REVIEW OF Christ Church Cathedral School BY parent, Philippa Carrie

(5) Student Experience

My children and I love the sense of community - the students in other grades and the teachers know them by name and go out of their way to include everyone. My children’s strengths are encouraged and celebrated - whether it’s sports, music, arts, or academics, and they are fully supported in areas where they may need an extra push. My kids love the incorporation of outdoor learning with regular neighborhood exploration, field trips, and outside play. There is a good mix of academics and ‘fun’. The staff and faculty are patient and kind, they take the time to get to know the kids on a deep level through the school year and go out of their way to also to get know families and parents.

(4.5) School Leadership

I love that the headmaster of our school is always available to parents. He will stand at the gate each morning, greeting everyone as they arrive. He’ll get his hands dirty participating in a fundraiser bottle drive, or stand at the corner of the neighborhood for a week to watch traffic patterns during school drop-off to find ways to ensure the kids are safely arriving at school. The administration is always quick to reply to emails and address any concerns. Any concern I’ve had about discipline or bullying has been well received - I felt that the leadership really listened to my concerns and ensured there was a resolution that satisfied everyone.

(5) Teaching

There isn’t enough space here for me to sing the praises of the teachers both my children have encountered. From an SK staff member who went out of her way, on her own time, to find extra work for my son to do when he was looking for more engagement, to classroom staff who regularly stay late into the evening to ensure the next day will be filled with fun and learning for the kids. The staff is amazing at communicating with parents, they engage with the kids and meet them at their current level while encouraging their growth and learning. The teachers are patient, kind, warm, and fun. My kids can never pick a ‘favorite’ teacher, they love them all. Each teacher brings their own strength and teaching style, but in a small school where the kids are exposed to each teacher through their time at CCCS, having this full spectrum of teaching gives them a well-rounded education, learning to work with others and different teaching styles.

(4.5) Academics

The school has a very good academic program, especially when I compare my children with friends’ kids in other schools. The class sizes are small, there is an EA in each class, and the material provided encourages growth and learning for my kids. I love that the school does not cultivate a competitive academic environment. Each child’s achievements are celebrated, big or small. Kids who are ‘ahead’ are supported and pushed to grow more, and those needing extra help or support are equally supported to grow and catch up. The use of peer mentorship has been great for my kids - both as leaders to younger kids and being mentored by older students, they’ve been encouraged further in their learning. I know my children will be more than ready when they leave this school for their next phase of learning.

(4.5) Extracurriculars

I believe the school, considering it is a small community, offers more than enough extracurricular opportunity. There are numerous clubs, centered around the current interests of students. As students express interest in new areas, new clubs are created. Similarly, sports interests guide sports - with external sports experts brought in for some activities (karate, basketball, soccer) and then school sports teams throughout the year. One small downside is the school gym is small, not all sports can be done at a ‘full size’. This isn’t an issue for my kids, and the school only goes to grade 8, so at these ages we don’t mind!

(5) Students

The students are a community - when my kids arrive at school in the morning they are greeted by a chorus of hellos from kids of all grades. From grade 8 to kindergarten, everyone knows each other, respects each other, and gives support when needed. The small school size creates an incredible ‘team’ in the student body. The student body is diverse, and inclusive and comes from all denominations. As a parent, I also appreciate that many of the students will engage with me on the playground. I hear of very little bullying amongst students, and any ‘mean’ behavior is well managed by the school. The small classes and one class per grade mean the classes themselves become very close, with the kids ‘growing up’ together. The friendships are strong and lifelong.

(5) School Life

My kids LOVE school. They are excited to go each morning, and they are smiling at the end of the day with stories of how the day went. They have plenty of opportunities to engage in activities they are interested in, and are pushed in the classroom academically. They have made incredible friendships and learned an immense amount. We love the quality of out-of-school care as well, both the before and after-school programming, and summer camp really complement the school program and further build on the community feel. One criticism is that we did find that the junior kindergarten program was very separate from the main school, and the JK definitely lacked the community and academic feel that the main school has.

(5) Community

Christ Church Cathedral School is a community, and it is this community that sets the school above all others. There is a very active parent group, and their ideas are heard and well-received. They actively fundraise to improve the school facilities, but they also prioritize building the school community feel. Parents are also very encouraged to talk to teachers, walk the halls and see the school work displayed, and take part in school activities and celebrations (a school-wide Christmas Potluck dinner is a highlight each year). I think like in any school, the parent community is driven by parents’ interests - some families are more involved than others, and in some classes the parents have become closer than others. The teachers are always happy to engage with me, both by email or in person, they’ll listen to my concerns and chat about my child’s progress.

(5) School Location

The school’s downtown location means the playground and field are smaller than a large suburban school. That said, the teachers utilize the wider neighborhood, with community walks, adventures to nearby parks and gardens, and finding opportunities for community service (like collecting donations for local shelters). This broadens my kid’s learning opportunities and further encourages the school’s mission to teach the kids to be good citizens and empathic members of the community.