REVIEW OF Nile Academy BY parent, RIMA SAAD

(5) Student Experience

My son is very enthusiastic to go to school every morning. My husband and I were quite surprised as to how much he has come out of his shell shortly after enrolling him. His teachers have built a strong connection with him and have made him express himself comfortably. Our son is very happy and excited to go to school each day and beams when he talks about his day at pick-up. He is thriving to the best of his potential thanks to the continuous effort made by his teachers and surrounding staff. When your child has many things to say about their day. you know that something is being done right at school. I am extremely grateful that he can have this opportunity.

(5) School Leadership

The school administration and staff are very approachable and kind, There is a lot of transparency between his teachers and my husband and I. We are constantly receiving feedback regarding his academics, social skills and behavior. It always gives us the opportunity as parents to fill in the gaps for our child's needs. Teachers are also very prompt with responding back to emails and calls. We also receive pictures of our child weekly. They also ensure that work is marked on time with constructive feedback.

(5) Teaching

We are very happy with the quality of education and instruction our son is receiving. He went into JK not knowing his letters or numbers to recognizing and writing most of them on his own with very minimal support from home. Having smaller class sizes really enhances the quality of education that your child is receiving. They also dive into a student's learning by taking part in hands-on activities, exploring their surroundings and using technology. Also, many different platforms are used such as Seesaw, Class Dojo, Padlet and google classroom. The teachers have a great relationship with their students and you can see how well they communicate with each other. They are constantly providing constructive feedback to parents and ways to help the students improve.

(5) Academics

Nile Academy has strong core values and years of success. My child has surpassed what he is expected to know at his age according to the Ontario Curriculum. The students in his class are relatively at the same level. This goes to show that each child is taken care of individually. Constant evaluations are done to avoid any gaps in my child's learning. The variety of hands-on activities and subject-based centers allow a child to explore their learning in countless ways. The students are also encouraged to participate in extracurricular activities and school events such as fundraisers. Academics are well-attended to however students are encouraged to become independent and well-rounded individuals. They work on the whole of a student which makes it a very unique school.

(5) Extracurriculars

My child is provided with tutor sessions after school twice a week to enhance his learning and prepare him for the next grade. This gives him a one-on-one learning opportunity with his teacher. They also have after-school programs that focus on creativity such as arts and crafts, technology-based activities or sports. The cultures are welcomed and celebrated as well.

(5) Students

Due to the classes being smaller, students tend to have a close-knit relationship. I feel that the students are more like family than classmates. The class size makes a big difference for us as parents. Having a smaller class size is what really stood out to us and made us feel comfortable when making the decision to enroll our son. They are super friendly, kind and welcoming. When my son was enrolled a few months into the year, he did not feel any different than the rest. He was welcomed with open arms and beaming smiles. Warm connections are built between the students, which creates special bonds and feelings. The teachers and staff have a great relationship with both the parents and students.

(5) School Life

The school has been around for a while. They are well-run and organized. The teachers are quite experienced and know how to run things efficiently. My child never feels anxious or resistant to come to school. He is always looking forward to a new school day. He also knows the weekly schedule ahead of time and knows what to expect. They do a great job with changing with the times. They use an online reading platform called RAZ kids that has multiple books to choose from. The students can read the book or have it read to them. They also can self-assess themselves or have the teacher assess them before moving onto the next reading level. Utilizing these sorts of platforms really enhances a child's learning.

(5) Community

Parents are involved in many school events such as fundraising, parent class visits, and parents socials. They are also invited to school events though zoom such as anti-bullying or remembrance day events. The parents also have a close-knit community just like their kids. Online coffee mornings are hosted for parents to see what their children are doing at school. This is done through a PowerPoint presentation of pictures and curriculum expectations that have been met. We also receive a weekly overview of what the students have learned that week. This is a detailed overview that outlines every subject objective that has been met. This gives me the opportunity to reinforce these objectives at home. It also avoids future gaps in my son's learning. Little things like these matter.

(5) School Location

The school is located in North York, Toronto. It is in a very family-friendly community. There is lots of green space for the students to explore and play in. It also backs up onto a hiking trail which comes in handy for student learning and nature trails. They also have fairly large classrooms that can ensure safe social distancing between the students.