Students at CGS at a monthly assembly where parents attend

Parents frequently wonder if their kindergarten kids are learning up to their potential.The issue is in sharp focus this year as all-day kindergarten has been fully implemented across Toronto in the public school system for 2014-2015. Previously, half-day kindergarten had capped the number of children per class but the government specifically refused to do that last fall and some parents complained of classes with as many as 40 children in them. It is one of the things that motivates Marie Bates, principal and founder of Children’s Garden School (CGS) in Leaside to keep kindergarten classes at the appealing ratio of 13:1. The kindergarten classes at CGS also separate Junior and Senior Kindergarten classes. The kids all get to know each other but the classes themselves are separate for JK and SK in both the half-day and full-day programs. It seems like an asset to the task of young learning. Kindergarten is a time of great potential for children. The CGS presentation to parents makes the point. No learning opportunity is to be missed. “Kindergarten age children are very capable students who can achieve high levels of literacy well before Grade 1. At CGS we move beyond the sand table and provide students with daily challenges in a supportive atmosphere.” The foundation of the CGS kindergarten program is a highly successful phonics program called Remediation Plus. It is a program which addresses many different styles of learning using a multisensory approaches. Children manipulate letters on magnet boards, look in mirrors as they watch and experience letter sounds as they speak them and draw in rice trays to “touch” the letter sounds they form words. These techniques guarantee that no young reader is left behind.” With all this innovative teaching comes a structure that most parents find gratifying. The JK children study language arts and mathematics every day, incorporating basic facts mastery all the way along. They learn French four days a week and fit in generous periods of gym, music and specialized visual arts. Parents keep well connected by many means but mostly through the enjoyable monthly assembly. The photo above shows JK kids reporting to their parents on the nature of Trust. In the next few weeks The South Bayview Bulldog will report further on this remarkable local school which was founded in 1986. We hope you are able to catch the articles. The Director of Admission is Kelly Scott who may be contacted at kscott@cgsschool.com and (416) 423-5017 x 43.  The CGS website is here.