REVIEW OF Pythagoras Academy BY parent, Lindsay Foley-Dinh

(5) Student Experience

Both of my children attend Pythagoras Academy and we have no doubt in our minds that our kids love it there. They are always eager to go to school and reluctant to at the end of the school day when its time to go home. They always want to spend more time playing with their friends after school. Unfortunately the pandemic can limit things, we look forward to the eventual return to a more regular interaction. Both of our kids really enjoy the diversity in the programing at the school including languages, art, music, musical theater, physical education, and the academics. They appreciate the attention of the teachers and know that they can ask for guidance if they need it and they really appreciate spending time with their friends at school.

(5) School Leadership

The school leadership and administration is phenomenal. In particular we really appreciate that the entire staff is very welcoming and is familiar with each and every family that attends the school. The school is very transparent in its communication and keeps the families up to date with any changes at the school. Any concerns and questions are always addressed efficiently and with complete professionalism. The school does a fantastic job at engaging families and fostering an educational experience that encompasses the whole child.

(5) Teaching

We are so lucky to have such amazing teachers teaching our children over the years. In particular this year, given the pandemic, we are in awe of the teacher's continued commitment to their work and our kids. The teachers are attentive and resourceful and do not miss a beat; they are on top of all their students successes and growth areas. For example, where a student can stretch their knowledge/skills, the teachers will facilitate that with alternative work much like if a student can use some guidance, the teachers will develop alternative work (the main thing is the kids remain engaged and happy). The teachers are collaborative and engage with parents and children as needed. We are completely satisfied with the curriculum and instruction.

(5) Academics

Pythagoras offers a very comprehensive program and we have complete confidence that the academics will prepare our children for their next steps. The school offers languages (Mandarin and french ), English, Math, Science, physical education, music, musical theater, art, technology, activity blocks, and a variety of after school programs. We can see that our children are learning to be studious and seek out challenges and have no doubt that they are learning the most up to date curriculum. For example, both our children began to learn about coding in Junior Kindergarten and Kindergarten. We appreciate that the school is teaching students to balance work and life from an early age by not overloading kids with too much homework and still achieving quality results. We are enthusiastic to see as Pythagoras grows and look forward to more fantastic programing.

(5) Extracurriculars

There are many extracurricular activities offered at Pythagoras. Some of the programs include Mandarin, technology, public speaking, debate, sports, and dance. These programs are all very popular and given the current pandemic it is hard to comment on this year's programming. The school is quite diverse in the availability in extra activities. There is an annual Christmas show, a well attended (virtual) school play, and even a talent show this year. All holidays are celebrated with special events and often there are assemblies to present the ideas and viewpoints by several grades.

(5) Students

The school atmosphere is very positive and welcoming. There is growing diversity in the students base and a friendly atmosphere. The class sizes are small which can afford the students an opportunity to really get to know their peers and develop long lasting friendships. The school has various programs to encourage intermingling. One example is the reading buddy program, which is particularly effective in building links between the students in the lower grades with their older peers. The school has a traditional house system and this is creates a sense of spirit and competition where the kids can have fun contests to win points for their house's team. It adds a fun and interesting twist to the schools activities. The students enjoy their fun interactions but do often demonstrate their commitment to academic excellence as shown in their grades and presentations.

(5) School Life

Both of our children love attending Pythagoras. They have a sense of pride about their school and wear their uniforms happily. Both of our children appreciate the school's leadership, administration, teachers, staff, lunches, and their friends. They are both really excited about the new playground built last year and the new outdoor classroom built this year. Both of our children are excited about the house league points and are really enjoy participating in activities to achieve points. Pythagoras went above and beyond this year given the challenges of the pandemic by creating a in school pumpkin patch, celebrating holidays and birthdays, providing online field trips, and, managing a fully online Christmas concert. Our children really appreciated these events particularly because they enjoyed them with their friends.

(5) Community

Pythagoras has an environment that fosters positive school community . There are many opportunities for parents to get involved in the school community, for instance, by volunteering and the parent advisory committee. We really appreciate that even during the pandemic the school has made great efforts to maintain the school's sense of community for example with the implementation of on-line assemblies that parents can attend, the maintenance of the class parent role, and, the exceptional use of social media. For example, parents have access to chat groups that provide a forum for us to connect, a chat group that sends out school news, a presence on Instagram and Facebook, and emailing. Prior to the pandemic it was always nice to chat with the other parents at drop off and pick up and we are looking forward to resuming that in the future.

(4) School Location

The school is located in a quiet neighborhood that is adjacent to a business park. The students remain on the school grounds during school hours. Driving to the school is relatively efficient and there is not a lot of traffic in the area. Its a nice area with sidewalks that the teachers often take the kids for walks around the community.