REVIEW OF Madrona Independent School BY parent, Stephanie Aldridge

(5) Student Experience

What my child appreciates most about Madrona is being understood as a person. The environment is calm and supportive, and they work with him at his own pace and according to his learning style, whether it is an academic, social-emotional, or practical issue. He feels respected and valued. The teachers and staff are caring, patient, and flexible, and I have seen his self-esteem blossom and grow over his two years at the school. The small size of the school provides many benefits in terms of individual attention and building community. However, if there were one drawback (according to my child), it would be the lack of an onsite outdoor playground. That said, the school is close to outdoor parks within a two-block walk, and they go outside every day, so they are not lacking access to green spaces, fresh air, or playgrounds. The field trips are plentiful, frequent, and "awesome" (read: kid-approved). I also appreciate the access to an amazing arts and music program, which is an unexpected strength given the size of the school. He has loved the ADST courses, which offer plenty of variety and choices to keep him interested and engaged.

Why Madrona Independent School?

My child was easily overwhelmed in larger schools, and it was immediately evident upon our first visit that this would be a different experience for him. I appreciated the time we had to meet with the Head of School, as well as the flexible experience days that introduced my son to the school and its environment. We immediately felt welcomed and could see that we were with a group of professionals who understood the needs of bright and quirky kids. The time spent with our family was focused on getting to know my child and assessing his fit for the school, from both the school's and our family's perspectives, rather than marketing the school to us.

Expectations vs. Reality

The school exceeded our expectations with respect to communication with parents, the diversity of its school activities, and its curriculum delivery. They pay attention to the sensory experience of being at school and are constantly adapting to meet the needs of the students. Watching all the students perform at the school concert was an unexpected delight. It was wonderful to see their skills showcased and their confidence while performing. I never would have guessed that my son would even consider doing something like this previously. In fact, we had always avoided school events prior to Madrona.

Your Advice

I hadn’t realized how traumatized I was as a parent from dealing with previous school administrators and unequipped teachers, even when they were well-intentioned. I felt so judged. It has been such a relief and a joy to work with a group of people who see my son’s strengths and use them to help him overcome his lagging skills. Our whole family dynamic has changed for the better since we came to Madrona. The sibling relationship has improved so much and is actually joyful, even though we only have one child at Madrona. It has been a happy ripple effect from the positive changes we have seen in my son, and it has been priceless to experience.

(5) School Leadership

I have been so impressed with how invested the administrative team is in the success of my child. They are warm and caring and have dealt with any problems swiftly and appropriately in a way that is very sensitive to my child's needs while setting firm expectations and boundaries. They very much respect and treat the children as individuals, seeking the child's input as well as the parents'. Over the years that we have been at Madrona, my son has developed as strong a relationship with the Head of School, Operations Manager, and Administrative Coordinator as he has with his classroom teachers, demonstrating his feelings of safety and fondness for all of them.

(5) Teaching

Yes, we have appreciated the caring nature and passion of all the teachers at Madrona. The small class sizes and additional teaching support have created many opportunities for one-to-one support when needed, as well as for the accommodations my son needs in order to be successful. The creative teaching approaches have helped immensely with his engagement as a learner, and we have seen vast improvements in his performance in math and writing. There are many opportunities for the children to demonstrate leadership by presenting and performing in front of audiences, both big and small, and to develop their confidence and self-esteem. I have been consistently impressed with the arts and STEM programs, as well as the variety and quality of the projects they undertake. We have ample access to the teachers to discuss his areas of success and areas for improvement, and he has always been well supported in the subjects and skills where he experiences challenges.

(5) Academics

Madrona caters to the goals and capabilities of its individual students. While the children are based in a homeroom that best aligns with their age and general academic ability, they are regrouped for subjects such as math according to their progress. For example, in a Grade 4 class, some students may be receiving support to move beyond a Grade 3 level, while others are being supported at a Grade 8 level. Everyone is encouraged to shine in their areas of strength while being supported in their areas of weakness. My son has dysgraphia, which interferes with his writing output, but he is supported by the teacher or teaching assistants so that he can produce work at an age-appropriate level. At the same time, they are teaching him executive functioning skills so that he can become more independent.

(4.5) Extracurriculars

If you are looking for a strong sports program and athletic extracurriculars, then Madrona is not the place for your child. However, they have an impressive offering of clubs and activities that take place during the lunch break, along with a couple of after-school programs, such as Dungeons & Dragons, Rainbow Club, Felting Club, and Student Council, to name a few.

(5) Students

Madrona is intentionally a small school (approximately 60 children from Kindergarten to Grade 8) with a supportive and inclusive group of educators and parents. The school works hard to keep parents informed and involved in a variety of ways. The school team communicates regularly and celebrates the success and diversity of its student body. The children are able and encouraged to make friends across all age groups and are supportive and respectful of one another. Conflicts are not allowed to grow, and the children generally respect the code of conduct. The educators and administrative team intentionally focus on social learning and skill development, and it shows in the student body. It is truly a caring and nurturing environment. My favourite example of this is the school winter concert, where every child gets to perform. It is heartwarming to see them encourage and support one another.

(5) School Life

My child has blossomed since attending Madrona. His self-esteem and confidence have grown profoundly, and he is fully participating and engaging in school in a way that we had never seen before he started attending Madrona. He was genuinely excited to return to school in September to see his friends and teachers. Having my son attend Madrona has been transformative for our whole family in ways I would have never anticipated. Even his sibling relationships have improved, despite the fact that his sibling attends a different school. At the school, they call it the "Madrona Magic," and it is aptly named. As a parent of a neurodiverse child, I feel seen and supported at Madrona. It is truly a judgment-free environment, and my child feels that he is not only welcome but that he belongs.

(5) Community

Parents are encouraged to be involved at the school through governance on the Board of Directors, as leaders or experts in the community (bringing their skills or perspectives to the class or school), by attending school events (sports days, assemblies, the school fair, etc.), fundraising (walkathons, silent auctions, school merchandise sales, etc.), and meeting one-on-one with the Head of School for questions and feedback. As a parent, I feel that I am provided with many opportunities to participate in both large and small ways. There are regular monthly coffee mornings hosted by the school for parents to connect informally with one another, hear updates, and provide input on school-wide planning. The Board of Directors is quite small but provides opportunities for parents to participate through committees without requiring long-term commitments.

(4) School Location

The school is well located within easy walking distance of many local community amenities (Connaught Park, Kits Community Centre), which is important given the small size of the school building and the lack of on-site playground facilities. The school regularly uses its own bus to take students farther into the community to museums and attractions (festivals, botanical gardens, Grouse Mountain), athletic facilities (such as parkour, martial arts, and sailing centres), and parks and beaches (Jericho Beach, Kits Beach, and Lighthouse Park). I am impressed by the number and variety of school excursions the children participate in.

(5) Admissions

The application process was quite simple and straightforward. I appreciated the experience days as a way to introduce the school and teachers to my son, and likewise for the school to assess whether it was a good fit for him. While it was no doubt a bit nerve-wracking, given my son's anxiety at the time, I found the team to be very flexible in accommodating a schedule that suited our needs. We received regular feedback and photos throughout the process to keep us informed about how he was doing. The process moved at our pace. We received a decision quite quickly, and their flexible admissions allowed us to start when we were ready, rather than waiting for the new school year to begin. I also feel this allowed my son to receive a bit more of the individual attention he needed at the start, since not all students were starting at the same time.