REVIEW OF Toronto District Christian High School BY student, Kitari Loney

(4) Student Experience

I came to this school because I wanted an environment where I could grow my musical skill and also develop my skills when working with others. Through this school, I was able to participate in countless music programs either instrumental or vocal and was able to participate in classes instructing others as a teachers assistant. The teachers I worked with were passionate about giving me the ability to lead classes and work with students. My music and bible teachers; Mr Hayward and Mr. Samuels, went above and beyond, giving me opportunities to teach lessons and lead classes through deep theological discussions which I thoroughly enjoyed. They also met with me before class to discuss class plans and format which helped a lot. I am so much more confident now because of those chances and I cannot recommend TAing here if you have the chance. Their student environment is very friendly and I now have a very tightly-knit group of friends. The only thing I would change is the outlook on deadlines and rules in the classroom. Many classes are very loose when it comes to deadlines which leaves students ill-prepared for university and college. However, what I do appreciate is the newly enforced no phones in the class policy which has drastically altered the class environment and attitude making it much easier to concentrate.

(4) School Leadership

Many of the teachers I have been taught by are very well versed in biblical and theological ideals and points of argument. It is also emphasized that we should also be well versed in other religions so as to come to some sort of understanding and the ability to respectfully discuss and debate beliefs. I find some teachers to be too biblically secular and some to be amazing theological teachers. It just all depends on where you stand with not only God but politics which like any other school, gets brought into conversations a lot.

(3.5) Teaching

The courses that I took in my two years were not that strenuous in terms of sciences or math because I took mostly arts courses. But I did find that many teachers did not stress deadlines enough. Deadlines are an extremely important thing to get used to because universities and colleges are not as merciful when it comes to overdue assignments. I also feel like many teachers are not as strict as they should be in class which often leads to distracting other students. However, there is one teacher at the school who makes everything worth it. Mr. Terpstra was my perspectives and families in Canada teachers and he is one of the best teachers I have ever had. Not only is he extremely biblically sound and proficient with such discussions, but he makes everyone feel comfortable and able to come to him with their problems. He respects everyone and treats everyone with so much love the class atmosphere is so comfortable and respectful towards him. I have not met a single student who doesn't love him.

(3.5) Academics

It depends on the class. Personally, I cannot speak on the science or math courses but from others' input, they seem quite challenging but the courses are laid out quite well. When it comes to English and perspectives, I loved a lot of the material given to read and the discussions had. Perspectives challenged us biblically as we were introduced to different religions and concepts forcing us to develop a firmer understanding of our own faith. I was surprised at the limited amount of essays given in English. However, many were replaced by creative projects which I appreciated and enjoyed. Most assignments are easy enough to understand but require you to read all the material and have a good knowledge of the subjects so as to confirm you did it correctly. Other courses such as law have interesting material however, we were often derailed by topics not in the curriculum and deadlines were often not honoured or extended to the point the students were allowed to submit all overdue assignments at the end of the semester.

(4.5) Extracurriculars

When it comes to clubs, there is an unlimited amount of options whether you want to be in concert band, jazz band, choir, improv, learn Japanese Braille, or bookbinding! There are so many more options like badminton, ultimate frisbee and scuba diving but I can't list them all. Personally, I took part in many music clubs and can attest to the fact that they are all amazing and the highlight of my year! Mr Hayward is the music teacher and is extremely talented at working with people. Through him, I was able to learn saxophone in less than a semester, participate in band and choir and be given the opportunity to perform at countless concerts and events in groups and solos. Additionally, we have a praise band called Ascension that meets every week. I have been exposed to so many amazing people and talents and my ability to work with other musicians has grown exponentially!

(3.5) Students

The one thing I would list as a negative is the bad influences among the student body. Of course, the school itself does everything it can to minimize these occurrences but they still happen. Unlike the belief of students at christian schools being better than public schools, I don't think that is the case. If you are allowing your child to attend prom, an afterparty, or anything like that, please check who they're going with. I do think that there are less negative occurrences that happen inside the school because of our policies but outside many students do not exhibit Christian behaviour. However, most students are very friendly and open. It's up to the student to make wise decisions about who they want to surround themselves with. Most students stay in their own cliques and rarely go outside of them so making friends in a senior grade is harder but definitely not impossible. In terms of academics, it ranges drastically. To succeed, you need to be a hard worker or at least try in class. Socially, it can be hard for more introverted students to join a friend group without someone else reaching out.

(5) School Life

To begin, the school itself is a really unique building that is quite different from what I usually see. The entrance is beautiful and spacious, with plenty of room to congregate and talk. Both the cafeteria spaces and gym are huge. The gym is a double gym with a nice little workout area above it. Additionally, there is a half-court right beside it! The building is clean and well taken care of. But for me, I would take them to the music room because it is where I spend most of my time. The room is brightly coloured with yellow and blue carpeting and feels very cozy and welcoming. Additionally, we have a variety of instruments ranging from many different forms of percussion to saxophones to bass guitars. There are an additional two practice rooms for students wanting to work on a piece or group performance, one in the room and one outside. Lastly, the school's backyard is huge. Ranging from the soccer field, stretches of lawn where students can walk or eat, or the forest and creek behind the field leading to a plaza where students can buy bubble tea, burgers, and more, the amount of space is amazing and never feels cramped.

(4) Community

Personally, I now have a very tightly-knit group of friends who I am very close to. From what I have observed, most people have people that they are able to go to and talk with during lunch and other times. The school atmosphere does not feel cold and I feel comfortable talking to a large percentage even if I don't know them very well. Because I am in a lot of arts and performance programs, I find the people there are a lot more extroverted and easygoing and therefore my circle of friends drastically grew. A lot of people also reach out even after school and keep in contact. Overall, it is a friendly environment where everyone can find a group where they feel they fit in.

(5) School Location

A large percentage of students tend to go off campus during lunch and free periods to hang out with friends or go eat. There are a lot of options for food in our area so going out is always a lot of fun. However, only grade 10 and up is allowed to leave campus. The school parking lot is big enough for most students who can drive to park their cars if they use them during lunch. A lot of other students tend to stay inside with their groups and order in food.

(4.5) Admissions

The admissions process was fairly easy. You fill out an application form containing from what I remember your: previous school, education, religion, and some biblical ideals. You then take a tour of the school and do an interview with the principal and vice principal. Both of them are very kind and funny. The whole process is very stress-free. Additionally, there was an orientation before the school year began where I met my best friend. They have students there who introduce you to different people and make you feel very welcome.