High School Alternative Education
Non-mainstream Schools Found in Ontario
Alternative Choices within TVDSB
For this topic, I decided to take a look into other “non-mainstream” schools in Ontario. After reading about some fascinating programs my classmates (you guys) have introduced me to that are happening at the preschool and elementary level, I only hoped to be able to continue finding such great learning opportunities offered at the secondary level. When I started my search, I decided to start with my own board, Thames Valley District School Board. At first, I thought… I’m not really sure much is offered, as I have really not ever heard of anything but after a little bit of looking I stumbled upon some programs.
Most of the programs focus on at-risk students, students who are pregnant or new parents, or students with different cultural needs. As much as TVDSB has categorized these programs as Alternative, they are very different then the Alternative Education programs offered by private schools. Most of these programs aim to have students return back into mainstream schooling and require students to be referred into the particular programs. Yet still, they do address individual needs to learners in ways that education can be accessed through online learning, at home visits from teachers, flexible schedules, and students learning at their own pace. These schools often have a low teacher-student ratio, high parental involvement, and are for students who have been unsuccessful in the mainstream type of schooling. Below is a sample of a few of the alternative education programs offered by Thames Valley District School Board. More information can be found by clicking on the individual URL's attached below.
Wiingashk Centre - London Ontario
Reconnect Merrymount- St. Thomas
U-turn - Middlesex, Elgin, & Oxford County
http://www.tvdsb.ca/AAEducation.cfm?subpage=99113
Alternative Schools Outside of TVDSB
However, I continued to research... now looking into private schools near London, Ontario (since I grew up in Woodstock, Ontario). I visited OurKids (http://www.ourkids.net), a great resource that helped me to look up Alternative Private Schools in Ontario. While searching for a school near me, I realized that the majority of Alternative Schools offered in Ontario were located in Toronto and the surrounding area. I found only one school located close (40mins) to Woodstock that provided a private Alternative High School. This school is called, Nancy Campbell Collegiate Institute.
Nancy Campbell Collegiate Institute focuses on allowing each student to find their purpose, to find happiness first, as they believe that academic excellence will follow if these two requirements are met. The school focuses on developing the emotional intelligence of each student rather than just focusing on academic intelligence. They offer a low teacher-student ratio and work towards building each students skills and talents to be able to become successful citizen. The school also contains "School Families" which consist of faculty and students of a variety of different ages and cultural backgrounds that work in teams to address school needs or community involvement.http://www.nancycampbell.ca/
Please view the attached brochure and the very short videos that follow that help to describe this Alternative School through the view of the parents, students, and teachers.