Interview with Pickering College PARENT, Krystie Robinson-Vincent

We got a real sense of community just by being on the tour. We met quite a few students who were on campus at the time. They were opening doors for us, welcoming us, and saying hello. 

They flourished in that environment because of the very small class sizes. In kindergarten, it was a split JK/SK class, but there was a full-time kindergarten teacher as well as an ECE. So, they had two teachers for eight students. 

They were exposed to different cultures and people from different countries. It's been a fantastic experience for them, and I think they've done quite well in that environment.

The Head of School is a phenomenal woman. She knows their names, and the previous Head of School was also fantastic. He knew every single student.

I think what both my boys appreciate is that they had that extra time with their teachers. If they needed help or had questions, they could get support. 

One of the things I think my kids both really appreciated was the opportunity to earn a secondary certificate. They not only graduate from senior school with the regular diploma, but they also earn the Global Leadership Certificate.

There's an Incubator Program where, if you have a business idea, you can develop it. You have to be accepted into the program, and six students are accepted.

There's a real sense of community. We have meetings, and each school day typically starts with either a Junior, Middle, or Senior School meeting, where students come together with administrative staff and teachers.

There are a number of different aspects rooted in Quakerism. Community is one of them, but they also talk about friendship, fun, wisdom, and other aspects. These are embedded in the academics as well as in the community itself.

In terms of extracurriculars, we have lots, and we try to encourage students to participate in whatever interests them. There's a strong athletic extracurricular component, and students are required to participate in extracurriculars starting in late Junior School and continuing through Senior School.

Many of our parents get involved by joining committees and helping to fundraise for the school. We encourage parents to join these committees, where they can meet and get to know each other. I meet a lot of parents from different grades this way, from JK all the way up to Grade 12, through the Parents' Association community.

We are strong academically, athletically, in the arts and music, and in experiential learning.

Pickering College has SPHERE and SPARK programs for Junior and Middle School students, which involve a lot of hands-on learning… I think this is the way of the future, and Pickering is staying ahead of the trend toward hands-on, experiential learning. So, being a well-rounded school would be my first reason.

My biggest advice would be to go to the school and meet the admissions team in person. Ask for a school tour. A lot of these schools have student ambassadors, so seeing the school through the students' eyes is fantastic because they give you a completely different perspective.

Bringing your child with you on these tours is important so they can experience the space themselves. You get a feel for the place, just as you would when taking a university tour or looking at postgraduate options. You get a sense of the environment when you visit.