REVIEW OF Webtree Academy BY parent, Gilbert Tossa

(5) Student Experience

My son joined Webtree Academy during a challenging year, when we were at the middle of a pandemic, where regular schools were restricted to only teaching & learning online. Despite the introduced online learning method, the interaction created by the school within a class group was so remarkable. The only disappointment for my son was, not being able to have 100% in-person classroom experience. Whenever the schools were asked to reopen for in-person classes, my son was so happy to go there. Nevertheless he recalls the memories of "e-learning" as a fun-loving atmosphere while achieving his academic goals to the fullest. He enjoyed most the small size classes where he got individual care, attention & also the strong connections he built with his classmates. The unique approach the school took when it came to course planning for my son caught my attention. School guidance provided detailed, complete information about future university program admission requirements. We clearly understood about the required courses my son had to take and the average he should maintain. As a result, my son got a full picture of what he should be working towards. They also took my son's academic strengths and weaknesses into consideration when deciding the order of taking different courses.

(5) School Leadership

School was always in touch with the parents through their monthly newsletter which updates everything happening around the school. They get the parents involved in important decision-making about their child's future. Especially when it came to planning my son's university education, the school administration made sure the parents were a part of the discussion with the student and the academic counselor. Their well-detailed "Code of Conduct" guides parents as well as students the manner in which they should conduct themselves in the school environment. Breach of any rules is addressed in a professional manner.

(5) Teaching

Webtree teachers are highly qualified & well experienced. They were prompt to recognize the strengths as well as the weaknesses my son possessed & catered accordingly to get the best out of his strengths while helping him to overcome his weaknesses. The constructive feedback he got for his unit tests and assignments enabled him to face his midterms & final exams with confidence. Whether it was Math, Science, or Food & Nutrition class, their application to daily life & true-life facts made my son appreciate learning not only to achieve his academic goals but also to apply them in his daily life. The teachers knew how to create this interest in him which ultimately has lead him to live a well balanced life. The Guidance Counselor works along with the teachers to make sure the individual education plan is well in place & in action for each & every student. This is the place where they help children find their shining spot!

(5) Academics

I had two main reasons for transferring my son from his previous school to Webtree Academy. Number one reason being small class size. This simply attracted me during COVID time. Five to seven students per class is a very small number compared to other schools. Secondly, small class size gives room for individual care & attention which is a fundamental rule this school emphasizes on practicing. Besides, the importance they give on academic preparation, I have not seen in the previous schools my son attended. Their academic programs cover variety of choices which include Math, Science, Business Studies & Economics, Accounting & Finances, Visual Arts, Music & Drama, Computer Science etc. Webtree academic counselors individually guided my son along the pathway to leading Schools of Business in the country. I can say my son has become confident & competent compared to the first day he entered this school, especially when it comes to his writing skills, with which he had been struggling for a long time.

(4.5) Extracurriculars

Unfortunately, the extracurricular activities were limited to the minimum due to the pandemic. However, the school holds different clubs for photography, DECA, Model UN, Soccer, Badminton, Tennis, etc. Problem-solving club for Math is another interesting approach to create an interest in those students who do not like Math. Those students under the Elite Bridging program like my son, receive free training for these sports programs & other competitions like DECA & UN Model.

(5) Students

Webtree welcomes students from different parts of the world. It was interesting to see how they were able to bring students of various cultures virtually under one roof to build up the Webtree family. They share different techniques of learning and studying. Moreover, the small size classes made the student connection stronger. They tend to support each other & perform well as an individual group. Their different experiences bring a wealth of knowledge and they share them in their online learning platform. My son connected well with others & learned from different experiences which each student contributed to the group. I learned that they connect even after school hours through the online learning platform for group discussions based on their group assignments. Teachers were capable of motivating the students & I was glad when the students in my son's class kept it up.

(5) School Life

At this stage, I am unable to provide much information on School Life as the COVID19 situation controlled students going to school to have in-person classes. Nevertheless, during the short periods of school re-openings, my son enjoyed every minute of being in school. He never showed any dislikes going to school. Under normal circumstances, I am sure he would have enjoyed Webtree atmosphere to the fullest. Apart from the teachers, the school staff also built up a relationship with my son which went a long way. Webtree door is open to my son for any advice he needs in future even after his graduation. The warm welcome we received on the first day of school continued to grow leaving nothing but cherishable memories of his one year there.

(4.5) Community

I had the opportunity of meeting some parents during the information session the school conducted at the school premises before the new academic year. Many parents joined the session online through the Zoom meeting due to the global pandemic. There I learned how the school emphasizes parental involvement in the school life which came as a positive feedback from former parents. Online Moodle platform enables the parents to have total access to their child's assignments, unit tests etc & the teacher's feedback. I was made to understand that many parents are welcome to volunteer in Field Trips & other school special occasions like graduation ceremony. Besides, the school maintain a very good relationship with its past students' parents. One parent had posted a video gratitude speech during the previous year's graduation ceremony.

(4.5) School Location

Students use the opposite soccer ground the most as their hang-out spot. Most of their fun activities are also held there. The school environment is calm, peaceful, and welcoming. Many field trips throughout the year to famous attractions in Toronto, allow the students to explore in-depth the diversity of this cosmopolis city. The students enjoy the surrounding neighborhoods and feel safe. During breaks, or after school they venture beyond the school grounds whether it be for fresh air or explore their community.

(5) Admissions

The smooth admission process of Webtree Academy is not only the easiest but also the fastest. Their efficient administrative team makes anyone feel welcome & taken care of. I was well guided through each step of the process. My school tour prior to the admission gave me & my son that in-depth knowledge about how the school functions. I was very keen to know about their course planning & grading system. During our interview with the Principal Mr. Henry Michaels & the Guidance Counselor Ms. Ally Wang, I got clear answers to all my questions. We were given a very detailed initial academic planning report by the Guidance Counselor after reviewing my son's previous school's report cards and having the consultation with him. The warm welcoming spirit was omnipresent and we did not hesitate to take our first step in the admission process. From filling out the Application Form to receiving the Letter of Acceptance, the procedure was well planned with details easy to understand. Filling out their Application Form online will expedite the process & could save more time on paper work. Their website too is very informative & admission process is not all a strenuous one.

(5) University placement and counselling

When it came to course planning for my son they took into consideration how much course load my son could handle each term. The idea was to perform the best he could to get the highest grades possible. The university placement started right there for us. My son had a dream to enter into a certain university under a certain program. The school Guidance Counselor knew exactly how to react to that, which courses my son should take and what average he should maintain. Therefore the course selection for each term became a sensitive matter. But with the Guidance Counselor's expertise my son was able to maintain the required average with minimal work load stress and was able to achieve his goals. This individual care & counselling was one of the greatest experience with Webtree Academy. I am more than happy for the decision I made to move my son from his previous private school to Webtree Academy, and invested into the Elite University Bridging program, which has enabled him to explore his potential, discover his talents and strengths, and overcome his weaknesses. To me, finance is never the biggest factor when it comes to choosing a good school for my children, but I want to say that, the quality of services the school has in place should be valued much more than the rate they are asking for, especially comparing to many other schools. In addition, my son received weekly after school one-on-one tutoring in Math, the subject which he had been struggling the most. These extra services were included in the Elite program. What amazed me is; after my son completed both his grade 12 Advanced Functions and Calculus & Vectors courses, the school arranged him an extra weekly one-on-one training, reviewing the units that he didn't do the best, and teaching him new material that would be covered in the first year university Calculus course, given that it will be one of the courses that my son needs to take if he decides to join the Business Administration program at York University Schulich. This thoughtful & caring gesture prepared him well in advance for the university.