The goal of our Grade 7 and 8 program is to deliver Personalized Education to each student to prepare him or her, both academically and socially, to thrive in the High School of their choice.

North Toronto Academy’s program is designed specifically for students who may not have achieved strong academic results to date, may not be motivated to perform well in school, may be either ‘overly social’ or socially immature, or who may have a mild cognitive or learning disability.

Our program is ideal for these students, whether or not they are formally “identified” with a learning disability and have an Individual Education Plan (IEP). It’s important to note the NTA program is not designed for those students who have profound learning disabilities, or who have major behavioural problems.

Academically, NTA’s program meets and exceeds the requirements of the Ontario curriculum. While we provide all aspects of the middle school experience, our first focus is on ensuring our students are strong enough in the basics – reading, writing and math – that they can thrive in the high school of their choice. NTA’s small class sizes, low student-teacher ratio, and experienced teachers with Special Education qualifications, all help ensure our students get the education they need to be successful in a public or private high school. These aspects, combined with our emphasis on study skills and organization, and supported by our student laptop program, work together to provide an exceptionally well-tailored educational experience that addresses the most important needs of our students.

From a social development point of view, the school focuses strongly on teaching students the importance and value of taking personal responsibility for ones self, for delivering on commitments, and fostering healthy social relationships. Our “small school” setting provides a safe and manageable environment for students to develop socially, away from the many distracting and often negative influences and behaviours common in larger schools – especially large standalone Grade 7-8 Middle Schools.

"Linear-Semestered Hybrid" Program Stucture

Research shows that semestered programs are superior to linear (traditional full-year) programs in terms of both academic results (grades earned and retention of information) and student engagement and motivation. Students (and teachers) strongly prefer semestered programs, and on balance do better in them, than in linear programs. However, research also shows that in the "build-on knowledge" subjects of English, Math, and Science, students benefit from having more time to explore and absorb the material, and by having constant exposure to the subject, rather than having long gaps in between exposures (i.e. up to a 12 month gap if a subject is taken in 1st semester of Gr.7 and not again until 2nd semester of Gr.8).

North Toronto Academy has designed a hybrid program structure to capitalize on the strengths of both systems.  English, Math and Science are taught for more hours than in public schools to ensure student's acquire these critical knowledge and skills.   These three subjects are taught in both semesters, but the presentation of the courses is done in a "semester-style" to capitalize on the student motivation and engagement benefits of this approach.  The other subjects are delivered using a fully semestered approach.

* Students may opt out of French, if there are reasonable grounds and it is in the best educational interests of the child. Parental consent and approval of the Principal are required. See Personalized Education page for more details.

The major benefits of the NTA program are:

• The critical English, Math and Science subjects are strongly emphasized, and students have the entire school year to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed at the new level
• Students are able to focus more intensely on a smaller number of subjects than in a traditional system, making knowledge acquisition and retention easier 
• The workload of 6 subjects is much more manageable for students than 8 concurrant subjects 
• Students feel they are “making progress” as they completely finish with some subjects in mid year, and move on to new topics, which increases motivation and engagement

In order that we may better understand the educational needs of each individual student, North Toronto Academy gives all incoming Grade 7 and 8 students skills assessments in reading, writing and math.

The assessments are not an “entrance exam”. Rather the results, in combination with the student’s past report cards, and our interviews with parents and past teachers, provide the platform upon which we can deliver Personalized Education. There is no fee for the assessments.

The North Toronto Academy school day runs from 9:00am until 3:30pm, Monday through Friday.  There is an optional supervised homework study hall period from 3:30 - 4:30pm Monday through Thursday. 

Lunch period is 30 minutes and there are recess periods morning and afternoon.  Teachers allow short unscheduled breaks as required during class time in order to give students the opportunity to move around a bit and then re-focus on the work.

Students may arrive at school beginning at 8:30am. The school day goes from 9:00am until 3:30pm. Students may remain at school until 4:30to take advantage of the optional supervised homework study hall. Teachers may also assign students to attend the study hall if they feel extra help is required.

Students may bring their lunches to school, and the school provides a refrigerator and microwave for student use. In addition, lunch may be ordered from the ‘Subway’ restaurant located on the ground floor right beneath the school. Grade 7 and 8 students are not allowed to leave the school unaccompanied at any time during the school day, unless parents give written permission in advance.

Reading, writing and math are not the only skills needed to be successful in school. Students must also know how to study effectively and efficiently, how to manage their time, and how to stay organized. And these skills are all the more important for students that are behind their peers in terms of academic knowledge, ability to focus, or motivation.

North Toronto Academy’s programs incorporate specific focus and individual coaching on these critical success factors. In our Grade 7 & 8 programs we devote significant class time and attention to teaching the strategies, tools and techniques students need to be more effective, organized and productive in their work.

Students use their laptops and powerful software packages to learn how to work productively and stay organized. We strongly encourage students to use the daily supervised homework study hall period 3:30 - 4:30 to focus on these skills. 

North Toronto Academy makes use of the rich cultural, political and artistic aspects of the city and the province. Students will have field trips relevant to their classes and visit various venues that give life to the material they learn in school.

The school chooses various textbooks and online resources that support the curriculum. A resource fee is part of NTA student fees, and the school purchases the required resources and provides them on loan to students.

All Grade 7 students will take the following subjects:

Click here to see Grade 7 course descriptions.

All Grade 8 students will take the following subjects:

Click here to see Grade 8 course descriptions.

Guidance support is provided to students.

At the beginning of each school year and semester, the students and teachers collaborate to decide what extracurricular activities will be available during the coming period. Examples include: school year book, school paper/newsletter, support of a charity, and various social activities and outings.

SCHOOL YEAR CALENDAR 2009/10

Labour Day	September 7, 2009
First Instructional Day	September 8, 2009
Thanksgiving Day	October 12, 2009
Christmas Break	Dec. 21, 2009 – Jan. 1, 2010
Family Day	February 15, 2010
March Break	March 15-19, 2010
Good Friday	April 2, 2010
Easter Monday	April 5, 2010
Victoria Day	May 24, 2010
Last Day of Classes	June 25, 2010

Professional Activity Days

1) September 2, 2009             Elementary and Secondary PA Day

2) September 3, 2009             Elementary and Secondary PA Day

3) November 13, 2009            Elementary PA Day

4) December 4, 2009              Elementary PA Day

5) March 5, 2010                     Elementary PA Day

6) June 30, 2010                     Elementary PA Day