughout the regular school day. Robotics plays a very large role in our technology program and the instruction of coding begins in grade four.
The principal objective in Computer Science is to familiarize the students with hardware, software and applications that will serve them in school and in life. Some of the software covered will be: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, , Research applications, Microsoft Teams platform.
Web design
Robotics
Computer science
Web design
Robotics
Computer science
The development of a healthy mind and body is critical to success.
Understanding the importance of physical fitness, health, and well being and the factors that contribute to them. Improving the basic movement skills they require to participate in physical activities throughout their lives. Personal commitment to daily physical activity and positive health behaviors.
Not applicable
Not applicable
Information not available
Accelerated
The main curriculum accelerates beyond the pace of the provincial one; ALL students do the work of OLDER public-school peers in tangible and measurable ways. This accelerated pace is maintained by the teachers and school, (through textbook selection, topic selection, grading, assignment standards and expectations, etc).
The main curriculum accelerates beyond the pace of the provincial one; ALL students do the work of OLDER public-school peers in tangible and measurable ways. This accelerated pace is maintained by the teachers and school, (through textbook selection, topic selection, grading, assignment standards and expectations, etc).
Each day, the students have a one hour and twenty minute study period where they undertake, in a large central room or the computer lab, the completion of their daily homework, continue to work on long term assignments or receive individual help from a teacher.
Rigorous
A school with a “rigorous” academic culture places a high value on academic performance, and expects their students to do the same. This does not mean the school is uncaring, unsupportive, or non-responsive -- far from it. A school can have a rigorous academic culture and still provide excellent individual support. It does mean, however, the school places a particular emphasis on performance -- seeking the best students and challenging them to the fullest extent -- relative to a normal baseline. High expectations and standards – and a challenging yet rewarding curriculum – are the common themes here. Keep in mind this classification is more relevant for the older grades: few Kindergarten classrooms, for example, would be called “rigorous”.
A school with a “rigorous” academic culture places a high value on academic performance, and expects their students to do the same. This does not mean the school is uncaring, unsupportive, or non-responsive -- far from it. A school can have a rigorous academic culture and still provide excellent individual support. It does mean, however, the school places a particular emphasis on performance -- seeking the best students and challenging them to the fullest extent -- relative to a normal baseline. High expectations and standards – and a challenging yet rewarding curriculum – are the common themes here. Keep in mind this classification is more relevant for the older grades: few Kindergarten classrooms, for example, would be called “rigorous”.
The students at P.A.C.E. have high aspirations, 100% of which attend university. Their chosen fields of interest are science, law, business and accounting, computer engineering, architecture and actuarial science.
The students at MCA understand that the program exists to encourage all participants to learn how to learn. To be able to do so, the students will need to work and adjust to become more efficient, responsible and capable. Our goal is to have the students work hard and play hard, with a big smile on their faces.
"We honour and distinguish our brightest students, using them as examples for other students to follow."
"We honour and distinguish our brightest students, using them as examples for other students to follow."
Intellectual
The goal is to cultivate "academically strong, creative and critical thinkers, capable of exercising rationality, apprehending truth, and making aesthetic distinctions."
Balanced
"Equal emphasis is placed on a balance of priorities: intellectual, emotional, social and physical cultivation."
Balanced
"Equal emphasis is placed on a balance of priorities: intellectual, emotional, social and physical cultivation."
Intellectual
The goal is to cultivate "academically strong, creative and critical thinkers, capable of exercising rationality, apprehending truth, and making aesthetic distinctions."
Addressing the needs of gifted children through a well balanced education that attends to the cognitive as well as social emotional needs of the children allows for us to groom good people who will be productive citizens in society.
At MCA we focus on middle school students and three facets of their development. The first is the academic facet that encompasses a challenging, fast-paced program. The second is the social facet where we encourage students to say \"bonjour\" and to be engaged, friendly and positive. The third facet is physical where we introduce students to a variety of challenging activities such as long distance cycling, canoe-camping and rock-climbing/zip lining. We find that the satisfaction of hard work combined with time for play can bring a smile to the face of a grade seven and eight student.
Academy for Gifted Children - P.A.C.E. |
Macdonald-Cartier Academy |
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CompetitiveComp. |
RecreationalRec. |
CompetitiveComp. |
RecreationalRec. |
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Badminton |
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Baseball |
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Basketball |
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Canoeing/Kayaking |
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Cricket |
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Cross-country skiing |
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Cycling |
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Downhill skiing |
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Equestrian |
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Fencing |
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Field Hockey |
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Figure Skating |
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Football |
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Golf |
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Gymnastics |
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Ice Hockey |
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Ice Skating |
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Lacrosse |
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Martial Arts |
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Mountain biking |
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Racquet Ball |
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Rowing |
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Rugby |
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Running |
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Sailing |
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Skateboarding |
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Snowboarding |
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Soccer |
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Softball |
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Squash |
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Swimming |
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Tennis |
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Track & Field |
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Volleyball |
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Weightlifting |
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Wrestling |
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Archery |
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Curling |
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Ballet and Classical Ballet
Yoga
Yearbook
Student Council
Scouting
Science Club
School newspaper
Round Square
Robotics club
Radio club
Poetry/Literature club
Photography
Paintball
Outdoor Education
Outdoor Club
Online Magazine
Musical theatre/Opera
Math Club
Jazz Ensemble
Habitat for Humanity
Foreign Language Club
Environmental Club
Drama Club
Debate Club
Dance Club
Computer Club
Community Service
Choir
Chess Club
Band
Audiovisual Club
Astronomy Club
Art Club
Animation
Ballet and Classical Ballet
Yoga
Yearbook
Student Council
Scouting
Science Club
School newspaper
Round Square
Robotics club
Radio club
Poetry/Literature club
Photography
Paintball
Outdoor Education
Outdoor Club
Online Magazine
Musical theatre/Opera
Math Club
Jazz Ensemble
Habitat for Humanity
Foreign Language Club
Environmental Club
Drama Club
Debate Club
Dance Club
Computer Club
Community Service
Choir
Chess Club
Band
Audiovisual Club
Astronomy Club
Art Club
Animation
0%
0%
$0
$0
75%
85%
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
7, 8
Rolling
Rolling
Not available
Not available
Yes: grades 1 - 12
Yes: grades 7 - 8
No
No
No
No
No
Yes: grades 7 - 8
No
No
No
No
The first critierion for P.A.C.E. is that the student is identified as intellectual gifted. We are looking for bright individuals who are passionate about learning and are productive citizens within the school.
MCA's program was designed for students who demonstrate average to above average academic abilities. Students must be willing to work in a organized and disciplined environment and be willing to undertake challenges that are of academic and/or physical nature.
All students are required to have a psycho-educational assessment (WISC V). If the student scores in the 95th percentile or higher in verbal reasoning and visual perception, on paper, that child would qualify for P.A.C.E. The next step would be to have a meeting with the family and for the student to visit for the day. Feedback regarding the child's visit is provided.
Prior to acceptance, all students must successfully complete qualification examinations. Normally these examinations are taken in the fall of the year prior to entrance. Applicants must submit a copy of their most recent report card.
Applicants will be interviewed by a MCA administrator. The interview is designed to determine the applicant's willingness to work within a disciplined environment, and to verify the accuracy of reports submitted.
