REVIEW OF Avalon Children's Montessori School BY Alum, Cassidy Barbour

(5) Overall Experience

I attended Avalon for many years, and during that time I experienced some of the best education I have received. Avalon really stands out from other schools, and that shines through in their excellent teachers and open-minded approach to learning. Avalon is truly one of the best options for children to attend from preschool all the way through grade 8. The close-knit community is open and supportive, which creates an environment that is an ideal place for a child to learn. The school prepares students for high school and university by instilling in them a positive attitude towards life and an enthusiastic and imaginative approach to the various challenges that they will face. A student enrolling at Avalon should expect an amazing community full of amazing people, as well as skilled teachers who are willing and able to pay attention to individuals.

(5) School Leadership

The school is led by fearless leaders who always chose to go the extra mile when it came to improving the school for the students, an attitude that spread through the rest of the school due to the endless enthusiasm of the administration. There was always a sense of respect between the administration and the school body, which left communication channels open, enabling both students and administration able to suggest changes that would make the school a better place for everyone.

(5) Teaching

The teachers at Avalon are truly phenomenal. Due to the open-minded and individualistic style of teaching that teachers at Avalon employ, every child is able to learn a subject at their own pace while still being able to receive personalized instruction and feedback from their teachers. The dynamic between teachers and students is personable; teachers feel approachable and friendly while still being able to control the classroom effectively. The teachers are always knowledgeable about whatever subject they are teaching, be it language or social studies. One of the focuses of Avalon is the importance of constructive criticism, and in a classroom environment, this comes from both teachers and peers. Improving schoolwork through constructive criticism instills a love of learning in students and enables them to strive for higher achievements.

(4.5) Academics

Academics at Avalon are taken seriously without becoming highly competitive. The atmosphere between the students concerning academics is friendly, with students often helping their peers with challenging subjects, even having a club dedicated to that purpose. Especially in the higher grades, academics are considered to be important, though they are not put above the health of the student. If a student ever feels either too challenged or not challenged enough, accommodations are made to best fit that student. Avalon has a unique approach to solving problems with academics, helping to prepare their students for the challenges that face them in high school, and even through to college or university, no matter what focus a student may take. Avalon's adaptive approach to roadblocks that they teach benefits alumni for years to come.

(3.5) Extracurriculars

The extracurriculars at Avalon were limited in number, though high in quality. There were varying atmospheres around clubs, with some being formed around competition, such as the Scrabble club, and others being formed purely for enjoyment, such as the LEGO club. Many clubs were suggested by students, providing many opportunities for improving leadership skills among students of every age and grade.

(4.5) Students

The size of Avalon was extremely small during my time there, especially in the higher grades, with an average of 70-100 students attending the school. Due to the small classroom sizes, all of the students throughout the entire school were able to get to know each other well, which led to a shared sense of camaraderie between them. Students were kept together as they moved through the grades, leading to strong friendships that will last for ages as they got to know each other through the years. Students of all types and abilities are welcomed and appreciated at Avalon, and with a diverse range of students from all walks of life, there was always a plethora of different perspectives available. The students of Avalon are always accepting of each other, and get along well with each other.

(4.5) School Life

I loved attending Avalon. The workload was never too strenuous, while still being informative, educational, and engaging, and the subjects were always relevant and applicable to the modern day. The schoolwork enabled students to learn at their own pace and encouraged students to explore their interests further, which led to more focus and enthusiasm. Teachers would motivate students to persevere through challenges, but never at the cost of their mental health, which meant that burnout was much less common than it might be in other schools. Students were passionate about learning because of how fun the teachers made it while still keeping it educational. The vast majority of students were extremely happy with their place at Avalon Montessori School, and with the positive attitude towards learning that was in place there, it stayed that way.

(5) Community

Due to the small size of the school and tight bonds between students, Avalon fosters an amazing community that is welcoming, friendly, and close-knit. Parents are often involved in the many community events that take place throughout the year, and many parents choose to volunteer at the school on their own time. Many strong friendships have begun while at Avalon, whether that be at community events, in the classroom, or even during school pickup at the end of the day. The bonds that form within the Avalon community are strong, lasting far after an individual leaves Avalon, through graduation or otherwise. Alumni such as myself still keep up with each other, and one of my best friends comes from Avalon. One of the strongest points of Avalon is how welcoming and helpful the community really is.

(5) School Location

The location of the school is right in the middle of the neighbourhood, which enables many students to have a shorter commute. It also has easy access to a nearby public park, which the school takes advantage of for gym classes and recess. The school is also nearby many restaurants for students to buy their lunch from if they so choose.