Indirect Support:
Don Valley Academy is a private high school whose primary aim is to prepare our students for post-secondary studies. Our low student-teacher ratio allows us to provide a respectful, safe, and nurturing environment. In this positive atmosphere, our students are able to focus effectively on their studies and acquire the knowledge and skills they need to excel academically. Our carefully selected teachers are committed to motivating and inspiring each student to reach his or her full potential.
Don Valley is one of those little gems within the city that doesn’t get nearly the attention that it deserves. It’s a small school, and the size is one of its strengths. Students choose Don Valley because they are looking for something different, something more personal, where they can exercise their talents and abilities in the ways they choose to exercise them. It requires a certain amount of responsibility, of course, though the program rewards those that arrive with it. This isn’t the school for a student looking for a full complement of intramurals, for example, but instead is looking for a respectful, quiet, challenging academic environment peopled by students and faculty that are true peers. The ideal student is one looking for a challenge, is operating at the top of his or her peer group, and is able to make the most of a flexible learning environment.
| Focus |
|---|
| Academic |
| Subject | offered |
|---|---|
| Biology | |
| Chemistry | |
| Ecology | |
| Geology | |
| Meteorology | |
| Physics | |
| Physiology | |
| Zoology |
| Subject | offered |
|---|---|
| Evolution as consensus theory | |
| Evolution as one of many equally viable theories | |
| Evolution is not taught |
| Subject | offered |
|---|---|
| Acting | |
| Dance | |
| Drama/Theatre | |
| Graphic Design | |
| Music | |
| Visual Arts |
| Subject | offered |
|---|---|
| Computer science | |
| Robotics | |
| Web design |
| Flexible pacing style | offered |
|---|---|
| Subject-streaming (tracking) | |
| Multi-age classrooms as standard | |
| Ability-grouping (in-class) as common | |
| Frequent use of cyber-learning (at-their-own-pace) | |
| Regular guided independent study opportunities | |
| Differentiated assessment |
Students are placed in a separate special education class, but are strategically integrated into a regular classroom for certain periods.
| Subject Type | offered |
|---|---|
| Learning strategy and study counselling; habit formation | |
| Extra support and minor accommodations for children experiencing subclinical difficulties |
| Subject Type | offered |
|---|---|
| Accommodations | |
| Modifications | |
| Extra support |
Read our guide to special needs schools and special education
| Program | offered |
|---|---|
| Full-time gifted program (parallel to rest of school) | |
| Part-time gifted program (pull-out; parallel to rest of class) |
Curriculum delivery: This information is not currently available.
| Program | offered |
|---|---|
| Custom subject enrichment (special arrangement) | |
| Custom curriculum compacting (special arrangement) | |
| Guided independent study (custom gifted arrangement) | |
| Cyber-learning opportunities (custom gifted arrangement) | |
| Formalized peer coaching opportunities (specifically for gifted learners to coach others) | |
| Custom subject acceleration (special arrangement) | |
| Career exploration (custom gifted arrangement) | |
| Project-based learning (custom gifted arrangement) | |
| Mentorships (custom gifted arrangement) |
In grade Gr. 12, Don Valley Academy students perform an average of 2 hours of homework per night.
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Don Valley Academy | 60 mins | 60 mins | 90 mins | 120 mins |
| Site Average | 69 mins | 80 mins | 96 mins | 109 mins |
| Sports Offered | Competitive | Recreational |
|---|---|---|
| Baseball | ||
| Basketball | ||
| Football | ||
| Ice Hockey | ||
| Lacrosse | ||
| Rowing | ||
| Rugby | ||
| Soccer | ||
| Softball | ||
| Swimming | ||
| Tennis | ||
| Track & Field | ||
| Volleyball |
| Clubs Offered |
|---|
| Chess Club |
| Community Service |
| Computer Club |
Discounts
| Discount Type | Enrollment Type | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Full payment | all students | 6% |
| Early payment | all students | $205 |
| 2nd child (sibling) | all students | 10% |
| 3rd child (sibling) | all students | $10 |
| 4th child (sibling) | all students | $10 |
This information is not currently available.
This information is not currently available.
| Grades | Gender | Living Arrangement | Enrollment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group 1 | Gr. 9 to Gr. 12 | Coed | Day | 60 |
| Total enrollment | 60 |
| Average enrollment per grade | 15 |
| Average class size | 8 to 10 |
| Gender (grades) | Gr. 9 to Gr. 12 (Coed) |
| Boarding offered | No |
| Percentage of students are international students | 20% |
| Number of different nationalities within student population | 5 |
| Five-day boarding programs offfered |
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day Enrollment | ||||
| Class Size | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 |
| Assessment | Required | Grades |
|---|---|---|
| Interview | 9 - 12 | |
| SSAT | ||
| SSAT (out of province) | ||
| Entrance Exam(s) | ||
| Entrance Essay | ||
| Application Fee |
Day students: N/A
Student Entry Points
| Student Type | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day Acceptance (Acceptance rate) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Services | Offered |
|---|---|
| Career planning | |
| Internships | |
| Mentorship Program | |
| University counseling |
| Key Numbers | |
|---|---|
| Average graduating class size | 20 |
| *Canadian "Big 6" placements | N/A |
| **Ivy+ placements | 2 |
*Number of students in the past year who attended one of McGill, U of T, UBC, Queen's University, University of Alberta, or Dalhousie University.
**Number of students in the past 5 years that that attended one of Harvard, Yale, Princeton, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth, Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Stanford, University of Chicago, Oxford or Cambridge (UK)
Below, find stories and testimonials about Don Valley Academy.
Thank you for providing a very positive, hands on learning experience for our daughter, Vanessa. Not only did it give Vanessa the opportunity to substantially improve her mark (after graduating) from a 66 to an 88, but it provided her with the confidence to pursue Math in her future studies. It also provided her with a number of academic university scholarships worth a few thousand dollars. Great experience at your school and for her future.
Thank you.
Heidi K, Parent
...
I want to thank you for the invaluable contribution you all have made to my son’s education and, ultimately, to his life. In September 2006 when I first made contact with the Don Valley Academy, I was impressed with your ‘real world’ approach to learning, i.e. teaching students how to take responsibility for their learning while maintaining close supervision. As you recall, I explained to you that my son Brian had had bad experiences in public school and that I was worried that he would not be able to attend university.
After talking with Brian you assured me that you and your staff would help him turn things around. Literally within weeks, Brian’s attitude began changing and, as he improved his organizational and work management skills, his work also improved and, with it, his interest in his work. By March Break, the Don Valley Academy had turned Brian’s cycle of mediocrity into one that focused on seeking excellence.
From November 2006 to June 2007, Brian evolved from a mediocre student on which the public system had given up into an ‘A’ student who was accepted by every university to which he applied, namely, The University of Toronto, The University of Western Ontario and York University.
I am grateful to The Don Valley Academy for the outstanding competence, dedication and integrity of its staff and the effectiveness of its approach to education. It is not an exaggeration to state that The Don Valley Academy has left an indelible mark on my son’s life and on mine.
Thank you again, so much.
Bernard B, Parent
Dear Mr. Evans (Alex),
I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the extraordinary contribution that you personally and your team at Don Valley Academy (“DVA”) have made to the progress, well-being and success of our son, Benjamin. We – and he – couldn’t be more satisfied with and grateful for the experience that Benjamin had as a student at DVA.
Benjamin came to you at a time of real disaffection with the conventional approach to teaching, learning, growing, developing and socialization promoted and implemented at other “leading” schools in the community. Initially, Benjamin turned to DVA for tutoring and extra help while still enrolled full-time in another school. But as Benjamin began to appreciate and respond well to the attitude, style and approach of the DVA staff, he asked his mother and I to agree to move him to DVA on a full-time basis for the remainder of his high-school program. At first we were sceptical about the proposed move, not because we doubted the integrity of DVA’s curriculum or pedagogical philosophy, but because we assumed that Benjamin’s “issues” would follow him wherever he went and the school itself would probably not make the difference.
Nevertheless, we put our faith in Benjamin’s own judgment and in DVA’s promise of a student-centred, personalized approach – one which placed the emphasis on individual growth and learning strategies and on fostering a spirit of personal responsibility in the student – and we enrolled Benjamin in DVA on a full-time basis for his last two years of high-school. And, as it turns out, our faith proved to be entirely justified.
As if miraculously, Benjamin responded almost instantly and in the most salutary and positive ways to the DVA environment and pedagogy. DVA helped foster Benjamin’s sense of personal initiative and responsibility and his pride and interest in achieving, excelling and learning. Under your direction and with your guidance and encouragement, Benjamin began to take charge of his studies, of his work and of the mission to get through the program in a creditable fashion. The results have been remarkable. Benjamin has developed – and continues to develop – into a fine, responsible, articulate and competent young adult. He has become more engaged in the world of ideas, of current affairs and of issues that he will have to address and problems that he will want to help solve in the challenging and daunting world which he is entering as a full and civically active member of society.
His intellectual curiosity was stimulated and rewarded at DVA. His self-confidence has grown ten-fold since attending DVA. His enthusiasm about the prospect of taking his place in the polity and the economy which we live in has been enhanced. DVA was just what Benjamin needed and we couldn’t be more grateful for it. Benjamin respected, responded well to and was enamoured with every one of your teachers. The proof is in the pudding. Benjamin graduated with a very high grade point average; he was accepted to every university to which he applied for admission (a couple of them even offered generous entrance scholarships!). DVA successfully shepherded our son through one of the more difficult stages in the development and life of a young person: adolescence. You managed to get him through this period with flying colours, both as to his personal, psychological and emotional development and as to his intellectual growth and his acquisition of indispensable study and learning skills.
Thank you DVA!
Peter B, Parent
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