Vista Alternative School

A Proposal for a Public Elementary School

Submitted to the Toronto District School Board

September 30, 2011

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 3

Purpose 3

Background 3

The Need for Vista Alternative School 3

Objectives 5

Strategies 5

VISION 7

Guiding Principles 7

Values 7

SCHOOL GOVERNANCE 8

External Advisory Board 8

Specific Governance Model 9

CURRICULUM 11

Curriculum Principles 12

COMMUNITY 14

Staffing 14

The Students of Vista Alternative School 17

Projected Enrollment Model 18

Admission Process 19

SUMMARY 21

SPECIAL RECOGNITION 22

APPENDIX 23

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INTRODUCTION

Purpose

This document presents a proposal for the creation of Vista Alternative School, in accordance

with the Toronto District School Board’s Alternative School Policy. If approved, Vista Alternative

will open in the 2012-13 or 1013-14 school year, preferably in Trinity-Spadina Ward 10. Vista

Alternative School is a holistic alternative school inspired by the pedagogical approach of Maria

Montessori and her collaborators.

Background

Vista Alternative School was initiated by a group of parents and educators who share a common

interest in the establishment of a Montessori-inspired elementary school within the Toronto

District School Board (TDSB). (Please see the appendix for a list of Vista Alternative School

Executive Committee members). The realization of Vista Alternative School will deliver a

relevant, well-developed, and well-studied educational model that meets a significant need

within the TDSB. There exists high demand for such a school, as evidenced by a tremendous

community response to our initiative.

Montessori education and a variety of contemporary adaptations have been instituted globally

for over one hundred years. More than 5,000 schools, including over 300 public schools,

employ Montessori educational methods in the United States. As educator Tim Seldin notes,

“There is a growing consensus among educators and developmental psychologists that many of

[Maria Montessori’s] ideas were decades ahead of their time. As the movement gains support

and begins to spread into the [American] public school sector, and gains official recognition

internationally, one can readily say that Montessori, begun a century ago, is a remarkably

modern approach.”1

The Need for Vista Alternative School Montessori-based education is growing in popularity in the public school system in the United

States, in part due to Montessori’s unique capacity to address the needs of at-risk children and

exceptional learners alike, and yet there are few public Montessori or Montessori-inspired

schools in Ontario.

According to the Canadian Council of Montessori Administrators (CCMA), there are 132 private

Montessori schools in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) registered as CCMA members for the

2011-2012 school year, serving approximately 6,800 students age 2 ½ to 6 and an additional

2,700 students age 6-12. Actual numbers for the number of Montessori schools, and thus the

number of students in Montessori classrooms, are substantially higher as there is no

1 Seldin, T. 2010. Dr. Montessori: A Historical Perspective [monograph on the internet] (Florida: The Montessori Foundation

[updated 2010 Aug 3; cited 2011 July 11]);

http://www.montessori.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=72:montessori-a-historical-

perspective&catid=7:faqs&Itemid=25.

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requirement for CCMA membership and many schools do not register. Clearly, there is strong

interest in the GTA for Montessori-based education that is not currently reflected within the

available TDSB alternative schools.

Research has overwhelmingly shown benefits in academic, social, and global skills when

Montessori-style education has been implemented at both the primary and elementary levels of

education. In a 2006 study, psychologists found that Montessori-educated children displayed a

greater sense of "justice and fairness", interacted in an "emotionally positive" way, and were

less likely to engage in "rough play" during break times compared to children educated at

traditional schools. The study found significant advantages in terms of both social maturity and

scholastic achievement: “At the end of elementary school, [these] children wrote more creative

essays with more complex sentence structures, selected more positive responses to social

dilemmas, and reported feeling more of a sense of community at their school.”2 Other studies

have shown that Montessori students score higher on tests associated with math and science

subjects3 and report more positive motivation and experience compared to their peers in

traditional elementary schools.4

Additional benefits to students include:

1. An approach to learning through questioning, analyzing, comprehending, and discussing

topics, rather than just completing assignments or memorizing facts. This style of learning leads

to true understanding.

2. A life-long love of learning, questioning, and discovering. Students have positive feelings

towards school and a happier outlook on life.

3. A sense of accomplishment, fulfillment, identity, and self-worth.

4. An understanding of the practical application of knowledge and skills acquired in the school

setting. Learning is real and meaningful.

5. Improved empathy and conflict resolution skills, in both social and academic contexts.

6. Greater sense of connection with and appreciation for the natural environment.

2 Lillard, A. and Else-Quest, N. 2006. “Evaluating Montessori Education,” Science, 313.

3 Dohrmann, R., et al. 2007. “High school Outcomes for Students in a Public Montessori Program,” Journal of Research in

Childhood Education 22.2, 205-217. 4 Rathunde, K. 2003. “A Comparison of Montessori and Traditional Middle Schools: Motivation, Quality of Experience, and Social

Context,” The NAMTA Journal 28.3, 12-52.

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Objectives

The objectives for Vista Alternative School are: 1. To establish a Montessori-inspired alternative elementary public school offering grades 1

through 6 (with grades 1-3 offered in first year the school opens, grade 4 in the second year,

grade 5 in third year, etc.) in Trinity-Spadina, Ward 10.

2. To found a public Montessori-based school that becomes a benchmark for future schools.

3. To inspire a life-long love of learning.

4. To develop well-rounded, responsible, and self-actualized individuals who are able to make

informed and wise decisions, and actively participate in society.

5. To fulfill the overwhelming community demand among TDSB parents and students for a

public school based on Montessori principles.

Strategies The foundational elements of Vista Alternative School’s strategy are:

1. To develop a vision and set of core values that seves as the foundation for all further

strategies and informs all actions undertaken in the development and implementation of the

school. This vision is the school’s philosophical and pedagogical basis that informs all other

aspects of the school’s development and serves to inspire and motivate students, parents,

teachers, and the larger community.

2. To establish a governance framework in accordance with the TDSB Alternative School Policy

and Operating Procedures that formalizes and oversees implementation of the direction and

vision for Vista Alternative School.

3. To utilize the existing expertise on Montessori-based education available across North

America, benefiting from the key learnings and best practices of established institutions, through

the constitution of a working External Advisory Board of leading education experts specializing

in Montessori education to guide planning and development of the school, as well as the

development of a collaborative model of goverance among students, parents, teachers, and

school administrators.

4. To develop a customized curriculum specific to the public system that synthesizes the best

practices of Montessori-based education available today, and is in accordance with Ontario

Ministry guidelines, through the establishment of a curriculum development committee that will

guide curriculum research and development in consultation with the Vista Alternative School

External Advisory Board.

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5. To build an outstanding community of teachers, parents, and students that becomes the

evolving, organic life force of Vista Alternative School through the attraction and hiring of

teachers who have the motivation and skills to create an enriched, vibrant learning experience.

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VISION

Guiding Principles

The philosophy of our school is based on the work of Maria Montessori, founder of the

Montessori method of education, as well as her son Mario and other collaborators. We believe

that a strong school is based on staff, students, and parents working together to create a

positive learning environment.

A complete and thorough education involves supporting the child’s development of mind, body,

and spirit by offering an inspiring and well-rounded curriculum based on hands-on learning,

choice, open-ended learning opportunities, and the interests of the child.

The child is encouraged to be involved in the community of the classroom, which itself is a

microcosm of society. Children are encouraged to engage in exploration, choice, group

projects, self-directed, and self-motivated activities. The role of education is to assist the child

to grow to her full potential, and to foster a life-long love of learning.

“The secret of success [in education] is found to lie in the right use of imagination in awakening

interest, and the stimulation of seeds of interest already sown.”

- Maria Montessori

"Our care of the child should be governed, not by the desire to make him learn things, but by the

endeavor always to keep burning within him that light which is called intelligence."

- Maria Montessori

Values

Vista Alternative School is based on the understanding that the child is a respected and

valuable member of society, who actively contributes to the community and to her own

education. The teacher is a guide who supports the child in continuing to develop the mind, the

body and the spirit, never forgetting that these three components of the human being are

equally important and forever connected.

Learning is a process which is best facilitated when the individual is experiencing joy and

wonderment, as well as confidence and self-control. Within this framework, the child naturally

gravitates to further questions and further learning experiences. These aspects of joyful

learning are always considered when planning lessons and developing curriculum.

Education not only shapes the child’s intellect but also helps to form the psychological make-up

of the child. We strive to help the child develop physical as well as mental independence, self-

direction, responsibility, self-discipline, self-acceptance, and self-confidence. In order to live

peacefully and with fulfillment social development must be fully realized. Our school nurtures

children’s sensitivities towards others, their sense of empathy, as well as their ability to

communicate and cooperate.

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SCHOOL GOVERNANCE

The governance of Vista Alternative School will be situated in the context of two higher levels of

authority and governance: that of the Ministry of Education (as it pertains to primary school

education in the Province of Ontario), and that of the Toronto District School Board. The

governance model at these higher levels – including the delegation of authority from the MEDU

to the TDSB, and the accountability reporting from the TDSB to the MEDU – will be respected,

and our goal is to ensure that the governance model for Vista Alternative School is aligned with

and integrated to these higher levels of authority.

The current TDSB Alternative School Policy and Operating Procedures have guided the

development of a governance model for new alternative schools, including that proposed for

Vista.

The Executive Committee for Vista Alternative School recognizes the importance of a workable

governance model of ongoing school operations. An external Advisory Board is fundamental to

the governance of the school, and provides guidance and oversight during the planning and

launch stages. Our Advisory Board is already in place, and its members are drawn from the

community of experts in holistic and Montessori education. Its role in the governance of the

school is detailed below.

External Advisory Board

The Advisory Board is intended to provide ongoing advice and guidance to the Executive

Committee of Vista Alternative School during:

1. Completion of the planning phase of the school.

2. The development phase for the Montessori-inspired curriculum, including the development of

a “minimum provisional standard” for that curriculum.

3. The TDSB approval process for new alternative schools.

4. The launch of Vista Alternative School as a primary school.

The specific functions of the Advisory Board are to provide guidance at the level of educational

philosophy and practical design in the following areas:

1. Appropriate instructional approaches that are both Montessori-based and in accordance with

Ministry guidelines. The Board will also provide guidance about adaptation of those approaches

by individual teachers.

2. Matters related to the physical environment of the school, including classroom design,

materials, lighting, etc..

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3. Development and implementation of a holistic and Montessori-based curriculum. This would

include periodic review and assessment to ensure that the curriculum at Vista Alternative

School meets the “minimum provisional standard” established by the Advisory Board.

4. The process of teacher development, specifically regarding the most appropriate methods for

assessment of existing TDSB teaching staff regarding their ability to teach in a holistic and

Montessori-based school.

5. Identification of Montessori-based skills development and enrichment opportunities for TDSB

teaching staff.

6. Other areas as determined by the Advisory Board and as approved by the Vista Alternative

School Executive Committee.

Advisory Board Dr. Stewart Shanker Distinguished Research professor of psychology/philosophy York University Dr. Miriam Davidson Associate Professor, School of Education and Professional Learning/Frost Centre for Canadian Studies and Indigenous Studies Trent University Nancy Coyle BA, BEd, MRE Director of Toronto Montessori Institute Kyla Morenz BA, AMI Elementary Montessori Teacher Auxiliary AMI Teacher Trainer Specific Governance Model for Vista Alternative School As detailed in the TDSB's Operating Procedures for Alternative Schools, the mission and values

of Vista Alternative School will extend from collaboration between students, parents, teachers,

and the school's principal(s). This ongoing conversation will collaboratively develop mission

and value statements for Vista's unique philosophical underpinnings. The process will

recognize the importance of student and parent voices.

We regard it as essential that all stakeholders in Vista Alternative School have a voice in

decision-making processes. Our prime objectives in this regard are accountability and fairness.

We will ensure that students, parents, teachers, and principals participate in the operation of

Vista Alternative School, especially in relation to major decisions.

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Each stakeholder group will operate and be represented by its own council, and each council

will be responsible for reaching broad consensus on what best serves the interests of the group

as it relates to the school's vision, mission, and goals. Where appropriate, councils will be

included in development and review of policies and procedures for the operation of Vista

Alternative School.

Specifically, the following councils are planned and may be constituted by the end of the

governance model and school development processes:

- Vista Student Council

- Vista Parent Council

- Vista Teaching Council

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CURRICULUM

Vista Alternative School proposes to follow the Montessori Elementary Curriculum -- which has

been in practice worldwide for 100 years -- to educate children between the ages of 6 and 12.

Current research indicates that children who have been educated under the Montessori

Curriculum report a significantly better quality of experience in academic work: Compared to

their non-Montessori peers, Montessori students feel more active, strong, excited, happy,

relaxed, sociable, and proud. They enjoy their studies more, have greater interest in their work,

and they want to do academic work more than students in traditional schools.5 The Montessori

elementary curriculum supports the overall development of the child, and has been shown to

cultivate “increases in attention strategies, general intelligence, and academic achievement” in

students “from all socioeconomic levels.”6 As Angeline Lillard argues, “when strictly

implemented, Montessori education fosters social and academic skills that are equal or superior

to those fostered by a pool of other types of schools.”7

The Montessori curriculum is complete and diverse and covers the standards set out by the most recently released Ontario Ministry of Education curriculum plan. Vista Alternative will ensure that all areas of the curriculum set out by the Ministry, as well as the Toronto District School Board, are adhered to. The fundamental basis of the Montessori curriculum is that all subject areas are looked upon as

an interwoven whole. The different subject areas are not taught in isolation, but with the

understanding that their are overlaps and connections between all disciplines. Hence our

curriculum encourages children to think in terms of interdependencies and connections

throughout the world. This in turn leads to an understanding that a single phoneomenon will

have an effect, be it positive or negative, somewhere else in the universe. With this

understanding the child starts to view herself as an influential part of a greater whole, who can

have a positive effect on her immediate surroundings as well as on the wider environment and

community.

When the curriculum is approached as an interwoven whole, open-ended learning naturally

occurs. Different avenues a child may take in order to further develop and refine academic

skills and knowledge are vast and plentiful. For example, during a geometry lesson a teacher

might mention that the Egyptians divided farm land by using a special triangle. This information

may create in the children a natural desire to learn more about Egypt and thus a study of Egypt

is begun. We want to keep the minds of our children open and fluid, and one way of helping to

develop such a mind is to allow children to explore and think outside rigidly-prescribed

parameters.

5 Rathunde, K., op cit..

6 Chattin-McNichols, J. 1992. “Montessori Programs in Public Schools,” ERIC Digest, 348-165.

7 Lillard, A. 2005. Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius, New York: Oxford University Press.

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Curriculum Principles

1. Project-based learning: Children research different topics in depth and record and present

their findings in a variety of ways ranging from the standard report-style format to a dramatic

performance.

2. Hands-on learning: Children work with Montessori manipulative materials which

demonstrate abstract concepts and ideas in a concrete way. By working with their hands

children gain a true understanding of new concepts, and are better able to recall previously

learned skills.

3. Experiential learning: Children participate in outings (fieldtrips) and outdoor learning.

Teachers help to prepare the minds of children at school so that they recognize what they are

observing. Their knowledge and understanding is further refined and developed during the

outing.

4. Interdisciplinary learning: Teachers give lessons that illustrate the myriad connections

between and interdependence of subject areas. Children are encouraged to explore these

connections. For example, a lesson given about the stem involves learning about how the stem

works (biology), an experiment with dyed water to demonstrate how it works (the scientific

method), exploring the shapes of the xylem and the phloem (geometry), writing a science

experiment report (language education), exploring the age of different plants (history),

diagramming stems (art) and, finally, participating in an outing to find as many different stems as

possible (physical education).

5. Choice in learning: Students are able to choose which piece of school work they would like to

focus on at a given time. They may choose to practice a lesson the teacher has given them,

they may choose to work on a project, or they may choose to finish some work from the day

before. This time is very important, as it gives children a sense of control over their own

learning and a true sense of accomplishment.

6. Child-directed/child-centered learning: Each child is an individual and specific learning styles

must be respected. One-on-one time with a teacher is built into a day’s schedule so that it is

possible for individual children to receive the necessary attention. Teachers encourage work

that aligns with students’ interests as much as possible. By focusing on the individual interests

of children, teachers are able to foster joyful learning and collaboration.

7. Child involvement: Students work with teachers to ensure they are completing school work

and reaching milestones. This is achieved by making agendas progressively more demanding,

organizing work, and discussing time management skills.

8. Image-based learning: Imagery is used to spark the imagination and inspire learning. For

example, pictorial time lines are used in history lessons.

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9. Oral-based learning: Storytelling is used to share knowledge, spark imagination, and pique

curiosity.

10. Sowing the seeds of interest: Lessons should help to create in children a spark of interest, a

desire to learn more and to explore a certain topic. One of a teacher’s main jobs is to give the

students enough information that they have a general knowledge and understanding, but are left

with a burning desire to explore further, to research and to discover. We want our children to

develop a love for lifelong learning and exploration.

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COMMUNITY

Staffing “A teacher…[must be] ready to be there whenever she is called in order to attest to her love and

confidence. To be always there—that is the point.”

- Maria Montessori

The right teachers and principal are essential for implementing Vista’s holistic and child-

centered model of education. The teachers and the principal should have the experience to

trust in the developmental abilities of students. They must act as a guides and facilitators for

students, providing them the environment to learn and discover on their own. The following

profiles outline the desired attributes for Vista’s staff.

Principal Profile

“Pedagogically the work of the school is to organize the work of the child…The organizing of the

child’s work and offering this work to the child is a very exact work for us…It is the organization

of the work which [leads to]…the establishment of mental order.”

- Maria Montessori

We recognize that the principal of Vista’s host school will also serve as the principal of Vista, but

we think it helpful to describe the ideal principal for Vista in order to further communicate our

vision for the school. The ideal principal is an individual who is open to the idea of Maria

Montessori’s model of child-led learning, and who knows that there is scientific evidence that the

child-led learning model in a warm and structured environment using Montessori materials

results in excellent outcomes for students. The principal should recognize the innate strengths

of children, and know that a teacher’s job is to leave children alone while they are concentrating

on work, and to intervene when the child is ready to be guided in a new activity. Importantly, the

principal should recognize that children are different, and that being the same age doesn’t

always correspond with being at the same developmental stage or with having the same

interests. The principal should care for the teachers and support them in building a child-

centered educational environment, just as the teachers support the development of the

students. As the principal of a new alternative school, being flexible and allowing changes when

the need for them arises is especially important.

The ideal principal is an individual who is willing to try new approaches, and who welcomes the

challenges of launching a new alternative school. Just as importantly, the principal should be a

well-organized individual who is capable of managing the daily needs of the school’s operation.

Finally, the principal should feel inspired and excited to be a part of this new initiative to bring

child-led learning to the public school system.

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Teacher Profile

“A superficial judgment of the Montessori Method is too often that it requires little of the teacher,

who has to refrain from interference and leave the children to their own activity. But when the

didactive material is considered, its quantity and the order and details of its presentation, the

task of the teacher becomes both active and complex…Her later “inactivity” is a sign of her

success.”

- Maria Montessori

“We insist on the fact that a teacher must prepare himself interiorly by systematically studying

himself so that he can teach out his most deeply rooted defects, those in fact which impede his

relations with children…A good teacher does not have to be entirely free from faults and

weaknesses [but should know what they are]”

- Maria Montessori

The right teachers are essential to fulfilling the guiding principles and vision of Vista Alternative

School. The ideal teacher will have been trained in Montessori methods, be certified by the

Ontario Ministry of Education, and included on the eligibility list for TDSB. She will have a

strong commitment to Montessori’s holistic and child-led learning model, and past experience in

a Montessori elementary classroom would be an asset.

A teacher at Vista Alternative School should demonstrate warmth and sensitivity to students,

and have the ability to correctly interpret children’s signals so she knows when to intervene (for

example, to offer the child more challenging work) and when to let a child work on her own (for

example, to solve a difficult piece of work). Children are natural concentrators, and one of the

goals at Vista Alternative School is to leave this innate ability intact; it is thus essential that

teachers watch for any movements made purposefully, and let childrent their intentions without

breaking thir concentration (as long as they are not disturbing other students). As advised by

Dr. Montessori, teachers should also develop self-understanding so that they do not misinterpret

children in accordance with the teachers’ own expectations.

Rather than asking questions herself, the Vista teacher will stimulate the children’s imagination

so that the students begin to ask questions. The teacher will realize that her role is to assist

children in their attempts to answer these questions. Research indicates that when children

learn based on their own interests rather than through the interests of others, their ability to

learn and retain information is much greater.8

The teacher will know that rather than offering praise or extrinsic rewards, children should be

allowed to find intrinsic value in properly accomplishing a task. Research indicates that extrinsic

8 Estes, T.H. & Vaughan, J.L. 1973. “Reading Interest and Comprehension: Implications. The Reading Teacher, 27, 149-153.

- Anand, P.G. & Ross, S.M. 1987. “Using Computer-assisted Instruction to Personalize Arithmetic Materials for Elementary School

Children,” Journal of Educational Psychology 79(1), 72-78.

- Renninger, K.A. 1992. “Individual Interest and Development: Implications for Theory and Practice,” in K.A. Renninger, S. Hidi, & A.

Krapp (Eds.), The Role of Interest in Learning and Development. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, 361-395

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rewards devalue learning.9 Teachers at Vista Alternative School will avoid activities that involve

extrinsic rewards (e.g. competetive performance charts, stickers, etc.); likewise, they will avoid

giving negative feedback, and while following the TDSB requirements for evaluating work, will

rely as much as possible on the intrinsic feedback that comes from being unable to accomplish

some task (e.g. when using some Montessori materials a child knows that she made an error

when she does not have enough pieces to complete the work).

The teacher will know that children learn by working on projects alone, and in small groups; that

children learn by teaching, and from watching others; and that children learn outside the

classroom as well. The teacher will also know her limitations, and will be able to bring in outside

resources when the children’s interests go beyond her knowledge base. For example, the

teacher might invite an expert into the classroom, or arrange a fieldtrip led by an expert in order

to explore some topic that the students are interested in.

The teacher will be a well-organized individual who can keep a classroom well organized as

well. The teacher should be someone who believes that “the secret of free development of the

child consists…in organizing for him the means necessary for his internal [development]” and

that it is only within such an organized environment that “the child’s personality begins to

organize itself and reveal its characteristics.”10

The ideal teacher at Vista Alternative School will be an emotionally warm individual who gives

children a feeling of control over their activities within a structured environment, and who has

high expectations of what the children can accomplish. Research has shown that teachers with

high expectations and classroom control who also give students autonomy in the classroom

have excellent student outcomes, in terms of better grades, higher levels of pro-social behavior,

and lower levels of irresponsible behavior.11 It is just such a teacher that would be a perfect fit

for Vista.

The teachers will ideally see themselves as part of the larger community, and work with parents

as well as students and the principal to build the school. The teachers will draw on this

community to support the learning environment, and will, of course, draw on one another.

9 Deci, E.L., Koestner, R., & Ryan, R.M. 1999. “A Meta-Analytic Review of Experiments Examining the Effects of Extrinsic Rewards

on Intrinsic Motivation,” Psychological Bulletin, 125, 627-668. 10

Montessori, M. 1917/1965. The Advanced Montessori Method. Frederick Stokes Co, 70. 11

De Charms, R. 1976. Enhancing Motivation: A Change in the Classroom. New York: Irvington.

- Deci, E.L., Schwartz, A.J., Sheinman, L., & Ryan, R.M. 1981. “An Instrument to Assess Adults’ Orientations Toward Control

Versus Autonomy With Children: Reflections on Intrinsic Motivation and Perceived Competence,” Journal of Educational

Psychology, 73(5), 642-650.

- Stipek, D., Salmon, J.M., Givvin, K.B., Kazemi, E., Saxe, G., & MacGyvers, V.L. 1998. “The Value (and Convergence) of Practices

Suggested by Motivation Research and Promoted by Mathematics Education Reformers,” Journal for Research in Mathematics

Education, 29(4), 465-488.

- Chirkov, V.I. & Ryan, R.M. 2001. “Parent and Teacher Autonomy-support in Russian and US Adolescents: Common Effects on

Well-being and Academic Motivation,” Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 32(5), 618-635.

- Wentzel, K.R. 2002. “Are Effective Teachers Like Good Parents? Teaching Styles and Student Adjustment in Early Adolescence,”

Child Development 73(1), 287-301.

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While we are aware that there are union rules to be followed in the placement of teachers, Vista

Alternative School Executive Committee has alrady assembled a list of three board-certified

educators who have expressed firm interest in becoming part of this school. These educators

have a commitment to Montessori methods of education and child-led learning. Given this

interest and eagerness to embark on this exciting new project, it is clear that we have the quality

and quantity of teachers necessary to bring the Vista vision to reality and make this alternative

school a success. To support the school, the Advisory Board will offer assistance as needed,

aiding in the assessment of staff applications with respect to applicants’ abilities to fulfill Vista’s

mission. The Advisory Board will provide teachers with support during the launch of the school,

and will also help to assure the successful implementation of the school’s philosophy for years

to come. (Please refer to “Governance,” section 3 of the proposal.)

Training Opportunities

For those teachers who desire additional training12 to maximize their impact at Vista Alternative

School, we will offer several opportunities. One of our Advisory Board members, Kyla Morenz,

is trained in Montessori elementary education, and she will offer customized teacher training for

Vista educators, by offering workshops, presentations, and school visits. Another member of

the Advisory Board, Dr. Stuart Shanker, offers professional development workshops for

Montessori educators on helping children learn to self-regulate, and he will offer this service to

the teachers at Vista. The group of educators and intellectuals on our Advisory Board have

experience teaching Montessori educators and understand the TDSB system; they are uniquely

positioned to translate the Montessori method into the public system.

In addition, as needed, the Executive Board will work with parents to organize fundraising

events to help send teachers who are not Montessori trained to do summer training at Toronto

Montessori Institute or Association Montessori Internationale.

The Students of Vista Alternative School

The Vista Alternative School Executive Board has undertaken an initial outreach campaign to

inform the community about the Vista initiative, and to reach out to potential families. We have

a website (http://vistaschool.wordpress.com/) an on-line survey

(https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/vistaalternativeschool), and a Facebook page. We have also

done an initial distribution of flyers in and around Ward 10 to educate parents about the

initiative. We have found considerable interest in the proposal from parents of elementary-level

or soon-to-be elementary-level children.

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Additional training is optional, as per union requirements. However, given the interest level expressed by teachers, we anticipate that virtually all staff will embrace the opportunity for professional and personal development and enrichment offered by these opportunities. From our consultation with other alternative schools in the TDSB system, we have learned that there is a near-universal interest among teachers to further their training.

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Student Profile

“The children in our schools are free, but that does not mean there is no organization.

Organization, in fact, is necessary…if the children are to be free to work.”

- Maria Montessori

To better understand the makeup of our potential school population, we are conducting a survey

of interested parents. To date we have just over 100 respondents to our online survey. The

preliminary results indicate strong interest from parents who would like to enroll their children in

grades 1-3 for the 2012-13 school year, with the majority of students in grade 1.

The preliminary survey results also indicate that Vista Alternative School represents an

extremely exciting alternative for families in the downtown Toronto area, including families who

are currently outside the public system. This fall we will be holding our first General Meeting to

meet parents in person, provide more information, and to answer questions about the Vista

model of education.

In the coming months, we expect to collect significantly more surveys from these parents in

order to create an accurate projection for student enrolment based on interest and parent

commitment. We believe the accuracy of our survey results will rely heavily on a few factors that

are currently unknown, namely, the location of the school and after-care options. Therefore, as

soon as that information becomes available, we expect to be able to provide a more accurate

projection of parent interest and student enrolments. Parents of elementary aged children in

Toronto are looking for Montessori-inspired alternatives for their childrens’ education.

We expect that Vista will attract students from outside the TDSB, including homeschoolers, and

from private (primarily Montessori) schools.

Projected Enrolment Model

We have developed a projected enrolment model for Vista Alternative School. Our model

describes two possible scenarios for enrolment projections: minimum and maximum.

Scenario 1: Minimum Projection

In the minimum projection scenario, we estimate a total of 68 students would enroll in Vista

Alternative School in the first school year. In this scenario we project two classes for grade 1,

and one class each for grades 2 and 3. We also project a 67 –80% fill rate for each grade level.

We plan to add one year each year until grade 6.

The following table describes the minimum projection.

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Table 1 - Minimum Projection Scenario

Class

Type

Number of

Classes

Max Class

Size

Percent

Full

Estimated Number of

Students

Grade 1 2 20 80 32

Grade 2 1 20 80 16

Grade 3 1 30 67 20

total students:68

Scenario 2: Maximum Projection

In the maximum projection scenario, we estimate a total of 99 students would

enroll in Vista Alternative School in the first school year. In this scenario we project two Grade 2

classes. We also project a 90% fill rate for each grade level. The following table describes the

maximum projection.

Table 2 - Maximum Projection Scenario

Class

Type

Number of

Classes

Max Class

Size

Percent

Full

Estimated Number of

Students

Grade 1 2 20 90 36

Grade 2 2 20 90 36

Grade 3 1 30 90 27

total students:99

We recognize there is considerable variance between the minimum and maximum enrolment

projection scenarios. We plan to reduce the variance in our projection scenarios by continuing

our outreach efforts, and we also believe that once the location of the school has been

determined, the projections should become more accurate.

Admission Process

Vista Alternative School’s Principal and governing School Council will establish admission

criteria for the school. As a TDSB alternative school, an optional attendance policy will be

followed. Our admissions process will include a mandatory open house where we will present

the philosophy and approach of the school to potential students and their families. We will also

provide an application form to allow prospective families to communicate their interest in Vista

Alternative School. Finally, a personal interview and tour of the school will be conducted for

each applicant.

In an effort to become a welcome and valued part of the community in which the Vista School

ultimately gets placed, we will be committed to reaching out to parents with children already in

the host school who will be eligible to enroll. We will provide information on the potential

benefits of a Montessori-inspired alternative school for their children, in their language, in order

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to foster a student body that is representative not only of the parents who are already advocates

of a Montessori education, but all of those parents in the community who would like their

children to have such an experience.

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SUMMARY

There is good reason to believe that Vista Alternative School will be very successful, by any relevant standard. Consider: 1. There is widespread demand for Montessori-inspired education across North America and in Toronto specifically. 2. Currently there is no Montessori-based elementary school under the purview of the TDSB. 3. There are well over 130 private Montessori schools in the Greater Toronto Area. It is plausible to suppose that many parents who currently send their children to these schools would take advantage of a public option, if one were available. 4. Public Montessori-inspired schools have been very successful in other districts in North America. 5. Empirical research indicates that Montessori education benefits students in terms of their scholastic achievement, emotional maturity, creativity, motivation, and sense of community. 6. Vista Alternative School has the advantage of being able to rely on an over 100-year history of Montessori education and research in developing its unique curriculum. 7. It is certain that this unique curriculum can be implmented in such way that it adheres to the standards set out by the TDSB. 8. One of the guiding principles of Vista Alternative School is that an educational institution can flourish when it values the input of students, parents, teachers, experts in education, and the wider community. 9. A distinguished group of local educators make up Vista Alternative’s External Advisory Board and will serve as an excellent resource for the school. 10. The Executive Committee is experienced, skilled, and committed. Six members of the committee are employed as educators, and four of the six teach at the elementary level. For these reasons, we think that our school will make a valuable contribution to public educaton in Toronto and to our society.

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SPECIAL RECOGNITION

The Vista Alternative School Executive Committee would like to provide special recognition to a

number of key individuals who have had profound influence on the development of our vision.

We would like to express our gratitude to the Montessori community in Toronto, especially

Toronto Montessori Institute for their assistance in reaching out to dual-trained teachers, and

curriculum guidance. Additionally, many teachers and owners of private Montessori schools

supported our vision of a public alternative based on Montessori philosophy.

Vista will join the ranks of many other outstanding alternative schools under the purview of the

TDSB. We are grateful for the time several of them took to share their challenges and their

successes, in particular parents and educators from Equinox, Da Vinci, and the Grove

Alternative Schools. They were most willing to support us, and provided us with a better

understanding of the development and application of a special curriculum within the board, as

well as copies of their proposals to the TDSB to assist in our application process.

We would also like to express our deep thanks to our local team of stakeholders: Chris Bolton,

School Trustee; Karen Grose, TDSB Superintendent; and Sandra Best, Alternative Schools

Liaison Development Manager. Each of the meetings we had with these individuals provided a

wealth of knowledge and information. Through their feedback and guidance we were able to

better understand the priorities of the TDSB and refine our vision.

Further, our team of dedicated volunteers extends well beyond our Executive Committee of

twelve individuals. We have had many committed parents and teachers contribute to the

actualization of this proposal – from hanging posters, to developing our website, to researching

curricula, to meeting with schools, to spreading the word in playgrounds and schoolyards. If the

Executive Committee has been the driving force behind this initiative, it is this larger group of

volunteers that has provided for an efficient delivery. And, finally, we would like to acknowledge

the broad base of supporters that Vista Alternative School has attracted. It was clear from day

one that the idea of Vista Alternative School resonated with many families looking for more for

their children, for an education that truly recognizes, nurtures, and inspires them to become

active participants in their own learning, and in society as a whole.

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APPENDIX

List of Vista Alternative School Executive Committee Members

NAME ROLE

Aidan Roman-Crossland Co-chair / Curriculum Lead

Cyndi Gilbert Co-chair / Executive Lead

Jennifer Schacker Proposal Lead

Brian Huss Proposal Lead

Cristina Juarez-Nillson Communications / Outreach Lead

Kristin Andrews Research Lead

Lynne McEachern Survey / Creative Lead

Catherine Maule Treasurer

Clay Jones Website Lead

Liz Kingstone Montessori / Ontario College of Teachers

certified

Katherine Davis Ontario College of Teachers certified

Anisa Smith Montessori / Ontario College of Teachers certified