95 Bellevue Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 2N8, Canada
11300 Bayview Ave, Richmond Hill, Ontario, L4S 1L4, Canada
2008
2022
155
40
Nursery/Toddler to 8
9 to 12
Coed
Coed
Day
eSchool
English
English
Academic
Academic
Montessori
Progressive
10 to 24
15 to 20
Dedicated gifted class
In-class adaptations
$18,700 to $20,700
No
Yes
0%
0%
None
9 to 12
$0
$10,000
12
10
0%
0%
100%
0%
Nursery/Toddler, Preschool, JK, SK, K, 1, 2, 3
Rolling
Not available
Not available
Not available
Yes: grades 1 - 6
Yes: grades 9 - 12
No
No
information not available
information not available
There are various aspects to the Montessori model of instruction, though Westside nicely addresses not only what Montessori is, but also what it can mean in the longer-term. Maria Montessori didn’t think small—her classrooms, she felt, could be a doorway to many things, including world peace. That’s a very big thought of course, but within it is that idea of the longer-term, the belief that education is about the future of a society through addressing the future of each child. At Westside, that’s very much the intention: to give young students the basis for success in their education, and ultimately, success in life. The vibrancy of the surrounding Kensington Market community finds its way, very happily, into the classroom as well. Core literacy and numeracy are important, though there is also an attention to esteem, executive functioning, and social interaction. Rightly, families look to Westside, often principally, because of the program’s attention to those foundations.
View full reportHTS Online is an e-school for students in Grades 9 to 12, with a 42-year history of providing an exemplary education. The school offers a personalized, interdisciplinary, and experiential curriculum that enables students to develop strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills. HTS Online provides a careful blend of synchronous and asynchronous learning that gives students maximum flexibility. A distinctive feature of the school, something you’ll rarely find in an online school, is its immersive and intimate community. This is cultivated through weekly school-wide assemblies celebrating student achievements, a house system, a mentorship program, and plenty of opportunities to connect with the school’s alumni.
View full report
"They have instilled in her a love for learning..."
Georgina Lopez - Parent (May 08, 2018)
I cannot say enough good things about this school. I am so happy I discovered it 4 years ago for my ...
View full review
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"From the earliest years through adolescence, Westsiders radiate self-confidence and a love for learning. Our two downtown campuses, each with expansive green space, offer Toddler (1.5-3yrs), Casa (3-6yrs), Elementary (6-12yrs) and Adolescent (12-14yrs) programs that are holistic, bilingual (French) and academically challenging, while staying true to Montessori Philosophy. Our children develop strong executive functions, a love of and connection to nature, and a sense of belonging and commitment to their community."
"At HTS Global Online Campus, we offer the same exceptional education and personalized attention as our traditional on-campus programs, but with the flexibility and convenience of online learning. Our personalized approach to learning goes beyond the current online educational experiences being offered, ensuring that each student receives the attention they need to succeed."
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"HTS Online revolutionizes online learning by centring our learning experience on community,
connection and support. Our vision for a personalized learning environment is a commitment to know and support each of our learners to develop the skills, knowledge, and competencies that will allow them to thrive in the world. With a careful blend of synchronous and asynchronous modalities and a curated co-curricular program HTS Online students develop passions that ignite them beyond the classroom."
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"Our mentorship program, guidance counsellors and post-secondary pathway supports put the learner first, promoting student growth and achievement. Our dedicated technology integrator helps develop digital competencies and citizenship, while institutional partners provide micro-certifications and workshops to students. Our schedule provides flexibility; students can earn up to 10 credits per year, and they will be taught by certified educators who are among the most innovative in their field."
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"Providing a learning community and experience that highlights connections and relationships between students, faculty and families, beginning with our Launch Week in August. Our weekly school-wide assemblies celebrate student achievement and wellness. Students are part of our house system and connected to a community of alumni. Our uniform shirt contributes to a collective identity when meeting synchronously for their daily classes, mentor groups, or small group sessions."
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"HTS Online revolutionizes online learning by centring our learning experience on community, connection and personalized mentorship. Our vision for a personalized learning environment is a commitment to know and support each of our learners to develop the skills, knowledge, and competencies that will allow them to thrive in the world. It is a community that proactively supports each other, connects in real-time, and provides opportunities to develop holistically, even outside the classroom."
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Children present us with opportunities to think about the world in new and fascinating ways. I am blessed to share my days with our Westside students and my evenings with my own child, who is three. A few months ago, when explaining to my son Wyatt that I work at his school and we may see each other from time to time, he began with the “Why? Why?” that educators and parents are extremely familiar with. He wanted to know why I work at his school, “Because I like to help children and teachers.” “Why?” “Because I love children.” “Why?” Up until this moment, the conversation had been easy, really easy. This was a huge question and he was awaiting my response, “I love children because within each child lies an opportunity for a better world”.
Maria Montessori, who lived through two world wars, believed that through children, we can achieve world peace, and I quote, “Establishing lasting peace is the work of education; all politics can do is keep us out of war.” Mahatma Gandhi met Maria Montessori in 1931, and she invited him to speak to a group of Montessori teacher trainees. He said, “If we are to create peace in our world, we must begin with our children.”
They are right, if peace doesn’t begin with the children, it doesn’t begin at all. Spending time with these beautiful souls reminds me on a daily basis that anything is possible and they will lead us there. We must give them the opportunity, trust and confidence to make it happen. We must have faith in their development and know that they will arrive.
I invite you to set up a time to come to Westside Montessori School and learn more about our programs and the independent, motivated and compassionate students we are guiding.
Dear staff, students and families,
Welcome inaugural staff, students and families to our HTS Online community. 2023-2024 will be a remarkable year in our school’s history — the first cohort of students and staff, the first year of being an online community, and the first year of redefining learning as a team of passionate learners, adult and young. It will be our year of many firsts and one that will be the beginning of something extraordinary.
The HTS Global Online Campus is a division of the HTS Learning Network which has its home campus in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada. HTS is a not-for-profit, registered charity, with an incredible 41-year history of providing an exemplary educational experience to learners in Ontario with an extraordinary alumni network making an impact around the world. The Board of Governors and I, alongside many experts in our vast HTS network, have been building this vision for an exceptional online learning experience. HTS is a leader in learning, intentionally charting pathways that are rooted in personalized, interdisciplinary, and competency-framed learning that supports all our graduates to develop as intellectually agile problem-solvers, with a strong moral compass willing to make a difference in the world. The power of personalized learning is not in what we teach or how we teach it — the power comes from deeply knowing and understanding who we teach. This is the HTS difference and promise.
As a member of our HTS Online learning community, you can count on:
Academic excellence and character development.
Student agency through a personalized instructional design.
Community — a learning environment and experience that centres connections, collaboration, self-awareness and commitment.
Student Well-being and Flourishing — unwavering support of every learner’s academic, social and emotional well-being as they pursue their goals.
Welcome, we can’t wait to learn, celebrate and make memories with you.
Yours in Learning,
Helen Pereira-Raso
Head of School
Progressive
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Particularly popular in the younger grades (preschool to elementary), but sometimes available all the way up to high school, Montessori schools offer an alternative vision to the standard lesson format of most classrooms. Instead of listening to whole-class lessons, Montessori classrooms allow students to choose which "tasks" or activities interest them. These tasks centre around special Montessori puzzles - their essential feature being they contain a right answer and allow for selfcorrection. A strong emphasis is therefore placed on lessons being concrete and rooted in practical experience, along with students developing a sense of self-sufficiency, confidence and curiosity.
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.
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Every child is an individual, captivated by different things at different times. We personalize your child’s learning experience by creating individualized lesson plans based on their interests, level of understanding and experiences. In this manner, every child is introduced to all aspects of our curriculum at the right time in their development. Children who graduate our program will be prepared for the next step in their education, private or public, with a genuine love of learning. They will have an increased curiosity about the world around them and the confidence necessary to take on new academic and social challenges.
HTS Online provides a curriculum that exceeds the requirements of the Ontario Ministry of Education. Students graduate with an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), which is supplemented at HTS with additional graduating requirements. Students also have the option of completing AP courses. Our commitment is to provide an exceptional student-centred academic program, enriched by micro-certifications, interdisciplinary learning, experts in residence, workshops and programs that enhances our learners’ journey beyond their academics.
Equal Balance
These math programs feature an equal balance of “Traditional” and “Discovery” methods.
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No
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Equal Balance
Science programs that balance expository and inquiry learning equally will likely have an equal blend of tests and experiments; direct, textbook-based instruction and student-centred projects.
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Evolution as consensus theory
Evolution as one of many equally viable theories
Evolution is not taught
Evolution as consensus theory
Evolution as one of many equally viable theories
Evolution is not taught
Not applicable
Equal Balance
These literature programs draw in equal measure from “Traditional” and “Social Justice” programs.
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Ancient lit
English lit
World (non-Western) lit
European (continental) lit
American lit
Canadian lit
Ancient lit
English lit
World (non-Western) lit
European (continental) lit
American lit
Canadian lit
Not applicable
Not applicable
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Equal Balance
These programs represent an equal balance between the perennialist and pragmatic approach to teaching the humanities and social sciences.
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Equal Balance
These programs feature an equal blend of the audio-lingual and communicative styles of language instruction.
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Hebrew
ESL
Spanish
Russian
Latin
Japanese
Italian
Greek
German
French
Chinese-Mandarin
Chinese-Cantonese
Hebrew
ESL
Spanish
Russian
Latin
Japanese
Italian
Greek
German
French
Chinese-Mandarin
Chinese-Cantonese
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Creative
Creative arts programs are studio-driven. While historical works and movements may still be taught to add context to the program, students mainly engage in making art (visual, musical, theatrical, etc). The goal is use the actual practice of art to help educate students’ emotions, cognition, and ethos.
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Acting
Dance
Drama/Theatre
Graphic Design
Music
Visual Arts
Acting
Dance
Drama/Theatre
Graphic Design
Music
Visual Arts
Heavy integration
A major effort is made to integrate the development of digital literacy throughout the curriculum and in everything students do. Digital literacy is understood to be a fundamental skill in the 21st century: it therefore follows, the idea goes, that teachers should find ways to connect every lesson back to technology. Effort is made to ensure the use of technology is meaningful and advances students’ skills beyond what they would otherwise be from using computers outside the classroom.
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Web design
Robotics
Computer science
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Montessori programs aimed at preschool and Kindergarten- aged children allow young learners to choose which “tasks” or activities interest them. These tasks centre around special Montessori puzzles -- the essential features of these puzzles being they contain a “right answer” and allow for self-correction. A strong emphasis is therefore placed on learning being concrete and rooted in practical experience, along with children developing a sense of self-sufficiency and confidence. Specially trained teachers act as guides, introducing children to progressively more difficult materials when appropriate. A Montessori classroom is typically very calm and orderly, with children working alone or, sometimes, in small groups.
If you want to learn more about Montessori education, check out our comprehensive guide. You can also check out our guide to Montessori preschools, elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools.
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The Montessori classroom is a nurturing, bright and spacious environment specifically prepared for children. At WMS, children engage in a variety of activities; some enjoy a snack, one child writes a story, others work in a group and the teacher introduces a new lesson to a student. The mixed age setting enables the older children to build confidence and leadership skills through teaching and helping their younger peers. Meanwhile, the younger children are inspired to adapt the responsible, mature behaviours of their older classmates.
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Standard-enriched
The main curriculum pace is non-standardized and is HIGHLY responsive to the pacing of individual students, (via differentiated instruction, differentiated assessment, etc). In theory, some students outpace the default/normalized curriculum, while others spend periods "behind schedule" if they need the extra time.
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.
Blend of synchronous and asynchronous learning during the school day, with opportunities for 1-1 support, small group sessions and flexible scheduling.
Rigorous
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.
A school with a “rigorous” academic culture places a high value on academic performance, and expects their students to do the same. This does not mean the school is uncaring, unsupportive, or non-responsive -- far from it. A school can have a rigorous academic culture and still provide excellent individual support. It does mean, however, the school places a particular emphasis on performance -- seeking the best students and challenging them to the fullest extent -- relative to a normal baseline. High expectations and standards – and a challenging yet rewarding curriculum – are the common themes here. Keep in mind this classification is more relevant for the older grades: few Kindergarten classrooms, for example, would be called “rigorous”.
A rigorous learning environment that integrates disciplinary knowledge, and key competencies that transcend disciplines and invites every learner to explore the challenges in their school, community and the world. Rigour at HTS Online lives in the complexity of our investigations, asking great questions that lead to deep inquiries, labs and the application of knowledge and skills.
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Balanced
Equal emphasis is placed on a balance of priorities: intellectual, emotional, social and physical cultivation.
Balanced
Equal emphasis is placed on a balance of priorities: intellectual, emotional, social and physical cultivation.
Emotional
The goal is to cultivate "emotionally intelligent and confident individuals, capable of leading both themselves and others."
Intellectual
The goal is to cultivate "academically strong, creative and critical thinkers, capable of exercising rationality, apprehending truth, and making aesthetic distinctions."
Our learning ecosystem is grounded in a commitment to healthy minds, bodies, and relationships in order for students to achieve their personal best. At HTS Online learning is a joyful and lived experience, where learning by doing is the most transformational. Learners are curious, competent and able to direct their learning. HTS Online graduates are problem solvers, impactful, intellectually agile and citizens of character.
CompetitiveComp. |
RecreationalRec. |
CompetitiveComp. |
RecreationalRec. |
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Badminton |
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Baseball |
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Basketball |
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Canoeing/Kayaking |
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Cricket |
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Cross-country skiing |
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Cycling |
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Downhill skiing |
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Equestrian |
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Fencing |
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Field Hockey |
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Figure Skating |
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Football |
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Golf |
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Gymnastics |
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Ice Hockey |
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Ice Skating |
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Lacrosse |
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Martial Arts |
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Mountain biking |
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Racquet Ball |
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Rowing |
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Rugby |
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Running |
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Sailing |
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Skateboarding |
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Snowboarding |
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Soccer |
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Softball |
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Squash |
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Swimming |
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Tennis |
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Track & Field |
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Volleyball |
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Weightlifting |
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Wrestling |
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Archery |
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Curling |
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Ultimate |
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
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
9 - 12
0%
0%
$0
$10,000
100%
0%
Nursery/Toddler, Preschool, JK, SK, K, 1, 2, 3
Rolling
Not available
Not available
Not available
Yes: grades 1 - 6
Yes: grades 9 - 12
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
The ideal HTS Online learner is: • Adaptable • Curious and intellectually agile • A strong communicator • A great collaborator • A citizen of character • Flexible, disciplined to meeting expectations, works well independently and in group settings, desires agency and choice, in their learning.
1. Complete the application online
2. Submit a character reference letter from a Teacher/Coach/Mentor, report cards and any transcripts.
3. Create and submit a Video submission
4. Formal candidate interview