Specialized 'academies' aimed at engaging students

Specialized 'academies' aimed at engaging students. TDSB Director of Education Chris Spence joined with the all-boys Grade 8 class at Humberwood Downs Junior Middle Academy for the launch of the board's nine new elementary academies on Tuesday. The academies will each focus on either Boys' Leadership, Girls' Leadership, Sports and Wellness, Health and Wellness, or Vocal Music, and are slated to open this September. Staff photo/CYNTHIA REASON

The new academies - which include schools specializing in Boys' Leadership, Girls' Leadership, Sports and Wellness, Health and Wellness, and Vocal Music - are slated to open in nine schools across the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) this September, said the board's Director of Education.

"If we offer programming that interests young learners and ignites a passion to want to learn, then I think we're going to see something really special happen," Spence said, noting that registration for the new academies is now open. "I believe the biggest issue we face isn't necessarily underachievement, it's disengagement...so, it's our hope students will want to come to school, that they'll want to get involved, and they'll want to help shape what their school day will look like, because they'll want to be engaged."

The nine participating schools include: Ryerson Community School (Vocal Music) downtown; James S. Bell JMS (Sports and Wellness) and The Elms JMS (Boys' Leadership) in Etobicoke; Shoreham PS (Sports and Wellness), Rene Gordon ES (Health and Wellness) and Donview MS (Health and Wellness) in North York; Heather Heights JPS (Vocal Music) and Highland Heights JPS (Girls' Leadership) in Scarborough) and Carleton Village J&SPS (Sports and Wellness) in York.

Information sessions at each of the schools will be held in the coming weeks.

Humberwood Downs students Andre Williams and Dayapreet Dhaliwal said being in their respective single-gendered classrooms - much like those to be offered in September at The Elms' Boys' Leadership Academy and Highland Heights' Girls' Leadership Academy - has made a world of difference.

"I really personally enjoy (being in an all-girls' class) because I feel that it's a very safe and comfortable learning environment," said Dayapreet, a Grade 8 student. "I can participate more, I can engage, I can answer and ask questions without being afraid of what the boys are going to say...I can work with the girls, and I can depend on the girls, and I know that they're all going to be there to support me and they're not going to put me down."

And the same goes in Humberwood's all-boys' Grade 8 class, said Andre, where the students have integrated their interest in sports into their math lessons.

"Since we all like sports, Mr. Singh established a hockey pool where we use our players' stats to use the math that we've learned in the unit to calculate and practice our skills," he said. "This class is really great because I guess the atmosphere and positive attitudes of everyone really makes for a good learning experience."

While the five Sports and Health and Wellness academies will be adopted school-wide for students within the catchment areas of each respective site, the Girls' and Boys' Leadership and Vocal Music academies will function as separate schools within their host schools.

Each will have a minimum of 100-150 pupil spaces available (with room to grow in the future), and will be open to students across the city. There are no specific admission requirements for any of the academies, save for an interest in the school's specialty, Spence said.

"We think it's about passion, about demonstrating an interest in a particular discipline, because at the end of this, what we're trying to do is further engage our students," he said. "And a big part of that is broadening the opportunities and choices they have."