REVIEW OF Wesley Christian Academy BY parent, Amy Yeung

(5) Student Experience

I have three daughters at WCA, For all 3 of them, their teachers have been the highlight of their school experience. Each of our girls has different needs, strengths and weaknesses and the teachers at Wesley have taken the time to ensure that they reach their full potential. For the younger grades, I can see that my girls really see that Wesley is a fun environment that fosters creativity and my girls look forward to learning in such a environment. For my older daughter, I can see she is challenged to a point where she is learning but yet still built up for success. We especially appreciate the school's commitment to teach Christian values and character. Each year we can see their transformation and maturing because of the mentoring and care at Wesley.

(5) School Leadership

The administration and staff really make an effort to hear and address the needs of the school community. We can really sense that each there is genuine care and interest for the family as a whole. The school focus on effective communication as they have a designated staff person who distributes detailed weekly emails to the parent community. The school also ensures the parents are updated about the school life with pictures of memorable events. The organization of the school administration was also a key thing that stood out to me when we first visited the school

(5) Teaching

The teachers at Wesley are of very high calibre. In addition to being passionate and knowledgeable about their subjects, the teachers find fun ways to connect what they are learning with day to day life. I have also observed that the strengths of each teacher is very suited to their grade. In preschool, my girls learnt self control, respect in addition to foundations for their academic success. In kindergarten, the teachers really encourage the students passion for learning and caring for others. The grade 1 teachers pushed them to be comfortable with reading, writing and confidence in public speaking. In grade 2, my daughter learnt to study independently and in grade 3, in addition to fluency in math, she has developed a love for reading and literature. We are very grateful that Wesley has taken time to plan and select teachers that are suitable for each grade.

(5) Academics

Wesley follows the Christian Abeka Academic program which exceeds the Ontario Public school board in terms of academics. I have also observed the teachers supplement with a lot of projects and hands on learning activities. I can see these take additional time for the teachers but I have witness my own daughters in grow in confidence with timid, scripted presentations to confidently being able to present their area of interest. These skills are essential their future success. The teachers also really take time to ensure that concepts are understood and I have seen them give additional work to ensure that the children are challenged. There is a culture of academic excellence and I feel that my girls will be more than adequately prepare for their academic training.

(5) Extracurriculars

Starting in grade 1, the students are encouraged to find areas of leadership and service from morning announcements to lunch helpers. There also many team sports, music opportunities, including amazing concerts for the students to be involved in. The student body really works together to put on an amazing production for the Christmas concert. The house teams also foster school spirit and is a vehicle for many special events such an author events and Wacky Wesley days. The extracurricular events related to literature reflects how much the school values good literature and the belief that reading of good literature is linked with good character. Each classroom is well stocked with books and the students are always reading.

(5) Students

Even though the school ages range from toddler to grade 8, there is a strong sense of school spirit. The older students help take care of the younger children in their leadership and service opportunities. Many of the grade 8 graduates started at the school from toddler and Wesley is like a second home. I have even seen them return for community events, concerts and even to volunteer to help move during the school renovations. When you walk through the halls of Wesley you can sense that each student is not only happy and comfortable but also takes pride in being a Wesley Student. they are all very courteous and respectful. I can see the younger students looking up to to the older students as they have many interactions in extracurricular events and house events.

(5) School Life

My children love attending Wesley Christian Academy and have repeatedly expressed how happy they are at the school. Each year I have witnessed the school continually improving and attending to the needs of the families and students. I would tell prospective families that Wesley is a smaller Christian school that really supports the growth of your child in christian character and academic excellence. The staff and teachers are very caring and go beyond just teaching academics. They really care about the child as a whole desire each child to reach their full potential. The school has an amazing before and after school program which is a huge help to working and commuting parents. One can be assured your children are in a safe, nurturing and loving environment.

(5) Community

The families I have met at Wesley have all been very supportive. We help each other out with daily school life via different social media channels. The school is very open to parental involvement. The staff are always ready to listen and the Principal's door is always open to parents to express their concerns or just to chat. Teachers also encourage with parents opportunities to speak to the classes, reading to the classes and helping on field trips. The teachers are also always accessible via email or in person for the parents to talk to about concerns about their children. We especially experience the supportive environment of Wesley when my daughter broke her leg and the whole community from teachers, staff to her classmates helped her with the transition.

(3) School Location

Wesley Christian Academy is locate in east Markham and our family lives in Toronto. The location is actually very out of the way for us, however for our family, the school community, teachers and staff make the long commute all worth it. Wesley Christian Academy is really a gem in Markham. I know the school community is growing and hence the school is expanding.