AN OUR KIDS REPORT:Mentor College vs. Kempenfelt Bay School

one-to-one comparison:

View Mentor College's full report
VS.
View Kempenfelt Bay School's full report

  • SCHOOL LOCATION

    Distance From

    Map

    Address

    Address

    40 Forest Avenue, Mississauga, Ontario, L5G 1L1, Canada

    2145 Innisfil Beach Road, Innisfil, Ontario, L9S 4B9, Canada

  • SCHOOL OVERVIEW

    Basics

    Basics

    Founded

    1982

    1999

    Enrolment

    1500

    155

    Grades

    JK to 12

    JK to 8

    Gender

    Coed

    Coed

    Living arrangements

    Day

    Day

    Language of instruction

    English

    English

    Faith Based

    School focus

    Academic

    Academic

    Developmental Priorities

    Intellectual
    The goal is to cultivate "academically strong, creative and critical thinkers, capable of exercising rationality, apprehending truth, and making aesthetic distinctions."

    Academics

    Academics

    Curriculum

    Traditional

    Progressive

    Curriculum pace

    Standard-enriched
    Broadly-speaking, the main curriculum -- like that of most schools -- paces the provincially-outlined one. This pace is steady and set by the teachers and school. The curriculum might still be enriched in various ways: covering topics more in-depth and with more vigor than the provincial one, or covering a broader selection of topics.
    Standard-enriched
    Broadly-speaking, the main curriculum -- like that of most schools -- paces the provincially-outlined one. This pace is steady and set by the teachers and school. The curriculum might still be enriched in various ways: covering topics more in-depth and with more vigor than the provincial one, or covering a broader selection of topics.

    Academic culture

    Supportive
    A school with a “supportive” academic culture focuses more on process than short-term outcomes: academic performance is a welcomed side-benefit, but not the driving focus. This does not mean the school lacks standards, or has low expectations for its students: a school can have a supportive academic culture and still light the fire of ambition in its students. It does mean, however, the school provides a less intensive culture than schools with a “rigorous” academic classification, and is focused more simply on instilling a love of learning and life-long curiosity.

    Avg. Class Size

    16 to 19

    18 to 20

    Special needs support

    Gifted learner support

    Preschool/K curriculum

    Academic
    Academic-based preschools and Kindergartens are the most structured of the different types, and have a strong emphasis on math and reading readiness skills. These programs aim to expose children to what early-elementary school is like. While time is still allotted to free play, much of the day is built around explicit lessons guided by the teacher. Classrooms often resemble play-based ones (with different stations set up around the room), but at an Academic program the teacher leads students through the stations directly, and ties these activities to a whole-class lesson or theme.
    Academic
    Academic-based preschools and Kindergartens are the most structured of the different types, and have a strong emphasis on math and reading readiness skills. These programs aim to expose children to what early-elementary school is like. While time is still allotted to free play, much of the day is built around explicit lessons guided by the teacher. Classrooms often resemble play-based ones (with different stations set up around the room), but at an Academic program the teacher leads students through the stations directly, and ties these activities to a whole-class lesson or theme.

    Tuition

    Tuition

    Day Tuition

    $15,965 to $23,200

    $21,250 to $23,210

    Boarding Tuition

    Financial aid (FA)

    No

    Yes

    Students on FA

    0%

    0%

    Eligible grades for FA

    None

    JK to 8

    Median FA package size

    $0

    $0

    Enrollment

    Enrollment

    Avg. enrollment per grade

    100

    14

    Percent in boarding

    0%

    0%

    Admissions

    Admissions

    Admissions rate

    100%

    0%

    Day entry years

    JK, SK, K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

    Boarding entry years

    Day admissions deadline

    Rolling

    Rolling

    Boarding admissions deadline

    Not available

    Not available

    Interview required?

    Yes

    Yes: grades JK - 8

    SSAT required

    No

    No

  • OUR PERSPECTIVE

    The Our Kids Review

    The Our Kids Review

    MENTOR COLLEGE

    information not available

    KEMPENFELT BAY SCHOOL

    information not available

    Our Take

    Our Take

    MENTOR COLLEGE

    Mentor College and TEAM School are closely associated, something that brings unique strengths to both. They are overseen by a single administrative body, and they share some facilities, services, and extracurricular programs. The benefits are in a shared infrastructure and organizational efficiency. The facilities are modern and robust, as are student services and transportation. There is a robust, rich program of extra-curricular activity, something that, again, is a benefit of not only the school's size, but also the intra-school associations and programs. That said, the division of the campuses gives each—high school, intermediate, and primary—its own sense of propriety and identity. It's a unique model, one that gains both the benefits of a large student population, as well as those of smaller communities of students. In numbers, this is one of the largest schools in Canada, though the lived experience of the families that attend doesn't bear that out. Frequent and casual communication between parents and teachers, as well, underscores a personal, student and family-centered approach.

    View full report

    KEMPENFELT BAY SCHOOL

    Academic excellence is the main focus at Kempenfelt Bay School, which offers Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8. Individually tailored programs delivered through team teaching and small class sizes help kids excel. On entering Kempenfelt Bay School, kids are placed in one of four houses. This gives them an immediate sense of belonging and camaraderie that they retain throughout their school years. Kempfelt offers plenty of extracurriculars to help spark kids’ interests, including robotics, jazz ensemble, yoga, drama, and dance clubs and activities. The school places a major emphasis on character development and participation in the local community through outreach and volunteer work. And, overall, it offers a safe and calm environment where kids thrive, meet their academic goals, and develop socially and emotionally with the help of caring and committed staff. 

     

    View full report
  • School’s perspective

    Who are you, as a school?

    Who are you, as a school?

    MENTOR COLLEGE

    "Mentor College provides a strong academic program for its students. A caring environment rich in personal attention has been established, and this positive atmosphere both allows and encourages students to think and reason for themselves. The school places emphasis on communication between the teacher, parent, and student. The homework book, monthly teacher phone call, and regular assessment ensure that this communication is clear and current. Located in Port Credit, Mississauga, the High School (Grades 9 to 12) and Intermediate (Grades 5 to 8) levels are housed at the Main Campus. An adjacent Primary Campus is home to the JK to Grade 4 students. The facilities include an indoor pool, artificial turf field, seasonal dome, multiple age and grade-appropriate gyms, science labs, and music rooms. Co-curricular trips to the school's Outdoor Education Centre in Muskoka enhance in-class learning in the upper grades. Extracurricular activities abound, and include learning opportunities in sports, music, drama and special-interest clubs."

    • Very strong academic program
    • 1:1 Laptop Program (Grades 9-12)
    • Turf Field & Winterized Dome
    • Mobile Technology
    • Two visual art studios
    • Separate campus for JK to Grade 4
    • Outstanding classroom facilities
    • High school: ROPSSAA Athletics
    • Elementary school: PSAA Athletics
    • Transportation available

    KEMPENFELT BAY SCHOOL

    "We are a co-educational, non-profit, independent school for students in JK to Grade 8 located in beautiful Innisfil, Ontario. As Simcoe County’s only accredited independent school, we believe in providing a higher standard of education so that the children we teach today will be inspired and empowered to do great things in the future. We're a community which inspires independent, lifelong learners by building competence, confidence, and character."

    Array

    What do you do differently and uniquely well?

    MENTOR COLLEGE

    "Mentor College offers a consistently high quality of education from JK through to university entrance. Students benefit from this continuity as they progress through the grades and transition from the Primary to Intermediate to High School Divisions."

    KEMPENFELT BAY SCHOOL

    Information not available

    Array

    What tradeoffs has your school made to serve families in this way?

    MENTOR COLLEGE

    Information not available

    KEMPENFELT BAY SCHOOL

    Information not available

    Array

    What key junctures in your school's history have most shaped its present?

    MENTOR COLLEGE

    Information not available

    KEMPENFELT BAY SCHOOL

    Information not available

    Array

    What type of student is a good fit for your school?

    MENTOR COLLEGE

    Information not available

    KEMPENFELT BAY SCHOOL

    Information not available

    Array

    Under what conditions would you advise a family against choosing your school?

    MENTOR COLLEGE

    Information not available

    KEMPENFELT BAY SCHOOL

    Information not available

    Array

    To your knowledge, why do families choose your school over others?

    MENTOR COLLEGE

    "At Mentor, we pride ourselves on providing clear and consistent communication. The monthly phone call by the child's homeroom teacher (beginning with an introductory call in early September) provides parents with steady, clear, two-way communication. The homework book is another key component that begins in JK and continues to Grade 12. Evaluations take place throughout the entire school year and every student receives a detailed, formal progress report three times per year."

    KEMPENFELT BAY SCHOOL

    Information not available

    Array

    How would you characterize your school's image amongst the public?

    MENTOR COLLEGE

    Information not available

    KEMPENFELT BAY SCHOOL

    Information not available

    Array

    What aspect of your school is underappreciated?

    MENTOR COLLEGE

    "We believe that the Mentor extracurricular program offers a club or team for just about every interest. There are clubs, teams, and special events at Mentor that have been running for decades. Many of these groups were initiated by a student or staff member's passion and knowledge in a specific area. Most clubs, teams, and events are grade/division-specific and schoolwide events like the Culture Show and the charity Fashion Show bring together students of all ages."

    KEMPENFELT BAY SCHOOL

    Information not available

    Array

    What might families find surprising about your school?

    MENTOR COLLEGE

    "Families are pleased when they discover how long Mentor College has been in existence. For over 40 years, Mentor has had a steady presence in Mississauga - preparing generations of students for success in university and in life. Parents are also reassured by the fact that all of the members of our leadership team - from director Mr. Macdonald to the principals - were at one time teachers in a Mentor classroom."

    KEMPENFELT BAY SCHOOL

    Information not available

    Array

    What improvements or changes has your school made recently?

    MENTOR COLLEGE

    Information not available

    KEMPENFELT BAY SCHOOL

    Information not available

    Array

    How will your school change in the next 5 years?

    MENTOR COLLEGE

    Information not available

    KEMPENFELT BAY SCHOOL

    Information not available

  • SCHOOL LEADERSHIP

    Message from school leadership

    Message from school leadership

    Hello and thank you for taking the time to visit the Mentor College page at the Our Kids website. I am sure you will like what you see when you read about our school. Mentor College has been offering excellence in education since the school's founding in 1982. With our high standard of academics, extensive extracurricular programme, and superb teaching staff, we are able to prepare students for success in post-secondary education and beyond! If you would like to know more about the school, I kindly invite you to our next open house. Please click on the "Events" link for the next open house date. If you cannot make it on that day, one of our principals will be more than happy to meet with you and your child on a more convenient date.

    information not available

  • ACADEMICS

    • OVERALL CURRICULUM


      Primary Curriculum

      Primary Curriculum

      MENTOR COLLEGE

      Traditional


      Secondary Curriculum

      Secondary Curriculum

      MENTOR COLLEGE

      Information not available

      KEMPENFELT BAY SCHOOL

      Information not available


      Our Take: primary curriculum type

      Our Take: primary curriculum type

      MENTOR COLLEGE

      Traditional curricula tend to be very content-based and rooted in the core disciplines. It is a structured approach that involves the teacher delivering a unified curriculum through direct instruction. Students usually learn by observing and listening to their teacher, studying facts and concepts in textbooks, and completing both tests and written assignments - which challenge students to not only demonstrate their mastery of content but their ability to analyze and deconstruct it critically. Class discussions are also used to create critical dialogue around the content of the curriculum.

      KEMPENFELT BAY SCHOOL

      Progressive (sometimes called "in- quiry-based") curricula attempt to place children's interests and ideas at the heart of the learning experience. Instead of lessons being driven by predetermined pathways, progressive curricula are often "emergent", with learning activities shaped by students' questions about the world. Instead of starting with academic concepts and then tying it to everyday experience, progressive methods begin with everyday experience and work back to an academic lesson. Teachers provide materials, experiences, tools and resources to help students investigate a topic or issue. Students are encouraged to explore, reflect on their findings, and discuss answers or solutions.


      Our Take: secondary curriculum type

      Our Take: secondary curriculum type

      MENTOR COLLEGE

      Not applicable

      KEMPENFELT BAY SCHOOL

      Not applicable


      What the school says about their curriculum

      What the school says about their curriculum

      MENTOR COLLEGE

      Academic

      KEMPENFELT BAY SCHOOL

      Information not available

    • PRESCHOOL/K CURRICULUM


      Approach

      Approach

      MENTOR COLLEGE

      Academic


      Our Take

      Our Take

      MENTOR COLLEGE

      Academic-based preschools and Kindergartens are the most structured of the different types, and have a strong emphasis on math and reading readiness skills. These programs aim to expose children to what early-elementary school is like. While time is still allotted to free play, much of the day is built around explicit lessons guided by the teacher. Classrooms often resemble play-based ones (with different stations set up around the room), but at an Academic program the teacher leads students through the stations directly, and ties these activities to a whole-class lesson or theme.

      KEMPENFELT BAY SCHOOL

      Academic-based preschools and Kindergartens are the most structured of the different types, and have a strong emphasis on math and reading readiness skills. These programs aim to expose children to what early-elementary school is like. While time is still allotted to free play, much of the day is built around explicit lessons guided by the teacher. Classrooms often resemble play-based ones (with different stations set up around the room), but at an Academic program the teacher leads students through the stations directly, and ties these activities to a whole-class lesson or theme.


      What the school says

      What the school says

      MENTOR COLLEGE

      All-day JK & SK.

      KEMPENFELT BAY SCHOOL

      Unlike play-based Kindergarten programs, our program is academically focused to align with the school’s belief that excellent learning skills are not acquired later on in your child’s learning career but from their first day of learning.

    • CURRICULUM PACE


      Pace

      Pace

      MENTOR COLLEGE

      Standard-enriched

      KEMPENFELT BAY SCHOOL

      Standard-enriched


      Our Take

      Our Take

      MENTOR COLLEGE

      Broadly-speaking, the main curriculum -- like that of most schools -- paces the provincially-outlined one. This pace is steady and set by the teachers and school. The curriculum might still be enriched in various ways: covering topics more in-depth and with more vigor than the provincial one, or covering a broader selection of topics.

      KEMPENFELT BAY SCHOOL

      Broadly-speaking, the main curriculum -- like that of most schools -- paces the provincially-outlined one. This pace is steady and set by the teachers and school. The curriculum might still be enriched in various ways: covering topics more in-depth and with more vigor than the provincial one, or covering a broader selection of topics.


      What the school says

      What the school says

      MENTOR COLLEGE

      Information not available

      KEMPENFELT BAY SCHOOL

      Information not available

    • ACADEMIC CULTURE


      Culture

      Culture

      MENTOR COLLEGE

      Supportive

      KEMPENFELT BAY SCHOOL

      Not applicable


      Our Take

      Our Take

      MENTOR COLLEGE

      A school with a “supportive” academic culture focuses more on process than short-term outcomes: academic performance is a welcomed side-benefit, but not the driving focus. This does not mean the school lacks standards, or has low expectations for its students: a school can have a supportive academic culture and still light the fire of ambition in its students. It does mean, however, the school provides a less intensive culture than schools with a “rigorous” academic classification, and is focused more simply on instilling a love of learning and life-long curiosity.

      KEMPENFELT BAY SCHOOL

      Not applicable


      What the school says

      What the school says

      MENTOR COLLEGE

      Information not available

      KEMPENFELT BAY SCHOOL

      Information not available


      Approach to student honours

      Approach to student honours

      MENTOR COLLEGE

      Information not available

      KEMPENFELT BAY SCHOOL

      Information not available

  • EXTRACURRICULARS

    Competitive

    Comp.

    Recreational

    Rec.

    Competitive

    Comp.

    Recreational

    Rec.

    Badminton

    Baseball

    Basketball

    Canoeing/Kayaking

    Cricket

    Cross-country skiing

    Cycling

    Downhill skiing

    Equestrian

    Fencing

    Field Hockey

    Figure Skating

    Football

    Golf

    Gymnastics

    Ice Hockey

    Ice Skating

    Lacrosse

    Martial Arts

    Mountain biking

    Racquet Ball

    Rowing

    Rugby

    Running

    Sailing

    Skateboarding

    Snowboarding

    Soccer

    Softball

    Squash

    Swimming

    Tennis

    Track & Field

    Volleyball

    Weightlifting

    Wrestling

    Archery

    Curling

    Ultimate


    Clubs Offered

    Clubs offered

    MENTOR COLLEGE

    Ballet and Classical Ballet
    Yoga
    Yearbook
    Student Council
    Scouting
    Science Club
    School newspaper
    Round Square
    Robotics club
    Radio club
    Poetry/Literature club
    Photography
    Paintball
    Outdoor Education
    Outdoor Club
    Online Magazine
    Musical theatre/Opera
    Math Club
    Jazz Ensemble
    Habitat for Humanity
    Foreign Language Club
    Environmental Club
    Drama Club
    Debate Club
    Dance Club
    Computer Club
    Community Service
    Choir
    Chess Club
    Band
    Audiovisual Club
    Astronomy Club
    Art Club
    Animation

    KEMPENFELT BAY SCHOOL

    Ballet and Classical Ballet
    Yoga
    Yearbook
    Student Council
    Scouting
    Science Club
    School newspaper
    Round Square
    Robotics club
    Radio club
    Poetry/Literature club
    Photography
    Paintball
    Outdoor Education
    Outdoor Club
    Online Magazine
    Musical theatre/Opera
    Math Club
    Jazz Ensemble
    Habitat for Humanity
    Foreign Language Club
    Environmental Club
    Drama Club
    Debate Club
    Dance Club
    Computer Club
    Community Service
    Choir
    Chess Club
    Band
    Audiovisual Club
    Astronomy Club
    Art Club
    Animation


    What the school says

    What the school says

    MENTOR COLLEGE

  • Financial Aid

    Grades eligible

    Grades eligible

    JK - 8

    Students on aid

    Students on aid

    0%

    0%

    Avg. aid package (annual)

    Avg. aid package (annual)

    $0

    $0

  • ADMISSIONS

    Admissions

    Admissions rate

    100%

    0%

    Day entry years

    JK, SK, K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

    Boarding entry years

    Day admissions deadline

    Rolling

    Rolling

    Boarding admissions deadline

    Not available

    Not available

    Interview required?

    Yes

    Yes: grades JK - 8

    SSAT required

    No

    No

    SSAT(out of province) required

    No

    No

    Entrance exams required

    Yes

    No

    Entrance essay required

    No

    No

    Application fee required

    No

    No

    Type of student school is looking for

    Type of student school is looking for

    What the school says

    What the school says

    KEMPENFELT BAY SCHOOL

    Step 1: Submit Your Application. Please complete our online application and submit the required supporting documents. Click here to access the online application form.

    Step 2: Visit Day - Interview and Assessment. During your Visit Day, an interview and assessment will be conducted by a member of the KBS Leadership Team. 

    Step 3: Communicating Admissions Decisions.The school will communicate admissions decisions within a week of a completed Visit Day.

  • NOTABLE ALUMNI

    Alumni

    information not available
    information not available

Compare:

MENTOR COLLEGE:
THE OUR KIDS REPORT  

KEMPENFELT BAY SCHOOL:
THE OUR KIDS REPORT  




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