REVIEW OF The Sterling Hall School BY parent, Michelle Goldman

(5) Student Experience

As our son completes his final year at Sterling Hall, I look back in awe at the growth and development that was shaped in these hallways. Our family started our journey at SHS in grade 1, and we didn’t expect these foundational years to race by so quickly. Sterling Hall embraced our son from the start. The faculty and staff provided a safe environment for him to be himself, build confidence and learn the importance of community. He loved walking into the school each day with so many faculty and staff knowing his name. He felt recognized beyond his classroom. That warm welcome every day helps each boy start their day in such a positive way. Another great aspect is the experiential trip at the beginning of each year. In the younger years, these are simply day trips to places like Tree Top Trekking and as the boys get older the trips become progressively longer overnights ranging from 2-5 days. It is a great way for the cohort to bond, welcome new students and get to know each other outside of the school environment.

(5) School Leadership

We are fortunate to have such an incredible leadership team. They welcome feedback, encourage conversation and continuously foster a positive environment. They listen to parents and are willing to take feedback to course correct as needed. During Covid, the program continuously evolved based on parent communication. The school leadership also works very closely with the parent association (PA). They recognize parents have a different perspective and are on the pulse with what's happening in the school community. This partnership allows the PA to bring community concerns forward and have them addressed. When there were questions around discipline policies, the administration joined a parent association meeting to address the concerns and transparently share what they were working on. It also helped to streamline communication. The administration truly values the parent perspective. When issues need to be addressed the school responds quickly.

(5) Teaching

I can't say enough about the Teachers at Sterling Hall. They love what they do and are happy to be part of the community. They go over and above the subjects they teach and instill values. One of the cornerstone's of SHS is the character values teachers integrate into the curriculum. It becomes a foundational part of their learning and a key component of each child's vocabulary. The boys really look up to the teachers. In grade five, our son became far more independent thanks to one-on-one opportunities with his homeroom teacher. His teacher taught him how to prioritize his work, manage his time and set himself up for success. In addition to in-class teacher support, The Academic Success Team (AST) supports the boys who need additional support. They work individually or in small groups on areas that are challenging. The team works with both the boys and the parents to address any areas of concern as well as supporting them with additional challenges. Together, the parent AST teacher formulates a plan individualized for your child. The team provides feedback to parents through meetings and email updates. In math, there was always standard homework accompanied by challenging questions for those working ahead. Math competitions are an added component teachers support for boys working ahead.

(4.5) Academics

We were very happy with the academic program. The already small classes are broken into smaller groups where more focused learning takes place. Each group works closely with a teacher to master the subject. Groups work ahead or behind with others at a similar level. The groups are continuously evolving as students' skill levels adapt. The boys are also exposed to different teachers in the rotating groups to provide maximum exposure. Homework can be topped up with additional IXL work that teachers assign based on the boy's skill level. As the boys enter grades 6-8, culminating projects and exams are introduced in core subjects to help them prepare for high school. The number of exams and length gets progressively longer as they hit grade 8. Teachers prepare study packages for the boys to help "chunk" the studying. Together teachers and students build out study plans to cover off the material. It is such a critical component in high school preparedness.

(4.5) Extracurriculars

Our son loved the school clubs and extracurriculars offered. There are loads of options from sports teams to arts. Each term the students select their clubs of choice. Some clubs are only offered for one term while others are continuous throughout the year. Some examples are Coding, Cooking Club, Puppet Making, Chess, Rock Climbing Wall, Choir, Drama (The play or set design), Science club, and so many more. It is a great assortment of clubs and they are often grade-specific. My only call out is that not some popular clubs don't always get repeated and some terms have less selection than others. Team sports are seasonally specific and younger grades use the skating rink at Rinx to learn to skate.

(5) Students

The beauty of Sterling Hall is its small size. The student body is ~ 320 boys and it allows for a space for all boys to get to know each other regardless of their grade. It also allows for teachers and parents across grades to easily get to know one another. Students are placed into one of four houses where they compete in various events culminating with the annual Trophy ceremony. Boys are encouraged to participate in athletics, extracurriculars and house events as opportunities to gain points and drive school spirit. They dress in their house colours for the various events and look forward to the annual Olympic games. The student buddy program is another great way to connect the boys across grades. From reading buddies with older boys to the JK/Grade 8 buddy program there are so many opportunities for boys to connect. It's always adorable to see the Grade 8 boys on the playground climbing with their little JK buddies! At the end of the year, the boys look forward to the school play where the older boys get to perform for the entire school. The boys love seeing their buddies and there is an amazing sense of pride for both performers and audience members thanks to the connections they made.

(5) School Life

Our son loved his experience at Sterling Hall. He graduated this past year and often says, "I wish SHS had a high school." He was very involved in school life. He participated in the annual talent show and school plays and loved performing during assemblies. In their graduating year, students are given many leadership opportunities. The school helps them to prepare for grade 9 interviews and teams each student up with a faculty mentor. The weekly assemblies are led by the graduating class. The younger boys love being included and they all cheer each other on! From a young age, boys are given the opportunity to speak at assemblies. It is incredible to see the growth in their confidence and public speaking abilities. Our principal, Mr. Parsons speaks at the end of each assembly and encourages the boys to take risks in so many incredible ways. He often shares personal stories to help inspire the boys. The boys love hearing his insightful words. Parents love to attend assemblies and they are often packed! It is an absolute must to visit during one of the assemblies if you are considering the school!

(5) Community

Sterling Hall is an extraordinary place and represents the community in every sense of the word. Each boy, each family, and each faculty member make up a special piece of our community. Our connection begins shortly after the offer acceptance. New families are partnered with families of boys in the same grade. This link helps to integrate new families, ease fears (for both parent and child) and allows for a safe space to ask questions parent to parent. New boys have a familiar face on the first day which makes the transition into a new school much easier. The warmth in the halls makes everyone feel welcome and helps engage new families in the community. All parents are welcome to volunteer in any capacity as their schedules permit. From smaller roles that are email-based to larger roles requiring event organization, the school offers a way for every parent to participate. Parents and extended family are welcome to the school's weekly assemblies and attend sports games on the field. Every year the community comes together for the school's annual Terry Fox Run. Alumni, extended family, friends and pets are welcome and it is a day of celebrating the strength in our community. Parent Association events run throughout the year and are always a fun way to get involved.

(4) School Location

Due to its location, Sterling Hall is a destination school and doesn't pull from the surrounding neighbourhood. Students come from across the city. The school offers a hot lunch program. Students don't leave for lunch. Students typically stay on school property with the exception of community cleanup day and the Terry Fox Run. Older boys take the TTC to school and walk in from Dufferin.

(5) Admissions

While the admission process can often be stressful, it is important to just be yourself! Finding the right fit is so important for both the family and the school. As a prospective family, you are interviewing the school as much as they are interviewing you. It is a great opportunity to learn about their values, programs and community. Families meet directly with the Director of Admissions, Ms. Heinrich. She is an incredible educator and fairly evaluates each child. For candidates that have areas of growth, she works with them to further develop these skills for a future application year. This feedback is invaluable and something most schools don't offer!