What is The York School’s philosophy and vision? Our mission is to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who are engaged citizens of the world. Does the school have a code of conduct? The school requires families to read and sign a code of conduct governing academic, personal, athletic, interpersonal, and general safety responsibilities and expectations. What kind of leadership and governance does The York School have? Is it non-profit or for-profit? The York School is an independent, not-for-profit organization which is led by the Head of School, Conor Jones. Parents are members of this organization which is governed by a Board of Directors, made up of mostly current parents and a limited number of outside directors who volunteer their time and expertise. Each member has distinct and complementary responsibilities that promote the school's mission and strategic plan. The York School is a registered charity and can issue tax receipts. What does tuition include? Tuition fees cover the majority of the costs involved with attendance at The York School including teacher’s salaries, professional development, and operational costs. Fees for uniforms, textbooks, laptops, lunches and activities/trips are extra and vary by grade and degree of involvement. Please refer to the Tuition page on our website for a more detailed breakdown of fees. What curriculum does The York School use? Does it follow, meet or exceed the provincial education guidelines? We are proud to be the first school in Canada to be accredited to offer the full continuum of the International Baccalaureate (IB) from Junior Kindergarten through to Grade 12. Our Senior School (Grades 9- 12) is regularly inspected by the Ontario Ministry of Education to ensure that we are meeting provincial requirements. To maintain our accreditation status, the IB World Organization evaluates The York School to ensure we are meeting IB requirements at all levels. The York School offers an education marked by individual attention, small class sizes, and a climate of collaboration and excellence. Our teachers guide students in their discovery of the self and their exploration of the world around them by encouraging them to ask questions and to engage with their community. Our graduates are extremely well-prepared for any postsecondary institution they choose to attend anywhere in the world. What is the student-to-teacher ratio? Maximum class size? Class sizes vary from 16 to 18 (in JK and SK) to 18 to 22 (in Grade 4 and above). The average class size is 18 students and gender ratios are considered. Individualized classroom learning environments are enabled by Core Teachers, Specialty Teachers, Learning Resource Teachers, and Associate Teachers. What are the teachers’ qualifications? What kind of professional development are they offered? Our teachers have their Ontario Teaching Certification (or equivalent) as a baseline. Many have taught in other IB schools around the world. Our teachers are not only well-trained in IB and subject-related material, they are often the ones leading sessions at professional development conferences. Our commitment to being a leading IB World School ensures that teachers experience continual professional development with regards to pedagogical and technological best practices. For example, our teachers are in technology sessions run by our Google Certified Teachers once every week or so. Where do the school’s graduates go? What percentage of students go on to university? The IB Diploma prepares our students to be successful anywhere! Our graduates have been accepted to more than 145 national and international post-secondary institutions. Included are top Canadian universities like Queen’s, McGill, U of T, Western, and UBC. In the US, some of the schools our graduates have attended include: Cornell, Swarthmore, USC, University of Pennsylvania, NYU, Yale, Berklee College of Music, University of Michigan, University of Chicago, and Vanderbilt University. International destinations include: University of St. Andrew’s, London School of Economics, The University of Hong Kong, University of Westminster, and University of Sydney. How are applicants assessed? Is there an entrance test? We gain a clear picture of each applicant through interviews, a day visit, an internal assessment in the areas of reading, writing, and math, and previous school reports. The most common standardized test used for independent schools is the SSAT (Secondary School Admission Test). While The York School does not require all candidates to write the SSAT, candidates who take the SSAT are asked to submit their results to The York School as well. How does technology fit into the curriculum? The York School is a global leader among schools in innovative technology integration. Two of Ontario’s six Google Certified Teachers are at The York School! We believe technology is an essential tool, whether in a work or a learning environment. Our technology is therefore totally integrated into the curriculum, with full-time, on-site support from Technology and Learning Specialists. To facilitate seamless integration of technology, Middle and Senior School students purchase laptops that are used across the curriculum on a daily basis. The laptop becomes the student’s notebook, textbook, and communications tool. The Junior School has class sets of laptops that are introduced in Grade 2. Every classroom has a Smartboard. Grade 4 and 5 students are provided with 1:1 Google Chrome Book access. The school has several sets of iPads. The Middle and Senior School campus has a Mac-based MIDI recording studio, Mac Media Lab, and IB Film Studio.
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