REVIEW OF Lynn-Rose School BY parent, Pallavi Tripathi

(4) Student Experience

My child appreciates the friends that he has formed over the years and some of the fantastic teachers that he has encountered - Ms. Banerjee, Ms. Bahuguna, Ms. Candido, Ms. Awasthi, and Ms. Aziz. They have been phenomenal role models and have helped further his education and helped him achieve all-around development. More recently, the focus on the gym has been very well received, and so is the ability to participate in the Waterloo Math competition. What's been disappointing is the rapid churn in the head of school. Also, the lack of consistency in teacher tenure. It is important to keep the good teachers engaged and around for at least 2 to 5 yrs. That will help build the right brand and improve student experience immensely. Having access to outdoor fields for soccer and track and field would also be helpful.

Why Lynn-Rose School?

LRS's IB curriculum and its focus on academics, along with a reasonable fee structure, made it our top choice. IB was one of the main attractions. Location-wise, it worked out, as well.

Expectations vs. Reality

The school does follow the IB curriculum, and that has shaped our kids' perspective and way of thinking. The focus on science could be stronger - science should be taught as often as language and math. I was hoping there would be participation in outside school activities as well, for eg:- MUN, national science fairs, national math olympiads.

Your Advice

If you are looking for an affordable IB school, then LRS is one to consider. The focus on math, language, presentations, science fair and beyond is great. But be mindful that music, gym, and sports are areas that need further development. Also, teacher churn over is a concern, along with a lack of stable school management.

(4) School Leadership

Mr. Michael and Ms. Dabrowski are great partners and leaders. They do an effective job of keeping parents informed and engaged. During parent-teacher nights, school fairs and French cafe, they take the time to interact with parents and engage with kids in front of us with insightful questions. They foster a great environment in the lower school. Consistency in the head of school is the challenge!

(4) Teaching

We have been lucky with the teachers that we have had so far. All of them have been excellent - passionate and knowledgeable - wanting to go beyond the minimum needed. I do believe there could be more done to help grow the stronger kids further, by having inter-class competitions and potentially inter-grade competition and challenges.

(4) Academics

There is a good focus on Math and language, and a lot of effort is put into ensuring kids have well-rounded development. I do believe there needs to be a stronger focus on coding and science. It would be good to have dedicated teachers for coding and science who could help the students understand the concepts well.

(3) Extracurriculars

Kids have gym and they participate in soccer or basketball. They also do swimming sessions in winter. I would like to see access to a proper soccer field, and a running track, along with other track and field sports like short putt, long jump, etc. There is room for improvement for music as well. It would be great to have a chess club, debate club, etc., where teachers help develop the right skills vs kids having to figure these things out and parents putting in the extra effort.

(3.5) Students

The general atmosphere is fantastic - my kid has an excellent set of friends who look out for each other. The sense of friendship and care is evident. Classroom size could be bigger, and it would be great to have more sections so there is healthy competition.

(3.5) School Life

Overall quality is good. My child would love to see more dedicated focus on sports and have a professionally trained Physical ed teacher who can truly focus on running techniques and their form. Being able to participate in a national or province-wide competition would also be great exposure.

(4) Community

We have a parent-teacher body, and there are regular surveys and newsletters published along with SoY and EoY gatherings. Parents also get involved in some of the fundraising. There is enough involvement from parents. Nothing further to add.

(4.5) School Location

It is a great neighbourhood; the location is fantastic. I have no interest in kids stepping out of school - I expect them to be in school, safe and sound. It wouldn't hurt to have access to facilities like community centers, soccer fields, football fields, etc., where the school could take the kids during gym, etc. But I wouldn't want kids venturing out on their own.

(4.5) Admissions

The admission process is seamless, and we haven't had any challenges over the years in getting through the process. There are multiple options on payment structure, etc., and it's quite seamless.