Woodbridge, ON | Grades 9 - 12 | Shortlist
All four of our children have attended TD Christian. Each of them has different interests, and each of them was able to be involved in activities that they enjoyed and that challenged them. Our children participated in sports teams, drama, robotics, and music. The varied ways that courses were presented provided opportunities for their different learning styles. Environmental block, physics block, and internship block were courses where learning involved hands on and practical activities. Each of our children were part of the earth and space science course as students, and three of them as TA's. The Algonquin trip continues to be one of their great memories. In addition, the service trips at the beginning of grade 9 and in grade 11, as well as the Belize service trip, helped them widen their understanding and view of the world.
I just started at Toronto District Christian High School so I haven't been here for long but I can already see that I am going to love it here. The teachers and students are really nice and welcoming and I feel like I can just be myself and relax more when I'm around them. The teachers help each student individually and consider their situations to find the best way to help each student reach their full potential in what ever subject they are doing. I am used to more structure in my school day but I think the structure the school give is enough because it allows me to take responsibility and learn to do things on my own without having to be told to.
Prior to enrolling our son in TD, we had mixed views on whether we should enroll him in Christian private high school. We were worried that he would be sheltered from the challenges of the outside world. In the first week, his class went downtown Toronto to assist those in need. This was a memorable experience for him. That was only the beginning of his experience at TDCH. Our son loves the fact that he is asked to actively engage in student life. The entire school setting is designed to make him feel that he is in a safe space, which is so important for students. Overall, the entire experience has been positive for him. Our son values the friendships that are being formed and continually looks forward to his time at school.
Our son has truly enjoyed his first year at TDCH. The class sizes are small. In the first week of school, grade 9 went on the Service Trip to have the opportunity to know each other and to have an experience in community. In my opinion, it helps a lot with transition period from a different school. The older school had 10x less people than TDCH, so the Service Trip helped him meet new kids and get used to being with more people. My son loves the school, and the warm and positive atmosphere. He also enjoys their exclusive program called "The Pulse" where students make a television show to show to the rest of the school. He says he enjoys all the creativity, and the "hands-on" work.
TD Christian does not have 1800 students which is typical in most high schools. The students in this school don't get lost in a huge school. Teachers know students by name and I think this makes a big difference in how a teenager feels about going to school. My daughter graduated from TD Christian and went on to attend York University Engineering program, where she is excelling. My daughter enjoyed her overall experience at TD Christian, and made some great friends. Her transition to a university program was easy. My son is in 10th grade and is part of the music program, the robotics club, the hands-on video creation and video editing class, and will be starting computer coding classes in grade 11. Environmental Block is a course that was taken by both of my kids, and this course is something very unique to this school. My son really enjoys TD Christian, especially the diversity of the courses he has been able to take and can take in Grade 11 and Grade 12.
The care the teachers give to the students is outstanding. We have had some experience with other schools and are familiar with the pattern of education there. We were able to find a big difference in how the teachers take it as a personal commitment, mission and responsibility to care deeply for each of the students. The teachers genuinely help and guide the children and also pray for them and with them in several occasions. The teachers develop personal interactions with the students, and take the role of mentors, counselors, older siblings and sometimes even parents. Even after graduation, the relationships are maintained and they become friends for life.
My experience at TDCH was amazing. The community there is so welcoming and the environment made me safer than I had at any other school. The teachers are very understanding and want the best for the kids. The students are extremely kind and it’s very obvious they were raised in a Christian facility. They have some quirks though that are quite strange. Their lunch period is 25 minutes, they have no dances, they aren’t allowed to carry bags to class, and they have little variety when it comes to sports. Overall, though, TDCH has an amazing atmosphere and any kid raised with good morals would feel very at home there.
Without doubt the single most appreciated part of TDCH is the teachers' personal and individualized attention to each student. They care about the kids as people, and show them the respect that they are trying to engender in them by listening to their views and appreciating their individuality. When my daughter realized that her previous public school had not prepared her for the level of math education that was required at TDCH, her math teacher took the time after school and at lunch to quickly bring her up to speed. She was very concerned as Math is her best subject, and she was afraid that she would fall behind. Her teacher's encouragement and patience with her anxiety was duly responsible for her A+ results at the end of the year.
