Lakefield, ON | Grades 9 - 12 | Shortlist
Our son attended Lakefield College School for Grade 12, instead of doing CEGEP in our home province of Quebec. LCS provided our son with independence, confidence and security all while allowing him to develop each of those skills on his own. Changing him into a confident, independent young man overnight. Instilling a good work ethic all while having fun in his school community. The staff would be our son's number one takeaway from LCS. The guidance, encouragement, community and family feel prepared him for university life. LCS campus provides the students with a home atmosphere the activities and house events give all students the opportunity to get involved. Our son appreciated the art sports facilities! His ONLY regret or disappointment would be that he didn't attend LCS sooner, one year was not enough in his opinion.
If I was to describe LCS in one word I would use Kindergarten. Remember that time in life when play-based learning, inquiry, discovery, kindness and inclusivity were quintessential to teaching and knowledge transfer? That is what LCS is - on a high school scale. Our child has appreciated this approach to learning. He finds it fun, engaging, challenging and relevant. The expectations of him go beyond the classroom block where he is encouraged to discover and nurture other talents through required clubs, sports and boarding house events. There is nothing he is disappointed with because he is invited for feedback often with resolution. For example, he finds the food tasty and reflective of the diversity on campus, which came from a feedback session he participated in.
LCS is an amazing school that offers a wide range of top notch classes. The staff is phenomenal and are truly there to teach, mentor and guide their students. The outdoor education is unique and a wonderful experience for students. They have a great set of arts and sports available to all students. Not only was there regular school activities but all the students had opportunies to participate in international volunteer expeditions, or leadership programs. The school has intersession days where the students do community work, go on field trips, and do team building exercises. The range of extra curriculars is awesome and the sports are offered at different levels from beginner to highly competitive. There are many opportunities to participate in the arts, through plays, musicals, band, choirs, visual arts clubs, and photography. If the students find a need for a club or group they are encouraged to run it, providing an opportunity for leadership and having another option for the student body.
