The 50-page review of Sunnybrook School is part of our series of in-depth accounts of Canada's leading private schools. It provides a unique and objective perspective on the school's academics, programs, culture, and community.
Read our in-depth review"Sunnybrook is an IB co-ed school for students from JK to Grade 6. Positive, nurturing relationships at school give our students the confidence to challenge themselves; SBS teachers create a welcoming classroom experience in which all students can reach their potential. Academic learning at SBS is balanced, holistic and engaging; the PYP is enhanced with Singapore Math, Phys Ed, Music and Library, as well as French classes daily. Our strong arts program fosters creativity and self expression."
Sunnybrook is a small school with a strong community that provides a challenging, high quality International Baccalaureate PYP curriculum. Sunnybrook was the first PYP accredited school in English Canada, and our IB students have agency, are critical thinkers, and learn to take action in the world. Sunnybrook School is Coed, inclusive, and serves a diverse community. Our small size means we know each student well and can tailor our curriculum and school experience to their individual needs.
At Sunnybrook an ideal learning environment is one in which students view their classrooms as positive and supportive. It is a space where they feel safe and secure. Sunnybrook provides a caring community where students feel comfortable; a place where healthy relationships with peers and teachers flourish, and students have a sense of belonging. As an intentionally small school we are able to offer this consistently to all our students. The trade off of the small and nurturing school we have created is that the physical space is smaller and we do not have the more extensive facilities that the larger schools can offer. Despite this our curriculum is academically robust and diverse. For parents, it is a decision about what you feel is key for your elementary child at this time, but we are big enough to provide an excellent IB education and small enough to get to know each family personally.
Sunnybrook School was founded in 1952 by Mrs. Irmingard Hoff, as one of North Toronto’s first Preschools. During the first Merton St. years, the school grew to include grades one through four. In 1985 Mrs. Hoff’s daughter, Irene Davy, became the director/principal of the school. Preschool classes were phased out in the 1980ʼs to make way for grades 5 and 6. Three further renovations followed; Sunnybrook is a full elementary school offering JK to grade 6, with one class per grade.
In April 1999, Sunnybrook School was Canadaʼs first English speaking school to adopt the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program. We have contributed to the IB community on many levels, taking pride in our active participation in the IB world.
In 2018, Irene Davy passed the role of Principal on to Teralee Brunn. Ms Brunn is only the third principal at Sunnybrook in the last 70 years. This consistency is what makes Sunnybrook the stellar community school with a very strong academic reputation.
Students who are caring, curious, engaged and love learning will do well at SBS. Students who take initiative, enjoy trying new things and collaborating with others have the opportunity to do so. Taking agency for their learning and learning in various ways is a key element of what we offer. We foster this growth mindset in all our students and encourage students to take ownership of their learning and experiences in various ways within and outside of the classroom. Allowing for creative freedom and guided exploration to solidify conceptual understanding is paramount.
Sunnybrook would not be a good fit for families expecting a more rigid, traditional or very teacher directed and repetitive type of instruction. Students who require a more structured and regimented style of learning will not find that type of environment at Sunnybrook. The IB PYP program requires curiosity, open-ended exploration, student-directed learning and is academically rigorous. The classroom environment is active and may not suit all types of learners.
The number one reason parents choose Sunnybrook School is our caring, inclusive community. Our small size and devoted staff mean that students feel a strong sense of belonging. Students love that everyone knows them in the school, and everyone cares about them and their education. Through our IB program, we nurture a love of learning and curiosity about the world. The combination of strong community, high academic and personally differentiated learning makes Sunnybrook a truly special school.
The most prominent feature of our school would be how Sunnybrook prepares its students to be successful individuals in Middle School as we offer the IB program. The “word on the street” is that Sunnybrook has kind, thoughtful students who are confident and ready for their next chapter in Grade 7. When Sunnybrook takes our students on field trips in the community, we always receive feedback from the organizations on how well behaved our students are and how they ask such in- depth questions to further their understanding.
The heart of Sunnybrook School and its outstanding success is our dedicated staff. Because of our low staff turnover, our teachers are known and loved by our students and parents, and often students look forward to each grade level knowing the teacher they will have in upcoming years. In the words of a parent, “You see the individual child and their unique strengths. You nurture that like a flame. I have seen both boys grow in confidence since being at SBS. It has been truly transformational.”
Our approach to learning constantly engages our students. In their own words, “The learning is fun, challenging, you learn so much, not just lectures, there’s varied learning, it’s collaborative, and you learn from other students, not just teachers.” From junior kindergarten to their graduating year when their learning is showcased in the grade six PYP Exhibition, our students have had the advantage of a rich, engaging curriculum delivered by teachers who know and care about their progress.
We feel that the continuation of offering the IB PYP curriculum to our students is the backbone of Sunnybrook. The PYP enhancements within the IB program is what we are concentrating on implementing into our curriculum. The IB enhancements are embedded into the existing program focusing more on student agency and assessing the process of learning. Agency allows our students to have a voice, ownership of their own learning, and the opportunity to take action as a result of that learning. Our job is to facilitate opportunities in their learning to enable more active participation. Assessment in the PYP ensures different learning styles are recognised and rewarded. Assessment is a valuable source of information for teachers to observe and understand each student individually, so they can personalize their approach to cater to unique learning needs.
The world is changing and so must the skills students learn in order to succeed. We set our students up for success and they are ready and prepared to graduate in grade six and move onto their next school. Schools need to adapt to the changing world and over the next 5 years Sunnybrook will be focusing on the wellness of the students who are living in a diverse world. It is important that students not only are able to think outside the box, but they need to be socially responsible and have global awareness and responsibility for the world around them. Sunnybrook uses project based learning and Universal Design Learning so that students learn to take agency for themselves.
Hear directly from Sunnybrook School families and alumni as they share insights.
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