8569 Bayview Avenue, Richmond Hill, Ontario, L4B 3M7, Canada
5820 Spring Garden Rd., Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 1X8, Canada
8569 Bayview Avenue, Richmond Hill, Ontario, L4B 3M7, Canada
5820 Spring Garden Rd., Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 1X8, Canada
1961
1849
870
515
Preschool to 12
JK to 12
Coed
Coed, Girls, Boys
Day
Day
English
English, French, Spanish
Academic
Academic
Montessori, International Baccalaureate
Traditional
Varies
15 to 20
Accelerated curriculum
$19,100 to $32,700
$13,820 to $19,360
Yes
Yes
0%
13%
Preschool to 12
1 to 12
$0
$7,120
54
34
0%
0%
0%
78%
Preschool, JK, SK, K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
JK, SK, K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Rolling
Rolling
Not available
Not available
Yes
Yes: grades JK - 12
Yes
No
information not available
information not available
TMS was founded by Helma Trass, who learned the instructional approach from Maria Montessori herself. Trass was at the leading edge of Montessori education in Canada, and the school is, today, home to one of the longest running programs of its kind in the country. The elementary program that she began remains vital today, and it retains her dedication to the core ideals of the Montessori method. With the addition of middle and high-school programs, the school grew to become one of the largest Montessori programs in North America. The rebranding, from the initial Toronto Montessori Schools, to the acronym TMS, was adopted along with the growth of the school into the upper Grades. While the program is continuous, it is divided between two campuses, with preschool through Grade 6 taught at the Bayview campus, and Grades 7 through 12 at the Elgin Mills campus, which was opened in 2009. That campus is also home to the IB program, one that further extends an already impressive breadth of instruction.
View full reportThe school describes its campus as iconic, and to be sure, it really is. The school was founded in 1849, and the campus shows its age in all the best ways. The location is iconic as well, in the heart of Halifax and across from the historic public gardens. As those things signal, Sacred Heart is a part of the historical culture of the city, and arriving here each day delivers its own frisson of excitement. As with any school of this vintage, much has changed, and today the program is iconic in other ways. The provision of single gender education through Grades 7 to 12 is one of them, offering the best of both worlds. As a member of a global network of schools, the gaze is international, with emphasis on social justice and social action. While there are many longstanding traditions and events, the school also distinguishes itself as cutting edge, both in the curriculum it offers—the broad Advanced Placement offering, for one—but also through its delivery, with lots of hands-on, project oriented, collaborative learning. That said, the biggest draw for many is simply the spirit of the school. There is a keen desire to get students involved in a wide range of activity, including a robust program of service learning, while also engaged within the daily life of the school. Sacred Heart has a proven ability to deliver all of it.
View full report
"TMS teachers nurture students’ abilities to be free-thinking, independent, passionate, and intrinsically motivated from such a young age.""
Alexandra Makos - Parent (Jul 11, 2019)
We have one child that recently completed the Toddler program, and who is moving on to Children's Ho...
View full review
"My daughter's teachers demonstrated an understanding of my daughter's unique learning style, her interests and her potential."
Anna Stuart - Parent (Mar 08, 2021)
Our daughter joined Sacred Heart School as a shy student whose early years experience robbed her con...
View full review
"They all have a sense of pride in the school, and they talk about their experiences with joy and feel secure as soon as they walk through the doors each morning. "
Jennifer Derwey Deane - Parent (Mar 08, 2021)
My partner and I are parents of 3 girls. When our youngest daughter was ready to begin Primary we we...
View full review
"SHSH creates the conditions that challenge him to do his best academically, where the primary goal is learning and preparation for university..."
Gord Cooper - Parent (May 03, 2021)
We have four children at Sacred Heart School of Halifax (SHSH). If I think about our eldest son, who...
View full review
"Founded in 1961, TMS is a leading, accredited independent school that offers a uniquely designed framework combining the Montessori and International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes. TMS operates from two beautiful campuses in Richmond Hill, Ontario with exceptional learning environments for students of all ages and stages. Our Lower School (at Bayview Avenue and Hwy 407) offers a Montessori start for students from 18 months to Grade 6. Our Upper School (at Bayview Avenue and Elgin Mills Road) is the only independent school in York Region that offers the International Baccalaureate Programme for students in Grades 7 to 12. Our co-ed student population of over 850 thrives in academics while developing the life-changing mindsets of entrepreneurial thinking, positivity, and resilience that build a foundation for Significance at university, and in life. The unique design of the TMS student journey provides a framework within which your child can say I Am Known. Get to know us at www.tmsschool.ca."
"Founded in 1849, Sacred Heart School of Halifax teaches the whole child — mind, body, spirit. Our iconic campus in the heart of Halifax offers co-ed education for JP-Grade 6 and single-gender education for Grades 7-12. Sacred Heart has earned a stellar reputation for the quality of our academics and university preparedness, and through leadership and community action, our students are well prepared to conquer the world. As part of a global network, we educate to a strong moral code prescribed by our Five Goals."
Information not available
"Sacred Heart School of Halifax is different and we’re proud of it. We believe in Faith, Hope, and Love as guiding principles and as a result, we’re more like a family than a school. In addition to our tailored education, we are the only school in the region that offers single-gender education on a co-ed campus and the Advanced Placement (AP) Program in high school. And, our unique heritage and traditions give us a special character that can’t be duplicated anywhere in this region."
Information not available
Information not available
Information not available
Information not available
Information not available
Information not available
Information not available
Information not available
Information not available
"Strong academics combined with a tailored approach in a nurturing and supportive environment is Sacred Heart’s calling card. Our academic excellence is thanks to an outstanding faculty who are passionately committed to their students’ success. And as a Catholic school that welcomes all faiths, families also appreciate our spiritual grounding and emphasis on love."
Information not available
Information not available
Information not available
"Sacred Heart is the only high school in Atlantic Canada that offers the AP Program instead of the IB Program. Families, and especially students, prefer AP because it allows students to pick and choose ONLY those subjects they excel in and want to concentrate on, they don’t have to take a year-long program of all advanced courses. Widely accepted around the globe, students in AP can earn first-year university credit(s) before they even enter university — an excellent head start."
Information not available
"It may surprise some families to discover how seriously we live our Five Goals. Yes, we provide an academically excellent education, but also a deeply meaningful one based on our founder St. Madeleine Sophie Barat’s vision that education transforms society. We are dedicated to faith, intellectual values, social justice, building community, and personal growth and these can be seen throughout school life day in and day out."
Information not available
Information not available
Information not available
Information not available
Thank you for your interest in TMS!
It is a pleasure to share with you some of the special features that give our school its unique identity and which inspire those of us who work here to give our very best to every child. Our students experience a warm and nurturing environment every single day when they walk through our doors. We are a community of caring and innovative educators and support staff, and students who continually amaze us with their artistic, academic, athletic, and linguistic prowess and their desire to grow and develop as responsible young citizens.
We appreciate that a school is more than a collection of individuals. For us, a school is a place where lasting relationships are formed, where lifelong interests and aptitudes develop, and where character is refined and shaped by exposure to a wide range of beliefs, traditions and views of the world. Finding the right school for your children is one of the most important gifts you can bestow upon them. Our students develop strong attachments to TMS, both during their time with us and after they leave us. When our graduates venture off into the world, they do so equipped with the knowledge, resilience and sound ethical framework that comes from being known and cared for deeply as individuals.
Indeed, the phrase I Am Known sums up in a few words our entire approach to educating children. From the youngest children in our Toddler program to our graduating classes in Grade 12, our students know the feeling of being supported and guided as unique individuals.
We place high value at TMS on academic rigour and our graduates are accepted at outstanding universities in Canada and abroad. Of equal importance to us, however, is that our students leave TMS not only with a broad knowledge base but with an educated heart and an internationally-minded outlook on the world.
As a leading Montessori school in Canada, we believe strongly in the world-class education that TMS teachers provide our 18 month-old to Grade 6 students. Beginning in Grade 7, we offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme which culminates in the IB Diploma Program in Grades 11 and 12. The IB is globally recognized as a rigorous and holistic curriculum which provides an outstanding preparation for university studies. Our skilled and experienced IB teachers help our students to achieve their full potential, and our IB scores are well above the world average.
During these very challenging times for all of us, TMS has continued to offer an outstanding education to our students. As we open our doors for the new school year, we will continue to do everything possible to keep our students and staff safe and well, and to promote the values that have guided our school for the past 60 years.
I invite you to contact our Enrolment Management team for much more information about our programs, people and facilities. Ask questions, explore our website, schedule a virtual visit and let us invite you to learn more about one of the leading independent schools in Ontario.
Yours sincerely,
Andrew Cross
Head of School
TMS
information not available
Traditional
Information not available
Particularly popular in the younger grades (preschool to elementary), but sometimes available all the way up to high school, Montessori schools offer an alternative vision to the standard lesson format of most classrooms. Instead of listening to whole-class lessons, Montessori classrooms allow students to choose which "tasks" or activities interest them. These tasks centre around special Montessori puzzles - their essential feature being they contain a right answer and allow for selfcorrection. A strong emphasis is therefore placed on lessons being concrete and rooted in practical experience, along with students developing a sense of self-sufficiency, confidence and curiosity.
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.
Some private schools offer International Baccalaureate (IB) programming. The "Diploma Programme" is offered to students in the final two years of high school, while the "Primary Years Programme" (ages 3 to 12) and "Middle Years Programme" (ages 11 to 16) serve as preparation for the diploma program.
Not applicable
Lower School - 18 months to Grade 6 Internationally Recognized Flagship Montessori Program Upper School - Grade 7 to 10 International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme (MYP) and Grade 11 to 12 International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) TMS students thrive in academics while developing the life-changing mindsets of entrepreneurial thinking, positivity, and resilience that build a foundation for Significance not just at university, but in life.
Students develop a strong foundation of academic excellence, through good study habits, solid organizational skills, critical thinking, and self-confidence. We also use an Advanced Placement (AP) program in Senior School.
Traditional Math
Traditional Math typically teaches a method or algorithm FIRST, and THEN teaches the applications for the method. Traditional algorithms are emphasized and practiced regularly: repetition and drills are frequently used to ensure foundational mastery in the underlying mathematical procedures. The traditional approach to math views math education as akin to building a logical edifice: each brick depends on the support of the previously laid ones, which represent mastery over a particular procedure or method. Traditional Math begins by giving students a tool, and then challenges students to practice using that tool an applied way, with progressively challenging problems. In this sense Traditional Math aims to establish procedural understanding before conceptual and applied understanding.
Information not available
Information not available
Information not available
Balanced Literacy
Balanced reading programs are typically Whole Language programs with supplementary phonics training. This training might be incidental, or it might take the form of mini-lessons.
Information not available
Equal balance
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.
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.
Information not available
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
Zoology
Equal Balance
These literature programs draw in equal measure from “Traditional” and “Social Justice” programs.
Information not available
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
Expanding Communities
The Expanding Communities approach organizes the curriculum around students’ present, everyday experience. In the younger grades, students might learn about themselves, for example. As they move through the grades, the focus gradually broadens in scope: to the family, neighbourhood, city, province, country, and globe. The curriculum tends to have less focus on history than Core Knowledge programs.
Information not available
Equal Balance
These programs represent an equal balance between the perennialist and pragmatic approach to teaching the humanities and social sciences.
Information not available
Equal Balance
These programs feature an equal blend of the audio-lingual and communicative styles of language instruction.
Information not available
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
Equal Balance
These programs have an equal emphasis on receptive and creative learning.
Information not available
Acting
Dance
Drama/Theatre
Graphic Design
Music
Visual Arts
Medium integration
Effort is made to integrate the development of digital literacy through the curriculum. However, this is not a dominant focus.
Information not available
Web design
Robotics
Computer science
Information not available
Play-based
Montessori programs aimed at preschool and Kindergarten- aged children allow young learners to choose which “tasks” or activities interest them. These tasks centre around special Montessori puzzles -- the essential features of these puzzles being they contain a “right answer” and allow for self-correction. A strong emphasis is therefore placed on learning being concrete and rooted in practical experience, along with children developing a sense of self-sufficiency and confidence. Specially trained teachers act as guides, introducing children to progressively more difficult materials when appropriate. A Montessori classroom is typically very calm and orderly, with children working alone or, sometimes, in small groups.
If you want to learn more about Montessori education, check out our comprehensive guide. You can also check out our guide to Montessori preschools, elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools.
Play-based programs are the most common type of preschool and Kindergarten, and are founded on the belief young children learn best through play. Largely open-ended and minimally structured, play-based programs aim to develop social skills and a love of attending school. “Pre-academic” skills are taught, but in a more indirect way than at, say, an Academic program: through children playing in different “stations” set up around the classroom, which children choose on their own volition. Stations often contain an indirect lesson or developmental goal. Play-based classrooms are highly social and active.
TMS has garnered a reputation for creating an extraordinary learning environment. Up to Grade 6, the curriculum is based on the core premise of a Montessori education: that students need to drive their own learning. Using materials and processes that make abstract ideas concrete, students initiate their learning and can assess their own progress. This balance between the freedom and responsibility of a child produces highly competent learners who are self-reliant, self-disciplined and self-confident.
In our JP program, play is encouraged, yet purposeful, and structured learning is enriching, exciting, and fun. We nurture the best in your child while laying the foundation for spiritual, emotional, and social growth.
Standard-enriched
The main curriculum pace is non-standardized and is HIGHLY responsive to the pacing of individual students, (via differentiated instruction, differentiated assessment, etc). In theory, some students outpace the default/normalized curriculum, while others spend periods "behind schedule" if they need the extra time.
Broadly-speaking, the main curriculum -- like that of most schools -- paces the provincially-outlined one. This pace is steady and set by the teachers and school. The curriculum might still be enriched in various ways: covering topics more in-depth and with more vigor than the provincial one, or covering a broader selection of topics.
Montessori Program - Toddler to Grade 6 IB MYP and DP- Grades 7 to 12 Varies by level
Information not available
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”.
TMS offers a uniquely designed framework that combines a Montessori start and International Baccalaureate (IB) finish. Our academics are rigorous and each student is "known" and supported. We deliver an accredited educational experience designed to inspire and challenge students to discover the best of who they are and to achieve their full potential.
Information not available
"We honour and distinguish our brightest students, using them as examples for other students to follow."
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."
At TMS every student is "Known". TMS provides an environment where students are cared for. TMS students are given a foundation to grow, to be ambitious and bold. TMS creates opportunities for children to be inspired by learning through experimentation, exploration, and self-discovery.
Information not available
CompetitiveComp. |
RecreationalRec. |
CompetitiveComp. |
RecreationalRec. |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
Badminton |
||||
Baseball |
||||
Basketball |
||||
Canoeing/Kayaking |
||||
Cricket |
||||
Cross-country skiing |
||||
Cycling |
||||
Downhill skiing |
||||
Equestrian |
||||
Fencing |
||||
Field Hockey |
||||
Figure Skating |
||||
Football |
||||
Golf |
||||
Gymnastics |
||||
Ice Hockey |
||||
Ice Skating |
||||
Lacrosse |
||||
Martial Arts |
||||
Mountain biking |
||||
Racquet Ball |
||||
Rowing |
||||
Rugby |
||||
Running |
||||
Sailing |
||||
Skateboarding |
||||
Snowboarding |
||||
Soccer |
||||
Softball |
||||
Squash |
||||
Swimming |
||||
Tennis |
||||
Track & Field |
||||
Volleyball |
||||
Weightlifting |
||||
Wrestling |
||||
Archery |
||||
Curling |
||||
Ultimate |
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
Preschool - 12
1 - 12
0%
13%
$0
$7,120
0%
78%
Preschool, JK, SK, K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
JK, SK, K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Rolling
Rolling
Not available
Not available
Yes
Yes: grades JK - 12
Yes
No
No
No
Yes
Yes: grades 7 - 12
No
No
No
No
Sacred Heart students are kind to their peers and teachers, intellectually curious, and socially conscious young women and men who show their school spirit in ways that are relational and constructive. Sacred Heart seeks students who want to be engaged in learning and who seek to develop their unique extracurricular gifts and talents. Becoming who one is meant to be is the key to success at Sacred Heart, and this requires self-awareness, interior listening, kind and constructive feedback, and a global outlook.
Prospective families can complete the online application which is easy, free, and takes very little time. Once the Admissions Department receive the application, they will be in touch to arrange an in-person or online tour, and an appointment for the child’s admissions assessment.
