REVIEW OF Royal Ontario Academy BY parent, Tina van de Ven

(4.5) Student Experience

Our son wanted to reach ahead one grade level and complete a Grade 10 course. This course allowed him to advance further than what was possible in his home school. The course material was interesting and engaging. It was online, convenient and allowed him to learn while doing his sports. The teacher was also responsible and provided good feedback and encouragement. Even though our son only took one course and not the full grade, it was definitely well-run and professional in the way that everything was organized. Our boys have completed online courses with other schools, and this was definitely one of the better ones. We would recommend it again. Even though it is a relatively new school, its courses seem more up-to-date and better designed than what I saw our son learning. The course had audio, video and interactive elements to it.

Why Royal Ontario Academy?

A friend recommended it to us, whose son already attended the online school. I knew that our son would be taken care of and supported properly.

Expectations vs. Reality

The course took a little longer than expected, but in the end, our son did really well, and we were happy with the result. We thought it was going to take 4 months, but it took six months. I think it was not the school fault though. Our son just got busy with his regular school and sports.

Your Advice

As with all online learning, regular check-ins are important to ensure progress is being made. The Royal Ontario Academy provided regular updates, which really helped to ensure our son was making progress through the course.

(4) School Leadership

We received good service. Received a grade report halfway and at the end, which was nice. Anytime we had questions, they were responsive. The teacher was positive and also had boys involved in sports, so he related well to the time management challenges with various commitments. Grades and assignments were returned quickly. Overall, as I said, it was well run and professional. I would recommend this school to other families if asked. My son said that their learning platform was easy to understand and follow, too.

(4.5) Teaching

Annette was a very good teacher with lots of experience. She was not too difficult but also not too easy. The grades were earned but high enough to provide encouragement and a positive environment. We were not too involved in this process because we have a lot going on, and it was only one course, but the communication was regular, professional, and the school and teachers had high standards. It was a good learning experience, and they hire good people from what we have experienced. The Principal, teacher and other staff were responsive, professional and cared about the students in their school. It is a really good choice for taking extra courses in the summer and 1-2 extra courses in addition to what is being taken at their regular school during the day.

(4) Academics

It is clear that this school cares about its students, the learning they receive and the services that are provided. Keep in mind, everything is virtual, so it is different from other schools, but they reply quickly to emails, answer their phones and provide documentation to my son's school quickly and professionally.

(3.5) School Life

It is clear that this school cares about its students, the learning they receive and the services that are provided. We wanted our son to go to a quality online school, and this one was recommended by another friend.

(5) Admissions

Admissions were super easy. We submitted a few documents. We needed to prove that our son completed the grade 9 course before this one. A passport photo and his transcript. It was fast, and he was able to start his online course quickly.