REVIEW OF Coast Mountain Academy BY Alum, Sarah Smart

(4) Overall Experience

My 4 years at CMA were, in one word, inspiring. I think what stands out most from my time there are the trips we took. They helped me form lifelong bonds with my classmates and pushed me out of my comfort zone. Going into university, I felt a little out of place and struggled with the workload and exam formats. I think this is something CMA could improve on and help prep students for. I also struggled with the amount of reading required for each class. This was something I had never done before. Even though we read books throughout the years in Mr. Sharp's class, the amount and the challenging language used in university texts were very difficult to absorb. A prospective student should look forward to building lifelong connections, both with classmates and staff, creating memories both in the classroom and outdoors, and learning how to welcome curiosity.

Looking Back

The LEAD trips, of course, but also all the interactive classroom sessions we had, such as dissecting in A/P or mock trials/debates in Social Studies. Also running the JF.

Current Perspective

I noticed how much it's grown since my time there, both with students and the new staff. I think CMA has done a great job in adapting to that change and has created a welcoming environment for a larger student body

Your Advice

I would tell them to welcome challenges as they come and take advantage of the time they have there! Whether that be volunteering in class or joining a club, take the opportunity to learn more about yourself and try new things.

(4.5) School Leadership

The administration at CMA, I felt, was always there for me and made me feel comfortable talking to or confiding in them. Of course, there were times when issues arose and needed to be dealt with. I think with such a new school, teachers and staff were also learning how to react to and handle issues, especially sensitive ones. I think that in order to be able to fix difficult situations, you need to have a connection with students. Mr. Logan is definitely someone who comes to mind and does an awesome job of handling situations, which could not be said about the previous head of school.

(5) Teaching

What I think I remember most about the teachers at CMA is their passion, not only for teaching but specifically for the subjects they are teaching. Both Mr. A and Mr. Sharp come to mind, as they are inspiring individuals who have passed on their passion for learning to me. I would say the dynamic between teachers and students is pretty informal at CMA, but by being informal, students develop a closer connection and a higher level of respect for the teachers. As a student, I always had a love of learning, but didn’t always love to be challenged. Mr. A found a way to challenge me as an individual, but in a way that didn’t trigger the nervousness and anxiety I had during high school. I truly believe that the teachers are what make CMA such an amazing school.

(3.5) Academics

When I look back on my time at CMA, I rarely think of the academics, but when I do, I think that it is an area that needs to be improved. More specifically, the expectations are in terms of homework assignments, tests, and the quality of work. I felt I was being challenged in the classroom sometimes but not so much outside of the classroom. It may seem strange, but now, after going to university and working a job, I’ve learned the importance of self-motivation. In the classroom, it’s easy to do the work because the teachers are there watching you, but when you get home, I think it’s also important to build that challenge and motivation. As you leave school, there’s no one around to constantly help challenge you; you need to learn how to do that yourself and to manage your own time efficiently.

(4) Extracurriculars

When I look back on my time at CMA, I regret not taking the opportunity to explore the extracurriculars more. I also think that there were limited options when I was at CMA. However, since the school has grown, I think they have adapted well to the growth of the student body and the interests that students have. Unfortunately, because I didn’t take part in any extracurricular activities, I don’t have much to review.

(4) Students

CMA has always been on the smaller side, but that doesn’t limit the personalities of the students. I was always a shy student and found that most of the students at CMA were quite the opposite. When I think of a typical CMA student, Rory comes to mind—someone with a huge, bubbly personality, the ability to easily connect with staff and other students alike, and a love of the outdoors and being challenged. The dynamic between students is great. The ability to connect with those both older and younger than you definitely helps to build larger social networks. I would say the students of CMA have interesting life journeys. Coming from living overseas, it was nice to be able to meet people who had experienced similar things and connect with them.

(4) School Life

I think high school in general is never really going to be perfect. I think everyone is learning more about themselves but also struggling with the finality of high school and what comes next. In terms of quality of life, I think it was above average compared to other schools in the area, and what helped most was the access to the outdoors and the incorporation of that into the curriculum. I personally liked going to CMA. I think the only thing that would have made my experience a little bit better, in terms of school life, was the ambiance of the classrooms, as they just didn’t feel like inspiring spaces, and, often, with the dreary weather, would make the day feel never-ending.

(4.5) Community

Personally, my family was very active in the CMA community. My mother enjoyed helping out as much as she could, and I know she built some amazing friendships along the way. Her connections with the staff continue even after both her children graduated, and I think that’s pretty unique to CMA, as I don’t think the same can be said about other schools in the area. As a family, we’ve felt pretty connected to CMA throughout our time there and even after both my brother and I left the school. My mum still visits from time to time and would jump at the opportunity to help out in any way she could. Personally, I am still in touch with classmates and frequently see them. Even when running into other alumni, it’s easy to immediately connect and catch up.

(3.5) School Location

I think the location of the school during my time there was pretty great. As everyone knows, I lived right across the street, so my opinion might be different from others, as it was pretty convenient for me. But as the neighbourhood has grown, it’s become a little chaotic, and the school definitely seems more isolated and is slowly being swallowed up by housing developments, which is unfortunate. However, the access to trail networks and forests is unmatched.

(4.5) Admissions

I don’t remember much from my application process, but I do remember the interview. I was nervous about it, as I had never done one before and didn’t necessarily feel prepared. However, it ended up being an opportunity to share a little bit about myself and learn more about the school and its expectations. The interview part of the application process felt important, and as a young 13-year-old, it made me more motivated and excited to join the CMA community.

(3) University placement and counselling

University is definitely something that I had thought about during my time in high school, but no one really mentions how quickly you are approached by it. I remember starting to look at schools in grade 10 and being immediately overwhelmed by all the options. I think the course did a good job of presenting us with a bunch of options, but we could have had a little more explanation of different programs as well as school life in general. I know my brother had the opportunity to go into her schools, which I didn’t, and I think that was helpful for him. I also felt that because of the added information and lectures on course and school options, there was this hidden sense that going to university was the only choice. There’s no harm in applying to or even going to university, but I think CMA could also help show students that they can learn and explore their passions through work or travel.