REVIEW OF Phoenix Private Academy BY parent, Giulianna Scarpim Rosa

(5) Student Experience

Choosing Phoenix Private Academy for our daughter was the most assertive decision when we moved to Ottawa in 2024. The challenges involving a totally new environment in our new home, neighbourhood and also school for her, all at once, made us fear that she would not adapt or would even resist this new start in our lives. Since our first meeting with the school, through a phone call, we had a positive experience, which made us move forward with continuing learning more about their structure and values. When we could physically visit the school and personally meet with the principal, we were confident that this would be the best place for our daughter to spend her days, learning. Adjusting to a new school had its difficulties for sure, but since day one, she felt safe and happy, surrounded by capable and qualified professionals who know how best to approach each situation. Giulianna has developed her academic and social skills and has greatly improved her interaction and critical thinking, thanks to all the teachers involved in her life at Phoenix!

Why Phoenix Private Academy?

The staff’s professional qualifications and the years of experience serving exceptional students assured us that Phoenix was ahead of other schools. Also, the strategic location in the city made us choose this school for our daughter.

Expectations vs. Reality

The school's structure and philosophy surpassed our expectations for our daughter, where she can have access not only to the academic content but also to the life skills program, helping her achieve independence in her daily life.

Your Advice

The strong values and the staff’s professionalism are important pieces to consider when choosing a school for exceptional students. At Phoenix theses qualities are present, added to a loving and caring environment!

(5) School Leadership

The school's administration is effective and accessible. We always found an appropriate and efficient response to the questions and concerns we had as a family, as well as to unexpected situations involving our daughter and her condition. Communication with families is extensive, and we always feel included in what's happening at school regarding safety and decisions that will impact students and the community. The leadership is constantly seeking to provide what's best for students in their academic and personal development.

(5) Teaching

The teachers at Phoenix are highly qualified; many hold multiple degrees, and some also hold certifications to work as qualified therapists, including those required by OAP funding. Besides having the appropriate qualifications, the teachers work with dedication and passion, and do so on a one-on-one basis. This is evidenced by daily communication with families about how the day went at school and by ensuring that each student is released from the building only when an authorized adult is present at the end of the school day. Also, the academic content is applied to the student's level, and strategy materials are used, such as in mathematics, according to their abilities and specific needs. We can see that our daughter receives all the support, appropriate challenges and fun she needs in her school life!

(5) Academics

What caught our attention regarding the academics at Phoenix is that, in addition to having certified therapists on the teaching staff, who provide all the help needed in that area for the exceptional students, the school follows the Ontario curriculum until grade 8. This combination proved to be efficient and effective for our daughter's immediate needs. At the same time that we found it essential to have a structured curriculum to help her achieve more academically, the school can provide tailored content to her needs and also work on most of her abilities through therapies. Besides these qualities, the school works diligently to evaluate the teacher-to-student ratio needed for each individual. Lastly, Phoenix Private Academy offers a life skills program in which students learn basic, essential tasks needed for independent living.

(4) Extracurriculars

Phoenix Private Academy offers extracurricular opportunities throughout the school year, such as indoor swimming on Fridays, piano classes, a scout group after school hours, and four weeks of summer camps. We believe these opportunities align well with the student's profile and capabilities, making it fun for them to engage with their peers outside regular schoolwork. We also believe that opportunities to be involved in sports would be interesting, as would a week of summer camp with indoor activities, such as cooking or painting, for students who can't handle the hot weather or continuous physical activity.

(5) Students

It's special to have a school that offers such great support in academics, life, social skills, and behavioural therapies while still maintaining a family environment. And that can be found at Phoenix Private Academy! The many years of experience working with exceptional students make them so efficient and successful, and we also attribute that success to the small student groups the teachers work with. Also, having small classes helps all staff members know the students across different grades, making it possible for them to interact with and positively encourage their accomplishments daily. It's nice to see how the students from higher grade levels help and interact with the younger ones, such as during library days by lending books, and snack cart activities by selling products.

(5) School Life

Phoenix Private Academy provides a calm, safe and structured environment, promoted by all the staff in the school. This is clearly noticeable during a phone call with the secretary, when dealing with paperwork to submit to funding programs, or in extreme situations involving our daughter's safety and well-being. From the parents' perspective, dealing with any situation at Phoenix is stress-free! Now, speaking from our daughter's perspective, being assured that she enjoys going to school is even more powerful and important: it gives us the comfort and joy of knowing that we made the right decision in choosing this school! She is able to interact with the staff, her classmates, and students from other grades because of their interactions on the playground and during swimming days. We have no doubts that Phoenix Private Academy is contributing to maintaining our daughter's abilities, developing new skills and improving areas where she can grow as an individual.

(5) Community

The integration of parents and the school is successful, with the school providing as many opportunities as possible for parents to be involved in school life throughout the year. Some that can be mentioned are: regular meetings with the School's administration; this meeting on its own is of great value for parents to be connected and actively participating in the life of the school, since the school administration is open and willing to receive feedback from the activities proposed for the school year, as well as suggestions to fundraising ideas that can be implemented. It is also an excellent time to ask questions about safety and the school routine. Also, volunteer work, for instance, during field trips, seasonal campaigns to help groups in the community, among others.

(5) School Location

Another reason why we chose Phoenix Private Academy for our daughter was its strategic location. Not far from known quiet neighbourhoods like the one we live in, the access to the city bus is handy, and it is also near important, easily accessible streets. This makes it easy to get into the school area and gives students opportunities for field trips to popular year-round downtown events.

(5) Admissions

The admission process at Phoenix Private Academy was easy and without stress. From the first online message exchanged to the physical meeting with the vice principal, everything progressed positively and without interruptions. All the required forms and documents were clearly listed, and the submission and payment deadlines were clearly stated. The secretary was always available to clarify questions and promptly replied to our inquiries; the principal was also available to answer our questions when we met with them on two occasions, as we were outside Ottawa, and was very accommodating!