REVIEW OF Braemar House School BY Alum, Trinity Hilsden

(5) Overall Experience

During my time at Braemar, I felt like I was in an inclusive environment where I felt safe and accepted. The teachers did a great job in preparing students for the journey into secondary education and encouraged the students to set goals for themselves and their futures. During the 10 years, I spent at Braemar, I remember feeling like I could truly belong in this community. I was constantly eager to go to school to learn and see my friends. Teachers were serious about learning, however, they still managed to make learning fun to keep students engaged in class, which is essential to keep students interested in learning. I believe that Braemar House School has not only made me the best learner I can possibly be but also a better person. I began my time at Braemar at the young age of 3 years old, so I learned to be a kinder, more sympathetic, and compassionate person.

(4.5) School Leadership

Braemar House School has excellent student and staff leadership programs. The student council is democratic, so every child enjoys the dress-down day themes, events, and clubs. Braemar also has “class representatives” which are elected by the other students in their class. The job of a class representative is to go to student council meetings and represent their class while sharing ideas for casual day themes, and event ideas. As for the administration at Braemar, they were very well respected and treated by the students. If there were ever any issues between students, and it was brought to the attention of a staff member, the situation would always be handled in an understanding and disciplinary manner.

(5) Teaching

The teaching at Braemar has always been outstanding. The small class sizes allow teaching to be personalized for students so that teachers are able to understand their student’s strengths and places for improvement. The teachers at Braemar make sure their students feel safe and comfortable with reaching out for academic help and will assist the student by helping them accomplish their academic goals. When I was a student at Braemar, I was very close with all of my teachers. I felt comfortable asking for help when I needed it and the teachers would always treat me with respect and kindness. The teachers at Braemar always were passionate about the subject that they taught and knew how to make their lessons both educational and enjoyable!

(4.5) Academics

During my time at Braemar, all of the teachers made sure to prioritize the education of every student. Learning could be personalized so that each student meets their academic needs. In my opinion, Braemar House School particularly stands out in the humanities field. Numerous Braemar House School alumni, including myself, have grown to be particularly skilled in the English, History, etc. fields. In grade 8, we read Shakespeare's 'Hamlet', Charles Dickens 'A Christmas Carol'. We also did an end-of-year 10-page thesis paper, which helped us prepare for our future high school projects. I believe that this project is one example of the challenges which were given to students in order to excel in learning. Additionally, the teachers were able to understand my needs as a student and helped guide me through subjects that I struggled with.

(4.5) Extracurriculars

Braemar House School provides many extracurricular sports and clubs for students of all ages. This includes varsity sports, such as soccer, ball hockey, volleyball, basketball, and badminton. There are also numerous school clubs, including an origami club, chess club, dance club, and many others. Additionally, the school has an annual play in which all students are given the opportunity to participate. This program helped me discover that I am passionate about theatre. Therefore, I believe that the extracurricular programs at Braemar can help students learn what they are passionate about.

(5) Students

During the many years I spent at Braemar, I felt safe and welcomed by all of my classmates and other fellow students. The student body at the school is family-like, with its small class sizes. This means that every student knows each other and is able to make connections with other students who have common interests. At Braemar, I was able to make lifelong friends who I still communicate with today. Since the class sizes are smaller, students are with the same classmates all throughout their school life. This will lead to close relationships between students, that will last a lifetime. All of the students in the student body are eager to learn, and care about their academics, motivating each other to work to the best of their ability. Overall, the best way to describe it is that all of the students at this school are civil and friendly with each other.

(5) School Life

As a former Braemar House School student, I loved my student life at the school. I felt like I could voice my opinions and recommendations and receive genuine responses and have action taken. I felt genuinely comfortable and accepted in the environment. I believe that one of the major contributors to my happiness and comfort at the school was the kindness of the teachers and students. Additionally, the numerous different extracurricular activities which were provided also made school life inclusive and enjoyable. Everyone at the school felt like a family and built connections and friendly relationships with each other. All students who I knew also felt very safe and welcomed in this environment and had a passion for learning. I believe that Braemar does a very good job in being inclusive of every student, respecting and listening to their needs, and giving students the best school life possible.

(5) Community

At Braemar House School, parents are very capable of participating in their child's school life. Parent volunteering is very important to the community at Braemar, and parents can help with chaperoning at field trips, hosting school life events, such as the Family Fun Fest, cooking meals for the school Thanksgiving dinner, and much more. Alumni, such as myself, are also regularly visiting the school, showcasing the positive impact that the school has had on our lives even after graduating. Since I have left the school, I still remain in contact with some current and past students at Braemar, since the community means a lot to me, even after graduating. I have been trying my best to visit the school as often as possible because it truly has helped me advance in my academic skills and has helped me feel like I can be in a welcoming community.

(4.5) School Location

Braemar House School is located at a very accessible location. The school is nearby the Wayne Gretzky Centre, making the younger student's swimming lessons easy to travel to (by bus). The school is also located within a neighborhood, making it so that families living in nearby neighborhoods could travel to the school with ease. Additionally, from the school's location, it isn't easy for any students to leave the school property.